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Based in North Dorset, Helen Taylor Dog Training & Behaviour
offers home visits throughout Dorset, South Somerset and South Wiltshire.
She also runs classes in North Dorset.
Helen helps dog owners to train their dogs and solve behaviour
problems using positive methods of dog training and behaviour modification.
Reward-based dog training and solving dog behaviour problems relies
on the scientifically proven fact that rewarding the right behaviour
and making the wrong behaviour unrewarding is more effective than
using punishment, and is far less likely to cause other, even more
undesirable behaviours to surface (a common problem with more
punitive methods).
Many owners believe that "showing your dog who's boss"
will bring an end to their dog's behaviour or training problems.
Unfortunately, this is simply not the case. Dominance-theory - alongside
choke chains - was at the forefront of dog training several decades
ago when dog behaviour was largely compared to the behaviour of
wolves and punishment for the wrong behaviour was used as a training
method. This has been largely replaced in the last decade by more
scientifically proven reward-based methods.
Most dominance-theory came from a single study of wild wolves in
captivity. The theories that came out of this study have - in the
last decade - been shown to be seriously flawed when applied to
today's domestic dog. Dogs originally domesticated themselves by
learning to hang around human rubbish dumps and, later, humans themselves,
to scavenge. A pack existence offers no advantage to a scavenger
and the wolves that domesticated themselves and ultimately became
dogs were those that had a predisposition towards a scavenging lifestyle,
without the support of the pack, and those that were the least timid
of people. Thousands of years later, some parallels can, of course,
be drawn against the dog's closest living relative. However, great
care must be taken not to take this too far. While we must, indeed,
be "good leaders" to our dogs, and be someone who protects
them, and that they can look up to and respect, this is not achieved
through old-fashioned dominance theory. Most behaviour problems
are NOT caused by owners allowing their dogs to be the pack leader
and, as such, cannot be fixed merely by appying a dominance-reducing
programme. There are some exceptions to this, of course, but in
the relatively few problems where "dominance" DOES play
a part in a dog's behaviour problems, there are far more effective
and less dangerous methods of lowering a dog's status than dramatic,
violent methods often seen on TV including "alpha rolls",
chocking or physical corrections. Most types of aggression problems
in dogs are caused by fear, not by "dominance".
For more information on this subject, see an article from Welfare
in Dog Training:
What's Wrong with Using ‘Dominance’ to Explain the Behaviour
of Dogs?
Latest
information: Important multi-organisation (APBC, APDT, RSPCA, Dogs
Trust, Blue Cross and many others) press release concerning Cesar
Millan's forthcoming UK tour***
dated 15 December 2009
Good dog behaviour can be achieved using reward-based methods,
without the associated risks, and has actually been shown in scientific
studies to be more effective and much safer than punishment-based
methods. Punishment and harsh, forceful methods can cause a whole
host of behavioural problems - often much more serious than the
original problem - even if used accurately, and can and very often
do damage the bond between dog and owner.
Our aim is to help owners to achieve a well-behaved, well-mannered
and obedient dog using kind, effective, safe methods. Reward-based
methods have been shown by scientific studies to be more effective
and less likely to give rise to aggressive behaviour than harsher
methods. Using intimidation or pain to train your dog is often surprisingly
ineffective and highly dangerous. Some dogs will back down if challenged
aggressively, but a great many (as would a great many people) become
fearful and, with it, more aggressive.
A dog that jumps up, pulls on the lead, runs away on walks, doesn't
come back when called or has no manners with people or other dogs
is hard work, can be an embarrassment and is no fun to own! While
having a well-mannered, happy and obedient dog that can accompany
you almost everywhere can be one of life's great pleasures!
Training classes offer good, all-round introduction to reward-based
training and are ideal for clients wanting a class environment,
and for those wishing to learn a variety of different commands and
to improve their dog's general training and obedience. For clients
wanting more focused help on one or two problem areas, a private
one-to-one training session is sometimes more appropriate. For dogs
with behavioural problems, such as aggression towards other dogs
or people, separation anxiety or phobias, a behavioural consultation
may be required.
Helen Taylor Dog Training & Behaviour operates throughout Dorset,
South Somerset, North Hampshire and West Wiltshire. Training classes
are currently held in Shillingstone, which is easily accessible
from the following towns: Blandford Forum, Gillingham, Shaftesbury,
Sherborne, Sturminster Newton, and Wimborne. Other services are
available throughout the region, including the following areas:
Blandford Forum, Castle Cary, Dorchester, Ferndown,
Frome, Gillingham, Martock, Mere, Poole, Ringwood, Salisbury, Shaftesbury,
Shepton Mallet, Sherborne, Sturminster Newton, Warminster, Wilton,
Wimborne,
Don't put up with a disobedient or bad-mannered dog, contact us
today! Good dog behaviour is achievable for all!
A member of both the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors (www.apbc.org.uk)
and the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (881) (www.apdt.co.uk),
Helen Taylor is the only fully-qualified reward-based trainer and
behaviourist in North Dorset.
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