Habituating a Cat to the Veterinary Experiences
Caregivers can do a lot to help habituate their cat to some of the stimuli they are likely to be exposed to at the veterinary…
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Training Guides
Touch-Withdraw-Reward Training: A Guide to Aid Feline Socialisation and Husbandry
This training should form part of a kitten’s socialisation programme but can be useful to habituate cats of any age. However, it is unsuitable for…
Effective Litter Box Training: Ensuring Success for Kittens and Cats
Most kittens and adult cats are clean and litter training usually comes easily but sometimes, after acquiring a new kitten or adult cat, they may…
Comfort Mat Training: Helping a Cat Relax and Reduce Anxiety
Having a specific mat (or blanket) to relax and chill out on is really useful for all cats but especially so for those that are…
Cat Training with Target Sticks: A Step-by-Step Guide
Target sticks can be purchased, although it’s quite easy to make your own. A garden cane, with a ping pong ball on the end, or…
Preparing Your Home and Welcoming Your New Cat: A Step-by-Step Guide
Step One: Preparing for the new arrival A basic shopping list of necessary items Step Two: Welcoming your newcomer Step Three: Introducing them outdoors *A…
Introducing a Puppy to a Resident Cat
When introducing a puppy to a resident cat, good preparation and gradual, supervised introductions increase the chance of a positive outcome. Stage One: Preparation Stage…
Introducing New Cats to a Home with a Resident Cat(s)
Step One: Giving time to settle and adjust Step Two: Introducing Scents During scent transference, each cat should either ignore the odour or react positively…
Using Long-line Training Leads
Long-line leads are generally used to teach a dog a recall cue which is obviously important and should form part of any dog’s general training. Howe…
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How to Choose and Introduce a Dog Harness
Care should be taken when selecting a harness because one style doesn’t fit all and some with ‘anti-pull’ features can cause pain. Many styles c…
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Recall Training
The reason that a number of dogs run away and do not want to come back when called is because often the owner punishes the dog upon its eventual retur…
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How to Harness Train Your Dog
Harnesses generally tend to be more comfortable and help to control a dog without putting pressure around the sensitive structures around the neck and throat.…
Touch Training: Targeting the Hand
Target training involves a dog targeting something (usually with their nose). Using a hand for the dog to target is ideal because owners and trainers …
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Training a Dog to Accept a Muzzle
As a veterinary nurse, behaviourist and animal first aider, there have been many times when I have had to use or recommend the use of a muzzle. There …
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Training a Cat To Accept a Carrier
A short, but useful video overview of cat carrier training from clinical animal behaviourist and registered vet nurse Caroline Clark. Includes a step-…
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‘Watch Me’ Training: Help for the Leash Reactive Dog
The idea of this training is to help teach the reactive dog an alternative reaction.
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Teaching a Parrot a ‘Step Up’ Cue
The 'Step Up' cue is a good basic training technique. It enables you to retrieve your bird safely but also helps build mutual trust.
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Canine Toilet Training
A helpful guide with advice on toilet training your dog/puppy with things to avoid and a simple training method.
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Systematic Desensitisation & Counter-Conditioning
A helpful guide to improving or resolving fear of animate stimuli, e.g. people or other animals & also fear of inanimate objects and noises.
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Teaching a ‘Settle’ or ‘Calm’ Cue
A guide on teaching your dog a settle command, a technique that is useful to change your dog’s mood. Useful for highly reactive dogs.
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Guide to Crate Training
Helpful information to crate/confinement training your dog, including the benefits and a simple guide.
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Using a House Line
The house line is a useful way of managing and safely controlling your dog without using force or direct physical contact/attention. It is a method …
Read more Meeting Visitors in the Home
This handout has been designed for dogs that either get very excited when visitors arrive or show fear or anxiety towards them.
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Brushing Your Dog’s Teeth: 6 Easy Steps
Did you know 80% of dogs over the age of three experience gum disease? Gum disease begins when bacteria sticks to the surface of teeth. It forms…
Reward Based Training Techniques with Ian Dunbar
I have been lucky to spend a day with the brilliant Ian Dunbar as part of his roadshow educating dog trainers & behaviourists on the…