Journal Articles

"Should you pet your dog when they're eating?" and other food related questions
Discussion James McMahon Discussion James McMahon

"Should you pet your dog when they're eating?" and other food related questions

Resource guarding and food based aggression can be an incredibly serious issue in the home - it’s distressing for dogs and their owners when something as simple as feeding your dog becomes a major source of tension. In this blog post, I’m going to discuss some of the key suggestions for prevention and resolution that are common in the industry - and what the best option for you is.

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Popular Problems - How do I stop my puppy biting?
Discussion, Puppies James McMahon Discussion, Puppies James McMahon

Popular Problems - How do I stop my puppy biting?

One of the most common questions I hear from new puppy owners, and a very common question in the community is about puppy biting. I have people get in contact who are worried their new puppy might be a genetic bad apple of the littler, aggressive and dangerous, physiologically damaged, dominant - you name it, i’ve probably heard it!

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The Dog Training 'Con' of low Expectations
James McMahon James McMahon

The Dog Training 'Con' of low Expectations

It is increasingly common that trainers work on a basis of techniques which feel like they’re the right thing to do, but have little to no beneficial impact on your dogs behaviour. But because they set incredibly low expectations of how quickly a dog can learn or change, people fall into the trap of spending vast amounts of time and money on an ineffective process and ideology, waiting for the moment that never arrives.

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The weirdest and worst dog training 'advice' I've ever heard!
Discussion James McMahon Discussion James McMahon

The weirdest and worst dog training 'advice' I've ever heard!

I’ve worked with a lot of clients who come to me after 2, 3 or more other trainers and find themselves no further forwards. The more advice they get, the harder it is to filter out the good from the bad - and it can end up really confusing and stressful for you and your dog! So this post is dedicated to some of the weirdest and worst suggestions I’ve ever heard - and of course the correct approach you should be taking instead:

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Easy Lead Walking - Check out Our Video!
Video James McMahon Video James McMahon

Easy Lead Walking - Check out Our Video!

Walking your dog calmly on the lead Is an incredibly important skill to learn - and something I often work on with my clients. It’s also not something that’s too easy to explain in writing, so we made a quick video earlier this year for you to enjoy!

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Welcome 2020!
James McMahon James McMahon

Welcome 2020!

With 2020 just around the corner, we wanted to let you know about some exciting updates for the year ahead!

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An awesome Day at Bark in the Park 2019
James McMahon James McMahon

An awesome Day at Bark in the Park 2019

We’ve just finished up with Redcar and Cleveland MIND's first ever bark in the park, and had an amazing time meeting so many dogs and working with their owners on some of the issues they are having!

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Bark in the Park! Charity Dog Walk with MIND
James McMahon James McMahon

Bark in the Park! Charity Dog Walk with MIND

On July 6th, MIND will be hosting ‘Bark in the Park’ - a Charity Dog walk in Locke Park in Redcar. We love the work that the folks at MIND do, so we will be helping out, hosting talks on how Mental Health impacts our dogs, the benefits of getting out for a walk with your canine pal, AND we’ll be offering free tips, training and support on the day! If you’re local to Redcar, we’d love to see you there.

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Over excited dog? Hyperactive human
Discussion James McMahon Discussion James McMahon

Over excited dog? Hyperactive human

In the dog world, hyperactivity and overexcitement is a big problem. It’s not a natural way for a dog to behave. It normally perceived as disrespectful to other dogs - particularly jumping on other dogs, repeatedly nudging their undersides, or not respecting their space and warning signals. It’s not actually enjoyable for hyperactive dogs either. It’s a bit like living off energy drinks all day every day.

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How to make your dog truly happy for free
James McMahon James McMahon

How to make your dog truly happy for free

…dogs haven’t changed. What’s changed is that the more we treat our dogs in the same way as people, the less we respect them as dogs. We don’t respect them for who they are, and as a society we don’t fulfil many of our dogs most basic needs. We can all do better.

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