Pawsitive Connection

07/08/2025

As we celebrate Assistance Dog Week, it's the perfect time to remind everyone how to respectfully interact with assistance dog teams.

❌ You shouldn’t touch or distract an assistance dog, even if they’re adorable (and they always are!)
❌ It’s never okay to ask someone what their disability is!
✅ Speak to the handler, not the dog
✅ Give the team space to work safely and confidently

These simple rules help keep our teams safe, supported, and seen. Please share to help us raise awareness and create a more inclusive community for people with invisible disabilities.

01/08/2025

Another day for Ducks at Logan hockey club today - lets hope the westerly drys it out for next week!

29/07/2025

We have puppy classes starting at Paddington and Salisbury this coming week! 🐾

Do you have a new puppy? 🐾

Hurry to grab a spot in our upcoming puppy classes in Paddington and Raceview.
Your puppy will thank you for investing in their education nice and early and help guide you through their training will patience and kindness 😊

Our classes teach appropriate socialisation, everyday manners, build confidence and coordination, plus fear free husbandry skills such as handling, nail clipping and grooming (and lots more!).

For more details check out:

https://www.pawsitiveconnection.com.au/dog-classes/

21/07/2025

Congratulations to our latest Pawsitive Puppy class graduates! 🎓👏 🎉

Well done to Blai, Ruby, Bruno, Kevin and Maui - sadly Maui had to miss graduation :-(

Such a wonderful class of puppies and families all getting started on their training journey! 🤩

They are all continuing onto Junior so stay tuned for their progress 😎😍

Next puppy classes are starting at Paddington and Salisbury on the 2nd August.

https://www.pawsitiveconnection.com.au/dog-classes/

19/07/2025

😴 🥰

18/07/2025

Due to yesterdays storm only the ducks get to play at Logan Hockey club today!

15/07/2025

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐩𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐲! 🐾

We have classes at Raceview (Ipswich) 1 spot remaining (starting tonight!), Paddington and Salisbury classes starting 2nd August.

🐾 Do you have a new puppy? 🐾

Your puppy socialisation needs to start before 16 weeks of age!

Sadly, we are still having clients tell us they were told they shouldn’t do puppy class until their puppy is fully vaccinated, which is likely to be not until 16 weeks of age.🤦‍♀️😕

The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behaviour (AVSAB) believes that it should be the standard of care for puppies to receive socialisation before they are fully vaccinated. This means exposure to new people, animals, stimuli and environments, safely and positively.

The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) states that socialisation is a special learning process where puppies learn to accept the close proximity of other dogs, as well as members of other species and believes this should be done before 12 weeks of age. Experience at this critical time can have a significant impact on future behaviour.

Your puppy only requires 1 vaccination to start puppy class which they should have had done by the breeder or shelter before you bring your puppy home.

Ensure your puppy class has procedures in place to minimise the risk of disease which should be outlined before you start your class.

We have Raceview (Ipswich) and Paddington classes starting this week – book online, limited spaces remaining.

https://www.ava.com.au/policy-advocacy/policies/companion-animals-dog-behaviour/puppy-socialisation/

https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Puppy_Socialization_Position_Statement_Download_-_10-3-14.pdf

10/07/2025

as we've seen it on the 'toxic foods for dogs' charts again.

Welcome to the first of our ‘Can My Dog Have’… series 😊

This week is Avocado 🥑
Avocado flesh is safe for dogs to eat in small amounts ✅
Avocado is high in healthy good fats, fibre and brain loving nutrients 🧠
The skin and stone aren’t toxic, but just not nice or safe to feed dogs (the stone is an obstruction risk).

In a 2012 study, feeding a diet with up to 1.1% avocado extract was well-tolerated by adult dogs and resulted in no adverse health effects. [https://faseb.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1096/fasebj.26.1_supplement.825.1]

Furthermore, scientists from the University of Illinois are researching the possibility of using avocado meal as a fibre source in kibble. [https://academic.oup.com/jas/article/100/2/skac026/6527224]

Avocado is high in histamines, so best avoided if you dog suffers from allergies and due to the high fat content, it’s best avoided for dogs that need a low fat diet.

07/07/2025

This is Ace ♠️💗

Ace is only a youngster and a tad 'over enthusiastic' with his friends at the park. This is very common, when adolescent dogs start pushing boundaries, taking risks and not listening to the cues of other dogs. It can get them into a bit of trouble! 😬

So Ace's family have asked us for support and to help teach Ace to be calmer and more responsive to other dogs so he can make better choices.

Adolescence in dogs can be a very challenging time! Their brain is essentially 'under construction' as the parts responsible for decision-making and impulse control develop. There are also significant hormonal changes.

You will get there! We are happy to support and guide you through this stage, so there is lesser chance you will call your dog a butthead. 😉😄

02/07/2025

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐃𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐃𝐨𝐠𝐬?

Finding it a bit windy today? 🌬🌀😬🥶😄

𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲

First thing is to make sure your pets are safe. Gates can open and doors rattle/slam, trees drop branches and foliage which can be scary for dogs and can cause anxiety/stress. Keep your pets inside if you can.

𝐒𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭

Wind carries scent in all different directions and over greater distances including unusual or worrying scent. Dogs have an incredible sense of smell and are much more accurate with their scent compared to us.

𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝

The most common phobia related to wind that we see are dogs who have been startled by loud noises caused by wind. Sound can also be amplified in high winds.
For example, a large object falling over or leaves swirling around. So, by association, dogs can learn that wind can predict a scary event.

𝐓𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐞

The wind can blow your dog’s coat/fur in different directions and may feel unusual for dogs who are touch sensitive.
I'm sure we've all been annoyed by winds blowing our hair around!

𝐀𝐢𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞

An increase in wind speed will result in reducing air pressure, and dogs can often sense the drop in barometric pressure that comes with changing weather (similar to how they can ‘predict’ a storm coming).

We see all sorts of unusual behaviours in dogs when it's windy! From dogs that just want to hide away to more intense reactions. Remember wind can add more candles to push your dog over the edge. 🌬🕯

For pets that need extra support we recommend a safe space inside, perhaps skip the walk today, play calming music or white noise to muffle some wind sounds and provide calming activities such as licking and chewing.

01/07/2025

Welcome gorgeous Sammie 🐾💛🥰
We are helping Sammie to be more comfortable and calmer around other unfamiliar dogs and settle into her new home 🙌