Methods

Modern Dog Education

It does not exist only one method to educate dogs (although some dogtrainers still claim it). A lot of ways lead to Rome, and the dogtrainer always has to select the method that fits to each canine-human team. Modern canine education bases on current knowledge about how dogs learn and how they communicate, about canine behaviour, their progenitor the wolf and the way they structure and manage their living together. Apart from the theory, I count on my practical experiences as a dog educator and a canine psychologist.

Individual solutions

Every dog is an individual, every human is an individual, every single breed has diverse needs and "aptitudes", every canine-human team and its way of life is different.

Therefore, I look for individual solutions for each problem or personal educational aim.

Setting Limits

Education consists of several important things, one could call as following:

• Socialization (getting used to the environment),
• "formation" (imparting the rules for the living together),
• training (teaching of "tricks" like SIT, making a roll, agility, retrieving etc., that means putting a certain behaviour under a cue).

In principle, first of all comes the prevention. You can avoid a lot of stress when you do not have to correct your dog's behaviour constantly.

Socialization must happen first, when the dog is still a puppy. But at the same time formation has to begin. The owner sets up the rules for the living together, so the dog learns what is allowed and what is forbidden.

A clear structure for the living together gives safety and avoids permanent corrections. The owner controles the "resources" (e.g. food, territory) and by doing this he puts limits to the dog. The dog experiences his owner as consistant and learns to respect him.

In for the dog critical situations the owner has to act in a calm and sovereign manner showing his dog that he has all under controle. So, the dog will easily orientate to his owner.

Positive reinforcement

The training or the reinforcement of desired behaviour happens with the help of food reward, petting, games, a toy, every kind of attention. Finally with everything the dog likes and the dog is motivated by. That can change from situation to situation and from dog to dog.

And this is the most important difference to the traditional education: Dogs trained with positive reinforcement like to obey because they know that thus they can gain something attractive and pleasant. They have fun learning and they are motivated. The learning situation is stressless. Between dog and owner exists a trustful bond. Educational aids are, amongst others, the Clicker.

Owner cooperation

The owner is involved in the training from the very beginning. Without him it does not work. He is the one who lives together with the dog. He must know how to deal with him.

To get a lot of information about the dog and his everyday life, I send a questionnaire to the owner before I will visit him.

I explain the owner possible reasons for his dog's behaviour and show him practical solutions. The owner has to understand that his dog only will change his behaviour when he himself changes things in the handling and the living together.

The owner learns how to controle the "resources". I demonstrate how to teach the dog the basic commands (or tricks). He will be informed about why dogs should be educated at all, how to set limits to the dog and how to correct undesirable behaviour in the appropriate way, how dogs learn and communicate, how to reinforce desirable behaviour, how to create a bond with the dog, how to keep dogs busy in reasonable ways.

Owners have to rethink and above all cooperate: I do not educate their dogs for them, but I give them the necessary know-how, so that they can educate their dogs in the way which is appropriate to the species. Each client receives the most important information also in written form.

Supporting therapies

I deal with some behaviour problems using (as a support) Bach flowers, homeopathy, naturopathic methods and/or a special massage technique (Tellington Touch). If necessary I recommend to change the diet.

Home Visits - Individual Classes - Group Classes

Often behaviour problems are self-made, that is, they have their origin at home, and that is why home visits are necessary. But also in case of a standard education course, I visit you at home, if you want. The training begins in the house/garden (without distraction) and is gradually shifted outside in the usual environment. The distraction is thus increased. The training takes place in the city or in the forest, depending on the education objectives (e.g. crossing with other dogs on the leash, anti-chasing-training).

Optimum is an individual training combined with group classes, where one can consolidate the basis. Only with distraction you can see, how good the dog really obeys. Besides, groups are a good possibility for controlled meetings among dogs.