https://www.abarkabovedogtraining.com.au/

A Bark Above, Ulverstone (2025)

24/07/2025

⭐️ FUN FACT FRIDAY ⭐️

Today’s Fun Fact Friday is all about why our puppy class times are chosen very intentionally, because when it comes to learning, timing isn’t random, it’s strategic and plays a bigger role than what you might realise 🤭

At A Bark Above, we design every part of our program around success. From the layout of the space to the way we introduce skills, and when your puppy walks through the door, it all matters. Because your puppy’s brain, body, and emotional wellbeing deserve thoughtful planning 💃

So, what are the best times for learning?

✨ 10am to 12 pm is often within the morning alert peak, following an early-morning nap, ideal for focus in stimulating but controlled environments!

✨ 1pm to 3 pm aligns with the second daytime activity window, before the late-afternoon dip and pre-zoomie rise!

✨ 5pm to 6:30 pm captures a crepuscular energy surge, a time when attention and engagement are still strong, but not yet overshadowed by the high-arousal witching hour!

These time zones align with dogs’ internal clock rhythms, so we schedule our classes around your puppy’s natural rhythms. We are choosing windows when they’re well rested, emotionally balanced, and most ready to learn. By avoiding overtired or overstimulated periods, we create the best chance for focus, confidence, and lasting learning. Because when the timing feels right for them, everything clicks into place 🪄

But why does this matter?

Because puppies aren’t just growing bodies, they’re growing memories. Most puppies need around 18 to 20 hours of sleep every day, not just to rest, but to process everything they’re learning and develop the emotional regulation skills that help them navigate the world. Sleep is when memory is consolidated, stress is buffered, and those big feelings start to make sense. When we catch them in that sweet spot of calm, curious, and well rested, that’s when learning really sticks, confidence blooms, and the magic of true understanding begins 🥹

What the Science Says: Puppy Sleep, Learning, and Timing

✨ Arousal levels directly affect learning. High excitement, stress, or overstimulation like during the “witching hour” impairs impulse control, memory retention, and behavioural flexibility. Calm, well rested puppies learn more effectively and retain new skills longer. 📖 The Stress Factor in Dogs – Dr. Kristina Spaulding, PhD, CAAB

✨ Dogs follow a diurnal, polyphasic sleep-wake cycle with predictable activity peaks around mid-morning and early evening. Training sessions held during these windows align with natural alertness rhythms and increase engagement. 📖 Circadian Rhythms and Dog Behaviour: ScienceDirect (2019)

✨ Predictable routines support emotional safety. Consistent timing helps puppies feel secure, reduces stress responses, and improves focus. This structure is especially important in adolescent dogs still developing emotional regulation and cognitive control. 📖 Handbook of Applied Dog Behavior and Training: Steven R. Lindsay

Yes this is super nerdy, but it’s another factor we found a love to write about! We are building calm, connected learners and it starts with the when, not just the what. Because thoughtful timing is one of the quiet ways we set your pup up to thrive ♥️

24/07/2025

Introducing our weeknight team of perfect puppies 🥹

This group are totally fantastic and oh boy were they showing off for their first class! We are also a little extra excited to welcome our first ever Mini American Shepherd and Spanish Water Dog to this group 😍

How sweet is Chime, Ukiyo, Pippa, Maggie and Billy with their perfect poses 🤭

23/07/2025

⭐️ THE FEAR FEAR JOURNEY ⭐️

You’ve heard us talk about Fear Free and reward-based training a lot. It’s on our website, in our programs, and woven into every session we run and nearly every post we write But this isn’t just feel good fluff, this is modern behavioural science in action and it’s worth understanding why it matters so deeply to us, and to the dogs we work with 🫶🏼

When I began my career in dog training, I wasn’t chasing a piece of paper. I was searching for education that truly reflected my values. I’d grown up surrounded by animals, with much of my early learning spent holding lead ropes and working horses. So when I made the shift to working with dogs, I knew I wanted something grounded in ethics, backed by science, and centred on their emotional wellbeing because I knew it mattered ♥️

This led me to the Certificate IV in Animal Behaviour and Training, a nationally recognised certification built on modern learning theory and ethical, evidence based methods. From the start, it was non-negotiable that my education left no space for outdated techniques, just clear, compassionate learning ✨

This then led me to become the first Fear Free Certified Professional in Tasmania, where emotional safety, kindness, and science always sets the standard 🫶🏼

So let’s dive into what Fear Free really means 💃

Fear Free isn’t a buzzword. It’s a commitment to training methods that do no harm, physically or emotionally. It’s about recognising that behaviour is communication and that all dogs, regardless of age or background, deserve to feel safe and supported during training 💜

We focus on teaching in ways that make sense to your dog’s brain. We help dogs feel confident in their environment, safe in their choices, and motivated to engage. This isn’t just kinder, it’s more effective. A relaxed, emotionally regulated dog learns faster, retains more, and is more likely to repeat behaviours willingly ✨

Whether it’s supporting a nervous rescue, shaping new puppy behaviours, or helping dogs navigate a world full of triggers, we’re here to guide families using science backed, heart centred strategies ♥️

Training should feel good for both ends of the lead! It should strengthen your bond, grow your understanding, and help your dog feel safe enough to try, not scared of what happens if they don’t 🥹

We don’t just believe in Fear Free, we live by it, advocate for it, and will always continue to educate others on why it matters! Because every dog deserves to feel safe and every family deserves to understand how to support their dog through kindness, clarity, and compassion ✨

23/07/2025

Tonight we introduce Eric’s best mate 🥹

Some people find their way into your world and quietly become a really special part of it. You may have remembered Max last year with Aurora in puppy class and how we needed a special pair of hands but today we want to shine the light on this absolute superstar ⭐️

Max first joined us as a client, alongside his family and their delightful pooch. What began as many training sessions quickly grew into a deeper bond, built on shared values, trust, and a love for dogs that spoke volumes without needing many words 🥹

It didn’t take long for us to see that Max wasn’t just here to learn… he was made for this ⭐️

From the very beginning, there was something in the way he listened, the way he watched, the way he connected, not just with his own dog, but with every dog he met. That quiet presence, that steady hand, that natural interaction was all there, just waiting to shine ✨

These days, Max is Eric’s right-hand mate at workshops and events, the speediest snuffle mat refiller we’ve ever seen, and an absolute legend when it comes to keeping things clean and calm behind the scenes. No task is ever too small or too boring, he jumps in with determination and a big heart ♥️

But where Max truly shines is with the dogs. Whether it’s leading a demo in class or soaking in new skills and heading home to show them off with his own dog, you can see the connection, the care, and the natural ability in everything he does 😍

While Max has become a much-loved part of our team, it’s his family that have truly become some of our biggest friends. The kind of people who show up with kindness, support, laughs, and an open heart, time and time again. They’ve stood by us, cheered us on, and become part of this journey in a way that means more than words can really say. We feel incredibly lucky to know them, luckier to have them walking alongside us and even luckier to have Max on our Team 🫶🏼

23/07/2025

Party Bubble you say? Absolutely not a worry 💃😍

Shadow, Rocky, Lola, Millie, Ruben and Jonty have totally breezed our foundations for the fun stuff about hanging in the right place 🤭

We couldn’t be proud of these kiddos and their pawrents, bracing the slightly muddy paddock and working in the winter air to give the babies the best start to life ✨

22/07/2025

🐾 LETS DIVE INTO ANTHROPOMORPHISM 🐾

Yesterday, we shared a post that gave voice to your dog’s inner world. All the quiet thoughts, the subtle moments, the ripple of one moment into the next! This was there help you feel what your dog might be experiencing 🥹

Because when we can connect emotionally even just for a moment, we start to understand the domino effect: how one interaction, one trigger, one small choice can set the tone for everything that follows ✨

Today, we want to gently zoom in a little closer on a common thing many of us fall into and give you some dog nerd insight into another one of those spell binding words that I struggle to pronounce: Anthropomorphism 🪄

🐾 She knows she’s been naughty, look at that face…

🐾 He is playing up me because I left…

These are examples of Anthropomorphism where we assign human thoughts, emotions, or motivations to our dogs 🥹

While it’s completely normal because we’re emotional creatures, it can cloud the way we interpret what’s really going on beneath the surface!

Here’s what we know:

✨ Dogs aren’t plotting revenge.

✨ They don’t feel guilt the way we do.

✨ They’re not manipulative.

But dogs do…

✨ React to stress and unmet needs.

✨ Communicate through body language and behaviour.

✨ Repeat behaviours that have worked for them in the past.

✨ Respond to their environment, not out of spite, but out of emotion.

That “guilty” face, is a peace offering, not an admission of wrongdoing. That “revenge poo” is a stress signal, not a calculated move. That dramatic sigh is just your dog expressing themselves, not attitude!

When we shift from why is she doing this to me, to what is she feeling right now, we open the door to compassion, curiosity and actual change 🥹

It’s not about ignoring behaviour, it’s about understanding what’s driving it. Because when we stop assigning blame, we start building trust and that’s where the real magic happens ✨

22/07/2025

📖 YOUR DOG’S STORY: THE DOMINO PART TWO 📖

Following on from our post this morning, let’s take a closer look at what those moments feel like from your dog’s perspective with big feelings…

Every day, your dog is writing a story. It begins the moment they wake: stretching, sniffing the morning air, glancing at you with hopeful eyes for breakfast! Their thought process is along things of “is today a safe day, will I be understood” 🐕

They feel your energy before you speak. They watch your movements, your tone, your rituals. When the harness jingles, they feel a flutter: part excitement, part uncertainty… thinking like “will today be calm… or will the world feel too big again” 🐶

Out on the walk, a door slams in the distance their body tenses. You keep walking. “Did they notice? I’m not sure what to do now” That was the first domino 🥺

A car rushes past, children run by, they hold it together and you might not notice but the stack is quietly building… There goes two more dominos 🫣

Then a bird swoops low, barely a flap of wings and suddenly, your dog has the big emotional outbursts. To us, it seems like the bird was the problem. But it wasn’t. It was just the last domino in a row that’s been falling all morning 😭

You both recover but your dog is more alert, less interested in food and you just want to get home…

Then another dog appears. They glance to you, brief eye contact, a quiet signal. You notice, you move away, create space, and whisper good dog while passing a snack. “They saw me. I feel safe.” This time, the domino wobbles… but doesn’t fall 🫶🏼

You ask for a cue they’ve practiced a dozen times and they nail it. You smile, reward, cheer. “I’m proud. I did the thing” 😍

That evening, they pace a little, unsure. Maybe their brain is still catching up. That café visit earlier after the day wasn’t loud, but it was a lot. Stress doesn’t always explode, sometimes it simmers but they had their safe space and the next domino only wobbled a little 🥺

That night, they sigh, curl up, and close their eyes. Another chapter written, a day of many moments, big feelings, and messages sent without words 🫶🏼🐾

So when your dog is writing their story, are you reading it?

Because sometimes, the loudest behaviours come from the quietest build-ups. At A Bark Above, we help you tune into the moments in between, to notice the first domino, understand the invisible stack, and change the ending of the story. ✨

22/07/2025

🎓 GRADUATES 🎓

Today we share our latest group of graduating superstars 🥹

Marlo, Curno, Layla and April missed their two class mates but that didn’t slow them down in the slightest! We had some brilliant focus, amazing recalls and wonderful lead walking skills ✨

This is another group we will absolutely miss but are so very proud of them all and know the coast just gained some more of the best boys and girls hitting the streets 🤭

21/07/2025

⭐️ THE FIRST DOMINO MATTERS ⭐️

It’s not always the thing that causes the reaction, it’s the thing before the thing… today we dive into the nerdy sides of Trigger Stacking and another common topic this week 👏

A sudden lunge, an unexpected bark or a complete shutdown are often looked at as the final behaviour and then we wonder what went wrong. But behind every visible response is a nervous system that’s been working overtime juggling stressors, trying to adapt, and eventually hitting capacity 🥺

This is Trigger Stacking! This is what happens when a dog experiences multiple stressors, one after another or even simultaneously, before their system has had a chance to recover 🫣

Think of each stressor as adding a brick to a backpack… a noise, a new environment, a strange dog, a tight leash, a sudden scent. Eventually, the load becomes too heavy and the brain flips into survival mode 🤯

So, what’s actually happening?

🧠 The Amygdala, the brain’s emotional smoke alarm, becomes more reactive when stress builds up!

🧠 The Prefrontal Cortex, the part of the brain responsible for thinking, decision-making, and impulse control, starts to go offline!

🧠 Cortisol (the stress hormone) builds up, and the brain switches from learning and responding to survive and react!

It’s not just what happened, it’s what happened before that changed everything ✨

That final behaviour is often the output of a system that’s been quietly overwhelmed. What looks like a sudden overreaction of big emotions and big feelings is actually the result of multiple stressors colliding, like a row of dominos finally falling 🥺

At A Bark Above, we teach you how to spot the first dominos, those subtle signs of load building because when you catch it early, you can change the whole chain reaction. We don’t just manage behaviour, we protect the nervous system ✨

21/07/2025

✨ SUCCESSFUL SET UP: PART TWO ✨

As always, there’s a part two to most of our posts and tonight, we’re firing into a little spin off with the question: What if we measured success by how safe the dog felt?

What if training success wasn’t measured by the number of cues a dog could perform, or how quickly they followed instructions, but instead by how safe they felt in the presence of their people and in the world around them? 💭

What if we celebrated the quiet moments, the dog who finally felt comfortable enough to rest during a session, the first voluntary check-in during a challenging walk, or the softening of the body in a situation that used to cause fear 😮‍💨

Because true behavioural change isn’t about compliance, it is about confidence and about helping dogs feel safe enough to make better choices, not forcing those choices through pressure!

When a dog can take a breath in a previously triggering environment and when they no longer brace for what might come next, that is progress worth celebrating 💃

At A Bark Above, our definition of success is rooted in trust and emotional wellbeing, for both dogs and their people. We prioritise safe, Fear Free learning experiences that support regulation, resilience, and connection. Just as we help dogs build emotional safety and confidence, we support owners in feeling informed, empowered, and understood throughout the journey. Because in the end, it’s not just about what your dog does. It’s about how you both feel while learning and growing together 🫶🏼

20/07/2025

🐾 NOT EVERY DOG LEARNS IN A CIRCLE 🐾

Let’s talk about something we’ve been hearing a little too often lately… We got kicked out..

It’s said quietly, like something people feel ashamed to share and every time we hear it, our hearts break, not only because we’re shocked but because we know how deeply it hurts 🥺

You sign up to do the right thing, you take your puppy along with hope in your heart and treats in your pocket, ready to learn and grow together. But instead, you’re told you don’t belong, that your puppy is too much and that you’re not a fit for the group 🫣

Suddenly, something that was supposed to feel supportive… doesn’t. But here’s what no one else might have told you, it’s not you and it’s not your dog ✨

Some dogs, like some people, simply don’t thrive in a traditional classroom setting, some need to have that opportunity to work outside the circle. I know that firsthand. I was the kid who couldn’t sit still, who asked too many questions and who never quite fit the mould. School wasn’t built for me and I see that same spark in a lot of the dogs who come through our doors!

These aren’t behaviours, no one is broken, it’s just that we all learn differently. Maybe a group class was too overwhelming, maybe it moved too fast, or too slow! Maybe it was too noisy, too busy, too structured, or just didn’t offer the freedom to explore and engage in a way the individual dog needed ⭐️

At A Bark Above, we’re here to flip that script entirely. If we feel a group class isn’t the right option for your dog, we’ll tell you gently, supportively, and with your dog’s success at the centre of it all. But more importantly, we’ll give you a plan, we will book you in for best fit because that’s what good training is about: supporting the learner, not sidelining them 💜

Because the truth is, dogs are individuals. They’re learners with their own needs, preferences, quirks, and pace. These are the ones that deserve trainers who understand this and you as the pawrents deserve to be given every opportunity to not only learn but also grow with your puppy.

So today’s Motivational Monday is that we want you to know that you and your dog still belong. There is nothing wrong with needing a different approach. In fact, it might be exactly what opens the door to everything you’ve been hoping for 🫶🏼

20/07/2025

🐾 MEET THE TEAM BUT MAKE IT FUN 🐾

We’ve been working on our little annual glow up behind the scenes as you know, and that includes updating our very important team bios. Because here at HQ our four legged crew insisted on having their formal roles recognised. So we obliged… obviously 💁‍♀️

So let’s introduce their fun formal roles 🤭

Aurora June: Vice President of Vortex Energy & Unscheduled Furniture Launches! Specialising in hallway takeoffs, tornado zoomies, and knocking over anything not nailed down. Current Project: Chaos ✨

Eric: Chief of Standards & Silent Judgement! Walks like a king, sighs like a tired dad, and enforces workplace etiquette with a single glance. Current Project: Auditing the team for someone to drop food 🍬

Darcy: Director of Cuddle Compliance & Under Desk Operations! Keeps toes warm, hearts full, and knows exactly when to appear for morale boosting check in.
Current Project: Monitoring foot temperatures and napping across multiple departments 🫡

Matty: Snuggle Monster in Residence & Afternoon Nap Executive! Can locate a vacant lap within seconds. Also responsible for enforcing slow mornings, emotional softness, and blanket-based productivity. Current Project: Testing bed comfort ratings and perfecting the 5-hour nap shift 🤭

So this Sunday evening, let’s have some fun! If your dog had an official job title, what would it be? Pop it in the comments and we can’t wait to read through them all, the weirder and more wild the better 😋

A Bark Above

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