Training
Here at A* Dog Behaviour we know socialisation and training is a huge part of the process to achieving a well balanced dog, as well as helping to make dog ownership a much more enjoyable experience! Who enjoys walking a dog that can't be controlled, dragging you down the road, or completely ignoring every given command at the local dog park!? The key to our success lies in the following approach we have adopted:
Prior to commencing training you must lay the foundations and ensure all of the dog's basic needs have been met: Food, water, shelter and exercise. Once these needs have been fulfilled the dog should have better levels of concentration, and training can commence!
The best approach to achieve long-term success in training is CRaP;
- Consistency
- Repetition
and
- Patience
The Principles of training are simple; we adopt a balanced approach to training that involves:
- Rewarding good and wanted behaviours
- Correcting unwanted or 'bad' behaviours, once commands and boundaries have been learned and understood.
The methods we use for teaching obedience commands are all reward based, using positive reinforcement to show the dog what we are wanting from them and to encourage the dog to want to be compliant. This, together with repetition and time will allow you to improve the bond and control between you and your dog. Once a command has been learned and understood, disobedience is corrected using a balanced approach, as outlined above.
We work with many breeds, from large to small, the amenable to stubborn, so all mannerisms and breed traits are well catered for. Having eight dogs of our own, of various breeds, characters and sizes, means we also have many dogs for yours to meet, socialise and train alongside.
Training and socilisation can start at any age so we welcome all dogs. Old dogs can learn new tricks too!
We offer our clients a tailored service to suit your needs, which may be just a one-off session, or a 6-week training programme followed by continued support where required in various forms - whether it be maintained socialisation, or extra help with (dis)obedience.
We also have experience with obedience training for deaf dogs, including having owned a deaf Bull Terrier of our own, so if your dog is hard of hearing or completely deaf, we are still able and more than happy to help!
Please see our 'Prices' page for more information on our charges, travel, and cancellations policy.
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"...it's a comfort to know we can ask Oli and Sam for advice on what to do..."