You’ve probably heard that punishing your puppy will ruin your relationship with them.  And yes it can - but only if used incorrectly.  When used correctly though punishment is simply a quadrant in operant conditioning. And you don’t have to worry about it ruining your relationship with your puppy. In today's episode Miriam explains exactly why that is. And she totally geeks on how the dog's brain works. 

If you follow Miriam on Instagram you'll know she's delaying the start of Puppy University for personal reasons. But to make up for that she's offering a free bonus programme for anybody who signs up to Puppy University in the next 48 hours. In this bonus episode Miriam explains what the Clarity Not Conflict programme offers. You can sign up here

You have two seconds to tell your puppy if you like or dislike what they're doing. Sounds tricky right? But wait there’s more because even if you do tell your puppy in time, if you’ve not actually conditioned the meaning of your words, then you’ve not actually communicated with your puppy at all. And that means you could have the best and most expensive treats in the world but your puppy may never repeat the behaviour because it thinks you were rewarding something else entirely. Luckily...

Your puppy does not belong to your child. If your child needs your support to look after themselves they can not fully look after a dog. Your puppy belongs to you and you are raising it alongside your child. In this episode Miriam breaks down the dos and don’ts of raising a puppy alongside raising your child - starting from bringing a baby into the family all the way through to teenage years!

Finding a trainer who works for you and your puppy is a challenge and a very important challenge too. When you like and get on with your trainer you will enjoy the puppy training journey a whole lot more. So it’s important you know what you’re getting if you sign up for Puppy University. In this episode Miriam talks you through the online course. You can get on the waiting list for Puppy University here Make sure you follow so you don't miss an episode You can follow Miriam on Instagram...

You heard last week's episode where Miriam chatted about her brand new programme Puppy University, but you've still got some questions. Well this week Miriam explains a bit more about Puppy University and who it is for. So grab your headphones and find out if this is what you and your puppy need! Make sure you sign up for the waitlist here so you don't miss out on a place. You also want to make sure you hit follow so you don't miss an episode of the podcast. You can follow Miriam on...

Puppy University will be open for enrolment soon and in this episode Miriam explains just what her new programme is about. You'll hear who Puppy University is for, what it will do for you and your puppy as well as what's expected from you as a puppy owner taking part in Puppy University. Excited? You should be - you can get on the waitlist here And if you just can't wait you can sign up for the replay of Miriam's free webinar here Make sure you subscribe so you don't miss an episode You can...

Understanding the four stages of how your puppy learns and processes the information you provide is very important. It allows you to understand your puppy better and learn not to rush the training process, Rushing will leave you hitting a wall in your puppy’s training - you’ll end up struggling and your puppy will be confused. So in this episode Miriam explains the four stages of how your puppy learns so you can get the best from them.

Toilet training is probably the most important thing you need to train your puppy. Every puppy and dog needs to know where they should and shouldn’t go to the toilet. Puppies don’t have full control of their bladder until they are 9 months old so you’ve got 7 months of managing your puppy and their toilet behaviour. So in this episode Miriam explains the best ways you can teach your puppy this essential skill.

Puppy bites hurt.  But it is a very normal part of puppy behaviour because puppies experience the world through their mouths.  They find new textures, eat different things and essentially use their mouths the same way we would use our hands. So today Miriam gives you ways you can manage the problem while your puppy learns to grow out of this! To get on the waiting list for the training programme Miriam is starting later this year just go...

Resource guarding is simply your puppy’s fear of getting things removed. Puppies show this behaviour for a number of reasons, but the most common one is they’ve had something removed from them when they’ve not wanted it removed.  In this episode Miriam busts some of the most common resource guarding myths and gives you the steps you need to help you prevent this behaviour in your puppy. Don't forget to sign up to the waitlist for the Perfect Puppy Programme Make sure you subscribe so you...

Seeing your dog interacting with other dogs can be a lovely experience. Especially if it goes well and you understand what’s going on. BUT for the majority of dogs there shouldn’t be any interaction with dogs because they are not socialised well enough to cope. In this episode Miriam will explain the four steps she uses for successful dog interaction.  To get on the waiting list for the training programme Miriam is starting later this year just go here...

Last week Miriam looked at what you can do to help prevent separation anxiety in you puppy. This week she's looking closer at the difference between actual separation anxiety and simulated separation anxiety. Your dog most likely has simulated separation anxiety. This is basically a learned behaviour - so when you spend lots of time with your puppy and not dedicating time to separation. Make sure you subscribe so you don't miss an episode You can follow Miriam on Instagram...

If your puppy could have their way they would never leave your side. But sadly real life means you do sometimes have to be away from your puppy. But how do you deal with separation anxiety? In today's episode Miriam gives you her four key bits of advice to help you get your dog to be content and settled when you can't be with them all the time. Make sure you subscribe so you don't miss an episode You can follow Miriam on Instagram @thinkdogacademy And her website is thinkdogacademy.com

We all make mistakes. That’s just a fact of life and with millions of dogs in the UK alone there’s millions of mistakes being made every day. It’s ok to make a mistake as long as you learn from it. With that in mind, today Miriam examines 5 mistakes that are easily made when it comes to your puppy’s recall.  You’re focussing on training a recall not a relationshipYour dog is not socialised (Take a listen to Episode 18 How To Correctly Socialise Your Puppy for help!)You’re playing fetch too...

After what feels like the coldest, wettest spring it finally feels like summer has arrived with a bang. And whilst the long sunny days filled with ice cream are welcome for many, hot weather is not ideal for your puppy. In this episode Miriam explains what you need to do to keep your puppy cool this summer. You can get more tips in Miriam's Facebook Group here Make sure you subscribe so you don't miss an episode You can follow Miriam on Instagram @thinkdogacademy And her website is...

There's a lot of misinformation and huge misconceptions around puppy and dog socialisation. And that's causing all sorts of issues for your dog and you. In fact it's such a problem that often puppy owners are making their dogs unsocialised through their mistaken attempts at socialisation. Miriam explains what socialisation actually is and how you can get your puppy on the right track. If you want to get on the waitlist for Miriam's programme you can find the details on the Think Dog Academy...

It's important to talk about regression and progression because the two will happen in your puppy. And both are perfectly OK. Yes. Regression happens. It's nothing to be ashamed or frustrated about. It's just one of those things in puppy training. The key is accepting the regression for what it is and learning to just deal with it and move on. You'd think when it comes to progression that's a lot easier to handle. Well, no. Progression can be hindered by our expectations. Luckily Miriam...

The next stage of lockdown easing is just days away in England and with it comes the opening up of the insides of cafes, pubs and restaurants. Visiting the inside of these places hasn’t been allowed since the beginning of the year or longer if you were in local lockdowns at the end of 2020. So you and your puppy are off to uncharted territory as you navigate enjoying that first pint, pizza or coffee indoors surrounded by others. Miriam has the best advice for you to prepare for this with...

Goal setting is so important when it comes to puppy training. It boosts communication and your relationship with your dog. In an ideal world you'll be able to set your puppy goals before you get your puppy so that you can better match your goals to the breed. Goal setting doesn't have to be forever - but it's well worth getting some clear goals defined so you can make the most of puppy life. In this episode Miriam shares her goals for Tiggy and how you can set goals for your dog too. You...

Communicating with your puppy might seem straightforward but there's actually quite a lot involved. And it can also take a long time to master because it's all about timing. In order to strengthen your communication with your puppy you need to understand how your puppy learns. In this episode Miriam explores this and helps you find the best ways to communicate with your puppy. Make sure you follow the podcast so you don't miss an episode

Setting up your puppy for success is one of Miriam's favourite things. It essentially means creating situations where you know the outcome will be a big fat win for you and your puppy. Puppy training is always about prevention - making sure you mould and shape the desired behaviours before the undesired behaviours take over! Miriam explains how you can make sure you are always setting your puppy up for success and why you should start this process as soon as possible!

Even Perfect Puppy trainers make mistakes! And that's what Miriam's discussing in this episode. She reflects on the things she did or didn't do with her dog Tiggy when she was a puppy. Make sure you listen to learn from Miriam's mistakes!

You've got your puppy but how do you know if your dog is ready to be off the lead? It's quite simple according to Miriam - your puppy should be on the lead until your recall is 110% But it's not just about a reliable recall. Your dog also needs to be fully engaged. Too many puppies go off leash too soon and that causes all sorts of problems. Miriam explains how you can make sure you're letting your puppy off leash at the right time for your puppy and you. Make sure you follow the podcast...