Classes for young puppies up to about 4 months old are often called Puppy Pre-School, I call mine Kindy Puppy Class.  So why is Puppy Class so important? Puppies have a window of opportunity for socialisation that closes at around 4 months old (most agree it’s a little sooner in fact).  This means that what puppies are exposed to and experience during this time becomes their normal.  Getting them used to lots of novel experiences during this time makes a huge difference ...

This is a follow up blog from my last one "Why Quick Fixes Rarely Are". I thought I'd explain how you can tell if a behaviour has been suppressed or whether a problem has really been solved/improved. I also should clarify that the term "unskilled trainer" is not meant in a derogatory way but because dog training is unregulated there's no requirement for qualifications or licencing; if there were, then maybe "apprentice" would be more accurate.  But I ...

I’m writing this to help educate dog owners on the realities of training and behaviour change because I care very much about dogs’ welfare and the wellbeing of the humans who get caught up in this too.  I want people to make informed choices about their dog’s training and I want people to understand a different perspective to what’s often presented by trainers who offer the quick fix.   A couple of weeks ago I read a comment on a trainer’s page (I thi...

One of the first considerations when you bring home a new puppy is setting up a regular toileting routine.  Every puppy is different in how long they take to learn and that’s a combination of their individual personalities and their early experiences with the breeder. They develop a preference for going on a particular surface, so I will assume that most people want that to be grass, but if it’s different for you just replace “grass” in this blog with “your...

I’ve always said there’s nothing easy or convenient about having a puppy in the house!  Luckily for most people, the joy of owning a new puppy outweighs the bad stuff.  But it’s interesting how many things people don’t think about BEFORE the puppy comes home; most people consider the obvious things such as toilet training, buying toys, food bowls, food, a bed.  But a bit of forward planning on other things that some people miss can make a huge difference...