Blog

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...

At puppy class on Tuesday night, we started retrieve training. Students were shown this video, with the steps needed to train a reliable retrieve to hand.  The video compresses quite a bit of learning (weeks of short sessions) into just under 2 minutes of...

I have a confession. I sometimes feed my dogs from the table.  When I go out to eat with my dog we are sharing quality time, and a meal together. So as long as my dog is quiet and calm and settled, he gets to share my food or he gets a Kong of his own to enjoy. Here's...

Did you know that playing repeated fetch with your dog, apart from being potentially damaging to their joints can create a super athlete adrenaline junkie who needs to feel the thrill every day, finds it tough to settle and can develop behaviour problems as a result?...

I’m a huge fan of using food and toys as a means of providing fun, motivation to focus and reward for good behaviour. This is never more relevant on the walks I do with my dogs as I’m competing with so many environmental distractions. But there are also several fun...

Anthropomorphising animals isn’t a good idea and usually gets us into all kinds of trouble. Dogs are not furry babies. They are their own species, with a totally different set of day to day priorities & communication signals. However spending time with nieces,...

Jellybean has been learning 'On Your Bed' recently.  We started sowing the seeds that his bed is a great place to be, really early on, using basic shaping, as seen with Rossi at the start of this video. We have only progressed training further in the past few weeks....

It was once said that 3 repetitions of any learning & most dogs have got it! The foundations of a behaviour is there, set down for further progress & learning. It this is true, the potential to learn great things is wide open for most pet dogs & their...

I am an unapologetic user of food when it comes to training my dogs. Jellybean was chosen for his equal love of toys and food. Motivating a dog to work for you by using toys and food as rewards, is one of the simplest ways to teach behaviours we like. However,...

During his second week home, I started basic sit and down positions with Jellybean using a clicker and tasty food. Over the past week, I’ve gradually withdrawn the lure (food in my hand) and changed to a hand signal. I've also introduced the concept of ‘selling the...

Having settled in and with socialisation in full swing last week, we scaled things down a bit this past week. Did you know that dogs go through their primary fear period between aged 8-9weeks? This means that major upheaval during this time is not a great idea and can...

This blog is designed to help you prioritise what you need to focus on with your new puppy. What's vital to get right from the outset and what can wait!  18months ago I found the most wonderful breeder and put my name down for a puppy. 14 months ago I flew to meet the...

  Following my visit to Crufts last month, I thought I’d write a blog about some of the novel or stand-out products which were on show. The first year I visited Crufts, I bought so much stuff, I ended up paying extra baggage on the airline home. Now though,...

Guinness kindly helped out with a little video project this week, to show my current class attendees how a simple hand target can help with training more skills. It's such an easy thing to teach, and great fun for the dog to be rewarded for such a simple task, but...

Signing up to a dog training class can be daunting. On night one, people and dogs can suffer nerves. Last year I had a lady tell me that for the first 2 weeks of the course, she felt physically sick before class she was so worried about what might happen. My aim to...

I always bring a toy on my walks, I often have food in my pocket. Do I always use them? No. Do I always need them? No. But if I need to use them, I will, as distraction, motivation & reward, especially with certain dogs in certain environments. My dogs are trained to...

'What's my next command Mum?' I’d be lying if I said I wasn't nervous before our first day on set filming The Dumping Ground Series 3. Starting any new job, with new people and new rules is always a challenge. Sage and I had been given a script in advance so I knew...

Sage & I have been keeping a big secret for the past few months. I’m so excited to announce that Joy Boy Sage has been cast in BBC kids drama The Dumping Ground and will be part of Series 3, due to be aired January 2015. I received a call last March, asking if I’d...

When a group of North East dog owners signed up for a dog training class last Summer, they never thought their pooches could become celebs. But that’s now on the cards for the North East’s first all dog cast, after they made a short film which premiered in Newcastle...

As part of my behaviour consultations, clients fill out a questionnaire. This is designed to give me a more detailed profile of the dog & family I’m visiting, as well as outlining the challenges they’re having. What’s clear from almost all clients, is that while...

It’s been 10 years since I first owned a dog on a restricted breed list. This means that the law decides certain breeds cannot be credited with the same levels of freedom that other breeds might, for whatever reason they deem relevant. In Ireland, German Shepherd dogs...

I’m lucky enough to have a job I really love, but like everything else, a bit of variety helps make any job more interesting.  A local dog bed company recently asked me to source & manage dogs for a photo shoot. The pictures taken on the day would be used to...

Watch any two dogs greeting off leash & you’ll notice several things happening. The first is that well socialised, good canine communicators don’t run directly up to another dog. They approach at an angle. There will often be several pacifying gestures, white...

How breeders can help produce happier, more confident, less aggressive pet dogs, through an early intervention programme.  How puppy buyers can choose the best pet dogs, with a little research and by asking the right questions....

As the owner of a 15 year old deaf & partially sighted dog, it's become clear that challenging my old lady mentally & physically may be resulting in a more alert, active & interactive oldie than would otherwise be the case. Plenty of research into elderly...

I am passionate about early puppy socialisation. That’s why I got quite annoyed this week when I heard a client tell me that her vet had re-started her puppy’s vaccination programme. This, despite the breeder having already organized the first injection to allow for...

Following the Crufts controversy last week involving independent health checks on certain highlighted breeds, the discussion of a pedigree dog’s physical health & well-being has once again come to the fore. It’s wonderful that this issue is being taken seriously...

When it comes to taking on the commitment of a new dog, the simple answer to this question is ‘Yes’. Settling your new addition into the family and succeeding to raise a well adjusted family dog can be influenced directly by what’s happening in your life and that of...

As dogs enter their teen stage of development (from 6 months onwards), they can develop fear issues over things which previously, they would have been happy to be around.  It's important to continue careful socialisation during the first 2 years of their life, as they...

I cannot take credit for this. I read it in The Dog Tricks and Training Workbook by Kyra Sundance & I liked it so much, I thought I'd reproduce it here. You owe this to your dog.... Adequate food and medical care A life that is beyond mere survival Grooming, ear...

Already, the weeks will have flown by and you’ll notice a big change in your puppy’s development.  They grow up so fast that it takes a lot of hard work to capture the first few important weeks of your relationship, and build on it to establish a great bond, a...

I have preached to others for so long about what you should focus on during early training and your puppy’s crucial socialisation period.  So to help, I’ve decided to document the programme I’ve undertaken with my new addition.  That way, you can get some ideas of...

On Sunday 12th June, Muttamorphosis Dog Training & Behaviour ran its first canine first aid course.  Vet nurse Emma Foxall has over 10 years experience in dealing with dogs, from minor mishaps to major emergencies.  She offered an interesting and informative...

Muttamorphosis is delighted to announce a new Canine First Aid course for 2011.  Qualified Vet Nurse Emma Foxall joins us for two dates this year to offer her popular course on first aid for the pet dog owner. During this day course, which includes a certificate of...

Many of my clients are worried that playing tug with their dog will give the dog the wrong idea. They have been told to avoid tugging games as the dog may think that they are in charge; winning the game; ruling their world, the old dominance argument yet again. If...

Aiming to showcase the speed, stamina and skill of both dog and handler, the World Open Agility Championships take place this week in Clevedon, Somerset.  This is the first international agility event created and managed by competitors, not run by or for any one...

Anyone else feeling sick and tired of wet muddy dogs and dirty towels pilling up? And it’s only November! As a dog walker and an owner of three hairy pooches, I dry on average 11 wets dogs every day. With the dark nights and the horrible rainy days fast taking over,...