Let's be honest, the idea sounds brilliant. Your dog disappears for a few weeks and comes back walking beautifully on the lead, recalling from the other side of a field, and politely ignoring squirrels. It's a bit like sending your teenager away and having them return doing their own washing and thanking you for your efforts. Unfortunately, dog training rarely works like that. Board and train programmes have become increasingly popular, and for some dogs and owners they can h

Choose a side? If you've spent more than five minutes in an online dog training group, you've probably seen someone dramatically announce: "I only use positive reinforcement!" Followed by someone else replying: "Actually, that's impossible because all four quadrants are always present..." At which point three people leave angry comments, someone posts a picture of a wolf, and the original question about pulling on the lead is completely forgotten. Welcome to the wonderful wor