Pawsome Behaviour Solutions - Dee

23/04/2025

If you are going to have a dog, you are going to have to make sacrifices. You cannot expect to have an animal that was designed to live primarily outside and bring it into your house and not have to make changes or adjustments. A dog is not an ornament, a commodity or a display. A dog is an animal. You are sharing your life with another species. This is life with a dog.

Your yard will not be pristine. The grass will get burned from their p*e. Holes will be dug, bushes shredded, mud will come in the house. You cannot ask them to not p*e in your house and then also try to control even their outside bathroom. Please see how unfair this is. This is life with a dog.

You house will need management. Your counters will need to be clear. Shoes will need to be put away. Laundry room blocked. Kids toys picked up. Some things will get destroyed anyway. This is life with a dog.

They will bark at noises. They will protect their territory. Sometimes fiercely. They will not welcome strange people into the home easily even if you “know them” because this is in their genetic DNA. They don’t understand family gatherings and they don’t always see things the way we do. They won’t love playing with every dog they meet. This is life with a dog.

They will need enrichment and work and productivity. They will need training that is kind and fair and consistent and then maintenance to maintain that training. They will need guidance and coaching and lots of reinforcement to help them perform unnatural behaviors against their natural phenotypes. This is life with a dog.

They will mature and change and modify in their likes, behaviors and preferences as they age. Their behaviors aren’t guaranteed. They are not robots and they can be mercurial as they grow into their own personalities. They are allowed to change their mind and shift naturally just as we do. They need to be seen for what and who they are, not what and who YOU want. This is life with a dog.

Life with a dog is not a human right. It is a privilege and a responsibility and an education. They are animals and should be treated and expected to behave as such. That doesn’t make them any less loved or family members and it doesn’t make them any less deserving of respect, in fact it makes them more so.

Enjoy your life with a dog, and help them enjoy life with a human.

- Helen St. Pierre

18/04/2025

Another puppy session with Chloe. ❤️

15/04/2025

This is Luna, who is scared of a lot of things outside of the house. I have been working with her for a bit, and she is growing in confidence all the time. Here she is, sitting watching a couple of cars drive right past her. She wasn't able to do this 6 months ago.
The owner is also fostering puppy Maple, who is quite a confident puppy, and down the track, she could also help Luna be more confident around things she is scared of.

13/04/2025

This goes for all dogs left outside, not just on a chain or a lead. Dogs need to be inside with their humans. Dogs are with us for such a short time why would they be banished to the outside where there life is miserable. Dogs get bored, depressed, stressed and anxious being left outside away from their humans.

Either on a chain or off a chain , a dog left in a yard with no stimulation, no attention , no exercise or nothing to occupy it …. Will be a life of absolute misery for any animal , especially man’s best friend 😢

12/04/2025

This is Crixus. Crixus is in a new apartment and barks at noises and pulls on the lead. Or does he. After calming his brain and having him in tune with the owner, there was not one bit of pulling. There was no correction or punishment, just calming the brain.
The owners were stunned.

12/04/2025

This is Romeo, who has some isolation distress. He also barks at noises in the complex and is not a fan of dogs.
Some calming worked for the noises and leaving him alone for a few seconds. The owner will do some more of this alongside training that I have shown. On a walk, he didn't care about a dog barking at him. A dog with a calm brain that is in tune with the owner makes training easy.

07/04/2025

This is Finn, who has moved into a new place where there is a 2 year old and another dog. The owners wanted some coping skills while he is adjusting to the new surrounds.
Great owners doing consistent training.

07/04/2025

Star pupil Tofu. It's been a pleasure ❤️

07/04/2025

This is Tofu's 1.5-year checkin and her last session as a part of my Puppy To Success package. Tofu is now a bomb proof dog, which is what I see in all dogs at the end of this package. I have been seeing Tofu since she was 8 weeks old. Everything we do in my Puppy sessions is prevention for adult life. It's to make sure you have a great adult dog.

07/04/2025

Another great email from a client 🐶🐾

03/04/2025

Another win. Still some work to do as far as fear of visitors, but this is a great win for little Luca.

03/04/2025

This is one of my cats nails and explains why we don't need to cut cats' nails.
This also shows why cat scratches can get infected. Look at all the dirt in there, which also carries bacteria.

01/04/2025

Another happy client with her dog Buddy who couldn't be touched.
Well done, Buddy, on your progress and to his owner for putting in the work.🙏🌸❤️

30/03/2025

When purchasing a puppy make sure they let you meet the mum and dad dogs if that's not possible at the very least meet the mum. This will give you an insight into the temperament and genetics of the puppies.
Ask questions like how much time does mum spend with her puppies now?
What age did the breeder start weaning them?
The puppy you are choosing did they take longer to wean or did they find it easy?
If puppies are weaned and taken off mum too early this can cause separation anxiety.
If a puppy isn't ready to be weaned when the breeder makes them wean. This can cause separation anxiety.
If mum doesn't have full access to the puppies and hadn't weaned them off herself this can cause separation anxiety.
If while they are being weaned puppies are fully separated from the mother this can cause separation anxiety.
So many puppies are not ready to be fully weaned off by 8 weeks and this is why so many dogs can have separation anxiety. It doesn't matter what breed you get its all the same.
In an unselfish world puppies would be left with mum until she has weaned them herself and during this period she will also teach them boundaries, manners and what her bodylanguage means.
This all doesn't stop happening until around 12 weeks of age some it can take a bit longer. While this is happening the breeder should be getting these puppies used to our big wide world buy having them around noises, movements, people, children, dogs at a distance and much much more. But most breeders won't do this because it then costs more time and money. However we are paying a fortune for some of these dogs so these things should be expected. If breeders did this owners wouldn't be paying a fortune in vets and or trainers because these dogs will be better all round dogs.

You may have heard advice against getting certain breeds to avoid behavior concerns like separation anxiety. 🐕❌

But did you know it's less about what breed you get and more about where you get your puppy? 🐶💡

If you're concerned about the breed you've chosen developing separation anxiety, be sure to mention it to the breeder.🗣️

They may already have a socialization program in place to help set your puppy up for success when home alone later in life. 🏡🐾

If they don’t, it’s a good idea to speak with several other breeders before making your final decision.🤔

The most important thing to remember is that you’re choosing a breed that suits your lifestyle, rather than avoiding certain breeds just because some may have struggled with separation anxiety.
I can assure you, for every dog that has struggled with separation anxiety, there are many others of the same breed who haven’t. 💖

30/03/2025

A good read for all dog owners and also some links to great resources.

5 Things Your Dog Wishes You (and "Balanced" Trainers) Actually Understood

1. That “Guilty” Look Isn’t Guilt

Your dog isn’t feeling guilty about raiding the trash, they’re just reacting to your body language. Research by Dr. Alexandra Horowitz revealed that dogs display these so-called “guilty looks” in response to human cues like scolding, not because they’re remorseful. Dogs who didn’t even misbehave showed these expressions most when humans mistakenly assumed they had done something wrong. Understanding this prevents unfair blame, keeping trust strong.

2. Dogs Don’t Love Hugs (Usually)

Humans see hugs as affectionate; dogs often see them as restraint. Studies show around 80% of dogs exhibit stress signals like lip-licking, turning away, or showing the whites of their eyes, during hugs. Hugging restricts a dog’s natural instinct to move freely and escape perceived threats. Instead, your dog appreciates gentle pets or simply staying close. Respect their comfort, and they’ll trust you even more.

3. Sniffing Is a Dog’s Social Media

A dog’s nose is their window to the world. With over 200 million scent receptors (compared to our mere 6 million), sniffing provides dogs essential mental stimulation. Letting your dog sniff freely reduces stress, promotes relaxation, and even improves optimism according to recent studies. It’s not wasting time, it’s vital enrichment that boosts your dog’s overall happiness and well-being.

4. Punishment Hurts More Than It Helps

Science consistently shows punishment-based training methods like yelling or leash corrections significantly elevate stress levels and erode trust between you and your dog. Dogs trained this way often display anxiety and reduced learning efficiency. Positive reinforcement and neuro affirming approaches, using rewards, praise, and play while considering the dogs emotional state, is shown to achieve better long-term results, strengthening your bond without the harmful side-effects of stress or fear. Kindness doesn’t just FEEL good; it’s effective dog training.

5. Your Dog Experiences the World Differently

Dogs don’t rely on language or vision the way humans do; their worlds revolve around scent and motion to a greater extent than ours. They excel at interpreting your body language and emotional tone. A dog’s vision is specialized for detecting movement, while their powerful noses decode scents we can’t even imagine. Knowing this helps you communicate better, recognizing when your dog might be distracted by something important you simply can’t perceive. Words matter less to your dog than gestures, scents, and actions.

Knowing these scientifically-backed truths about guilt, hugs, sniffing, punishment, and perception, will help you interact with greater empathy and effectiveness. Dogs don’t speak human, but they’re always telling us what they need. When you listen, you’ll see just how much closer you can become.

Sources and more info:

• How to Transform Your Walks By Understanding Your Dog’s Nose: https://youtu.be/MfFlhcnFOcs

• How Dogs Perceive the World: https://youtu.be/F8mJet68AFk

• What Really Prompts the Dog’s “Guilty Look”: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090611065839.htm

• Dogs Don’t Like Being Hugged: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/canine-corner/202405/new-research-confirms-dogs-really-dont-like-being-hugged

• Importance of Dog Sniffing: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/is-sniffing-a-dog-s-version-of-social-media/

• Training Methods and Dog Welfare: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201217095536.htm

Follow to join the Dog Training Revolution 🙌 more sources and info at zakgeorge.com

30/03/2025

Dogs can get heatstroke easily when the weather is over 25°. Dogs should not be walked, taken running, dog parks, playing fetch or anything that can increase the risk. Dogs blood boils its an excruciating torturous death.
I saw a women running with a maltese terrier and it was 31°. I couldn't stop because I was across another side of a motorway.
NEVER GIVE A DOG WATER TO DRINK WHEN THEY ARE LIKE THIS THEY CAN ASPIRATE. Only give a drink once they have cooled down.

28/03/2025

This is Willow, a teenage Doberman.
He is a very normal teenage dog that the girls adopted without telling Mum.
He hasn't had enough exercise, which is causing some frustration.
Mum has given the girls 3 weeks to give him the right amount of exercise and enrichment to keep him calmer.