APro Dogs

23/05/2024

Bit of a controversial post today 😉
This video shared by Dundee Dog Training has riled people up no end; people complaining about showing another trainers technique, people saying this training is fine, people saying the whole video should be shown blah blah blah

I’m here to say that if your trainer (or anyone you know) trains their dog with this aversive yank method, they are causing your/their dog distress for absolutely no need. I may be a new trainer in the sense that I’ve only started training other peoples dogs this year BUT I’d like to add my piece from experience.

I used to believe in heavily correctional and aversive training methods with little to no positive reinforcement in order to tell the dog what I don’t want it to do. Surely if you tell it what you don’t want it’ll stop… right and do what you want instead? Because it’s logical… right? We tell our kids off when we don’t want them to do something, the dog should understand in the same way…
In fact it couldn’t be further from the truth. All using these types of aversive methods (in this case id class this as abusive) will do is destroy your relationship with your dog and leave them feeling confused with what you actually want. If your dog is reactive, yanking them around will make them worse, and eventually you’ll destroy the relationship so much that your dog will think you’re awful to be around and won’t want anything to do with you… remember that guy you saw on the park who’s dog never came back to him and when he did he hit it? Yeah you may as well be doing that.

Yes in this video it’s the trainer and not the owner (I think) but I’d not let anyone treat my animals in this way because there’s just no need. This method can harm your dogs joints and in fact could even make your dog fear reactive to the point of biting other humans.

Loose leash walking and reactivity can be achieved without causing your dog distress (wow can you believe it!) or making your dog think you’re an ass.

And I would know this because this is how I used to train my own dogs and yes I damaged our relationship so much that they just didn’t know what to expect from me and didn’t know what they actually needed to do. If your dog is sensitive or nervous as well, you’re going to make them worse by doing things like this. Now I train 99% force free (never using abusive methods like in the video) and my dogs are happier, we have the best bond and we’ve begun our journey in competitive dog sports.

So why force free might look boring or that you’re just giving the dog treats, there is a reason and that is because it works and it will make your dog want to be around you and look to you when they feel unsure. Dogs are not humans and they dont understand punishment in the same way as we think of it, but all living creatures like food and basic operant conditioning will tell us that we can train responses in a nice manner without causing stress and everyone feels happier and no one gets upset, abused or injured.

18/05/2024

Did you know that brachycephalic breeds actually CAN breathe with no problem when they are well bred?

Good breeding of animals is so important in maintaining health within breeds, which is why the kennel clubs (the KC, AKC etc) impose breed standards and breed specific health testing on every breed. No dog should be bred without, and no responsible breeder will breed without appropriate health testing. So if you’re looking to buy a puppy and there’s no health testing, don’t support that breeder and look elsewhere; adopt or find a KC assured breeder online.

Contrary to popular belief, dogs that are not brachycephalic can also have breathing issues and it’s actually not all to do with snout length. (The dog I’ve met with the worst breathing issues was actually a mix breed dog with a long snout. And no it wasn’t mixed with French bulldog or Pug) Snout length doesn’t actually equal ability to breathe BUT it does of course carry an inherent risk of developing BOAS (brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome), which is what dogs have when their breathing is restricted/noisy/affected. Hence why breeding from good, healthy and health tested stock ONLY is so important.

There are also many dog breeds that are brachycephalic that you might never have thought would be. A few exqmples are
-Cane Corso
-Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
-Chihuahua
-Chow Chow
-Shih Tzu
-Boxer
-Staffordshire Bull Terrier
-American Bully
-Bullmastiff
(Don’t just hate on Frenchies and Pugs!)

But brachycephalic breeds don’t deserve “hate” they deserve education, responsible breeding practices and people who care about the breeds.

So, as always…

Adopt AND shop responsibly 🩵

15/05/2024

14/05/2024

Dogs should NEVER be allowed to jump up!!!

A thing most people and trainers say…but why? I am a dog trainer and I let my dogs jump up me (sack me!). Unless you have a large or powerful dog that is over excitable and could potentially knock someone over, then I don’t “scold” dogs for this (also note, telling your dog off most of the time doesn’t actually work..I’m sure there’s some of you who agree!). Also if I’m out and about and you interact with my dog and they jump up you… then that’s your fault and you asked for it 😉 which is why you shouldn’t interact with random dogs you don’t know without the owners permission.

If you don’t mind your dog jumping up on you to greet you when you come home, then don’t feel pressured to curb or scold a behaviour that you don’t mind. This also extends to teaching your dog Sit, Lie Down, Wait etc, these are actually not necessary skills that you NEED to teach your dog, contrary to popular belief; in my opinion it’s more useful and impressive to have a dog that is neutral in a variety of environments. I see many dogs that are champions in obedience but are extremely reactive and unsettled out and about.

13/05/2024

A post a bit after the fact but APro Dog Titan had even more success this weekend (and another rosette which I always like!) passing his sniffer dog course 🥇🩵 he’s taken to it so much better than I could even imagine. I think French bulldogs sometimes get underestimated on what they can do, but Titan is here to prove everyone wrong 🤩

In the photos he is actually sniffing out a tiny, tiny piece of Kong rubber hidden in a metal box and stuck to the wall and bench, he also had to find a piece about the size of a cooked grain of rice lodged in the wall!

11/05/2024

A fun and successful day out with APro Dog Titan today at the winning his class 💚🖤

08/05/2024

If anyone is waiting for a response on messenger please bear with me and I’ll get back to you as quickly as possible. I’ve had to have my tooth emergency removed so I’m just recovering with the help of my snuggly French bulldogs.
Apologies, and I’m not ignoring you 🩵🐾

05/05/2024

‼️📣 Calling all owners in need! 📣‼️
We are offering 10 free training sessions on a first come first served basis. Any problem, any dog, any age as long as you are within Derbyshire and the surrounding areas or willing to travel.

Many owners struggle to afford private training so we are running this campaign to help those who may not have the means to employ a trainer but still need help. We are also happy to help anyone else in any situation who needs it!

Please just get in touch and book in 🐾

28/04/2024

APro Dog Titan trying his paw at scent work today. He was such a star and was dog tired afterwards.
Scent work is a great way to mentally stimulate your dog and is perfect for tiring out high energy and working line dogs.
Today we were training with Askan-K9 training based in Alfreton as even though we’re dog trainers, we don’t specialise in nor do we train scent work so we were taking direction from the experts in their field today. Highly recommend and can’t wait to see how far Titan gets 🩵🐾

23/04/2024

Sorry not sorry!
Many trainers believe that letting your dog sleep in your bed will make them think they’re the “alpha” and in control.
It couldn’t be further from the truth.
Whilst it’s your preference if your dog sleeps in your bed or not, dogs don’t think they “wear the pants”in your relationship (they’re not capable of thoughts such as this) and will always look to you for guidance.

20/04/2024

Please support us by following our new TikTok page to see informational videos, dog training sessions and more 🐕

03/04/2024

Ever seen a Frenchie that wants to work so bad 😭 Titan gets his nickname the “French Malinois” for a reason lmao

31/03/2024

🐕 APro Dogs 🐕
Bespoke balanced training with a focus on positive reinforcement based in Derbyshire, offering training in all surrounding areas.
We specialise in behaviour modification and reactivity training for all ages. But we also help set puppies and adolescent dogs up for success covering issues such as…

⭐️ Reactivity (fear, excitement, aggression based etc)
⭐️ Leash pulling
⭐️ Lack of recall (dogs running off to people/dogs/chase)
⭐️ Excessive prey drive/lack of impulse control
⭐️ Off-leash skills
⭐️ Inability to focus on handlers
⭐️ Inability to switch off and remain calm
⭐️ Crate training
⭐️ Muzzle training
⭐️ Basic to advanced obedience (in the context of dog’s every day life skills)
…And everything in between!

We offer 1-2-1 training and provide ongoing training plans and support for you and your dog’s future.

DM, email or call for advice or to book in your first session; you may be surprised to find how competitive our pricing is compared to other trainers!

24/03/2024

A bit about APro Dogs Ally

With an extensive background in the equestrian industry working with privately owned horses to race horses and training youngsters, Ally has over 15 years of experience working with animals and made the switch to work with dogs in February 2024, nearly a year after returning to the U.K. from living in Australia and working predominantly with racehorses.
Ally wanted a new challenge after feeling she had exhausted herself in the horse industry and applied her skills working with horses to dogs; where some of the same fundamentals do apply if you would believe it!
Though, there is always something new to learn in the dog training industry and things are always changing, so Ally keeps herself updated with the newest literature and research, providing a balanced training service which focuses more on positive reinforcement.
She also owns two French Bulldogs who are her pride and joy.
Just know you and your dog will be in safe hands with Ally with her robust attitude, gentle approach, and love of a challenge.