At Understanding Dog our aim is to help you, to take time and enjoy your dog's company and in doing so, build a relationship that fosters positive outcomes in any situation.
Understanding Dog is a force free/Lure and reward science backed training school that focusses on creating lasting bonds between handlers and their dogs. We do also do private consultation but always our focus is on preserving and nurturing that special bond between human and dog.
We, under no circumstances, use any form of intimidation or physical correction in our training and actively advocate against doing so.
Our classes have been specificially designed
to foster the best possible relationship between you and your dog.
Dogs and dog-training have been an integral part of my life since childhood.
But this journey was not always as positive as it is now.
At 14, I began training Giotto (My first German Shepherd Dog), using Rank reduction/Alpha role training. Even though this training form of training was widely practiced and seemingly was effective. I learnt, towards the end of my German Shepard's life, that this excessively harsh process damages the dogs mind as well as the relationship between handler and dog.
The heart-breaking point was realizing how much damage I had actually done to Giotto, He had always loved training but just before he was diagnosed with lukemia at the age of 6, I would get his leash and choke chain out and he would begin to shake, this coupled with him going off his food, was the very reason I had taken him to the vet in the first place.
The fact was that as a healthy dog, he was capable of coping with the punishment that choke chain had bestowed upon him. When he fell ill, his true feelings were laid bare, and having learned from Celia McCulla and Lotte Griffiths, I have vowed never to train another dog with aversive behaviour modification again, but more than that to try and let as many people know that there are better and far safer ways to train dogs.
In 2015 I completed the Canine Communications Behaviour introduction course through Lotte. I then have gone on to complete an advanced diploma in Canine Behaviour Management through Petsense College which is run by Celia McCulla. I belong to the Animal Behaviour Consultants of South Africa (The ABC) and the South African Board of Companion Animal Professionals (SABCAP) and am furthering my studies with COAPE SA and Thinking Pets.
I train with my wife Christina, who is also a member of the above organizations
and is also completing a course through Thinking Pets.
Understanding Dog is the training-school name for Peter & Christina Eleftheriou, both long-time dog lovers and trainers.
