Dobercademy

08/02/2025

I was sitting in the dog snug working so I gave Sassi a marrow bone which she spent a few hours licking & chewing & enjoying. As she got to the end she wanted to get the rest of the marrow she couldn’t reach in the middle out to eat.
This is what she did 😂😂😂
No flies on a Dobermann - no wonder they are so good at training us with their superior intelligence & puzzle tackling skills 😂😂

Does your Dobermann do this?

07/02/2025

LAST CHANCE
REDUCING REACTIVITY : 8 Week behavioural modification programme
ONE SPACE LEFT
Join us next week to make the change & help your dog & you :

05/02/2025

When training a dog, it's important to have realistic expectations for yourself and your dog. This means being honest about what your dog can achieve based on their age, temperament & sometimes health too.

Some more questions we should ask ourselves are:

How much training have you done?
How much knowledge do you have of dog training?
What sort of handler are you?
What sort of standard are your own handling skills?

All this will absolutely determine how realistic your expectations of your dog are.
Remember his learning ability will only be as good as his owner/handler’s knowledge & skills

So before we blame the dog we should look at improving whatever we need to for ourselves.

Setting realistic expectations
* Consider your dog's limitations: Think about your dog's physical, mental, and emotional limitations. �
* Set priorities: Make a list of your training goals and prioritize them. �
* Be consistent: Set a regular schedule for training, and make it a priority.

* Providing clarity & consistency is huge when training dogs. We can’t laugh at them for something they do one day & allow it and then tell them off for the same behaviour another because we are in a different mood or don’t have time. We can’t be sketchy - rules and boundaries must be clear, taught kindly & adhered to�
* Be clear with cues: Use specific words and signals to communicate what you want your dog to do.

* Video yourself so you can see perhaps why your dog is not being successful. Watching it back will show up all the tiny areas you can improve on to help your dog. If he doesn’t understand it’s usually because we are not clear �
* Be patient: Celebrate small victories and remember that dog training is a journey.

Iv had Dobermanns since the early 1980’s.
I’ve been training dogs since 2008.

Looking back on where I was versus where I am now is still unbelievable to me. It’s light years between my starting point and where I am now!
I’m still furthering my knowledge & education every day too.
If there is one thing that is certain it’s that no two dogs are the same!

I always wanted to work with animals and making it a career in the capacity that I have now was never in my wildest dreams.
I have learned more than I could ever have imagined there was to learn & more than I ever guessed I didn’t know!
I feel blessed

We need to train our dogs, particularly Dobermanns as a large powerful breed. We need them to be well rounded members of society. well mannered and appreciated members of our families. We need them, us and others to be & feel safe.

My job is to coach and teach an owner how to manage, understand and work with their dog.
I don’t have a magic wand lol - and I’m not here to train your dog for you - I’m here to teach & coach you, your dog’s person & owner, how to work with and understand him & how to provide for his needs.

When one embarks on a dog training programme, let’s use a 6 week course as an example.
Each class is roughly an hour long.
So with a total of 1,008 hours in those 6 weeks, you are with your trainer for 6 hours.

So what are your realistic expectations?

You should expect to gain a good understanding of basic training skills.

You should learn a little of how your dog learns, what their motivators and reinforcers are, and how to use those tools to get desired behaviours from your dog.

Lastly, you should practice what is being taught - a lot - and submit homework & receive feedback from your trainer.

These are the steps to success but this one basic six week course of dog training will not be anything like enough for you to become knowledgeable or skilled enough to continue educating your dog throughout his various stages of development & certainly not enough to help you with a dog who suffers with a behavioural issue such as reactivity. You will need specialist help for that and be prepared to embark on a much longer journey of learning for you.

The real test is your day to day life with your dog. If you aren’t seeing improvement you might need to increase your study & practice time. You may need to ask for more help. You may need 121 help, not all of us are natural dog handlers and not all of us find dog handling is easy or comes naturally.
It’s hard and it’s a skill.
There is no shame in seeking extra help.

Next : Every one of us will live in different environments, have different routines, responsibilities. time available & different levels of commitment. When we take a Dobermann into our lives we should be aware this is an exceptionally large time commitment to say the least as we are all only too well aware now lol

Here we have is a large working & guarding breed of considerable intelligence & athleticism - he’s been specifically designed to work & do a job - he’s hard wired to do so & it’s a big responsibility to take care of his needs & if we don’t or can’t then we all know what that looks like lol

Dog training takes knowledge, skill, time, repetition, and patience to get the well-mannered dog you envisioned.

Expect it to be a journey, a journey that will teach you about love, respect, and build a relationship like you never thought you would have. It’s a journey of many years, not many weeks or even months!!

Believe me we may struggle whilst our dog is going thru adolescence but it is a very short period for us before we are mourning his loss so make his life with you count!!

03/02/2025

Reactive Behaviour is not going away on its own.

Join us 11th February for our eight week intensive training and make the change

Our Dobercademy Reducing Reactivity programmes is a full & thorough behavioural modification course which we walk you and your dog through step by step to reach your goal of calm & enjoyable walks.

We have a few spaces left so book now to avoid missing out

Our programme is especially for Dobermanns & includes :

Comprehensive, Breed-Specific Training

*Tailored Guidance: Designed for Dobermanns, focusing on over-arousal, reactivity, and emotional regulation.

*Learning at Your Pace: Video lessons and written resources cater to all learning styles.

*Practical Solutions: Integrate training into your daily life in just 15-30 minutes a day.Live Expert Support

*8 weekly Zoom Calls: Get personalized advice and ask questions with Sharon Chamberlin, a trainer with 30+ years of Dobermann expertise.

*Recorded Sessions: Never miss out - catch up anytime.Ongoing Community & Resources

*Supportive Facebook Group: Share progress, celebrate wins, and get feedback from a like-minded community.

*Bonus content : Explore topics like health, wellness, and dog sports.

*Access to Experts: Directly connect with your trainers throughout your journey - it’s like having an expert trainer on speed dial!Course support

*Stay supported with us - opportunity n completion ti join our membership where you get months of access to more learning, live sessions, and community features.

*Receive ongoing guidance and adjust strategies as your dog progresses.* No need for formal training - integrate your dog’s learning into everyday moments.

Here’s a snapshot of what you’ll learn:

*Understanding Reactivity: Discover the root causes of reactivity and how to recognise it in your dog.

*Why Punishment Fails: The science behind why punishment backfires and what works instead.

*Trigger Stacking & Candles: Learn to spot stress triggers and “blow out” your dog’s emotional candles to remove the heat

*Body Language Basics: Decode your dog’s signals to understand what they’re really saying.

*Management Strategies: Instant solutions to reduce stress for you and your dog.

*Mindset Shift: Build confidence and calmness at both ends of the lead.

*Therapy & Enrichment: Reset your dog’s mind and foster relaxation with practical exercises.

*Breed-Specific Needs: Tailored exercises for Dobermann’s unique characteristics and energy levels.

*Handling Challenges: Tips for multi-dog households, tricky vet visits, and those incoming “friendly” off-lead dogs.

BOOK NOW and Start your journey to calm & controlled today : Sign up for our eight week specialist Reducing Reactivity programme starting 11 January 2025 at 7:30pm here ⬇️

https://portal.busypaws.app/customers/dobercademy?booking_id=991240

Video is of my own dog Kiedy during his transformational journey from reactive to relaxed - read his full story here :

https://www.facebook.com/share/1AtF56Z6uK/?mibextid=wwXIfr

This programme is also open to those who would like to learn more about reactive behaviour, where it comes from & why & how to change it.

Reducing Reactivity is a full & thorough behavioural modification programme for both ends of the lead with full support from your behaviour & training coaches.

Dog trainers or those who’d like to become trainers are therefore also welcome, or even if you’d just like to learn more because you love dogs!

Kiedy came to me unable to tolerate dogs or humans - this little video summarises his journey with me. He was the most affectionate Dobe of all Iv been luck...

02/02/2025

SHEEP ARE HARD - USUALLY A BIG RED FLAG FOR Dobermanns with their naturally high prey drive & desire to chase.

Sassi has always had a huge interest in them. Alongside our training we’ve worked hard with Sassi’s prey drive too and on her ability to be calm and focussed out & about.it’s taken time.

I often think about dog training as a video game. You know the ones : you get a brand new game and you have to start at level one to get the hang of the game and then practice the skills you need and then you practice so you can work your way up through the levels of the game until you become an expert at it! However, you might then buy another game and you find you need to start at level one all over again! This is exactly how it is in reality for owners training their dogs effectively and with kindness, knowledge & understanding.

Training takes heaps of time and requires a whole different set of knowledge and skills which have to be understood, learned and well practiced in order for us to be successful. And it always starts again when we take on a new puppy or dog!

The importance of understanding our dog and his or her needs is actually often overlooked and concentrating on obedience behaviours is not going to help in this respect or give us the knowledge or insight we need in order to build resilience & life skills into our dogs’ abilities to live happily with us in our human led world.

Having the right knowledge, understanding our dog & honing our own knowledge, handling and training skills is hugely important if we are to be successful alongside an abundance of patience and the ability to remain calm and consistent throughout.

So let’s take a look at what those levels of each of the Dobercademy video games may be:

* What does my dog need to not just survive but thrive? Levels 1-10
*What is he genetically hard wired to do, not just as a species but as a breed too, and what could that look like in my human world if I can’t provide him with what he needs? Levels 10-20
* What does the environment mean to my dog and where should I start training him and why? Levels 20-30
* What are distractions and why do I need to understand what they are and how they are relative to how successful I will be training my dog? Levels 30-40
* What are my own expectations of my dog and how realistic are they, taking into account his age, breed, his current level of training, and most importantly, my own training ability and input into his education, the knowledge I currently have about dogs as a species and how much I know about proceeding through the levels and various stages of training as referred to above? Levels 40-50

So there is a lot to learn before we become “experts” In the dog world, (although I’m sure we’ve all come across many dog “experts” telling us what our dog “should” do even though they don’t own a dog 😉😂)

Anyway : here we are and today’s video is of Sassi working close to some sheep we came across on our walk this morning. It’s obviously taken me a while to get to here with Sassi and some of the work we’ve done includes the different levels below :

*Established pattern games & worked through different training at home

*Practiced in the garden*Practiced in a secured field

*Practiced on an industrial estate *Practiced on the edge of a busy car park

*Practiced on the edge of the park

*Practiced at a distance from distractions

*Closed the gap!!

Training through kindness, knowledge & understanding always : Dobercademy real life results

01/02/2025

Gold Standard Help you can work through yourself.

If you’ve been folllwing us for a while but have been feeling shy about joining an in person programme or just haven’t the time then this is fo you

We have several work through yourself programmes available that are all set up online for you to purchase and specifically watch, read & work through with your dog yourself in your own time.

This is a snapshot of our Gold Star programme with 24 live coaching sessions and an in depth library of instructional videos for you to practice with your dog for each topic covered and more. The full teaching syllabus covers a year of learning and is available for the offer price of £250.

To get started straightaway email or message us and we will enroll you and it’s yours to keep!!

[email protected]

01/02/2025

IS OBEDIENCE training not helping you? Do others perhaps tell you that your Dobermann is : “strong willed” Or“wants to be the Boss” Or “you need to be firmer” Or ““he’s trying to dominate you”Maybe all of the above? Over and over again we see advice dished out by others that being firmer/tougher/stronger will make your dog more obedient & more compliant & this will absolutely fix all your dog’s issues. You are trying your best and training so hard but obedience just isn’t working no matter how many different behaviours & commands you’ve taught your dog. Being tough doesn’t feel right to you - you love your dog and force feels like it’s making the situation worse? If it doesn’t feel right then you know deep down it isn’t. Our dogs are living sentient beings and they often struggle with their own emotions & feelings and when they struggle they can’t perform even a simple obedience sit on command, particularly if feeling anxious, over excited, overwhelmed or just too focused on the scent of the rabbit or squirrel he’s just caught a whiff of! Or if the environment is too much for him or her. You can go to as many obedience classes as you like and your dog may know many tricks or understand many cues but if he’s experiencing big feelings or emotions as Dobermanns often do, then he can’t control himself or them and no obedience he’s learned is going to give you the ability to control him in that situation either and it’s awful isn’t it that feeling of helplessness witness a dog who’s intent on chasing that cat!!! The truth is though, he’s definitely not trying to dominate you no matter what behaviour you are struggling with. He’s simply doing what serves him best or makes him feel better in that moment as a dog! The solution for changing what we are experiencing from our dog lies with us moving our focus from obedience training to learning ourselves to understand more about our individual dog, unearthing what is actually going on for him and then us learning the necessary knowledge & skills to help our dog to calm down, focus where we need him to and be able to cope in given real life situation & environment- including not chasing all the cats or taking off after a cyclist or jogger & definitely not barking & lunging at the dog coming toward him is. It starts with us learning ourselves much more about our dogs compulsory and hard wired behaviours & needs if we wish to change what’s happening. What we all want is a life with our dogs whereby they cooperate with us naturally and they want to. We want them to understand how to behave in our human world & to offer that behaviour Iv been working with Sassi a lot recently, but not on her obedience ability or tricks, but instead on what ls far more important and that is acclimatising her to be able to cope outside in the woods watching deer or on our stubble fields watching birds and turning to me when she sees them rather than taking off with me skiing along behind her or much worse disappearing over the horizon with the worry she will get lost or into trouble. Im spending time “hunting” with Sassi and teaching her patterns of behaviour that I would like her to automatically choose, instead of the over excitement or Chase behaviour that comes most naturally to her as a young Dobermann who is highly environmentally sensitive & aware and with a chase drive that challenges even me!It’s not fancy doesn’t involve any harsh training equipment or tools but it does require knowledge and several short sessions of games a day. It’s also not magic and takes a lot of time & patience but I’m pleased to report that after a few sessions Sassi is now able to watch wildlife & is choosing herself to tell me about them by turning back to me and engaging in our games. This is the choice I want her to make and once fully loaded I am looking forward to not having to be on high alert anymore as Sassi will choose to tell me when she sees anything.When we are able to shift our focus from “old fashioned” dog training ideas & advice and we embrace understanding & learning more about our dogs for ourselves it can be so enlightening and life changing for us too. Of course obedience has its place & I will always train it too but first I believe we must understand our student, who is not human and has deep routed feelings, needs & desires completely at odds with what we want of him. It’s hard and this is why miscommunication between us and our dog is common place. Once we are prepared to learn ourselves & understand him and we know how to communicate with him & provide for him properly then everything changes If we keep doing the same old things every day then the same old things will keep happening! As Einstein once said, ‘Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results’.I see many owners who claim “Iv had dogs for years” working at the old obedience plan they learned in 1980 and following this sentiment and they are just completely stuck in a rut, not looking up above the parapet of the world they know and are stuck in. In 2025 we know so much more about everything! The best way to educate children, the best way to achieve targets at work from those employed, the best way to help those who’ve suffered trauma or suffer with addiction. The best way in fact ablut how to educate, help or treat anyone no matter what they struggle with. Even zoos & wildlife parks are now able to get elephants or giraffes for example to co-operate with health examinations or treatment for their ailments Why then are we still so very far behind with our ideas & beliefs around how perfect our dog should be and how dogs should behave and the way we train them? Our expectations are at loggerheads with the dogs’ reality and that is where we need to start, reducing our expectations & then taking the time to learn about dogs, our breed and the simple games we can teach them which with consistency and clarity can lead to a life without conflict!! The video below is of Sassi relaxed and walking nicely on a loose lead at a busy Dog Show which of course is highly challenging for many dogs. Understanding how to help our dogs feel safe, calm & relaxed & the process of how to get them there has nothing to do with obedience and everything to do with our own knowledge & skills alongside us being prepared to be patient and spend time with our dogs other than just walking them. Write your new story with your dog now ⬇️Book a call : https://portal.busypaws.app/customers/dobercademy?service_id=2988

31/01/2025

Free running on the beach for Sassi today and some snappy recalls to middle ❤️

30/01/2025

This is quite a long video of my walk today but if you can bear to watch to the end I’m sure it will be useful and encouraging to some of you if you are struggling with your young Dobermanns out & about.

A little bit of background is that Sassi has always been very high prey drive - she literally absolutely is hard wired to chase anything and of course a lot of Dobermanns are the same.

Her absolute obsession has always been birds 🦅 and in the early days she was uncontrollable out and about, particularly on beaches and big wide open spaces where of course birds fly in abundance 🙄😩So our walks have been challenging!

AND! As if that wasn’t enough, Sassi is also 0-60 in a nanosecond and her arousal levels have been through the roof, especially around other dogs whom she’s always been desperate to meet & play with.

Then to add a bit more spice she is also noise sensitive which makes her a little anxious from time to time.

Now much of this is fairly typical for Dobermanns these days but it’s hard for us, the human end of the lead, and all we want is a nice walk right? So how do we get our dogs to focus on us & walk nicely on the lead and more importantly be able to ignore wildlife & other distractions, feel comfortable everywhere & not worry about anything? It’s a big ask isn’t it!

Well, the answer is we learn to support our Dobermanns & we work through any issues we may have whilst training them using kindness, knowledge & understanding.

It’s hard for a hard wired, hugely prey driven, over excitable slightly suspicious and sensitive breed to be calm and operate as we humans want them to & indeed, expect them to, when we are out and about. Imagine all those temptations & then being so driven to chase it drives you to distraction and then your owner gets really cross with you & you don’t even understand why?

This is usually what is going on between us and our Dobermanns & neither of us “gets” the other! We are such different species that what dogs desperately want or need & what we want & expect of them are just too far apart! Misunderstanding & conflict occurs & we want a quick fix solution to our miserable walks!!

But what if we could understand more about our dogs and particular more about our own breed and our own dog!

What if we learned to understand what our dogs need!
What if we had the knowledge to help them with our training methods to provide for those needs?
What if we showed them kindness too whilst we trained them?
What if we were prepared to give them our patience while we practiced and persevered to gain the knowledge we needed & the skills we need to train them too.

The picture is then very different and your walks can start to be as enjoyable as you first dreamed of when you got this dog

A little bit of knowledge, a few taught skills and games, a bit of observation and some patience is literally all you need to achieve your goals with your best friend.

This video is of Sassi’s walk with me today and you will see how far she’s come in her training out and about in “the real world”
The games we use are well practiced and we have worked our way through all the steps & stages to get to where we are today.

It can all be done training using kindness, knowledge & understanding

Dobercademy : The Specific Training School for the Dobermann

30/01/2025

Albert Einstein once said, ‘Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results’.

We all know that Dobermanns are a wonderful breed and they possess so much intelligence and character and are amazingly loving. BUT we all know they come with an emotional price tag & If you’re here, then you know what that is already : The reactivity, the barking/whining in the car, the constant attention seeking, the inability to settle or be calm, the mouthing & biting & over arousal or excitement at the smallest thing, the prey drive, the cat chasing!

Of course with the right knowledge & the right skills - different to what you’ve been told before or what you’re currently doing with your dog you can completely change your life with your Dobermann.

At Dobercademy we provide you with exactly what you need and haven’t had access to before and we’ve broken all the training down into bite size exercises so that you can work easily on each pattern game, exercise or training game just a few times each day and - you can rewatch the videos as often as you need to.

You’ll also have access to breed specific dog trainers (Me and Wendy) every single day and you can ask as many questions as you need to inside of our private FB group. You don’t get this opportunity with a weekly dog training class. Don’t forget there is also live coaching sessions in all our programmes for members to ask questions or get advice on your training plans and of course to help you move easily step by step through our ample resources & syllabus containing 100’s of easy to follow tutorials for you and your dog to enable you to reach your goal.

If you want your Dobermann to change their behaviour, then you need to change something too! Join us inside of our Reducing Reactivity or our membership and start working on making your Dobermann a Dream to live with!

Just email us if you have any questions. Or simply book in a call to discuss which programme best suits you & don’t forget you can even purchase our whole year’s membership syllabus to work through yourself at the amazing price of just £250 which covers everything you are ever likely to encounter with your Dobermann from reactive behaviour to prey drive to scent work & obedience - it’s all there for you to keep.

See the top questions I get asked below ⚡⬇️

Q. Is this just for problem dogs?
No. All Dobermann owners can benefit from our membership programme. Whether your dog is reactive or not. Even if your Dobermann doesn't have any specific issues, the training will help you proactively prevent future challenges and strengthen your bond with your dog. It’s about building a solid foundation of understanding and communication.

Q. Is the training just for Dobermanns?
While our programs are specifically designed for Dobermanns, the principles and methods we teach are also relevant for other working, driven breeds like German Shepherds, Malinois, and others. If you have a similar breed, you’ll still benefit from the training.

Q. Why is the membership programme a year long?
Training doesn’t happen overnight. Changing how your dog feels takes time and we feel a year of help & support from us is also a truly realistic timeline to help you achieve your training goals.

This gives you the space to integrate changes at your pace, and build a relationship with your dog that lasts.

Q. My partner’s not on board with this, what should I do?
We understand that it can be hard to get everyone on the same page, especially when it comes to reactivity and fear-based behaviors. We offer support that goes beyond just training your dog—we provide resources to help you manage your own feelings and work through the stress that comes with owning a reactive dog. If your partner is unsure, we encourage open conversations about the benefits of this approach and how it can help both you and your dog.

Q: Is this Dobercademy for me?
If you want to train your Dobermann with kindness, understanding, and scientifically-backed methods, then yes, this program is perfect for you. Whether your dog is reactive or just full of energy, we focus on positive reinforcement to address over-arousal and reactivity.

Q: How much time will it take?�The beauty of our programs are that they fit into your daily life. You’ll start with 15-30 minutes of training each day, and as you progress, it will seamlessly integrate into your routine. It’s designed to be manageable without overwhelming you.

Q: What if I don’t know where to start?�No problem! Our step-by-step programs are designed to take you through everything you need to know. You’ll have access to video tutorials, written guides, and live support to help you at every stage. You don’t need any prior experience to get started - we’ll guide you through the process.

Q: How much does it cost?�We understand that finding the right professional help for a reactive or challenging Dobermann can be expensive, which is why we’ve made our membership program in particular affordable. With one of the world’s leading Dobermann specialists, Sharon Chamberlin, you’ll receive expert guidance throughout the year.
�Here are the membership payment options:
* Membership price: £540 for the year�(1) Pay over 12 months: £45 per month �(2) Pay in full for the year: £490 (save £50)

Your Dobermann’s Best Life Starts Now

Use the links below to sign up to the programme of your choice ⬇️

Reducing Reactivity 8 week programme of fully supported learning starts 11 February

https://portal.busypaws.app/customers/dobercademy?booking_id=991240

Dobercademy monthly membership links - please choose your payment preference:

Pay £45 per month

https://portal.busypaws.app/customers/dobercademy/memberships/client_memberships/new?membership_id=509

One off saver payment for the entire year : £490

https://portal.busypaws.app/customers/dobercademy/memberships/client_memberships/new?membership_id=1609

Purchase the year’s 2024 membership Syllabus to work through yourself

https://portal.busypaws.app/customers/dobercademy?booking_id=1045698

Book a free call with Sharon to discuss your needs and your best option :

https://portal.busypaws.app/customers/dobercademy?service_id=2988