DOG WALKING
The length of the walk can vary from half an hour to two hours depending on what your dog requires. It's a structured on the leash walk; providing mental stimulation as well as physical exercise, while keeping the dog calm and responsive to the handler. A maximum of 5 dogs can be walked at any one time and is conducted in the local area to where you live (where facilities allow).
Shelley doesn't walk dog's in harnesses - unless your vet has advised specifically against pressure to your dog's neck due to a specific medical condition it may have - as it provides very little or no control over your dog's behaviour...in fact, it can actually make things worse.
She also stays clear of using clip leads that attach directly to your dog's collar; even a well behaved dog can spook and as most dog owners keep collars way too slack, it's easy for dogs to slip out of them; allowing the dog to bolt and potentially get hurt, or to hurt somebody/something else in the process. Also, the collar rests on the strongest part of the dog's neck, so it's very difficult - as with the harness - to correct unruly behaviour and to keep your dog under control.
What she does use and highly recommends; is a firm rope slip lead (non-stretchable). Slip leads have had a bit of bad press lately, hence the rise in vets and charities recommending harnesses to owners (bad idea!). Any injury caused by a slip lead is solely down to human error when using it and not the fault of the lead itself; after all, good workmen don't blame their tools. In the right hands and with the right training, the slip lead is perfectly safe to use and will allow any unwanted behaviour (if situated in the correct position on the neck) to be corrected easily and with minimum effort and pressure.
Shelley will be more than happy to show you how she does this during the initial assessment. If you'd like to book one, you can contact us today and don't be put off if your dog has behavioural problems; Shelley loves a challenge and as a qualified behaviourist she has more than enough experience to cope with anything that comes her way, although there may be an additional charge due to the risk and time involved in correcting the behaviour, but this will be discussed during the assessment.