Dog Listener's Newsletter

We now have a new tool to help us spread the word about Amichien Bonding - the kind natural way to communicate with your dogs. Our own Newsletter. The first edition has just been published and you will be able to access it by clicking on the link below.

It carries a number of articles and I'm involved in three of them. Yellowstone Experience (I'm far right in the picture wearing a fetching little hat). Featured Dog Listeners about our involvement with rescue dogs from Afghanistan and their appearance at Crufts and finally, under the heading Health News is an article I wrote about Electric Shock Collars.

I don't yet know how often this Newsletter will be published but hope to keep getting involved in its content.

Read and enjoy. As always, any feedback welcome. http://www.listeningtoday.co.uk/

Forthcoming Talks

During the second half of 2008 Jan Fennell is giving the following talks


Sunday 24th August 2008 : 11am For prompt start until 16:30 - Taunton, Somerset A Day with Jan Fennell The Dog Listener

VENUE: WellspringsLeisure Centre,Cheddon Rd, Taunton, Somerset TA2 7QP
24th August 2008
Usual format for Talk and Q&A:
Tickets £35.00 to include a Buffet Lunch
All Proceeds (including Jan's Fee) to go to
The Blue Cross - The St Margarets Hospice (Taunton)
The Cystic Fibrosis Trust and The Bornfree Foundation
Part 1: appx 90 minutes talking then answers a few questions
Break for Lunch (Jan is signing books and writing questions for part 2 ).
Part 2: Jan comprehensively explains the 4 core elements of "Amichien Bonding" then continues answering questions.
For more information and tickets please telephone or email the contacts below Pam Shaw or Carly Warren.
Books and DVDs will be on sale throughout (all major cards accepted)
Telephone: Pam Shaw 01823 321540 or Carly Warren 01460 240773
Email: pamshaw11@tiscali.co.uk or carly@tbdp.co.uk

Sunday 5th October 2008 : 13:30 till 18:00 - Runnymead Hall Kiln Road Thundersley SS7 1TFAn Afternoon with Jan Fennell The Dog Listener in ESSEX
LECTURE - Q&A - Book/DVD sales and signing
Part 1: appx 90 minutes talking then answers a few questions - break for tea/coffee/snack usually for 30 - 45 mins (Jan is signing books and writing questions for part 2 ).
Part 2: Jan comprehensively explains the 4 core elements of "Amichien Bonding" then continues answering questions.
Books and DVDs will be on sale throughout (all major cards accepted)
VENUE The Runnymead Hall Kiln Road Thundersley SS7 1TF
Admission: advanced booking £18.00 or £20.00 at the door
For bookings please phone:
Julie Abbott on 07771 817097
Rachael Messiter 07747 022732
http://www.essexdoglisteners.com/
Telephone: 07771817097 or 07747022732 WWW: http://www.essexdoglisteners.com/

Saturday 15th November 2008 : 13.30 Onwards - The Wynward Rooms, Wynward, Cleveland. TS22 5BTAn Afternoon with Jan Fennell - Saturday 15th November 2008
An Afternoon with the Jan Fennell "The Dog Listener"
Jan Fennell "The Dog Listener" is coming to the North East!
The Wynward Rooms, Wynward, Cleveland TS22 5BT
LECTURE - Q&A - Book/DVD sales and signing
Part 1: appx 90 minutes talking then answers a few questions - break for tea/coffee/snack usually for 30 - 45 mins (Jan is signing books and writing questions for part 2 ).
Part 2: Jan comprehensively explains the 4 core elements of "Amichien Bonding" then continues answering questions.
Books and DVDs will be on sale throughout (all major cards accepted)
Admission by ticket only to include refreshments£20.00
For further information, please contact:
Karen 01740 620471 karen@pawscrossed.co.uk
Georgie 01609 883225 georgiebowe@aol.com
Margaret 01830 540213 k9_concerns@btinternet.com

There are also open days where Jan is speaking at Notcutts Garden Centres at Cambridge, Norwich, Oxford (27th July), and Peterborough. Except for the Oxford talk I don't have the dates to hand but if any of these Notcutts are near you then contact them for full details

Jan is a truly motivational speaker. If you haven't heard her before then I urge you to attend and defy you not to be convinced. I will be attending both the Oxford and Taunton events to assist. If you attend either of these events please come and say hello. I will be giving two talks in my own right the first to a private club in Haslemere on 2nd July and a second at 1030 Sunday 20th July for Southern Collie Club at Lloyd Hall, Brickfield Road, Outwood, Surrey.

Be there or be a rectangular thing.

New Consumer Protection Laws

Today sees a massive shake up in Consumer Protection Laws giving major new powers to, amongst others, Trading Standards Officers. To tackle 'Rogue Traders' It is said to be the biggest change for forty years.

Things were much different then. In 1968 the Vietnam War was still raging, London was 'Swinging London', the mini skirt was at its height, in more ways than one and I was a young single Policeman with hair and a Fender Stratocaster, living in Soho just around the corner from Carnaby Street. Life was much simpler then and although there have always been con artists and cowboys queing up to take peoples money, it has, without doubt got much worse in recent years.

There are many ways that people can be misled into parting from their money from complete lies to just giving the impression that a person is qualified and experienced enough to competently undertake the task required by the client when they are patently not. In the world of 'Dog Training' when you encounter one of these often well meaning people and it all goes horribly wrong, it will not be their fault, oh no, it will be your fault for having that particular breed of dog, whatever it might be. "Well if you will get a (fill in breed name here), what do you expect?" Is what you'll hear, or maybe "That dog's over the top" or "Your dog's stupid, you won't be able to do anything with him".

In the canine world there is nothing to stop anyone from hiring a church hall and advertising 'Dog Training Classes' and taking peoples money when in fact they have little or no experience with dogs other than their own pet pooch at home. Indeed there is one very well known personality who makes a very good living from giving advice in how to deal with canine behavioural problems, who has never owned a dog. Another person in the same line of work who, although having some background in dogs, seriously over states their CV. Of course if someone had letters after their name that might reassure you. You could be misled. There are organisations that people can join, the only entry criteria being whether they can afford the fee, which then allow them to put a string of letters on their website. Poor old Joe Public comes along and says, "Hey these people are well qualified, lets go with them". Another ploy used by some people is to set up their own organisation which can allow letters to be used. There is one such person who lists themself as 'Chairman and Founder Member' of the particular association. Of course I can't help but wonder how many other members there are. Is this person any good? Who knows, but always check the reality behind the window dressing before spending money it may save you both grief and money further down the line.

There are many good 'dog people' out there I'm not trying to scaremonger I'm just saying be careful. If it's an obedience club, agility, field trials, flyball or any other dog activity that takes your fancy then go along without your dog and just watch. Do the instructors seem competent? Do they need to use gadgets to achieve the desired result? Is there any aggression used either verbal or physical? do the owners seem happy? And most important of all, how are the dogs reacting? Always ask questions. If the trainer, consultant, listener or whisperer, the title doesn't matter, is evasive then walk away. If your instinct makes you unsure then you're probably right.

As a 'Jan Fennell Dog Listener' I welcome this legislation because I know that I, and all of my colleagues working under Jan's name, with her blessing, are squeaky clean. Jan is a very strong lady who holds the integrity of 'Amichien Bonding' as sacrosanct. This system is her baby, she developed and refined it and introduced the rest of the canine world to it and she's not going to let others come along and hijack it.

Why would people do that? Because when the words Dog Listener are used, even if they don't know her name people think of Jan Fennell. As a result it's easy for people to use the name or variations of it to hitch their waggon to a rising star, much easier than making your own reputation isn't it? Jan could very easily have sold franchises as other organisations do and she'd have been a very rich woman. However the welfare of both dog and owner has always been Jan's first and only concern.

When someone approaches Jan wishing to become a Dog Listener they have to attend a foundation course. At this time Jan will decide if the student has the potential to go further. If so they are invited (just paying some money won't do) to attend the advanced course. On successful completion of this course they become a 'Non Active Dog Listener' moving on to 'Preliminary Dog Listener' then to 'Recommended Associate Dog Listener' and then 'Highly Recommended Dog Listener'. At every stage to progress to the next level or maintain their current status, every Dog Listener must fulfill a number of strictly enforced criteria including, every client having phone or email back up for the life of their dog and full case histories of consultations going to Jan so that she can monitor the standard of work and contact clients direct. Every client is given an evaluation form which goes direct to Jan as a quality control measure. Every Dog Listener that reaches and maintains the standards set by Jan is listed on her website.

So if you need help with your dog and you find someone on the internet, not matter what they call themselves or describe their work, before you book them check Jan's website and see if the 'Dog Listener (or variant) is listed. If not I suggest that you adopt the voice of a night club doorman and say, "If your name's not on the list, you're not coming in"

Wolf Watching

As promised an update on my exploits watching wolves in Montana and Wyoming. It's been delayed because I never dreamed I would be so busy.

In early February I flew from Heathrow to Chicago meeting up with several other dog Listeners on the way. After an overnight stop we flew to Bozeman, Montana where the whole group assembled and met our guides Nathan and Linda, biologists who had been involved in the re-introduction of wolves to Yellowstone from its inception to the present. To say that they were knowledgeable would be doing them a grave injustice. They not only seemed to know everything but everyone as well. Nathan had been brought up in Yellowstone and through his research and involvement with the wolf project had met and married Linda. If you want to go on a trip of a life time then you will not do better than to contact them at http://www.wolftracker.com/ they were great from arrival to departure.

As well as Nathan and Linda our group also included Jan Fennell and Dog Listeners not only from the UK and Ireland but also the USA, New Zealand and Belgium. We then had fairly lengthy drive to Gardiner Montana our first base of operations. The weather was cold and the snow deep but we were well equipped and so able to deal with it. The evening of the first day ended with an evening meal and presentation at the Animal Track Education Centre, a place we would come to know well.

The following (and every other) morning we were up, dressed and out in the car park before 0600 to await the arrival of Nathan and Linda. They arrived punctually as always and straight away started dispensing coffee, hot chocolate (my favourite) and breakfast such as hot Danish pastries and other decadent nibbles. It was great! Every morning breakfast was different but always good.

After breakfast it was into the vehicles and off to the Northern Range where we spent a lot of our time in the first phase of the trip in and around Lamar Valley and Slough Creek. we hadn't been on the road long when a lone black wolf popped out onto the road in front of us and disappeared up the bank opposite. It wasn't a well animal and was thought to be a survivor of a pack that had been decimated. Very sad and our hearts went out to her but nature in the raw is a hard taskmaster. We were to see this wolf several times during our stay and she seemed to be holding on, no mean feat for a young animal without the support of a pack.

Every morning we would get to our observation points and the spotting scopes would go up and as always, guided by Nathan and Linda almost at once we would start seeing wolves. I've spoken to people who've been wolf spotting and seen virtually nothing. Everyday we saw something tremendous. We saw three of the major packs in Yellowstone, the Druid Peak pack, the Slough Creek pack (a lot of history between those two) and the seldom seen Leopold pack as well as several unknown wolves. We witnessed the Alphas of the Druids mating, one of the 'unknowns' trying to seduce and lure away at least one of the Druid daughters to start a new pack. We saw wolves at a kill being 'mugged' by ravens. There were just so many behaviours on show. Play, courtship, mating, discipline, relaxation, guarding and parenting. Each of these behaviours invaluable to us in our work with 'canis familiaris' the domestic dog. Throughout the day we would eat a variety of things standing in the snow. Cold meats, cheese, peanut butter maybe some soup. You would think that we would suffer from the cold but we didn't.

Perhaps the hardest physical part of the trip was an uphill snowshoe trek to see an abandoned wolf den. To say that using snowshoes requires a little skill and co-ordination would be an understatement. We made it after much falling over and giggling but of course we had to get back and now we were tired and heading downhill in thin air which makes breating difficult. I really hated gravity that day.

We would watch wolves until it got too dark and then it was back for a freshen up and then to the education centre and the one hot meal of the day while enjoying some tremendous presentations from some of the major names in wolf research. people like Jim Halfpenny, Daniel Stahler, Bob Landis, film maker, who has won an Emmy for his films on Yellowstone wolves. He showed us, as yet unshown footage for his next film. we were entertained one lunchtime at the home of Dan Hartman naturalist and wildlife photographer. The beauty of where Dan lives is just amazing. This is a word that was used a lot by our group, so much so that it was banned. It cost anyone saying amazing in any context a bottle of wine. It was at Dan's house that I took a picture of a Pine Marten of which I'm quite proud.

Although the object of the trip was to research wolves and that's what we did on most days from morning 'til night we also saw a host of other wildlife and their behaviours such as coyotes, also a fascinating animal one of whom came very close to me in the field. He was wearing a radio collar so that he could be tracked. We also saw Bison, the most dangerous animals in the park, Elk, Pronghorns and all manner of birds including Bald Eagles that I felt a certain affinity with. We did not see any bears in the wild as they were hibernating although we did see several in a rescue centre that had been orphaned.

For the second part of the trip we were based in the town of West Yellowstone a bit more modern than Gardiner which gave us access to other areas of the park and its wildlife. It was from here that we had a tracked 'snow coach' to visit the area around 'Old Faithful'. The trip was eventful from the start when we waited in vain for the coach. Several phone calls and another wait later it turned up. Its appearance didn't fill me with confidence as we were travelling a fair distance into a hostile environment where mobile phones didn't work. We set off and the vehicle didn't sound or feel right. As the morale officer I was saying things like "we're going to break down". or "I can smell burning". Unusually I was right, because it was at this point that the vehicle filled with smoke and steam and we came to a halt. Luckily the vehicle was fitted with a radio and a replacement vehicle was brought out to us. This was much newer and more comfortable so we continued our journey. we visited 'Old Faithful' and saw it blow, this was probably the only part of the whole trip that didn't impress me. It was OK but I was expecting something earthshaking but it just went 'phut, phut.........phut, phut, phut' and then a mild 'whoosh' and it was all over. It's only well known because of its regularity. Some of the other geysers, and there are many, I found much more interesting because you just never know, if.....or when? Particularly when I found that some of the geysers we were looking at featured in a book I'd bought about 'Death in Yellowstone' one of the two most bought books in the park. I also bought a copy of the second most popular for my grandson, James. It is the delightfully titled 'Who Pooped in the Park?'

This final part of our trip gave us some time in the evenings and we were able to discover a local restaurant and bar by the name of 'Bullwinkles' where we had some good times. the locals wherever we went were really friendly but at Bullwinkles after having had a whole cow on your plate we were able to relax and mingle with the locals over a glass of the local beer 'Moose Drool' or, for the ladies, a glass of wine from the local label 'Three Blind Moose' I'm sure you've heard the saying "it does what it says on the label"?

At the end of our stay we all agreed that we'd had a wonderful time and that we would return, it was a fabulous experience. Although I'm not allowed to say amazing, I will say that I now know why Americans say 'Awesome' so much, because it is.

If you get the chance to see the wolves just do it. If you want five star comfort and spas save your money but if you want tremendous company, amazing (there I've said it and don't care) experiences, warm, clean basic hotels and don't forget............MOOSE DROOL!!!!! Then book now.

New Year New Status

Well here we are in 2008 and my trip to Montana to visit the wolves is getting ever closer. I have a very busy year ahead with many engagements already booked. I am, for once, so organised that I didn't think anything could surprise me. I was wrong.

I was until recently a 'Recommended Associate Dog Listener' which was the highest achievable ranking in the world of Dog Listeners. It's a hard earned title starting with attending a foundation course run by Jan Fennell 'The Dog Listener'. Selected people who successfully complete that course are invited to attend the advanced course. All the participants are selected personally by Jan as having that 'certain something.' Once the course is completed it's a long road fulfilling a number of criteria involving consultations, evaluations, canine welfare work moving fom 'Non Active' to 'Preliminary Dog Listener' to the highly coveted 'Recommended Associate Dog Listener' . When I got there I thought I had it made.

Imagine my astonishment (and a little bit of pride) when Jan announced that she was introducing a new enhanced status for a small number of 'Recommended Associates' who would be known as 'Highly Recommended Dog Listeners' And that I was one of them. For once my name was on the list and I was getting in;-)

I'm not after fame and fortune, just recognition and money.

Looking Forward to 2008

This will probably be the last post of 2007. A big thank you to those who have contacted me either through the blog or directly. I take note of all your comments either positive or negative. Even if you do not agree with everything I say, and if I have not been able to convince you that using Amichien Bonding and being non confrontational or non violent to your dog is the way forward. At least I hope it has caused you to stop and think, if only for a moment, that oppression of any sort only works in a limited and short term way.

2007 was hectic and next year promises to be even more so. We had petitions to Downing Street to ban the use of cruel training aids such as prong collars and electric collars. The Government response was predictable. They care deeply about animal welfare (really they do). Yeah right.

My understanding of their response was 'When dogs get the vote, come and see us. Until then we're not interested.'

Well perhaps we can focus their minds a little more next year, which can I remind you is 2008. The Government MUST call an election by 2009. They have dug themselves into a deeper and deeper hole over the last few months. They have sent the armed forces to war with inadequate equipment or back up and then cocked up their pay so that some serviceman are unable to pay their mortgages. They have upset nurses by reneging on their pay agreement and now they've done the same to the police. Think of all those Service men and women, doctors, nurses and police who are thoroughly disenchanted with the government. Don't forget that all of those workers have families who can also vote! How many of these people live in marginal constituencies?

If the government want to get re-elected they need to get their act together. The same applies to the opposition parties hoping to take power from them. Therefore the plan for 2008 is to put all parties in a position in which they agree BEFORE the election that, should they win, they will take steps to ban all such equipment.

I'm off to Montana in early February with Jan Fennell, to see the wolves of Yellowstone, but on my return I will be kick-starting the campaign with letters to every sitting MP no matter if in government or opposition. Also letters to every prospective Parliamentary candidate of all parties and in every constituency. I will have template letters on my website for you to download. A petition is one contact as far as a politician is concerned, a letter needs to be read and responded to on an individual basis.

It's all go getting ready for Montana at the moment. I got a fair amount of the specialist kit I need as Christmas presents so I just need to top up with thermal underwear and I'm ready to go. My wife, Rosemary is great and has been very supportive. I think that at first she would have liked to go as well although it is a research based trip and not a holiday, but when I got all the paperwork and saw that snow-shoes are supplied she lost all enthusiasm for the project.

Of course I have to show my appreciation of her support and so offered to take her anywhere she wanted. She said "Somewhere warm with some culture." My first offer of a holiday job in a yogurt factory didn't go down too well so it will probably be Greece or Florence instead.

I've Been to the Dogs But Now.........

I'm going to the wolves! The trip of a lifetime, early in February I will be in Montana watching wolves in their home environment. I will be going with Jan Fennell, the founder of the 'Amichien Bonding' method of canine communication, and several other 'Dog Listeners' from around the world. The whole philosophy of Dog Listeners is based on the way wolves and other wild canines interact in the wild.

This will be no holiday but a huge educaion, the trip is research based with, in addition to all the wolf spotting, presentations from wildlife biologists who specialise in and have been involved in the Yellowstone wolf recovery since its inception. We will also be meeting and having presentations from a number of other biologists, naturalists, film makers specialising in wolves and of course Jan Fennell herself. we will have expert guides with us at all times to put us in the right place at the right time to see the wolves interact in a natural way. we will be using snow shoes to get deep into the wolves heartland. I hope to get close-up, but as it will be the height of the breeding season, not too personal!

I expect it to be very cold, physically demanding but hugely enjoyable. The hands on knowledge that I get will be of immense value when dealing with clients dogs in the UK. I hope to come back with thighs of iron and a finely honed body. Of course I also hope for world peace but that's not going to happen either.

Hopefully I will return with some good photos and video together with some hair raising stories. Watch this space.

Christmas is Coming

Now that the annual two month period that makes up 'Bonfire Night' is nearly over we are well into the the run up to Christmas.

Both these periods are very busy ones for me and my fellow Dog Listeners. The phone rings off the hook.

Problems with dogs and fireworks fall into two categories, either the dog is traumatised and afraid or they go into 'Defence Drive' and want to face the threat and fight it off. Both of these reactions are incredibly stressful to both dog and owners.

What can 'Dog Listeners' do to reduce the effect of the firework season? A huge amount, but it makes it so much easier if you put the measures in place before all the noise starts, rather than wait until your best friend is suffering a nervous reaction. Then, next time the rockets come out your dogs reaction will be, "Am I bovvered?"

The same thing applies at Christmas. You have a house full of people many of whom you haven't seen since last year. There are excited children and noisy toys. Family arguments, loads of food and even more drink.

Dogs generally don't celebrate Christmas. All they know is that the pack dynamic has changed. They ask questions "Who are all these people in my den? Why are they so noisy? Why do they all think they can sing? Why do they give one another packets of socks?" And, most important of all "Why, when they leave nuts, sausage rolls and Christmas cake laying about where I can reach it do they then get upset when I throw up in Great Aunt Mary's handbag? How was I to know that a silly little thing like that would cause her to change her will?"

If you think Christmas is stressful for humans just try being a dog. At least you can get drunk or go to the bathroom with a book to have some 'time out'. The dog is trapped and at the mercy of a pack of humans who, are all of course, dog experts. They'll all shout contradictory commands at the dog and think it thick when it does not respond.

So, if you have a dog and expect a hectic household at Christmas I strongly recommend that you prepare in plenty of time. If you think that it might get too much for your dog contact a 'Qualified' Dog Listener, preferably me if you live in Southern England, before the problem arises. If you live out of my area I can still assist you by putting you in touch with your nearest 'Qualified' Dog Listener. I know that I keep stressing the word qualified but it is for a reason. There are a number of people who give themselves the title when they have no connection with Amichien Bonding at all. I know of one person who uses the title and advocates (and sells) electric shock collars and other cruel and stress inducing equipment. If you're not sure if someone is genuine go to Jan Fennell's website and there you will find all fully trained Dog Listeners both in the UK and around the world listed. They are either 'Recommended Associate Dog Listeners' like myself, or, 'Preliminary Dog Listeners' who are working their way to full accreditation. If they're not on either list then they're bogus. If you decide against employing a Dog Listener then at the very least buy a copy of 'The Dog Listener' and read it. Do it now so that you can take action early.

Whatever else you do PLEASE DO NOT buy a dog as a present. It will only end in tears. the pup will be removed from it's Mother and siblings and placed into what will seem like a madhouse to them. They will get under peoples feet, they will not have time to work out where they fit into this new pack, you will not have time to start with house training which in turn inevitably will mean 'accidents'. The list of problems is endless. If you are being nagged to buy a puppy then wait until spring when people are more relaxed and you can have the outside doors open more often to help with house training. But what can you give at Christmas in place of a puppy? You can give a vitual puppy, a picture of a dog that the recipient can change for a real animal in the Spring. you could also give leads, collars, food and waterbowls as well as a copy of 'The Seven Ages of Your Dog' by Jan Fennell which is a brilliant book and covers from birth to death and everything in between.

A couple of bits of advice, if you're going to book a 'Dog Listener' don't hang about, we tend to get very busy around this time of year when people remember what happened last year. We also have a rush of bookings straight after the festive season with clients wanting to avoid a repetition of the latest 'stressfest'. If you want to buy any of the books mentioned the simplest way is to go to the links page of my website.

If you give a dog, you're not giving a present you're giving a life. Can the recipient deal with that?

Doing some catching up

It's fairly apparent that except for the last couple of days I haven't been blogging very much lately. "Why not?" Or maybe "Thank God" I hear you cry. The simple answer is, workload. This is good for me because I love what I do. I hope that it is also good for the dogs and their owners that I deal with on a daily basis.

I saw in the papers yesterday that Britain is now a nation of bloggers with over four million people blogging regularly. It seems that 23% of women and 17% of men blog daily. I'm sure that fascinating as my day to day life is, you don't want to read about it. It is my intention to only write a blog when I have something to say rather than take you through my breakfast menu (Quaker oats with golden syrup, a banana and coffee if you must know). We should be living our lives rather than recording every waking moment.

One episode I must mention is an evening spent at Merrist Wood Agricultural College watching the legendary and iconic Monty Roberts: 'The Horse Whisperer' or, as he prefers to be called, 'The Man Who Listens To Horses.' When you've worked as a Police Officer for the 35 years that I did, you find yourself not easily impressed by people just because they are 'celebs' whatever that means. But I defy you to attend one of Monty's demonstrations and not come away awe struck. it's not just what he achieves with these 'untrainable ' horses in such a short time but the way that he does it, quietly, gently with no flashiness or gimmicks. He is a modest committed man whose only concern is for the welfare of the horses. If you get a chance to see him in the flesh I urge you to do it, you'll come away with a smile on your face.

Monty's impact is not confined to Horses. He also has a huge involvement in helping disadvantaged children and young people. The principles of Amichien Bonding Jan Fennell's method of canine communication used by me and other certified 'Dog Listeners' are founded on Monty's philosophy. He is truly a great man and I think even more important, a good man.

Amnesty For Cruel 'Training Aids'

Recently I did a consultation with a really nice family and their two dogs, one twelve months the other seven months. They were of good temperament and eager to please but very exuberant. They moved around the house like a tornado and climbed all over people, family and visitors alike. Common problems that can be dealt with in a stress free way using Amichien Bonding. That was where I came in.

We had the consultation and put in place measures to address all issues raised. During the course of the consultation I was told that they had tried several other 'training' methods including the dogs being sent away for 'residential training' which involved not only the high cost of such techniques but also the sale of 'essential', extra 'specialist 'equipment for continuation training. Some so called trainers take the concern and commitment many owners have for their dogs as a licence to print money.

When the consultation was over the client showed me a piece of equipment he had been sold by one of these trainers. This piece of kit goes under a number of names 'German Collar', 'Pinch Collar' 'Prong Collar' and 'Spiked Collar' to use the most common. The client told the trainer that he didn't want it (he'd already been charged for it). The trainer responded that he wouldn't make progress without it, (so what had been happening at the residential training?). The client told the trainer that he thought such equipment cruel, and would not use it. And then the trainer came out with a real gem, he explained that it is not at all cruel but, 'just replicates the gentle but firm way that a bitch picks up a puppy'!!

I was given this unwanted piece of equipment, to take it out of circulation and to highlight the widespread use of such cruel methods.

For those of you out there lucky enough to have not seen such equipment in action let me explain how it is used. The chain is placed around the dogs neck spikes facing inwards, with a little bit of free play and then attached to a lead. The dog is then taken for a walk or put through training exercises. If at any time the handler feels that the dog needs correction he pulls the lead as quickly and as hard as he can. The chain rapidly tightens around the dogs neck and the spikes (or prongs as the users prefer to call them because "They're not that sharp") not only stick into the neck but at the same time pinch large areas of flesh between the quickly closing spikes (as I prefer to call them). The dog screams and is traumatised.

The end justifies the means say the supporters of this, and other brutal methods of 'training'. "Next time he'll do as he's told" they say. I suppose that I would be obedient if someone tried to rip my head off and dug bits of metal against my spinal column and windpipe. But would I like or respect the person who did it to me? Of course not. Would I work as hard as I could and to the best of my ability for that person? Of course not. Would I, given the opportunity rip that persons heart out and show it to them while it was still beating? You betcha!!

Another means of using this collar is when 'teaching' a dog not to chase. They may run over to see another dog in the park or maybe chase a cyclist or jogger. These are of course behaviours that are unacceptable but there are humane methods of dealing with them. When using the spiked collar to 'cure' this problem you once again put the collar on the dog. instead of a lead you fasten a long, strong rope or nylon line (15/20 yards) which you tie to a tree or metal post. You then set up a situation which sparks the chasing behaviour such as a jogger running close to but just out of range of the limit of the line. The dog runs, and on reaching the end of the line the collar tightens, the spikes dig in and as an added bonus the dog is flipped onto his back. In fairness I have to say this works, I have seen dogs so 'cured' that when anything is placed around their neck they urinate involuntarily and refuse to move in case some wants to 'cure' them of something else! What a way to treat mans best friend.

As you may have read in some of my previous posts there are many other cruel pieces of 'training equipment' out there which really shouldn't exist in a civilised country. Electric collars, mustard sprays, citrus sprays etc etc.

April 29th 2007 is the second International Day of the Dog when Jan Fennell, 'The Dog Listener' and her 'Associate Dog Listeners' try to raise peoples awareness of Canine Welfare in general and the prevention of Cruelty and Bullying in particular, by the use of a variety of events and publicity.

My goal for this years 'IDOD' is to encourage owners using such 'Training Aids' first of all to STOP and THINK and then hopefully STOP USING THEM. Most pet owners are not cruel, they only want the best for their dogs. They hit a problem and get misled by some quick talking salesman or carefully worded advert which tells them that if they buy product X it will solve all their problems in one quick fix. Because they care about their dogs but are panicked by some behaviour problem they find themselves the owner of the latest gadget which generally promises much but delivers little, if anything, to help either dog or owner.

I hope to go a little further than just getting people to stop using this equipment. My intention is to get people to hand in such equipment to such places as Vets Surgeries and Local Authority Dog Wardens rather like the gun and knife amnesties when people can leave weapons in a box at Police Stations, no questions asked. The intent would be the same. To take harmful equipment out of circulation. and to let people make a committment that they will no longer accept the use of such barbaric methods in the name of training.

I am the process of contacting Vets, local papers, radio and other potential interested parties asking for their support. Watch this space. If you have any ideas or can offer support in any way it would be great to hear from you.

Of course you don't have to wait until 29th April to stop using this equipment, you can do it today! If you don't want to make the trip to, or don't have a collection point near you just let me know that you've disposed of your equipment (and what it was) so that we can monitor our progress.

In an ideal world we would see all such equipment discarded but, if on 30th April, only one person has stopped using it then it will mean that at least one dog will not live their life in fear or risk permanent physical or psychological damage. That'll do for a start.

Bogus Dog Listeners

It has become apparant that unscrupulous people are calling themselves 'Dog Listeners' and are carrying on business as such. Charging people to do a job they have neither the training, knowledge or skills to do competently. Misleading people already under stress because of problems with their dogs and 'conning' them out of their money. I recently dealt with a very confused dog who responded very well to the method. They clients told me afterwards that they had previously used a man who said he used the Dog Listener Methods but they didn't work and were nothing like the things I had done. Suspect? I should say so.

Why do these people do it? Because 'Amichien Bonding' the technique used by qualified Dog Listeners works. It is becoming well known to the dog owners of this world who want to solve their problems in a stress free way. More and more people are coming to see Amichien as the way forward and are at least questioning the 'Make him do it' traditional methods of training.

What to do then if people don't want their dogs pulled about by a trainer or covered in gadgets by a behaviourist? Easy, call yourself a Dog Listener or say you teach the 'Dog listener method'. I say, be honest, say what you are. If you are a trainer and are good it say so. Likewise if you are a behaviourist. Don't steal our clothes, we are Amichien Dog Listeners and hey, we're good at what we do, very good.

To become a Dog Listener you must first attend the 'Foundation Course' while on this course you will be assessed by Jan Fennell herself. On successful completion of the Foundation Course a limited number of people are invited to attend the 'Amichien Advanced Course in Canine Communication'. If you are successful on that course then you are able to start doing consultations but even the you will, quite rightly be subject to constant assessment. Your first twenty consultations will be the subject of an in depth report and analysis, dogs problem, advice given, progress made, follow up calls etc. All of which will be checked by Jan and contact made by her with the clients to ensure satisfaction. Every client will receive a feedback form that goes direct to Jan so that if a client is unhappy with the service provided then they have an easy way of making their concerns known. The title 'Dog Listener' is hard earned and jealously guarded. I say to those Wannabees if you think it's easy come and work for the qualification. If you can't hack it then go back to doing what you do but be honest about it.

How will you know whether a Dog Listener is genuine? If they are listed on Jan Fennell's website you will know that those people are 'Recommended Associate Dog Listeners'. There are others also qualified just working their way through the certification process or awaiting inclusion when the website is updated. If they've passed the course they are comptent to do consultations. If you want to ensure that you're getting the genuine article then when you book a consultation ask the Dog Listener to bring their Certificate with them when they visit. A proper Dog Listener will be happy to do so. If you've got it, flaunt it. Every client at every consultation gets a feedback form for quality monitoring purposes.

Devil Dogs!!!!......Or Are They?

Following the recent tragic incident in Leicester in which a five month old baby was killed by two Rottweilers in a pub, there has been a huge amount said and written about such animals. I do not intend to talk about the specifics of this case as it is still under investigation, a inquest has yet to be held and therefore it would be inappropriate to do so.

Having said that, one thing is clear. There were three victims in this case, the baby and the two dogs. All three victims are now dead. Whenever dogs are confused and are given the role of 'Decision Maker' in their family group or 'pack' the likelihood of confrontational situations is increased. When the dogs are large dogs then that confrontation can turn to tragedy.If you are going to own a dog you have a responsibility to ensure that your dog is safe and under control at all times. NEVER leave a young child alone with a dog whatever its size.

As soon as news of this tragedy became public we had the expected knee-jerk reaction. Put down all rottweilers, Outlaw all large dogs, Muzzle all dogs, All dogs must go 'for training', Bring back Dog licences etc. etc.

We need to think this through. We should have learnt by now that law made in haste is almost always 'bad law'. What is going to be classified as a 'Large Dog'. What are the Police, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Gamekeepers, to name but a few essential groups going to use? "Police Officer with a dog! Put the knife down now or I'll send the Pomeranian!!!". No, I'm sorry it doesn't have quite the street cred about it. Visually impaired people bent double being guided by Chihuahuas? It's a non starter.

If all dogs are to be trained then to what standard? Who is going to do it? How are we to be sure that these people have the skills and experience needed. At the moment anybody can set themselves up as a dog trainer with nil credentials (and many do). A local hall can be hired and away you go. If the dog does not respond well you can just tell the owner that the dog is 'over the top' or 'untrainable' and should be put down. The usual remedy for failed traditional methods is castration, they never seem to have an answer if you ask what you should cut off of a bitch to improve their behaviour. Let us be clear on this matter. Castration will never cure behavioural problems, in most cases it will make it worse. Why not save your dog from a needless surgical procedure with all the attendant risks, the resultant imbalance in testosterone in his body. If that doesn't influence you then why not just save yourself a large vets bill?

Dog licences. How is that going to help? Is the tattooed neanderthal who uses his poor dog(s) as an extension of, (or substitute for), his manhood going to line up at the post office to comply? Only the responsible owners will dutifully pay a few more pounds in yet another tax. The irresponsble will carry on as before.

Who is going to police all this new legislation? The Police don't have the resources to do it. The R.S.P.C.A. have nowhere near enough staff. One Government Minister when asked this question said that the local Council Dog Warden could take on the job!! Of course there would be no more money or resources from central Government the cost would have to be borne by the council tax payer. No change there then.

We need to cut through all the hysteria and make it clear to everybody that if they have a dog of any age, breed or gender, neutered or intact then it is their responsibility to ensure that the dog knows his place in the scheme of things and is never allowed to think that they are the decision makers. that way lies tragedy. Ask any postman which breeds are most prone to bite, you might be surprised. Trying to pin the blame on specific breeds will not work. Any dog can bite, any dog can be a sweetie. The only reason that breed makes a difference is that a bite from a large dog will cause more damage than one from a small dog.

Is there a way that a responsible dog owner could understand why a dog acts and reacts the way it does in every aspect of day to day life? It's funny that you ask that, the answer is as always Amichien Bonding. Please read the rest of my blog and visit my website to learn more.

Got Any Spare Money?

I've just received a catalogue from a well known Pet Company. What an interesting read it is too. It just goes to show that there is a market for everything.

I just looked at the equipment recommended to train a dog in basic good manners compared to what it would cost using Amichien Bonding.

Do you want to stop your dog going into a particular area indoors? No problem, all you need do is spend £160 for a spray barrier to spray some unpleasant fluid at your pet if he approaches. Of course that will only cover one area of the house so, if you have more than one 'no-go area......... Then of course you will need to buy the refills of 'training spray', they don't come cheap. But, I hear you ask. What if we have more than one dog? Well don't worry because for only an extra £30 per dog you can annoy, distress and confuse multiple canines at the same time.

O.K. We've now got the dog too worried to move about the house but hey, he might still bark BAD DOG!! How dare he do something so natural? Don't worry once again technology triumphs over taking the time and effort to understand your dog. For only £70 you can buy a machine to emit a sound that will cause a dog discomfort if they bark. It is very clever because it can be adjusted so that if the tone can be heard by a human with very sensitive hearing you can alter the pitch. It would not do for a human to be made uncomfortable would it?

Right, now the dog is in the garden. He's away from the indoor gadgets. He can relax a bit and start being a dog can't he? Come on! What if he goes on the flowers? What if you couldn't be bothered to make the garden secure? Electric Fencing that's the answer. Lull him into a false sense of security and then..... ZAP!! He won't do that again will he? Only he will. When a dog is frightened or angry they will power through the pain barrier and there is a good chance that the last you will see of him is his rear end as he heads over the hills and far away. How much will that cost you? The answer ranges from exorbitant to utterly ridiculous depending upon the area covered. Of course you might also need to buy a replacement dog

Your home and garden are now secure but of course the whole idea of having a dog is so that you can interact with him on nice healthy walks. What if he barks when you're with him? There must be a way of stopping him from barking outside and of course there is, this one only costs £80 (plus refills) and, joy of joys this time you get a choice. Do you spray citrus in his face or good old traditional mustard? At this point I would suggest to potential buyers of these gadgets that they try them on themselves. They could rub lemon juice on one eyeball and Colmans English mustard on the other. They could then reflect as they hold their head under running cold water that a dog can't use a tap or even rub their eyes.

You are now at the stage of letting your dog off the lead. A big moment for both of you but you are about to give-up complete control. What if he does not respond to your every whim? Well for only £165 you can buy yet another gadget. This one works upto 200 metres away. I particularly like the advertising blurb with this one. 'Now you can control your dog at a distance. WITHOUT PUNISHING HIM you can cause him to hear a sharp unpleasnt sound at the same time as being sprayed in the face with cold liquid and being distracted by the sight of a harmless mist. This will let him know that his behaviour is unacceptable'. I don't know how the manufacturers define punishment but equipment like that wouldn't be allowed in prisons.

There are still all the special types of harness and headcollars to make sure that the dog does not pull. Of course you could just teach him how to walk properly in the first place. You might also want to buy the airhorns and numerous other bits of expensive kit to distract your dog. The amount of money you can spend is endless. Before you do consider:-

If your dog is not doing what you want him to do:-

Does he KNOW what you want him to do? If he does and is still not doing it:-

Have you trained him how to do it? Remember you can't tell a dog what to do but you CAN show him in a stress free way.

Only if your dog knows what you want, has been trained how to do it and still does not comply do you have major problems. Yes you can teach an old dog new tricks.

Rather than make your house look like Dr Who's Tardis you could raise your dog using Amichien Bonding and learn to understand why a dog reacts the way he does to various situations and to day to day life in the human pack. What equipment will you need to use Amichien Bonding?

Oh, just a collar, a lead and a toy.

If however you would rather spend vast amounts of money to make manufacturers rich and inflict pain and misery on animals then please contact me URGENTLY........I have a bridge that I want to sell you!!

Any Fool Can Be Unpleasant

I was talking to a client the other day after a consultation and she told me that she was surprised as to how I had treated her. She said that she knew that I would be kind to her dog but, having seen a number of the 'Dog Training' programmes on TV recently she expected me to shout and maybe swear at her. She certainly expected to have her stress levels raised by me. I told her that it's been a long time since I've raised any womans stress levels but, hey, look at John Prescott, there's hope for us all.

The whole Amichien ethos is that everything, both dog and humanwise is done in a natural stress-free way. There is no point in any kind of bullying either physical or emotional it is wholly unproductive and I will never use such methods. I prefer to rely on a proven system, thirty years of handling a variety of dogs, handling them all day, every day not just for a couple of hours in the evening and, of course, my natural boyish charm.

When I got to thinking about unpleasant people on TV I realised that it's not just 'Dog Trainers' with character flaws who feel a need to massage their already inflated egos by humiliating the participants in the show that they think, they've come on to be helped. There are the copycat versions on British TV of the Jerry Springer type show which make the Springer version look like Shakespeare.It is beyond me how we can pay presenters vast amounts of money so that they can gloat and pretend sympathy at the same time when some-one tells their husband or wife in front of millions of people that they are sexually attracted to mice or have some even more bizarre hang-up. They always seem to justify their cruelty by saying "You weren't there for me".

One of the biggest waste of a wage bill must be down to those two godawful creatures whose day seems to consist of getting dressed in the dark having got their clothes out of a charity shop reject bin and then having the nerve to tell members of the public that they look like crap. Don't they have mirrors at the TV station? Hasn't any TV executive got the guts or moral fibre to tell these people the truth? I fear the answer is, No. Rudeness sells to a certain type of viewer. The problem is that the behaviour encouraged on TV is moving into everyday life.

Well it's not going to influence me, I expect to be treated with courtesy and I hope that I deal with everybody with the same courtesy and consideration no matter who they are. Life is just so much nicer that way.

My client told me that I should be on television. No thanks. I've done a few bits, some years ago I was on a 'World in Action' about the 'Special Patrol Group', I also was involved in a 'CuttingEdge' programme about the Naval Provost in which I was shown with my dog doing a drug search at a Naval base. My TV career climaxed with a six part ITV documentary 'Dog Squad' in which I appeared in several episodes. The problem is that the the programme makers are looking for people to be larger than life and play to the cameras and if you get swept along by them then you can end up looking a complete muppet. In one instance a camera crew had been with me on patrol on a Saturday day shift. In the evening I was going to a pub to watch my sons band play a gig ( check out www.voodoofire.com ). A camera crew were filming the gig, still no problem but then, they wanted to film me getting out of my uniform, having a shower and then getting dressed again. They couldn't understand why I said no. I had visions of viewers phoning the TV station in distress saying "I don't know what that dog handler's wearing, but it needs ironing".

Everybody I know agree that when it comes to television then I have the perfect face for radio.

All I really want to say is, let's hear it for good manners. Whenever I hear people in the street swearing, belching, breaking wind, spitting or doing any of those things that make life unpleasant for the rest of us and then thinking it's clever because they've seen some third rate presenter do it on TV. I just say to myself,..................ANY FOOL CAN BE UNPLEASANT.

Cats and Dogs

It's strange how things come in cycles. Until about six weeks ago I had never had a consultation or even an enquiry which mentioned, even in passing, the interaction between the client dog and the family cat. Then out of the blue every other enquiry seems to feature a cat somewhere in the list of problems.

When I had the first cat enquiry I was confident that the dog, once the principals of 'Amichien Bonding' were introduced, would, of his own free will stop trying to mug the cat. What I wasn't sure about was how the cat would react. I was pleasantly surprised, it seems that if the dog ignores the cat then the cat will return the favour, in some cases they become close friends. It's just a case of laying down boundaries.

Next problem please.

Responsible Owners

After the recent comment from 'A Real Professional' I was angry and a little bit down that there are still people out there who think that only way to 'Train' a dog is to brutalise him either physically or mentally. Indeed, they see nothing wrong with it and consider anyone using a more thoughtful method as 'Softies'. I wonder if these advocates of "Beat some respect into him" have children and if so how they raise them. I also wonder how many of these 'Professionals' have dogs of their own that they interact with on a day to day basis so that they can truly understand the dynamics of the pack, be it human/dog or dog/dog. A well publicised 'Dog Expert' with ten years 'experience'. Said on TV this week when talking of a service for dog owners "If I ever had a dog it's something I would use". What next, Formula 1 drivers who can't drive but have seen a road? Pilots who think a Spitfire is a mother-in-law? People who go for advice about their dog are often at their wits end and at the very least should expect to deal with someone who can show a deep and lasting interaction with the creature that they advising on. Remember this really can be a matter of life and death to the client dog. It is too serious a matter to be taken lightly.

That's the rant over. Now the good bit. It has become very noticeable not only from my own experience but by talking to other Amichien Practitioners, how much more aware many dog owners are becoming. It used to be that most enquiries were in relation to behavioural problems in the dog and a breakdown in the relationship between dog and owners. It now seems that many owners are having consultations shortly after picking a puppy up, to nip any such problems in the bud. This has to be the way forward, it's so much easier to gently guide a puppy from day one rather than try to get them to 'unlearn' behaviours at a year old. Responsible dog owners know that they have to share this planet with rest of us and are addressing the matter. Now all I have to do is to persuade those parents who allow their screaming brats to make my visits to Tesco's (other supermarkets are available) a nightmare, to come for a consultation and I will be truly happy.

Comment by 'A Real Professional'

I always enjoy reading comments to my blog or website but I was surprised by one that popped-up over the weekend that referred to my earlier post Why use Amichien bonding? I started to read and, Oh Dear!! Mr or Mrs Angry or what?

The comment started with an attack on Jan Fennell as a person and on her methods in fact on the whole idea of Amichien bonding. It then went on to refer to a link which when I accessed it was pure poison. Who is this person that we practioners of Amichien have upset so much? I pondered. It seemed that the only thing they didn't say was that my kids were ugly! I looked to see who the message was from and saw that he or she had signed themselves 'A Real Professional' but had decided to remain anonymous. That made me angry. Here we have someone claiming to be Professional but failing to give any clue as to their background, making sweeping statements and criticisms without having the moral courage to stand-up and say "This is who I am, this is what qualifies me to speak, these are my criticisms and this is my evidence." The writer, who I shall hereafter call RP as their assumed name, clearly does not know Jan (or does he/she?), they clearly have not understood my earlier post.

I thought some more and then it came to me, of course, if RP is a Professional then that must make us all amateurs. I thought about the dogs I have worked and of the many lives they've saved by finding missing children, vulnerable elderly people and attempted suicides. I thought about the large amounts of drugs they've recovered (how many lives saved there I wonder?). About all the bad guys they've locked-up. About keeping the streets (and me) safe. About all the work raising the profile not only of Police Dogs but all dogs and those that work for their welfare. About working with my dogs to give people with special needs and with terminally ill children from Chernobyl a bit of fun. During my Police service, and beyond, I dealt with dogs with behavioural problems. So on reflection I really think I can call myself a Professional, my history is open to public scrutiny. I don't feel the need to sign myself Anonymous. Why should I? Why should anyone?

I think about the other'Amateurs' using the Amichien system. Off the top of my head I can think of another retired Police Dog Handler, a gun dog trainer, an Instructor for Guide Dogs for the Blind, Dog Rescue workers, Kennel owners and Dog Groomers. They all seem to know what they're doing. None of these are stupid people, we have all seen the variety of 'traditional' training methods at first hand. So why do we all decide to use Amichien? Let me see. Because it works. Because it is stress free and it works for every breed and for every non medically based problem. Of course the system has to used consistently. If you were on a diet, went to the gym and ate salad all day but had six pints of beer and a box of chocolates every night at bedtime, you would still be a fat bloater no matter how many lettuce leaves you ate.

Now I don't want you think that I have a suspicious mind or believe in conspiracy theories, but, why should RP get so het up over a stress free and gadget free. natural system? Unless, it was in someones interest to have a world full of screwed-up canines that would enable you to sell a range of ever more bizarre products at ever higher prices to 'deal' with the problem. If there was a system that didn't need expensive gadgets to resolve problems, that could be to some people in the dog world (I won't honour them with the title dog people) like a car than could run on water to a petrol company, very dangerous.

I was going to publish the whole comment by RP but when I followed the link it took me to a site selling a range of products including electric collars to shock your dog to obedience. Of course you could save yourself the cost of both electric collar and dog and just buy yourself a cabbage instead, because that is probably what you would be left with after canine ECT. There is no way that I will give any encouragement to anyone selling these barbaric items.

In conclusion I have a shrewd idea that RP is female, from the USA, has serious jealousy issues and probably sells 'training aids'. How close is that RP? I'm almost tempted to guess your initials!!

Belated Update

It's been a long time since I updated my blog due to a very eventful end to 2005. We thought that once we got over my daughters wedding in July things would slow down a bit but far from it. Treacle, the puppy, is getting bigger by the day. She is suffering from 'Friendly Dog Syndrome' and thinks that every dog out there is as good natured as her. She is just beginning to realise that some dogs are lacking in social skills. Generally her training is progressing well although she needs a good walk to let her burn off some energy before embarking on some of the exercises. She has the potential to track and search like a demon. Wait for the next exciting episode with pictures.

I lost my old German Shepherd 'Gaspode' aged 14 he just suddenly got very tired and knew it was time to go. It was upsetting for the family but the most affected was my remaining German Shepherd 'Jack'. When Jack was born he was rejected by his mother and so was bottle fed by kennel maids. As a result he missed out on the rough and tumble between litter-mates where a dog learns social skills. He was bought by a husband and wife, both Barristers, who returned him to the kennels at 11 months because he was too lively. Their theory was that if you bought a puppy from a kennels specialising in working dogs then it should leave the kennels aged 8 weeks fully trained. After a full and frank exchange of views between kennel owner and Barrister Jack was offered to me for training as a Police dog. I had been searching for a new dog and had looked at many but none were suitable, it takes a very special dog to do police work. They must be brave with fire in their belly but at the same time be good with decent people. They are after all going to spend a lot of time looking for missing children and it's always good if, when found, they are handed back to their parents in one piece. It's not good for Police/Public relations if your dog plucks a passing Nun from her bicycle! Anyway I went to look at Jack, not with any high hopes I must admit. We bonded at once he so obviously wanted to work, he was a natural. I took him home and that was when he got his reality check, he thought he was going to be top dog but the two older German Shepherds and Labrador bitch soon disabused him of that notion. Cocoa the Lab mothered him and taught him manners. Now Jack is an only dog and my wife Rosemary and I are already looking to the future, another GSD? Labrador? Or maybe something different. We both like Clumber Spaniels. Whatever happens we won't rush into anything, it will have to be the right dog. Remember dog ownership is like marriage without the washing-up.

Consultations with clients are increasing steadily. It is good to see so many dog owners are now taking the responsible route to 'dog training' and are realising that in general terms what we really need is 'Owner training'. I feel privileged to have the training and experience to be able to help people to have a full and rewarding relationshp with their dogs.

As I have mentioned in earlier postings I use Amichien Bonding when dealing with dogs and owners, this method was devised by Jan Fennell 'The Dog Listener'. Although trained by Jan I could not call myself a 'Dog Listener' because of trade mark restrictions. There were only two people who could use the title, Jan herself and Tony Knight her son. I am pleased to say that Jan has now allowed me to use the title so i will have to play with words. Should it be Robin Glover (Dog Listener) Consultant in Canine Communication and Behaviour or possibly Robin Glover Consultant in Canine Communication and Behaviour (Certified Dog Listener). Or maybe something entirely different? All suggestions welcome.

Why Use Amichien Bonding?

This is a question I am often asked "After all" say people "There are so many other training methods, what makes Amichien better?" and of course they are right, there are more methods than you can shake a stick at. There are whistles, clickers, electric collars, collars that spray various substances at the dog, collars that emit noise, chains with spikes that stick in the dogs neck, sticks to 'touch' the dog with and many more gadgets and gizmos. Alongside all these pieces of equipment are the different ways of training, there is the traditional 'make him do it', there is the 'endless repetition until the dog is bored senseless' system and then there is the good old 'walking around in a circle in a church hall with fifteen other dogs' method. This teaches a dog to walk in a circle with other dogs, usually on leaving the hall most dogs revert to their previous behaviour. Do these systems work? Yes, to a greater or lesser degree on some, but not all dogs. Some systems I consider barbaric, they don't train the dog they traumatise him. One thing is constant in the above list, they are all unnatural.
During my years as a Police Dog Handler I worked German Shepherd Dogs, Labradors and Springer Spaniels. I also worked with other Handlers using other breeds such as Belgian Shepherd Dogs (Malinois), Giant Schnauzers, Rottweilers, Weimaraners, Border Collies and Bloodhounds. A large variety of breeds trained in a variety of skills but with one constant factor, they didn't worry about breed differences, as far as they were concerned the only thing that mattered was that they were all dogs. Dogs are descended from Wolves and are pack animals so it became apparent to me that to achieve a really close bond with my dogs I would have to be the pack leader or Alpha male. For this to work I had to be elected leader by the dogs themselves, people who shout and bluster and say "He knows who the Boss is" are only fooling themselves, they're sure as hell not fooling the dog.
Having decided what the problem with traditional training methods was I had to work out the next step which was of course that we had to understand one another. Dogs can always communicate with one another there's no English or French or German language for them. Whatever the breed and wherever they're from all dogs speak Canine. All I had to do now was to become fluent. Another truth then struck me, wolf packs are well organised with a hierarchy that all members understand where every pack member has an important job to do for the survival of the pack, they don't need training aids and gadgets to organise their lives so why do we?
I started off down the path of trying to understand the dynamics of the Wolf pack and how it could be used with domestic dogs, tremendous progress was made and as a result the quality of work and success rate of my dogs increased greatly. It was very pleasing to be Commended by the Chief Constable of Hampshire in 1988. The Citation read 'Commended for consistent good work, tenacity and intelligent application of his Police Dog 'ACCO' during 1988. It was good to be recognised but in fact all I was doing was allowing ACCO to be a dog without confusing the issue. Then as the Alpha I was able to direct and use his natural skills for the benefit of the public.
I then became aware of the work of Jan Fennell 'The Dog Listener' who was working along similar lines although her thoughts and procedures were much more organised than mine. Jan had studied the subject in great depth as well as forming a close association with Monty Roberts 'The Horse Whisperer'. Jan devised a structured system using the dogs own language which she called Amichien Bonding. I was fortunate to be able to travel to Lincolnshireto meet Jan and complete both an initial and advanced Canine Communication course. As a result I now hold an Amichien Certificate in Advanced Canine Communication.
The Amichien Bonding System is not a 'training method' in the normal sense of the words but a holistic, natural, stress free way of communicating with your dog. If used consistently your dog will elect you as leader of his own free will making any subsequent training a pleasure. The use of Amichien Bonding is particularly effective in dealing with behavioural problems such as, Aggression, Nervousness, Obsessive or Destructive Behaviour, Failing to Return When Called, Taking Charge on a Walk, Jumping Up and Persistent Barking. Because you will be talking the dogs language he will modify his behaviour of his own free will.
I use this system BECAUSE IT WORKS I have seen many other methods and have approached them all with an open mind but nothing comes close to Amichien for consistent success. It is not a magic wand, you will have to do your part but the investment in time and effort you expend will be well worth it. My life and the lives of others were often entrusted to my dogs over many years, they never let me down, that's bonding.
For more information visit my website www.robinglover.com

Amichien Night Out

On Saturday night the 13th myself and five other Amichien practitioners who all live and work in Southern England met in a rainy Winchester to discuss over some food (and drink) all matter of Canine matters. Our numbers included a Guide Dog Trainer, Gun Dog Trainer, Groomer and Boarding Kennel Owner all of whom use the system of Amichien Bonding in their day to day work with dogs. It is not only used to deal with behaviour problems but to prevent such problems from starting.
The purpose of the evening was both social and business related. We wanted to ensure that we continue to give first class service and back-up to clients and to this end we traded stories of particularly challenging cases and their outcome. We discussed ways to improve our business practices and support for one another. As we usually work alone with our clients on a 1-2-1 basis it is important to have such sessions to keep abreast of trends and developments in the Canine world. This gives us a great source of knowledge and experience to tap into if required.

Training Treacle (1)

My Daughter and Son in Law are picking up their Chocolate Labrador puppy on 5th August 2005. She was born on 7th June 2005. She is going to be raised using the method of Amichien Bonding and I intend to record her progress here.

Treacle will be leaving the litter at 8 weeks and moving from Sussex to Hampshire. Steve and Caroline have been hard at work preparing for the new arrival, there are many decisions to make,where is she going to sleep? Where,when and what is she going to eat? What areas will be 'no go' areas for her? The list is endless but the time put in now will pay dividends when Treacle makes a stress free arrival.
Leads, collars and bedding have been bought along with food and water bowls and of course toys. It has been decided that Treacle will have an indoor kennel that she will have access to throughout the day as pups like a cosy 'den' that they can go to for some quiet time and at night she can be secured so that there is no wiring or plumbing chewed. The kennel is in place, a vet has been selected for routine jabs, micro-chipping etc. All that is required now is .............TREACLE!! Wait for the next exciting episode.