🐶🐍 Snake Aware Training in Action! 🐍🐶
Check out this awesome video of Louis practicing his indicator behaviour—a knee touch— which he will use to alert his owner when he spots a snake. 🐕
✨ Through this training, Louis is learning an essential skill that could one day help keep him and his owner safe.
Paws & Reward's next Snake Aware Course kicks off on the 31st of August at Blackwood Uniting Church. If you want to equip your dog with life-saving skills like Louis, there’s still time to join us!
📅 Date: 31st of August
📍 Location: Blackwood Uniting Church
🎟️ Spaces are limited, so secure your spot now! https://pawsandreward.com.au/snake-aware
#AdelaideDogs #PositiveReinforcement #Dogsofadelaide #DogCommunity #SnakeAware #DogTraining #SafetyFirst #AdelaideEvents #Adelaidedogtrainer
🎓 Exciting Update to Puppy College! 🐾
I am thrilled to announce a new addition to the Puppy College program! 🎉 Now, when you sign up, you'll receive a 40-minute video that dives deep into understanding your pup and managing those tricky situations before class even starts. 📚🐶
But that's not all! Along with the video, you'll get an e-workbook that helps you apply what you learn directly to your dog. 📝✨
You'll receive both within 48 hours of signing up, so you can kickstart your training journey early and set your puppy up for success from day one. 🚀
Ready to get started? Join Puppy College today and give your pup the best start possible! 🐾💪 https://pawsandreward.com.au/puppy-training-class
#PuppyTraining #PuppyCollege #DogTraining #StartEarly #DogTraining #Dogsofadelaide #SupportSmallBusiness #PositiveReinforcement #adelaidedogs #PuppyLove #AdelaideDogs #DogObedience #PuppyClass #DogTrainer #AdelaidePets #Blackwood #PuppyTraining #DogCommunity
Lately, despite my better judgement, I've found myself scrolling through Facebook posts where people seek dog training advice here in Adelaide. It's disheartening to see so many recommendations for "balanced" trainers and aversive methods. It's troubling how easily we turn to "quick-fix" solutions that punish behaviours instead of embracing researched, safe methods or considering medication to support our dogs in today's stressful world.
Although I doubt those who advocate for 'balanced' methods will watch this video, I wanted to highlight why the force-free, positive approach is truly in the best interest of our pets and ourselves. As someone at Zoos SA wisely said, 'Your quality of care is their quality of life.'
Let's remember this as we strive to give our pets the best care and training possible. 💖
Credit to Guy Hedderwick for pointing out these benefits of force-free training in his recent PPGA Marketing Webinar 🙏
#PositiveReinforcement #Adelaidedogtrainer #DogTraining #Dogsofadelaide #adelaidedogs #Adelaidepups #ForceFreeTraining #PositiveReinforcement #ScienceBasedTraining #EthicalDogTraining #NoQuickFixes #CompassionateTraining #ChoosePositive #DogTrainingAdelaide
I'm looking forward to running the Snake Aware Course in Clare this weekend! 🌟🐍 Watch this amazing video of Archie recalling just from smelling the snake skin – it's incredible how our furry friends can learn to stay safe!
🐾 Want to ensure your four-legged companion knows how to navigate around snakes? 🚫🐍 Enroll in the Snake Aware Course today and equip your pup with essential skills to stay safe and sound! 🐾📚
Spaces are limited, so act fast! 🏃♀️🏃♂️ Drop me a message or book in through my website www.pawsandreward.com.au/bookings if you're ready to join the Snake Aware adventure! 🐾🌟 Let's keep our pups safe and happy together! 🐕❤️
#SnakeAware #DogSafety #TrainingAdventure #ClareCanines #Adelaidedogtraining #Adelaidedogs
🐾 Exciting News! 🐾
I'm thrilled to share that I am now officially a Dog and Cat Management Board Approved Trainer! 🐶🐱 This means I can provide specialised training courses for dogs under Control Orders, as per section 50 of the Dog and Cat Management Act 1995.
I'm here to help if your furry friend is subject to any of the following control orders:
Dangerous Dog Order
Menacing Dog Order
Nuisance Dog Order
Barking Dog Order
Feel free to reach out to me if your pup is under a control order, and let's discuss the best training approach for your furry friend. 🐾Together, we can ensure a happier and safer environment for you and your beloved pet. 🏡✨
Looking forward to helping our four-legged friends (and their human companions) thrive! 🐾💙
#adelaidedogtrainer #Councildogtraineradelaide #dogsofadelaide #adelaidedogs #adelaidepups #dogorders
🐾🐍🎓 Had an absolute blast teaching the Snake Aware Course to this adorable group of corgis! 🎓🐍🐾
From Henry, the nervous nellie who conquered his fears one step at a time, to the extremely food motivated girls who would cross burning coal for a piece of kibble, and the proud achiever Archie who learnt to recall just from the snake scent (Stay tuned for this impressive video!) - these pups stole my heart with their unique personalities! 🥰
If you're interested in organising a private Snake Aware Course for your friends, family, or community, don't hesitate to reach out. Let's empower more furry friends to stay safe and sound in the great outdoors! 🐾🌿
#snakeawareness #pawsforsafety #corgiadventures #adelaidedogs#adelaidehillsdogtraining #adelaidehillsdogs#dogsofadelaide #adelaidedogs
🌟 Witness Coco's impressing snake avoidance progress! 🐾
Coco's inaugural recall and alert training session with a snake shed scent was a resounding success! Following just 30 minutes of dedicated practice, she has mastered the skill of promptly returning to her owner and touching her knee upon encountering the scent of a snake. In this video her owner does not use her recall word. Coco simply sniffs the shed, runs back to her owner, and touches her knee.
The use of a post-it note as a marker for the desired touch location will gradually be phased out as Coco's proficiency continues to grow. Congratulations, Coco, on your impressive progress!
🐾✨ Exciting News for Growing Families! Introducing the Dogs & Storks® and Dogs & Toddlers™ Programs! 🍼👶🐶
I am thrilled to share two new programs that cater to the unique needs of growing families, including our beloved furry friends! 🌟
👶🐾 Dogs & Storks®: Preparing Families with Dogs for Life with Baby
Having a baby is an incredible journey for everyone in the family, and that includes your beloved dog. Dogs & Storks® is an internationally renowned program designed to provide positive, practical, and fun solutions to challenges that often arise when a family with a dog welcomes a new baby.
📚 What Dogs & Storks® Covers:
✅ Preparing Your Dog Before the Baby Arrives
✅ Introducing Your Dog After the Baby Arrives
✅ Reading Your Dog’s Body Language
✅ The Five Types of Supervision
✅ Success Stations
✅ And Much More!
Dogs & Storks® fills in the gaps left uncovered by obedience training and childbirth education classes.
👧🐶 Dogs & Toddlers™: Preparing Families with Dogs for Life with Toddler
As your baby undergoes rapid developmental changes, it brings new challenges for our family dogs, potentially causing stress and confusion. Dogs & Toddlers™ provides valuable insights and proactive solutions to address common challenges faced by families with dogs as their baby becomes mobile.
📋 What Dogs & Toddlers™ Covers:
✅ Ways to Improve Your Dog Aware Skills
✅ Grumble and Growl Zones
✅ The Importance of Proximity
✅ Fun Games to Make Life Easier
✅ Important Milestone Moments
✅ The Five Types of Supervision
✅ And Much More!
👶🐶 Online Seminar:
Dogs & Storks® and Dogs & Toddlers™ are now available to book as engaging 1.5-hour online seminars!🌐✨
🏡 Optional In-Home Private Training:
For those seeking personalised attention, I'm delighted to offer optional in-home private training sessions. I will work directly with your family and furry friend to address specific needs and create a custom
Frankie's first lesson practising recall in response to sniffing a shedded snake skin inside a Puppingtons scent work hide. 🐍 Here you can see how she's starting to learn that the smell of a brown snake means to turns back to her owner. Once she has turned, she is reminded that this is the correct behaviour by her owner who issues the recall word "come". What a clever pup! 🥰 #adelaidehillsdogtrainer #adelaidedogtraining #adelaidepuppies #Adelaidehillsdogs #Adelaidepuppies #adelaidedogtrainer #adelaidedogs #adelaidepups
Meet Boogie! 🐾🐾 Likes: balls, routine, treats, his hoomans ❤️ Dislikes: men, anything unusual/out of the norm, sometimes women... Sometimes dogs.... 🤔 Training effort today: 💯!! Here Boogie is looking at a man across the street and gets rewarded by his dedicated owner for NOT losing his mind 🤯😅 With a strong commitment to management and training, we are gradually changing how Boogie feels about his current dislikes!
Training this gorgous 3 month old puppy was just what I needed today! Here we are working on arousal managament using the tug-scatter-tug game. By scattering treats I am encouraging Herbie to sniff as a way to calm down in between excitement. Over time he will be able to self-regulate his arousal levels by moving away and/or sniffing before he becomes over-aroused and unable to control his behaviour.
#adelaidedogtraining #Adelaidehillsdogs #adelaidehillsdogtrainer #adelaidepuppies
I have finally had time to launch my new and exciting program for lead reactive dogs: Feisty Fido!
This is a comprehensive 4-week program that incorporates management, data collection, enrichment, a health assessment, and training to change how your dog feels about triggers in the environment (e.g. dogs, people, cars, bikes).
Throughout the program, you will learn effective management and training skills to change your dog’s sensitivity to triggers. As a result, you will feel much calmer and more confident when taking your dog for a walk!
If you have a dog who barks, lunges, and/or growls when encountering certain triggers on a walk then this program is for you!!
To find out more, and to book in for the initial consult, visit: www.pawsandreward.com.au
Congratulations to my latest Puppy College graduates!! I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know these gorgeous pups and their dedicated owners who showed up to class despite this miserable weather! 🌧 🐶
I feel super lucky to have the opportunity to train this gorgeous boy! His puppy parents invested in the Gold Puppy Training Package to start Teddy off on the right paw! Here I am teaching him a really useful "touch" cue and a fun "spin" trick during a "while-you-work" training session :)
I've had the pleasure of training this lovely girl to walk nicely on a lead. She used to pull like a freight train and was barely aware of her owner hanging onto the lead 🫣
A few weeks later of consistent training from her owner and myself: she is now capable of this perfect loose lead walk and engagement! 🥰
Hugging and kissing are such natural ways for children to show how much they love their dog - but lots of dogs feel trapped and uncomfortable when they’re held, hugged, or smooched and can’t get away.
Together with your child, make a “LOVE list” with all your dog’s favourite activities, then SWITCH THE SMOOCH! Whenever your child is headed for the hug, encourage them to do something on the list that your dog loves WAY more!
If you have a super affectionate child, help them switch their smooch to a stuffed pooch! It will make their relationship with your dog a lot stronger… and safer!
Some of the stress signs that the dog in this video shows include; whale eyes (showing the whites in their eyes), closed and tense mouth, crouched down, ears back, furrowed brow, and looking away from the child.
This gorgeous boy looooves to chew bark chips, and there are LOTS of bark chips in his backyard! However, he now has a very solid "leave it" cue. In combination with management to prevent him from accessing the bark chips, his owners can be pretty confident that his bark chips eating days are over 😄
Mouthing/nipping/biting is most often normal puppy behaviour that we find very annoying and often painful! Puppies investigate the word through their mouths, and if something within their reach is exciting and moves fast - it will definitely get bitten!
Puppies need to bite and they need to play. It's up to us as owners to teach them what to bite and how to play.
Use tug toys that your pup can bite. The longer the better (to keep your hands a safe distance from your puppy's mouth!). Then have a great game together without getting bitten!
If your puppy becomes too over stimulated, he/she might need a brief time-out with a calming activity - such as a lickimat or snufflemat.
Your puppy might be trying to tell you something - is your puppy hungry? Is he/she overly tired? Doe your puppy need to go outside for a wee/poo?
Don't punish your puppy for nipping- remember that they are still learning! Focus on rewarding the behaviour you DO want and try to manage the less desirable behaviours.
Are you unsure if your puppy's mouthing is normal or not? A trained professional can help you determine whether or not it is normal, and she/he can guide you through an effective treatment plan.
Undesirable scratching is one of the most common problem behaviour for owners.... However; it is a very normal behaviour for cats!
There are many reasons why a cat scratches on surfaces, such as:
- Territorial markings. When scratching, the cat leaves visual cues (scratches) as well as olfactory cues (secreted from glands between the cat’s toes)
- Claw maintenance
- Stretching his/her back
- Attention seeking (good or bad!)
- Excitement (e.g. when greeting their owner)
Scratching is an important behaviour for cats. However, we can help them do it in appropriate locations. You don't have to sacrifice your couch - there are ways to keep both your couch and your relationship with your cat intact 🙂
Let's talk about cats! Cats are often viewed as anti-social animals who are untrainable and stubborn. They might hide when visitors come over, avoid human contact, and perform undesirable behaviours, such as toileting outside the litter box.
Puppy owners are generally well aware of the socialisation period and spend a lot of time socialising their new puppy. However, not many people know that cats also go through a socialisation period! This is much shorter than in dogs, only between from 2 until 7 weeks of age. However, if we socialise our kittens appropriately then they can become just as social as dogs!
Consequences of poor socialisation is that cats are likely to be fearful around new people (e.g. visitors), other pets (e.g. seeing other animals through the window), new environments (e.g. if you move house or go to the vet), and handling (e.g. at the vet clinic).
A cat who is fearful can start showing a range of undesirable behaviours, such as aggression or toileting outside the litterbox.
Behaviour problems can also develop if we overlook our cat's social and/or environmental needs. Thus, my posts for the rest of the year will focus on cat behaviour, body language, as well as tips for improving their social and physical environment!
Let's help our little tigers start the new year on the right paw! 🐯☺️
