Unpacked Dog Education & Training

23/08/2025

Amazing!! 🤩 another wonderful adaptation to maximise scent uptake! 🐾

Did you know that the tiny vertical groove between a dog’s nose and upper lip actually has a purpose? It’s called the vegetal groove (or philtrum), and it’s not there by accident!

Each time a dog licks its lips, a bit of saliva collects in that groove. Through a process called capillarization, the moisture travels up to the nose — helping keep it damp.

And why does that matter? Because a moist nose is much better at capturing and holding scents from the air. 🌬️✨ That’s part of what makes a dog’s sense of smell so incredibly powerful!

Nature’s design is always so clever, isn’t it? 🐕💛

21/08/2025

Anyone else have a ‘sun lush’??

The days are warming up here in Ballarat & Uche can always be counted on to find the best stop in the sun.

First pic was taken through the kitchen window, please note the dog bed perfectly positioned in the sun for him! 🤣🤣🤣 Nah… blue chair waaaay more comfy!

17/08/2025

Our beautiful Jarrah 🌱 ❤️

15/08/2025

Congratulations to this absolute cracker of an Adolescent class! 🎓 🐾

Thank you for a wonderful 4 weeks of growth in your connection and relationship with your teenage dogs 🐕

We even had some beautiful sunshine ☀️ in our final week 🎉

Can’t wait to see you all in future classes 😊 ❤️

15/08/2025

Congratulations to this absolute cracker of an Adolescent class! 🎓 🐾

Thank you for a wonderful 4 weeks of growth in your connection and relationship with your teenage dogs 🐕

We even had some beautiful sunshine ☀️ in our final week 🎉

Can’t wait to see you all in future classes 😊 ❤️

10/08/2025

Yes 👏🏻 no two dogs are ever the same, it’s so important to build it up slowly.

It's not that what I’m about to write is a secret.
It's just that it can go very, very wrong...so I tend not to go into this in detail.
Even describing this is tricky.
Here goes.

You can challenge them by lessening that distance.
You can, in fact, work with dogs right up to, and yes...even just over that tipping point.
However, to do that successfully, you must have a solid history of repeated success in the green and yellow states, at distances they're comfortable with.

When you both have that...those consistent and repeated "low level wins....you can sometimes challenge a little more.

It will not work if you don’t have those multiple successes behind you.
For many reactive dogs, that's not "just a few" sessions.

They can learn to bring themselves back down.
Shake it off.....nothing bad happened and confidence can grow!... see how tricky this is to describe?

This won’t work for every reactive dog.
Many can be challenged to that point...with that success behind them, but not all.

So how the heck do you know?

Body language.
In between green and red are multiple, consistent signs your dog will give.
They can subtle and slow...or "crack of the whip" fast... easily missed, but they’re there.

I cannot stress this enough ⬇️
Body language is the key to working with reactive dogs.

If you want that progress you’re yearning for... it’s crucial to learn.

If you are struggling....go back to the green and the yellow but don't try or even attempt what was described until ....

✅You can read your dogs body language "like a pro" and understand the emotions your dog is feeling in every stage.
✅You have a solid and repeated history of multiple "wins" at those lower levels.
✅You have a full understanding of your dogs triggers AND trigger stacking.
✅You know what to do and what to watch for in every stage.
✅You are confident both you and your dog can handle this.

If you’re only working with your dog in the orange... it’s going to be a very, very long road.

08/08/2025

Good find Uch! 👏🏻

04/08/2025

Yes!! 🙌🏻

NEW BLOG POST - Reinforcement is an event - not just a “well done”—but a YES, THAT! And an excuse to celebrate with your dog.
https://www.canineeducation.academy/blog/reinforcement-should-feel-like-a-celebration

Whatever dog sport you are into —one thing holds true: reinforcement is where the learning lives.

And not just any reinforcement. I’m talking about the kind that feels like a moment. A celebration. A clear and joyful message that says, “That right there? I loved that. Let’s do it again.”

Because when reinforcement is just a routine—cue, behaviour, treat, repeat—we risk it becoming background noise. Predictable. Forgettable. And that’s not where learning thrives.

Your Reinforcement Should Light the Dog Up

The best reinforcement has emotion behind it. It’s a full-body YES from you. It matters. It means something.

We’re not just feeding dogs or throwing a toy for doing a thing. We’re letting them know they nailed it. We’re saying, “That was exactly what I wanted—thank you for giving it to me.”

No matter the sport, whether you're rewarding a perfect weave entry, a committed position in heel, a stunning stop at source, or a clear approach to a tricky jump, that reinforcement should feel like a party.

Are You Rewarding… or Just Delivering?

Let’s be honest—we’ve all had moments where we deliver food or toys on autopilot. But your dog knows the difference between “Here, have this because I’m supposed to give it to you,” and “WOW, YES! That was awesome!”

Reinforcement doesn’t have to be loud or over the top, but it does have to be meaningful.

Things to Play With:

Reward delivery style: Toss it, chase it, tug it, scatter it, surprise them. Variety builds value. Food in motion is more fun!

Train your marker cues: Let your dog know how the reward is coming. That anticipation builds engagement.

Switch up the type: Food is great. Toys are great. Praise can be great. But mix it up and see what lands best in that moment.

Celebrate with them: Let them feel your joy. That connection is reinforcing too.

Reinforcement Should Do the Heavy Lifting

We often focus so hard on the training that we forget the reinforcement is where most of the understanding happens. So let it do its job.

Let it motivate. Let it energise. Let it communicate your excitement and your appreciation for what your dog just did.

Make it a moment your dog wants to repeat—not just because they’re being paid, but because it was fun, engaging, and worth their effort.

One More Time for the Back Row:

Reinforcement should feel like a celebration. Not just a “well done.” But a YES, THAT!

Go out there and make your precious training time meaningful by making the next reward count.

Happy Training!
Lisa

02/08/2025

Some great points on recall from Chirag Patel 👏🏻 🐾 🐕

01/08/2025

Yep! We hear this all the time.

Dogs don’t have a moral compass 🧭 let’s make sure we are reading their body language correctly 👍🏻

Myth 5: Your dog knows when they've done something wrong.

The behaviors your dog may be showing such as looking away, trying to look small, licking their lips, are not signs of guilt. Instead, they are appeasement behaviors, offered during times of conflict to appear non-threatening and disinterested.
They aren't saying they're sorry. They're reading your body language and saying "Please don't hurt me."