A world champion dog trainer is urging dog owners to tap into their pets’ natural instincts when training – and says you should keep your dog off their lead. Champion gundog trainer, Jason Mayhew, has over 24 years of experience and TV appearances on programmes like Britain’s Favourite Top 100 Dogs and James Martin’s British Adventure.
Jason, who recently partnered with ACME Kennels, says owners have forgotten dogs are animals, and must understand their pet’s natural and intuitive behaviours to initiate positive development. That includes teaching dogs to walk off-lead and mimicking pack communication with nonverbal cues using hard and soft tones with the voice.
According to Jason, the unconventional training method improves behaviour and creates a stronger bond between owner and dog. Jason said: “A huge part of modern-day pet ownership involves pampering pets, being overprotective and treating them like children, but they are not people and forcing them to behave as such often leads to issues.
“Although instinct training is one of many ways to train a dog, and is not a one-size-fits-all all approach, there can be benefits to tapping into a pet’s instincts and natural behaviours if done in a controlled and appropriate manner. There are many examples of instinct-based training methods, including leveraging a natural communication behaviour by using non-verbal cues to create different tones of voice and allowing off-lead time so they can roam freely and get the necessary exercise.
“My tips and techniques may seem crazy to some dog owners, but ultimately I am trying to get people to fulfil their instinctual needs instead of forcing them to comply with ours and improve the bond between pet and owner.”
Five tips to help with Instinct training, according to Jason Mayhew:
Communicate with sounds and tones
Dogs naturally understand and react to sounds, tones and pitches. Understanding the influence this has on dog allows owners to better communicate with their pet in a way that aligns with what they understand. For example, a sudden sharp and singular sound will get attention, a deep and guttural tone is threatening so will help the owner show dominance and a higher pitch tone is a great way to show praise.
Ditch the lead
At puppy level, that’s where they learn to follow you. Letting a puppy off-lead to explore its environment freely harnesses its natural instincts to be curious, exercise its senses and get physical activity, which is essential for their physical and mental well-being as hunters and pack animals. Over time, as trust is built, off-lead training will also make the dog less inclined to run away in a real-life situation.
Games
Taking part in games that mimic natural abilities and satisfy natural behaviours will address a dog’s instinctual needs. Simple games to introduce include retrieving games, scatter feeding and hide-and-seek, so they can tap into their natural scent, tracking and hunting abilities.
Engaging in dog play
Engaging in dog play mimics the social interactions dogs have with each other. If done in a controlled and positive way, getting on a dog’s level and interacting in play where it can express natural behaviours like wrestling, rolling, pouncing and chasing, will create a stronger bond between owner and pet.
Research
Before buying a dog, people must research the breed to check its instincts and suitability for their family, environment and lifestyle. Owning the right dog is about understanding the owner’s requirements and the dog’s drives, instincts and needs for a healthy, happy and fulfilled life.