Category: Dog Trainer
A dog trainer imparts vital skills to dogs, enhancing their obedience and enjoyment! Using techniques to foster good behaviour and strengthen the human-animal bond.
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The Limitations of “Positive‑Only” Dog Training
Positive reinforcement is a vital part of modern dog training — but positive‑only training (also known as force-free), where all forms of consequence, pressure, or boundary‑setting are removed, leaves dogs and owners without the full picture they need to succeed. At K9 Observer, we champion balanced, ethical, welfare‑led training because it reflects how dogs actually… Read more
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Can Will Atherton train Spaniels?
When Will Atherton lists his “dogs he wouldn’t own”, you’d assume he’d name a rather challenging breed — yet he picked spaniels (working and springer) in his recent YouTube video, and not for the first time. He argues that, as a ‘behaviourist’, his role is essentially resolving canine behaviour problems when they escalate, and that… Read more
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Aggression Or Play: Do owners know the difference?
It is undeniable that incidents involving dogs are increasingly frequent. Teaching dog owners to recognize the subtle distinctions between playfulness and aggression poses a challenge for trainers. This raises the question: if more owners understood these nuances, might there be fewer dog altercations in parks and other communal spaces? If dog owners were well-versed in… Read more
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Who is a gundog trainer?
A trainers journey can involve them discovering a passion for all breeds of gundogs. However, training a German shepherd doesn’t qualify me as a police dog trainer. Working with a Golden Retriever doesn’t make me a guide dog specialist, and training a Malinois doesn’t turn me into a bomb detection dog expert. So, why is… Read more
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I don’t use tools to train my dogs. Or do I?
Having spent half a century in the company of dogs, I have developed an understanding of their behaviour and communication. With this experience, I found that training tools are unnecessary for me. Instead, I focus on techniques that use clear markers and boundaries, I communicate with them in a language they comprehend. This approach not… Read more
