Fresh Start Pet Behaviour & Training

05/01/2025

We are deeply saddened to learn of Karen Pryor's passing. She was a pioneer in animal training and behaviour whose contributions have shaped modern dog training as we know it. Her innovative approach and entrepreneurial spirit transformed the industry, paving the way for countless trainers and animals to benefit from science-based, positive reinforcement methods.

Karen’s work extended far beyond the Karen Pryor Academy, which has educated and inspired trainers worldwide. Her book, Don’t Shoot the Dog, introduced an entire generation of trainers to the principles of clicker training and remains a cornerstone of dog training literature. The annual Clicker Expos she founded became vital opportunities for professional growth, collaboration, and community-building within the field. Her legacy also includes Reaching the Animal Mind, a profound exploration of the science and art of animal training.

Karen’s vision, intelligence, and compassion revolutionised how we communicate with and understand our canine companions. Her contributions have had a lasting impact on the lives of trainers and the dogs they work and live with. She will be greatly missed, but her legacy will continue to inspire and guide the animal training community for generations to come.

Our thoughts are with Karen’s family, friends, and all those whose lives she touched.

https://karenwpryor.com/

01/01/2025

Happy New Year!

12/12/2024

A good explanation of the proper use of a slip lead. It is not for training nice walking and should never be used on young puppies.

If you come to reward based gundog training from another discipline such as pet dog training, obedience, or agility you may be shocked and surprised that we use slip leads. Reward Based trainers in other fields are, quite rightly, saying these are not safe for training dogs. So, if I agree, why are my dogs wearing them?
Firstly: Each dog sport has it's uniform. For gundogs they need to work with no collar or harness on. The handler must be able to quickly get their dog on a lead at any point during the shoot day when they need a 'safety net' (e.g. a deer running through the woods, or tonnes of pheasants ahead). In competition we must be able to get our dogs on a lead fast when the judge asks us to. Collars and harnesses simply don't work in these situations (though I do have some of my dogs on a harness between drives or runs, switching to the slip lead as we approach the start).
Secondly: I don't train my dogs to walk nicely using the slip lead. They learn heel and loose lead walking on a harness or flat collar as well as off lead. The slip lead is only introduced once they are pretty good. Does this mean my dogs never pull on the slip lead, heck no. In a high excitement environment they can pull and lunge, so...
Thirdly: I do not use traditional slip leads. A traditional slip lead tightens more and more as a dog (or handler) pulls. It should slacken off when the pressure is released, but some ropes stick, so even a dog trying to be good is half strangled. I won't even go into the super thin 'garotes' which are used high up the neck to choke a dog into obedience. Yuk. I use no-choke or anti-strangle slip leads. These have an extra stopper which you set at a comfortable collar size (so you can put two fingers under, but so the dog can't back out - for safety). If the dog is on a loose lead the rope falls away, if they do pull, it is only as bad as a collar (and more training is required as even pulling on a collar is damaging).
The slip in the image is a gorgeous top of the range design from Mystique, but my day to day leads were £5 from Amazon!

When training your puppy or beginner dog with me, please choose whatever collar or harness you are comfortable with. We can introduce slip leads at an appropriate time. Never bring your dog in an electric collar or prong though. I promise we don't need them.

10/12/2024

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12/11/2024

Autumn and winter can be a dangerous time for our pets. Due to the darker evenings, road traffic accidents (RTAs) are more likely to happen at this time of year. To keep you and your pets as safe as possible, our vets have shared their top tips 🌃

Cat owners, rest assured, we have an advice post for you too. Keep your eyes peeled next week 🐱

[Visual description: Infographic detailing five dark evening safety tips for dogs. 1. Be prepared - make sure your dog is wearing a collar, tag, is microchipped, and that you have pet insurance in place. 2 - Plan your route - avoid roads without pavements and aim for well-lit areas. 3. Visibility - make sure drivers can see both of you. Your dog could wear a high visibility coat or LED collar/tag. 4. Simple commands - teaching your dog to ‘sit’, ‘wait’ and ‘walk’ will help to keep them safe when out and about. 5. Dog leads - Keep them on a short, strong lead attached to a well-fitting collar when around roads. If you’re going to take them off the lead, check that the area is safely secured so they can’t run onto any nearby roads.]

06/11/2024

WHEN SECONDS COUNT

This post is not advocating that dogs meet every other dog, but about how to go about it, if and when it does happen, in a safer way.

The 3 second rule for dogs meeting each other is used as a guideline to help foster positive introductions, prevent either dog from feeling overwhelmed or trapped and prevent any potential reactivity and stress.

A short 3 second introduction is enough time to provide important information to both dogs.

Enough information for dogs to know – “are you a threat?”, “do I like you?”, “do I want to learn more about you?”, “do I really dislike you?”, “do I need you to go away?” etc. Both dogs may not feel the same way – one may not be happy to engage while the other may want to.

All interactions should ideally happen like this, not just initially. Just like us, dogs can have off days – things like pain, trigger stacking, lack of sleep or a host of other reasons can influence whether a dog wants to interact or not.

There are countless times I have witnessed meetings or introductions between dogs that have gone on just a few seconds too long and have not ended well. This can have long lasting effects on future behaviour when meeting other dogs.

Understanding body language is critically important. If we are going to share our lives with another species, protect them, advocate for them and help them feel safe, then we need to understand and respect their language.

The examples in this post of red and green flags are just a few general ones to look out for – there are many more and these will differ depending on the individual dog, context and circumstances.

Here are some resources and links to learn more about body language -
On Talking Terms With Dogs - Calming Signals, 2nd Edition by Turid Rugaas
https://www.dogwise.com/on-talking-terms-with-dogs-calming-signals-2nd-edition/?srsltid=AfmBOoqj8ruQJx5bCP7qWb03TqCyAGfmAvCj988UuWk_L1_UHbYcZsES

The Veterinary Behaviour Centre
https://www.heska.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/TVBC-Canine-Dog-Body-Language-handout.pdf

Make sure those first 3 seconds count – they can make all the difference.

29/10/2024

Cleo is 4 today! She really loves her birthday present!

21/10/2024

Free & Online For A Limited Time

07/10/2024

If you use peanut butter for your dog, check the label.

Please read your labels !!

05/09/2024

This is spot on and what i say to so many clients 🐾🐾

30/08/2024

Desensitisation programme provided by the Dogs Trust. This will help guide you through the whole process step by step.

https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/help-advice/dog-behaviour-health/sound-therapy-for-pets

Zylkene also has a free sound desensitisation/sound therapy programme.

https://zylkenepet.co.uk/help-advice/sound-desensitisation/

Link to free body language book https://contented-canines.newzenler.com/f/dog-body-language

22/08/2024

Book an online family workshop