Human and Hound

12/02/2022

Hello! 👋

Dog training/people coaching has been my second job, which I have squeezed around my first. While my goal is to work around people and animals long-term, right now I need to be flexible with what life throws at me and have had to put a pause on in home consults. As it is something I love so dearly, I only want to provide services if I can give my clients what they deserve.

Thanks for all the positive feedback and kind referrals to my service over the last couple of years, my clients are such wonderful people!

*for those who have messaged me I promise to respond over the next couple of days!

06/01/2022

04/01/2022

A great explanation of how to introduce some enrichment toys.
Like like a human learning a new game, it needs to be done at a pace so they understand how to play and don't feel frustrated or give up on the game.

01/12/2021

What is the most important part in this video? Turn taking.

Easily overlooked it can be very challenging to work with one dog if the other feels left out. Teaching dogs to enjoy taking their turn makes training much easier and much less stressful for both dogs. They both get rewarded frequently for waiting, as that can be just as, if not more difficult for them than engaging in training. Aussies just want to go, go, go!

This was back in 2018 while I was house sitting Kari's old friend Jesse and the little guy Kippie.

01/12/2021

I really enjoy working with families and children, and dog bite prevention is something I love educating people about.
This is just one of the many little courses that I've completed this year. I so appreciate education providers like DogNostics for providing accessible and affordable content.

22/11/2021

Want to foster a better relationship with your cat? Check out Zazie's post on how to pet them.

A great place to start is...
'..having more realistic expectations around the interactions which cats appreciate; frequent but short, will avoid unnecessary stress, fear and worry and will help strengthen the bond between cat and owner'

Another study in 2021 found that teaching guardians to follow some simple 'CAT' guidelines that involved offering choice and responding to body language made cats much less likely to show discomfort or aggressive behaviours, and made some cats exhibit more friendly behaviors.

C - Control - giving the cat choice in the interaction
A - Attention - pay attention to the cats body language and behaviour
T - Touch - think about where you are touching the cat and how they respond

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2021.714143/full

Give pets a choice, observe their body language and know where they prefer to be stroked.

08/11/2021

Choosing a dog?

Sometimes humans choose dog breeds for fairly superficial reasons. You’re an active sort so you get a Border Collie or a Kelpie, you are a badass so you get a German Shepherd or a Doberman, your friend has a really sweet tempered Great Pyrenees, so you go and get one, you had a perfect Jack Russel as a child so you get another one as an adult, you think pugs are cute, so you go and get one.

A mismatched environment for a dog, along with unfair expectations from guardians can result in very unhealthy relationships. Make sure you research what kind of breed specific traits and needs you might need to cater for and that those match your expectations. You can’t fit a square dog into a circle lifestyle.

How long ago their active working history is and what traits the breeder looks for in their breeding dogs matters too. Working line GDS, Labradors, Kelpies etc. generally have a much higher predisposition to have their breed specific traits than show lines.

Is a puppy the best choice? Even if you do all your homework and find a breeder and pup that suits you, puppies aren’t guaranteed to grow up into the adult dog you desire. Of course, good socialisation and training will help, but you might not have the time to dedicate to that. Having a flexible attitude and the ability to adapt your lifestyle to meet the dog's needs will also go a long way.

A suitable option for some can be an older adoptee. A mutt will have watered down genetics and a dog over the age of 3 should have reached social maturity, giving you a clear idea if this individual and yourself are a good match.

30/10/2021

If you've got a moment this Sunday morning, sit down with a cuppa and watch this fantastic video on how behaviour works.
Emily (Kikopup) and Susan (BehaviorWorks) in the same video is such a treat!

Today I'm honored and excited to have special guest Dr. Susan Friedman give a short explanation about how behavior works or in other words, why animals do wh...

28/10/2021

Our latest group of graduates 🥰

I don't think some humans realize they can take their not fully vaccinated puppies to a class. The first one is all you need to get into a puppy class; you don't need wait until they are fully vaccinated to go searching. If you know when you are going to get your puppy you can book in advance, the first class is a dog-free education night too, so no puppies needed!
The sensitive period (up to 12-16weeks of age) is so important to your dog's development and we want to be able to offer information and support as soon as we can!

Congratulations to the Class of Oct '21!! 🎓
These pups attended classes at our Aldinga and Willunga clinics. We are booked out now until the New Year! Please call and put your name down for the Jan classes if you are planning on getting a new addition to the family 🐶 Puppies need to be 8-14 weeks at the 1st class and have at least 1 vaccination!

27/10/2021

Two of the most important concepts you can teach a young puppy is calmness and confidence. One skill we try to pass on to our puppies and their guardians is teaching them how to settle. Usually by the last couple of classes most puppies are settling quickly, some still need some further help, but that's individuality for you.
Cute pups quietly listening to a health topic at Willunga puppy school.