Wimbledon Park Dog Trainer
One to one training in and around the Wimbledon Park and Southfields area. Affordable fees: starting from £40 per session.
I specialise in applying positive reinforcement techniques, based on modern scientific, evidence-based animal learning and dog behaviours.
I can help you with basic obedience training, socialisation (puppy's and beyond), unwanted and anxious behaviours. See my list of services below for more information.
About Me
I have been a full-time professional dog walker since February 2022 and local resident of Wimbledon Park / Southfields since 1992.
I started dog training out of necessity - because some of the dogs I walked needed to learn how to walk on loose leads (before I ended up at the physiotherapist again), to improve their recall (so that they could enjoy walks off-lead) and to address some anxious behaviours such as barking at people and/or dogs.
Having read all about modern training strategies and techniques in a list of highly recommended reading, and having applied these successfully to several of the dogs that I regularly walk, I have become passionate about dog training and am now able to offer my training services to other dog owners.
I am very clear that I am NOT an accredited trainer or animal behaviourist, so in some cases such as severe aggression and anxiety, I may refer you to one of these accredited professionals and/or your vet. For this reason, you will find my fees much more affordable than many other dog trainers and animal behaviourists.
Private Training Sessions
Training Services
Private training sessions in your home, local streets and parks are perfect for teaching new skills, socialisation and addressing specific behavioural issues. I focus on you and your dog's unique needs, enabling comprehensive and effective training.
Our journey together starts with a questionnaire and evaluation consultation at your home, moving on to a walk together in your local park, streets & shops. A written report is then sent to you with some recommendations that you can either follow up yourself or book further training sessions where I can assist.
The following types of training needs can be covered:
Basic Obedience Training
Positive Behaviour Reinforcement & "Shaping"
From "sit", to reliable recall, the basic obedience skills are essential for you and your dog to safely enjoy walks together in the park, streets, shops and beyond.
Traditional training historically used "adverse" techniques to "punish" dogs when they got things wrong. Although this may have worked with an experienced trainer, it is not only cruel but often counter-productive, resulting in fearful or even aggressive behaviours.
Modern training techniques based on scientifically proven strategies and techniques are not only more humane, they are often quicker to train and increase the bond between dogs and humans. Many dogs actively enjoy positive training and it can really tire them out more than just physical exercise - a big bonus for those that know that a tired dog is a content dog !
Puppy Socialisation and Beyond
Socialisation Basics and Desensitising Older Dogs
The first 17 weeks of a puppy's life are essential for socialising with everyone and everything they might meet / see / hear / smell, now and in the future, from people, to other dogs and animals, traffic, public transport, cafes, pubs, shops noisy machinery etc.
This does not leave much time after their second vaccinations (usually 12-13 weeks), when they are allowed to put "paws on the street".
Dogs that are not fully socialised with the world at a young aged (including rehomed / rescued dogs) can often become anxious or fearful of some situations / environments. These anxieties can be addressed later in life, but this take much more time and patience.
Anxious Behaviours
Desensitisation and other techniques
Anxieties can take many forms and can be caused by many factors, including lack of socialisation as a puppy, rehomed and rescued dogs, moving house, another dog or pet moving into the home, changes in family life circumstances and traumatic experiences - traumatic to the dog (e.g. hit by traffic or bicycle) or traumatic to the owner / family.
Behaviours may include barking at people / other dogs, separation anxiety / refusing to leave the owner or home, refusing to walk near busy road i.e. fear of traffic, freezing and wimpering.
Although I am NOT an accredited animal behaviourist (and I may need to refer you to one and/or your vet, especially for aggression and biting), I can help you to understand what might be causing the anxious behaviours and give you some techniques to reduce these over time.
Unwanted Behaviours
Unlearning Previously Rewarded Behaviours
Unwanted behaviours from barking at the postman to laying on the sofa/beds or continually "humping", can be down to a number of factors, including "self-rewarding" behaviours, accidentally rewarded unwanted behaviours (e.g. by laughing or giving attention) and resource guarding (resources in this context can include food, toys, people and territory).
Unlearning previously reinforced behaviours takes time, patience and a consistent approach from everyone who regularly looks after and spends time with the dog. I can help to assess what might be causing the behaviours and give you some techniques to help eradicate them over time.
"Forgotten" Training
Extinction, Regression and Learned Irrelevance
Dogs can sometimes start to ignore obedience commands that have previously been taught. Owners often put this down to being "naughty", "wilful" or "stubborn". This is a basic misunderstanding of how and why dogs learn and unlearn behaviours - they have no moral, moody or impulsive desires to disobey - the training has simply been accidentally undone.
There can be a number of practical reasons for this, but they boil down into 4 main categories: "Extinction", "Lack of generalisation", "Regression" and "Learned Irrelevance":
"Extinction": the previous reinforcements (e.g. rewards) for the behaviour / cue (command) are no longer being consistently applied. E.g. the owner has stopped rewarding / reinforcing the behaviour or even started associating it with adverse outcomes, e.g. "come when called" has started to mean to the dog only negative outcomes such as "come out of the garden", or "come to your crate", or "come and have your teeth brushed".
"Lack of Generalisation": Dogs do not "generalise" taught behaviours, i.e. they do not associate the same behaviour and cue / command learned in the back garden with being in the park / street or with a different person. In order to "generalise" training, it needs to be practiced / re-taught in sometimes up to a dozen different scenarios: different locations, different people, different distractions, etc.
"Regression": some owners and vets will tell you that adolescent dogs can start to ignore some basic obedience commands. I am not so sure this is always true and can sometimes be more readily explained by "Extinction" and "lack of Generalisation". In any case, the remedies for all of these are the same.
Some of My Previous Clients:
"Rob has been an absolute god send for our 4 year old Labrador, Winnie. She's quite a nervous dog but she adores Rob and not only has he improved her lead walking hugely, but we've noticed such a wonderful difference in her confidence. She'll happily interact with other dogs and play / sniff whereas before she was always a bit scared. Walking her on the lead used to be really difficult - now it's so enjoyable and she's so much happier and calmer. We couldn't recommend Rob enough and are so grateful for him!"
KL, Southfields (read review on Google)
Coming very late to training (Pete is now 6!), the barking incessantly for the ball to be thrown, approaching strangers randomly and pulling on the lead all got too much. Luckily, Rob is great and his calm clear instruction was good both for Pete and for us (who also needed training). He’s now a happier dog and we have an increasingly strong bond through thoughtful engagement. Strongly recommend Rob for dogs and humans alike.
PT Southfields (read review on Google)
Get in Touch
Ready to start your training journey or have questions? Contact me today to book a training consultation, using the form below or email to: WimbledonParkDogTrainer@gmail.com