KiwiParent from Parents Center NZ Test Volume | Page 66

Daddy Doggy

DAN

It was only when the charismatic dog whisperer
Doggy Dan had his own children that the penny
dropped. Raising children is remarkably similar to
training dogs – and, to a certain extent, vice versa.
So much of what he's talked about over the years
can apply to both puppies and children.

...as his two cheeky youngsters
began to test boundaries and exert
their independence, Dan found
himself using many of his winning
dog training principles to good effect.

Dan is a dog trainer, behaviourist and a public speaker
who is now keen to help other parents learn more
about how to bring up their children. Together with his
wife, Jenni, Dan lives in Auckland with his two lively
children and, of course, pet dogs. He's a qualified civil
engineer, and has worked both as a teacher and a
policeman in the UK, but believes he has now found
his perfect career. “After years of loving and working
with dogs on a casual basis,” Dan explains, “I decided to
quit my corporate career to work with dogs full-time. I
have always loved all animals, however it is dogs that
I admire the most. Loyal, brave, loving, honest and
always true to themselves... how can you not respect
them?”
When he realised the techniques and tips he had
learned over the years training dogs could be applied to
his own children, it was like being struck by a lightning
bolt, but it made so much sense. They both need a
‘calm, gentle, kind but firm’ leader who they respect
and know they can trust to make good decisions for
them – despite the inevitable resistance.
So, as his two cheeky youngsters began to test
boundaries and exert their independence, Dan found
himself using many of his winning dog training
principles to good effect.
His simple methods, showing firstly how to establish
a pack leader position within the family, then by
employing training, energy and consistency – or the
three pillars of success as he refers to them, to get
terrific results.
Dan's the first one to admit that there's no magic wand
or quick fix when it comes to modifying children's and
dogs' behaviour but he firmly believes that his approach
will reward with happier, more harmonious relationships
and inner peace for all.
Understanding how to gain trust, respect and love
in a gentle way helps establish the foundation of
the relationship between you and your child. This
philosophy underpins Dan's new book, What the Dogs
Taught me About Being a Parent. "My book is about trying
to help people to see that there's always another way
to behave and that we have a choice as to how we
actually react to a situation whet ????????????????????????)?????????????????????(?U????????????????????L??????????????)???????????L????????????????????(? ???????????????????????????????????????????)???????????????????????????????????)???????????????????????????????????????)????????????????????????????????????????????(?????????????????????????????????????)???????????????????????????????????????=??)???????????????????????????????????????????)???????????????????????????????????????????)?????????????????????????????????Q????()????????????????????????????????????????)?????????????(?$??????????????????????????????????????????)??????????????????????????????????????)?????????????????????????????????????????????)????????????????????????????(?]??????????????????????????????????$???????????)??????????????????????????????????????)???????????????????????????????????????????(?5??????????$????????????????????????$?????)??????????????????????????????????????????)??????????????????????????????????????)??????????????????????????????????????????)??????????????%?????????????????????????)????????????????????????????????????????????)???(?A????????????????????????????????????M?)???????????????????????????????????????)???????????????????????????????????????????????)????????????????????????%???????????????????)??????????)%???????????????????????????????????????)?????????????????????????????????????????!?)?????????????????????????????????????????????)?????????????????????????????L???????????)????????????????????????????????)%????????????????????????????????????)?????????????????????????????????????????????)?????????????????????????????????????%????????)????????????????????????????????????????????)????????????????????????????????????????%??????)????????????????????????????????????????????)??????????????????????????????????????)?????????????????????????????????????????)???????????)E?????????????????????????????L???????????L)?????????????????????????????????????????)??????????????????????????????????????????)???????????????????????????????????????????????)??????????????????????????????????????????????)??????????????????????????)????????????????????????????$?????????)????????????????????????????????????()]?????????Q????)??????? ???????A????)?????????????)???????????I?????)!????9??i???????()II@???????()????????????????????????????????L()????????((??((0