LARGE BREED DOG TRAINING
It’s never too late to teach an old dog new tricks, and it’s never too late to train any pet. Our services are designed with you and your pet in mind, and we work with you to give you the tools you need to replace unwanted behaviours with the behaviours you'd like to see. We are proud of the outcomes we help our clients achieve and the high level of satisfaction our clients, and their pets, come away with.
We offer one-on-one consultations for behavioural problems which have become a frustration in your interactions with your dog. You may have arrived at a stage where issues such as aggression, fence running, barking, leash pulling, chasing, or destructive behaviours have become severe, or perhaps you are noticing early warning signs and are worried about escalation. No matter how long these behaviours have been a problem, or what stage you are at, we can help.
AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOURS
Sharing your home with an animal can be a dream or a nightmare. Owning a large or giant breed dog means ensuring appropriate behaviour from your dog both at home and when out and about. Getting help from a trainer when required is a responsibility of big dog ownership, not a luxury, and will set you up so you can start enjoying your life with your dog.
Making sure your dog is well trained and reliably responding to you will give both of you more time to enjoy each other’s company. You and your dog will be able to gain access to a wider world as you minimise aggressive behaviours and take part in new experiences with your dog.
Our training plans are specifically tailored to you and your individual dog, and are full of up to date techniques that will give you and your pet a happier life together. We have developed a reputation for our advice and experience in improving leash reactivity and dog-directed aggression, modifying food and toy guarding behaviour and reducing barking.
Our training techniques reflect scientific understanding of how to change the dog's mental state in these situations, no nonsense, tricks or magical tools. We are interested in changing your dog's behaviour for life.
Get in touch today.
CHASING BEHAVIOURS
Whilst chasing is a natural behaviour, it can become a problem when directed towards cats or other animals, joggers, cars, skateboards or bicycles - especially if your dog cannot be called back to you when chasing.
Training can help in a number of ways such as strengthening impulse control, desensitising to the trigger, refocusing attention and redirecting activities. We come to you to assess the situation. We put in place a training plan which addresses the specific behaviour and enables you to implement practical strategies for unwanted chasing.
This training not only addresses chasing behaviours, but also aims to improve communication between you and your pet, strengthening the bond and increasing the potential to introduce a well-loved member into your family for the rest of their life.
Contact us to make an appointment.
SEPARATION ANXIETY
Is your dog anxious when you leave the house? Separation anxiety is a common issue, especially so in rescue dogs,
and the larger the dog, the greater the issue becomes.
The canine companions we have brought into our homes have been bred over thousands of years to be social with us, seek out and enjoy our company. We ask our dogs to be happy and engaged with us when we are around, yet we ask them to be completely unbothered when we leave them alone at home.
Many dogs will never feel distressed when left alone. This can be due to preventative training conducted in the juvenile and puppy stages, genetics or even breed-specific disposition as well as many other factors. For other dogs, being left alone can be an extremely distressing experience manifesting in destructive behaviours, barking and whining, escaping behaviours or even self-harming behaviours.
If your dog has been diagnosed with separation anxiety by a veterinarian or is exhibiting any signs of distress when left alone get in touch with us so we can design and implement a comprehensive training plan alongside any appropriate medical intervention. We understand just how impactful living alongside a dog displaying separation anxiety can be and have consulted with clients whose separation-related behaviours have progressed to even the most severe stages.
Unlike some other undesirable behaviours that dogs might ‘grow out of’ as they transition from juvenile to adult life stages, separation anxiety may accelerate and become worse as it continues to go on untreated.
As such, starting treatment for separation as soon as possible is key to solving the issue. The effective treatment of separation anxiety is carried out through application of science-based behavioural modification and management strategies. Medication may or may not form part of your dog’s effective treatment plan. However multiple studies have clarified that it is the behavioural modification plan, potentially supplemented by medication, which yields results in improving separation anxiety - not medication alone.
Our lead trainer, Laura, is a fully certified behaviour consultant, CBCC-KA, and has been rigorously assessed by one of the only independent certifying authorities for dog trainers. Her extensive understanding of the application of the principles of behavioural modification and experience in the area of separation-related distress means you can rest assured you are receiving sound, scientific advice.
We look forward to working with you.
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Flannigan G. Risk factors and behaviours associated with separation anxiety in dogs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. 2001;219: 460-466
Tiira K, Lohi H (2015) Early Life Experiences and Exercise Associate with Canine Anxieties. PLoS ONE 10(11): e0141907.
Clark G, Boyer W, The effects of dog obedience training and behavioural counselling upon the human-canine relationship, Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 1993;37;2: 147-259
Storengen L, Boge S, Strøm S, Løberg G, Lingaas F, A descriptive study of 215 dogs diagnosed with separation anxiety, Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 2014;159: 82-89
Burton B, Literature Review: Behaviour modification for canine separation anxiety, The IAABC Journal, 2018: 176