I feel the above statement is true and is backed-up by the amount of new dog owners who drop out of puppy training classes early . Learning verbatum is not for every dog (or owner), as sentient animals they all have different emotional states and expierences. A dog is a thinking individual with likes and dislikes, fears and feelings.I base my training method bearing the above statement in mind.

My experience

• I am currently studying towards two diploma courses in Canine Aggresion , Canine Physcology and Behaviourism and a higher diploma in Cynology with Compass Training school. Eventually working towards a BSc in Applied Animal Behaviour.

• I have had over 43 years experience with dogs and since 2006 I have been a full-time professional dog walker in East Lothian.This experience has been invaluable as it has meant handling large packs of dogs in a controlled manner, varying in breed, size and temprement.

• I have spent many thousands of hours self studying, observing and learning the behaviour of a large variety of breeds of dogs each with varying levels of training and behaviour skills. I have purposely chosen to learn about dogs initially from the dogs themselves before being influenced by any specific course route or recognised qualification. I wanted the dogs to recognise my ability to train them and alter or improve their behaviour. After all the dogs don't know how qualified you are and I often think the qualification part is certainly for the owners benefit and not the dogs.

My Training Approach

Disclaimer- I am not a member of the UK Canine Behaviourists or a member of the Association of pet behaviour counsellors. Because of this I feel it's only fair you pay me if you see results in your dogs. I don't want to rely on qalifications to merit being paid, academic people may find it easy to gain qualifications but this doesn't mean they are natural dog handlers.I would rather only be paid if you see a positve change in the dog and your happy with the service.All I initially ask as payment is the cost of transport to meet you then if you find positive results I would accept payment.

• I offer one to one training with behavioural and training issues such as aggression, fear related issues and pobias, nervous and anxious dogs, leash pulling, poor recall.

• I usually like to be practical and hands on and may include the dog in a pack walk with other well balanced dogs to gauge its reaction.I don't believe in sitting with a notepad for hours discussing the dog.

• I like to look at improving a dogs behaviour by thinking holistically, working with nature and not being too influenced by the latest buzz words or politically correct way to train a dog, or trendy qualifications .This all means nothing to the dog so why should it mean anything to the handler / trainer .I try not entering into the aversive and dominance reduction techniques versus reward based methods argument.I use a combinaton of reward / positive based training (chiefly), some aversive training and if the need arises dominance reduction techniques.Each have a place, depending on the dog in hand and as long as no further or alternative behaviour problems are developed then I am open to a variety of methods of training.Under no circumstances would I ever harm or inflict any undue or unnessasary techniques on a dog that would affect, upset or worsen it's behaviour or health.

• As well as much practical expeirence i have read many dozens of books on varying techniques from different trainers and behaviourists, from different countries and cultures from past to present. The conclusion I have is my own individual approach to behaviour training which is open minded but not overly influenced by latest trends, practices and gizmos. My opproach is holistic based and centres around not just meeting the dog and it's owner in your living room, sitting down for a couple of hours and discussing the dog at a premium hourly rate.I firmly believe on hands-on approach of getting out there in the real world and observing how the dog reacts. If bad health is not the route of any unwanted behaviour then the influence of a well balanced pack often, over a period of time, works wonders with certain issues.

• The world of dog training and behaviour is often about opinions and often these opinions are only unified through regulated bodies such as the Association of pet behaviour counsellors.But sometimes I feel they are overly critical and aloof , trending certain methods of training, How can they possibly take into account the infinate variables that make up a specific dogs mind.I firmly believe in working with mother nature and balance to attain a well adjusted dog, these two ideals in my opinion are timeless and are never affected by changing attitudes and trends in training techniques. Working with dogs should never be complex or involve flowery language but should be about common sense and gaining harmony with the dog. Acheiving this by not just choosing a fixed route but by choosing a route that is specific to each indivual dog and a route that does not create or worsen behaviour is my approach.