Episode Transcript
[00:00:01] Speaker A: Welcome to the Muddy Paws Insurance Podcast. I'm your host, Dawn Cross, and today I'll be chatting about the power of early puppy training with Kirsty Tew, founder and head trainer of Kirsty Paws.
If you enjoy our podcast, make sure to leave a rating on your favourite podcast directory.
[00:00:19] Speaker B: Brilliant. So welcome so much to the Muddy Paws podcast. If I could get you to introduce yourself and what you do within your work.
[00:00:27] Speaker C: Hello. Yes, thank you for inviting me. So I'm Kirsty from Kirsty's Paw and I'm a dog trainer. I've got a level 6 advanced diploma in Canine Behavior and I'm a member of the imdt.
I run one to one training group classes and online courses and I do mentoring for other professionals now as well.
[00:00:51] Speaker B: Oh, that sounds amazing.
[00:00:53] Speaker C: It really is. It's wonderful.
[00:00:58] Speaker B: I can tell just from the start, you know, you seem very passionate about it all.
[00:01:02] Speaker C: Yes, yeah, absolutely.
And I've got so many people that enjoy classes that I've now set up extra ones. So we've got teens, we've got advanced.
Puppies certainly are my speciality as well.
[00:01:16] Speaker B: That's brilliant. Well, that's really good actually, because we're going to talk all about puppies in today's session.
[00:01:23] Speaker A: Cool.
[00:01:24] Speaker B: So first question today is, you know, what do pet parents need to bear in mind when they get a puppy?
[00:01:32] Speaker C: There is so much to think about when we get our puppies and so much conflicting advice online as well. So I think it's really important to try and find a trainer that has the experience, has the qualifications, someone that you can talk to all these things about. So one of the things I would look at is perhaps, what breed are you thinking of getting?
Does their needs match your lifestyle?
Are we able to provide them the natural outlet that they need in order to help prevent some of the behavior problems that we might otherwise see.
They've also done lots of studies that if you've got children, perhaps finding a breeder that has children, so our puppies are interacting with them from a young age, that can help set our pups up for success as well.
[00:02:23] Speaker B: I think it's really key as well. You're saying about especially, you know, the breeds and stuff like that, you've got some, you know, amazing working dog breeds that you know, if you're not going to be out and about at least maybe twice a day, that it's not going to be a good fit and they are more likely to maybe destroy your couch out of boredom because, you know, they need to be out and about. They need to be running around the field at least twice a day.
[00:02:45] Speaker C: Absolutely. And that's. That's actually how I got into training. So so many of the reasons that dogs were rehomed is actually through behavior problems. So I think if we can create the right match, prevent behavior problems, then you're going to have a dog that you can have in your life, you know, right off until they're old age.
[00:03:05] Speaker B: Definitely. That's brilliant. So I guess a big key question is, you know, why is training so important for young pups?
[00:03:13] Speaker C: Yes. So it was originally Scotland Fuller that coined the term the critical period of socialization. So that's now more known as more of a sensitive period that goes from around the age of three weeks to three months. So the sooner we can start giving our puppies those positive experiences, teaching new things, there's a lovely level of neuroplasticity in their brains. So as young puppies, our puppies learn to learn.
So it's really good to encourage that when they're a young age, get them
[00:03:48] Speaker B: off on the right track, 100%. I think, obviously, you know, they are very much more impressionable. And, you know, we can definitely train older dogs, you know, who have been around a bit, maybe learning a couple of naughty things and getting them on the right track. But, you know, when. If you're. If you are getting them as a puppy, you know, it's kind of the best time of anything to get on it and go, you know, all the training that would just be useful for their needs, but also for yours.
[00:04:18] Speaker C: Yes. Yeah. And they've shown that if you get your puppy before six months into a good training class, that actually they're less likely to be rehomed. And I think that's because we see less of the behavior problems start to develop. We develop that relationship with our puppies. And if they're working with us, making eye contact with us, they're easier to train. And like you said, you can train a dog up to any age, but starting them young, they really start to learn the skills that we can help
[00:04:52] Speaker B: them out with most 100%. I think what's key as well is that bonding experience as well, is that, you know, they want. You need to. They will learn to trust you and everything else. And doing that training alongside with them can really help cement it very early on. So even down to, like, making sure that recall is really good, you know, that bond is so strong that they're like, yes, yeah, I'll come when you call instead of, you know, be A potential disaster that happens down the line.
[00:05:18] Speaker C: Yeah, that's what it's about, creating those secure attachments as well, which also helps with, you know, preventing problems like fear and aggression. And like you say, puppies that want to be with us and want to follow along with us and enjoy their, their training. I think that's such an important aspect for them and for us, which should be enjoyable for everybody.
[00:05:42] Speaker B: So what can pet parents do to support their dog's training? Whether it's, you know, they're off with a trainer and it's just one on one with the trainer or, you know, they're doing training classes maybe perhaps with yourself, but then obviously like at home, like what could they be doing just to help strengthen all of that.
[00:05:58] Speaker C: Yeah. So I'm, I'm very keen for, you know, even if while you're making a cup of tea, you can do a little bit of training, something like a little bit of rewarding eye contact, rewarding our puppies to come coming to us. It doesn't have to particularly be a set time of day for a long period of time. Our puppies can't concentrate for that long anyway.
And sometimes it can be difficult when you've got a busy household to find the time to do training.
Our puppies are always learning. So even if they do something that you think, oh, I like that, right, let's give them a little treat for it. Let's have a few little pots of treats dotted about so we can reward the behaviour that we want to see, then we'll start to see more and more of it as well.
I'm also a big fan of can we use our puppies meals for a little bit of training?
And it may not be the sort of more active training it could even be, I'm going to put some of your food in a Kong, pop it on your mat, or if you're using a crate, in your crate so that you're rewarded for being calm, lying down and also not barking.
But little things like that are super to do.
We can also use things like that to help puppy biting, to practice separations. So there's lots of ways we can do a little bit of training quite easily in a way that's going to make our life easier as well.
[00:07:29] Speaker B: 100%, I agree. It's a bit like, you know, if you're thinking about learning in school, like when we used to be back at school, it's having that homework that helps solidify that learning that we do at home, isn't it?
[00:07:44] Speaker C: Yeah, absolutely.
I'm a big fan of when I do my courses, when I do my one to ones, I'll send out handouts and you've got video links or things to look back on. Because I think sometimes, particularly if you're coming to a class, it can be very difficult to train, then remember what we've done and then repeat it at home. So I think having that support is also really, really helpful.
[00:08:08] Speaker B: That does sound absolutely amazing. Obviously, like in the beginning we spoke a little bit about, touched on kind of the benefits and stuff like that. I was wondering if we can go in more detail. Like some people may understand it's really great for them. It makes sure that maybe the dog responds better to commands. You can make sure that you've got that bond. But maybe specifically for the puppies, why is training just so, so good for their brains?
[00:08:35] Speaker C: Their brains are developing. They're phenomenal the way their brains develop and all the little neurons they get firing.
So by training them from a young age, we can promote optimism. We can help them with things like problem solving abilities, we can build their confidence and all of this helps get older. They're going to manage situations better.
Our dogs are so good at reading us.
They've got the left gaze bias that people have as well. So we're really good at reading emotions and knowing what's going to come from that and how people are going to behave. So I think where are dogs learning all of this as well?
So important that we're learning that about them too and what they're trying to communicate because they are extremely good, good at it, 100%.
[00:09:31] Speaker B: I think, you know, even if you're, you know, a pet parent veteran or, you know, you're doing it for the first time, being able to kind of learn your dog's body language, I think is something that's really important. Even just down to like making sure if they're okay because maybe they're actually not feeling well and maybe need to take a to the vet just to check in with their health.
[00:09:54] Speaker C: Yes. Yeah. It's so many little signs that if you can spot them early enough and whether it's behavior or health, picking up on those signals makes everything so much easier to help them as well.
[00:10:11] Speaker B: 100%. Well, obviously being an amazing pet trainer as yourself, you know what would be your one piece of advice for anyone listening today?
[00:10:23] Speaker C: One piece of advice is actually really, really.
[00:10:25] Speaker B: I know I'm getting you to narrow it down quite a lot. I do apologize.
[00:10:30] Speaker C: It's going to be so different for every person and every Puppy.
If I was going to narrow it down to one, it would potentially be actually to find someone that can support you in all of this, because it's not easy. It does get easier. And when you look online, that you're going to find so conflicting advice. And this is something I hear all of the time. And it leaves particularly pet parents, really worried because they'll read one thing that says, you absolutely must do this, and then they'll read the next thing that says, never do that thing that you just read that you have to do. So I think finding that support and finding a network is really, really helpful.
It's also quite nice to know that you're not alone in having those worries, particularly when it comes to things like puppy biting. You know, it feels awful when you're going through it and when you hear someone else saying, we're going through it too, I think you just feel that little bit more supported.
Yeah.
[00:11:37] Speaker B: Especially with a transition like that, you know, it's not like an easy game. I mean, I can only imagine what it's like when you have, you know, a human baby going through teething. Like, it's. They really do explore my first and ask questions later
[00:11:52] Speaker C: exactly what our puppies are doing.
And yet with a human baby, they get 32 teeth by the time we're 12 years old, whereas puppies are getting 42 teeth by the time they're six months.
[00:12:10] Speaker B: That's quite incredible. That's a lot of teeth.
[00:12:13] Speaker C: It really is. And it's little things like that. They think, yes. Okay, so if we understand them a little bit more, we can. Then we have a bit more sympathy and we're able to. To help them out that little bit more, too.
[00:12:27] Speaker B: 100%. I mean, you know, we remember, you know, teeth growing through, but to have like 42 of them, I think is quite overwhelming, probably overstimulating, and they definitely, probably really don't love it half the time.
[00:12:41] Speaker C: Yeah. And in such a short space of time.
[00:12:46] Speaker B: Yeah.
Okay, well, one of the last questions I have for you today is, do you have a funny moment or memory you've had whilst being a trainer with a partner that you'd like to share with us today?
[00:12:59] Speaker C: Oh, well, the first thing that always comes to my mind when I. When I think about things like this. I work with a lot of puppies and even sometimes slightly older dogs. That will do.
And it takes me right back 17 years ago when my own dog and we started puppy classes, which is actually how I got into what I'm doing now. And I would be so embarrassed. And every week when we got there, our trainer's little boy, who must be in his 20s now, wouldn't go home until he saw the dog that weed.
[00:13:39] Speaker B: So.
Wow.
[00:13:47] Speaker C: Anytime someone gets a little bit embarrassed about that, I can relate to them and they always feel slightly better when I tell them that story.
[00:13:57] Speaker B: That is fairly heartwarming.
Oh, that's lovely. Well, thank you so much for coming onto the podcast today. We really appreciate you sharing your insights, especially into puppy training. So I, I think personally it's not spreading about enough the importance of it, especially when they're so young.
[00:14:16] Speaker C: Yes. Yeah, yeah. It's really nice to join you today and just help help spread that word just a little bit more.
[00:14:24] Speaker A: Thank you to my guest today, Kirsty, for discussing the power of puppy training, not only for you, but for your pup's well being.
If you'd like to know more about her training, please click the link in the description.
I have been your host on Cross and make sure to click follow for more episodes.
Moneypaws takes pride in keeping things simple. Our goal is to provide a reliable insurance policy that is well delivered and gives you peace of mind, intelligent underwriting, a user friendly application and outstanding customer service. Ensure we stand out from the crowd and provide the best for your furry friends.
