02/10/2025
I follow these dog trainers, also Claire Denyer is an expert on the The Ladies Working Dog Group. They all follow on my ethos of dog training
After reading some very well written posts by Chad Mackin I felt inspired to write something on the topic
Our clients will hear us often say 'it depends', 'every dog is different', or 'there are many ways we could do this'
But why?
Over the last 20 plus years of studying dog training and behaviour, and more specifically the last 9.5 years of training dogs professionally, we have continued our studies, we have expanded our knowledge, evolved as trainers, and grown in ability, whilst remaining curious and open minded.
Working with around 60 plus dogs a week between us, in 121s, group classes, and behaviour modification programmes, we get to learn from dogs every single day.
That doesn’t mean we now think we 'know it all'
We still invest heavily in time and money, learning from the best in the industry, from various dog sports and from all dog training 'camps'
Many dog trainers push or promote a technique or a method. They try to draw in clients using buzz words, or emotional pressure. Some shouting that this is the 'ethical the way' to train.
The truth is, there is not 'one way' to train a dog. The way to train a dog successfully must be right for the individual dog and handler combination.
Training should bring about clarity for the dog, and a positive change for the dog and handler team.
We truly believe that every dog trainer should be open to each individual needs of the handler and dog's needs. The abilty of the handler is also an important factor.
We believe that every dog trainer and dog handler needs to know how to effectively reward the dog in front of them to get the very best out of the dog.
There are however times when you need to educate the dog. You will at some point need to correct, interupt, or modify inappropriate behaviours.
Correcting a dog should not mean being harsh, or abusive, not ever.
What each dog values as a reward or wants to avoid as a negative consequence will hugely vary from dog to dog. We work with the individual dog in front of us, we look at what will get the best result for each dog and owner.
There’s no magic wand, just training....
