Masterclass Working Sheepdog Training

21/11/2025

Kangal pups in their favourite resting place! A few pups still available... 8 weeks old Sunday.

https://www.campaspeworkingdogs.com/livestock-guardian-dogs/

08/10/2025

The reward-only ideology is the main reason crime is running rampant in many western countries. It fails with dogs, and it fails with people.

The root of this insanity can, to a large degree, be traced back to Murray Sidman's massively flawed book, "Coercion and it's fallout" (and further back to the father of "behaviourism", Skinner himself). In it, Sidman argues for a "pure positive" approach in ALL human interactions - including child rearing, school teaching, law enforcement, the judiciary, and even international relations including dealing with terrorists! (I devote an entire chapter to refuting Sidman's irrational rantings in my book - and Skinner's.)

Today, we are seeing the fruits of these types of anti- reality madness.

Also note that "minimal intervention" brings to mind Stephen Lindsay's LIMA framework, which, no matter how well intentioned, as I discuss in my book, also fails. (And don't even bother considering the insane LIFE model!). I devote another chapter to discussing these failed frameworks, and offer a superior alternative.

If you'd like to understand all of these issues, including why punishment is ABSOLUTELY necessary, and the principles for it's most effective application, get your copy of REAL WORLD DOG TRAINING - Why Correction Succeeds and "Positive" Training Fails, today.

Used properly, whether in animal or human contexts, punishment can indeed be used minimally, but ONLY if it is used properly. And that often means using it EARLY, and in sufficient strength. This is all discussed in my book in great detail.

Www.realworlddogtraining.com.au

An official guide for judges and magistrates in making bail decisions, updated in the wake of the Allan government’s crime crackdown, still advises decision makers to “impose the minimum intervention required” on accused young offenders > https://bit.ly/4n6nRvG

07/09/2025

Purebred Maremma pups for sale. Ready to go late September. Message me if interested. Photos are sire, dam and pups. $950.

Visit https://www.campaspeworkingdogs.com/lgds-for-sale.../ for more details.

17/06/2025

A new review for my 2007 book Working Sheep Dogs - A practical guide to breeding, training and handling.

“Tully’s book 'Working Sheep Dogs' is a bit like having a veteran stockman sitting at your kitchen table, yarning away about dogs.

It’s a true encyclopaedia for anyone who wants to get it right — from choosing a pup with the right traits, to breeding smarter, and putting in the hard yards to make a handy, reliable worker.

Tully knows dogs inside and out — how they tick, what traits come through, and how to bring the best out in them in a way that sticks. There’s a depth of knowledge in these pages you won’t find just anywhere.

It’s a book you’ll keep going back to, whether you’re a young bush worker starting out or someone who’s been at it for years.”

— Sean O'Hare, Toonooba Working Dogs

To purchase your copy, the link is in the comments.

03/06/2025

What some people call an "emergency stop" or "emergency drop" is just a regular, every day occurrence for the well-trained sheepdog...

Turn the sound on, you'll hear the whistle.

This clip is one of my dogs from about 20 years ago - circa 2005 (about 2 years prior to my book Working Sheep Dogs - Breeding, Training and Handling was published).

24/04/2025

A quick overview of my new book - Real World Dog Training - Why Correction Succeeds and "Positive" Training Fails.

This is a quick overview of my book Real World Dog Training. In it, I deal comprehensively with the many false and misleading claims, and even outright lies,...

24/04/2025

More reviews coming in - you can check them all out, or purchase your copy, at the link below.

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I recently purchased Real World Dog Training and, as someone who isn’t a big reader, amazingly finished it in just four days—a personal record!

I’ve been a dog trainer for decades, and I value realistic, spirited debate. The public should be able to research and make informed decisions about who helps them train their dogs, free from misleading or false claims. Your book empowers readers to use their own deductive reasoning to make choices based on real-world outcomes.

I bought your book because I was intrigued by the title and wanted to see how you’d back up your claims. You did so boldly, clearly, and with a willingness to be scrutinized.

I was both shocked and pleased to discover an Australian had written such a balanced, thought-provoking book that champions experience, choice, and the long-term welfare of dogs in our society.

Thanks again—I really enjoyed it. I hope to meet you one day for a good, unreserved chat.

- Craig A.

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Treat training fails in the REAL WORLD. Competing environmental rewards simply outweigh your treat. Here you'll find only proven methods based in reality.

21/04/2025

Here's a quick example of negative reinforcement (pressure/release or escape) training in action with a couple of my sheepdog pups. They're puffing and panting because they've just been for a big run and chased a few sheep around.

We give a command, give the pup a chance to respond, if it doesn't we introduce an uncomfortable pressure (an aversive) while repeating the command, until the pup responds. Then we immediately release the pressure and praise the pup "good boy".
I go into much more detail on what I refer to as the ICEPIPR process in my sheepdog training videos https://workingsheepdogtraining.com/.../the-icepirp-process/

The so-called "positive" crowd say we should NEVER use negative reinforcement because it is EVIL and ABUSIVE (and everyone who uses it is no doubt a wife and child be**er and probably also a serial killer...!).

According to Susan Garrett “…there is ALWAYS fallout with ANY form of punishment–even something as benign as a time-out.” Rubbish. Complete and utter rubbish. Comments like that simply show the enormous lack of knowledge and lack of experience that is common to all these positive ideologues.

If you watch until the end of the 5 minutes (and I've included it all completely UNEDITED so you can see the progression and the time it takes to see results) the pups are starting to respond to the voice command alone.

And all with no terrible, life altering TRAUMA. Who would have thought...

I will post other examples of negative reinforcement in action when I get a chance. Negative reinforcement is one of the most useful and effective tools in the dog trainers tool box.

To learn much more about this, get your copy of my book today - https://realworlddogtraining.com.au/books-for-sale/

08/04/2025

More aimed at pet trainers, etc., but some of you will find this interesting.

Learn the 3 ESSENTIAL, GAME-CHANGING secrets to improving the success of your positive reinforcement dog training. Many of you will be completely unaware of ...

24/03/2025

On SALE till the end of March. Both paperback and hardcover are 50% off.

Treat training fails in the REAL WORLD. Competing environmental rewards simply outweigh your treat. Here you'll find only proven methods based in reality.

20/03/2025

Feedback on my new book is starting to come in:

"Your book is a godsend for me. The FF/PP cult had me thinking I was doing it all wrong and "abusive". Excellent, excellent, book!!!" - David Cole, USA

You can order you copy here:

Treat training fails in the REAL WORLD. Competing environmental rewards simply outweigh your treat. Here you'll find only proven methods based in reality.