The Puppy Adviser

The Puppy Adviser Qualified & accredited positive, reward-based trainer specialising in puppies & adolescents. Small group classes, 1:1’s & more. Key behaviours & lifeskills.
(26)

Friendly, fun, holistic approach. Private, fully equipped, indoor/outdoor facilities in Rowde. My name is Julia and I am a fully qualified and insured trainer, educated and assessed by the Institute of Modern Dog Trainers (the leading educational body for trainers & behaviourists worldwide) with external verification provided by the Open College Network. I am an invited member of The Pet Professio

nal Guild. I am a UK Sniffer Dogs Bronze Level Scent Work Instructor. All training, support & advice embraces modern, positive methods & uses reward-based techniques. These have been scientifically proven to give long lasting results without causing intimidation, fear or pain or using any aversive devices. It is often referred to as positive reinforcement but put simply, it’s giving something a dog loves in exchange for the behaviours we desire. Science also tells us that you learn much better when you’re having fun! I will show you the best way to teach your dog so they are super keen to learn & get it right. I cover Calne, Devizes & all surrounding areas and will happily travel further if required. I also own Calne Pet Supplies in Church Street, Calne. Please feel free to contact me with any enquiry and I will respond within 48 hours. www.thepuppyadviser.co.uk
[email protected]

Thank you
Julia Jarvis Imdt

🐾 I am super proud of this girl 🥰Willow is an 18 month old Labradoodle. Between the age of 6 and 12 months, a crucial st...
07/12/2024

🐾 I am super proud of this girl 🥰

Willow is an 18 month old Labradoodle. Between the age of 6 and 12 months, a crucial stage in development with secondary fear periods and the onset of adolescence, Willow had a couple of emergency vet visits which she found immensely stressful and which left her fearful of strangers and a requirement to have her muzzled for all future visits.

I made my third visit to Willow yesterday and was delighted with how well she coped with my arrival. We’re still not friends but she’ll now allow me to move, sit down and take a treat from me - so much improvement 👏

This session was to work on muzzle desensitisation and counter conditioning as part of a programme of co-operative handling and care.
Her family had already started with some fun games and treats paired with the appearance of the muzzle so now we were looking to see if Willow would voluntarily place her face into the muzzle.
Not only did Willow do this on numerous occasions, she left the safe space of her bed to do so 🤩
As an added bonus, she was also happy to show her progress with a chin rest, achieving several seconds duration a couple of times 🥳
The icing on the cake was Willow allowing me to hold the muzzle and her choosing to come towards me and popping her face in 🌟

A pack of fresh chicken, some fish crunchies, liver paste and salmon paste played a very important supporting role 😂

🐾🎅🏻😬 Rawhide has no place in your dog’s stocking at Christmas…nor at any time in your dogs life 😬🎅🏻🐾
06/12/2024

🐾🎅🏻😬 Rawhide has no place in your dog’s stocking at Christmas…nor at any time in your dogs life 😬🎅🏻🐾

🥳🎓🐾 Celebrations last weekend when Teams Welly, Nellie, Bella & Bonnie graduated from my first official, brand new Puppy...
05/12/2024

🥳🎓🐾 Celebrations last weekend when Teams Welly, Nellie, Bella & Bonnie graduated from my first official, brand new Puppy Plus class and what a lovely, enthusiastic group they were ❤️🎓🐾

Puppy Plus is now the follow-on to Puppy School bridging the gap perfectly between the first foundations of training and coping with a teenage tinker.
Puppy Plus introduces some useful new behaviours and continues to build, develop and strengthen key foundation behaviours.
As with all my classes, groups are small with a maximum of 4 to allow individual attention for all, friendly, relaxed atmosphere, fully equipped indoor & outdoor locations at my own private venue in a fabulous location which lends itself brilliantly to continued habituation & socialisation.

Puppies need to have attended a Puppy School and or 1:1’s with me (or any other trainer) to be eligible.

As always, booking is online through my website www.thepuppyadviser.co.uk - head to the Group Training Page.

05/12/2024

🤩🐾 Get Friday morning off to a brilliant start with some essential recall practice - spaces still available, book online now or drop me an email and bring along the cash if my booking system has closed the event 🐾🤩

04/12/2024

🐾 Wiped out over the last 48 hours by a not very nice bug 😟🤧😷🤒
🎄Here’s a little clip that I took before becoming ill of Ruby & Kermit adopting a chilled approach to Christmas decorating 😴

🐾 What does this coming Friday look like for you? 🤔🤩 I still have spaces remaining on my Recall Practice session and my ...
01/12/2024

🐾 What does this coming Friday look like for you? 🤔

🤩 I still have spaces remaining on my Recall Practice session and my Puppies at the Piggery Social Adventure - last availability this year 🐕‍🦺

Booking online now at www.thepuppyadviser.co.uk

The training industry is currently not regulated. Not all dog trainers are the same.There are many, many training practi...
01/12/2024

The training industry is currently not regulated.
Not all dog trainers are the same.
There are many, many training practices that should not be happening but sadly do.

Yet there have never been so many amazing learning opportunities for trainers. The industry is constantly evolving through research and good education is easy to access.
Unfortunately, however, accompanying this comes the “professional” bodies who actually aren’t.
With so many acronyms and use of words such as “certified”, “verified” etc, it can be hard to establish who’s real and who’s not.
Not all training credentials are created equally.
Is the training body affiliated and to whom?
Are the “qualifications” they offer externally verified and by whom?
What did the assessment process consist of or is there one at all?

I trained initially with The Institute of Modern Dog Trainers (IMDT) and I hold full membership status.
The assessment process was comprehensive and rigorous.
I undertook:
a live theory Q&A to demonstrate on the spot in depth knowledge;
two practical elements with unknown dogs, teaching a group class and then a 1:1, the subject matter for the 1:1 only being revealed as I met the dog;
an in-depth 1:1 consultation on a puppy problem where again the subject matter was only revealed as I entered the room.
Each part was assessed by different people and all content was then subjected to independent, external verification.

I am a member of the Pet Professional Guild.

Through my qualification and accreditations, I am also a member of the UK Behaviour & Training Charter.
“Charter members ensure that the professionals they accredit – whether as trainers or behaviourists – are trained and educated to a high standard in order to ensure they are able to help owners and their dogs who will be at varying life stages and with whatever issues they may encounter. The organisations will also ensure that professionals keep their knowledge up to date and understand the limitations of that knowledge. This means that canine guardians can trust UK Dog Charter professionals with their beloved dog, and other industry stakeholders, such as vets, can refer to Charter members with confidence.”

I regard myself as qualified and accredited and therefore professional in the general sense of the words.
I work constantly to keep on top of and increase my own subject knowledge and training skills, achieved by attending courses, workshops, webinars etc. Some are online, some in person. I have to say there’s nothing more fun than a road trip and training course with Kermit!

I am currently studying and building training credits through Animal Centred Education (ACE) founded by the incredible Sarah Fisher.
I’m also studying with the amazing German trainer & author Simone Mueller to enhance my knowledge and develop lessons to support those who have high prey motivated dogs.
I’ve just booked a 5 day course working and learning to rehabilitate and train dogs in rescue centres.
There’s lots of smaller projects in the pipeline too.
My own training journey will never and should never end.

As a dog trainer, I constantly strive to be one that will:

continually invest in their own education
always put the well-being of the dog first
work from the dog’s perspective
work at the dog’s pace
set dogs & owners up for success
set realistic expectations
consider genetics, history, lifestyle
never offer guarantees or quick fixes
have a simple tool kit
have a range of skills / strategies for behaviours
be flexible
show empathy
use language appropriate to relationship building, meeting needs…
make it fun for the dog
have a sense of humour, light-heartedness
treat everyone with respect
listen
answer questions
accept my own limitations

Through social media, I happened to come across two people in the last week who have recently established themselves as trainers.
I don’t know these people and they may be lovely people with a genuine desire to support new puppy parents through puppyhood, help with the challenges of adolescence, build good foundations for recall, loose lead and more BUT everything about them immediately raised red flags. Without any websites, I found myself asking:

Who exactly are they?
What is their history?
What are their qualifications?
What exactly are they offering?

To add further to my concerns, was the language used by one of them. Nobody today should be making use of terms such as “pack leader”, “alpha” or “dominance”.
While the other, through videos posted was clearly using the thinnest slip lead pulled tight around the most sensitive part of the neck & throat and what looked suspiciously like a prong collar. There is absolutely no place for any equipment that will cause pain, discomfort, distress, fear - choke chains, prong collars, electric shock collars, spray / shake bottles… or techniques that withhold reward.
I fail to see where satisfaction or achievement can possibly be derived from “results” using these tools.
No trainer should be reliant on a tool to make wanted behaviour happen.
Using a tool should not just be on the basis that it works.
Method should always come before tool.
What on earth has happened to people’s morality and ethics, both trainers and clients?
If demonstrating a tool, trainers should be open and honest about how and why it works.
Clients should be asking how and why it works, not just accepting that it works.

When working with dogs, no-one can “guarantee” results and no-one should promise to “fix your dog”. There cannot be timescales. Dogs are not a household appliance.

It is sadly incredibly naive and ill-informed but also unbelievably arrogant for a “trainer” to assume that education is not necessary because they’ve always owned dogs / had years of experience / love dogs.

Trainers should be transparent.
Potential clients should be able to determine from freely available information:
who someone is;
what they have done and what they are currently doing;
what they offer and how they work

We do our very best to safeguard children.
Why should it be any different for our dogs?

Images: source unknown

🐾 ❤️ This little cutie is Mabel, a Working Cocker Spaniel. When the weather turned colder last week, it was time for a s...
30/11/2024

🐾 ❤️ This little cutie is Mabel, a Working Cocker Spaniel.
When the weather turned colder last week, it was time for a snuggly jumper to keep her nice and toasty at Puppy School ❤️🐾

❄️ What are your pups wearing this year?
Have they got a Christmas jumper ready and waiting?
Photos in the comments please!🎄

🎓🐾 These four gorgeous girls all graduated from Puppy School this morning and as the weather was equally gorgeous, I too...
29/11/2024

🎓🐾 These four gorgeous girls all graduated from Puppy School this morning and as the weather was equally gorgeous, I took graduation photos outside ❤️🐾

A super class to work with who immediately became friends as soon as they saw each other - in any other life, they’d definitely be a girl band 😂

🤩 Congratulations to Teams Tilly, Gracie, Ebony and Xumi 👏

🐕‍🦺 As dog trainers, it is never our place to judge. However, we do need to tell you what you need to hear not what you ...
29/11/2024

🐕‍🦺 As dog trainers, it is never our place to judge. However, we do need to tell you what you need to hear not what you think you want to hear! 😬

Nutrition, like pain, is a huge factor when it comes to our dogs.
Getting it right can quite literally be life-changing.
Getting it wrong can not only impact our dogs behaviour enormously but may even be causing them pain which impact even more.

The dog food market has grown enormously in the last 20 years and become highly competitive with so many brands jostling to get your attention.
Dry food (kibble) remains the most popular choice amongst dog owners, often being perceived as convenient, quick and easy.
There are some very good kibble brands out there and everybody has a right to choose what they feed.

BUT, just as the dog food market has expanded, so has knowledge and understanding of canine nutrition.
There have been huge changes in advice over the last 10 years and this continues to grow and evolve.

I take a very big interest in what our dogs eat and since I sold Calne Pet Supplies, increasingly find myself talking about it and advising clients.
I’m more than happy to do this, I consider it part of my responsibilities as a holistic dog trainer but often there isn’t enough time for me to go into the detail required.

While kibble may appear to be a good choice, it is so important to understand that this is ultra-processed food.
Fed alone, it does not constitute a healthy, nutritious, species appropriate diet.
I cannot imagine being fed a bowl of dry food twice a day, every day.
It’s time to start making changes…
Nobody is suggesting that kibble no longer be fed but let’s make every bowlful count towards achieving great nutrition with just a few, simple tweaks.

Book now to hear canine nutritionist, Katie McCaul talk about what your dog needs and why and how to avoid the pitfalls of a fussy dog.

When it comes to our dogs, good food, the best diet, may be a lot less expensive than you think.

🐾 ❄️ 💨💦 ☀️We seem to have had all possible weathers in the last few days and I’ve seen all sorts of reactions from the p...
28/11/2024

🐾 ❄️ 💨💦 ☀️We seem to have had all possible weathers in the last few days and I’ve seen all sorts of reactions from the puppies and dogs I have been working with!

No matter what’s happening, however, no matter what the weather, one of the most valuable things we can do is to let our dogs sniff.
“I want to see them getting their noses down” is something I often say!

I rarely talk about walks but I love to talk about adventures. Every time we head out of our door with our puppy / dog, it should never just be a walk, giving them exercise or a toileting opportunity. It should be fun and exciting - training, parkour, watching, listening, processing and sniffing. Nothing beats a sniffari!

Sniffing is how our puppies / dogs make sense of the world it - it’s how they “see” it and interpret it and presents vital, valuable information about ever changing environments.

Sniffing meets deep, genetic instincts.

Sniffing activates the reward centre of the brain.

Sniffing is essential for well-being, keeping the body as well as the brain healthy.

Sniffing reduces stress & anxiety; lowers the pulse rate; promotes calmness and increases respiration which then tires.

Sniffaris make the best adventures, scentwork makes a great hobby.

If you want a happy, healthy, calm, contented puppy / dog - LET THEM SNIFF!

🐾❤️ What a pose 🤦‍♀️😂Meet Smithy, 11 months old, Labrador x Staffy, one week into his new home after spending two months...
27/11/2024

🐾❤️ What a pose 🤦‍♀️😂

Meet Smithy, 11 months old, Labrador x Staffy, one week into his new home after spending two months at Bath Cats and Dogs Home.
How lucky was I to get to spend time with him and his lovely new family with advice to help them all settle into life together 🥰

🐾🤩🐕‍🦺 Two fun sessions in December for puppies 6 months and under - they’d book these themselves if they could! 🐕‍🦺🤩🐾   ...
26/11/2024

🐾🤩🐕‍🦺 Two fun sessions in December for puppies 6 months and under - they’d book these themselves if they could! 🐕‍🦺🤩🐾

🐾🎅🏻🎄It’s party season…😬😂🐾
26/11/2024

🐾🎅🏻🎄It’s party season…😬😂🐾

🐾🎄 With Christmas just one month away, keep your eyes open for gifts from The Doggy Baking Company.I had one of their Pu...
25/11/2024

🐾🎄 With Christmas just one month away, keep your eyes open for gifts from The Doggy Baking Company.
I had one of their Pumpkin Seed & Banana Biscuit Doggy Bottles and used it yesterday.

Ridiculously easy to make with the contents of the bottle going into a bowl and the addition of 200ml of water and two large eggs. This was mixed into a dough then rolled out. I couldn’t find my dog themed cutters so used a small gingerbread man!
Into the oven for 20-30 mins then into the tummy once cooled 😋🐕‍🦺

🌟It’s rare for Kermit to eat anything that hasn’t got meat in it but he absolutely loves these and I had an impressive 64 biscuits from the mixture.
The shelf life is quite short but they can also be frozen.
I normally make my own dog treats from scratch but highly recommend these - a great gift for someone with dogs who isn’t a fan of cooking! 🌟

🐾🎓 How about these four fabulous faces to launch the start of a new working week 🤩These adorable adolescents are now off...
25/11/2024

🐾🎓 How about these four fabulous faces to launch the start of a new working week 🤩

These adorable adolescents are now officially Teenage Tinkers and graduated with flying colours on Saturday.

👏 Congratulations to Teams Gus, Honey, Wilf and Monty - such a great group to work with 🥳

🐕‍🦺 🐾💥 PAIN…OUR DOGS & METhis is a topic I’ve not yet addressed on this page but it is something I regularly discuss wit...
24/11/2024

🐕‍🦺 🐾💥 PAIN…OUR DOGS & ME

This is a topic I’ve not yet addressed on this page but it is something I regularly discuss with clients and it is something I am all too well aware of myself.

In 2004, I was Deputy Head of a primary school in East Sussex.
The year before, I had been fast tracked through the National Professional Qualification for Headteachers and was just completing my final assessments and applying for my first Headship.
One morning, I arrived at school and was chatting to my Headteacher. The next thing I knew, I had collapsed on the floor.
Twenty years later, I live with Fibromyalgia, ME & Osteoarthritis with a few other minor conditions thrown in.
All are very real. All are lifelong, chronic conditions. All are associated with pain. There are no cures at present and very little, if any, funding.
I have seen numerous doctors and consultants but self-care is key. I’m not very good at this (fuelled by personal, past history) but I am slowly learning to make myself take more care. I have medication to support me and the most incredible partner.
I never expect sympathy but empathy is crucial.
My symptoms are numerous, as the infographic shows and constantly with me, 24 hours (although luckily I rarely get migraines now) but by and large they are invisible.
Behind closed doors, I’m more often than not overwhelmed by exhaustion and so many of the other symptoms. I am never not in pain.
I do consider myself lucky, however. While my life has had to change in almost every way possible, my health isn’t terminal, or as far as we know, life-limiting. Changes have led to opportunities that I never would have dreamt of.

So, what does this have to do with our dogs?

Pain in dogs is much more common than most would believe.
It is often brushed aside and goes undiagnosed far too often or too late because physical signs are generally the last thing we see.
By the time a dog shows physical symptoms, pain will undoubtedly be chronic ie ongoing.

Most people expect that a dog would stop doing things if they were in chronic pain but more often than not, the drive to do things or sometimes the adrenaline fuelled by doing things overrides the pain.

Most of the time, I choose not to tell people (and try not to show) that I’m in pain and experiencing a whole combination of symptoms but our dogs can’t do that.
Instead, it is more often than not, revealed through their behaviour.
The signs may be very subtle at first but allowed to continue they will eventually grow in intensity until the pain can no longer be hidden and they start to limp or vocalise or act out of character.

I often arrive home and simply fall asleep. I find this intensely frustrating but it’s become my body’s way of telling me to stop and slow down as I often stubbornly refuse to do so when in work mode!
When it comes to our dogs, we must be aware of and understand, be empathetic to:
any change of behaviour
becoming withdrawn, restless, irritable,
becoming less active or playful
appearing lazy
sleeping far more than usual
reluctance to go on walks
hesitating at stairs or no longer jumping on furniture
taking time to settle or get up
increased sensitivity to touch or moving away when approached
panting when it isn’t hot
whining or growling for no apparent reason

Some dogs in pain may even revert to attention seeking behaviours such as barking, pawing or seemingly wanting to play because it takes their mind off the pain.

It is well documented that the vast majority of dogs referred to by their owners as having “behaviour problems” are suffering from health or nutritional problems with pain as a factor.

Dogs are incredibly stoic.

No professional, ethical trainer would ever offer or guarantee to “fix” unwanted behaviours or use aversive methods or tools because it is so important that we consider further the reasons for the behaviour.
You cannot train out a behaviour without first addressing the cause.
It may well be pain through health or diet related issues.

Good health, alongside a balanced, nutritionally appropriate diet and meeting all other physical, mental & emotional needs is what gives our dogs the highest possible long term quality of life.

Alongside my passion for all dogs to have the best and most appropriate nutrition possible, I also wish for all dogs to lead their lives as pain free as possible.

Pain can change everything ❤️🐾🐕‍🦺

24/11/2024

🐾💨💦 I’m not a fair weather person but Storm Bert has definitely stopped outdoor play today.
With a recall session and social adventure postponed and neither myself or Kermit & Ruby feeling enthusiastic about heading out, we’ll be having fun indoors.

I love this little video from SpiritDog Training which gives simple ideas of things to do that all dogs would love, no large spaces required. These are easy to set up, fun, rewarding and best of all promote essential life skills for dogs of any age.
Perfect from the youngest puppy to the most senior golden oldie 🐾🥰🐾

🤔 What are you doing with your pups today 🐕‍🦺

Address

Devizes

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Puppy Adviser posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to The Puppy Adviser:

Videos

Share

Category


Other Dog training in Devizes

Show All