Another Dog Behaviourist to add to the mix!

Hi there!

My name is Steve Wishart, which I think is given away in my username. I am 24 years old and I am a qualified Dog Behaviourist, I can even use those fancy letters after my name, but it's a bit too arty farty for my liking!

I have been around dogs since the day I was born, I grew up with a Jack Russell called Patch who loved digging and getting stuck in rabbit holes, he was much better at it than me, despite me trying several times to follow him.

He was taken to the 'farm' when I was 14 (bless my nan for trying that one), and I was then introduced to Sinbad, who I was told was half wolf-half husky, knowing better now, he was a husky/lab cross who was eventually put down after accidentally causing a severed finger after jumping up onto a lady to escape being chased by dogs. He was put down for being 'aggressive'. During that time, we also had a hyperactive Lab/Lurcher mixed female who was also threatened to being rehomed if she didn't 'calm down'. At the age of 16, I did some research and tried a few different techniques and increased the distance that she was walked daily.

After several days, her dominance issue subsided, she was more physically and mentally challenged and her diet was improved which led to a dramatic change in her 'unwanted behaviour', people were impressed with the change in her that at 16, people were paying me to basically see where they were going wrong with their dogs. It was only £5-10 here and there but by the time I hit 17, I realised that this would be a fantastic job as opposed to sitting in an office, staring at a computer 9-5.

7 years on, I have increased my knowledge, helped more than 200 or so owners with their pets and I am still very much enjoying the fact that I am doing something I love doing, not many people can say that!

I own a 2 1/2 year old Alaskan Malamute who goes by the name of Chinook, easily the greatest dog I have ever had around me, I put that down to the fact that I have had him since a pup and I have used every opportunity to use my skills as a dog behaviourist to train him to be as close to that perfect dog, including some of the brilliant characteristics he displays along with his somewhat aloof independance (Malamute teenager stage has just passed, at long last, lol).

I am always more than happy to help people with their dogs as well as always on the look out about new problems I haven't come across, to help me further my own knowledge.

My dream would be to own a small farmland and just help take in problem dogs and help them to become more balanced animals to allow them to make perfect companions for families again. Still a way to go before that happens however!

So, that's me in a rather large posted nutshell, who are you?

Hi Steve and welcome to Dogsey

Thanks for the welcome! That is one great big welcome picture Berger

Am I the only bloke around these here parts? lol, seems to be a lot of female symbols. Not that I'm complaining of course!

Hi Steve, no your not the only bloke on here. I think there are about a dozen regular male posters on here.

Ah no there are a few boys here. But the girls definitely rule. Get posting some pics of your boy

There's some piccies of him, tried to upload an avatar but the file size is impossibly small

He's lovely! I like the first pic the best.

Deedee

yeah, that's him on a walk with a friend who wanted to take a photo of him. Obviously she's much better than me at taking pictures, lol.