| About David |
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During that time he trained dogs from seven stone German Shepherds to one-stone-wringing-wet Cocker Spaniels, including general-purpose police dogs (the ones with the teeth), drugs, weapons and cash detection, explosives search and firearms support dogs. He has competed in police dog trials and participated in police dog displays, and introduced breeding and puppy rearing programmes. He was the first police dog instructor to be awarded Southampton University's postgraduate diploma in companion animal behaviour counselling, with distinction, in 2002, and also the first to be accepted as a full member of the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors, currently serving as treasurer. He is certified as a Clinical Animal Behaviourist by the independent Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour and has a unique blend of practical experience and theoretical knowledge of canine behaviour. Now retired from the police service, he takes behaviour cases and puppy-training classes only on veterinary referral. He has presented educational study days for the Companion Animal Behaviour Therapy Study Group and the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors and has lectured at the Wood Green Animal Shelter, Battersea Dogs and Cats Home and to BSc animal behaviour students at Myerscough College. His dog behaviour articles have appeared in publications as diverse as Woman's Own, the Daily Telegraph and Your Dog magazine. David appears as an expert legal witness in canine behaviour and advised the Scottish Parliamentary Cross Party Group for Animal Welfare on the negative implications of training dogs with the use of electric shock collars, on behalf of the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. He presented the APBC's response to the Scottish Government and Welsh Assembly Government consultations into the use of electronic training devices. David's particular interest is in inherited predatory motor patterns and the lengths to which pets will go to find a way to express them, usually despite their owners' best efforts. Problems can be complicated in their origins and any sudden onset of, or a sudden increase in, problem behaviour should be investigated by a veterinary surgeon. If you would like to consult David about your pet's behaviour, please ask your veterinary surgeon for a referral . |
David Ryan was a police dog handler and Home Office accredited instructor for twenty-six years until 2007, helping to lead the revolution in professional dog training out of the "push, pull and shout" methods used since the Great War.
