An army dog handler has set up his own dog training business and has some great tips for pet owners - Huddersfield Hub

Posted by Andy Hirst | Mar 12, 2025 | Business, Features | 0

An army dog handler has some great advice for Huddersfield dog owners on how to train and control their pets … and what they need in a canine first aid kit.

Ben Burrell set up his company, Colne Valley Dogs, after realising that far too many dog owners don’t take their dogs to training classes, instead relying on trying to control their pets themselves with very little knowledge of what to do, especially in an emergency.

Ben, 39, of Linthwaite, served in the British Army from 2006 to 2018, mainly as a dog handler, and his overseas tours included frontline operations in Afghanistan and also working with the United Nations in Cyprus.

He’s now an army reservist and has been with the 1st Military Working Dog Regiment (101Sqn) since 2018.

When he left the regular army seven years ago Ben went to work for a 24-hour emergency vet in Harrogate, intending to become a student veterinary nurse, and through this work ended up at Skeldale Veterinary Centre in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, where the Yorkshire Vet was filmed at the time. Ben appeared in a couple of episodes helping TV vet Peter Wright.

But he was spurred to set up his own dog training business when an RSPCA report revealed that less than four in 10 dog owners attend training classes.

Ben Burrell with his dog Bobbie

Ben said: “During a time when there are more dogs than ever in increasingly concentrated spaces, training your dog is crucial because it teaches them and you as the owner essential life skills for safe living in your respective environments.

“Proper social interactions – and this doesn’t just mean meeting other dogs – building a bond and the ability to manage potentially dangerous situations safely are all important.

“Basic training for all dogs should include commands like ‘sit’, ‘stay’, ‘here’, ‘down’, ‘heel’ and ‘leave it’ which can ensure they can respond appropriately in different environments.”

Ben added: “My own retired military working dog, Max, has shown some of the toughest behaviour challenges I’ve come across and had some reactivity and aggression issues even before leaving service – so much so he was affectionately known as ASBO in the regiment.

“But it’s not always about changing the dog’s behaviour. Sometimes it’s about recognising why that behaviour is happening and changing the environment or how they view that environment as well as many other factors.

“It’s also about understanding that sometimes what is considered abnormal or unwanted behaviour by us is actually perfectly normal for the dog.

“I suppose this is also one of the most challenging parts of being a professional trainer, getting people to understand this, coupled with the misinformation that is often spread on social media about how dogs should be trained or how they think.”

Ben said that when it comes to basic dog training dogs, like people, will always respond better to rewards.

“Think of treats like money,” he said. “You wouldn’t work for low or no pay and neither will your dog. The higher the reward, the greater success you’ll have in general.

“Dogs also respond well to play, mental stimulation and enrichment such as scenting and even tactile touch. This can be something as simple as a stroke, although be aware that not all dogs like that.

“When helping nervous dogs the best way to do this is in their own time on their own terms. Create a calm and safe space, provide things they like and avoid any form of punishment.

“Owners can also try calming supplements, grooming and physical comfort or talk to a veterinary behaviourist if it gets too much for them.”

Ben said some owners use a ‘shock collar’ or a ‘prong collar’ to try to train their dogs using discomfort or pain – a shock collar gives an electric shock while a prong collar has metal prongs that pinch the dog’s neck when they pull on the leash.

Ben said: “People always ask me about shock and prong collars during training and it’s a highly debated topic among trainers. I’m not a fan of this personally and you never see professionally qualified people such as vets, professional service dog handlers or guide dogs use these.

“The priority is always on the welfare of the animal in training and I champion positive, force-free training.”

The RSPCA is also very much against these collars, describing them as ‘painful and unethical,’ adding: “They can cause serious harm to dogs and are an ineffective training method.”

Ben said it’s always good to have a first aid kit for dogs and it should include:

Colne Valley Dogs runs training courses for all kinds of dogs from puppies to advanced skills courses, pet first aid, dog walking – including 3-hour adventure walks for dogs that are hard to tire out – and pet sitting.

To find out more go to http://www.colnevalleydogs.co.uk

Written by ANDY HIRST who runs his own Yorkshire freelance journalism agency AH! PR (https://ah-pr.com/) specialising in press releases, blogging, website content, copywriting and ghost-writing autobiographies.

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