Habit Stacking

first published 21 September 2024

I’ve always recommended that an easy way to incorporate a bit of training in a busy day is to do a little while you’re waiting for the kettle to boil… more...

Say hello and wave goodbye

first published 30 August 2024

While it might be a great title for a song, when it comes to dogs, a calm silent interaction works best... more...

Let's Talk Balls...

first published 25 August 2024

If you have got a ball like this, that has got holes going around it, especially if the hole doesn't go all the way through like this one, then don't leave it down for your dog... more...

Red and Yellow and Pink and Blue...

first published 17 August 2024

Using coloured dummies in our training can really help to set our dogs up to succeed... more...

Never miss an opportunity to train your dog

first published 11 August 2024

Every time you interact with your dog you’re training him on one level or another... so never miss an opportunity to train him... more...

The Advanced Pet Gundog - Book Award

first published 1 June 2024

This year I received one of the best birthday pressies ever. I logged on to an email announcing that The Advanced Pet Gundog had won the 2024 American Legacy Book Award. more...

Not You! command...

first published 27 May 2024

A command that I use a lot that you may find valuable with your dog is ‘not you’. It means quite simply that you don’t want your dog to come with you, but he doesn’t have to hold a set position more...

Why dogs bark at the postman…

first published 21 May 2024

Watching dogs react to the postman is always interesting as it speaks volumes about the relationship that the owner has with their dog. more...

Operant Conditioning

first published 1 March 2024

There are so many posts on operant conditioning but the one’s that I’ve seen the most of are looking at it from a human perspective rather than from the dogs which, in my mind, can really muddy the waters and lead to confusion and it always seems to document using food, harsh handling and various bits of equipment, however this isn’t always the case. more...

Should I Stay Or Should I Go

first published 14 February 2024

I was reading a post in a Facebook group yesterday where a woman shared that she was going to euthanise her dog as it was being aggressive. It had bitten her and her husband a few times, both needing hospital treatment, and she had a five month baby in the house. She’d contacted rescue centres but, more...

Taste, tongue and teeth

first published 7 February 2024

Like us, the dog can taste sweet, salty, sour, and bitter and, like other carnivores (humans excepted), dogs have special receptors for tasting water, which I find particularly interesting as when dogs drink, they use the underside of their tongue, curling it under into a flattish ladle, and then scooping the water into their mouth… one of the reasons why a narrow deep water bowl is better than a wide shallow one – that and it helps prevent the amount of water that ends up on the floor. more...

Posturing and Scent Marking

first published 31 January 2024

I tend to get out and about with the boys a couple of times a day; walking them individually or as a pack, or doing some training with them. When Emrys got to around two and a half I became aware that, while still sharp on the whistle, was starting to range further than I like when he has some free time off lead. more...

Let's Talk Copying and Copyrighting...

first published 30 September 2023

I know I’m not the only person that this is happening to, I’ve seen it over and over again with colleagues getting whole chunks of their website copy lifted and used, as well as videos of trainers dogs being passed off as someone else’s more...

Classical Conditioning

first published 16 September 2023

Classical conditioning is when someone, or something, has an ‘ah-ha moment’ and makes an association between two things that aren't linked, so in Pavlov's dog’s case, a bell and food... more...

Just Messing About In The Water

first published 24 June 2023

I normally introduce dogs to water without any kind of retrieving and just let them pootle around and have a wee play. more...

Just Walking The Dogs

first published 13 June 2023

When the weather heats up get out of bed earlier and walk your dog. If for whatever reason you can’t walk early, walk late… do both... or do neither. more...

Acute Caudal Myopathy (Swim Tail)

first published 22 April 2023

The condition is known as Swim Tail, Swimmers Tail, Cold Water Tail, Limp Tail and Limber Tail, but it’s correct term is Acute Caudal Myopathy and is more often seen in young, adult male working breeds. more...

Step Up and be the Leader

first published 1 April 2020

During this time of uncertainty and change, it's easy to get caught up in the 'must do this and must do that' with our dogs, trying to do the latest exercise, latest challenge, be interesting, be exciting and generally 'amuse' our dogs. more...

S-t-e-a-d-y

first published 31 August 2019

Steadiness is so important for so many reasons; you want to be able to take your eyes off your young dog when he’s in a stay without worrying about him getting up and chasing something, or to take off after a rabbit, or a cat, when you’re walking him. more...

How Learning takes place

first published 10 August 2019

When we do something, nerve cells in the brain, known as neurons are fired up. They talk to each other in a way similar to passing a baton in a relay race, forming a pathway; a neural pathway. Just like passing the baton becomes quicker and more fluid with practice, so too the more an action is repeated the more established the pathway and the quicker and easier the action and reaction, until it eventually becomes an automatic learned response like driving a car or riding a bike for example. more...