Who is Marcel Nijland

My name is Marcel Nijland and I am working as a professional animal physiotherapist and dog behavioural consultant. Since my early youth I am training dogs for obedience, agility, police dogs, and tracking and rescue dogs.

Beside my work I have published seven books and about 150 articles for dog fancy magazines and veterinary magazines. Some of the books are translated in several languages.

In Holland I am frequently invited to speak on symposia and congresses. The topics of my lectures concern physiotherpay in dogs, a 3 day workshop on gait analysis and physical training and adaption, and also behavioural topics, like stress reduction by positive reinforcement in police dogs. Beside these activities I am a tutor at the Martin Gaus Academy for Behavioural Therapists.

The combination of knowledge about behaviour and physiology has given a new insight in the possabilities and contstrains of working dogs. Historically dogs are functional animals, adapted to their work and environment. In our modern society there are new and different tasks to do for dogs, like guide dogs for the blind, narcotic dogs or silent detection dogs. These tasks bring their specific difficulties for the dogs, physically and mentally.

By intelligent training programmes we try to train the dogs as reliable as possible. Top working dogs must perform on a physical and mental top level. Details can make the difference.

In the same time many pure bred dog suffer from inherited diseases. A careful selection is necessary and an early training programme can be helpful in making the right choises. The new view on puppy development leads to a new differentiated approach of the training of pups as pets or as working companions.

In Holland several professional organisations developed their knowledge during the lectures and workshops about locomotion and gait analysis, working physiology and positive reinforcement in dogs. Among these orgnisations are the Dutch police, the Dutch Army, the Dutch Assistance Dog Association and the Royal Dutch Guide Dog Foundation.

The workshop at the Martin Gaus Academy

Are you interested in a workshop or lecture for your organisation? Don't mis the chance to increase the performance of your dogs. You can contact me by email: info@marcelnijland.nl or look at the other pages on this website.