Sheepskin bungee with holee roller football.

As trainers, it is all too easy to become goal orientated, focusing on the techniques and strategies that are most likely to be effective. But where is the dog in all this? What are his individual preferences? What does he consider to be rewarding, and what does he perceive as being aversive? Does he have the physical and mental capabilities to participate successfully in your training plan, and have you chosen an environment that is conducive to learning?

In their new book, Dog Training For Dog Trainers, behaviourists Vickie Davenport and Melissa Fallon declare their mission to put the dog at the heart of training. Regardless of whether you are training a new behaviour – or addressing undesirable behaviour – the dog should always come first. This involves undertaking a behavioural assessment before you even start working with him so you have a real understanding of his personality.

They say: “We believe that focusing more on the individual that we are training, we will get the best outcomes and allow us to achieve the desired task, based on the individual dog’s capabilities and his preferred way of learning.”

Once the dog has been assessed, you can work out which training technique – or combination of techniques – is most likely to succeed. And here, the authors break new ground as they demystify the world of training. They strip out the jargon and, using a series of diagrams and tables, they explain exactly what is involved in each technique, weighing up the pros and cons of each so you can make an informed decision as to whether it is likely to suit the dog you are training.

Now  – and only now  – are you ready to draw up a training plan that will be tailormade to the individual. You have resisted the temptation of jumping in at the deep end, and formulated a strategy that not only has the best chance of success, it also ensures the learning process will be fun and enjoyable for both your, and your dog, enriching your relationship as you achieve your goals together.

REVIEWS-

Training for Dog Trainers fills a much needed gap between basic ‘how to train my pet dog’ and the academic behaviour and learning theory texts which rarely cover how to apply that theory to practical training programmes for the ever increasing number of behaviourally literate and sophisticated dog trainers. It will be a valuable addition to the essential reading list for serious dog trainers wanting to get to grips with how to apply behaviour and learning theory to their training plans.

Paddy Driscoll