Do you wish you and your dog could communicate better? In normal times we'd be moving through the puppy training classes and getting tips from professional trainers. So what are the options for these not at all normal times?
Going old school Books can help us develop the knowledge for better communication with our pups. It can be easier to refer back and check suggestions in a physical book too. Just don't let the pupper chew the pages! Make sure the author practises reward-based training and not an outdated system. A good example for your library is How to Train a Superdog by respected trainer Gwen Bailey, particularly pages 50-72 on Dog Talk.
Online courses have spung up all over the internet since lockdown. Some come from your local trainers working hard to stay in touch and keep their training groups going until they can open their doors again. Others are from experienced online training companies with plenty of back up, Facebook groups for people to chat and swap experiences, and sometimes accreditation points to take forward to further training.
The Centre for Excellence runs a very accessible Canine Communication Course. And it's nothing to do with crouching on the floor in downward dog barking at your pooch! You get sections on Facial expressions, Calming signals, Tail communication and how to communicate with anxious dogs, happy dogs, teenage dogs and a lot more. I chose this course from the many available because there's no time limit to finish, the materials are accessible indefinitely, and the student forum is positive and helpful.
Members of Driving with Dogs get a whopping 70% discount of all courses at the moment. Well worth checking out and a definite boost to the brain in lockdown! Use the code below to get your discount (you need to be signed in to see the code).
Are you a dog-trainer? Do you run Canine Communication Courses? Did you know that premium members can add their dog-training business to Driving with Dogs completely FREE?
