❗️ This episode discusses various training approaches. We believe examining different perspectives contributes to thoughtful decision-making for dog owners.

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Jack Tutty from J&P Canine Academy works with severe behavioural cases and trains competition dogs using methods many find controversial.

In this two-part conversation, we explore the divide in dog training - and what it reveals about how we approach difficult conversations.

Jack works with a wide range of training cases, though reactivity and resource guarding are among his more common pet clients. He trains his Rottweiler in IGP sport and uses tools like prong collars alongside positive reinforcement.

His approach raises questions about genetics, urban environments, and what different dogs actually need to thrive.

This conversation isn't about adopting any particular method. It's about examining our assumptions - like why we bring working dogs into cities then expect them to behave like pets, or whether our emotional reactions to certain tools prevent us from seeing the full picture.

Jack argues that every dog decides what's reinforcing to them, and that suppressing genetic drives doesn't eliminate them - it redirects them. He believes some dogs need clear boundaries backed by consequences, whilst others thrive with gentler approaches.

The discussion challenges us to think beyond categories like "positive" or "balanced" training toward understanding individual dogs. Whether you agree with Jack's methods or not, his perspective forces us to examine what we actually know versus what we assume about canine behaviour and learning.

We explore why this industry has become so polarised, and what happens when ideology meets the reality of powerful, driven animals in our human-designed world.

Sometimes understanding different viewpoints helps us make better decisions for the dogs in our care.

Part two will be published on Thursday, 11 September 2025.