Guides
The First Week with a New Dog
A humane first-week plan for a new dog or puppy: preparing the home, day one, routine, rescue decompression, first cues, a vet visit, and what to skip.
Read the guide →A House-Training Plan
A reward-based house-training plan: schedule, supervision, outdoor rewards, calm cleanup, apartments, regression, and when to see a vet.
Read the guide →Teaching Sit, Down, and Stay
Teach sit, down, and stay with luring, a marker word or clicker, fading the lure, adding cues, the three Ds, short sessions, and common mistakes to avoid.
Read the guide →Loose-Leash Walking
Reward-based loose-leash walking: why dogs pull, collars or harnesses, reward position, stopping and turning, indoor practice, and patience.
Read the guide →Building a Reliable Recall
Build a reliable recall with a special cue, high-value rewards, recall games, long-line practice, and never calling for something unpleasant.
Read the guide →Crate Training Kindly
Kind crate training: choosing size, making the crate a positive place, gradual steps, time limits, what crying means, and when a crate is the wrong tool.
Read the guide →Dogs in Hot Weather
Keep dogs safer in the heat: hot pavement tests, walk timing, water, never in cars, flat-faced breeds, heatstroke emergencies, and indoor summer enrichment.
Read the guide →Where to start
Just brought a dog home? Read your first week with a new dog and the house-training plan. Then build the basics with sit, down and stay.
What “intensive” means here
Intensive means short, frequent, well-planned sessions, not harsh handling. We use rewards, not punishment, shock, prong or choke collars. For health problems see a vet; for aggression or severe fear, work with a qualified force-free trainer or veterinary behaviourist.