Find a Qualified IMDT Trainer

Nigel Gunn

Sandbach

Contact

• 07974 240106
• Visit Web Site

Overview

I recognise that most of the time I am not with your dog - you are! Therefore, my focus throughout all my training and behavioural work is to give you the knowledge, skills and competence you need, to 'help you to help your dog'.

I have a wide 30-year experience of and competence in, associated skills that are necessary for successful dog training and dog behavioural work, beyond dog-specific skills: communication; empathy; observation; planning; analytical, assessment; report writing.

I work not just from a knowledge perspective but from real life experience of living with my second-hand dogs, who came to me with various problems, including severe behavioural problems. I know what it feels like to have a dog with problems 24/7!

I offer Puppy Home Consultations – why wait for your dog to develop unwanted habits until they are old enough to attend a class? I can come to your home and put you on the right track regarding everything a puppy owner needs to know – including matters that many puppy classes just don’t cover. Suitable for puppies from 9weeks old. Older puppy problems? – get the right advice, in the environment where the problems occur – your home and surrounding area.

I can help with all adult dog training issues and specialise in ‘failed recall’ issues. If your dog never has, or no longer, ‘returns to you when called’, or struggles to do so when distracted, I know how to help you!

I travel widely to surrounding Counties for Behavioural Consultation work. Behavioural work accounts for 80% of my practice.

I specialise in dog-dog and dog-human aggression but deal with all other behavioural issues: Resource Guarding; Separation Anxiety; Guarding behaviours - food, toys, space; Noise Phobias and Sensitivities; Abnormal Repetitive Behaviours; Generalised anxiety issues.

I specialise in dogs adopted overseas and I am a behavioural consultant for the UK Branch of Soi Dog Foundation – a charity rescuing and rehoming dogs rescued in Thailand from the illegal dog-meat trade. I have extensive experience of other overseas adoptions, from Romania and other places where dogs have had difficult initial lives.

I have externally verified qualification awards in ‘Canine Training and Behaviour’ and 'Canine Behaviour- Modification and Consultation'.

I have successfully undertaken external accreditations:

I have earned full membership of The Institute of Modern Dog Trainers (IMDT) after a 2-day assessment involving a test of my theoretical knowledge; my practical ability in applying that knowledge to running classes; puppy 1-2-1 consultations; rescue dog 1-2-1 consultations.

I have also earned full membership of The Institute of Modern Dog Trainers – Behaviourist (IMDTB), involving detailed study across the range of serious behavioural problems that are not possible to resolve by normal ‘training’ because they are rooted in emotional and hormonal responses, so are reflexive behaviours rather than cognitive behaviours. This assessment was over 7 days, involving: a 90 min closed book exam; detailed analysis of written behavioural case studies; detailed analysis of videos of canine body language; analysis of completed client questionnaires’; preparation for and implementation of client telephone calls, discussing and clarifying the information in the questionnaires; planning and implementing client behaviour modification consultations. Only 50% of candidates pass this accreditation so I am rightly proud to belong to IMDTB.

I offer online Puppy Home Consultations, & Behaviour Consultations via SKYPE or ZOOM, using the clever features of these platforms I can advise the humans, share my screen to show you demo videos and by switching your phone/tablet camera to 'rear' I can coach you in exercises as if I was in the room. Therefore, these mirror in-person work for content & quality, with written reports afterwards.