A PENSHAM dog trainer hopes to teach Vale pet owners the dangers of walking their canines in the countryside through his new service.
Paul Martin has recently launched a new dog training enterprise, Cotswold Pet Services, in the village to get dogs used to being around sheep and not to chase them or other animals such as cattle, horses and pheasants.
The 25-acre fully fenced and floodlit training ground comes on the back of the company winning the national overall business of the year award from the Fredericks Foundation in October 2015.
The 59-year-old has been training dogs for 45 years and says the key to training them not to chase livestock is being gentle and constantly praising them.
Recall is the biggest problem as some untrained dogs chase cyclists, runners, birds and squirrels, and more than 1,000 incidents of dogs attacking livestock were reported by the National Farmers Union in 2013, with insurance claims totalling to more than £1million.
“I want other people to enjoy their dogs as much as I enjoy mine, without tension, frustration and disappointment,” said Mr Martin.
“I want to help people understand their dogs and what makes them tick, and to train their dogs outside in a real environment where there are tempting smells from pheasants and other wildlife.
“We want people to be ready to put their dog on a lead when near a field of sheep. That is common sense. But first you also have to be able to recall your dog so it does not get tempted,” he added.
Call Mr Martin on 08444 148295 or e-mail [email protected] for more information.
