Temporarily closed
Nikita Norman - Canine Behaviour & Training is temporarily closed!
Owing to a temporary change in circumstances, I've closed down for the time being as I will be physically unable to meet clients' needs for the near future.
As and when I'm able to help again, I will reopen the website and remove this page.
Welcome
Welcome! My name is Nikita Norman. I am a qualified and insured canine behaviourist and trainer, here to assist you through one-to-one training in all manner of problems: everything from basic training (sit, stay, pulling on lead, housetraining and so on) up to serious behavioural cases such as aggression, phobias, separation anxiety and the like.
Let me be clear from the beginning: I am NOT here to judge you, or to punish you, or your dog. My training ethos is one of 'why?' not 'what?' - rather than just looking at the symptoms (what the dog is doing), I look at the cause: 'why is my dog doing what he's doing?' When we know why something is happening, we are in a better position to change it. From there I can establish a training program, fully tailored to both you and your dog to maximise success.
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New online course!
Let me be clear from the beginning: I am NOT here to judge you, or to punish you, or your dog. My training ethos is one of 'why?' not 'what?' - rather than just looking at the symptoms (what the dog is doing), I look at the cause: 'why is my dog doing what he's doing?' When we know why something is happening, we are in a better position to change it. From there I can establish a training program, fully tailored to both you and your dog to maximise success.
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New online course!
Brand new for 2021! Do you have a new puppy, or are you about to get one? Have you had your pup for a couple of weeks and are struggling with some things? This online course is for you! 6 units going into all aspects of raising a happy, healthy, sociable and well-mannered puppy, with easy to follow videos and written guides. All on demand so you don't have to wait for the bit you need!
Lifetime access to the course and to online support is included, and if you buy Best Start for Puppies, you'll also receive a discount code for any future courses I produce (which are being made as we speak!).
For just £50, you'll be getting the equivalent of approximately 8 private sessions in this course, which would cost you £120, PLUS I go into more detail on subjects than time allows for in my in-person sessions. AND you can go back to any of it at any time, AND if you still have questions, you can ask me in the support group or forum at no extra cost!
Lifetime access to the course and to online support is included, and if you buy Best Start for Puppies, you'll also receive a discount code for any future courses I produce (which are being made as we speak!).
For just £50, you'll be getting the equivalent of approximately 8 private sessions in this course, which would cost you £120, PLUS I go into more detail on subjects than time allows for in my in-person sessions. AND you can go back to any of it at any time, AND if you still have questions, you can ask me in the support group or forum at no extra cost!
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Housetraining
Get in touch for your FREE housetraining plan now! For all ages. No other issues covered.
Per guide (by email): FREE
......................................................................................
Pre-Puppy Palaver
Informal Q&A to help you prepare for your new arrival! All areas covered to get you started
off on the right foot from day one.
Per session: £15
Home visit or online consultation.
......................................................................................
Pre-Rescue Reccy
Informal Q&A covering everything you need or want to know to prepare for welcoming a new rescue into your life.
Per session: £15
Home visit or online consultation.
......................................................................................
Best Start Puppy Training
9 weeks to 4 months
Home visit covering all aspects of puppy training such as housetraining, mouthing/puppy biting,
chewing, stealing, walking on lead, basic obedience etc. These sessions can begin in your home before pup is fully vaccinated.
Give your pup the best start you can!
Per session: £20
......................................................................................
Juvenile and Adult Training & Behaviour
Home visit covering all training and behaviour issues in dogs over 4 months, such as pulling on lead, housetraining issues, excessive mouthing, reactivity to other dogs, resource guarding, etc.
Per session: £30
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All training is done on a one-to-one basis, based in your home (and your regular walks if relevant). All home visits are subject to an additional charge for fuel if located outside Scunthorpe. Sessions are usually around an hour but may vary; initial visits can run a little longer. If appropriate, future sessions may take place in a separate location (e.g. to work on reactivity to specific triggers).
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My methods are based on positive reward training - again, I am not here to punish. If Fido does something wrong, we will work together to work out why, how to stop it happening again, and how to teach Fido what he should be doing. Punishment does not teach this - it only teaches them what their person does not like and stresses them, which inhibits learning. That can leave a dog in utter confusion, as there are no clues to what their person would like them to do instead! The same is true of people - I will not judge you or scold you if things don't go quite to plan, or for anything you may have tried before; we are all here to learn and that is best achieved in a positive mindset, with encouragement and guidance. So, that is where I focus my efforts.
This does not mean I am soft, though! 'Ignore the bad, reward the good' is not quite my MO; rather, 'distract or prevent the bad, reward the good'. In this way we can guide Fido into better behaviour and a happier situation for everyone. This is how it should be - we are our dogs' guides, their mentors, not their bosses or controllers; anyone with an unpleasant or controlling boss will tell you that it does not exactly inspire cooperation or enjoyment of the job!
Please have a look around - you can find out more about me and how I came to be a behaviourist on the 'About Me' page, and you can read about the dogs I have been lucky enough to share my life with, past and present, on the 'My Dogs' page.
Housetraining
Get in touch for your FREE housetraining plan now! For all ages. No other issues covered.
Per guide (by email): FREE
......................................................................................
Pre-Puppy Palaver
Informal Q&A to help you prepare for your new arrival! All areas covered to get you started
off on the right foot from day one.
Per session: £15
Home visit or online consultation.
......................................................................................
Pre-Rescue Reccy
Informal Q&A covering everything you need or want to know to prepare for welcoming a new rescue into your life.
Per session: £15
Home visit or online consultation.
......................................................................................
Best Start Puppy Training
9 weeks to 4 months
Home visit covering all aspects of puppy training such as housetraining, mouthing/puppy biting,
chewing, stealing, walking on lead, basic obedience etc. These sessions can begin in your home before pup is fully vaccinated.
Give your pup the best start you can!
Per session: £20
......................................................................................
Juvenile and Adult Training & Behaviour
Home visit covering all training and behaviour issues in dogs over 4 months, such as pulling on lead, housetraining issues, excessive mouthing, reactivity to other dogs, resource guarding, etc.
Per session: £30
......................................................................................
All training is done on a one-to-one basis, based in your home (and your regular walks if relevant). All home visits are subject to an additional charge for fuel if located outside Scunthorpe. Sessions are usually around an hour but may vary; initial visits can run a little longer. If appropriate, future sessions may take place in a separate location (e.g. to work on reactivity to specific triggers).
......................................................................................
My methods are based on positive reward training - again, I am not here to punish. If Fido does something wrong, we will work together to work out why, how to stop it happening again, and how to teach Fido what he should be doing. Punishment does not teach this - it only teaches them what their person does not like and stresses them, which inhibits learning. That can leave a dog in utter confusion, as there are no clues to what their person would like them to do instead! The same is true of people - I will not judge you or scold you if things don't go quite to plan, or for anything you may have tried before; we are all here to learn and that is best achieved in a positive mindset, with encouragement and guidance. So, that is where I focus my efforts.
This does not mean I am soft, though! 'Ignore the bad, reward the good' is not quite my MO; rather, 'distract or prevent the bad, reward the good'. In this way we can guide Fido into better behaviour and a happier situation for everyone. This is how it should be - we are our dogs' guides, their mentors, not their bosses or controllers; anyone with an unpleasant or controlling boss will tell you that it does not exactly inspire cooperation or enjoyment of the job!
Please have a look around - you can find out more about me and how I came to be a behaviourist on the 'About Me' page, and you can read about the dogs I have been lucky enough to share my life with, past and present, on the 'My Dogs' page.