Confessions of a Dog Trainer. Part 1: Feeding from the Table!

I was recently asked by an owner of a ball-mad spaniel how they could get more out of games with their dog, without just relying on fetch. This is a great question. Playing more imaginative games can help keep your dog keen and focused. It's great way to train as you...

Did you know that good doggy social skills aren't necessarily learnt from rough and tumble play? I get calls from clients all the time telling me their dog is really well socialised because they attend day care or regularly play with other dogs they meet. Good dog...

An ingenious design for this multi-functional tool that all dog owners should have in their home. Clients regularly hear me speak about the benefits of dog gates. Perhaps you have a multi-dog household and need occasional segregation. Some clients have a dog that...

We've hit a bit of turbulence in the past month. Following a house move and the death of our wonderful Sage, everyone is feeling a little upset emotionally and in terms of routine. In our old house, Jellybean slept under the stairs, a cosy place he'd been in since...

I'm just back from a weekend away. The dogs came too. They come with me whenever possible. Without blinking we went to dinner in the hotel and left the dogs alone (OK I left The Voice on the TV for them) without incident or bother, stress or concern. Being alone is...

We sometimes see habits in other people's dogs which leave us saying to ourselves 'that would really annoy me.' So if i stood back and watched how my dogs act when people come to the house, I would secretly be horrified. Many years ago I wrote a blog classifying dogs...

I still regularly hear from clients that they have been told they shouldn't play tug with their dog. It causes aggression; it creates a hard mouthed dog who will damage game (if you're into that sort of thing); you'll never get a decent hold if you teach...

It's confession time again. My dogs occasionally sleep on my bed overnight and often join me for a lie-in at the weekend. This has zero impact on their day to day behaviour or whether they are willing or able to respond if I ask them to do something. If anything, I'd...

Many years ago, at a seminar in Edinburgh, I heard Patricia McConnell say that most dog walks wake the dog up, rather than tire the dog out. ‘But why is he not tired?’ I’m often asked. ‘I’ve taken him for a really long walk.’ We’re just back from a 10km walk followed...