FAQ's
Please read through the FAQs below. If you have any further questions, please contact me at any time.
| What is "force free" training? | The method of training dogs without using force, coercion, threats, intimidation or inflicting pain on the animal. This involves avoiding punishments or anything that will invoke fear, panic, cause pain or harm the dog in any way. |
| What is a "clicker"? | And how is it used in training ? A clicker or marker is used when the dog performs a behaviour that we would like it to continue to do. It is communicating to the dog "good choice"; offer that behaviour again. Every animal in zoos, marine parks, sanctuaries etc are trained using a form of clicker training. |
| Why don't you use correction? | There is no doubt that correction works, however it suppresses the behaviour, it does not eliminate the behaviour. If I correct the dog sufficiently, it doesn't mean that the dog won't continue to demonstrate the behaviour when I am not around. There are more ethical ways to train that are more humane and effective. I know that I would rather learn something new without being corrected continuously. |
| How long will it take to train my pet dog? | That is a loaded question. It is going to depend upon the breed of dog, your commitment and the effectiveness of your training. |
| How long does it take to train a Psycho Social Assistance Dog to PAT Certification? | Depending upon whether you sign up for MindDog or Assistance Paws, the time will vary. MindDog has a 14-month process from application to Certification. Assistance Paws does not have a time stipulation, so that will depend on the respective "team". |
| What is the ideal age to start training an Assistance Dog? | I generally suggest not signing a dog up to this specific training until it has reached 12 months of age. Let it get over the Adolescent phase and be a dog without the added pressure of Public Access. |
| How long does it take to teach Mobility tasks? | I prefer the dog to be at least 18 months of age before we start these tasks. For the dog to be able to execute these tasks reliably and in all environments / situations we are looking at a good 18 months of training. Again every dog is different but in general I allow this time frame. |
| How do I know if my dog is suitable as an Assistance dog? | Unfortunately, not all dogs will be suitable. Some will be brilliant, others will be able to do the job well, others will not cope with the added pressure and be better suited to be emotional support dogs instead. We usually can assess how the dog is going as the training ramps up. We want the dog to come to the handler by choice if the person starts to deregulate. If the dog leaves the room or ignores the person then it is not a suitable Psychosocial assistance dog. However, this dog could be a brilliant Mobility task Assistance Dog. Different job specs! |
| Should I take my puppy to Kinder? | Yes, you should. I can work with you in conjunction with taking your pup to class. It is important for your pup to socialise with dogs of a similar age and size. |
| What are some tips for Toilet training? | Management, commitment, and being proactive. If the pup has the run of the house, it is going to be a lot harder and take longer to toilet train your pup. |
| My last dog didn't do this or that? | It is difficult to not compare dogs, however we must embrace the individual personalities of each of our dogs and always remember: "Train the dog in front of you". |