C.O.R Dog Training

C.O.R Dog Training Confident Owners. Obedient Dogs. Reliable Training. Teach dog owners the fundamental skills they need. Qualified Dog Trainer.

Based in Bendigo, working all over Regional Victoria.

Why is engagement so important in dog training?Because your dog is constantly making choices about what is worth paying ...
28/08/2026

Why is engagement so important in dog training?
Because your dog is constantly making choices about what is worth paying attention to.

Other dogs.
People.
Food.
Toys.
Scents.
Movement.
The environment around them.

And sometimes, you aren't the most valuable thing in that moment.
That isn't necessarily an obedience problem.
It can be a value problem.

If your dog sees another dog as incredibly valuable, but engaging with you has very little history of being rewarding, asking them to immediately disengage from that dog and focus on you is a difficult choice.

This is where engagement training becomes so important.
Through play, movement, food, interaction, exploration and other forms of reinforcement, we can build a history of:
"Engaging with my person is worthwhile."

Over time, that can increase the value of interacting with you — meaning you become more relevant when competing distractions are present.
And this isn't just useful for dogs who struggle with recall.

It's valuable for all dogs.
🐕 Excitable dogs can learn that engaging with their handler is an outlet for their energy and excitement.

🐕 Reactive dogs can develop an alternative way of responding when something difficult appears in their environment.

🐕 Fearful dogs can learn that their handler is a predictable, rewarding and relevant part of their environment.

🐕 Puppies can learn that their person is worth checking in with even when the world around them is incredibly interesting.

🐕 Highly distracted dogs can learn that paying attention to their handler doesn't mean missing out on everything else.

And that's an important distinction:
The goal isn't to make the world less interesting.
I don't want your dog to stop sniffing, exploring, playing, watching other dogs or enjoying their environment.

I want you to become valuable enough that your dog can choose to engage with you when you need them to.
Because you don't need your dog's attention every second.
You need to be able to get it when you need it.
That is what makes engagement such a powerful foundation for training.

# 🐶🐶

Community Dog Walk – Sunday 16th August 🐾Do you enjoy the idea of getting out, meeting new people and doing something so...
13/08/2026

Community Dog Walk – Sunday 16th August 🐾

Do you enjoy the idea of getting out, meeting new people and doing something social, but sometimes find it difficult to actually take that first step?
I know that feeling, and that's part of why I started these Community Dog Walks. 😊

They're a relaxed way for local dog owners (and dog lovers!) to meet people, get out of the house and enjoy some time with their dogs — without the pressure of a big social event.

📅 Sunday 16th August
🕚 11:00am
📍 Lake Weeroona – meet near the Boathouse

You don't need to know anyone beforehand, and you don't need to be particularly confident or outgoing. The idea is simply to walk together, have a chat when you feel comfortable, and hopefully make some new connections along the way. 🐾

It's also not a formal training class or a dog park meetup — just a calm, friendly community walk. Dogs will remain on lead throughout.

Whether you've seen my previous posts about the walks or this is the first time you've come across them, you're very welcome to join us!

If you'd like to come along, please comment below or send me a DM to RSVP so I can get an idea of numbers. 😊

Hope to see some familiar faces and meet some new ones too! 🐶🐾

🐾 Resource guarding: what is your dog actually trying to protect?Resource guarding is often misunderstood as a dog being...
11/08/2026

🐾 Resource guarding: what is your dog actually trying to protect?

Resource guarding is often misunderstood as a dog being “dominant”, possessive, or trying to control their owner. But from a behavioural perspective, there is a much more useful way to look at it.

A dog who resource guards is concerned about losing access to something they value.
That resource could be food, a bone, toy, bed, sleeping area, a particular room, or even a person. The dog may use behaviours such as freezing, stiffening, staring, growling, snapping or biting to communicate that they want the person or animal to move away.

There can be a genetic component to resource guarding, which means some dogs may be predisposed to the behaviour from a young age. However, a dog's experiences can also influence how guarding develops.
For example, imagine a puppy has a delicious chew and someone repeatedly takes it away whenever they approach. The puppy may begin to learn:
“When someone comes near my chew, I might lose it.”

Over time, the dog may start trying to prevent that loss before it happens.
This is why repeatedly taking things away, confronting the dog, or trying to “show them who is boss” can actually make the problem worse. If approaching humans consistently predicts the loss of something valuable, the dog has little reason to become more comfortable with people approaching.

Instead, behaviour modification aims to change that association:
“When someone approaches my resource, good things happen — I don't automatically lose it.”

This is where appropriate management, desensitisation and counter-conditioning can be incredibly valuable.

Remember: resource guarding isn't limited to food bowls. A dog can guard toys, chews, spaces, beds, people and many other resources.

If your dog is showing aggression when someone approaches a resource, don't test them by repeatedly taking the item away. Give them space, manage the environment to prevent incidents, and seek professional guidance to address the underlying behaviour safely.

Understanding why a behaviour is happening is often the first step towards changing it. 🐾

🐕 Two dogs fighting... it can happen in seconds.Whether it's over food, toys, redirected frustration, pain, or something...
11/08/2026

🐕 Two dogs fighting... it can happen in seconds.
Whether it's over food, toys, redirected frustration, pain, or something you never saw coming, a dog fight is one of the most stressful situations a dog owner can experience.

Unfortunately, many of the reactions people instinctively have in those first few seconds can actually increase the risk of injury—to themselves and their dogs.

That's why I created this guide.
Inside you'll learn:
✔ Common mistakes that can make things worse.
✔ Safer ways to intervene.
✔ What to do once the fight has stopped.
✔ How to check both dogs for more than just visible wounds.
✔ How to understand why the fight happened.
✔ How to move forward in the safest way possible.
One of the biggest messages I hope people take away is this:
Success doesn't always mean the dogs becoming best friends again.
Sometimes success means rebuilding.
Sometimes it means careful management.
Sometimes it means permanent separation.

The right outcome is the one that keeps everyone safe and gives both dogs the best possible quality of life.
I hope you never need this information—but if you ever do, I hope you've read it before the emergency happens.

💛 Save this post so you know where to find it if you ever need it.

16/07/2026

🐾 You're invited to our FREE Community Dog Walk this Sunday! 🐾

Whether you're bringing your dog, a friend, or simply yourself, we'd love to see you there!

You don't need to have a dog to come along. If you'd simply like to enjoy a walk around Lake Weeroona, meet some friendly local people, or grab a coffee afterwards, you're more than welcome.
🐶 Dogs are welcome.
❤️ Dog lovers are welcome.
👫 Friends and family are welcome.

Our walks are relaxed, friendly and open to everyone. If you have any questions about your dog's training or behaviour during the walk, I'm always happy to have a chat.

📍 Lake Weeroona Boatshed
🕚 Sunday at 11:00 am

03/07/2026

🐾 Community Dog Walk Reminder 🐾
Just a reminder that our first C.O.R Dog Training Community Dog Walk is happening this Sunday, and we'd love to see you there!

📅 Sunday 5th July
🕚 11:00am
📍 Lake Weeroona – meet near the Boathouse

The aim of these walks is to bring local dog owners together in a relaxed, dog-friendly environment where we can enjoy a walk, meet new people, and help our dogs experience calm social outings together.

At this stage, the walk is still going ahead as planned. If the weather changes significantly, I'll post an update here.

We'll meet at 11:00am and spend around 10–15 minutes near the Boathouse so everyone has a chance to arrive, say hello, and meet one another before we head off together.

If you'd like to come along, feel free to comment below or send me a DM so I can get a rough idea of numbers.
Looking forward to seeing everyone this Sunday! 🐶🐾

🐶 Mouthing & BitingOne of the most common concerns puppy owners have is mouthing and biting. While it can be frustrating...
25/06/2026

🐶 Mouthing & Biting
One of the most common concerns puppy owners have is mouthing and biting. While it can be frustrating (and painful), it's important to understand that mouthing is a normal part of canine development.
Puppies use their mouths to explore the world, interact with their environment, play with others, and learn social skills. In fact, a puppy's mouth is one of its primary tools for gathering information about the world around them.
The issue isn't that puppies mouth—it’s what they learn from it.
From a behavioural science perspective, dogs repeat behaviours that are reinforced. Reinforcement simply means a behaviour results in an outcome the dog finds rewarding. If mouthing leads to attention, play, movement, laughter, physical interaction, or access to something desirable, the behaviour is likely to increase over time.
This is why many owners unintentionally strengthen mouthing without realising it. Pushing a puppy away, waving your hands, pulling clothing back, talking to them, or engaging in a tug-of-war style interaction can all become part of the reinforcement history that maintains the behaviour.
Neuroscience also plays a role. Young puppies have immature impulse control systems and are still developing the neural pathways responsible for emotional regulation, frustration tolerance, and self-control. Just like children, puppies require guidance and repetition to learn appropriate ways of interacting with the world.
Mouthing commonly occurs during:
• Play
• Excitement
• Attention-seeking
• Exploration
• Teething
• Frustration
• Overstimulation
Rather than focusing solely on stopping the behaviour, we should focus on teaching an alternative.
✔ Redirect onto appropriate toys and chews
✔ Reward calm interaction
✔ Teach impulse control
✔ Ensure puppies are getting adequate rest
✔ Consistently reinforce appropriate play
Mouthing is normal.
What matters is whether the puppy learns that using their mouth on people works—or whether they learn better ways to engage with the world.

24/06/2026

🐾Community Dog Walk-You're invited! 🐾

After receiving some positive feedback from local dog owners, I've decided to organise our first community dog walk.

🗓Sunday 5th July
🕘11.00am
📍Lake Weeroona- meet near the Boatshed

The idea is simple: a relaxed walk where local dog owners can meet, enjoy some time outdoors, and spend time with their dogs in a calm, friendly environment.

This isn't formal training class or a dog park meetup- just a casual opportunity to connect with other dog lovers and enjoy a walk together.

Dogs of all ages and breeds are welcome, provided they're comfortable being around other dogs and people while on lead.

If you'd like to come along, feel free to comment below or send a DN, so I can get a rough idea of numbers.

Looking forward to meeting everyone! 🐶

When we think about reactivity, it's easy to focus on the moment we can see.The barking.The lunging.The growling.The whi...
24/06/2026

When we think about reactivity, it's easy to focus on the moment we can see.

The barking.
The lunging.
The growling.
The whining.
The pulling.

But by the time those behaviours appear, a lot may already have been happening beneath the surface.

Many dogs show subtle signs before they react:
• Increased scanning
• Fixation on a trigger
• Body tension
• Reduced responsiveness
• Rising arousal

On top of that, every dog brings their own unique combination of genetics, experiences, environment, stress levels, learning history, and emotional regulation skills.

This is why two dogs can encounter the exact same situation and respond very differently.

Understanding reactivity isn't just about looking at the behaviour itself. It's about learning to recognise the factors and warning signs that often come before it.

The more we understand what's happening beneath the surface, the better equipped we are to support the dog in front of us.

💬 What's one subtle sign you've noticed before your dog reacts?

Address

Bendigo, VIC
3551

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 8pm
Wednesday 10am - 8pm
Thursday 10am - 8pm
Friday 10am - 8pm
Saturday 10am - 8pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when C.O.R Dog Training posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to C.O.R Dog Training:

Shortcuts

Share

Category