J Murray Dog Training

J Murray Dog Training Qualified and accredited dog trainer and behaviourist covering SW London and Surrey

While I try as much as possible not to publicly poo-poo other trainers or their methods, I get down when folks tell me h...
05/09/2024

While I try as much as possible not to publicly poo-poo other trainers or their methods, I get down when folks tell me how much they love such-and-such a high-profile tv/social media trainer... without fully understanding that not only is their content massively edited (usually to show how quickly they've 'miraculously resolved' the issue, whilst omitting any failings to speak of), but they are focused on celebrity, entertainment and the inflation of ego over actual up-to-date science and knowledge of canine psychology and, most importantly, welfare.
In order to fully (and permanently) change a behaviour you have to understand why it is occurring in the first place... and that takes understanding, constant development of learning (utilising the most up-to-date studies available), and above all empathy... i.e. investment in the dog as an individual, (and indeed their owner too) rather than a strive for ratings and what "looks good".

So... always take dog training entertainment shows as just that - entertainment - look at and question the credentials of the person from whom you are taking advice and question their methods, because if they cannot explain the actual science behind why what they are doing works... chances are they don't know, and it won't.

⚠️ π‘Ύπ’‰π’š 𝑰 π’˜π’π’'𝒕 𝒃𝒆 π’‚π’‘π’‘π’†π’‚π’“π’Šπ’π’ˆ 𝒐𝒏 π‘«π’π’ˆπ’” π‘©π’†π’‰π’‚π’—π’Šπ’π’ˆ (π‘½π’†π’“π’š) π‘©π’‚π’…π’π’š

Yesterday, I received the following email from a researcher for the TV programme *Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly*:

"𝑀𝑦 π‘›π‘Žπ‘šπ‘’ 𝑖𝑠 (redacted) 𝐼 π‘€π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘˜ π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ 𝑇𝑉 π‘ β„Žπ‘œπ‘€ β€˜π·π‘œπ‘”π‘  π΅π‘’β„Žπ‘Žπ‘£π‘–π‘›π‘” (π‘‰π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘¦) π΅π‘Žπ‘‘π‘™π‘¦β€™.

𝐼 π‘€π‘Žπ‘  β„Žπ‘œπ‘π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘‘π‘œ π‘’π‘›π‘žπ‘’π‘–π‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘Žπ‘  π‘‘π‘œ π‘€β„Žπ‘’π‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘Ÿ π‘ π‘œπ‘šπ‘’π‘œπ‘›π‘’ π‘“π‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘š π‘¦π‘œπ‘’ π‘‘π‘’π‘Žπ‘š π‘€π‘œπ‘’π‘™π‘‘ 𝑏𝑒 π‘–π‘›π‘‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘ π‘‘π‘’π‘‘ 𝑖𝑛 𝑏𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑔 π‘Ž π‘π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘‘ π‘œπ‘“ π‘œπ‘›π‘’ π‘œπ‘“ π‘œπ‘’π‘Ÿ π‘’π‘π‘–π‘ π‘œπ‘‘π‘’π‘  π‘€β„Žπ‘–π‘β„Ž 𝑀𝑒 π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘“π‘–π‘™π‘šπ‘–π‘›π‘” 𝑛𝑒π‘₯𝑑 π‘€π‘’π‘’π‘˜ 𝑖𝑛 πΏπ‘Žπ‘›π‘π‘Žπ‘ β„Žπ‘–π‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘›π‘’π‘Žπ‘Ÿ πΏπ‘¦π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘š.

π‘Šπ‘’ π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘ π‘β„Žπ‘’π‘‘π‘’π‘™π‘’π‘‘ π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿ π‘ π‘œπ‘šπ‘’ π‘“π‘–π‘™π‘šπ‘–π‘›π‘” π‘œπ‘› π‘‡π‘’π‘’π‘ π‘‘π‘Žπ‘¦ 10π‘‘β„Ž π‘†π‘’π‘π‘‘π‘’π‘šπ‘π‘’π‘Ÿ π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘™π‘œπ‘œπ‘˜π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿ π‘Ž π‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘šπ‘–π‘›π‘” π‘‘π‘œπ‘” π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘–π‘›π‘’π‘Ÿ 𝑒π‘₯π‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘‘ π‘‘π‘œ π‘π‘œπ‘šπ‘’ π‘œπ‘›π‘π‘œπ‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘‘ π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘“π‘–π‘™π‘š π‘€π‘–π‘‘β„Ž 𝑒𝑠 π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿ π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘’π‘›π‘‘ π‘Žπ‘› β„Žπ‘œπ‘’π‘Ÿ 𝑖𝑛 π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘Žπ‘“π‘‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘›π‘œπ‘œπ‘›. π‘Šπ‘’ π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘™π‘œπ‘œπ‘˜π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿ π‘Ž π‘π‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘“π‘’π‘ π‘ π‘–π‘œπ‘›π‘Žπ‘™ π‘‘π‘œ π‘ β„Žπ‘œπ‘€π‘π‘Žπ‘ π‘’ π‘ π‘œπ‘šπ‘’ π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘–π‘›π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘‘π‘œ β„Žπ‘’π‘™π‘ π‘œπ‘›π‘’ π‘œπ‘“ π‘œπ‘’π‘Ÿ π‘‘π‘œπ‘”π‘  π‘‘π‘œ π‘›π‘œπ‘‘ π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘ π‘π‘œπ‘›π‘‘ π‘‘π‘œ π‘Ž π‘‘π‘’π‘™π‘’π‘β„Žπ‘œπ‘›π‘’ π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘›π‘”π‘‘π‘œπ‘›π‘’.

π‘Šπ‘’ π‘€π‘œπ‘’π‘™π‘‘ π‘–π‘‘π‘’π‘Žπ‘™π‘™π‘¦ 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑 π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿ π‘¦π‘œπ‘’ π‘‘π‘œ π‘π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘›π‘” π‘¦π‘œπ‘’π‘Ÿ π‘œπ‘€π‘› π‘‘π‘œπ‘” π‘‘π‘œ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘“π‘–π‘™π‘šπ‘–π‘›π‘” π‘‘π‘œ π‘ β„Žπ‘œπ‘€ π‘ π‘œπ‘šπ‘’ π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘ π‘π‘œπ‘›π‘ π‘–π‘£π‘’ π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘–π‘›π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘‘π‘œ π‘›π‘œπ‘›-π‘£π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘π‘Žπ‘™ π‘π‘œπ‘šπ‘šπ‘Žπ‘›π‘‘π‘ , π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘šπ‘œπ‘ π‘‘π‘™π‘¦ β„Žπ‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘”π‘’π‘ π‘‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘ .

π‘ƒπ‘™π‘’π‘Žπ‘ π‘’ 𝑙𝑒𝑑 π‘šπ‘’ π‘˜π‘›π‘œπ‘€ 𝑖𝑓 π‘‘β„Žπ‘–π‘  𝑖𝑠 π‘ π‘œπ‘šπ‘’π‘‘β„Žπ‘–π‘›π‘” π‘¦π‘œπ‘’ π‘‘β„Žπ‘–π‘›π‘˜ π‘Žπ‘›π‘¦π‘œπ‘›π‘’ π‘€π‘œπ‘’π‘™π‘‘ 𝑏𝑒 π‘–π‘›π‘‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘ π‘‘π‘’π‘‘ 𝑖𝑛. 𝑂𝑓 π‘π‘œπ‘’π‘Ÿπ‘ π‘’, π‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘¦β€™π‘‘ 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑 π‘‘π‘œ 𝑏𝑒 β„Žπ‘Žπ‘π‘π‘¦ π‘‘π‘œ 𝑏𝑒 π‘œπ‘› π‘π‘Žπ‘šπ‘’π‘Ÿπ‘Ž, 𝑏𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑑 π‘€π‘œπ‘’π‘™π‘‘ 𝑏𝑒 π‘Ž π‘”π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘Žπ‘‘ π‘œπ‘π‘π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘‘π‘’π‘›π‘–π‘‘π‘¦ π‘‘π‘œ π‘ β„Žπ‘œπ‘€ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘–π‘Ÿ π‘ π‘˜π‘–π‘™π‘™π‘ !"

My first thought was to delete the email. I'm not a fan of Graeme Hall. I've watched a few episodes of his show, and in my opinion, he seems to make things up as he goes along, relying on outdated training methods.

However, I was puzzled. Was the β€œcravat” unwell, and they needed a stand-in? I'm a nobody – why on earth would they want to film me training a dog when there are so many high-profile trainers out there? Curiosity got the better of me, so I decided to give the researcher a call.

I'm still in shock as I write this. The researcher explained that they wanted to invite me to Lytham with my Border Collie to "demonstrate" to Graeme Hall how I would train my dog not to respond to a phone ringtone.

Graeme would then take my training method and use it to teach the Border Collie of the family seeking help – all while filming it for his TV show!

WTF 😳😳😳

I decided to dig a bit deeper and reached out to the force-free dog training community to see if anyone else had experienced something this bizarre.

It turns out that many trainers had also been asked to attend filming sessions to show Graeme how to train dogs before the cameras rolled. Most reported that they refused because of his methods, but a few had shown him and his team how to train a dog, only to be dismissed without any credit for their expertise.

I then did some open-source research on "The Country’s Best Dog Trainer," as the *Daily Telegraph* calls him. He has no formal training in canine behaviour or training. He’s essentially winging it with the help of whatever trainers are willing to show up and assist him.

According to his website, he charges Β£875 per session πŸ€”πŸ˜§

Now I’m not someone who normally criticises other trainers. I prefer to let my clients decide if I’m the right trainer for them based on how I work with their dogs.

However, I couldn’t let this pass without making it public knowledge.

If you're looking for a dog trainer, please avoid this programme and this man. You have no idea whose techniques he’ll be using week to week, and given that most qualified and accredited trainers want nothing to do with him, the quality of training you’ll receive is questionable at best.

Instead, do your own research and find a local trainer who aligns with your own dog training ethics. Organisations such as The IMDT or APDT - Association of Pet Dog Trainers can help guide you to qualified & accredited trainers in your area.

𝑷𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒑𝒖𝒕 π’šπ’π’–π’“ π’…π’π’ˆπ’” π’Šπ’ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒔!

Great news for pet owners! ❀
24/08/2024

Great news for pet owners! ❀

The Pet Abduction Act 2024, takes effect on August 24 in England and Northern Ireland, and makes the theft of cats and dogs a specific offence. | ITV National News

Well that was a crazy year-and-a-bit, but... boom... I am now a qualified level 5 canine behaviourist accredited by the ...
13/08/2024

Well that was a crazy year-and-a-bit, but... boom... I am now a qualified level 5 canine behaviourist accredited by the IMDTB πŸ₯³πŸ₯³πŸ₯³πŸ₯³πŸ₯³πŸ₯³ 86% average between 5 units of study... between 2 part time jobs and a preschooler thank you very much πŸ€¦β€β™€οΈπŸ€―....
(I don't often toot my own horn, but... I'm tooting this time, baby...) 😁

Just goes to show you can't improve yourself unless you challenge yourself 😁

Massive thanks to Dave and Lin Brice and all of the IMDTB team for their support and feedback throughout ❀

It's been a busy old start to 2024! Between long-standing and new behaviour/training clients, my role with the wonderful...
29/03/2024

It's been a busy old start to 2024!
Between long-standing and new behaviour/training clients, my role with the wonderful assistance dog-training charity Dog A.I.D, Level 5 behaviour studies with the IMDTB, (4 units down, 1 to go, woot... πŸ™‚), writing for a local magazine, some challenging personal family circumstances in the loss of my dear Father-In-Law, not to mention the 24/7 job of mumming to the small human kid, mumming to the two big long-eared doggy kids, and what is effectively pseudo-mumming to the full-grown husband (who's nothing but a big kid πŸ˜†)... the old social media has taken a proper backseat of late, which is no doubt really poor form in a world where a heck of a lot of dog trainers seem to be measured by their quota of 'followers' and whether or not they 'Tik Tok', whatever that is...πŸ˜†πŸ˜†πŸ˜†

(It's ok, I joke, I know what Tik Tok is... I just don't use it as I can't dance...πŸ˜†)

However, all I'll say is... where some pages have a manager, I have a me. Where some trainers have a social media team, I have a me. I'm my own worse critic, (I always want to be my very best and frequently question if I'm doing 'enough'), however, this is what motivates me to be better, to learn more and grow, and I'm learning to be my own best champion too.

In fact, therein lies the beauty of being a sole behaviourist and trainer as opposed to a big training organisation – I may not have the time to constantly update social feed as I'd otherwise like... but that's because I'm out training, studying, learning, mumming... and always doing better and better - for my clients, (doggy and owner), my charity (or rather the charity for whom I'm very proud to work), my dogs, my family... and myself.

Here's some highlights from the past few months... here's to many more this year πŸ™‚

Wishing each and every one of you (whether four-pawed or two-legged!) a fabulous Christmas and an amazing New Year 2024 ...
25/12/2023

Wishing each and every one of you (whether four-pawed or two-legged!) a fabulous Christmas and an amazing New Year 2024 ❀

(Oscar and Rosie send the commiserations of those required to wear the festive headgear of the season.... but take solace in the massive amount of treats they each received today for doing so... πŸ˜†β€)

Happy Howl-ow'een all β€πŸŽƒπŸΎ x
31/10/2023

Happy Howl-ow'een all β€πŸŽƒπŸΎ x

16/09/2023

If you are an XL Bully owner (and I have several lovely clients who are), and are worried by the recent announcement that they will be added to the banned breed list, do get in touch - I'd happily provide anyone (whether previous client or not) with advice (free of charge) inc. how to muzzle train your dog (if you haven't already done so), or provide links to some great online training resources that can help x
Don't worry, it will be ok! 🐾

26/08/2023

Happy international dog day! ❀🐾❀

It may have been a long slog... (and yet another excuse why my social media has been somewhat lacking this past year)......
11/07/2023

It may have been a long slog... (and yet another excuse why my social media has been somewhat lacking this past year)... but in March I passed the IMDTB's (Institute of Modern Dog Trainers' Behaviour side) Level 4 Behaviour course, and today this big fat official OCN certificate dropping through the letterbox made it all worthwhile ❀

There are trainers and behaviourists out there (some quite high profile, with massive media followings) who say you don't need qualifications to train and understand dogs, that their years of experience is everything and that some of us just throw money at organisations, like you would a netflix subscription, just to "gain letters". Well, after a year of intense study on level 4 (and unit 1 of level 5 already under my belt), I can say that we definitely aren't just paying for letters - on TOP of our experience, we are putting in the effort to learn WHY dogs do the things they do (at a physiological and neurological level) so that we may better change their emotional responses and the behaviours that result from them, not only thereby becoming better trainers/behaviorists, but most importantly better helping owners struggling with their dog's behavioural issues.

While no one can (or should) ever deny that experience is INVALUABLE, furthering your knowledge on a subject and gaining extra qualifications as well proves to the world that you know what you're talking about, and that you CAN help their dog the force-free way because you know how - and importantly WHY - it works.

22/06/2023

πŸ’§Take water with you!πŸ’§

We were later getting out today than I'd like (the joys of having a potty-training 3 year-old)... so at 9:45am we're just leaving the park and heading home.
It's already 22Β°c (in shade, according to my phone). I already feel guilty because my dogs are flagging but thankfully home is 2 minutes away....I'm still seeing people just turning up to the park to walk their dogs... πŸ€¦β€β™€οΈ

Ok, NO, they're not going to spontaneously combust. Dogs CAN cope with more than we give them credit for (and more than the many fear-inducing media posts would have you believe... dogs cope pretty well in countries FAR hotter than ours after all) BUT...

What gets me most is... I rarely see these owners carrying water? It boggles my tiny mind. YOU need it. Your dog needs it too! I've lost count of how many times other dogs have joined my dogs when I give them a drink in the park. They clearly need it!

Yes it's more to carry. Yes it's a pain in the arse. But I take 2 x 1 litre bottles with me in this weather (1 per Basset) as well as water for me, my kid, (not to mention all her kid paraphernalia too...)
So... Get yourself a mini rucksack! A man bag! Whatever you need to be prepared. Your dog will thank you.
And if it helps keep your dog healthy, your wallet will too!

Caveat - yes, of course it's better to walk as early or as late as you can to avoid the heat of the day as much as poss. And remember - black or thicker coated dogs will feel the heat more. Old or very young dogs will feel the heat more. Small/lower to the ground dogs will feel the heat more. But PLEASE use common sense and carry water in warm weather. For BOTH of you x❀x

Great graphic from DTC showing the signs of heat stroke in dogs to watch out for. Chances are you'll never need it, but ...
19/06/2023

Great graphic from DTC showing the signs of heat stroke in dogs to watch out for.
Chances are you'll never need it, but each year dogs are still brought into vets in the UK exhibiting signs of heat stroke (and that's even with our pathetic attempt at high temperatures compared to other countries) so... it never hurts to know the signs β˜€οΈπŸŒ‘
And of course... never leave your dog in the car in hot weather ❀

Are you aware of the signs of heatstroke? Would you know what to do if a dog was showing signs? 🌞

I think that at 5:50am we actually were the first in the park today... πŸ€¦β€β™€οΈπŸ˜† (Oscar and Rosie had a blast thanks to the ...
14/06/2023

I think that at 5:50am we actually were the first in the park today... πŸ€¦β€β™€οΈπŸ˜† (Oscar and Rosie had a blast thanks to the fact most of the fox pong was still hanging around... πŸ€¦β€β™€οΈπŸ˜†)

Yes, getting out so early (before demanding sprog wakes up πŸ˜†) kills me, but... in this weather, early morning and later evening walks really are the safest.

Yeah yeah, same old shpeil, different year I hear you cry... "Aaargh!!!! Its hotter that 12Β°, the supercilious dog people are gonna lecture everybody" but... still without fail I see the same people walking their dogs on the same routes at the same (lunch) time of day... and frequently without carrying any water πŸ€¦β€β™€οΈπŸ™

I'll not patronise anyone with the old... "touch the pavement... if you can't walk on the pavement your dog can't either!!!"... because that's not TOTALLY true - dogs' pads can cope with much more than our pathetic human feet... BUT... it's a good, SIMPLE way of deciding whether conditions may generally be too much for them, especially if your dog is very young, very old, overweight, brachycephalic, in our case, "furnished" (with skin rolls), or low to the ground (as the pavements soak up the heat during the day and radiate it back, meaning that smaller dogs cannot escape it).

So..... Just use common sense, you know your dog better than anyone... But DO pick cooler times of the day, take it slow, stick to the shade and CARRY WATER - for both of you!

Missing a walk never hurt anyone, but each year vet friends of mine still see cases where walking in unsuitable conditions HAS 😒❀🐾

Big congratulations to graduates of FIRST CLASS for their hard work over the past few weeks! Such lovely pups and truly ...
22/05/2023

Big congratulations to graduates of FIRST CLASS for their hard work over the past few weeks! Such lovely pups and truly brilliant owners... they all did amazingly and made me so glad to do what I do ###

Great day today at representing the low and slow brigade 😁Met some hound friends (including 2 other Bassets and the mo...
20/05/2023

Great day today at representing the low and slow brigade 😁

Met some hound friends (including 2 other Bassets and the most AWESOME Jasper, Belle and Annie the Bloodhounds)... gave Oz and Rosie a turn in the "fastest dog" run and managed to clock the mind-bending speeds of 11 and 9mph respectively πŸ˜† (who says you can't train a Basset to recall thank you very much? 😁)
.. and yes....
..Oscar even had a go at agility! (video proof attached!) πŸ˜†
(Although please excuse the very supportive commentary from husband and daughter telling me to "move my bum"... jeez, everyone's a critic... πŸ€¦β€β™€οΈπŸ˜†)

Oscar and Rosie getting into the spirit of things this morning.Even though technically... historically... they're French...
06/05/2023

Oscar and Rosie getting into the spirit of things this morning.
Even though technically... historically... they're French.....Let's not tell them. πŸ˜†πŸ˜†πŸ˜†

NEW PUP? NO PROBLEM!SOCIALISE, LEARN and PLAY in one of the local area's BEST VALUE puppy classes – Β£95 for a 6-week ful...
01/05/2023

NEW PUP? NO PROBLEM!
SOCIALISE, LEARN and PLAY in one of the local area's BEST VALUE puppy classes – Β£95 for a 6-week full term of classes in Worcester Park, led by an IMDT-qualified and accredited pro trainer.

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NOW BOOKING JUNE-JULY TERM!
We're nearing the end of our spring term, so bookings are open for the Summer term starting 5th June and are filling up quick!

FIRST CLASS is for puppies up to 6 months old
- Terms consist of 6 x weekly sessions of approx 1 hour each.
- The first intro session is held online via Zoom, all others are held indoors or outdoors (weather-depending) at the Church of St Mary the Virgin, The Avenue, Worcester Park.
- During the term, we cover basic training, troubleshoot common day-to-day puppy problems and learn through games with your pup.
- Each session is followed by full exercise notes for you to keep, downloadable via email direct to you, and support via WhatsApp group with your trainer and fellow students.
- Classes are among the best value in the area at just Β£95 per dog, and are kept very small to ensure you get the best hands-on training time for your money (important to us all just now...) so get in touch soon to book your pup's place!

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Visit jmurraydogtraining.co.uk to book online, or email [email protected] or call 07754 835 085 for more information.

Happy dogs, happier owners, easier lives! 🐾😊

Yesterday was a good day for positive-reinforcement-led, force free training ❀ Much like prong/pinch collars, electric s...
30/04/2023

Yesterday was a good day for positive-reinforcement-led, force free training ❀

Much like prong/pinch collars, electric shock collars are an 'aversive' training tool - I.e. they rely on pain/discomfort to stop a behaviour in the short term... but it is just that - short term. If the behaviour comes back when the tool is removed then it's useless... and if it causes discomfort to your dog, its unethical.

You don't need to bully your dog into behaving - not only is it ineffective in the long term, it can lead to further behavioural problems such as reactivity and fear aggression.

So good riddance to shock collars and here's to one step further in force free training ❀

Controversial shock collars for dogs will be banned from early next year, sparing half a million dogs from the painful devices which inflict pain for up to 11 seconds

06/04/2023

Unfortunately, due to a toddler with a temperature, we haven't managed to get out for a walk for the past couple of days. It happens... but it's not ideal – ok, these guys are Bassets and not Border Collies so aren't exactly high energy by some dogs' standards, but they do still need those walks each day, otherwise we tend to see unwanted behaviour (e.g. stealing of kid toys, chewing, stealing of food).

The answer? 'Enrichment' at home. If you can't get out for whatever reason, there are great ways to keep your dog busy (I.e. out of trouble!) and mentally fulfilled at home:

~ Puzzle toys like these Kong Wobblers or other interactive feeding toys keep your dog busy and make them use their brains to problem-solve to gain access to food. This act of using mind AND body to overcome a challenge can provide feelings of satisfaction and confidence which are massively beneficial to emotional well-being (Bender, A., Strong, E. 2019)... and can be just as tiring as physical activity!

~ Lickimats or standard Kongs can be smeared or stuffed with doggy peanut butter, squeezy cheese or even your dog's wet dinner meat – licking action releases endorphins – neurotransmitters that make dogs (and us) feel calmer and more relaxed, and if you freeze the mats or Kongs beforehand, you can prolong the effects. You can also get creative in how you use them – try hiding them around the house or garden and getting your dog to go find them!

~ Scatter feeding – the simplest, laziest way to enrich your dog's little life... simply lobbing some biscuits around your garden for your dog to go find. In seeking out hidden food, your dog is replicating instinctual foraging behaviours and gaining beneficial mental stimulation – their olfactory system (i.e. your dog's ho**er, and the massive part of their brain which processes all the smells it takes in) is employed in scenting food out, while they are obviously engaging in physical activity in the search... double whammy.
Happy dog, happy owner... with not that much additional effort.

And hey, anything's better than daytime telly...

Tiny Stanley taking the first session of our new term of classes in his tiny stride 😊❀ Well done Stan, and all the pups,...
04/04/2023

Tiny Stanley taking the first session of our new term of classes in his tiny stride 😊❀ Well done Stan, and all the pups, looking forward to the rest of our classes together 😊❀🐾

Sad day for dog lovers as we lose one of our foremost. Love and condolences to the family, friends and animals of the wo...
29/03/2023

Sad day for dog lovers as we lose one of our foremost. Love and condolences to the family, friends and animals of the wonderful Paul O'Grady - a great comedian, an all round decent chap and a bastion for dog (especially rescue) welfare and care 😒❀

Whether yours is a fur baby or a regular person baby 😊... or both, happy mother's day, mums! ❀️ x
19/03/2023

Whether yours is a fur baby or a regular person baby 😊... or both, happy mother's day, mums! ❀️ x

So we're on us holibobs, visiting the welsh 'fam' πŸ˜†πŸ˜†πŸ˜†... And this is why I love the "Mat/Place/Bed" command... it's quit...
17/03/2023

So we're on us holibobs, visiting the welsh 'fam' πŸ˜†πŸ˜†πŸ˜†... And this is why I love the "Mat/Place/Bed" command... it's quite simply the lazy person's (i.e. me...) way of keeping your dog in one place when you go places... including the pub... 😁

With a "go to mat/place" command, you are teaching your dog that just being on a mat or bed earns them the good stuff... Rewards come from the mat, so why on earth would they want to be anywhere else?

Tips:
- All treats are placed on (i.e. come from) the mat... the mat is the place to be so there's no point in your dog being anywhere else
- Train using a mat that has a noticeable texture to start with so that your dog can recognise when their paws hit it and associate that feeling with the treats that follow...
- Using a mat that is brightly coloured can really help the process... Blue and yellow register strongly on the dog's visual colour spectrum (maybe that's why dogs go so crazy over yellow tennis balls) so give a great 'target' – you'll notice I use blue mats. If you keep the colour the same and get clever with your placement, you can place your dog where you would like them to be... all without force or restraint.
- Consider your cue, too.... if their mat is different to their bed, make the cue different! I say "blue" for their kitchen mat as their "bed" is in the living room... (and we have a friend called "Mat", so that could get really confusing when he comes to stay πŸ€¦β€β™€οΈπŸ˜†)

There really is no limit to what you can achieve with positive reinforcement training if you get a bit clever about it 😊

Get in touch if you want more info on how to teach this, or many other handy day-to-day doggy doings.

28/02/2023

Sniffing... it's the new black 😁

Us dog owners often get caught in the trap of thinking walks are about the mileage you clock up, the daily pavement pound or number of times you throw the ball... and all too often we hear that "a tired dog is a calm, placid, 'well behaved' dog".

Hold the phone... this isn't actually the case.

Sniffing can be as enriching for your dog as a long run in the countryside. True, physical exercise releases endorphins which (just like in us human folk), make us feel better and is absolutely essential for good wellbeing .. but allowing your dog to take their time, sniff and 'be a dog' can be just as beneficial to mental (and, as brain and body are intrinsically interconnected after all), physical health.

Of course, my two massive-nosed, long-eared idiots were born to sniff and have two speeds - 'Dead Slow' and 'Stop'.... but this is where they get their fido fix.
If you are an owner who feels tied to the daily drag, or bound by your ball thrower... try just taking a breath sometime. Walks are in fact less physically taxing for athletic dogs than we care to admit... but mental exercise can be as tiring as physical, and processing scent information is one of the most tiring forms of mental exercise for dogs (Bender, A & Strong, E, 2019). So encourage your dog to sniff on walks - scatter feed some treats along the way... or just follow them and see what they do! πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ

Ultimately, when it comes to canine mental health (and subsequent behaviour issues), It's not about walk quantity, it's about walk quality. So, make it quality. Yes we all need to get somewhere by a certain time. But when you have the time, TAKE the time!

Let them sniff, and enjoy your time together ❀😊🐾

NEW PUPPY CLASSES TO KT4!J Murray Dog Training puppy classes are back to Worcester Park and places for the spring term a...
22/02/2023

NEW PUPPY CLASSES TO KT4!

J Murray Dog Training puppy classes are back to Worcester Park and places for the spring term are filling up fast!

Our next sessions:
FIRST CLASS, for puppies up to 6 months old – Β£95 per dog
(starting 27th March)
- 6-week term of 1-hour sessions
- Held indoors at Cuddington Hall, St Mary the Virgin, The Avenue, Worcester Park
- 6:30pm on Monday evenings (excl. bank hols)
- Led by myself, a canine behaviourist and IMDT (Institute of Modern Dog Trainers)-qualified and accredited dog trainer
- Classes are kept small to ensure you get the best hands-on training time for your money so book your place now to avoid missing out!

Visit jmurraydogtraining.co.uk to book online, or email [email protected] or call 07754 835 085 for more information.

For happy dogs... and even happier owners 🐾😊

Socialise your new puppy, gain some invaluable puppy training tips and make new friends at Puppy Classes.

04/02/2023

Soon as he's out the door, Milo pulls like a freight train and ignores his owners in his Spaniel desperation to get everywhere and sniff everything first.... usually...
This was him and his owner Jordan absolutely smashing loose lead walking after just 30mins... no aversives, no special 'training aids'... just a bloke, his dog, some nice motivating rewards and way better communication. Nice one chaps! 😊❀️🐾

Playing with your dog when you're still working on a good "Drop" command be like....πŸ€¦β€β™€οΈπŸ˜†
28/01/2023

Playing with your dog when you're still working on a good "Drop" command be like....
πŸ€¦β€β™€οΈπŸ˜†

So this was posted not too long ago by a popular and quite well-known trainer/training organisation. (I won't name names...
12/01/2023

So this was posted not too long ago by a popular and quite well-known trainer/training organisation. (I won't name names as that's unprofessional and also against the IMDT Code of Ethics under which I practice, but suffice it to say this South of England-based trainer has a strong social media presence and prides themselves on what they call a "no bulls**t" approach to dog training...
Whatever that may be defined as.

This person's argument is that their years of experience outweigh qualifications, notably those of the IMDT, so you must choose them because thanks to all that experience, they know best. And as a sideline, they imply that the positive-reinforcement-only trainers these courses make do not get results.

Obviously, as an IMDT member I'm going to refute that... but here's the rub:

Those like myself who have gained qualifications through organisations like the IMDT haven't just bought them - yes we have indeed paid for them, but we have had to make time to study the theory (from the history of canine psychology to dog law), gain practical experience and then eventually be assessed to a high standard according to industry professionals holding collective centuries of experience between them. We have worked hard to be able to say with pride we have these qualifications... and no, we don't just pay a "Netflix-subscription-style" fee each year to have them renewed... yes, absolutely we have to pay annually, (that is how the organisation is able to keep going) but we also have to prove when doing so not only that we continue to operate to these exacting standards, but that we are actively taking steps to improve our "professional development" through further studies, courses and accreditation.... and all within a strict code of ethics that puts positive reinforcement and force-free dog training at its heart.

So.
Absolutely, experience is INVALUABLE. No one can or SHOULD dispute that. And yes, sadly this industry IS unregulated - there are indeed those out there who have paid a one-off fee and merely watched an online video "course" then answered multiple choice questions and still call themselves a "trainer". Ideally, a good trainer will have bags of BOTH qualification AND experience... but regardless of what they say, YOU MUST LOOK AT THEIR METHODS WHEN DECIDING IF A TRAINER IS "GOOD" OR NOT, when choosing the one YOU want to listen to.

For example...
- A good trainer will NEVER put a dog in a position where they feel uncomfortable or under stress. Not only is it unnecessary, it is counterintuitive as dogs learn through association... and quite simply, you just don't know what associations they are making with that stress - it may not be the ones you intend. For example, if you say "NO!!!" or "ENOUGH!" and tug at their lead when they react to another dog, they MIGHT stop their reaction... they MIGHT. Or, equally, they might actually think "hang on.. I got shouted at and got a sore neck the last time I saw a dog... dogs must be the enemy! I'll bark louder next time to make it go away!!!"

- Good trainers use positive reinforcement as, while it may take longer and be more complicated... it simply cannot creative negative associations. I.e. there is no risk of negative association.
THIS IS NOT "BULLS**T" DOG TRAINING... it's not being 'soft' on your dog or "mollycoddling" them... this is logic. This is method based on centuries of theory - Pavlov, Thorndike, Skinner... all of which a good trainer will have learned THROUGH STUDY and gaining QUALIFICATIONS.
(And I have never had a German Shepherd want to rip my face off... because I have never put a dog in a situation they find stressful that would give them cause to. I have instead worked out WHY they have that response and worked out how I can change that.)

- Always question a dog trainer's methods. (Yes, including mine!) If they cannot explain why their proposed methods will work, they talk about domination, pack leadership or being "Alpha", they claim to get fast results, or if they claim to be fantastic at their role just because they've had so many dogs or done it X number of years... I'm afraid it does not automatically mean they are a good trainer.

Just because you have done something for years does not necessarily make it right. For thousands of years the best minds in the world were convinced it was flat, after all.

Happy New Year 2023 one and all! 😊❀️🐾Ok, so 2022 was a tad challenging at best... Personally, there was almost full-tim...
01/01/2023

Happy New Year 2023 one and all! 😊❀️🐾
Ok, so 2022 was a tad challenging at best... Personally, there was almost full-time mumming for a 2-year-old whilst running a small business, attending courses, hosting classes, finding time for private study for further (IMDTB) accreditation... We've all of us experienced health issues, losses... and all topped off with a delicious cost of living crisis we're all still struggling with. πŸ€¦β€β™€οΈ From a JMDT point of view, efforts, (i.e. social media presence, business promos, events etc.) haven't been what I had envisaged in 2022, granted... But I'm looking forward to what 2023 has to bring. And of COURSE, I have to say a big THANK YOU to clients (two legged AND four legged!), colleagues, friends and family alike for being a completely amazing, invaluable part of it along the way! 😊 ❀️ 😊
And I (well, we ALL...) wish you and yours the very best for 2023! ❀️❀️❀️

Jen 🐾

Address

Bridgewood Road
Worcester Park
KT48XP

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Monday 9:30am - 6pm
Tuesday 9:30am - 6pm
Wednesday 9:30am - 6pm
Thursday 9:30am - 6pm
Friday 9:30am - 6pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm

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Happy international dog day! ❀🐾❀

Sniffing... it's the new black 😁 Us dog owners often get caught in the trap of thinking walks are about the mileage you clock up, the daily pavement pound or number of times you throw the ball... and all too often we hear that "a tired dog is a calm, placid, 'well behaved' dog". Hold the phone... this isn't actually the case. Sniffing can be as enriching for your dog as a long run in the countryside. True, physical exercise releases endorphins which (just like in us human folk), make us feel better and is absolutely essential for good wellbeing .. but allowing your dog to take their time, sniff and 'be a dog' can be just as beneficial to mental (and, as brain and body are intrinsically interconnected after all), physical health. Of course, my two massive-nosed, long-eared idiots were born to sniff and have two speeds - 'Dead Slow' and 'Stop'.... but this is where they get their fido fix. If you are an owner who feels tied to the daily drag, or bound by your ball thrower... try just taking a breath sometime. Walks are in fact less physically taxing for athletic dogs than we care to admit... but mental exercise can be as tiring as physical, and processing scent information is one of the most tiring forms of mental exercise for dogs (Bender, A & Strong, E, 2019). So encourage your dog to sniff on walks - scatter feed some treats along the way... or just follow them and see what they do! πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ Ultimately, when it comes to canine mental health (and subsequent behaviour issues), It's not about walk quantity, it's about walk quality. So, make it quality. Yes we all need to get somewhere by a certain time. But when you have the time, TAKE the time! Let them sniff, and enjoy your time together ❀😊🐾 #dogtraining #jmurraydogtraining #forcefreedogtraining #positivereinforcementdogtrainer #surreydogtraining #worcesterpark #sniffari

Soon as he's out the door, Milo pulls like a freight train and ignores his owners in his Spaniel desperation to get everywhere and sniff everything first.... usually... This was him and his owner Jordan absolutely smashing loose lead walking after just 30mins... no aversives, no special 'training aids'... just a bloke, his dog, some nice motivating rewards and way better communication. Nice one chaps! 😊❀️🐾 #dogtraining #positivereinforcementdogtrainer #forcefreedogtraining #jmurraydogtraining #surreydogtraining

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