Blog
Motivation!
Most owners know what their dogs like. The special treats that they will do anything for. For Rio, its most foods. From Kibble, to fish pieces, he finds it all equally exciting. He will choose food over toys any day. George likes food, but LOVES tennis balls and tuggy toys. If he can destroy it, […]
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Jackpots! And Reward Schedules.
When teaching your dog a new behaviour, a reward should be given every time your dog is successful. Instantly. No exceptions! This helps your dog to associate the behaviour with a reward. Sometimes, a dog can catch you by surprise and perform the end behaviour by himself, or after very little training. When this happens, […]
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Top rules of dog training!
We all do what works for us. Amazingly, all animals, including humans, learn in the exact same way! From tigers, to gold fish, we all have one thing in common. We are all pleasure seekers, including dogs. We do what works and avoid what doesn’t. When we find what works, we are more likely to […]
Continue ReadingNikki’s Dreams have come true!
Finally! I never thought I would see the day I now have a 1 acre field all to my self! Well maybe not all to myself, of course I’m going to share it with you guys too! After a 2 and half year search, I finally found the perfect place. And I mean PERFECT I […]
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Breaking the ice!
Many of the dogs that come to me for training, have issues with their recall. ‘Recall is fine, until we see another dog or person’ ‘Her recall is great unless we’re in a new place’ ‘His recall is good unless he finds something to sniff’ Are all things I hear in my classes. One thing […]
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Extinction – A lesson from the dinosaurs
When can I stop rewarding her? Is a question I get asked in almost every group of classes I teach. The simple answer is – Don’t! When dogs are no longer being rewarded for doing something, then they just stop doing it. Click here for more about rewards and reinforcement You wouldn’t go to work […]
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Is your dog a free loader?
When offered a choice between free food and working for food, can you imagine which your dog will choose? Hint – Its not the free food! Researchers have found that ‘animals will perform an operant response to obtain food when abundant free food is available’ Translation Please! Simply put, your dog would rather endure a […]
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The 3 D’s of dog training
Have you ever heard about the 3 D’s of dog training? It’s something I mention, and work on extensively, in my training classes. Without the 3 D’s, there is no dog training. Let me give you the D’s! Duration Duration is probably the easiest to build, and the one I like to work on first. […]
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Halloween – Make sure your dog doesn’t get spooked!
Halloween can be so much fun! Dark nights, lots of sweets, scary movies, my kinda thing! But for some pets it can be kinda scary. Here are our top tips for staying safe and having fun with your dog. Chocolate can be lethal! All kinds of chocolate can make your dog ill, or worse. If […]
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Luring
Luring a behaviour is something that is often criticised by balanced trainers. It’s often seen as a bad thing, and I think that’s unfair. Its actually an effective way to teach new behaviour. And the way in which most pet owners teach their dog their basic commands Luring is simply teaching your dog to follow […]
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