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Hi all, This is an old thread, so this may not get noticed, but after loads of reading and thinking I've now pretty much totally gone off the idea of a slip lead, which I was quite tempted by when I put up this post initially. I'm sure they can be used gently and skillfully as 'nudge' rather...

Hi all, Little Westie turning up in two weeks time. We spend the weekend 'puppy proofing' our house and we've done most things, but not protected electric cables. We are going to buy some 'cable boxes' for under the tv etc. Does anyone have any advice about good types of conduit or other...

We are getting our Westie puppy at the end of Jan hopefully - we have all this to look forward to :) We are planning to use crating as the key to housetraining. We plan to either be interacting with (and thus supervising all times) or he will be in the crate (for max 45 min at a time). I know...

Cromessol is really good for getting rid of smells. Not cheap but it works.

Hi Joanne, I'm just reading a great book called 'Culture Clash' by Jean Donaldson (2012), entirely reward only and she is entertainingly scathing about 'correction based' trainers, particularly those who claim to rely on praise only (she suggests they always end using aversive techniques. She is...

Hi Joanne, The advice on puppy classes is helpful and reassuring. I actually sent a bit of text from your message to the person who runs the class we are booked on in late Feb. She liked it :)

My understanding of the Martingale is that it can be used to prevent dogs 'backing out' of their lead and can be useful and secure if used for this. It needs to be measured carefully however so that it is not choking the dog at full tension. Unfortunately some people use it as a choke collar...

Hi Dibby, I agree with absolutely about The Happy Puppy book. My wife and I have both read it and made loads of highlights and get a lot out of it. I'm half way through Mattinson's other book 'Total Recall' and that is good as well. I think you're a bit hard on the Monks though. Some of their...

Looks lovely!! Great photos, thank you :)

How do you do that - do you just discourage any mouthing, or do you work to train sensitivity?

Thank you Hemlock, what a nice thing to say! Have a great Christmas :)

Thanks Joanne - also thanks for the phrase - "bogging off" - great verb, I'm going to borrow it and use it as much as I can :) Happy Christmas!

Most people seem to advise against allowing mouthing in v young pups and training against it (chew toys, extinction etc) but some people suggest allowing it and training for more sensitive biting (then phasing it out at around 8m) results in a dog less likely to bite really hard if hurt or...

How interesting - would never have thought of that, but it makes a lot of sense. Thanks

That sounds great. Its a long term plan and who knows if we will ever get beyond the first stage, but its good to have something to aim for and we will do our best. Folly sounds well trained - would love to see that in action :) She must have great timing.

That makes a lot of sense Hemlock - thank you. I'll maybe start on the right (if I'm comfortable and relaxed maybe Ash will be as well) but I'll shift quickly to work on the left as well as soon as that seems to be working. Your advice, coupled with Biker John's feels like a plan :)

Pippa Mattinson advises training for quiet during the day (rather than late at night) and suggests using clicker to mark brief pauses in the noise (even if they are just pauses to take a breath!). Risk, if you always 'rescue' the dog if its making noise is that you will actually train it do do...

Great advice John - thank you :) I've been trying to find this out from the Kennel Club without getting very far. Interesting point about leaving the most useful hand free. Might try and train myself to follow your advice.

:)))

That's great Kirsty, Many thanks for the advice. The 'Ancol' brand does look good (see what you mean about the notch). Read somewhere a saying that 'The only thing two dog trainers are likely to agree on is that a third dog trainer is doing everything wrong' :) Slightly reductive, but I take...