How much does your dog sleep?

I make no apologies for revisiting this vital subject! So many of the queries I get can be resolved by simply allowing or encouraging your dog to sleep more!

Dogs need 17 hours of sleep a day to function well.

And this doesn’t mean snatched minutes of shut-eye when nothing is happening for a few moments!

It means proper, deep, uninterrupted sleep, for at least an hour at a time - and, of course, all night!

Teach ‘em young

And this doesn’t just happen without careful management.

In the same way that most responsible parents manage their babies’ and toddlers’ sleep sessions, teaching them that a sleep will cure lots of upsets, we have to teach our puppies how to manage themselves.

This is valuable learning.

We put small children in cots to make sure they can’t race around exhausting themselves when they need to rest.

In the same way, we can use crates or playpens to manage our puppies - who often won’t stop till they’re nailed to the floor!

I honestly don’t know how anyone manages a puppy without a crate or a playpen! I think that without these terrific aids we’re giving ourselves a huge amount of extra work and stress.

If you struggled to manage your youngster over the holiday period, now is the time to double down on teaching him or her how to sleep.

💤 Alone.  

💤  Contained.

💤 Without you.

💤 Without distraction.

You’ll be so glad you did!

And for more gems on managing your dog, check out the how-to books here!

Check other post that might help your brilliant dogs:

I have a new puppy: will I ever get any sleep again?

How much time does your dog spend sleeping?

Errorless Housetraining and Crate Training

Puppy Crate training demystified

I love my dog AND I love my sleep!

Dog training books for you at special prices!

I’m delighted to be able to announce a new improvement here at Brilliant Family Dog!

My immensely popular dog training books are now available for you to purchase as ebooks direct from me.

This cuts out the middle man, and enables me to share the savings and give you a special price! It also ensures you get your book immediately, direct to the e-reader or reading app of your choice, e.g. Nook, Kobo, Kindle, etc.

In fact, you don’t need a physical e-reader at all, as we give you a free app for your phone or desktop where you can read the books.

How easy is that?!

BOOKS, BOOKS, BOOKS!

The books are, of course, entirely force-free, and aim to build a stellar relationship between you and your Brilliant Family Dog. They’re easy to follow, with plenty of troubleshooting and case studies.

Here’s where you go to find which book will be best for you:

https://www.brilliantfamilydog.com/books

And here’s what a couple of readers told me just recently:

“I have all your books and I am loving working my way with Tally steadily through them. So far Calm Down! and Let’s Go! Both are transformative. I recommend you wherever I go especially on the group dog walk I do on a Saturday.” AK

“Your books are just brilliant! I’ve read every one cover to cover and it’s a revelation. Honestly I’ve spent 40 years doing what I thought was right - I hope thanks to you I’m getting it more right than I used to!” JP 

For now, you can purchase ebooks or audiobooks directly from me - it won’t be long before you can buy paperbacks too! Exciting times … watch this space!

Here is a chart from Amazon showing six of my books in the top 35 dog training books chart!

“Thank you. Your first book is brilliant, it has taught ME so much.” RN

“Excellent book! Not only for newcomers. 5* ”

“I have a whole library of doggy books and I found yours concise, easy to read, and full of very useful tips.” JC

“Brilliantly written with a compassionate and understanding voice.” SM

“Clear, simple and easy to follow and remember. I've read similar books, but almost all are much more wordy and hard to remember.” CM

https://www.brilliantfamilydog.com/books

3 ways to walking your dog on a loose lead!

So many people struggle with their dog pulling on the lead. Sometimes even pulling them over and actually injuring them!

This is not the lovely companionable walk you envisaged when you got your dog!

The Holy Grail of dog ownership is to swan along, your dog trotting comfortably at your side, earning admiring glances from all those being towed along by their dog!

First of all I’d like to direct you to Let’s Go! Enjoy Companionable Walks with your Brilliant Family Dog - a complete program to teach your dog to walk on a loose lead. You can buy it direct from the author right here! at a special price too …   

And to see illustrative videos of dogs and puppies learning this skill, you’ll find the full program in the Brilliant Family Dog Academy. You can find out all about this hugely popular program in our free Workshop on getting your dog to LISTEN!

But it’s true to say that sometimes we could do with a bit of help!

You may have been directed to lots of gadgets which are meant to solve this issue at a stroke.

But most of these clever gadgets (headcollars, slip leads, choke collars, retractable leads, prong collars, electric shock collars) are “aversive”. That is to say, the dog hates them and they can actually make the whole thing worse!

So what can you do?

Use a Harness

The first thing is to switch to a harness - but not any old harness. Some twist, some chafe, some are flimsy, some restrict movement, some hurt (!).

And keep in mind that there are “horses for courses”. The harness that will help you enormously with your dog on walks, is not the one you’d choose for an active sport like agility or flyball. You need a different harness for that, just as you have different clothes for tennis, dog walks, work, swimming, parties …

You need the right tool for the job, as any craftsman will tell you. You can’t make a whole cabinet with only a hammer!

Which harness?

The harness I find brilliant for loose lead walking is the 2Houndsdesign Freedom Harness

You can get it direct from me as I’m the main UK stockist. If you live anywhere outside the UK, this is where you will find it.

Why does it work so well?

The quickest way for you to see is in this video, transforming young Shadow from a choking, pulling maniac - bent forward scrabbling - to a dog walking in an upright, natural position, beside her astonished owner! The video covers a 20-minute lesson. That’s how long it took!

Yes, I know what you’re thinking. “You’re selling these things, so you would say they’re good!”

But turn that around: “You’re selling these things because they are so good!”

I’d never recommend something I didn’t use and value myself

Proof of the Pudding

See what customers have written to tell me below. You’ll see that there are very large dogs, multiple dogs, and very small dogs.

This harness works!

"Walking is now a pleasure with the harnesses." Elsie, Dogue de Bordeaux and Marnie, Bullmastiff puppy, both in Medium, Herefordshire 

"Just wanted to say the harness is an absolute triumph. I have to say I honestly didn't enjoy walking my pulling boxer, however it is now a pleasure not a chore. Thanks for bringing the harness to the UK. It's been a godsend." Cooper the Boxer in Purple Medium, Merseyside

"Harness and multipoint lead have been fantastic - highly recommend it!" Rosie Doberman in Medium, Worcester

“Have been using the harness for a month now and am pleased to report that it has significantly helped me control Max when out walking and restored my confidence and enjoyment in taking him out. Without it he would be confined to exercising in our fields as he was to strong for me to control even with a headcollar.” Jane, XL Royal Blue

“Performance-wise this tiny harness is like a miracle: at last we have four paws on the path even with a passing cat! I don't know how the design can so alter the centre of gravity but it certainly works, I feel like stopping every dog walker I see and sharing the secret.” Bertie, Toy Poodle in Extra Small Teal

“When we started classes with Beverley with our 3 year old rescue mini Dachshund we were told about the Wiggles Wags and Whiskers 2Hounds Design Freedom Harness. My husband’s feelings were, ‘Oh here we go, the sales pitch’. I find being dragged up the road by a young dog somewhat exhausting so I decided to invest in this harness.  Well I am so glad that I did, our walks have been transformed! I can control Chester so much better, and the strain both mentally and physically no longer exists. It’s not a sales pitch to make money, it really does benefit both dog and human. Even my husband is a convert!” Chester, Dachshund, in Extra Small

And just before you start teaching the all-important walking nicely on a lead, check out this mini-course that gets you started with some foundational lessons!

How safe is your dog’s walk?

There he was, taking his dog for a walk. His ear was glued firmly to his phone, and in his other hand was a ball launcher.

He hurled the tennis ball a good 80 yards where it landed amongst some other dog walkers he hadn’t noticed. His dog plunged to grab the ball - oblivious of the other dogs who fortunately stepped back - spun and hurtled back, dropping the ball panting, his sides heaving, at his owner’s feet.

And said owner carried on talking to his phone, so the dog barked and barked at him. Eventually he noticed, picked up the ball with the stick, and flung it again without looking, for the dog to race after - thereby building barking into the “exercise”.

THIS IS NOT A COMPANIONABLE WALK!

And while that owner came home with an exhausted dog who then left him in peace to talk on his phone all evening, it was also not good exercise.

There’s a catalogue of ailments that can come from repeated use of a ball-thrower. See what this frustrated Canine Physiotherapist wrote after treating pain in yet another dog with arthritis in wrists and feet due to repeatedly chasing balls launched from one of these pernicious gadgets:

“The repetitive strain of persistently chasing after the ball and jarring their front legs as they reach it, to pick it up causes horrendous damage to joints, ligaments, and muscles. This will eventually lead to osteoarthritis in your dog’s carpal, elbow and/or shoulder joints.

“Most dogs tend to always turn one way after they have caught the ball, so they will also have a pattern of tension and muscle over-development/tension down one side of their spine. This is not only very sore it is also predisposing them to Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) – major surgery, which if they survive it is highly likely to leave them with some degree of paralysis.

“If your dog jumps up in the air to catch the ball, it’s highly likely to rupture it’s cruciate ligament(s); damage one or more discs in the back or tear or strain back muscle or the junctions with the spine with more movement ie sacroiliac or lumbosacral joints which will ultimately lead to Spondylosis, lumbosacral disease or nerve damage.”  Lisa Cleeton, Canine Physiotherapist:

And with my trainer hat on, I can tell you that this type of exercise is not building any bond with you whatever!

The dog becomes fixated on the ball. He is not experiencing his surroundings. He is not relating to them, to you, or to any other dogs or people he passes.

You are building an obsessional behaviour which can become disabling - and very annoying.

Furthermore, it’s a danger!  Another dog who has been made ball-mad and ball-possessive may well take exception to this intrusion.

Chucking the ball thoughtlessly into the midst of other dog walkers could end in a dramatic fight.

So why do people do it?

I often wonder!

Why dd they get a dog if all they want to do is prevent interaction with it?

Fact is, it’s a lazy option. They think that hurling a ball for a dog to chase to exhaustion is a dog walk.

What pleasure they are missing out on!

The beauty of the dog

Enjoying the beauty of our canine companions is a vital part of a dog walk. You’re enjoying this walk together!

Seeing your dogs explore, using their noses as well as their eyes, can open up the natural world for you.

And repeatedly rewarding check-ins and recalls, both prompted and spontaneous, will not only strengthen your bond together, but will give you a cracking recall which will work when you really need it.

So what else can I do on walks?

I enjoy playing frisbee with my dogs from time to time. By no means on every walk, and not for very long either. And it’s a great 5-minute break in the garden, giving pleasure to all of us. Each dog has his or her own frisbee, so we never run the risk of mid-flight collisions.

But first I taught each of them to catch the frisbee, right in front of me. And before I even did that, I learnt how to throw the frisbee myself, so it would float in the air over the dog so they can catch it as it falls, on the run with no “braking”, or they can leap through the air in a gentle arc to catch it and land safely on the ground.

When they bring it back to me, they need to hold it still so I can take it without my fingers being snapped off. Then we may do a bit of heelwork, or recall, or general impulse control and turn-taking. It’s very much a two-way conversation, playing with these frisbees!

Before I would consider taking the frisbees out with me, I check the state of the ground. Rock-hard summer ground, or frozen winter ground would both be contra-indicated. Though snow on the ground makes for nice soft landings!

For the frisbee itself, I choose soft silicone or fabric. Hard plastic can cause their mouths to bleed. Not fun.

And when we’ve had enough chasing, I tuck them into my walking belt and on we go.

Seek and you shall find

Another great dog walk activity is nosework of any kind. I’ll return to that another day to get you started!

How to teach Fetch!

And to learn how to get your dog to retrieve cleanly and happily, here is the definitive step-by-step book for you:

Fetch it! Teach your Brilliant Family Dog to catch, fetch, retrieve, find, and bring things back!

Here’s how it worked for Lexi and Erin!

Hi Beverley, 

I just wanted to share this little video with you of Lexi fetching. As you may remember, she had zero interest or idea what to do when a toy was thrown, and she was afraid of objects being thrown (she is still afraid of balls ...) but using what you lay out in your book, here she is! Fetching! And she has even started “asking” to play fetch.

Thank you so much for helping me figure out how to teach Lexi and giving us a new way to interact. :)  EM

Just before you start teaching Fetch, you will enjoy teaching these other games to your dog: video lessons that are easy to follow, and they work!

Work with the dog you’ve got .. Not the one you thought you were getting!

I can’t tell you how many times people tell me that their new dog doesn’t measure up to their old dog.

Sometimes they’re comparing their new puppy with a devoted and much-loved pet who died aged 15, having spent his last few years in a quiet retirement.

He fitted their family like an old shoe.

And, unaccountably, they expect the new puppy to take up where the old dog left off, complete with the lifetime’s learning.

When you look at it, you can see how daft this is!

But we seldom look at things this clearly.

We so enjoyed life with the old dog that we’d like to carry it on uninterrupted.

And when you step back and reflect, you can see clearly that this is an unrealistic expectation to place on the newcomer’s shoulders.

But it doesn’t seem to stop us doing it!

Hidden standards for our dogs

There’s also the fact that you get your dog with a vision of your future together.

🐾 This may include an active dog sport … and your dog turns out to have bad hips and can’t compete.

 🐾 It may be long tramps over hill and moor … and you got a lapdog who is quite unsuited to this.

🐾 Or it may be that you enjoy social activities with friends and their dogs .. and your dog is of a nervous and timorous disposition and does not enjoy these outings one bit.

Reality check!

The thing is, you have to work with the dog in front of you, not the one you wish you had! 

You can never turn an apple into an orange, however hard you try.

And you can’t change your dog’s intrinsic nature. That is doomed to failure.

You can certainly teach him, and improve things - dramatically!

But he’s still who he is.

And accepting this is the only way forward.

“But all my dogs love xyz!”

That doesn’t mean that this one will - or indeed should!

How many times do you see children in the same family - same parents, same school, same ethos, same upbringing - but who are polar opposites in character?

You can have all the nature vs nurture discussions you like, but when it comes down to it, your dog (or child) is who he is, and the sooner you accept that and discard your rose-spectacled vision of who you thought he should be, the better!

Enjoy the journey!

And part of living with another creature is finding out what makes them tick. What they like. What they don’t like. How to please them, and how not to upset them. 

Judging your dog will never help!

Your new dog will never measure up to the memory of your old dog.

Don’t set him a target he can never reach.

Instead, rejoice in his individuality and work with the dog who’s right there, in front of you (or on your lap).

That’s the way to find true harmony with your new dog.

Need a bit of help with a Growly Dog? Watch our free Masterclass and talk to us in the chat about your particular issues with your dog.

We’d love to help you make the changes you’re looking for.

Where should you get your dog advice?

I was distressed recently by a reader.

Now I have to say I love answering readers’ queries, and helping them get the best for their dog and themselves, in their particular circumstances. ❤️ ❤️ ❤️

If they’re asking it’s because they realise they don’t know the answer, and want help. But sometimes you get someone who doesn’t want to learn . . .

This person wanted to know why her 8-week-old medium-size puppy cried all its first night. I asked her a few questions while giving her resources. It seems this tiny puppy had been fed six hours before bedtime and was expected to last on this till the next morning.

No wonder it couldn’t sleep!

The poor puppy was starving!

At that age it should have been on 4-5 meals a day. I explained this to my correspondent, giving resources again.

And she replied that the vet had said this 8-week-old puppy should be fed half a cup of food twice a day only. For English readers, this would be about 3.5 oz of food in total - enough to keep a sparrow alive.

Clearly no proper vet would say such a daft thing! She simply must have misunderstood somehow.

To cheer you up in this tale of woe, here’s a nice full puppy sleeping!

By the way, for English readers, here’s a load of money off a super food I regularly use and here’s another where you can get a big discount using this link - they provide high-quality fishy treats and foods, which are firm favourites with my crew!

But it set me thinking …

In this case the vet was asked about feeding - something that should come squarely within the vet’s remit.

But so often people take behaviour advice from their breeder (that’s fine if it’s a real breeder and not a puppy farmer or designer-dog “greeder”), or their groomer, or their vet, or the milkman . . .

Behaviour advice should be taken from people who are trained in dog behaviour!

Simple as that!

😳 You wouldn’t ask your hairdresser about a skin disease - you’d go to the doctor.

😮 You wouldn’t ask your gardener why your house is falling down - you’d go to a builder or engineer.

So please - don’t take behaviour advice from anyone but a qualified dog trainer/behaviourist!

And if the advice you get makes no sense (who’d feed a small baby twice a day with a set amount of food?) don’t do it!

***

Footnote: What happened to that puppy? I have no idea. The owner told me my advice would only work for people who didn’t work, then unsubscribed. Presumably they leave the puppy alone all day while they’re out - afraid, lost, and starving. So upsetting . . .

I do what I can to change people’s approach to dogs. One dog at a time. This was one I couldn’t reach.

But hey! You’re reading this, so you understand and know just what I mean!

We have to keep spreading the word.

And if you know someone who’s just got a puppy and is struggling - send them here so they can start the right way!