I need a recommendation for a excellent behavioural expert,
in the canine field - South Oxon, Berks Borders pls.

I have a dog with some dominance/territorial issues that need sorting.
I don't feel I have the confidence/knowledge needed to sort them
Thx

Tony Orchard in Oxon
Sarah Whitehead in Berks

Both excellent trainers and behaviourists; Sarah specialises in aggression

http://www.apdt.co.uk/list_trainers.asp

HTH

May I say, through experience here, that you can spend an awful lot of money (I have) and go through a lot of training (loads) but it doesn't change your dog's basic personality and previous experiences.  Mine is perfect at class/training, same as ever (bad) at home.  It might not be the same for everyone and I think the older the dog, the less likely to be retrained.  But, I think you have to take a view on the fact that your dog just might be a bit difficult (mine is!).  Hope its not the case for you!

CG

I've seen Tony at work - very 'hands on' and prepared to bring all sorts of techniques out of the tool box - I'd recommend him.

Thanks for the recommendations -
At mo am on SSP (£66 a week, from normally earning £300 gross) so can't afford to have
behaviourist give their opinion at the minute.
But will get them in, as soon as I can afford to, as at the weekend had an incident that could have had 'fatal' consequences
for the dog concerned i.e. PTS. :(
The dog concerned is a 6y.o. entire bitch, top bitch of 3, the others are her 3yo daughter and a 5 month pup, cousin of daughter.
She is highly territorial, i.e. must protect own property, inc car. She has a high prey-drive (hates anything in my garden even birds).
She has got worse since having pups three years ago.
Before then although a handful (lead puller & OTT with exhuberence), she was temperament tested and graded excellent etc.
Although always had a problem with people talking to her in funny accents/stinking of alcohol
(had an old drunk women right in her face as a 5/6 month pup, and was funny with strange accented people thereafter)
Kids next door climbed the tree (in their garden) adjacent to my 6ft high fencing, and started throwing sticks etc
at my dogs. This initially had all 3 dogs barking but then the oldest bitch started throwing herself at fence,
coming up level with fence height.
Despite my partner asking the kids to stop tormenting the dogs, they didn't, until the older bitch frightened them.
I am now worried that she could turn into a 'biter' upto this point she was fine with all people/children she knows but is
definately more 'on-guard' with unknown people/children. I need to stop her unfriendly attitude towards strangers
and snap her out of this unwanted unsocial behaviour :(

If you are insured, many companies will now pay out for behavioural advice :)

To be honest, i think your dog is acting fairly normally - any dog would go ballistic if remembering very bad occurences. Being teased by kids again is not your dog's fault, she is simply acting normally albeit in a way that is not "socially acceptable" :rolleyes: That rolleyes isn't directed at you, but at a society which would probably say it is OK for kids to misbehave but not for dogs to nip them when they tease dogs on purpose in your own garden.

This incident and similar ones will affect your dog and esp. now she will have learnt that she can probably scare kids by jumping up or whatever she did but at the end of the day, it will be very hard for a behaviourist to be successful in helping you unless these children are controllled although the behaviourist may have had many similar incidents so may have a good idea as to how best approach this.

Could you have a word withthe parents, or would it be possible to be watering the garden and oops! accidentally water the children and give them a good soaking!!! :D At the end of the day, you have a right to peaceably enjoy your home and please do not accept these children doing this.

I would suggest at the moment, improving recall and each time your dog responds, reward every time with something fantastic like a tripe stick (availalbe from Tesco etc) so that you can at least get her inside when the kids start up. If you have control, you are at least in part control of the situation. If you call your dogs at once when the kids start, they may get bored and stop after awhile, but never ever leave the dogs alone in the garden when the kids are likely to be there. And try not to let the dogs know you are upset re. the kids.

Sorry not to be of any more help.

Lindsay
X

Thanks for your constructive help Lindsay.
Yes all dogs are insured, however I don't think my policies cover behavioural advice, but I will check.

I'm starting back to basics again with her, and she's responding fairly quickly to
stopping barking at any little noise. She's very bright and does learn quickly.
Sadly the damage re kids next door can in part be blamed on their 3 cousins who used to live
there. They were fairly wild, and used to get away with alot. So for the last 4 years of her life
my girl (and the others) has put up with alot of tormenting from children that hang over the fence.
Sadly it is me that has been shouting at the kids to stop it and at my girl to stop her 'bad' behaviour.
The parents weren't that good at reprimanding the kids either.
However the new set that are in the house, the parent is very good and they (2 kids) are normally well behaved
and this is the first time that they have ever tormented the dogs. They normally only visit at a weekend.
My dogs are fine with my nephews and neices that come to visit. Although to be honest we don't get enough
visitors to our home. So the dogs don't get used to visitors/strangers every day of the week etc etc.
Socialising back to basics I think, I am now in the process of re-reading the training books I have (John Fisher etc)
to try and grasp the nettle (problem) until I can afford to get professional help.
I'm not a novice dog owner, but just a concerned one, concerned that I don't let this matter get out of hand.
I worry about falling foul of the dangerous dogs act etc, even though there is an 'excuse' of kids tormenting
there is no excuse (if that makes sense?) as I must be a responsible owner, even if it means I can't afford to relax when my dogs are in their own garden...

I'm pleased to hear that the children are usually well behaved, i was worried

You are wise to be concerned about the DDA. I do hope things work out well for you :)

Lindsay
X

If the dog(s)are in your own private garden the DDA does not cover as the dogs have to be in a public place or publically accessible place(which includes your car but not your garden) my rear garden is fenced & the gates padlocked & I have been advised by the neighbourhood bobby that this makes it private