It's Training Tips Tuesday and time for some top tips from Alsager Nub News sponsor, 'All to Play for'.

Owning a dog isn't always easy but top dog trainer, Alsager's Julia Hawkins, from Linley Grove is a font of knowledge on the subject.

Julia, a former maths teacher, uses concept training which helps dog owners to see how they can reshape their dogs' brains using games.

And there Julia, who offers tips on her blog https://alltoplayfor.co.uk/blog/ as well as other help and contact details on her website at https://alltoplayfor.co.uk/ shares some special tips for your pooch.

Julia with her two Romanian rescue dogs. (Photo: Nub News)

'Training Tips Tuesday' advice

"Does your dog do things you don't like? I expect pretty much all of us dog owners would say yes," says Julia.

But telling our dogs off can make matters worse, says Julia. "A lot of unwanted behaviour is driven by a full stress bucket and /or use unknowingly rewarding the behaviour we don't want.  

advertisement

"By shouting we are adding to the stress bucket and we could be rewarding what we don't want."

So what do we do? "If the behaviour is due to fear shouting might suppress that behaviour, but the fear stays and will come out somewhere else which could well be worse," says Julia.

Instead, Julie advises dog owners to:

1. Stay calm.

2. Reward an incompatible behaviour we'd like instead (eg for a counter surfer, reward 4 feet on the floor).

3. Think if we are accidentally rewarding the behaviour we don't want.

Interested in finding more about 'All to Play For'? Julia also has a Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/alltoplayfordogtraining and can be contacted on 07913 757304.

You can also read our launch article on Julia here

advertisement