Training and Obedience
Bringing a new pet home is a wonderful and exciting experience and within a few days a line of communication between you and the animal are set down and the fun really begins.
However training is fundamental to the upbringing of an animal especially when humans are involved and if pet owners need to understand one thing it is that dogs in general are pack animals and as such they need to know where their place in the pack is.
Good training and effective socialisation in the early days from the time of leaving the mother are critical to the correct upbringing of the dog. All too often we see dogs with behaviour problems that started in the early days as a young pup.
Most pet owners want to do the right thing and indeed enrol their pets in training which often ends after a 10 week course in a public park with up to 15 other dogs of different ages and sizes.
Often no follow up training is taken on board and indeed the tips and tricks shown in a large group training session do not necessarily have any impact on the dog.
Enter the puppy pre-school concept – this idea is great however it needs to be run by an experienced and preferably qualified trainer who can not only supervise and discuss relevant socialisation skills but also assess the different temperament of all the participants. It is important to use these sessions to assess the different behaviours which will be displayed and advise the respective puppy owners on what training should then be sought. Not all dogs are the same and as such not all training should be the same.
Puppy pre-schools have their place but if the trainer is not qualified long term behaviour effects will be seen. This leads to the discussion on socialisation and the importance of it especially at such a young age.
Ideally one-on-one training is a great way to condition your dog and allow it to settle into its place within the family pack.
There are a huge number of trainers around the globe that will assist with your aspirations at training your dog and often it takes a little bit of homework to find someone you can work with.
At Perfect Paws we support and promote the training of all dogs provided a qualified trainer is used to ensure the correct effect is achieved with your dog. We have three qualified trainers who can offer varying techniques from personalised one-on-one training to small group sessions.
Kathy Kopellis McLeod is the owner of Kathy’s Private Dog Training and Behaviour Consulting and specialises in all forms of training, in particular behaviour modification and assessment. She offers a mobile service to most of the Perth metropolitan area and is always keen to assess each individual dog and its owner for results driven advice. Kathy can be reached on email at Kathy@perfectpaws.com.au
Ken Storrs is a lecturer in companion animal studies at Challenger TAFE and is committed to improving the placement of well behaved dogs into the family unit using tried and proven methods away from group training systems. Ken has a wealth of knowledge and imparts a lot of this through his lectures at TAFE. Ken can be reached via email at ken@perfectpaws.com.au . Ken also operates his own dog training business Dogskool which operates mainly in the southern suburbs.
Jacquie Humphrey is the owner of Dog Logics based in the Hill's region of Perth Western Australia. Jacquie has 30 years experience, is an accredited trainer with the Canine Evaluators of Australasia and a member of APDT Australia Inc. Dog Logics offers small group classes from puppy to adult which is open to all breeds. One-On-One, Home Visits and Behaviour Modification sessions are also available. Jacquie can be reached via email jacquie@perfectpaws.com.au
Remember this combined network of trainers, their wealth of knowledge and experience is at your disposal. Feel free to email your queries through to the above listed addresses and we will attempt to answer your queries as quickly and as professionally as possible.