Training Editor
Tom Brennan, KPA-CTP
Professional trainer specialising in reward-based teaching for dogs, parrots and small mammals, and in cooperative care that makes veterinary handling easier for everyone.
Written by Tom Brennan
Dog Grooming Basics: Brushing, Bathing and Nails
A step-by-step home grooming routine that keeps coats healthy and makes professional visits calmer.
Tom Brennan · 8 min read · Updated 2026-07-09
New pet guidesThe Complete New Puppy Guide
Everything the first sixteen weeks demand: toilet training, sleep, socialisation, vaccination and biting.
Tom Brennan · 14 min read · Updated 2026-09-02
MethodPositive Reinforcement Training: How and Why It Works
The evidence behind reward-based training, and why aversive methods carry documented welfare and safety risks.
Tom Brennan · 9 min read · Updated 2026-08-18
Dog trainingTeaching a Reliable Recall
Recall is the most valuable behaviour you will ever teach, and the one most commonly poisoned by accident.
Tom Brennan · 8 min read · Updated 2026-07-27
HandlingCooperative Care: Making Vet Visits and Grooming Easier
Teaching animals to participate willingly in their own care reduces stress, injury and the need for sedation.
Tom Brennan · 8 min read · Updated 2026-08-21
TravelRoad-Tripping With a Dog: Restraint, Stops and Motion Sickness
Safe restraint in the car, how often to stop, and practical fixes for a dog that is sick every journey.
Tom Brennan · 6 min read · Updated 2026-08-19
EquipmentChoosing a Dog Crate: Size, Material and Setting It Up Right
How to size a crate correctly, the trade-offs between wire, plastic and fabric, and why the crate itself is never the training.
Tom Brennan · 7 min read · Updated 2026-07-09
Coat careNail Trimming Without a Fight: A Cooperative Approach
Why nail trims go wrong, how to find the quick, and how to teach an animal to offer a paw voluntarily instead of being restrained.
Tom Brennan · 6 min read · Updated 2026-08-11