You need to create a nice consequence, when your dog does something you like, so that they do it more. Just like training a muscle at the gym or learning any new skill, it takes repetition. We also call something nice, a reinforcer.

"How do I get my dog off the sofa?" is one of my favourite questions to be asked. I beam back "wouldn’t it be easier to keep your dog on the floor, before it has got on the sofa?"

OK, so this is a bit of a provocative title. Maybe it conjures up images of a hero dog trainer bitten many times on the way to being a superstar. The actual fact of the matter is, I have been bitten hardly at all and am very proud of it.

Think of training your dog as a bit like bringing up a child. It is a progressive experience that spans the entire early, adolescent periods and into adulthood. Unlike our children who move out and look after themselves, our dogs are our children for their entire life and can learn bad habits at any time.

You are going to need to do the homework. Your dog trainer, after showing you how, will let you practice and give you coaching on technique and what works for your dog. Then it is up to you to do the homework. If you are not practicing training then your dog will not magically become trained.

Roll up, roll up. Place your bets. You want to get a dog and you have arrived at the canine casino. There is a saying. "It's not the dog, it's the owners". Well, that is not strictly true. It's actually the canine casino. With the best laid plans and intentions, a dog can still have behavioural challenges or not be a fit for the initial requirements of the owner.

Part 2 The Street. This chart is to help the average dog owners make a more informed decision when they see another dog they don’t know on a walk. If your dog already has aggression or reactivity, please consult a behaviourist.

Sometimes with dog behaviour modifications plans, we need to avoid the problem completely and work on other things such as general training, enrichment, confidence building and self-control exercises and go back to the problem much later.

Part 3 Off lead areas. This chart is to help the average dog owners make a more informed decision when they see another dog they don’t know on a walk. If your dog already has aggression or reactivity, please consult a behaviourist.

Part 1 - Trigger Stacking. This chart is to help the average dog owners make a more informed decision when they see another dog they don’t know on a walk.