Behavioural Training - One-to-One

Dogs can be great company, but a nightmare if communication breaks down. I am here to take you through the different stages to achieve your goals. I always start with a one-to-one. This is a 90 minute session and might be enough, the next session, if needed, would be a 60 minute session.

Often you’ve been on the Internet and found yourself more confused than before you started. There is a lot of advice out there but no one size fits all.

There are many reasons why a dog may need extra attention, I offer training and advice to clients individually, to suit your needs. I don’t need to fill out long-winded training plans. It’s normally pretty obvious what’s going on when you enter my training unit, or I arrive at your home, most behavioural cases can be fixed relatively quickly, it’s normally down to miscommunication causing the dog to go into states of mind that distresses yourselves.

How do I train

It’s quite important to understand what’s going on, a lot of my work is on distraction and teaching dogs alternative behaviours. Often they get stuck in a rut like we all do, they don’t know how to behave or they don’t know how to leave a situation and that is when instinctual behaviour takes over, I know this only too well. It’s true quite often it’s something we are doing and giving completely the wrong message, but it’s very hard when you’re stuck in this circle of behaviour. Training is all about delivery of reward, rewarding positive behaviour. Teaching at a pace your dog can cope with but it’s also about you feeling comfortable. I will take you through the steps needed. I will always get the behaviours for you first and then teach you how to get the behaviours yourself, and yes I do use kind reward-based methods, but some dogs push back. It’s about understanding how to deal with this, I don’t use shock collars, or aversive training techniques, that’s wrong. Most of the time if you show a dog what you want you will not end up with what you don’t want.

Please bear in mind that if your dog is under 18 months old, a behaviour issue may just be the result of a particular developmental stage.

Common Issues We Can Address

Dealing with a wide range of dog behavioural problems normally comes down to a lack of communication, I do get the odd problem where something much deeper is going on yet with the right intervention, this can be sorted relatively quickly.

Basic recall takes most dogs and puppies approximately five minutes in an area where there’s no distractions.

Below I have put together the different stages of learning recall in any areas;

  1. Acquiring the behaviour – In other words getting your puppy or dog to understand and be happy to come back to you when asked.
  2. Perfecting the behaviour – Practising until your dog or rescue gets the behaviour every time you give a cue getting an immediate response.
  3. Moving to new areas at a pace your dog can cope with.
  4. Introduce your dog to more challenging areas – At this stage, it’s about teaching them to stay focused on you rather than being distracted.

All the training is done very subtly, I teach you to understand when to respond, how to praise and when. I always start in an area where there’s no distractions, then teaching you how to gradually move onto areas with more distractions. This stage is key to gaining success. The environment you’re working in is very important.

In the first session with me, you will learn how to get recall in a non-reactive environment first. Once you have mastered this stage, you are now ready to move on to teaching your puppy or dog in a more demanding environment, other distractions dogs etc, remembering you need to work at a pace your dog can cope.

If your dog is not responding.

This can be due to your environment or the way that you’re teaching your dog. Communication and environment is key, understanding how your dog learns and learning to interact in a way they can understand. Dogs do get distracted if they see another dog, new smells will also distract your dog. Teaching your dog to check back on you turns into a natural reaction.

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There is nothing more annoying that your dog pulling on the lead when out walking especially on busy roads this can be very dangerous.

Dogs have a natural inclination to pull. When taught correctly they’re happy to walk nicely on the lead, it really is about communication. Not using adverse tactics I often see trainers using a slip lead/ choke chain. This only serves to strangle the dog into submission. It does work to a degree but I feel that’s quite unfair. More importantly, you’re missing out on creating a good relationship with your dog. Clipping a harness on the back is also fraught with problems it doesn’t give direction. I prefer to use a Front connecting harness.

If your dog becomes stressed or doesn’t cope, they will start to pull, bark or jump around. I will equip you with the ability to deal with these situations and teach you how to get to the point where your dog will be walking nicely anywhere.

  • The first stage to teaching your dog to walk nicely on the lead, is working your dog in an environment without distractions, First of all the dog is learning to focus on you, thus not focusing on-other distractions
  • The second stage I then go onto show you how to implement this in areas outside where there are more distractions

When you leave, your dog will be walking nicely on the lead, but more importantly you will understand fully how to implement this in different areas regardless of any distractions.

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My Approach

My dog behavioural training is carried out on a one-to-one basis, unless there are multiple dogs in a household. Training can be carried out at your home or at my training facility. Not only do I have an indoor training centre, but I also have external paddocks in which to practice in a safe environment, making sure any dogs your dog meets is done in a controlled environment. Dogs live by a very different set of rules to us. When you can understand how to communicate in ways they understand, long-standing problems can be very easily rectified. Whatever the problem you won’t be coming to me for months. If a dog has a problem with other dogs they have to be reintroduced at a pace they can cope with and to dogs that are not going to be reactive, you won’t get this in the park. If you prefer a home visit I’m more than happy to oblige. Some people prefer this. All home visits are for for three hours minimum.

Sessions typically last 90 minutes for the first session, subsequent sessions are 60 minutes at my training centre in Laddingford. and most problems can be addressed in one or two sessions.

All my training includes written information outlining what has been covered in the session and gives instructions explaining how to carry on the training techniques in the home. if you get stuck, just give me a call.

Cost

90 minutes for the first session £110, if you would prefer in your own home it’s £220 for three hours. Subsequent sessions are for 60 minutes at £75 per session. When your dog is ready, if they have had problems round other dogs, this is when you get to meet my crew of non reactive dogs, who are well trained in being around other dogs that can be aggressive or fearful. When you’re ready, you will be invited to meet and greet at a pace that your dog can cope with. The cost is £75 for one hour. Once your dog is happy. We do a drop-off in the morning and pick up in the evening. Your dog gets to spend the whole day in a safe environment, cost £55 per day. These sessions are very beneficial to dogs who have had fear or aggression problems around other dogs.

Booking Information

To book classes, please call Jackie on 07947 305359, payment is taken on receipt of booking. If you have any further questions, please feel free to call me or email me on jackie@happydogstraining.co.uk

Location

Training can be carried out at your home in the Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge, Sevenoaks, or Maidstone areas, or at our centrally located Training Centre in Laddingford.

My training centre is approximately 10 miles from Tunbridge Wells ,9 miles from Maidstone, 2 1/2 miles from Paddock Wood, and 10 miles from Tonbridge.