Training Trouble
transform your teenage tear-away
from boisterous to bonded
Does your dog think ‘Ooh-yay!’ as soon as they see another dog?
You used to see other people with naughty dogs and think ‘I’d never let my dog do that’.
You anticipated the toilet training and the chewing furniture, sure, but you didn’t expect them to be pulling your arm out on a walk, charging off across the park, or guarding their food or toys.
If your dog has somehow become the naughty one, I’m here to help.
Resource guarding, jumping up, running away. Despite all the training you’ve done, things are getting worse.
Your dog comes back when there are no distractions, but as soon as they see another dog/picnic/squirrel, they’re off!
You want to call them back but you know they’ll probably ignore you, and that’s just embarrassing. You’re tempted to keep walking, pretend you didn’t see, everything’s fine. But you know it’s not.
You thought because you love your dog so very much, they would listen to you and do as you ask.
You dreamt of off-lead walks in the park, of quiet cuddles at home, of sitting in a café for lunch or visiting your friends at home.
You pictured a dog who walks so well onlead you could take them anywhere. A dog whose perfect recall brings them flying back to you first time, every time. A dog who you could be proud of.
Now you worry that their play has become too boisterous, they might accidently hurt a puppy or get themselves in trouble with another dog.
Love alone isn’t enough. Our dogs often need a little more support with training than we expected.
I’m Hannah, the dog psychologist.
And I know how hard it is when you feel like your dog won’t listen to you.
It’s upsetting, embarrassing, emotionally draining. You worked so hard at puppy class and they’re such a sweet devoted dog at home, why does it all fall apart when we’re outside?
I can help get you and your dog working as a team again. With a bespoke and tailored training plan designed to meet your needs, I will be with you step-by-step while we put your training plan in place.
Why do they do what they do? What does it mean? What can you do to help? We will work together to understand your dog better and help you get back the dog of your dreams. One you can be proud of.
When Jade came to me, her staffy puppy Junie was 10 months old.
Jade had a dog previously, and hadn’t anticipated having any issues with training.
But Junie was strong, boisterous and easily distracted. She treated her lead as a tug-toy, found it hard to focus, would charge off to see other dogs and was not aware of her own strength when she played.
Taking her to the park was a stressful experience as she’d spot a dog and depending on the distance, would freeze, lie down, bark or lunge toward it. It was physically and mentally exhausting to walk her and the walks became a battleground, with Jade wanting to walk past another dog on street and Junie either refusing to budge or pulling toward them.
At home Junie found it difficult to settle, would destroy toys in seconds, and pester and bark at visitors to the point where Jade and her partner didn’t want to invite people over.
The combination of struggling with Junie out on the walk, and not being able to invite friends over, was very restrictive. And through all of this there was so much love. Junie is a wonderful, sweet and affectionate dog. And Jade and her partner adore her. There were so many positives and happy moments. We just needed to get some of the challenges under control and give them the happy lives they had envisaged.
So what did we do?
We worked together to help focus Junie’s attention outside, reduce her frustration at other dogs and learn to be calm. We taught her to settle indoors and took our new skills on the road. With the addition of a new baby in the house, Junie can join her family on trips to the park and will calmly settle while they stop in the café.
Living the dream.
What difference would it make to you, if you could transform your dog in this way?
What can you expect from me?
If you choose to work with me to get support for your training troubles, you will have:
A structured, easy to follow plan, updated after each session with next steps
Strategies for preventing and managing unwanted behaviour
Training techniques which change your dog’s emotional response and teach them how to think differently
Emotional support throughout your journey
The knowledge that once you’ve completed the programme, your dog is the best they can be. And you have done all you can for them.
How does that sound?
This service is for you if:
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Your dog charges off across the park to greet other dogs, steal picnis or chase squirrells
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Your dog barks at visitors and you're avoiding inviting people over to your house
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Your dogs is humping, growling or showing other unwanted behaviours
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You worry your dogs play is too boisterous but you aren’t sure how to deal with it
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You believe in training with love, using kind, ethical, science-backed methods
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You’re prepared to put time and effort in to transforming your dog
Choose your level of support
Basic Consultation
£595
We will go through the history and reasons for your dog’s behaviour and I'll show you some practical exercises to work on at home and on your walks.
This package includes:
2-hour initial behaviour consultation in person
Written report and action plan
Liaison with your vet
Support for 12 weeks on email/WhatsApp
1-hour follow-up, in person/ on zoom, after 12 weeks
By the end of our programme you will understand your dog better and know what to do to make life better for them.
Full Support Programme
£1,195*
* value over £1,550 if purchased separately
Includes ALL of the Basic Package PLUS:
+ 4 x fortnightly 1-hour bespoke 1-1 training sessions
+ Unlimited15-min phone/zoom catch-ups
+ Option to self record how-to videos from our session
+ Dog Behaviour 101 on Body Language
+ Customised Shopping list
By the end of our programme you will understand your dog better, have tailored solutions in place to deal with any eventuality and you will know no matter how far they’ve come that you’ve done the absolute best for them. They will be the very best they can be.
Within the London North/South Circular, services are delivered in-person.
Nationwide consults take place via Zoom.
What happens next?
Choose your perfect package
Decide whether you’d prefer to opt for the Basic Consultation or the Full Support Programme.
Tell me all about your dog
I'll send you a behaviour questionnaire, to collect some background information about you, your dog and your challenges.
Organise your vet referral
I will also send a simple form for your vet to complete. This is important as medical issues can affect your dog’s behaviour.
I’ll create a plan, just for you
I will design a bespoke, tailored 1-1 solution to suit you, your dog and your lifestyle.
We help your dog, together
You get to enjoy your dog, knowing you’ve done everything you can to give them the very best life.
“It always seems impossible until it’s done.”
Nelson Mandela
FAQs
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Working with your vet as part of a team allows us to address any potential underlying health issues which may be contributing to your dogs behaviour. This is the most effective way to understanding your dog. Because it’s so important, it is also a requirement of the organisations I’m a member of, the APBC and FABC.
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As the proud dog-parent to an extremely large and boisterous teenage dog in the past, I know how much work you have to put in to teaching them. If you’re confident in your ability to do that work yourself then the basic programme will suit you. More often though, you’ll need the support of an experienced trainer to help guide you as you move through the different stages of the training. That’s why I offer 1-1 bespoke training sessions as part of a full support programme, so we can work together to put the skills you learn in to practise.
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Many of my clients come to me having been to classes or seen other trainers already. Your dogs behaviour is complex and we will be creating a bespoke training plan designed to tackle your specific challenges. This is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Together we are going to deep-dive in to all the areas of your dogs life, to find out why they do what they do, and what you can about it. We will take a holistic approach looking at physical, mental and emotional solutions for your dogs behaviour.
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I will always be honest about what I think is possible for you and your dog. I won’t know that until we’ve spent some time working together. Your outcome will depend on how well you can manage your dogs environment, how much time you have for training, and how your dog responds to it. Everyone’s journey is unique to them and its important not to compare your journey to someone else’s. What I can tell you, is that together, we will make sure your dog is the very best they can be.
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When a new behaviour presents itself it’s tempting to wait and hope that it’ll go away on its own. Maybe they’ll grow out of it? In fact what tends to happen is your dog grows into it. The more often they practise the unwanted behaviour, the better, faster and more likely they are to do it again in future. Seeking help sooner is always better.
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Having a troublesome dog is a lot of work in itself. Our training will help make things easier, smoother and safer. If you already spend a good part of your day thinking, reading and obsessing over your dogs behaviour, it probably won’t add much time to your day. We will use the time you spend already on enrichment, training and walking and make it more constructive, so you get more out of it. You will have a structured plan, broken down in to stages, and we’ll work through it together step-by-step. Outside of our sessions you’ll need about 15mins per day to prep and practise the exercises. And the rest will happen during walks or time you’re already spending with your dog.
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It’s always better to get started sooner, as the more your dog practises an unwanted behaviour, the harder it is to change. If needed we can extend the time it takes to complete your programme to allow for holidays. Just let me know during our first session.
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I am available Monday-Friday 10am-5pm on email and WhatsApp throughout your 12-week programme. I will answer any questions you have and keep your training on track. You can send videos on WhatsApp and I can offer feedback on your training, or insight in to your dog’s behaviour. If you’re on the full support programme you will also have fortnightly phone or video calls with me.
I respond to emails within 3 business days, and reply to WhatsApp same business day. WhatsApp messages sent out of hours will receive a reply the following business day.
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You should start to see changes in your dog’s behaviour within 2 weeks of our initial consultation. How quickly they progress after that will depend on how well you can manage your dog’s environment, how much time you have for training, and how well your dog responds. If your dog has been practising their unwanted behaviour for a long time, then it can take a lot of repetition to see lasting results. But don’t worry, I’ll be here to help you through it.
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Sometimes dogs behave differently when they’re in a group than when they’re with you, so this will depend on your dog. If your dog walker is having the same troubles walking your dog as you are, then yes it will help to get them involved so that you’re consistent with your training.
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I’d like to meet all your family members during our initial consultation. Your dog will respond better if you’re consistent in your training, and that means everyone who trains and walks them doing the same thing. This programme will get you all on the same page and working consistently with your dog.
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It’s not uncommon for dogs to have more than one problem behaviour. The reasons for them and the solutions to them could be quite different. If you’re teenage dog is running off to see other dogs, their play is getting too much, and they also charge off when they see squirrels, we can deal with those at the same time. If you’re struggling with the above plus separation issues, it’s best to pick one area to focus on at a time. Those behaviours will have very different causes and solutions and will each require dedication and focus from you.
If you’re not sure where to start or how to decide, pop a call in the diary here and we’ll work it out together.
