How to Choose a Professional Dog Trainer or Behaviour Consultant

OFQUAL CERT
LEVEL 3 - ADVANCED DIPLOMA IN DOG BEHAVIOUR & TRAINING 

CPD CERT
LEVEL 4 -  ADVANCED DIPLOMA IN DOG TRAINING

SIRIUS DOG
DOG TRAINER ACADEMY

​GROWL CLASS, A WORKSHOP DEMO FOR REACTIVE DOGS 
DR IAN DUNBAR

CBCC-KA Certified Behaviour Consultant Canine-Knowledge Assessed (CBCC-KA®)

Pet First Aid & CPR Certification
e-Training for Dogs

WINNER OF BARK.com
CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE
​AWARD 2021 
​ RECEIVED ​FOR 3 YEARS RUNNING

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Phone on 07718 607 970

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Dog Training & Behaviour change through positive methods

  • Helping clients interpret their pets behaviour and find ways to communicate more effectively 
  • Teaching clients how to reinforce a desired  alternative behaviour rather than purposefully suppressing the unwanted behaviour
  •  Using positive reinforcement, counter conditioning and systematic desensitisation techniques
  • Supporting clients to apply practical, easy-to-follow strategies to achieve desired outcomes
  • Extra dogs are £25 per visit​​
  • Any aversive methods are not used by DogWalkersN8
​
 

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What Happens During Your Consultation?
The Assessment
We begin with introducing you to the ABCs of behaviour. They provide a simple way to look at what happens before, during and after a behaviour.
We will use the same example throughout: a dog jumping up at visitors for attention.

ABC's
A is for Antecedent-What happens immediately before the behaviour
A visitor enters the house.
B is for Behaviour- What the dog actually does
The dog lifts their front paws and places them on the visitor.
This describes what can be seen and measured, rather than using a label such as “naughty” or “overexcited”.
C is for Consequence- What happens immediately afterwards
The visitor looks at the dog, speaks to them or touches them.
If jumping results in attention, the dog may be more likely to jump again when another visitor arrives.

Looking Beyond the ABCs
The ABCs are the starting point, but they do not provide the whole picture. The assessment also includes the following factors.

Distant Antecedents- Past history and individual characteristics
These are background factors that may affect the behaviour now.
In this example, the dog may have a long history of receiving attention for jumping up. We also look at health, medical conditions, learning and reinforcement history, previous living conditions, sleep, activity, diet, development and temperament.

Setting Events- The current situation
Setting events are current conditions that make the behaviour more or less likely to happen.
Jumping may be more likely when the dog has been alone for several hours, several people arrive together or the doorway is busy and noisy.
It may be less likely when the room is calm and the visitor is already seated.

Motivating Operations- What makes the reinforcer more or less valuable
A motivating operation changes how valuable an outcome is at that moment. It also changes how likely the dog is to use behaviour that has gained that outcome before.
In this example, attention may be more valuable after the dog has been alone or has had little interaction. This can make jumping up for attention more likely.

When Does the Behaviour Not Happen?
We also look at when the dog does not jump.
For example:
  • Does the dog keep all four paws down when visitors are seated?
  • Does the dog jump at some people but not others?
  • Is jumping less likely in a quiet room?
  • Is it less likely after the dog has already received attention?
This helps us identify the conditions that influence the behaviour.

What Does the Behaviour Achieve?
In this example, jumping gives the dog access to attention.
This is called the function of the behaviour. Put simply, it means what is the purpose of the behaviour , what the behaviour allows the animal to gain, avoid or change.

Why Don’t We Simply Stop the Jumping and End it There?
Behaviour happens for a reason. Simply stopping the jumping does not remove the dog’s reason for doing it. The dog still has engaged in this behaviour to access attention.
Where possible, we either:
  • teach a more appropriate behaviour that achieves the same result; or
  • change the situation so jumping does not need to occur.
The dog can be taught that keeping all four paws on the floor and simply looking at the person is a more reliable way to receive attention fro them.
We can also change the visitor’s arrival. The dog could have already had their walk already less energised adn then after rtraining for it taken  outside or into another room while the visitor enters. Once the visitor is seated and the activity has settled, the dog can come in to greet them more calmly.
Alternatively we can have the dog do something more fun elsewhere such as chew on a chicken filled kong in a separate room

Monitoring Progress-We can record:
  • how often the dog jumps;
  • how often all four paws remain on the floor;
  • when jumping is more or less likely; and
  • whether calmer greetings are becoming more consistent.
The plan is reviewed against the results and changed when needed.
WhatsApp me if you have any queries. If you wish to book, please WhatsApp your postcode so I can let you know when I can cover your area.

Structured Group Dog walking

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Building safe off lead reliability enabling your dog to exhibit natural behaviour through exhilarating walks and structured play.
There is also structured dog walking for dogs suited to group walks. Dogs are assessed and matched based on temperament and compatibility. While energy levels may vary, groups can remain stable where dogs are well matched and interactions are managed appropriately. Within these groups, dogs can also learn from one another, with more established dogs often providing a steady influence for younger or less experienced dogs. This video shows dogs of different ages and energy levels working successfully together within a structured group