MK9Plus Dog Training and Behaviour

  The Hidden Truth About Smelly Plug-ins for Dogs We've all been there: a loud bang, a thunderstorm, or the vacuum turning on, and our beloved furry friend starts trembling in fear. Seeking out a quick solution, many dog owners turn to those smelly plug-ins that promise to calm your pet. But are these plug-ins truly the answer, or could they be worsening the problem? The Intended Use of Calming Plug-ins The idea behind these scented plug-ins is straightforward: they're designed to release calming aromas that can help soothe anxious dogs and promote sleep. On the surface, it seems like a brilliant, hassle-free solution. However, there’s a catch. The Unintended Side-Effect: Conditioning Fear Imagine this: every time your dog shows signs of fear, you rush to plug in that calming scent. Over time, instead of associating the aroma with peace and relaxation, your dog might start thinking, "Every time I smell this, something bad or scary happens." This is classical condition...

Have you ever wondered why I advocate for using harnesses and food as the primary tools for dog training? In a world filled with prongs, haltis, and slip leads promising quick results, it's essential to understand the underlying causes of your dogs Behaviours. In this blog post, I'll delve into the reasons why we prioritise harnesses and food and why that truly is all you need when you’re doing things right. Open your mind and get ready for a life-changing perspective on dog training! Addressing the Whole Dog: As your mentor, my role extends beyond addressing simple behaviour issues like lead pulling. Dogs can pull on the lead and the training fails for various reasons, such as high arousal, under stimulation, frustration, or stress. It's crucial to recognise that relying solely on equipment doesn't train a dog; it only forces the behaviour to stop. The root causes of pulling still persist, and the dog needs more help in the future as they develop further issues. The Po...

When teaching your puppy toilet training, one mistake many people make is scolding or punishing them for accidents inside the house. This can cause a major issue, which we'll get to shortly. The most effective way of toilet training is a method called "trial-and-error learning" or "operant conditioning." To use this method, set a timer on your phone for every 15 minutes (if your puppy is 8 weeks old, increase the timer by about 5-10 minutes every week) and take your puppy outside when it goes off. Once they finish going to the toilet, reward them with a treat. During the first week or two, it's a good idea to use special treats just for toilet training to make them more valuable to the puppy. It's important to remember that scolding or punishing your puppy for accidents inside the house can lead to negative associations with going to the toilet and may cause the puppy to only go when you're not around, in order to avoid punishment. Instead, it's ...