Canine Behaviour Coaching and ManTrailing

22/11/2024

22/11/2024

If you know, you know!

05/11/2024

Occasionally someone pops along here with the idea that I have no practical experience with dogs, couldn't handle a working dog and that's why I don't understand why 'tools' are needed for some dog breeds.

I was in a bite suit and operationally searching for live explosives with dogs decades ago. Working breeds are easier to train with positive reinforcement because they are literally born to work. Dogs don't need prong collars - poor trainers do - because they haven't learned or skilled up enough.

And if you can't teach a companion breed to volunteer something, by using a marker, you have a long way to go with your training. I would say you're not a dog trainer, because that's brain work. A prong collar is not brain work.

If you think you need to expose an innocent dog to a prong collar you don't. You need to learn more.

It really is as simple as that.

And here endeth the lesson.

All dogs deserve safety.

It's a welfare right.

Don't poke the bear.

I am the bear 🐻😅

14/08/2024

Sport-ManTrailing with your dog for fun and enrichment.
Working with the dog’s incredible sense of smell to follow a person’s individual scent trail to locate them is nothing new and has been used for many years all over the world by Law Enforcement, Search and Rescue groups and the Military to find people who are lost or trying to evade detection. But did you know it is also a fantastically enriching activity for your dog?
Here at Canine Behaviour Coaching and ManTrailing we work to accomplish understanding and fulfilment for both dogs and handlers in a positive and supportive environment.

As a qualified instructor using the Kocher Method of training, I set the dogs up for success, allowing every dog to enjoy the rewards of expressing their deep-rooted natural instincts.

Some of the benefits of Sport-Trailing;
• It builds a great working partnership between your dog and you
• You and your dog grow in confidence working together.
• The dog learns to harness the power of their incredible nose
• It uses your dog’s natural instincts, creating fulfilment and satisfaction.
• It also provides you and your dog with physical and mental stimulation.
• Sniffing activities are proven to help dogs relax.
• It is open to Dogs of all breeds, ages and abilities. This includes dogs with confidence issues. We work dogs individually which means that we can work with reactive dogs in a safe environment. (Precautions are taken where needed and each case is treated individually)

Sport-ManTrailing is good for us humans too, we get to hang out with like-minded people, we learn together and support each other, often we get to eat cake and drink coffee and we always get to talk about dogs.

If you are interested give me a call or drop me a message on 07813072510

13/01/2024

WHY I 'IGNORE' YOUR PET

When I walk into your home, I always 'ignore' your anxious or fearful pet (cat or dog) and wait patiently for them to make the first move.

I don't crowd them or touch them without consent. I don't face them head-on or stare them in the eye. I just observe them without putting them in a worse emotional position. Even when they venture close to me, I refrain from touching them. And no, I don't extend my hand so that they can smell me as they could smell me when I entered the gate already due to their keen sense of smell. Extending my hand just scares them. No sudden movements. No loud voices. Just calmness. I wait patiently for them to initiate contact and communication with me. Even then, I limit contact to 3 second bursts.

Sniffing me is not an invitation for me to touch! The dog is gathering information about me. I wait for him to nose me or paw me or lick me and then may pat them. Even then, I pause for corroboration (wait for another sign) to ensure that it's OK to pat them. Rather err on the side of caution and go slow.

I 'ignore' your pet out of love and respect. I give them choices. Choice based behaviour modification builds self-esteem and confidence.

Now you know why I 'ignore' your pet...

Edit - when I say ignore, I mean respect 🙂

📷 Megan Karnes