Here at K9 Trail Time we believe in so much more than just going out for a run or being active with your dog. We like to look at the whole picture when it comes to our dogs and what we do. We retail active dog products but think our customers would like a broader picture of active dog health and well-being, so we’ve come up with our ‘Interview with an expert’ series where we will be asking different experts, that we feel are relevant to having an active and happy dog, questions which will give you an insight into how they help active dogs to keep fit both mentally and physically.
Our first expert is Claire Martin who is (amongst other things) a qualified dog behaviourist.
Tell our followers a little bit about what you do, how you got into it, how long you have been doing it and your experience / or qualifications?
I have been training dogs ever since I adopted my first “own” dog – a rescue greyhound called Poppy. As a teacher, at that time, I was well versed in educational methods and good dog training is positive and kind as good education should be.
I got into studying behaviour and training dogs when I took on a foster dog that had significant behavioural problems, I needed to understand why she was afraid and how that had happened to her and so I took the brave move and made a career change that I had always wanted to and studied with COAPE to become a CAPBT Behaviourist and Trainer. I also became a full member of the IMDT and a FFTT (force free trick trainer). I now realise how the past experiences that the foster dog had been through had affected her and that it had literally changed the way her brain worked. Sadly there is a lot of poor information about how dogs should be trained, much promulgated by unscientific celebrity dog trainers that have access to peoples homes through the media.
Over the last 5 years that I have been working as a behaviourist and trainer, things have already started to change and positive, reward based methods are pushing the out of date and inaccurate pack theory and dominance methods of the past. I started canicrossing 10 years ago and scooter racing 4 years ago. I, with a group of friends, set up Canicross Midlands and our team now run a 14 race series as well as other stand alone races and events and we have 5 regional groups that bring in and support new people entering into the sport. I also run my own Chrysalis Canicross Series which is a very unique “league” format.
What does a day in the life of you consist of?
Each day varies significantly, one thing is constant though – I always spend time training and enjoying the company of my dogs. They travel with me almost everywhere I go. Some days I might have 6 agility classes, other days trick training classes, life skills classes and then there are the 1-2-1 behavioural consultations to help people with dogs who struggle to cope with some aspect of life. Often I work late into the evenings, often teaching classes at 9pm! The advantage is that I have mornings free and that’s when I do admin and train my dogs. Weekends are either taken up with my own competing – winter for canicross and scooter, summer for agility but I also run weekend workshops at my training venue too. Its certainly not a 9-5 job! My van is my mobile office, mobile home and a mobile kennel! My dogs sleep in bed with me and often share my meals – truly my family in every way. Some of my dogs are the right temperament to stooge for fearful dogs and that skill is very special indeed. Currently I have 8 dogs who share my life.
Share with us your proudest moment so far
I have a client with a very scared dog. He’s a powerful breed and he is afraid of people. He is a rescue dog and he could be very dangerous if he wasn’t so well cared for and supported. The day I became one of his safe people was a very powerful one – it took time, love and trust for him to learn I wasn’t a threat and now he will greet me with his paws on my shoulders and a happy wag. He’s well on the way through his journey to lifetime happiness – he is a lucky lad – few owners would be so dedicated to him and his owner cries with me often, happy tears – as he makes progress. Saving dogs that have had tough starts is incredibly rewarding because often by the time I get to meet them they are already a family member and dearly loved – even if they are hard to like at times.
What are your top 3 tips connected with what you do for our followers and their active dogs?
1 – Remember that your sport dog has absolutely no idea if they have won or lost, come first or last, its our job to make them believe that they have won – they don’t value ribbons, bits of tin and glass, they know how you feel about them – they understand love and pride in their achievement – so make sure your dog always feels like they are a winner.
2 – Never punish a dog for your failings, indeed – never punish a dog. They didn’t do that thing that infuriated you because they were mad at you, they don’t know that you had a bad day at work, they just know how you feel and they think that if you are angry that you are angry at them. We have them each in our lives for maybe a decade, sometimes more – make every day with us happy and special. Let their happiness to greet us at the end of a tiring day put to rest any other frustrations and who cares if a cushion exploded!
3 – Play with your dog – play tug, teach them tricks, teach them games other than the sport you want to compete in. If you want to canicross seriously then take them to scent work classes for fun. Teach them formal obedience and who cares if your breed doesn’t “do” obedience – if you want to and its fun for you both then who cares? If you have multiple dogs spend at least 1 hour a week with each dog on their own doing something special that the two of you enjoy.
What are your plans for the future?
Chrysalis K9 is growing fast. I’m not alone now with Vay Coltrose working alongside me. We want an indoor training venue for classes over the winter and we want to spread the word of positive training in harness sports far and wide – which we are already doing through our Canicross Midlands Summer Camp. For me personally, I am hoping to get my own dog Axis confident in competition on the scooter as he is certainly physically capable and I hope that Sirius and I will achieve our goals in agility. I’ll keep on rescuing dogs though currently single figures of dogs is my limit!
How can our followers get in touch with you?
PM messages via facebook on my work page are probably the easiest way to contact me https://www.facebook.com/ChrysalisK9/ . I try to keep work stuff on my work page and my personal page for personal stuff – but of course there is overlap. I have email as well – Claire@chrysalis-k9.co.uk
Thanks so much to Claire for answering our questions, we hope you’ve found her answers of interest – Happy trails!
