K9 Care Dog Training

19/05/2026

This is absolutely correct.

24/07/2025

Have you tried everything to stop your dog pulling on the lead?

Why Leadership and Structure Matter More Than Treats
One of the most common struggles dog owners face is lead pulling. Whether it’s dragging you down the street, zig-zagging from sniff to sniff, or lunging at distractions, pulling on the lead can make walks frustrating, stressful, and even dangerous.

Most training advice focuses on treats and clickers — but for many dogs, especially strong or excitable ones, that just doesn’t cut it.

At K9 Care Dog Training in Dumfries & Galloway, I help clients train calm, relaxed lead walking by focusing on leadership and structure — not just obedience.

Here’s how (and why) it works. Click on the link to read more

30/05/2025

Dealing with an Overly Excitable Dog Using Dog Psychology — Not Just Obedience

Excitability is one of the most common issues I help dog owners with across Dumfries and Galloway. Whether it’s jumping up, barking when guests arrive, spinning on the lead, or not being able to settle in the house, excitable dogs can leave their owners feeling frustrated, embarrassed — and exhausted.

But here’s the thing:
Excitability isn’t a behaviour problem — it’s an emotional state.

And that’s why the solution isn’t just obedience commands or more exercise — it’s understanding and using dog psychology.

Click on the link below to read more

Dealing with an Overly Excitable Dog Using Dog Psychology — Not Just Obedience Excitability is one of the most common issues I help dog owners with across Dumfries and Galloway. Whether it’s jumping up, barking when guests arrive, spinning on the lead, or not being able to settle in the house, e...

16/04/2025

Why Are There So Many Reactive Dogs in the UK?
As a professional dog trainer, one thing I see more and more is reactivity — barking, lunging, growling, pulling, or overreacting to dogs, people, or the environment. It’s becoming increasingly common… and owners are often left wondering why.

Let’s take a look at what’s causing this rise — and more importantly, how I help dogs overcome it using a calm, structured approach without the need for harsh tools or extremes.

1. Lockdown Puppies & Lack of Socialisation
COVID-19 led to a boom in dog ownership, but it also meant many dogs missed out on vital early experiences. These “lockdown puppies” didn’t get properly socialised during key developmental stages, leading to:

Anxiety around other dogs or people

Overreactions to normal environments

A general lack of confidence

These gaps in early life experience often show up as reactivity later on.

2. The Rise of “One-Method” Training
Owners are often overwhelmed by conflicting information online. The trend of “purely positive” training tells people to:

Distract the dog with treats

Avoid walking the dog to let it decompress

Avoid saying “no”

Ignore unwanted behaviour

While positive reinforcement is a huge part of what I do, it’s not the only part — and it’s rarely enough for dogs with serious behavioural issues like reactivity.

3. Breeding for Demand, Not Temperament
Many popular breeds and mixes today have been bred more for appearance or social trends than for stability or suitability as family pets. This includes high-drive working breeds living in homes without enough structure or stimulation — a recipe for frustration and reactive behaviour.

4. Lack of Boundaries Creates Uncertainty
Many well-meaning owners are afraid to set boundaries for fear of being “too strict.” But dogs need calm, consistent guidance to feel safe. When they don’t have it, they start taking on the role of decision-maker — barking, reacting, and controlling situations themselves.

That’s where balanced training comes in.

My Approach: Calm, Clear & Ethical
I offer a balanced, modern approach that:

Uses positive reinforcement to build confidence and trust

Sets clear, calm boundaries to stop unwanted behaviours

Helps owners communicate fairly, clearly, and consistently

And importantly:

I do not use prong collars, choke chains, or e-collars.
I rely on ethical, real-world training tools and techniques that keep your dog safe, supported, and stress-free.

My aim is always to build a better relationship between you and your dog — not to overpower them, scare them, or shut them down.

The Impact of Modern Life
Busy streets, unpredictable off-lead dogs, stressed-out owners — modern environments can be overwhelming for dogs. Without proper guidance, structure, and confidence, reactivity is often the natural result. But it doesn’t have to stay that way.

You Don’t Need to Struggle Alone
If you’ve been through multiple sessions with a “reward-only” trainer and seen no real improvement — or if things have gotten worse — know that your dog can improve.

With over 15 years of hands-on experience and a focus on reactivity, lead pulling, and real-world behaviour, I help dogs find calm, confidence, and control again — using methods that make sense for both the dog and the owner.

Ready to take the next step?
Reach out today and let’s turn those stressful walks into calm, controlled, and enjoyable ones — no gimmicks, no gadgets, just solid, ethical training that works.

Call now to connect with business.

02/10/2024

Not my words but this is my dog training philosophy.

For those of you who are not already aware, I am a reward-based dog behavioural trainer. I focus on finding incentives for the correct behaviour with EVERY dog I work with, whatever issues it has. However, sometimes although aware of the reward being offered, the dog disregards it, as it has already chosen what it considers to be a more profitable one. Some of you reading this may have already found this. You offer your dog a treat to stop it barking at another dog, but it ignores the treat as it finds the barking more rewarding. Or you offer it a toy to stop it from chasing a squirrel, but it ignores the toy, as chasing the squirrel is much more fun.
Much as I would love to train the dog using only rewards, sometimes there is no reward I can offer greater than the one the dog can get itself. So what do I do now?
A force-free or reward-only trainer may tell you to ignore the bad behaviour and it will just go away given time. But you've probably already found that although a great theory, it really doesn't work well in practice. In reality, the training that works the quickest, and the most effectively in my humble opinion, is if the dog is aware of both the benefits AND the costs of the choices that it makes. This will help it settle for the reward the owner is offering, since it understands it can't ignore them.
So when I work with owners, I will try to create effective rewards for whatever the dog gets right, but I will also create effective, non physical consequences should the dog choose to reject the reward the owner is offering.
This is not rocket science. I believe that pretty much everyone is aware that reward only training is only effective if you can always offer better rewards than the dog can get itself. If you are not aware of this, I hope you are not charging people for dog training. You might be the last chance for the dog you are working with.

13/08/2024

Not my words but well worth sharing.

I want my dog to be Sociable!
This is a phrase that I often hear from clients and indeed from many other dog owners. Perhaps it is worthwhile investigating exactly what “Being sociable” really means.
Do we really want our dogs to interact with everyone that they see? Is that a good thing? I think not.
If we encourage our dogs to interact with everyone that they see, then we are teaching them that the correct thing to do is make every effort to approach all and sundry regardless of the circumstances. The result then is the dog that may run off in the park to greet a perfect stranger or when on the lead may pull determinedly towards any passerby.

Surely the correct way of encouraging sociability in our dogs is to set the rules as to who they can and cannot interact with and indeed, how that interaction should take place.
There is no way that I would allow a stranger to interact with my dog by fussing, petting, making encouraging noises or even giving tit-bits. The only persons allowed that privilege are myself and my inner circle of family and friends.
There are many people who feel that they have a God given right to interact with every dog that they see. They do not! At the very least permission should be sought from the owner before interacting with any dog. If the wish of the owner is that their dog does not interact with strangers then that wish should be respected.
Whilst it is everyone’s choice what they want their dog to do with regards to “Being sociable” I do feel that that choice should be made having full regards to the possible outcomes. Surely our dogs should tolerate people but do they have to be their best friend?

07/01/2024

I rarely post on Facebook but so many dogs and their owners are being failed by some trainers that I felt compelled to share this video. It seems to me that common sense is now a rare thing in dog training. Make your own mind up.

23/01/2022

What does it mean when a dog training or dog behaviour course calls itself 'accredited' or says that you will receive a 'qualification' on completion?
Should you only use an accredited or qualified trainer/behaviourist?
There is no national standard for either dog behaviour or dog training in the U.K. So when a course offers a qualification or a certification, or a behaviourist or trainer says that they are qualified or accredited, it won't mean nationally. What it means is that an organisation has asked another organisation to recognise its course, and normally for its structure, rather than its content, since there is no national standard to which the course can be compared.
So a course or individual that says that they are accredited or qualified, are only qualified by another organisation, and not by any national governing body, as there isn't one.
Many academic and/or online courses never require you to work with a dog, or to have even owned one, or even seen one - but only that you can look up the answer to a series of questions before you 'qualify', and this is often the case right up to degree level. And many of these courses never actually tell you how to train dogs. So you finish the course with a degree, but still don't know how to stop a dog from resource guarding, or how to address its separation anxiety, or stop it pulling on the lead.
So when choosing an 'expert' to help you, spend a bit of time finding out what their background is and what they have to offer, and then choose the one that you think best offers what you think that you need. Simply having letters after a name may not be enough.

14/09/2021

A beautiful tribute to Archie, a very special dog who I had the privilege of working with a number of times. He had a huge personality and made a lasting impression on everyone who met him - none more so than me. Please feel free to share.

04/09/2019

Can anyone help find a home for these two friends? Please share, thanks.

UPDATE: We have had a great response and are following up on a home. We hope this will all go well. We will update as and when we can. We do have other dogs looking for foster though so please consider volunteering to foster another dog with us so that we can save more dogs like Shanti xx

Sadly we have been unable to find a suitable placement for Shanti and her best friend in the whole World, Olive who is a 2 year old neutered house cat.
If you would like to be considered please apply using the foster link below.
If you are unable to foster but would like to help this adorable duo, then please share. 💕
Hi supporters.
This is a plea for a foster home or foster with a view to adopt for a dog with a very sad yet interesting story to tell.
This is Shanti. She is a retriever cross Jindo. She was rescued from the meat trade in South Korea by a kind lady who lived there at the time and has since moved back to Scotland bringing the lovely Shanti with her
Sadly due to work commitments the family are again having to move over seas.
They feel that this would prove too stressful for sensitive Shanti and would like with our help for her to remain in Scotland where she has settled.
She adores her best friend her cat and would just love if she could stay with her.
We know this is a big ask but ideally a home where her cat can go too.
We may consider a home with another cat if we can't find a home for both.
Shanti has been fully assessed and very gentle with people but she can react to dogs on walks so a dog free home is essential.
We would welcome enquiries from homes with older children 10 plus.
Shanti is clean and non destructive in the home.
If you would like to be considered please fill out a foster enquiry form (http://www.anydogildorescue.org/fostering-enquiry-form.html) giving all your current details and our foster coordinator will be in touch.
Please share. ❤️

06/07/2018

Please share to help raise awareness.

Yesterday after a day filled with fun, fetch and swimming in Lake Windermere, Myself, Lucy & Tiggy had to say goodbye to our best friend Max.

He collapsed and was rushed to the nearest vets where he was diagnosed immediately with Water Intoxication and put on drips of sodium, potassium and mannitol to increase his electrolytes and relieve pressure on his brain.

After 7 hours of determination from the vets and nurses, Max was unable to pull through.

“Water Intoxication is a relatively rare but frequently fatal condition in dogs. At highest risk are dogs that enjoy playing in the water for long stretches.”

We are so unbelievably devastated that a simple game of fetch in the water, something we had done a hundred times before, resulted in such a perfect day turning into our worst nightmare.

Water Intoxication was something we knew nothing about. At this time of year, so much awareness is spread about not leaving dogs in hot cars but no one ever mentions the hazardous effects of your dog ingesting too much water whilst playing.

We have had to learn the hard way and all we can do now is spread awareness of this terrible condition in the hope that other dog owners are informed.

Please share this post to spread awareness of Water Intoxication and save lives

We Love You Maxy ###

Beware of water intoxication in dogs! This is caused by excessive water intake by the dog while playing in the water Symptoms to look out for are loss of coordination, glazed eyes, lethargy, nausea, vomiting and excessive salivation. ... if you suspect your dog is suffering from water intoxication, they need immediate medical attention.