How to Stop dog pulling

This is such a common problem, that it's worth reposting about this again.

I was only the other day that I was sitting in a friends house and she'd been out walking the dog that she's looking after for a friend - a spaniel!!

On her return she declared - argh!! did you not hear me screaming? Blasted dog pulled me right over in the mud!

Now does this sound familiar? One of the problems that we trainers and behaviourists face is knowing when to say something and when not to. We don't want to be behaviour bores, and being a "know it all" just doesn't make anyone feel good - so I kept schtum, smiled politely, gave her a hug and said i hoped the bruises wouldn't be too bad.

If you own a spaniel this must sound all too familiar. These dogs seem to have a pulling gene in them - they seem born to pull. It's really a tough nut to crack.

These training notes clearly outline why it's necessary not only to train your dog to walk to heel - and how to do it, but also why it's also necessary to break these bad habits. Practice makes perfect afterall - so every time your dog goes out there and has a pull is just helping him or her to pull even more.

Dog training aids to stop pulling are really the only way to crack the pulling problem.

So have a look here to find out how to stop your dog pulling and save yourself from muddy bruises.

Good luck & look forward to your questions.

Cheers
Anna, dog behaviourist

Came across this whilst looking for various tick removal things. Smidge is an insect repellent that works with all blood sucking insects. It works by evaporating from skin and disguising human scent. Ticks and midges also find people by other means but at it does at least help with the skin scent. So, we can now walk our dogs in midget places without being bitten and be a bit safer with ticks. Brill!! More info here - 

Smidge insect repellent 

Dog and Puppy Training Classes are starting in Ardgay, mid June. For more information, please look here http://www.pawsability.co.uk/pethelp/dogtraining/dogpuppytraining.htm

Puppy House Training

We've just been having a think about the pros and cons of puppy training pads. And so have written up some new help notes on puppy house training and the benefits or otherwise of using puppy training pads.

On the surface, really, the best way to house train your puppy is to make sure they do all their toileting outside, and to reward them for doing so. However, if you don't have a convenient and safe place to take your puppy or you live in a flat and can't get out quickly enough, then they may be a good thing for you.

Read the full notes on puppy training pads here, or have a look at our puppy house training notes and book here

Dogs and Fireworks Fear

NEW Things to help dogs with fireworks fears......

We always get mailshots of information on new products, some good, and some get deleted straight away. Thinking on these poor dogs and puppies with fireworks fears, and on the credit crunch that's affecting all of us - this new Pet Remedy Diffuser diffuser caught our eye. It's a plug in diffuser that releases essences of valerian and other calming herbs. Valerian drops are frequently used to calm dogs with fears, so this looks like it should do the job. And its much cheaper than the dap diffusers.

Like all calming aids and training aids, many are great for many, but not great for others. We'd be therefore really happy to here your feedback.

Other new options for fireworks fears are Thundershirts - sounds strange, but all TTouch practitioners know that the right type of touch helps to calm fears. These are not just like dog coats, the really hug your dog tightly and help to settle them.

Then there's the lullaby CD - instead of using a desensitisation CD, try using this calming CD. The more you play it when the dog is calm, the more they'll relate the music and heart beats with being calm.

There's loads more helpful hints and tips for dogs with fireworks fears on the pawsability web site

So wishing your puppy or dog a calm fireworks season.

Dog training in the highlands

Watch this space - Pawsability dog training, puppy training, dog behaviour and help is now available in the highlands. The pet behaviour centre will hopefully be open in just a week or so, where we'll be able to run puppy socialisation parties, dog training classes and see people on a 1-1 basis with their dogs either for training of for behaviour help. We're close to the old central hub in the highlands - near Bonar Bridge, so in a good place for anyone in Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross.

Soooo looking forward to having a dedicated space.

Puppy Training

So this week I was called out to see a 4 year old dog who was scared of noises. It transpired that the root cause of the problem went right back to his puppy hood. The owners took the puppy to his new house at 14 weeks old, and the puppy had been brought up in a farm byre prior to then.

Now, the remarkable thing about dogs is their adaptability, and this fantastic dog (lets call him Rover) has grown into a great family pet - apart from his noise fear. This is not just a problem for the dog, but it had reached the stage where walking the dog was a problem - he'd almost turned agoraphobic.

Anyhow, this served to remind me that it may be a help for prospective new puppy owners to make sure that they get good advice when buying a new puppy. The best age to get your puppy is about 7 weeks. At this stage they are still open to learning lots of new things and also they don't FEEL fear (to much).

Please don't be persuaded to get a puppy that's been brought up in a farm byre, and also make sure they're around 7 weeks old.

For more information on understanding your puppy, please see this link

And for lots of free puppy training tips, please look at the puppy pages here.