Bayside Dog Behaviour

30/04/2026

New research suggests that many dog owners are not skilled in recognising pain in their pets.

20/04/2026

K9 Nose Work is so much fun for dogs! If you are in Melbourne, check out K9 Nose Fun. This is my dog Amelie’s second session on odour with Angela HT.

05/03/2026

: We've updated our advice on neutering dogs & cats after reviewing latest evidence.

With BSAVA we encourage a contextualised approach when making decisions for or against the procedure, especially when it comes to male dogs.

More info here 👉 https://ow.ly/3fG750YoYct

28/12/2025

PSA

04/11/2025

Useful information to keep dogs moving safely and pain-free.

Adapt your home to support puppies, dogs with mobility issues, arthritis, or injuries. Explore practicial modifications to reduce the risk of injury and improve your dog's

02/11/2025

One for the horse people…🐴

Compliant does not mean comfortable 🐴

This is something that can be really hard to get your head around when you’ve been indoctrinated into the conventional ways of training and being around horses as most of us have been. It is definitely something I struggled to understand in the past when I was being taught misinformation about behaviour. I thought I was helping horses and “fixing” the issue but my only metric for success was their compliance. I didn’t notice, understand or put any value on any of the other more subtle signs of stress, as long as the horse was “doing the thing”.

Something I come across a lot with clients who are going through behavioural issues with their horses is this phenomenon of the horse being “fine’’ when their coach/instructor/yard owner/friend asks them to do it, but not okay when the owner tries to do it. We are told that logically this means there is no fear/anxiety/discomfort/pain issue and the horse is clearly trying it on with us. I actually find the opposite to be true. The horse isn’t “fine”, they’re just compliant with the other person because that other person is more skilled at making horses comply. They still feel just as worried or uncomfortable. I can see this as I used to be really good at making horses comply, I know exactly how I did it and I can now look back and see that I was shutting those horses down and ignoring their attempts to communicate.

I’ll give you an example. I had a client who contacted me because their horse would not stand at the mounting block, yet they had been told the horse was just testing them as he was “fine” for their instructor to get on. They sent me a number of videos. With them the horse had a tense eye, raised their head and stepped back every time they tried to get up on to the mounting block. With the instructor the horse did the same but they kept tapping the horse with a stick until they came forward. Eventually the horse stood still, but their eye was still worried, their face tense and their tail swished as the instructor mounted. I didn’t see a horse that was “fine”, I saw a horse that was really uncomfortable who had been made to comply.

Upon assessing this horse I felt he was uncomfortable in his body. The musculature over his back was poor and he had a tense, anxious expression on his face while he was being groomed and tacked up. I referred them to the vet where he was diagnosed with kissing spine amongst other things.

It would’ve been so easy to teach this owner to be more skilled at making their horse comply and they could’ve continued to ride their sore, uncomfortable horse until he exploded because nobody was listening to him. This is what is happening all of the time when people say they’re “fixing” behavioural issues, they're just suppressing behaviour.

More often than not horses with behavioural issues have extremely blatant poor posture and musculature which, without having to even dig any deeper, gives us a really obvious reason as to why it is uncomfortable and inappropriate to get on that horse’s back right now.

The best thing we can do for our horses is learn to be really, really good at reading their behaviour and facial expressions, then we can make good choices for their welfare. Ethical training is not dramatic, it is not battling through and it does not paint horses as vindictive, manipulative or naughty.

So often my clients feel ashamed because their horse’s behaviour is allegedly “worse” with them and they’re told its their incompetency. Most of the time its because their horse knows someone finally might be listening. 🐴

29/10/2025

I see MANY overweight dogs around these days and it saddens me. Carrying excess weight is detrimental to their joints and overall health. I also think some vets are reluctant to draw attention to it for fear of offending their clients. Please take an objective look at your dog and compare their size and shape to the chart below. If your dog is carrying a few extra kilos, talk to your vet about how to help them. 🐾

Dog World Magazine Article - Body Condition Scoring For Dogs

Wondering if your dog may be under or overweight? Every dog’s ideal weight is different. A body condition score is a tool that you can use in between vet visits to monitor your dog’s weight and help them stay in a healthy range.

What is a body condition score in dogs? A body condition score (BCS) is a number that acts as a measure of a dog’s body fat, roughly similar to body mass index (BMI) in humans. There are two versions of the scale. One scale ranges from one to five. The other ranges from one to nine. Some veterinarians, including the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA), use the nine-point scale. Others use the five-point scale, which can also be converted into nine points using halves of each number (1.5, 2.5, etc.). Veterinarians often use the nine-point scale for small animals, while the five-point scale is more common for large animals.

To read the full Article from The Dog World Magazine - Page 26 - 29 click on the link belowhttps://www.dogsqueensland.org.au/media/54438/dog-world-february-2025-v1.pdf

24/10/2025

Many people are surprised to learn that dogs rarely show pain in the way humans do. When we’re in pain, we often rest, complain, or seek help because we understand that help is possible. Animals don’t. They have no concept of treatment, pain relief, or medical care. So instead of showing vulnerability, they do what evolution has taught them: they cope, hide it, or change their behaviour to get through it.

Showing weakness can make an animal a target. Predators and competitors notice when another animal is limping, moving slowly, or acting “off.” To stay safe, most species have evolved to mask discomfort as long as they can. Because dogs don’t understand that pain can be treated, they adjust their behaviour instead of seeking help.

They:

Move differently or avoid certain positions.
Growl, snap, or shy away from touch.
Refuse stairs or jump less often.
Become irritable, restless, or withdrawn.
Lick, chew, or fixate on one area of their body.

These changes are often subtle at first, which is why owners sometimes assume their dog is “being difficult,” “stubborn,” or “suddenly reactive,” when in fact the dog is simply coping with discomfort the only way it knows how.

Pain changes behaviour and many people may respond with punishment or increased pressure, which only adds fear and tension to the mix. Recognising pain isn’t always easy, but it’s one of the most important parts of behavioural work. Many “behavioural” issues improve dramatically once pain is identified and managed.

Watch for changes in posture, movement, or mood even small ones.
Record patterns of behaviour (time of day, activity, weather, etc.).
Seek a veterinary check if your dog’s behaviour changes unexpectedly.
Avoid confrontation or punishment. A dog in pain needs compassion, not correction.

Animals don’t mask pain because they’re stoic or dramatic; they do it because they don’t know there’s another option. They can’t connect “I hurt” with “someone can help me.” So they cope, compensate, or protect themselves the only way evolution taught them to.

09/10/2025

This month, I celebrate 15 years of teaching scent work using K9 Nose Work® methodology. Although I have no doubt that K9NW is wonderful for nearly all dogs and their people, it is always gratifying, and humbling, to have it confirmed by course attendees.

Beautiful Dahlia graduated from a recent Introduction to K9 Nose Work® course. Her human sent me the attached message. 💓

Scent work is not just about ribbons. Continue to support your dog's joy and enthusiasm for this FUN activity.

15/08/2025

There are few heartbreaks that hit as hard or as silently as the loss of a beloved dog. Grieving the loss of a dog is not “just” grief over an animal. It’s the grief of losing a best friend, a confidant, a part of your daily routine.

Dogs don’t just exist in our lives; they shape them. They are there in our moments of joy and our moments of sorrow. They witness the mundane and the monumental. For many, a dog is a source of unconditional love in a world that rarely offers it.

Dr. Guy Winch, psychologist says that when we lose a pet, we lose a source of unconditional love, security, and emotional connection. Grieving them is not only natural, it’s necessary

Yet, many people feel a deep pressure to "get over it" quickly. The grief is often dismissed by others, leaving people to feel isolated in their mourning. This is known as disenfranchised grief, when your loss isn’t openly acknowledged or socially supported.

But you are allowed to grieve. You are allowed to feel the weight of this loss. Your grief is valid.

What is less commonly understood is that dogs also grieve the loss of their companions both canine and human. In a 2016 study by the Italian Institute for Animal Protection, 86% of dogs displayed changes in behaviour after the loss of a fellow dog. They became more withdrawn, vocalised more, or showed changes in sleep or eating patterns. Much like us, they may search for the one who is no longer there.

Grief is not a linear process. Some people find comfort in rituals lighting a candle, keeping a photo nearby, planting a tree in their memory. Others benefit from writing, or talking to someone who understands.

What matters most is that you allow yourself to feel it. Don’t rush it. Don’t diminish it. Grief is simply love with nowhere to go.

So when the house feels too quiet, and the lead hangs untouched by the door, know that your sorrow is a reflection of how deeply you loved and were loved. That is never something to be ashamed of.