Kaelum Neville Dog Training

08/06/2024

Will never stop resharing this. We all have to be better at understanding how our dogs communicate and responding to their needs accordingly.

06/06/2024

We all know how to meet the most basic needs of our dog. Food, water, exercise, shelter, etc. But to have a happy, confident dog and a strong bond with them, doing the bare minimum isn’t enough.

Let’s talk about how we can give our dogs more choice and the benefits of doing so 🐶

https://www.kneville.dog/blog/the-power-of-choice

05/06/2024

Happiness is having that amazing relationship with your dog where you can explore the world together, enjoy each other’s company and always have each others backs 💚

Let’s get started on that journey together.

https://www.kneville.dog/puppy-training-5-week

27/05/2024

Sometimes, our dogs might not sniff while out and about. They might be puppies who aren't sure of their new environment yet, a ball obsessed dog fixating on their guardian waiting for a ball to be thrown or maybe just nervous pooch.

A little bit of scatter feeding (throwing a handful of food randomly on the floor) can help the dog switch on their nose and start discovering the joys of sniffing in their environment.

06/05/2024

Puppy graduation is one of my favourite things. After 10 weeks of learning and diligent practice, this wonderful crew completed their foundation puppy training yesterday.

Learning about body language ✅
Stationary positions like sit and down ✅
Puppy handling ✅
Meeting and greeting both people and dogs ✅
Loose lead walking ✅
Recall ✅
Confidence building ✅
Puppy play ✅
Learning to focus ✅
Different training methods like luring ✅

All of this and more, around distraction, at distance and with periods of duration - it’s been an action-packed course. Super proud of these guys! 💚

15/03/2024

Deciding whether to rescue a dog or buy a puppy from a breeder is often one of the first considerations for perspective dog owners. Many people are put off because all rescue dogs come with issues - or do they? 🤔

13/03/2024

Kind words from a happy client 🥰

12/03/2024

If I came up to you and said 'WOOF' you would rightly look at me with confusion (and possibly alarm). I might say it again and again and you would get more and more confused because you have no idea what I mean and I would get more and more frustrated because you're not doing what I want.

If I said 'WOOF,' pointed to a chair and fed you a Malteser when you sat in it, you'd learn pretty quickly that 'WOOF' means I want you to sit in the chair.

Dog training works a little like that - by pairing certain cues with certain actions so the dog understands what that word actually means. Otherwise, you might as well be shouting 'SIT' relentlessly at the microwave for all the good it'll do you . . .

11/03/2024

Make sure you have treats handy to always reward that good behaviour when it happens!

10/03/2024

An extra tip for toilet training: keep a log of when your dog toilets so you can spot any trends and make sure you're poised and ready to take them outside! 🚽

09/03/2024

There are lots of different ways to teach your dog various behaviours. One of them is luring, which involves using a piece of food to guide your dog into different positions and rewarding them for getting there. Over time, the food lure is faded out and replaced with a hand signal and verbal cue.

08/03/2024

A very starstruck kind of day for me at as I also got to meet the fantastic .pay!

I was at the very beginning of my dog trainer journey when I watched The Dog Academy on Channel 4 for the first time, on which Jo is one of the training and behaviour experts. Watching someone with such knowledge and compassion for dogs working with owners and helping to educate dog lovers everywhere is a true inspiration.

Such a privilege to have a little chat today!

08/03/2024

Had the absolute honour and delight of meeting the amazing today at ! 🤩

I’ve loved dogs my entire life, but watching Victoria present It’s Me or the Dog is what really made me want to be a dog trainer in the first place! It took me a decade or two to fulfil that ambition, but better late than never!

Today, I was so proud to meet one of my idols as a fully accredited dog trainer and thank her for being both an inspiration and staunch advocate for positive training.


📸

08/03/2024

Would you ever consider your dog too young or too old to start their training journey? 🤔

07/03/2024

'Rocky sits really well at home but he just won't do it when we're outside.'

Variations of this common complaint will undoubtedly be familiar to many dog owners. I liken it to to learning a language. I'm very good at Spanish when I'm practicing quietly on Duolingo, but trying to have a conversation with a native speaker in a busy Spanish restaurant is a different story.

Training your dog is essentially like teaching them a different language and we have to make sure they're able to understand and respond to that language confidently in all sorts of places.

06/03/2024

There are some essential bits of kit to have to hand during your training journey - a long line is one of them! Great for training recall or if you have a reactive dog who wouldn't do well off-lead, they can still enjoy a bit of freedom in a safe way. 🐕

05/03/2024

Food is commonplace in dog training, but we change the type of food depending on the levels of distraction we're working in. The key is always to make training as enjoyable and motivating for your dog as possible. 🧀

04/03/2024

Some days will feel more successful than others when you're training a dog of any age. Dog training is a skill like playing the piano or driving a car - it takes time, practice and patience. You've got this! 💪

03/03/2024

The sun was shining for the training walk with my graduating puppy class today! ☀️

We took all the great things we learned in class into the outside world - lots of dogs, people, cows, bikes and real-life distractions.

We practiced our SIT, WAIT, EYE CONTACT/FOCUS, LOOSE LEAD WALKING and RECALL.

We also worked on having some down time and decompressing on walks, which is so important, as well as learning to notice but disengage from distractions. A very action packed day!

03/03/2024

Crate, den, puppy cave - whatever you want to call it, having a secure, quiet and comfortable space for your dog to chill out when you can't supervise them is a great way of keeping them safe. 🐶

02/03/2024

Chewing is a super normal puppy behaviour - the trick is making sure pup has a healthy, appropriate outlet for their chewing! 🦴

31/01/2024

I will never not advocate for positive training and the well-being of dogs.

Because I love dogs. It’s that simple. 💚

In traditional dog training, punishment is often used to discourage undesirable behaviours. This can include physical corrections such as leash jerks, alpha rolls, or even the use of choke or prong collars. The aim is to establish the trainer's dominance and control over the dog.

Traditional training methods often focus on correcting or suppressing behaviours that are deemed undesirable, rather than teaching the dog alternative behaviours or reinforcing positive ones. The primary goal is obedience and compliance, rather than considering the emotional well-being or natural instincts of the dog.

Moreover, traditional training may not prioritise building a strong bond and trust between the dog and the trainer. Instead, it is more focused on establishing a hierarchical dominance structure, with the trainer at the top.

It is important to note that the views on traditional training are evolving, and there is a growing understanding and shift towards more ethical and humane training approaches that prioritise positive reinforcement and consider the dog's welfare as a whole.

Ethical dog training encompasses much more than teaching behaviour change. It involves understanding a dog's natural behaviours and instincts, and using cues to communicate effectively. This type of training places a strong emphasis on meeting the dog's needs, ensuring their emotional well-being is prioritised throughout the process.

Ethical dog training recognises that teaching new behaviour options is just one aspect of a broader approach to dog care. It takes into account the dog's overall well-being and fosters a positive and respectful relationship between trainer and dog. By understanding the dog's needs, ethical training aims to meet them through a combination of physical exercise, mental stimulation, and social interaction.

In ethical dog training, the trainer is aware that a dog's behaviour is often a result of their environment, genetics, and past experiences. Rather than attempting to suppress or control these behaviours, ethical training works with the dog's natural instincts and focuses on positively reinforcing desired behaviours. This ensures that the dog is not subjected to unnecessary stress or harm.

Overall, ethical dog training in the UK combines the use of cues to effectively communicate with the dog, along with a comprehensive understanding of the dog's needs. By considering the bigger picture of a dog's well-being, ethical training aims to create a harmonious and trusting relationship between trainer and dog.

If you're an ethical dog trainer, join NICE - we are your people. https://www.nicemembership.com/cpd-membership

26/01/2024

2024 Puppy Classes! 🐶

This course is ideal for puppy parents to learn the foundations of navigating life with a new four-legged family member!

Over 10 weeks, we'll cover the basics of training (including important life skills like recall and loose-lead walking), socialisation, canine body language and more.

The first four weeks will be held online, allowing you to get to grips with the basics in the comfort of your own home and start training with your pup before their vaccinations.

In-person sessions take place at the Waterside Centre Newbury.

Book your 10 week course here: https://www.kneville.dog/services

22/01/2024

I can’t stress enough how important leads are for keeping your dog safe. There’s a time and a place for off-lead walking and safety should always be the priority.

I apply the Toddler Test:

• Would I let a toddler walk too close to a cliff?
• Would I let a toddler walk next to a busy road without holding their hand?
• Would I let my toddler go too close to a body of water without supervision?
• Would I let my toddler wander up to a potentially reactive dog which could hurt them?

If the answer is no, put your dog on the lead.

Even the best trained dogs can get into accidents.

Coastguard crews found Lillii at the base of the cliff near to Old Harry Rocks.

15/01/2024

Often when we walk our dogs we think only about the act of walking: let’s move forward, let’s walk briskly, let’s cover distance, let’s get exercise.

Having quiet time on walks has so many benefits:

✅ Builds confidence by letting dogs adjust to their surroundings.
✅ Gives dogs the chance to notice and process things at a safe distance.
✅ Helps dogs realise they don’t have to be ‘always on’ while walking and the sofa isn’t the only place to quietly hang with their human, which can help with training certain behaviours like recall and loose-lead walking.

Next time you’re on a walk, build in a little bit of quiet time and just watch the world go by for five minutes.

We tend to rush dogs through life, and never really give them the chance to make their own choices, or observe something for long enough to understand it.

Just slowing down and letting them be still, is good for them and for us.

Remember: ensure they have enough space to feel safe.

04/12/2023

I don’t know who needs to hear this but dogs aren’t out for world domination. Getting on the bed or the sofa doesn’t mean they’re trying to take over the house or trying to be ‘boss’.

It just means they’re finding a comfortable spot and in all likelihood have probably been allowed up for cuddles in the past.

The outdated concept of pack leadership and dominance in domestic dogs has not only been proven incorrect, but also promotes a harmful relationship dynamic. Born from flawed studies of captive wolves in the 1940s, this theory has been wholly discredited by modern research.

Believing a dog is trying to dominate can foster negative emotions towards confused dogs and lead to unfair interpretation of their behaviour. This, in turn, can provoke inappropriate responses from the humans involved, escalating fear and anxiety in dogs, and creating a cycle of adverse behaviour.

Current understanding of canine behaviour underscores the importance of empathy, respect, and positive reinforcement. Canine Principles champions these evidence-based practices, offering an enlightened approach to dog-human interactions.

Don't let misconceptions taint your relationship with your dog. Join Canine Principles, debunk the myths, and cultivate a more compassionate bond with your dog, based on understanding their true nature and empathy towards them.

https://www.canineprinciples.com/online-dog-courses

17/11/2023

Very pleased to share that after passing my assessment, I am now an EASY PEASY PUPPY SQUEEZY QUALIFIED INSTRUCTOR. 🐶

Alongside my existing skills and knowledge as a trainer with The IMDT, being an EASY PEASY PUPPY SQUEEZY instructor gives me an additional layer of puppy-specific tools and understanding to help breeders and new dog owners get their pups off to the best start in life.

A big thank you to Steve Mann (Steve Mann Dog Training Page), IMDT Founder, celebrity dog trainer extraordinaire, best-selling author of the EASY PEASY dog training books, BBC Maestro canine expert and all around dog loving good guy for this exciting and incredibly helpful new update!

08/11/2023

Giving dogs space when they need it is incredibly important. Behaviour always happens for a reason and learning to recognise and respond appropriately to it is one of the best ways to have a happy, healthy relationship with your pooch.

Dogs, like people, need to feel safe.

04/11/2023

Lovely home visit with the mischievous Loki today, helping his new puppy parents with some nibbling issues.

Chewing is a super normal puppy behaviour that helps pup to relieve teething pain and reduce stress. The key is to make sure they learn what they should and shouldn’t chew in a positive way.

Top chewing tips:

🦴 Give pup access to plenty of legal chews (edible and non-edible) made of different textures, shapes and sizes.
🔒Puppy proof your home by removing or covering up anything you don’t want pup to chew: shoes, remotes, wires, etc.
👀 Supervise pup closely to ensure they don’t chew on anything you can’t remove, such as doorframes, skirting boards, etc. Crate training is a great way to keep your home and your pup safe when you can’t keep watch.
👋 Hands aren’t chew toys - avoid encouraging pup to chase your hands. Play should be with toys only so we aren’t sending mixed signals. If pup does nip your fingers or ignore the toy in favour of trying to chew your hand, calmly stop the game for a minute or so. Go back to playing again and repeat as needed.

22/10/2023

Spent a very productive afternoon with the adorable Enzo, working on his recall! Such a sweetheart - of all the toys I bring with me to appointments, it was the fluffy blanket in my bag he liked the most! Further proof that only each individual dog can choose what they find rewarding! 🐶