Clan Dog

Clan Dog His training videos sell worldwide. He began learning his trade in 1980 as a Royal Air Force Police Dog Handler.
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Professional dog trainer Allan Ritchie MGoDT (MPDTI), provides dog training and behaviour help across Scotland, with 'home visit' one-to-one training in person and online support throughout the UK. Allan Ritchie MGoDT (MPDTI)
Master Professional Dog Training Instructor, Allan Ritchie has been working with dogs for over 40 years. In the late 90’s he owned and ran a dog training school for ten years

, but he now trains the other end of the lead....... You! ..........because when it comes to your family dog, you are the dog trainer – not him! Take a look at www.clandog.co.uk to see how Allan can teach you the skills you need to live in harmony WITH your dog.

30/08/2026

FREE Live Dog Training Q&A – Tuesday 1st September at 7PM

FREE to join – places are limited.

Got a dog-training or behaviour question?
Join me live on Zoom.

👉 Register here:
https://clandog.myflodesk.com/free-live-dog-qa

FREE Live Dog Training Q&A – Tuesday 1st September at 7PMThis Tuesday, I’m opening our doors to non-members when we work...
27/08/2026

FREE Live Dog Training Q&A – Tuesday 1st September at 7PM

This Tuesday, I’m opening our doors to non-members when we work through your dog training and behaviour problems.

Bring your dog-training questions and join me live on Zoom.

Places are limited and registration is required.

👉 Click the link below to save your FREE place

Best wishes.,
Allan Ritchie MGoDT (MPDTI)
https://clandog.myflodesk.com/free-live-dog-qa

Preparing Your Dog for a New Baby Meet Luna, a beautiful 4-month-old Doberman.David from Edinburgh asked me to visit his...
16/08/2026

Preparing Your Dog for a New Baby

Meet Luna, a beautiful 4-month-old Doberman.

David from Edinburgh asked me to visit his home for a consultation because there were a few behaviours he wanted some help with.

Luna was jumping up, mouthing, scratching and generally being… well, a 4-month-old puppy!

Nothing particularly unusual.

But there was one very important reason why David wanted to address these behaviours now rather than later.

There’s a new baby arriving in just a few weeks.

When a baby is coming into a home, I believe preparation should start before the baby arrives, not afterwards.

A young dog doesn’t suddenly understand that the rules have changed because there’s now a tiny human in the house.

And with a powerful breed such as a Doberman, behaviours that might seem relatively harmless at four months old can become considerably more difficult to manage as the dog grows.

So our session wasn’t simply about stopping Luna jumping or mouthing.

It was about introducing control, communication and clear boundaries throughout the home.

One of the things we worked on was ‘Place Training’.

Teaching Luna that when she’s asked to go to her place, she can settle there calmly and remain there until released.

Imagine how valuable that becomes when you’re carrying a baby, feeding, changing nappies, answering the door or simply needing some quiet space.

We also looked at personal space and boundaries around the home.

Dogs don’t automatically understand that they can’t always be involved in everything we’re doing. Sometimes they need to learn that being asked to stay out of a particular space, or simply to settle a few feet away, is perfectly normal.

And importantly, management is not punishment.

Using baby gates, creating dog-free areas, controlling access and giving Luna her own safe place to relax are all sensible ways of helping everyone adjust to the enormous change that’s about to happen.

The aim isn’t to exclude the dog when the baby arrives.

Quite the opposite.

It’s about teaching the dog how to be included safely and calmly.

Luna is still incredibly young, which makes this the perfect time to start.

Don’t wait until the baby comes home to discover what your dog struggles with.

Prepare the dog for the baby, before you bring the baby home.

Best wishes
Allan Ritchie MGoDT ( MPDTI)

Have a great day! 😂
15/08/2026

Have a great day! 😂

11/08/2026

Don’t chase your puppy — teach them to WANT to come back!

This is 9-week-old Labradoodle Scout. 🐕❤️

Scout had recently discovered that playing outside in the garden was much more exciting than coming back into the house when asked.

It’s an incredibly common problem, and one I’m regularly contacted about.

The natural reaction when a puppy won’t come in is to go outside and try to catch them.

But think about what the puppy learns.

You chase.
They run.
You chase again.
They run again.

Congratulations — you’ve just invented a fantastic new game! 🤦‍♂️

And unfortunately, they’re probably going to be much better at it than you are.

Instead, I want Scout to learn something completely different:

Coming back to me and coming through that door makes good things happen.

So rather than chasing him, I make coming inside rewarding — and importantly, coming inside doesn’t necessarily mean that his fun is over.

Watch his behaviour in this little video.

This was filmed after doing the exercise only around six times over approximately 30 minutes.

No chasing him around the garden.
No grabbing him.
No battle of wills.

Just showing a 9-week-old puppy that making the right choice pays.

Start teaching these little lessons when they’re puppies and you can prevent so many of the problems people eventually contact trainers to fix.

I hope this helps a few folks?

Best wishes,
Allan

08/08/2026

Training Both Ends of the Lead

Good dog training isn’t simply about teaching the dog. We have to educate both ends of the lead.

A dog cannot be expected to understand what we want if the person holding the lead isn’t communicating clearly. Mixed messages, inconsistent handling, tension on the lead and poor timing can all create confusion. And when a dog is confused, it will often make its own decisions.

That’s why much of my work is actually about teaching the handler: how to use the lead properly, how to communicate through body language, when to give guidance and, just as importantly, when to relax and allow the dog to relax too.

A walk shouldn’t be a constant battle between dog and handler.

We also need to teach our dogs how to relax on a walk. If every walk is filled with pulling, tension, excitement and constant scanning of the environment, that heightened emotional state can easily become the dog’s normal way of experiencing the outside world.

And that’s when reactivity can begin to creep in.

Loose-lead walking isn’t just about stopping a dog from pulling. It’s about creating calmness, communication and connection between dog and handler.

When both ends of the lead understand each other, everything starts to change.

Train the dog. Educate the handler. Build the relationship

Best wishes
Allan

07/08/2026

Case Study: Out-of-Control Adolescent Spaniel – Sammy 🐕

This wee video is a classic example of an intense 1-to-1 lesson — not so much for an untrained dog, but for an untrained dog handler!
(Some people might say “dog owner” 😉)

Have I ever mentioned leadership before?😊

Let me explain why I believe it’s such an essential part of our relationship with our dogs.

When there’s no leadership, your dog may — and probably will — fill that gap.

Sarah contacted me because she was really struggling with her young spaniel, Sammy.

There were bruises on her arms and legs from Sammy’s persistent “objections”. There had been tears. But, most importantly, I saw a complete breakdown in trust and very little meaningful communication between them.

I’m sure quite a few people reading this can relate. 🤷‍♂️

Sarah had very little control. When Sammy didn’t want to do something, he would jump at her and bite at her arms and legs.

You can see an example in the video when Sarah simply tries to take him home.

After taking a deep dive into their relationship — their daily routines, how they interacted and what Sammy had learned from those interactions — one thing became very clear.

There was no real leadership being demonstrated, and Sammy had simply filled that gap.

So, I had to change the way Sarah approached almost everything she did with Sammy.

And the results after just two hours together speak for themselves.

But here’s the important bit…

Leadership should never be confused with dominance.

Leadership isn’t about being the “boss”. It isn’t about overpowering your dog.

It’s about becoming a calm, confident and consistent leader in your dog’s life.

Change how your dog views you and you can change so much about how they behave around you.

Sometimes, the biggest change in a dog starts at the other end of the lead — you.

When we understand what leadership really means and consistently live that role, so much of everything else becomes easier.

I’d be interested to hear your thoughts. Was this helpful? Or perhaps you see things differently? 🤷‍♂️

I’m always happy to hear feedback and have a respectful discussion. 😊👍

Best wishes,
Allan 🐕

P.S. Watch right to the end. The difference in Sammy when it’s time to go home says rather a lot.

Enjoy your coffee and have a great day! 🐕😊👍
07/08/2026

Enjoy your coffee and have a great day! 🐕😊👍

06/08/2026

That’s better.
🐕👍😊

06/08/2026

‘Lead pulling’
A private 1-2-1 training session, teaching the techniques and skills to be able to enjoy your walk together.
🐕👍



Best wishes,
Allan

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