Clare Valley Home Services & Dog Training

29/08/2025

Cheap safe enrichment ideas on a cold wet day.

28/08/2025

Such a hard life being a puppy. Did you know puppies sleep for around 18 hours a day.

28/08/2025

Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day,a day set aside to honor and remember our cherished pets who have passed away.

27/08/2025

25/08/2025

Happy international dog day!

25/08/2025

📣Attention new puppy owners .

‼️1 spots available for Thursdays class‼️

🗓️New puppy class starting Thursday 28/8 at 6pm for pups 8wks-5mths of age.

🐾5 week course, Limited spots available.

🏠 Indoor lessons at Clare Valley Vet clinic

☎️For more information or to book pm or phone 0407434161.

18/08/2025

TRAINING TUESDAY: building value in reinforcers

Is your dog not interested in the reinforcer you're trying to offer?
Some top tips to help:
💵Not all food is created equal! Every dog will have different preferences. What is your dog's $50?
🥩Mix it up. Variety can be the spice of life: even within the same training session you can have a 'trail mix' of treats or play with toys &/or food.
🥣Avoid all-day grazing. If your dog has an 'open bar' all day long then they can be less inclined to work for something they can get for free.
❤Keep the high value stuff aside. Keep a favourite toy or high-value food for learning sessions.
👀Distance helps. If your dog is too distracted, try working at a bigger distance, or with less distractions initially.
⚽️Play! You can play with treat & toy delivery to build fun & engagement: chucking, tossing, rolling or scattering food can make it more interesting.

Please note these tips are general in nature, and common sense applies as to whether they are relevant to your dog.
Stress can mean that any reinforcer is irrelevant - in which case distance can help, or speak to a PPG professional dog trainer for help specific to your dog.
https://www.ppgaustralia.net.au/Owners/Map

18/08/2025

Why do U-turns help reactivity?
Well… it’s not always for the reason people think.

✅ Early recognition.
By spotting those subtle and tiny posture changes, you can turn before reactivity kicks in. That’s the optimum time to help change emotions.....not when they’re already reacting.

✅ Distance creates comfort
Re-engaging while the trigger is still at that manageable distance turns this into a training opportunity......your dog learns this other dog isn’t so “bad” after all.

Well look at you!
You're building resilience and optimism.

✅ A controllable cue.
Having a reliable U turn gives you something predictable to use in "unpredictable" situations.

Are there pitfalls with this method?
You betcha...as there are in many dog training techniques.

Timing is key, so rehearse before you need it.

Don’t rush straight back to the same distance that triggered that escalation. Sometimes you can return partway....sometimes a bit closer.
Sometimes not at all.

Often just an extra metre or two is the confidence boost your dog needs.

17/08/2025

📣Attention new puppy owners .

🐕‍🦺1 spots available for Thursdays class.

🗓️New puppy class starting Thursday 28/8 at 6pm for pups 8wks-5mths of age.

🐾5 week course, Limited spots available.

🏠 Indoor lessons at Clare Valley Vet clinic

☎️For more information or to book pm or phone 0407434161.