Activate Dog Training

01/06/2026

Training Tip 🎥

If you want a stronger recall, make reinforcement feel like an event — not a transaction.

Too often recall looks like:
“COME!”
Dog arrives.
One treat.
End of interaction.

But if every recall is quick and predictable, your dog learns there’s not much value in rushing back.

Instead, try building a reward experience:

multiple treats one after another
movement and play
happy praise
toss a treat and recall again
release them back to exploring
use the environment as part of the reward

Think:
“Coming back to my person is FUN and worth sticking around for.”

The goal isn’t just getting your dog to return once.
It’s building a dog who loves choosing you.

29/05/2026

One of my clients recently sent me this message after a day out with Penny:

“We felt so proud of her because it was like what we had spent so long doing training on paid off that day.”

And honestly… those moments are everything.

Not perfection.
Not “perfect obedience.”
Just those little moments where life suddenly feels easier.

The walk where your dog checks in with you instead of pulling.
The cafe visit where you can finally relax.
The moment another dog walks past and you realise… “wait, that was calm.”

Sometimes progress sneaks up on us because we’re so focused on the hard days.

So I’d love to hear:
✨ When was the moment you realised your training was working?

Share your win below — big or small ❤️

26/05/2026

“The best training often looks boring.”

A dog calmly sniffing near cows.
A puppy asleep in a stroller at a café.

Neither looks particularly impressive from the outside.

But this is the kind of training that matters most to me.

Quiet reinforcement.
Tiny repetitions.
Pauses.
Calm choices.
Sniff breaks.
Slow progress.

Not flashy obedience routines.

Because real-life training isn’t just about teaching cues. It’s about helping dogs learn how to exist comfortably and successfully in the world around them.

Sometimes progress looks like:

* choosing to sniff instead of react
* settling in a busy environment
* calmly taking in the world
* making small, thoughtful choices

The best training often doesn’t look exciting at all.

And honestly? That’s usually a sign you’re doing it well.

23/05/2026

Everyone in this house gets excited when packages arrive 📦😅

Not because of what’s inside…

…but because the box becomes enrichment.

On rainy days especially, shredding cardboard boxes is such a simple way to help the dogs release a bit of pent up energy, engage their brains, and just have fun being dogs.

And honestly? Watching all three dogs enthusiastically destroy a box together is pretty entertaining.

Yes, it makes a mess.
Yes, there will absolutely be cardboard everywhere.
And yes, it’s usually worth the cleanup 🌧️🐶

(As always, supervise your dog and make sure they’re shredding safely rather than ingesting the cardboard.)

20/05/2026

It sometimes amazes me that during home lessons the topic of dogs on furniture comes up and owners will look almost guilty as they admit:

“…my dog gets up on the couch.”

Meanwhile I’m usually over here replying with:
“Mine too.”
Or:
“Mine’s a bed hog.” 😅

Honestly, dogs on furniture simply isn’t a problem unless *you* think it’s a problem.

Some people don’t like it, and who can blame them. My dogs take up a ridiculous amount of space and the dog hair is never ending.

But for me? That’s outweighed by the joy of snuggling together while watching a movie at the end of the day ❤️

And really… who needs a heater when you’ve got a fur-covered electric blanket?

It’s also become a nice management tool lately — Maggie can choose to hop up on the couch when she wants a break from the puppy, who still can’t quite make it up there yet 😅

17/05/2026

I absolutely love rainy dog walks with Atlas 🌧️

Especially now that he has a good quality rain jacket.

He struts around enjoying all the smells, takes his time sniffing everything, and then comes home happy to snuggle up while mum indulges in some reading and/or video games ☕🎮📚

The Surf Dog jacket has honestly been great. It keeps him about 70% dry while still allowing him to move really comfortably, which I find makes a huge difference compared to some of the bulkier coats out there.

Of course… when your dog launches himself off a boat ramp to chase a pelican and completely submerses himself, that waterproof rating immediately drops to 0% 😅

16/05/2026

What an incredible group of dogs and their humans 💚

Over the last 3 weeks, these teams worked through all things recall — building value in the cue, strengthening engagement, introducing distance gradually, and learning how to work successfully around distractions.

As the weeks progressed, we saw dogs successfully recalling away from:
🐦 birds
🐕 other dogs
👋 people
⚽ moving objects
🍖 food on the ground

But more importantly, we saw handlers learning how to build recall thoughtfully and progressively — understanding distance, distractions, timing, reinforcement, and how to set their dogs up for success.

This course asked a lot of these teams, and they absolutely rose to the challenge. The consistency, effort, and progress over the 3 weeks was fantastic to watch.

Strong recall isn’t built in a day — it’s built through many successful repetitions, good decisions, and teamwork. These teams should be incredibly proud of how far they’ve come 💚

15/05/2026

One thing I’ve been reminded of lately while navigating a multi-dog household with a puppy:

Everyone is adjusting — not just the puppy.

Journey is learning how to exist in a world with other dogs, routines, boundaries, rest time, and social feedback. But Atlas and Maggie are adjusting too. Their routines have changed, their quiet time has changed, and they’re both figuring out how to live with a tiny golden retriever whirlwind in the house 😅

A few things that have felt really important lately:

🌿 Puppies need proper recovery and sleep.
When Journey hasn’t had enough good quality rest, both me and the other dogs notice it. The “feral” moments happen more often, she struggles to regulate herself, and everyone feels a bit more overwhelmed.

🌿 Don’t try to do all the things at once.
It’s easy to feel pressure to socialise, train, adventure, expose them to everything, and keep life normal for the other dogs too. But honestly, slowing down and giving everyone time to settle into new routines matters.

🌿 All dogs deserve quiet spaces.
Not just the puppy. Atlas and Maggie both need places where they can move away, rest, and recover without being climbed on or followed.

🌿 Supervise play thoughtfully.
Different dogs handle puppies differently. Atlas is very good at helping Journey navigate social interactions and adjusting his play style around her. Maggie is much softer in nature and finds it harder to back up her “no,” especially because she and Journey are a similar size right now.

Sometimes good multi-dog management isn’t about everyone playing together all day.

Sometimes it’s about creating enough rest, space, support, and supervision that everyone can succeed ❤️

12/05/2026

🏆 I have some exciting news… Activate Dog Training has been nominated in the Local Business Awards! 🐾

If I’ve helped you and your dog enjoy more calm walks, better communication, fun adventures, or simply made life together a little easier, I’d be incredibly grateful for your support.

As a small local business, every vote genuinely means a lot. 💛

You can vote here:
https://thebusinessawards.com.au/70268/activate-dog-training

Thank you to everyone who trusts me to be part of their dog’s journey — whether through private lessons, classes, social walks, or simply following along online. Watching dogs and their people grow together is the best part of what I do. 🐶✨

And of course… give your dog an extra treat from me today 😉

04/05/2026

Really love this graphic for play! When puppies are learning it’s important to know what good play looks like. They aren’t born knowing they learn from the dogs around them and the experiences they have. Be sure to guide them so they learn good play looks :)

With so many puppies in rescue right now, this feels like the perfect time to talk about something we see misunderstood all the time - puppy play.

Because puppy play can be adorable right up until it looks a little unhinged.

There is bouncing. There is growling. There is dramatic flopping. There are tiny shark teeth. There is absolutely no respect for personal space. And sometimes there is also an adult dog in the background wondering why they were assigned this level of chaos.

So let’s talk about what healthy puppy play actually looks like, what deserves a pause, and when it is time for humans to step in.

Here is the biggest thing we want people to understand:

Healthy puppy play is not just excitement.
Healthy puppy play is balance.

Good play is usually loose, mutual, and responsive. It has rhythm. It breathes. You will often see loose bodies, soft faces, play bows, pauses, role changes, and both dogs choosing to come back after a break. Healthy play should look like a conversation - not one dog bulldozing the other from start to finish.

And yes, puppy play can be loud.

Growling, barking, grumbling, squealing, and all kinds of dramatic puppy nonsense can still happen in normal play. Noise alone does not tell you whether play is safe. Watch the whole dog. Loud can still be healthy if bodies stay loose, play stays mutual, and both dogs recover well.

Where people often get tripped up is in the middle ground.

Sometimes play is not dangerous, but it is getting harder to manage well. It is getting faster and louder without enough breaks. One dog keeps overwhelming the other. Softer signals are getting ignored. An adult dog is looking more and more annoyed. That is the moment to help - not to sit back and hope it sorts itself out.

Then there are the red-flag moments.

If one dog is trying to leave and cannot, if there is cornering or trapping, if bodies are stiff, if there is panic, frantic escape, or no pauses and no relief, the play is no longer balanced. That is when it is time to step in right away.

One more piece that matters a lot - adult dogs are allowed to communicate.

Walking away, growling, lip lifting, air snapping, or giving a brief correction does not automatically mean the adult dog is unsafe. It may mean they are setting a boundary. A fair correction is usually fast, clear, and over. If the adult dog has to keep correcting again and again, that is usually a sign the humans need to step in sooner.

The goal is not to punish.
The goal is to interrupt, lower arousal, and protect the relationship.

Call the dogs apart. Give them a break. Help everyone reset before things spill over.

Proper puppy play is not about whether it looks cute or sounds loud.

Proper puppy play is loose, mutual, responsive, and safe.

When in doubt, pause early.

We’re sharing an infographic with this post to make it easier to save and come back to later.