Some of my lovely customers and friends will know that for some time now I have been helping with studies on a new diet designed to help dogs showing behaviour problems.

The affect of diet on behaviour is a fascinating subject.  Professional and secular opinions on the topic are often conflicting, probably because the desired outcome from feeding a specific diet can be so varied.  Whether a diet is ‘successful’ in meeting this outcome is subjective and may depend on the perceived effect on a dog’s coat, appearance, weight and musculature, their dietary tolerance for the food or general health.  Putting the placebo affect aside here, many owners have been able to successfully manage and control various health problems with dietary manipulations, resulting in a large market for dog food and supplements.  Each dog is individual and a ‘perfect diet’ for an individual dog will be based not only on the needs of the dog, but what the owner wants to do and achieve with that dog.  A working border collie will have differing nutritional requirements to a show collie. 

When I tell people that I offer a behaviour advice service just for cat owners, some people look at me like I am a little bit mad.  Which probably isn’t too far from the truth!

In 2014 I completed my first year of COAPE’s diploma in companion animal training and behaviour.  Whilst most people think of a pet behaviourist helping problem dogs, many are surprised to learn we also deal with problem cats!  Common problems include: 

This year Corrine is working on giving her clients even more information to help them navigate those early weeks of having a puppy.  Part of this approach includes writing new handouts for ForPaws dog and puppy training and walking clients that they can use to help address common training problems.  Below is an excerpt from our latest handout on Attention Seeking Behaviour.  If you would like our help in managing your puppy's attention seeking tactics, then sign up to our puppy training classes or training 121s today!

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"Most dogs simply love spending time with their human owners and tend to be rather ingenious at finding ways to get and keep their attention, which is one of the joys and blessings of having a dog!  However, like young children, many dogs do not understand the difference between the times when it is okay to seek our attention and the times when it is not and many can be very insistent that we focus on them all the time constantly, which can be exhausting and frustrating for new puppy ‘parents’.