Mark Sullivan
A CPDT-KA certified trainer with 15 years of positive-reinforcement experience across all breeds, Mark specialises in fear, reactivity, and anxiety. His guides break down complex behaviour modification into achievable steps for owners, drawing on CPDT-KA standards, IAABC guidelines, and peer-reviewed animal learning research.
- Credentials
- CPDT-KA, 15 years positive-reinforcement training
- Focus
- Training
Authored Guides
Low-Stress Grooming for Anxious Dogs
Anxious dogs often struggle with grooming, but cooperative care training can transform the experience. This guide covers desensitisation protocols, calming options, and how to find a Fear-Free certified groomer.
Training Your Cat to Use a Catio This Spring
Introducing a cat to a catio requires patience, positive reinforcement, and careful enrichment planning. This guide covers step by step techniques, common fear reactions, and a two week confidence building timeline.
Preparing Your Pet for Eid al-Adha Fireworks
Fireworks and celebrations during Eid al-Adha can cause severe anxiety in dogs and cats. This guide covers desensitisation training, safe room setup, veterinarian recommended calming aids, and boarding options for travelling owners.
Train Your Dog to Stay Calm Around Spring Wildlife
Spring brings squirrels, rabbits, and nesting birds that can trigger intense prey drive in dogs. This guide covers positive reinforcement techniques to build impulse control and prevent escalation.
How to Introduce a New Dog to Your Cats Safely
Bringing a newly adopted dog into a home with resident cats requires careful planning, scent swapping, and room-by-room desensitisation. This guide covers realistic timelines, positive reinforcement protocols, and when to seek professional help.
Teaching a Rescue Dog to Accept Handling and Grooming
Touch-sensitive rescue dogs need structured desensitisation and counter-conditioning to accept grooming calmly. This guide covers step-by-step protocols, realistic timelines, and when to consult a certified behaviourist.
Why Dogs Pull More in Spring and How to Fix It
Spring brings a surge of outdoor stimuli that can undo months of loose-lead training. This guide explains why pulling peaks after winter and offers a positive reinforcement plan to rebuild calm walking.
How to Evaluate Dog Daycare Play Group Management
Not all dog daycares manage play groups equally. This guide covers staff-to-dog ratios, breed grouping strategies, and behavioural screening practices that separate safe facilities from risky ones.
Using Food Puzzles and Scatter Feeding to Slow Down Fast Eaters: The Nutritional and Behavioural Case for Enrichment Feeding in Dogs
Rapid eating in dogs carries real health risks, from regurgitation and bloating to life-threatening gastric dilatation-volvulus in deep-chested breeds. Food puzzles and scatter feeding are evidence-informed enrichment strategies that slow consumption, support digestion, and meet a dog's cognitive and olfactory needs using positive reinforcement principles.
Teaching a Dog to Accept Nail Trims Without Restraint: A Cooperative Care Protocol Using Desensitisation and Counter-Conditioning
Nail trim anxiety is one of the most common grooming challenges dog owners face, but it is entirely reversible through a structured cooperative care protocol. This guide walks through every phase of desensitisation and counter-conditioning, from first paw contact to a calm, voluntary trim.
Conditioning for Agility: Core Strength Exercises for Active Dogs
A certified professional trainer's guide to building canine core stability through safe positive reinforcement techniques. Learn how to improve your dog's balance and prevent injury with simple home exercises.
Conditioning Your Dog for Spring Hiking: A Physiotherapy Approach
A professional guide to safely building canine endurance and strength for the trail. Learn the physiological principles of gradual conditioning to prevent injury and maximise performance.