UNTAMABLE dogs are soon to be a thing of the past as one pooch trainer will be offering a daily tutorial throughout February to get north Essex pets in line.

Joe Nutkins, a certified trick dog trainer based in Ardleigh, will be providing a trick-a-day online for all 28 days this month.

It’s all for a good cause, as Mrs Nutkins seeks to raise money towards helping train hearing dogs for deaf people – a training process which costs an eyewatering £25,000.

She said: “I am hugely in awe of all the different types of assistance dogs who enjoy giving back to their owner; mine do the tricks but then expect a reward afterwards.

“If assistance dogs had a treat for every trick they did they would be obese, they’re just amazing.

“I don’t think these dogs get the recognition they deserve. I’ve seen how incredible they can be in terms of being a companion and in helping people live their day-to-day life.”

Read more: Ardleigh's dog training goes online to help pooches during lockdown

Mrs Nutkins, 41, has two Norwich Terriers of her own, Merlin and Ripley, among an over-40 strong animal empire at her home - including the world’s first official trick duck.

She added: “I had to shut the doors to my training venue because of lockdown last year and so I mastered online training.

“I offered weekly online calls so everyone’s dogs could still learn and lots of people were telling me how nice it was to have this routine when the world was so uncertain.

“Some people train their dogs because they need the skills for them to keep themselves safe and others have been coming for 12 years.

“They like getting together and the comradery, as well as teaching their pet something new and putting everything down for an hour a week to do something nice with their dogs.

“It’s been something to take everyone’s mind off what’s going on in the world and I hadn’t really considered how much impact this would make for people, even for me – I really needed it.

“To hear how many people felt it was useful and benefitted them throughout these lockdowns has just been great.

“Who would’ve thought having dog training would’ve helped so many people, despite not physically being with the dog.”

Mrs Nutkins’ tutorials will include tricks such as Peek-a-boo and the twist and spin among other ideas she has conjured up.

Her reputation within the dog trick industry precedes her, having attained trick dog champion status with the help of Merlin and Ripley on more than one occasion.

Such is her mastery of animal obedience, she has managed to teach Echo, a house-duck, how to play a mini piano.

That’s not all, however, the 16-weeks-old Khaki Campbell duck can push a football, walk along a balance beam, play peek-a-boo and jump through a hoop.

Mrs Nutkins explained: “The dogs are the easiest pets I have,. The duck is fine though, when I tell her to go to bed she waddles off up her ramp into her pen to go to bed.

“She often stays up late with my husband and I but knows when I tell her to go to bed then she needs to go.

“She’s learning intermediate tricks at the minute so that involves jumping through my arms and peek-a-boo on my feet and then I walk, however she’s a bit unsure about the walking part at the moment.

“Another new trick is teaching Echo how to pick a card from a deck.”

When it comes to the dog training videos, more advanced tricks will also be taught to pooches who are no novice to training, so there is something for everyone’s furry friend.

Every day props will be used in some tricks to ensure all people and dogs can get involved.

You can find the tutorials at Dog Training for Essex and Suffolk on Facebook, as well as other advice at Cassntay on Twitter and Instagram.

To donate towards the cause, the Just Giving page can be found at bit.ly/3ourLzW.

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