7th - 14th August 2010 The Company of Animals is proud to be supporting an event solely dedicated to the training of dogs. The initiative was launched in 2007 and has continued to grow and develop over recent years. The aim of the week is to raise public awareness of the advantages of having well trained dogs which easily fit into society. So whether you are a pet dog owner, serious competitor, trainer, vet or retailer, they want you to be involved.

The focus for this year's event is to have a National 'STOPS BARKING' Campaign.

"All manner of information and emotion is contained in a dog's bark. Even we humans learn to distinguish a playful, distressed, angry or threatening tone of bark. A more tutored ear recognises Rottweiller-speak from a Yorkshire Terrier or a Corgi yap from the thunder of a GSD. The trouble is, dogs have to share the world with sound-sensitive humans who rightly (and sometimes wrongly) object to barking. There are times and places when a bark can be tolerated, even interesting and enjoyable. There are others when it is intolerable, especially at night when neighbours are entitled to sleep. Such barking will bring complaints to your local authority Environmental Health Department and Dog Wardens. However, we are confident that with the right training methods and some dedicated time, even the most persistent barker can be helped."

As the primary focus for the week is training, Dog Train and Behave Week have enlisted the help of the UK's top 'Champion' trainers Dr Roger Mugford, Victoria Stilwell, Colin Tennant, Gwen Bailey, Fiona Whelan and Carolyn Menteith. You can find out more information on all of the trainers by clicking on the Champions link. You will also find a top tip from each of the Champions in this section.

Training dogs has changed a lot over the years and whilst all trainers use slightly different techniques, it is no longer considered desirable or acceptable to use harsh or punitive methods. Dog Train and Behave Week believe that the way to show your dog how to behave is through rewards, fun and patience. Training should always involve plenty of tasty treats, exciting toys and above all kindness. They do not advocate the use of choke/check chains or physical punishment. For further details on training information, please visit the Dog Train and Behave Week website at www.dogtrainandbehaveweek.com.

How to get involved
There are numerous ways people can get involved, from dog owners, dog trainers and training clubs, to retailers and vets.

Visit the Dog Train and Behave Week website at www.dogtrainandbehaveweek.com to find out more.