One of Australia's most respected and longest serving dog behaviour specialists and trainers is now offering services around the Gold Coast, after operating in South Australia and Victoria for over 20 years. Click on map to view my service area.
I have been helping dog owners with their dogs behavioural issues and obedience for over 37 years. Over this period I have assisted more than 15,000+ dog owners and their dogs.
I do not employ staff, operate a large dog training company, nor do I operate a franchise. For me, its not about the money, its more about the pleasure and satisfaction I personally receive from going into homes to help dog owners and their dogs. I don't sugarcoat anything, I am straight forward and upfront. I tell it like it is, offering what I believe is the correct guidance to dog owners to the best of my ability.
Helping to establish a well balanced relationship with your dog
As a balanced dog behaviour specialist I don't restrict myself to a 'one method suits all' ideology. I incorporate a holistic approach to training and behaviour modification. I adjust my methods, tools and techniques to suit the particular dog or behavioural issue we are addressing. If we limit our options by subscribing to a particular method or ideology we greatly restrict the help we can offer dogs.
My focus is on respecting a dog's natural instincts and drives and utilising those to help dogs and their owners maintain a well balanced and harmonious relationship. I focus on the overall relationship between the dog and its owner, and the dog's environment, as in most cases this relationship has become unbalanced, which is causing the dog to become confused, and therefore in many cases contributing to an overly anxious emotional state in the dog, and related behavioural issues.
Anxiety and related behaviours
Dogs can suffer from anxiety when there are no defined rules and boundaries and lack of structure within with its social group (the family), or there is a lack of consistency in applying these rules correctly. When dogs suffer from anxiety just like humans, they turn to coping behaviours to help them deal with their current emotional state. These behaviours can include, fear, overly assertive behaviours, aggression, incessant barking, avoidance, obsessive compulsive behaviours, self-mutilation, overly dependent behaviours, and so many other stress related behaviours. By understanding the triggers for a dogs anxious state, we are able to then modify not only the dogs coping behaviours, but also improve the overal relationship dog owners have with their dog, and therefore ensuring a well-balanced dog and relationship.
Dog aggression
I also specialise in dog to dog, and dog to human aggression. One of my major call outs for home consultations are for dogs that have on lead aggression. There are many reasons dogs become aggressive on lead. In many cases, these aggressive responses can be due to an overly anxious state of mind, whilst out walking, or the dog's response is nothing more than on-lead frustration that can be modified very quickly by teaching the dog to walk calmly on lead. To help with on-lead aggression, we need to understand the underlying cause, before we can help the dog settle on lead.
Many homes have dogs that have become unpredictable and will display aggression towards the owners or visitors for no apparent reason. Aggression is a learnt behaviour, that the dog finds beneficial when needing to control its environment, whether that is due to an overly anxious emotional state, a fear response, or a dog that is dominating space, territory, or a resource. Many tend to focus on punishing aggression when in fact this could be the reason the dog is displaying these behaviours in the first place. By better understanding the triggers behind the aggression, we are then better able to help the dog.
Private Dog Obedience Training
I offer private one-on-one dog obedience training lessons at a local park near the dogs owner. Private lessons are excellent for those with a busy lifestyle and cannot find the time to attend group training. Private lessons allow you to organise your lessons on days and times convenient for you. You also train in a natural enviroment around distractions, unlike the structured learning in a group class. Fast track your dogs training with my private lessons.
