Engaged Minds Wagging Tails

Engaged Minds Wagging Tails Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Engaged Minds Wagging Tails, Pet service, Townsville.

Personalised 1:1 Training puppies → adult dogs
Engagement & Stronger Connection
Loose Lead Walking & Reliable Recall
Behaviour modification
Trick Training & Mental Enrichment
Puppy Foundations & Development
Owner Education, Communication and
Life skills

09/06/2026

After working hard on proofing skills, navigating distractions, and building confidence through desensitisation, we like to finish our sessions with play 🎉

Play is more than just a reward it helps create positive emotions around training and strengthens the dog's desire to engage and work with their handler.

When a dog is enjoying themselves, dopamine is released, which plays an important role in learning, motivation, and memory.

By ending on a fun and rewarding note, we help the dog retain what they have learnt while building a stronger relationship with their handler 🥰

Training should be both educational and enjoyable, and play is a valuable part of that process.

07/06/2026

Watching this team progress has been incredibly exciting. 👏

The effort they are putting into their training is really paying off, and it’s amazing to see just how far they have come in such a short time.

One of the tools we've been using is luring, which is a fantastic way to clearly guide a dog into the behaviour we want using food or a toy.

Luring helps dogs learn new positions and movements quickly, builds confidence, reduces frustration, and creates clear communication between dog and handler.

When used correctly and gradually faded out, it helps dogs understand exactly what is expected and sets them up for success.

We’ve also been working on Figure 8 exercises, and they are so much more than simply walking around markers.

Figure 8s are a brilliant engagement activity that teaches dogs to focus on and work with their handler. As direction changes occur, dogs learn to pay attention to our movements, helping build engagement, strengthen the relationship, and develop a clear understanding of heel position.

For handlers, it's a great opportunity to improve leash handling skills and practise clear, consistent communication. The clearer we are, the easier it is for our dogs to understand and succeed.

By breaking these skills down into achievable steps, this team is building confidence, engagement, and strong foundations for the future. Seeing the dog become more focused, responsive, and enthusiastic about training is exactly why we do what we do. Keep up the fantastic work you should all be incredibly proud of how far you've come! 🥰

07/06/2026

🐾 Building Engagement Through Figure 8s 🐾

The Figure 8 exercise is about so much more than walking around markers. It's a fantastic way to build engagement, helping your dog learn to focus on you and work as part of a team.

As we change direction, dogs learn to pay attention to our movement, maintain their heel position, and respond to clear communication. It also gives handlers the opportunity to develop good leash handling skills, creating consistency and clarity for their dogs.

When dogs understand what is expected and are rewarded for making good choices, their confidence and engagement grow. The result is a dog that wants to work with you, not just walk beside you.

Strong engagement, clear communication, and teamwork all start with the foundations. 😁

If you want to come see how sprint dog works or give your dog a go!This is pretty fun 🥰100 metre dash how fast can they ...
04/06/2026

If you want to come see how sprint dog works or give your dog a go!

This is pretty fun 🥰

100 metre dash how fast can they run?

Canine Obedience Club of Townsville Inc

04/06/2026

What a fantastic session from this team!

This little superstar is learning all the foundations of lead walking, discovering where heel position is, and most importantly, learning that working with their handler is fun and rewarding.

Rather than expecting everything at once, we're breaking each skill down into small, achievable steps. This helps both dog and handler understand not only what is expected, but how to get there setting everyone up for success.

Today we focused on clear communication through lead handling, a quick change in how to hold the lead and timing, and it was wonderful to watch this superstar begin actively choosing to engage with their owner. Those moments of connection are where the magic happens!

We also worked through some engage-disengage activities as new people, cars, and unfamiliar items passed by. Instead of becoming fixated on the environment, this clever pup is learning that checking in with their handler is a great choice and one that pays well! 🎉

Our "Yes!" marker is becoming stronger too, with a clear understanding developing of exactly what it means and how it predicts reinforcement. Watching that lightbulb moment happen is always exciting.

The progress this team is making is incredible. The handler's consistency and willingness to learn, combined with this puppy's growing confidence and enthusiasm, are creating a wonderful partnership.

I can't wait to see where their next steps take them! ❤️

01/06/2026

Did you know 🤔

One of the most important parts of dog training is teaching your dog what to do, not just focusing on what you don't want them to do.

Before we can expect our dogs to make good choices, we need to teach them the foundations and give them clear behaviours they can fall back on. When a dog understands these skills, it becomes much easier to redirect them when they make a choice we don't like.

In this video, the puppy jumps up. Rather than rewarding the jumping with attention or treats, I simply tell her what I would like her to do instead "sit."

As soon as she sits, I mark the behaviour with a "Yes!" and reward her.

What happens over time is that the puppy learns that jumping doesn't get her access to what she wants. Sitting, however, is highly successful. Sitting earns attention, rewards, and engagement.

This creates clarity for the puppy. Instead of constantly being told "no" or being left to guess what is expected, she is given a clear path to success. She learns exactly which behaviours are rewarding and which ones don't pay off.

Dogs thrive when expectations are clear. The more we teach and reinforce the behaviours we want, the more likely our dogs are to offer those behaviours in the future.

Training isn't just about stopping unwanted behaviours; it's about building a dog that understands how to make good choices and feels confident in what is being asked of them.

Set them up for success let them know what you want, develop strong foundations 😊

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