Although I’m fairly active in relation to articles in both the shooting press and on social media, I wanted somewhere that I could write about any topic at any time…
And so welcome to my blog page.
A combination of thoughts, articles, musings, videos, and more formal writing and research, I hope you enjoy working your way through the various topics.
If you’d like weekly writings, please subscribe to my short weekly newsletter, Monday Musing’s, whose topic’s wander far and wide…
Habit Stacking
first published 21 September 2024
I’ve always recommended that an easy way to incorporate a bit of training in a busy day is to do a little while you’re waiting for the kettle to boil… more...
Say hello and wave goodbye
first published 30 August 2024
While it might be a great title for a song, when it comes to dogs, a calm silent interaction works best... more...
Let's Talk Balls...
first published 25 August 2024
If you have got a ball like this, that has got holes going around it, especially if the hole doesn't go all the way through like this one, then don't leave it down for your dog... more...
Red and Yellow and Pink and Blue...
first published 17 August 2024
Using coloured dummies in our training can really help to set our dogs up to succeed... more...
Never miss an opportunity to train your dog
first published 11 August 2024
Every time you interact with your dog you’re training him on one level or another... so never miss an opportunity to train him... more...
The Advanced Pet Gundog - Book Award
first published 1 June 2024
This year I received one of the best birthday pressies ever. I logged on to an email announcing that The Advanced Pet Gundog had won the 2024 American Legacy Book Award. more...
Not You! command...
first published 27 May 2024
A command that I use a lot that you may find valuable with your dog is ‘not you’. It means quite simply that you don’t want your dog to come with you, but he doesn’t have to hold a set position more...
Why dogs bark at the postman…
first published 21 May 2024
Watching dogs react to the postman is always interesting as it speaks volumes about the relationship that the owner has with their dog. more...
Operant Conditioning
first published 1 March 2024
There are so many posts on operant conditioning but the one’s that I’ve seen the most of are looking at it from a human perspective rather than from the dogs which, in my mind, can really muddy the waters and lead to confusion and it always seems to document using food, harsh handling and various bits of equipment, however this isn’t always the case. more...
Should I Stay Or Should I Go
first published 14 February 2024
I was reading a post in a Facebook group yesterday where a woman shared that she was going to euthanise her dog as it was being aggressive. It had bitten her and her husband a few times, both needing hospital treatment, and she had a five month baby in the house. She’d contacted rescue centres but, more...
Taste, tongue and teeth
first published 7 February 2024
Like us, the dog can taste sweet, salty, sour, and bitter and, like other carnivores (humans excepted), dogs have special receptors for tasting water, which I find particularly interesting as when dogs drink, they use the underside of their tongue, curling it under into a flattish ladle, and then scooping the water into their mouth… one of the reasons why a narrow deep water bowl is better than a wide shallow one – that and it helps prevent the amount of water that ends up on the floor. more...
Posturing and Scent Marking
first published 31 January 2024
I tend to get out and about with the boys a couple of times a day; walking them individually or as a pack, or doing some training with them. When Emrys got to around two and a half I became aware that, while still sharp on the whistle, was starting to range further than I like when he has some free time off lead. more...
Let's Talk Copying and Copyrighting...
first published 30 September 2023
I know I’m not the only person that this is happening to, I’ve seen it over and over again with colleagues getting whole chunks of their website copy lifted and used, as well as videos of trainers dogs being passed off as someone else’s more...
Classical Conditioning
first published 16 September 2023
Classical conditioning is when someone, or something, has an ‘ah-ha moment’ and makes an association between two things that aren't linked, so in Pavlov's dog’s case, a bell and food... more...
Just Messing About In The Water
first published 24 June 2023
I normally introduce dogs to water without any kind of retrieving and just let them pootle around and have a wee play. more...
Just Walking The Dogs
first published 13 June 2023
When the weather heats up get out of bed earlier and walk your dog. If for whatever reason you can’t walk early, walk late… do both... or do neither. more...
Acute Caudal Myopathy (Swim Tail)
first published 22 April 2023
The condition is known as Swim Tail, Swimmers Tail, Cold Water Tail, Limp Tail and Limber Tail, but it’s correct term is Acute Caudal Myopathy and is more often seen in young, adult male working breeds. more...
Harnesses
first published 18 July 2020
I absolutely love this video by @dutchie.daemon.
Not only does it show the negative impact of harnesses on our dog's gait with tension from the lead, but, most importantly, it also shows it without. more...
Step Up and be the Leader
first published 1 April 2020
During this time of uncertainty and change, it's easy to get caught up in the 'must do this and must do that' with our dogs, trying to do the latest exercise, latest challenge, be interesting, be exciting and generally 'amuse' our dogs. more...
APGI training workshop 2019
first published 23 September 2019
Another fabulous day on the APGI training workshop and as well as finishing the presentations for the week, we got to talk about one of Lez's favourite theories - the Dunning-Kruger effect; it's in every profession and in every walk of life and once you're aware of it, you're really aware of it. more...
S-t-e-a-d-y
first published 31 August 2019
Steadiness is so important for so many reasons; you want to be able to take your eyes off your young dog when he’s in a stay without worrying about him getting up and chasing something, or to take off after a rabbit, or a cat, when you’re walking him. more...
Teach Your Puppy To Do Nothing
first published 23 August 2019
You want your puppy to think that hanging around with you is the best thing in the world; when you’re on the move he wants to be too, when you’re doing nothing he wants to be too. more...
How Learning takes place
first published 10 August 2019
When we do something, nerve cells in the brain, known as neurons are fired up. They talk to each other in a way similar to passing a baton in a relay race, forming a pathway; a neural pathway. Just like passing the baton becomes quicker and more fluid with practice, so too the more an action is repeated the more established the pathway and the quicker and easier the action and reaction, until it eventually becomes an automatic learned response like driving a car or riding a bike for example. more...