Dog Training Newcastle

26/10/2025

👻Halloween can be scary for dogs: lots of strangers in unfamiliar costumes roaming the streets and knocking on your door. If you will be opening your door to Trick or Treaters, be sure to keep your dog away from the door, maybe behind a baby gate, in another room or in the backyard. Be sure your fences and gates are secure.

🍫 Keep all chocolate out of reach of your dogs! An emergency vet visit after hours would be very expensive.

21/10/2025

🔥🔥🔥 It’s going to be dangerously hot in NSW today. Keep your pets safe by leaving them inside with fans on. If you have to leave them outside, provide lots of extra water, ensure plenty of shade is available all day and ask a neighbour to check in on them.

If you haven’t done your walk in the morning before it hits 28 degrees then skip it today and provide extra enrichment for your dog at home instead.

Don’t forget birds and reptiles. Put some water out for them too, in a place your dog or cat can’t get to it.

10/10/2025

In a bizarre twist to the tragic story about the dog being kicked and beaten while tied up outside of Marketown in Newcastle, it's revealed today that the owner had made up the story.

Few details have been revealed but police have charged Sasha's owner with making a false statement to police.

Turns out Sasha, being a senior dog, had a known history of arthritis and that was the main reason she was euthanised. I'm sure there's a lot more to this story which will be revealed in due time.

People who donated to a reward for information about Sasha will be contacted about receiving a refund.

A dog owner has been charged for allegedly making a false report of an animal cruelty incident in Newcastle.

On Sunday 5 October 2025, police were allegedly told that a rottweiler had been injured by a group of young people while tethered to a tree in Newcastle West on Friday 3 October 2025, and because of the assault, was euthanised by a vet due to the extent of her injuries.

Officers attached to Newcastle City Police District commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

While undertaking inquiries and an extensive review of CCTV, police will allege that the dog was not in the area on the date of the reported incident. It was also established that the dog had suffered a history of chronic hip and osteoarthritic pain prior to the reported incident, which informed the euthanasia of the dog.

About 2.40pm today (Friday 10 October 2025), detectives attended a home in Charlestown and spoke with the owner of the dog.

The 42-year-old man was issued a court attendance notice for false representation resulting in police investigation.

He is due to appear before Newcastle Local Court on Thursday 27 November 2025.

06/10/2025

😭 This very, very tragic incident is another example of why you should never leave your dog tied up outside of a shop. Also, don’t leave them unattended anywhere else in a public place, including locked in your car. Too many crazy people out there.

10/10/25 Update: It was revealed today that the owner had made up the story. Few details have been revealed but police have charged Sasha's owner with making a false statement to police.

Turns out Sasha, being a senior dog, had a known history of arthritis and that was the main reason she was euthanised. I'm sure there's a lot more to this story which will be revealed in due time.

26/09/2025

Reputable rescue groups and breeders who care about their puppies don’t let people adopt or buy two puppies together. Getting two puppies together, from the same litter or not, leads to many, many problems for the dogs and their guardians later on.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=799511272768578&id=100081291387546

🚫 LITTERMATE SYNDROME FACTS 101 ❌️

Why We Don’t Adopt Sibling Puppies Together

We’ve had a few heated messages about adopting 2 from our current litters and even some on our Jesse and James post, so let’s clear something up.

❤️ Yes, Jesse and James have a heartbreaking story but rescue work isn’t about warm fuzzies and “awww they love each other.” It’s about long-term animal welfare, rehabilitation, and implementing documented behavioural practices. If we keep applying our own emotions on to dogs, we would fail.

🐾 What is Littermate Syndrome?

When two siblings are raised together, instead of bonding with humans and learning independence, they bond primarily with each other. Sounds cute… until it isn’t. Symptoms can include:

❌️Aggression toward each other, especially when high-value resources (food, toys, your shoes 😬) enter the picture

❌️Stunted social development and inability to cope with new environments

❌️Training difficulties (because they tune each other out and ignore you)

❌️ Fights to the death. This has happened more times than people realise.

And here’s the kicker: it doesn’t usually show up at 8–10 weeks. It rears its head around 12 months old, when hormones leap. That’s when we get the desperate calls.

📊 Our Reality

Every single year we take in 40–50 dogs suffering from littermate syndrome. And that’s not counting the ones we didn’t have room for. This isn’t a myth. It isn’t a scare tactic. It’s a brutal, documented fact we deal with on the ground.

🙅🏽‍♀️ “But I had siblings before and they were fine!”

Good for you, truly. Some people can juggle knives blindfolded too, but that doesn’t make it a good policy for us to hand out knives at puppy preschool. Just because it worked once doesn’t make it ethical or safe for us to roll the dice with every pup.

Would you let your child learning to drive a car, learn with no seatbelt? You know the risks but YOU haven't had an accident yet therefore you're living proof that it's ok right? Or would you always apply practices to PREVENT as much damage long term as possible?

💔 About Jesse & James

They’re siblings, yes. But they’re also trauma survivors. Puppies from abusive situations don’t need to cling to each other, it wont help them heal. In fact, it does the opposite.

They need confident role models (older, stable dogs) and humans who can give them individual guidance. Keeping them together reduces their chance at rehabilitation and adoption. They wont come out their shell because both exhibit the same trauma response. They need to watch another dogs healthy reactions and copy them.

If we let human emotions override logic and evidence-based practice, we’d be running a sham organisation. That’s not who we are. Dog welfare comes first, always. The comments on the Jesse and James post were out of passion and heart, we know that but when people start coming into our inbox with abusive messages, we will draw the line.

✨ Our Policy (and your attitude)

Circle back to examples like this one here who we politely declined to adopt 2 from the same litter and we gave the explanation of littermate syndrome.

We won’t adopt littermates together. It’s that simple. You can be upset about it, but being rude to us won’t change the fact that science, logic, and welfare outweigh “but they look cute together in photos.” Also using your work email to be rude was a bold move before I've had my 3 earl greys.

We’re here to do what’s best for the dogs, even when it’s unpopular. And if you truly love Jesse, James, or any rescue pup, you’ll understand that putting their future first sometimes means making the hard calls.

26/09/2025

Trivia: A dog’s nose print is as uniques as a fingerprint.

17/09/2025

A walk might feel like just another task on a busy day, but to a dog it’s the highlight of their world. The sound of the leash, the smell of fresh air, the chance to explore and be by your side - it’s pure happiness for them.

Our dogs wait patiently, sometimes for hours, just for that simple moment. They don’t care about the weather, the time, or the miles. They only care that you’re there, sharing it with them.

When life feels heavy and routines turn into chores, remember how much this means to them. That walk is more than exercise. It’s a gift of time, love, and connection.

Slow down. Let them sniff, wander, and enjoy. You might find that in giving them their favorite part of the day, you discover a little peace and joy for yourself too.

(Copied from unknown original source)

16/09/2025

Can you identify the stress signal in this video? Much of dog body language is quick and subtle and you will miss it if you don’t know what to look for.

14/09/2025

BRING BACK THE BAN ON GREYHOUND RACING

📅 Friday 17th October 2025
🕔 5:00pm
📍 Wentworth Park, Wentworth Park Rd, Glebe NSW 2037

Greyhounds are dying every day on Australian racetracks.
In 2024, 128 dogs were killed and over 11,450 were injured.

Already this year, at least 26 greyhounds have died and almost 2,000 have been injured in NSW alone – the highest injury rate in the country.

Yet the NSW Government continues to hand over millions of taxpayer dollars to keep this cruelty alive. And now, in the heart of Sydney, Wentworth Park, Crown Land meant for the community, is still leased to the racing industry, where hundreds of dogs have suffered.

It’s time to show decision-makers that enough is enough.

https://facebook.com/events/s/million-dollar-disgrace-rally-/768246572334468/?

08/09/2025

Great news for Newcastle dog and cat lovers. You can tune into radion 2HD 'The Nightline' every Monday evening Dogaholics - Dog Trainingear dog and cat trainer Eve McKenzie from Dogaholics - Dog Training give helpful tips, advice, and insights to make life with your pets even better.

🌙✨ TONIGHT ON THE NIGHTLINE ✨🌙
It’s not just the news of the day, it’s YOUR stories, YOUR world, and the breaking news that matters most to you.

📣 We’re opening the lines and asking what’s on your mind tonight. Call us, text us, be part of the conversation.
🍴 Special guest Chef Daniel is here with the tastes of Spring and yes, he’s cooking with flowers. Edible blooms that aren’t just beautiful, they’re delicious. 🌼
🐾 And we’re welcoming our brand-new regular guest, Eve from Dogaholics - Dog Training. (and she also trains cats!)
With over 20 years of experience, international certifications, and a passion for helping pets and their people, Eve will be answering your questions starting with what to do if your dog just won’t stop barking.

📞 Call: 13 12 69
💬 Text: 0458 049 209

Live from 2HD Newcastle, and right across the 2SM Super Radio Network.

It’s not just talkback, it’s about connecting.
Because radio is real, it’s human, and it’s always about you.

01/09/2025

My foster dog Lexi eats much too quickly so I am using this muffin tray to slow her down. It works pretty well.

18/06/2025

Eligible pensioners in the Hunter region can get free and discounted veterinary consultations for their sick or injured pets from the SafetyNetPetAssist program.

You can apply online https://petsafetynet.com.au/

Be quick because this pilot program expires on the 30th of June. Hopefully this essential service it will be extended.