Watch adorable poodle dance as dog trainer explains why teaching fun tricks can improve behaviour

A dog trainer explains why teaching tricks can be a good way to improve your pets’ behaviour - in a fun and engaging video (click to play above). As she sends her miniature poodle, Henry, through tunnels and hoops, Dawn Heaton explains that she is ‘never serious’ when she’s training her dogs and that her main motivation is to have fun with her pets.

Dawn, who owns Preston Trick Dogs, says: “I’m not super motivated to be at Crufts by next year, I’m just having fun with my dogs. You should never shout at them, and you can’t be serious when you’re asking them to jump through a hoop.”

From her training centre, Dawn teaches a range of dog activities including heelwork to music (HTM), freestyle, tricks and obedience. Speaking in a new TV show, called Paw And Order, she explains: “Lots of issues that dogs have stem from breakdown in relationships. So, if your dog thinks you’re the best thing ever and you’re going to start dancing around the living room, or in the park they won’t want to chase after squirrels because their owner may just leap into some kind of weird trick.”

WATCH: Paw And Order - The Dog Business Boom Episode 1 on Shots! TV.

In the Shots! TV programme, watch adorable Henry as he tries to stack some coloured tubs in order under Dawn’s instructions. And see them practise a move from their current freestyle dance routine - where Henry cocks his leg against a watering can and then gets into trouble in the garden.

Dawn currently has ten dogs, but jokes that ‘you should never ask a trainer how many dogs they have’. She adds that she ‘does bits and pieces’ with all of them, although some of her older dogs are ‘retired’ and activities are tailored to their individual abilities.

To find out more about classes and activities, visit https://prestontrickdogs.co.uk/

WATCH: Paw And Order - The Dog Business Boom Episode 1 on Shots! TV. More episodes are also available. Shots! TV is also available on Freeview channel 262 and Freely channel 565.