Woofington Grammar School for Dogs

Behaviour

Behaviour Consultation for dogs

Sometimes our dogs develop unwanted behaviour problems which can be difficult to manage or understand.  This can be quite distressing for both dogs and owners and normally will result in a breakdown of the relationship with your dog.   A behaviour consultation is the first positive step in repairing the relationship and building back trust with your dog.  Behaviour problems don’t tend to go away on their own, in fact quite the opposite, they will tend to worsen over time.  It is recommended that guidance and support is sought at the earliest opportunity.  Marie believes that behaviour modification solutions should be practical and easy to learn and should help owners understand their dog better.

What can you get help with?

These are just a few of the common behaviour problems Marie can offer support with:

• Aggression towards people
• Aggression towards other dogs
• Fears, phobias and anxiety
• Confidence building
• Guarding food, toys or territory
• Excessive barking
• Mouthing
• House soiling
• Chasing livestock, traffic and people
   

Methods used

Practices or equipment which employ fear and intimidation techniques are strongly discouraged as Marie believes this can make the behaviour worse.  Instead, Marie uses reward-based, humane behaviour modification methods to train and support owners and their dogs.  These methods are founded through modern, evidence-based practice.

What to expect

Marie recognises that each dog is an individual and that many things can influence unwanted behaviours. The behaviour modification process is lengthy and detailed. You may be required to contact your veterinary surgeon for a referral or check up with your dog.  It may not end there.  Many clients continue with regular one-to-one sessions with Marie until they feel confident that the behaviour has sufficiently changed.

How successful is behaviour modification?

The success of any behaviour modification plan relies heavily on the owner using the suggested techniques outlined in the plan.  The plan will consider breed traits, history and previous learning experiences.   Most behaviour patterns are learned, developed and practised over a long period of time.  The longer the behaviour has been practised, the longer it will take to rectify.   Any methods offering quick fixes generally employ punishment techniques, which rarely work long-term as they suppress the unwanted behaviour rather than addressing the underlying emotion or motivation behind it.  This often results in the behaviour returning or another inappropriate behaviour starting.  In addition, these techniques will certainly adversely affect the trust your dog places in you, further exacerbating the relationship breakdown.

Behaviour modification takes time, patience and consistency with all members of the household to change the behaviour.  The more effort put into the training, the better the building blocks of change can occur for the future.   Marie will be honest with any prognosis of the behaviour and realistic with what can be achieved.  The assessment goes a long way to inform her what is achievable.  Whilst she has no control on how often or well you train your dog when she’s not there, she guarantees that when she’s working with you, you’ll have her full support and guidance to help you to achieve your goals.

What does it cost?

The behavioural consultation comes as a package and is £200 This includes:

•  2 hours initial consultation
•  Handouts, support, signposting to relevant video footage and homework
• The consult is always followed up with a one-hour training session to ensure that the owner understands what is required of them
• Further sessions will be required in most cases to allow owners to gain confidence and competence in the practical application of the training.  These sessions are charged at £30 per hour
•  A further 3 months support via email or phone to discuss any  issues
•  All fees will be paid in full at the time of the consultation.  This will need to be either cheque, cash or BACS transfer.

One-to-one Training

Marie provides one-to-one coaching for dealing with specific training and issues that need targeted support.  She works closely with you to help you understand why your dog behaves in a particular way and then provides solutions on how to teach a more acceptable behaviour.  Some of the behaviours she can teach you are:

• Polite greetings to both humans and dogs
• Self-control (settle, waits and stays)
• Loose lead walking
• Coming when called (recall)

At present, Marie attends your home to work with you and your dog.

Home Boarding

Welcome to Woofington Lodge – a premium home boarding service for dogs.  The Lodge was founded in 2015 by Marie Howard-Deeth (FdSc, ADPT, UK 01289).  Marie is licensed with Hyndburn Borough Council who inspect the premises every year.    The Lodge has

been specially adapted both inside and outdoors with a dog’s safety and comfort in mind.

Whilst the Lodge can board up to 3 dogs, Marie only takes dogs from one family so rest assured your dog(s) will only be sharing with Marie’s own dogs.

Why choose home boarding?

A kennel environment is not suitable for some dogs. They can experience kennel stress due to boredom, lack of exercise and lack of human and canine companionship.  At Woofington Lodge, all dogs are treated with kindness and respect, exercised to owners’ specifications, fed at times similar to your home and have free run of Marie’s garden and home. They will be surrounded by Marie’s dogs, their own belongings and toys and will have a human around most times during a day/evening.   An additional
identification tag containing the Lodge details will be supplied for the duration of your dog’s stay.

The welfare of dogs is extremely important to Marie so it is important that an assessment visit is undertaken before your dog stays.  This is to ensure that your dog(s) get on with Marie’s permanent residents and that you are happy with the boarding accommodation for your dog’s stay.

Puppy Classes

This course is predominantly aimed at puppies aged from 3-6 months, although it can be particularly beneficial for dogs entering new homes.  It aims to socialise puppies with other dogs and people and raises awareness of responsible dog ownership. Alongside basic exercises, there will be play exercises to build the bond between client and their dog.  Marie understands that both humans and dogs are learning new things together so ensures that classes are fun and relaxed.

The puppy course covers:

• Focus on owner
• How to settle
• Remain calm when being handled and groomed
• Responsible dog ownership
• Good manners around people and other dogs
• Objects, sounds and textures
• Building self-control