http://www.haversdogbehaviour.com/

Havers Dog Behaviour, Ratby Lane, Markfield (2025)

15/09/2025

It is not very often I am asked on board a narrow boat to help with a dog, in fact, this is only the third time in 35 years.

I spent a thoroughly enjoyable couple of hours on the Trent and Mersey canal on Saturday helping the owners with their barking dog.

I don't know if you have ever been on a boat on a canal, it is peaceful, it is relaxing, the pace is slow and the air is fresh.

The last thing you want is that peace disturbing.

Barking at dogs being walked on the towpath, people on the tow path, runners, cyclists, all got barked at.

Because of the water, the dog is on a tether so he can't fall in.

When his people get off to tie up when mooring, oh boy, does he kick off! Even worse.

When they take him off for a toilet break, he is so noisy and drags them off the boat.

What is interesting is these behaviours are also seen in many dogs who live in a house as well!

Teaching a dog how to behave is an ongoing challenge, add it different life styles and it just gets more interesting.

The nice thing is, it doesn’t really matter where you are, how you travel, if you are consistent, your dog will be and within a couple of hours the dog was so much calmer and much more settled on board!

I love helping dog owners bring out the best of their dog, it is always easier to bring out the worst, often without realising what we are doing!

12/09/2025

How do you learn?

Everyone learns differently and so does your dog.

Do you adapt your training to suit both you and your dog?

And your lifestyle?

Being a working parent and having dogs to sort out, quite the time challenge!

Understanding how you learn, how much time yo9u have to work with your dogs and how they learn is the key to success.

Being able to adapt my training to work with that lifestyle is my skill and experience.

Your dog is perfectly capable of fitting in with your lifestyle, you do not have to change yours to suit them, you might have to change some of your behaviours initially but that is built into the training.

Dogs learn faster than we do, they have less to think about, their life is only as complicated as we choose to make it, so training dogs is easy if we are able to train ourselves.

Managing time is always a challenge, I can fit the training into an already busy life, so message me if you would like some help.

09/09/2025

Our next group dog and dog owner behaviour session is on Saturday 13th September starting at 9am.

Meeting at the Bulls Head, Loughborough Road, Thringstone, LE67 8LR, the session has 8 places available, bookable by commenting on this post and on a first come, first served basis.

The numbers are kept low to ensure the quality of the training is high.

The cost is £20.00per dog, payable in cash on the day please.

All the behaviours you are experiencing difficulty with this session will help you.

Reactivity, nervousness, anxiety, new dog to you, rescue dog with learned behaviour, barking, pulling, does not like strange men, or cars, or runners, whatever the issue, I have 35 years experience of helping others and having my own dogs and family so there is a very good chance I have worked with the issues are are experiencing before and achieved a successful outcome.

The session lasts an hour, you are very welcome to bring family members if they would also like to learn what is being taught.

Practice is the key so please do keep up with what you learn on your usual walks please.

07/09/2025

So what did we help with on our group dog behaviour session yesterday?

We helped people, with a 12 year old Border Terrier whose owner got very nervous around other dogs due to previous bad experiences when out on a walk with off lead dogs, a very common issue as not everyone has enough control of their dogs when on a walk.

Part of the session included advice on how to spot and read other dogs behaviour and what action to take when you see dogs who may not be under sufficient control.

We helped the owner of a Romanian rescue dog she had had for a week.

Dogs need time to adapt and process so we were able to offer lots of advice around giving the dog the necessary time, space and interaction for her to understand how her people behave, that is very different to Romania, how she is expected to behave and how to cope with other dogs.

It was really rewarding to see how the dog gravitated to the owner as a safe place, only after one week, and it got quite emotional as I spoke about the connection the dogs have with their owners.

It was a Staffies second session and what an improvement, not an elbow in sight! You have to have been there to understand that one!

The delightful Cocker spaniel whose owner can now walk her past other dogs in close proximity and be calm enough for her dog to cope. The look on her face was a picture, so pleased with the progress you have made,well done!

A German shepherd owner who has had 7 of the breed before, but never had one like this one, in terms of noise and reactivity. This session was her first time, she was nervous, the dog was nervous yet by the end of the session I had shown her just what her dog can do, when the behaviour of the driver, the person holding the lead, is correct!

So you see just how much work we get through in the space of an hour, the sort of behaviours we work with and the people we help.

This is why there are only 8 places, this is why it is intense because there is so much I can help you with.

My thanks to everyone who came with their dog, I really enjoyed helping you and hope to see you again so I can continue to help you.

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05/09/2025

Does your dog have a nemesis?

You know what I mean, a dog that always provokes a reaction from your dog, even at 200 yards away!

it doesn't matter what you do, your dog hates the sight of it, you know what I mean?

And there is nothing that has happened, not close encounter, just huge noise and leaping around.

I was in this morning working with such a dog.

The problem had been ongoing for a long time, the owners had got to know each other and wanted to help each other address the problem, but were unsure how to proceed.

My client asked me to help, his is a reactive rescue dog and this other dog was the final part of the jigsaw for him being happy to walk his dog and to be relaxed.

Dogs will make up their own mind and they are guided by owners reactions and behaviour so there is always a great deal of expectation change that has to take place during these sessions but huge progress was made.

This was the first time they had seen each other and not lost the plot, to be sitting within ten feet of each other is huge, having them walk past each other was huge and it proves that if the owners can change what they do and how they react, so can the dogs.

It is a start, there is a long way to go but it proves it can be done.

If you and your dog have a nemesis and would like some help, please get in touch.

It doesn't always have to be this way, there is a better way, I can show you.

03/09/2025

The next group dog behaviour session is on Saturday 6th September starting at 09.00.

The location is Bagworth Heath Woods, Heath Road, Bagworth, what three words ///sidelined.popping.utter

Can dogs be taught to be reactive?

Yes, and quite often without people realising it, the majority of the behaviour I see in dogs is learned, certainly most of the unwanted stuff is learned.

This means it can be unlearned and your dog can learn a new set of behaviours, if you know what you need to do to enable that.

Your dog is not stuck in this pattern, you are and if I help you change your pattern of behaviour, your dog will willingly and happily change with you.

However, if you revert to your old pattern, so will your dog, you will need to be consistent for the changes to become permanent in you so they can become permanent in your dog.

The cost for this group session is £20.00 per dog, payable in cash on the day, there are only 8 places available and you reserve your place by commenting on this post.

If you would like to see another side to your dog, this is a great place to start.

I also offer 121 training and home visits.

01/09/2025

The story behind the dog.

A French Bulldog can be a challenge, they are feisty, fast and can be furious.

I have worked with many over the years, many have been furious, many have been biters.

Many have been dog and people reactive and this can lead to a very stressful life or rehoming, because they can be such hard work.

They are so worth it, if you can take the time required to see it through.

I have been working with one in particular who was very front door protective, very fast and very furious, she did not like other dogs or people.

Her owners have just adopted another bull breed mix to live with her and after only two days, they are settled together.

I have been working with dogs for over 35 years and they never cease to amaze me, when they have the right environment to live in, just how happy and content they can be.

It takes the right people to be able to do what the dog needs, rather than what they want and, in this case, they have done everything needed and are now reaping the rewards.

The right help is also key to establishing a calm and consistent environment in which a dog can thrive.

07890 455001 to call, text or WhatsApp.

31/08/2025

So how was our group dog behaviour success session yesterday?

What did we learn?

We learned something very useful and very practical and that is all about eye contact.

Not our dogs looking at us, dogs looking at other dogs for longer than 10 seconds.

Dogs have thresholds too and eye contact for longer for than 10 seconds can be a trigger to uncertainty and a bit of panic in some dogs.

Eye contact can also mean we are going to meet, it can mean a challenge, it can mean both dogs are worried and uncertain, it is different depending on the two dogs who are looking at each other.

On your usual walks how often does your dog make eye contact with another dog and not react?

There is a good chance we miss these things because we are not always paying attention, which is why when our dog reacts, we are startled ourselves and we react.

If we are in the moment with our dog, we can spot these little things and then communicate with our dog that we have also see the other dog eyeballing and we are staying calm and the calm will be rewarded with praise.

It is all about us, the people, the walkers, the owners, could we be doing more?

Yes, but where can you learn what to look for and how to deal with it?

These and many more, are the reasons I run my group dog behaviour success sessions, every Saturday.

Keep checking in for the post about the next one.

29/08/2025

Listening skills, people skills.

It is not just about dogs, in fact it is about people.

It is not the first time a client has felt overwhelm, the situation is just too much, there is not enough time, so much to do, over burdened, the house, the dogs, the kids, work, life, all of these things can catch up with us.

Our dogs are so in tune with us they pick up on everything yet they are usually unaware it can be their behaviour that over loads us.

I am a father the three children, all in their late teens and they have been raised around never less than three dogs so I completely understand the challenges being a parent brings and have developed very useful coping strategies because of that lived experience.

The advice I offer, whilst usually dog related can also be dealing with the pressures of life, the demands on our time and, probably the most important, prioritising.

Oh, and the other one, not over thinking.

Bringing a moment of calm and some clear thinking and strategy can make such a difference, it did today and it usually does.

I don't often post about this side of my work and how I help, that is the benefit of so much lived experience, of my own family and, over 35 years, working with so many families, helping them when they need help the most.

Always happy to chat, always happy to help, let me know if I can help you.

07890 455001 to message on WhatsApp.

28/08/2025

The story behind the photo.

Car chasing.

Actually leaping off the pavement into the road as cars went past.

Full intensity, so stressed was unable to think.

This is one of the reasons I love herders, breeds of dog bred to herd because that can be a real challenge.

In herders there is a prey drive, there is a herd drive and a control drive, all of these drives are linked to the stimulation caused by movement.

This is why they herd, you often see a completely untrained dog start to herd, it can be a very strong urge.

And it can be out of control.

A true working herder works with those drives under control, they don't tend to get over stimulated, a pet herder however can be subjected to over stimulation and sometimes you can trace this back to playing games.

In particular, games that involve balls.

When working, a herder contains a group of animals, either stationary or on the move.

If one escapes, the herder puts it back and keeps it there, that is the mission, to keep the group together.

I have never seen a herder, when working, put an animal back, take a step back and say, escape again, I really enjoyed that.

The focus and intent is to contain.

If a ball is thrown, the herder will bring it back, job done, group contained.

Yet we throw it again, and again, and again.

Sometimes, this can be the root cause of other obsessive behaviours that are exhibited elsewhere in the dogs life, car chasing can be one of them, as can either shadow or reflection chasing.

These behaviours can be changed, it does take time, it does take work, you will need help.

One of the best things you will ever do with your dog, herder or otherwise is this:

Teach your dog to recall before they get the ball you have thrown.

27/08/2025

The story behind the photo.

An American Akita is a big powerful dog, confident, brave, proud and quite independent.

These traits can make him, in this case, a difficult dog to own and manage. And this was the case here.

Reactivity towards other dogs was the issue I was asked to help with, this is a scary dog when kicking off towards another dog which was the main worry for the owners.

Reactivity towards other dogs or towards people can usually be traced back to a point in time, if you have had the dog as a puppy, you will know when this point was where something happened that changed your dogs view of you.

If a rescue, we can never know when this point was but we can uncover the triggers and the expectation the dog has and we can use this to help unravel that pattern of behaviour and start to change it.

I use a phrase, the perceived pressure of responsibility around reactive dogs, they feel the need to act because they don't believe their people actually know what do do, or, they are basing it on things that have been done, often with the best of intentions, that have resulted in a lack of understanding.

Changing reactivity needs a re establishment of trust and this can be difficult because you will find it difficult to trust your dog because of their behaviour, whereas from the dogs point of view, they find it difficult to trust you because you are the cause of their behaviour.

One of you has to take the first step, this is where i help you be skilled and knowledgeable enough to start that process.

You will be surprised at just how fast your dog will change, once you do.

The only boundary is your own self confidence, I can help you rebuild it, only you can determine how much we can rebuild.

The owner of this beautiful dog make amazing progress and was much better, more relaxed and better informed and their lives improved massively.

My mission in life is to help dog owners become the owner their dog needs them to be, so dogs can have a better, happier, calmer and more balanced life, for all of their life.

If I can help you, let's have a chat. I am on WhatsApp 07890 455001, messages only please.

Havers Dog Behaviour

15/09/2025

12/09/2025

09/09/2025

07/09/2025

05/09/2025

03/09/2025

01/09/2025

31/08/2025

29/08/2025

28/08/2025

27/08/2025

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