Military K9 Training & Behaviour

23/01/2025

Have you ever attempted to train with your dog but they seem lethargic and unmotivated to engage with you or maybe your dog has been unable to focus on training because they overstimulated or slightly stressed?

Understanding arousal in your dog and its effects on learning can significantly improve your training.

We want our dogs in the optimal arousal zone because this is when they learn best. The optimal arousal zone is when the dogs arousal level is moderate. If it’s too low, the dog may seem bored or disengage or if the arousal level is too high, they will come across overstimulated and stressed.

Low - Dog not engaging, training not productive.

Moderate - Effective learning. Dog is motivated, focused.

High - Dog can not focus, may show undesirable behaviours

Learn to read and understand your dog‘s body language during training and deliver learning in bite-sized chunks with short breaks allowing the dog to rest. I do this a lot with my clients during all training sessions. Reward timing is crucial, only rewarding the right behaviour in the right state of mind. Also, if you need to then change the environment but remember wherever you do your training the dog needs to have been properly socialised and exposed to that environment.

Dog training. Done right.

22/01/2025

**** Full details TBA ****

17/01/2025

Regardless of what I teach Nero, I need to make sure that I “proof” those behaviours in different environments and situations until he has generalised that particular behaviour. This means everything from a sit to scent work. 
If Nero learns the command “sit” in the kitchen, I then need him to perform that same behaviour in all the environments I want to take him, like a coffee shop or the high street. 
The environment has an effect on a dog’s behaviour and becomes part of the learning picture through association. For example, because I’ve trained Nero to sit in the kitchen, it doesn’t mean that he can perform sit in the garden when asked. When the picture changes they can be a little confused of what we are asking of them. I need to make sure he is fluent in the sit, meaning he does the behaviour when asked and doesn’t offer another behaviour instead. 
Once Nero is fluent in any of the behaviours that I am teaching him, then it’s time to head out and proof it. This is the generalisation stage of training where we use these variables, the three D’s:
Duration - The dog can perform the behaviour for different periods of time.
Distance - The dog can perform the behaviour while the owner moves away/around the dog at different distances. 
Distractions - The dog can perform the behaviour around new sights, sounds and smells.
When I’m training Nero I only change one variable at a time as I don’t want to overwhelm him and I always lower my expectations.
Proofing can take time and patience, don’t rush your training. If the dog gets it wrong, give clear direction and reinforce the right stuff.

Dog training. Done right.

11/01/2025

A very cold Urban Trailing session this afternoon but both dog teams did brilliant.

New environment, tonnes of distractions while the dogs were working and the freezing cold temperature effecting the scent. That’s a lot of information for both the dog and handler to take in while moving at speed but it all adds to the fun.

Urban trailing is available on a Saturday for dogs that already attending sessions.

Dog training. Done right.

09/01/2025

If running around the country side through woods and fields isn’t your cup of tea, here’s some good news…

We now run Urban trailing session as well as Rural.

These sessions are ideal for dogs that have started trailing, we will be running Introduction sessions for Urban very soon.

If you would like to know more, feel free to drop me a message.

Dog training. Done right.

29/12/2024

27/12/2024

Pack Walk
Saturday 28th Dec
Melton Mowbray
Follow link to book on https://bookwhen.com/militaryk9

25/12/2024

Merry Christmas 🎄🎅🏼🎁

22/12/2024

Read it, digest it and read it again!

Can we really blame our dogs for the confusion when their entire world is enveloped by mixed massages?

Why mixed? Because we knowingly or unknowingly teach them that they and us precisely the same. And then we become upset when they respond to what we’ve taught them by challenging us, pushing us, disregarding us, stressing us, overwhelming us, and sometimes even injuring us.

I’m sorry, but if you’re going to teach your dog that you and they are the same — meaning the social structure, aka the differences between human and canine aren’t clearly articulated — you can’t be upset when they run with what you’ve taught them.

This isn’t a student issue, it’s a teacher issue.

PS, I know many bristle at the fact that I point out that there should be a clear distinction between dog and human — with the human in charge and above in status, and and the dog subordinate and below in status. Feel free to bristle away. But when you’re struggling with your dog, refer back to this post and attempt to digest it with an open mind. The answers to why you’re struggling are likely here when you’re ready to find them.

PPS, here’s the kicker — you can disagree with this all you like, and even discount it as invalid “old school” nonsense — just remember that makes one of you. 😉

20/12/2024

Power of Play

Using a toy as a reward in your training is a powerful tool but before the toy can be introduced to reinforce behaviours, the dog needs to understand the rules of play.
Once the dog understands the rules of play, we can eliminate any conflict between handler and dog and transposition away from using food as rewards.

During the workshop you will find out how to;
Pick the correct toy for your dog.
Interact with your dog and build motivation and drive.
Start to use play as a reward for obedience and transitioning away from food.
All this whilst building a stronger relationship through play.

Scent Detection Workshop

A three hour session covering everything you need to know to teach your dog beginner level detection.
You will learn theory and practical elements have sent in printing, handling skills and how to shape an indication.

Once you have completed the workshop you are free to attend the regular scent Boot Camp is to help improve your dogs new skills and help maintain training.

16/12/2024

Trust is earned, not given!

02/12/2024

Our 2 day Man-trailing workshop was wet but thoroughly enjoyed by all.

Covering both theory and practical side to tracking/trailing allowing clients to understand and work their dogs on live scent.

We didn’t get the chance to cover urban trailing due to storm Bertie but we did have a great time running around the woods.

We will be running more tracking, trailing and scent workshops throughout next year as well as progression sessions to help keep your continuation training consistent.

Dog training. Done right.

22/11/2024

This will no doubt ruffle a few feathers!

It is a skill being able to deliver an appropriate, firm and well timed correction but being able to do this allows you to make it very clear to the dog what behaviour is acceptable and what is not.

Most of the time we let a lot of micro behaviours fly under the radar but it is these behaviours that grow into the bigger problem.

By simply correcting those behaviours in the first instance we will can stop to them being reinforcing to the dog, Once you have applied the correction you can then guide the dog towards the more desirable behaviour.

Holding your dog accountable for everything they do makes you a good leader and creates a very black and white world for your dog with no grey areas.

15/11/2024

We hear this a lot from clients, there will be one field next to their house which the entire village uses but 90% of the dogs on that field and off lead and not trained. This is the kind of area that you want to avoid but only until you have built experience and confidence in your training.

We don’t avoid the area completely. We just need a bit of time to practice our handling skills and learn to be more socially and specially aware.

then you can use this area to help train your dog and you never know you might even persuade some of the other owners with the uncontrollable dogs to do so as well.

As a trainer an area like that is absolutely perfect for taking dogs to but if you’re not prepared to deal with the situations that may arise and you haven’t learned to recover quickly after them, then these areas can be really upsetting and frustrating for both you and your dog.

Do you use other people’s dogs to train yours?

14/11/2024

Another fantastic sent progression session last weekend. Handlers understanding their dogs capabilities and limitations and working on what matters the most to help their dog progress. From shaping a stronger indication to generalising search work on new equipment.

Whatever your level of sent Work is the sessions will help you with all your continuation training.