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Professional Dog Training in East Sussex & Surrey

Why Choose My Complex Canine?

  • Reward-based, ethical methods

  • Supportive, family-friendly environment

  • Meaningful, trusting and reassuring connections established

Our Qualifications and Accreditations

One-on-One Dog Training Services

All training programs are designed to offer you a fully supportive experience, as you learn to work in partnership with your dog. This includes concise training plans, contact days and video reviews, so you can get support in-between training sessions to help keep you moving in the right direction. Areas that My Complex Canine can help you with include;

Toilet Training Issues

Consistent, effective training to ensure successful toilet habits

Pulling on the Lead

Fun techniques to teach your dog to walk calmly by your side.

Recall Issues

Engaging exercises to improve your dog's response to recall commands.

Excitability

Training designed to build your dog's ability to focus, disengage and be calmer around exciting distractions.

General Anxiety or Phobias

Supportive programs to build your dog's confidence in stressful situations.

Jumping Up

Thorough analysis of when and why jumping up at visitors, and people out and about is occurring, working with you to provide a training plan to help you address this common problem.

Excessive Barking

Structured plans to reduce inappropriate barking and vocalisation.

Resource Guarding

Holistic approach to safely manage and reduce resource guarding behaviours.

Medical Challenges

Guidance and support for puppies with medical conditions, ensuring they receive proper care and training.

One-to-One Training with Sarah

“A relationship is an experience and a chance to learn to understand one another”

Learning is a process and it takes time! Like us, our dogs our not going to get it right the first time and that is OK!

My Complex Canine believes in giving you supportive training options that will provide you with advice and guidance throughout your training journey.

Whether you require short-term support and guidance for straightforward training needs, a longer-term plan to see your training skills transform and progress your dog’s training from a basic level to advanced, or work on a particular behaviour issue over time, there will be something that works for you!

All programs are designed to offer you a fully supportive experience, as you learn to work in partnership with your dog.

Dog parents often struggle with puppies that exhibit problematic behaviours, leading to frustration and stress. Without proper guidance, these issues can escalate, causing further distress for both the dog parent and the dog.

Working with My Complex Canine means you will be listened to without judgment. I am keen to understand your expectation for life with your dog and work with you to find an achievable vision. I look to guide dog parents to conclusions rather than dictate, after all, you need to be on board and feel that the solutions are manageable for your family.

By choosing My Complex Canine, you can transform struggles into opportunities for growth and bonding.

Supportive learner journey for you and your dog.

Initial Assessment

We start with a comprehensive assessment to understand your dog's behaviour and your training goals. This helps us tailor a training plan that fits your needs.

Personalised Training Plans

Each training plan is concise and easy to follow and customised based on your dog's unique requirements. Our tailored approach ensures that we address your dog's specific issues effectively.

Ongoing Support

Throughout the training process, we provide continuous support and progress reviews to keep you on track. Our goal is to ensure lasting positive changes in your dog's behaviour.

What Our Clients Say

Ready to Transform Your Dog's Behaviour?

Join the many satisfied dog owners who have successfully trained with My Complex Canine. Book your free discovery call today and start your training journey towards a well-behaved, happy dog.

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Our Latest Blog Posts

Puppy peering over a step.

How to help young puppies build confidence

October 01, 20244 min read

Positive Experience

When you get a puppy you are likely to get lots of people telling you to make sure you socialise them as soon as possible and expose them to as much as possible.

However, it is so important to ensure that what they are experiencing is positive, we can do this well by watching our puppy's body language, so we can detect early signs that our puppies are uncomfortable and respond in a way to help them and avoid a situation from escalating, or becoming a negative experience.

It is a great idea to get them exposed to life even before they are able to walk outside, by carrying them (you can even get carriers to put your puppy in). However, take time to consider that if your puppy is held in place by you, or in the carrier, they have very little options to move away from something. By holding them, we are removing the choice of moving away from something worrying. So, for example, if your puppy is in your arms and three people are saying hi all at once, your puppy is unable to move away if they are feeling worried by the experience. If this is practiced often may result in a puppy that is not comfortable with strangers, as rather than serve to get them used to human affection, it has had a negative impact.

Puppy sitting outdoors on grass.

Body Language

In order to help your puppy out in this situation and other new socialisation experiences you can spend time learning about dog body language. Doggie Language by Lili Chin has great examples both written and visual and is great to share with younger members of the family too! This allows you to improve your skills of understanding your puppy. Like with humans every puppy is different, so you have the chance to become your own puppy's expert!!!

Most puppies that are worried will show some/many of the following; body lower to the ground, backend lowered, ears back, tail tucked, moving away or towards, hiding, lip licking, whites of eyes, vocalisation, shaking, freezing, tension in their face and body. If you observe any of these behaviours it is important to respond in a way to help your puppy recover, rather than overwhelm them. You need to consider the distance you are to the object that is worrying them. Move away and give your puppy time to recover and return to their normal relaxed behaviours. Once they are relaxed and at a safe distance give them a tasty treat whilst observing the thing they were worried about, this will help create a more positive feeling.

Choice

Also remember the option of choice! If you are able to give your puppy a choice of what they approach, how they approach and if they approach at all, this gives them some control over their life. Which let's face it, we as puppy parents pretty much control most of their life; when they eat, what they eat, when they walk, when they go off-lead, etc...

Puppy standing in a stream off lead

“The degree of control that a organism has over a stressor potently modulates the impact”.- Maier et al 2006.

So what does this look like? When they experience something new, make sure you are standing behind them, let them lead the way. Praise them when they move forward or look at you and reward with a tasty treat. If puppies are reinforced for being brave and exploring something new, this will be a positive experience that they would want to repeat and therefore will increase their confidence for future experiences.

Observation & Preparation

As well as body language of your own puppy, you need to help your puppy learn how to respond to other animals. If we set them up to practice calm greetings at a distance in safety for example another animal behind a fence, or your puppy securely on lead, and reward them with food and praise for this response then this will practiced and become their default response.

Take a look at some of out Puppy School graduates experiencing new situations in a way that builds confidence, optimism and preferred behaviours. Notice how they all have relaxed body language.

Puppies observing other animals calmly from a distance.

Guidelines for Socialisation with your Puppy

  1. Give plenty of time to practice a few times throughout the week, but do not do too much all at once!

  2. The importance of positive and pressure free experiences. Let your puppy progress at their own speed.

  3. Good choices can be rewarded with food or toys, it will communicate that they are doing well, do not forget to do this!

  4. Focus should be on finding out pups likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses.

  5. Watch that body language! If your puppy shows signs they are worried (tucked tail, ears back, lowered body posture, trying to move away, hide, or barking, growling) do not push your puppy forward, create distance from the thing that is worrying them.

  6. Keep encounters fun and positive and if not going well try doing it another day.

If you need some help training your puppy head over to my puppy training page to get you started on your tailored puppy pathway!

puppy confidencepuppy socialisationpuppy experiencestaking puppy outsidesocialisationpuppy outingspuppies
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FAQ

What are your business values?

Compassion, authenticity, family, dedication, and growth.

What training methods do you use?

 Science-based positive methods with no force, no pain, no fear.

Who can benefit from your services?

New puppy parents looking to start their puppy off on the right path and any dog parent looking to commit to practice and consistency in-between sessions and classes.

What areas do you cover?

Lingfield (RH7), Hartfield (TN7), Forest Row (RH18), East Grinstead (RH19), Horley (RH6), Oxted (RH8), Crowborough (TN6), Uckfield (TN22).

When can I start training my puppy?

Your puppy can start training as soon as they are comfortable and relaxed in their new home! For group Puppy School your puppy will need to have had their final vaccination and been cleared to attend class by your vet.

Where are your group classes held?

Indoor venues, currently in Hartfield and Lingfield.

How do I book 1:1 training?

Schedule a free discovery call by clicking the banner at the top of the page, selecting a date and time and completing the form. 

How to I sign up to a class?

Click on the link to view class dates and times, and follow the instructions to sign up.

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My Complex Canine values compassion, authenticity, family, dedication, and growth and provides a person and dog-centred approach, advocating no force, no pain, no fear, using science-based positive methods

Contact

Phone No: 07387 553234

Working Days: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.