PETS
A
DOG’S
LIFE
With
Jennifer & Rudolph
Jennifer and Rudolph pay visits to three of Teesside’s top dog trainers…
Rudolph and I were privileged to meet and talk to three
individuals in our area with a true passion for canine
welfare and the importance of giving owners the tools
to better communicate with their canine companions.
CANINE COACH - NICKY
caninecoach.org.uk
We enjoyed fascinating conversations highlighting
just how far training techniques have evolved and
how easily relationships with our treasured pets can
be improved without the use of dominance - fun and
kindness prevails!
THE MUTT NUT – SIMON
themuttnut.com
W
I
t was really great meeting with
Nicky and her two gorgeous
Collies, Biffy and Splodge. Her
affinity with dogs is very clear and
Rudolph responded so well to her
very quickly (he usually does his own
thing…)
Secretary and head trainer with
Middlesbrough & District Dog
Training Association, Nicky is a
qualified pet dog training instructor
and adult tutor, specialising in clicker
training.
Nicky carried out a couple of
short, fun exercises with Rudolph,
introducing him to the clicker and
sharpening his recall response. It
really was interesting listening to
the research that has gone into this
method and how it engages with a
specific primal area of the dog’s brain.
Nicky is available at different
training venues in Middlesbrough
as well as making one-to-one
appointments with clients. She can
be there to give training advice at
your home and introduce your new
puppy to the first adventure out of
the house.
e have followed The Mutt Nut (aka
Simon) on social media, watching him
and his dog on Instagram where fantastic free
hints and tips are offered in interesting short
videos. More recently he has diversified with
an IGTV channel, What The Pup Happened?
The Mutt Nut is a fresh, modern approach
to aggression and dominance-free training,
with a tag line of “Communicate, not
dominate”.
Simon has taken time to hone his skills,
having worked specifically on meeting the
emotional needs of dogs and finding what
motivates them - keeping training simple and
relatable to everyone.
During our meet-up, he explained: “My
passion is educating owners how to truly
understand their dog and
then how to change their
behaviour in a way that their dog will love
– so they want to do it again and again. It’s
about positive reinforcement.”
He showed us how something as simple
as a game of fetch is a lot more powerful
than I ever imagined - an amazing outlet
and great way to communicate with our
dogs in a fun and energetic way.
To see powerful tips visit @themuttnut
on Instagram, Facebook or look up
www.themuttnut.com/free-book for full
services listed as well as a free ebook! The
Mutt Nut kindly offers Tees Life readers a
discount code #tees10 to redeem against a
wealth of services.
CLEVELAND CLEVER CANINES – CARRIE
www.petbehave.co.uk
R
udolph and I both gained confidence
with Rudi’s off-lead training during our
visit to Cleveland Clever Canines. A
fantastic DEFRA dog day care and training
centre located in Stockton, they even have access
to walk along the Tees, helping make them one
of the first DEFRA five-star rated centres in
Teesside.
Carrie has a wealth of experience and
qualifications as a clinical animal behaviourist,
boasting a 25-year membership with the
Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors. Her
expertise means she has been consulted by the
BBC to advise and discuss difficult issues on
TV and radio relating to puppy farming and
antisocial behaviours such as barking dogs.
Puppy socialisation classes and one-
to-one training classes are run from her
purpose-designed facilities.
When asked about tricks, Carrie enthused:
“Dog tricks are a great way to offer your dog
some mental stimulation. It’s a lot of fun to
train a dog some cool tricks and show how
clever they are!”
Here’s one top trick tip to teach your dog
to spin: “Beginning with your dog facing
you, have a treat in your hand and move it in
a large circle, slowly encouraging your dog
whilst saying ‘Spin’. Reward your dog with
the treat at the end of the circle. As your dog
improves, diminish the hand signal until it is
merely a flick!”
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