I've probably spent less than five years without a dog in my life in some way. As I grew up at home, we had the mongrel dogs that could do no wrong, followed by a 'psycho' Jack Russell terrier, and then a gentle collie cross.

 

Since moving out of home, and in with the girl who would become my wife, we have had a succession of working English Springer Spaniels - all of them (bar one) from the same breeding line, all of them totally different.

It was the constant questions about what made these dogs tick as individuals, coupled with the nagging knowledge that, all those years ago, the family badly failed in having the Jack Russell put down after one bite too many, that led me more and more into dog behaviour and psychology.

 

Understanding our canine friends has come a long way since I was a child and most trainers and behaviouralists now agree that the best way to change your dog is to concentrate on the psychological side, not just of the dog, but of the owner, too. I use a mixture of techniques - mainly positive and reward-based - that I have picked up over the years, ones that have worked for me time and time again, that play on the dog's basic need to please. (These techniques have been aided and reinforced through completing the Accredited Advanced Canine Behaviour Diploma from the British College of Canine Studies.) 

A key factor is to create a clear line of communication between owner and dog, as it can be that simple misunderstandings can lead to big problems.

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I run the training alongside our dog walking business in the Altrincham/Hale area. The walking, as well as being hugely enjoyable, allows me to watch a whole range of canine behaviours and interactions on a day to day basis, which provide an additional wealth of knowledge to draw upon during training.