28/05/2026
🐕🦺 As we head towards the end of a very hot week, I’ve seen and read things relating to dogs that at best can only be described as downright stupid.
Dogs have suffered and died needlessly.
When we welcome a puppy or an older dog into our home and our lives, we undertake legal obligations under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
At its most basic, this means that we must provide:
a suitable environment with security, shelter and a comfortable bed;
a suitable diet with access to fresh water at all times and the right type of food to maintain health;
opportunities to engage in natural behaviours, to play and exercise;
social companionship tailored to the individual dog;
protection from pain, suffering, injury and disease.
Ignorance of the law excuses no-one.
Having had a couple of “rest” days, Kermit and I were up early this morning for a mooch around the neighbourhood.
There was a very welcome breeze and the ground was deliciously damp following an overnight thunderstorm.
I encountered a number of owners doing exactly the same and it was all very relaxing.
We then encountered a very different scenario as an owner appeared with their dog who was immediately triggered by the sight of Kermit.
We were on the opposite side of a road in a grassed area.
The dog was on the end of a retractable lead and the owner, unsurprisingly, had no control.
A barking, lunging frenzy ensued. Overstimulation and frustration was evident rather than fear or anxiety.
I moved Kermit as far back as I could and engaged him with me, thinking that would give the owner space to move on.
Instead, after having repeatedly told the dog off with no effect whatsoever, the owner stopped, produced a head halter attached to a short lead, wrestled it (quite literally) onto the dog, unclipped the retractable lead, yanked the dog into position and told it in no uncertain terms to “now walk nicely”.
The dog had no choice. The halter was tight around it’s muzzle, sitting close to its eyes.
As it started to walk away, its back was arched, its tail between its legs.
A very unpleasant sight and clearly a very uncomfortable dog.
Keeping an appropriate distance, we continued on the other side of the road.
Unfortunately, for the owner and the dog, they then encountered another dog across another road.
The owner stopped, tightening and shortening the lead even more.
At this point, the dog lost the plot, frantically pawing at the head halter, rubbing its head on the pavement and overcoming the restraint of the halter to start barking furiously.
At this point, Kermit and I turned in the opposite direction, crossed another road to increase even more distance and continued with our mooch.
As I looked back, the owner was still in the same spot, pinning her dog to her side.
This whole scenario doesn’t need any “knowledge of circumstances” as so often appears in social media comments.
This was quite clearly an owner who has made no effort to understand or train their dog, instead relying on equipment that is not fit for purpose and an attitude of you do as I say with no regard for the dogs welfare.
Training underpins our fundamental relationship with our dogs.
BUT (and it is a very big BUT) good training, the best training, is not about “obedience”.
Obedience is great but it is now a canine sport in its own right.
Training is not about learning to stay in a line-up of dogs for a timed duration or heeling off-lead.
These may be fun things to try or nice things to have but it doesn’t necessarily make for a well-mannered dog who is able to cope with everything that life throws at them and what we might need of them.
Of course, good foundations underpin manners and these are essentials that we should all be gently teaching our puppies from those very first few days that we welcome them into our family.
Of course we’re going to have rules and boundaries.
Clarity, consistency, routine, predictability underpin learning.
But ultimately, the best training focuses on relationship, connection, communication, mutual understanding, trust, positivity and reward.
How we apply what we teach is key.
There is no excuse for not understanding our dogs and working with our dogs.
There is no place for equipment that causes discomfort or pain or causes a dog to react against it.
There should be no argument for using any kind of correction.
Training should be relaxed, enjoyable, positive and highly rewarding for both ends of the lead.
Training should be ongoing because neither us as humans or our dogs have the capacity to stop learning.
As a trainer, my approach is grounded in behavioural science alongside practical real life application, enormous respect for the living, breathing, emotionally driven animal that is on the other end of the lead and fun.
As owners, we are responsible for our dogs and have responsibilities to our dogs.
Training and understanding is never optional 🩵
