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Force free refers to a type of reward based training where punishment, including physical correction or psychological intimidation, is never used. Force free training is kinder, more effective and often quicker than punitive methods, and it helps strengthen the bond between you and your dog.
The time it takes can vary significantly, depending on you, your dog, and the behaviours involved. Some behaviours can be resolved relatively quickly with some lifestyle changes and exercises, while others require a lot more time.
Every training or behaviour session starts off with an assessment, where I try to learn as much as I can about the dog. We then discuss the training and lifestyle changes required to make progress.
For training walks, we initially have a short visit with the dog so that I can make friends with them, get them used to the vehicle and discuss what training you would like me to implement on walks.
Training refers to teaching a dog new skills, such as recall or loose lead walking. Behaviour refers to anything that you and your dog struggle with that goes beyond simply learning a new skill. This could be reactivity, fearfulness, resource guarding, and so on. Sometimes, we get 'grey area' issues which look like training issues on the surface but which are actually behaviour issues. For example, some cases of pulling on the lead can be a behavioural issue depending on why the dog pulls on the lead. In these cases, teaching the dog how to walk nicely will not be enough. A behaviour practitioner can look at the underlying causes and formulate a plan to help you and your dog make progress.
I am experienced in treating a wide range of behavioural issues, including:
This list is not exhaustive, so please get in touch if you would like help with an issue which is not mentioned above. I also really enjoy "weird" cases, so if your dog is doing something unusual or has a very complex history then please contact me as I would love to help!