About Heeling Hounds Dog Training

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Tom Heeren has always had dogs and has owned Border Collies and Terriers for over 30 years. Tom has trained many breeds of dogs in Warrnambool and now on the Mornington Peninsula. Tom's primary interest is helping owners solve behavioural struggles with their dogs without force or punishment.

Tom will design a personalised dog behaviour modification or transformation plan to help build confidence and resilience in your dog. One-on-one sessions will allow you and your dog to learn new skills, consolidate old ones and succeed in a relaxed and less stressful setting than in a multi-dog class. Training begins in your home and then progresses to include more distractions so that you and your dog can feel confident and have the skills to cope when confronting new challenges.

With two degrees in biological science, a Master's in teaching, and certification as a Pro Dog Trainer and Geek from Absolute Dogs, Tom is well-qualified to help you and your dog succeed. 

You and your dog are a team, but sometimes, the lines of communication are unclear, and your dog exhibits inappropriate behaviours. If not correctly addressed, these behaviours can cause your relationship with your dog to break down, making what was once a pleasant experience into one of constant struggles and despair. Some of these struggles can include:

• separation-related behaviours
• leash pulling/lunging
• barking at other dogs, animals and people
• jumping up on people
• destructive behaviour, such as chewing furniture or digging
• resource guarding, i.e. growling/defending food or possessions from others
• fear-related behaviours towards strangers or objects such as lawnmowers or vacuum cleaners.

There is hope for you and your dog. Tom can transform your dog's life using reward-based, force-free, positive reinforcement techniques, concept games to develop life skills, and a personalised approach based on the latest scientific understanding of canine behaviour.

Tom keeps up-to-date with the latest scientific canine behavioural and cognitive studies, showing that anxious and nervous dogs need space, understanding, patience, and emotional support to help them learn life skills and overcome their struggles.

Tom only uses reward-based, force-free, positive training methods that are recommended by the Australian Veterinary Association and the RSPCA and have been shown to achieve lifelong results.

There is no quick fix or magic command, and in extreme cases, some dogs may require support throughout their lives.

Each dog is an individual, and what may work for one dog may not be the best solution for another.

Tom will develop a personal transformation plan for your dog by understanding its breed, observing its behaviour, and getting to know you and your lifestyle.

The Absolute Dogs training methodology is centred around the motto, 'There's a game for that!' Dogs, like humans, learn and retain information better if the learning experience is meaningful and fun.

The games-based training approach builds concepts in our dogs, including:

• calmness
• optimism
• thinking in arousal
• focus
• grit
• flexibility
• proximity
• arousal up/arousal down
• disengagement

Games-based training reshapes a dog's brain, turning struggles into strengths.

As an Absolute Dogs Pro Dog Trainer, I can develop a personalised transformation plan containing concept games to help you and your dog overcome behavioural struggles.

The Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) Australia Incorporated is a national association of professional dog trainers and those involved in the dog community throughout Australia.

The APDT Code of Ethics requires members to use only reward-based, force-free, positive training methods and encourages the general public to adopt these methods through education.

APDT Accredited and Professional membership is strictly controlled and is only available to dog trainers who use reward-based, force-free, positive dog training methods.

Tom is also a member of the executive committee with roles as the secretary and editor of the association’s membership magazine. Click! is released three times yearly and contains the latest dog training science, tips, and membership contributions.

Peninsula Positive Paws Dog Club Inc. is a volunteer dog training club in Rosebud, Victoria, offering Sunday morning classes for all breeds.

Unlike other dog clubs on the Mornington Peninsula, PPPDC does not focus on traditional obedience classes but instead offers fun sessions based on the Absolute Dogs games-based training methodology.

Tom volunteers at the club and often takes three 30-minute sessions each Sunday from beginners to advanced.

The club also welcomes 'reactive' dogs and helps owners understand their dog's emotional needs through calmness, optimism and disengagement strategies.

To discover more about the PPPDC, visit their website or attend training every Sunday morning at the Rosebud Secondary College grounds.