Southend dog training

[AmongstTheCosmos]

Hi everyone, we are getting our very first puppy in the spring, as long as all goes well with the breeding etc. (We should get confirmation of the mum's pregnancy any day now.)

I have been starting to research training methods etc (and the breeder has recommended a physical dog trainer close to where we live for puppy training classes etc.) Instagram has started showing me reels from Southend Dog training - is this guy legit? He seems to have huge success with challenging and reactive dogs.

I'm very committed to getting the training right. I want a dog which is relaxed and able to cope with what life throws at it, as is nice to live with, so I'm trying to be as prepared as possible.

Any other online dog breeding expert recommendations would be much appreciated! Thanks!

Southend Dog Training use a lot of punishment based methods including e-collars and prong collars so not what I would want when training a puppy (or any dog). A shut down dog isn't a well-behaved dog, just a scared one.

Look into trainers using positive reward based methods (that are backed up by the scientific literature to be the best way to train). APDT or APBC are good organisations to search through to find a trainer near you. KikoPup on YouTube is also a good place to start, steer clear of the social media trainers until you know what to look for and what to avoid. Easy Peasy Puppy Squeezy would also be the first book to buy and read ☺️

^ @FoamRoller said everything I came here to say.

Try the Dog Training Advice and Support group on Facebook too - www.facebook.com/groups/dogtrainingadviceandsupport/?ref=share

I haven’t used his company personally, but I can say as a someone who has fostered rescues for donkeys years, he uses very similar or the same techniques as I’ve used successfully on dogs with multiple and varied behavioural issues.

I’ve recommended international friends use his videos and sign up to his online classes, and that’s online not in person, and they have all successfully trained out undesirable behaviour.

There is a ‘gentle parenting’ form of dog training, which I’ve seen many friends use on their dogs (along with very expensive dog trainers) and their dogs are little shits, which they shouldn’t be, given they aren’t rescues with issues to train out. These types don’t like his training methods and wilfully misunderstand it, but if you want to become another frustrated dog owner with a badly behaved dog give them a go 😅

He clearly loves dogs and has many grateful customers, so I think he works personally.

I like ladies working dog group. Really supportive and lots of trainers with different approaches.

the right way to train is what works for the dog in front of you. So different approaches will work for different dogs.

personally I think Southend is a bit of clickbait, but the methods are too harsh for me- they might have a place with some “last chance” dogs, but not necessary for a puppy at all

Thanks everyone for the comments and advice. I have ordered easy peasy puppy squeezy and I'll join the Facebook groups too.

The breeder seems really helpful and is obviously very keen for it to work so I'm sure she'll be a useful source of information and support once we have the dog. We also have friends with lovely well trained dogs and I'll be asking them for tips and advice too!

Ladies working dog group is great.

I am on a spaniel/spaniel cross specialist group and the behaviourist/trainer on there is superb. Positive reinforcement, totally unjudgy and shows us when her dogs aren't perfect.

There's a lot of pressure to have a dog who is perfectly behaved all the time. It's not reality. I fell into that trap and as soon as I accepted the bad days where his recall is slow, or he just doesn't get/do what I am asking I know now to stop, switch it up and try again tomorrow.

I don't like SDT, there's a lot of negative reinforcement. Worringly, I've also seen old Caesar videos being shared on social media for dog training as well - a notorious negative reinforcement trainer.

Positive reinforcement is the way forward for happy dogs.

I agree I think SDT uses far too much negative reinforcement
While I think there can be a place for it, e collars and prong collars are abuse. End of.

No, avoid them. As others have said they use discredited punishment methods. Join the Dog Training Advice and Support group on Facebook - they have loads of written resources uploaded to the group that you can read and once you’ve read their guides you can ask for further advice. They also have a book available on Amazon - the admins are all qualified trainers and behaviorists. Also follow Louise Glazebrook on insta, she gives great advice too.

I completely disagree with previous posters. Yes, SDT do actively have some people use ecollars or prong collars. Ultimately they are only meant to be a training and tool, and are long term removed once the training has happened. And also, it's in extreme circumstances often. Prongs are not abuse. Educate yourself. Or better put one on your own neck and check it out, won't hurt.

I have personally watched someone turn their dogs around with support from SDT. And the large majority of the training is positive reinforcement. People really talk bollocks sometimes.

Thing is, it’s not really even about happy dogs. It’s not just that it’s nicer, it’s more effective - it’s just behavioural science but broken down into dog training.

“Educate yourself. Or better put one on your own neck and check it out, won't hurt.”

Then why would anyone use one? Either they hurt, but people think it’s worth it because they’re hoping the dog stops a behaviour or they’re a huge waste of time and you’d be as well using a flat collar.