Leadership Dog Training & Obedience

13/09/2025

This is Ziggy who started this week, his Mum is sick of him pulling on the lead, barking and reacting to dogs, we’ve had to cram as mum is on the road but he’s a very smart boy who’s up to the challenge.
Ps: After training Ziggy went on to win prizes as the ‘Best behaved small dog’ at the Gundagai Show. 🙂

04/09/2025

Why More Exercise Won’t Fix Your Out-of-Control Dog

Many owners believe that if their dog is unruly, the solution is more exercise. The logic seems simple: a tired dog is a good dog. But while exercise is essential for health, it won’t solve behaviour issues on its own. In fact, it can make things worse.

Here’s why: when you keep adding more and more physical activity without addressing behaviour, you’re not building a calmer, better-behaved dog — you’re building an athlete. That athlete now has more stamina to pull on the lead, jump on visitors, and ignore your commands. The behaviours don’t go away; the dog just gets fitter at doing them.

Real change comes through training, structure, and boundaries. A dog that learns impulse control, calmness, and respect for rules becomes easier to live with than one who just runs laps at the park. Short, focused training sessions challenge a dog’s brain in ways that ball-chasing never will, and mental exercise often leaves a dog more settled than hours of physical exertion.

This doesn’t mean exercise isn’t important — it is. But it should support training, not replace it. When both are combined, you’ll see a real transformation: a dog that’s not just fit, but responsive, reliable, and calm.

So if your dog feels “out of control,” don’t fall into the trap of thinking more kilometres are the answer. Focus instead on teaching manners, patience, and self-control. That’s the difference between raising an athlete — and raising a true companion.

Send a message to learn more

25/08/2025

Happy International Dog Day

14/08/2025

I hope this visual helps people. Bloat can happen when a dog eats too fast or exercises too soon after eating. Bloat can be fatal or at least really expensive.

BLOAT
Know the signs

Bloat (GDV) is a life-threatening emergency that if not treated immediately is fatal.

Deep chested breeds like Standard Poodles are at higher risk but this can happen in any breed of dog.

⚠️ Signs to watch for:

▪️Sudden swollen or hard belly

▪️Trying to vomit but nothing comes out

▪️Restlessness, pacing, or inability to settle

▪️Excessive drooling

▪️Collapse or weakness

Ask your vet about gastropexy surgery.

If you suspect bloat, go to the vet right away. Minutes matter.

10/08/2025

Doing some long line work with Odi, only for him to decide to be a velcro dog

29/07/2025

At this point, I have no intention of desexing Odi, not because I want to breed him but because I want him to be healthy.

⏳🧬 Why Timing Matters: What the Research Really Says About Early Spay & Neuter✂️

As loving pet parents, we all want to do what’s best for our dogs — and that includes making the right decision around spay and neuter.

For years, early desexing (before dogs reach sexual maturity) has been widely promoted as standard practice — often as early as 8–16 weeks in rescues or before a first season in females. But emerging research over the past decade is prompting a much-needed rethink.

Here’s what the science is showing us.

⏱️ What Does “Early” Really Mean?

“Early spay/neuter” typically refers to desexing before the dog is hormonally or skeletally mature. That means:

🔹 Females: Spayed before their first season — often under 12 months
🔹 Males: Neutered before 12–18 months, depending on breed size

But these are the very life stages when sex hormones like oestrogen and testosterone are doing critical work — not just for reproduction, but for bone growth, immune development, mental resilience, and long-term disease prevention.

🔍 So, What Did the Research Actually Find?

Several large-scale, peer-reviewed studies have shown links between early desexing and increased risk of:

🦴 Joint disease and poor skeletal development
• Early desexing delays growth plate closure, increasing the risk of hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, and cruciate ligament tears — especially in medium to large breeds.
• One UC Davis study (Hart et al., 2020) found that neutering male Golden Retrievers before 6 months tripled their risk of joint disorders.

🧬 Increased cancer risk
• Early neutering has been associated with a higher incidence of certain cancers, including hemangiosarcoma, lymphoma, and osteosarcoma.
• Vizsla-specific research (Zink et al., 2014) showed that spayed females were 9x more likely to develop hemangiosarcoma than intact females.

🧠 Behavioural and cognitive changes
• Early spay/neuter has been linked to increased risks of fear, reactivity, and noise sensitivity, especially in females spayed before maturity.
• This may be due to the loss of sex hormones that influence brain development and emotional resilience.

🦠 Immune dysregulation and chronic disease
• Early removal of sex hormones affects the endocrine system and may play a role in autoimmune disease risk, urinary incontinence (especially in females), and even cognitive decline in older dogs.

📚 Just a Handful of the Studies Behind These Findings:
• Hart, B.L. et al. (2020) – UC Davis 35 breed study
DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00388
• Torres de la Riva et al. (2013) – Golden Retrievers
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0055937
• Zink et al. (2014) – Vizsla Health Study
• Root Kustritz (2007) – Review of gonadectomy timing
DOI: 10.2460/javma.231.11.1665
• O’Neill et al. (2021) – UK VetCompass longevity data
DOI: 10.1136/vr.105828

And many more studies continue to support a breed-specific, age-appropriate approach to desexing.

💡 So What Are the Options?

We understand there are situations where spay/neuter is necessary — for example, in rescue dogs or to prevent accidental litters. But there are options that preserve your dog’s hormones longer while still preventing pregnancy:

✅ Chemical castration (Suprelorin) – a reversible implant that allows males to mature before permanent castration
✅ Ovary-sparing spay (OSS) – removes the uterus but preserves the ovaries and natural hormones
✅ Vasectomy – blocks sperm without removing testosterone-producing testes

These approaches can allow dogs to develop normally before decisions that affect their lifetime health are made.

💊 What If My Dog Was Already Desexed Young?

If your dog was spayed or neutered early — don’t panic. You didn’t do anything wrong. You made the best decision you could with the information you had.

But there are things we can do now to support their health:

🌿 Consider discussing bioidentical hormone replacement therapy with a reproductive or integrative vet

🐕 Support their joints, hormones and immunity with:
• Omega-3 fatty acids
• Bone broth & collagen
• Antioxidant-rich foods
• Endocrine support supplements

We’re happy to recommend brands we trust.

🐾 Final Thoughts

This isn’t about creating fear or guilt — it’s about equipping you with science-led knowledge so you can make informed choices for your dog.

As we learn more about how vital natural hormones are to your dog’s long-term health, it’s clear that when we spay or neuter matters just as much as whether we do.

❤️ At Poochie Park & Pantry, we’re here to support you with holistic, evidence-led information — no judgment, just help.

Have questions or want to explore safer options for your pup? Just reach out — we’re happy to chat.

24/07/2025

This is Tex, he’s 14 months and doesn’t really have a clue so we’re starting with structure