Best Paw Forward Bathurst

08/12/2023

Look out for your dog(s) this weekend!

03/11/2023

Feel-Good Friday:
Or, The Walk - A Dog’s Perspective 😉

27/10/2023

Feel-Good Friday;
Never underestimate your dog’s ability to negotiate….

22/10/2023

One week until the final 8-week Basic Obedience Course for 2023 begins! The course is booked out, and I’m looking forward to meeting the upcoming class, human and canine alike 🙂🐾

10/10/2023

The Life of Edgar
Dog Ownership and Training Thoughts:

A few days ago I was taking my 5-month -old puppy for a walk. They’re very short distances because he can’t manage the concept of a loose lead consistently out in public yet.
As we neared a corner, a rather large dog of traditionally friendly breed, without a lead, came around the corner and … stopped and looked at us.
Now, we live in a town where people will let their dogs walk off-lead because the dogs are friendly, well-behaved and their owners trust them.
But here’s the problem.
There are at least two dogs involved in any encounter, with different personalities, abilities and experiences.
My puppy has immense, gorgeous, poor-boundary-recognition enthusiasm, which is normal for his age and he needs guidance so he can make as many friends as he likes politely. Dogs don’t like rude dogs and won't make friends with them.
I don’t know the dog that just appeared. I don’t know how it will behave with a puppy.
So we turned around started walking back the way we came, and this dog started following us.
So I turned, said “Get outta here!”, which is fairly standard across dog trainers’ suggestions for letting dogs know they shouldn’t follow you, and then crossed the road as it continued to approach. (How would it react to a boisterous puppy leaping up in its face to say hello?)
These encounters when you remove your puppy from an older dog should NOT create fear in your puppy about other dogs, but as the puppy’s guardian you have a responsibility to keep your puppy safe.
And you don’t know that other dog.
The dog’s owner arrived, walking calmly some distance behind him, and told me firmly I had nothing to worry about, the dog is gentle and wouldn’t hurt a soul.
That last time I heard that was just before my previous dog was attacked by the ‘friendly’ dog.
(For the record, this dog showed no unfriendly behaviours at any time.)
So now you have previous experience playing its role in the encounter.
I said, in as friendly and neutral way as possible, that by law the dog should be on lead. (See the Companion Animals Act NSW).
The owner gave a defence for their dog being off-lead, in a rather belligerent tone:
- already been walking them for two hours (really?)
- dog weighs 40+kg and pulls (perhaps it's time to choose better tools: this includes lots of boring, messy loose-lead-walking practice and possibly mechanical help from specialised equipment)
- the owner knows the law and didn’t need me telling them (I’m not even going to start discussing that particular statement)

I replied, truthfully, that I wouldn’t like them to get into trouble.
Trouble from being fined, were that to happen.
Trouble from a less trustworthy off-lead dog suddenly taking a dislike to theirs.
Trouble from something unexpected frightening their dog, causing it to run onto the road.
Trouble from other mishaps that could be avoided were the dog on lead.

Don’t have unnecessary arguments with anyone when an argument, not a discussion, is all you’re going to get.

I looked at my puppy, said “Come on, love“ and we kept walking. It was a beautiful morning with plenty for us to enjoy.
“You’re raising a fearful dog!” were the other dog owner’s parting words.
Am I? With repeated exposure to enough similar encounters that’s entirely possible. However I expose my dog to enough friendly encounters under safe conditions with dogs of different sizes and ages that I don’t think that will be the case.
How much of that parting shot was disappointment that their beautiful dog was not being instantly accepted and loved by everyone who met it, or embarrassment because they were reminded of a rule they were knowingly disregarding, which is intended to keep walks enjoyable and safe for all?

Get your dog out and about. Let them meet other dogs when you and the other owner agree it’s safe to do so.
There also needs to be understanding that not everyone wants their dog to be all other dogs' instant friend. In my view, that's a dangerous and irresponsible attitude, because it fails to recognise that dogs have different personalities, play styles, stages of life and experiences.
Let’s enjoy walking our dogs safely, with thought that creates safety and enjoyment for others as well as ourselves.

08/10/2023

The Spring Basic Obedience Course finished today: Sharyn and Gryff showed off their strong teamwork, demonstrating the skills learned over the past 8 weeks and talking about how to manage everyday situations in a way that’s fair to both dog and human.
Such a pleasure to get to know these two and watch Gryff’s confidence blossom!
(Absent: Lenny)

06/10/2023

Feel-Good Friday:
How does YOUR dog tell you they just don’t understand…?

04/10/2023

Would you like to brush up on solid obedience skills for your dog before 2024? Best Paw Forward's final offering of the 8-week Basic Obedience Course will be running from 29 October to 17 December 2023, and now taking bookings!
Learn how to teach your dog a solid Sit, Come when Called, Stay and foundations of Loose Lead Walking:

Book Now Additional group and one on one training sessions will be periodically added to the calendar. Questions? Please contact Ingrid – [email protected]

24/09/2023

Training break for Sharyn and Gryff during this morning’s session …. this is what good, consistent leadership that involves daily training produces: a relationship between dog and human of love and trust

22/09/2023

Feel-Good Friday:
How you see your dog and how your dog sees themselves might be two different things … 😉🐾

15/09/2023

No matter how tired or jaded you feel when you come home, your dog knows exactly how to lift your mood … 😍🐾

08/09/2023

Feel-Good Friday:
We’re you one of those kids who collected things on your walks?
Is your dog like that, too?

05/09/2023

One of the greatest privileges of my job is witnessing the love and trust between people and their dogs, and seeing the work both put in to correct problems, creating even greater trust, confidence and affection between them.

01/09/2023

Feel-Good Friday:
- sometimes the answer’s right in front of you ….

29/08/2023

The Life of Edgar:
Puppies Need Experiences!
Puppies have a very short timeframe to help them adapt to the world around them: the window starts to close at 16 weeks and decreases fairly quickly thereafter.
Edgar spent time downtown on the weekend, exploring a new environment and different people.

27/08/2023

Teaching your dog how to stand on request was one of the new skills we covered in today’s Group Class. Stand is such a useful skill for your dog to know, particularly at the vet’s for examination!

26/08/2023

25/08/2023

Feel-Good Friday:

23/08/2023

The Life of Edgar:
- Puppies Need Structured Freedom …
Puppies simply don’t have enough self-control to have good manners away from their crate or playpen.
Edgar has his own mat to go to during human meal times … 🐾

20/08/2023

The latest offering of the 8-week Basic Obedience Group Class began this morning. These proud and loving owners are already asking lots of questions as we went through the first session today: looking forward to seeing the progress they make together over the coming weeks!

18/08/2023

Feel-Good Friday:
Physical touch is essential to emotional and physical well-being …

11/08/2023

Feel-Good Friday:
Ever feel you’re being conned by those tragic puppy eyes …?

10/08/2023

Today is National Spoil Your Dog Day!
However your dog loves to be shown you think the world of them, take time out today to give your dog that extra treat of your time, attention, favourite game or food to tell them how much you value having them
In your life ❤️🐾❤️🐾❤️

04/08/2023

Feel-Good Friday:
Umm, yes. Always, always have a chew toy to distract your puppy into!

24/07/2023

The Life of Edgar:
Puppies Need Sleep!
- puppies need uninterrupted sleep (and lots of it) to help them grow into healthy, settled dogs. A crate can be a safe haven for them to nestle in with favourite toys or a blanket as they rest away from disturbances.

21/07/2023

This made me laugh; but also made me reflect on how difficult life can be for people who have dogs with separation distress.
If you’d like some help give your dog greater confidence being on their own, contact Ingrid at https://www.bestpawforwardbathurst.com.au

17/07/2023

The page has been very quiet lately - but
there's been a a lot of activity with Best Paw Forward and dog relationship & training!
Click the link for the video explaining what's been happening:
https://www.facebook.com/100009083447982/videos/1641143656371743/

29/06/2023

I think I’ve posted this before, but it’s worth repeating, so we can share with others:
- just because one person’s dog is dog-friendly doesn’t mean they get to greet every other dog they see.
There are usually very good reasons why others ask that they and their dog be given space.
Let’s ensure that request for space is respected.
🐾

23/06/2023

Companion pets: they have a noble purpose in our lives … ❤️🐾

18/06/2023

Today was the final day of the 8-week Winter class.
These beautiful flowers from one of my students make me appreciate the love and hard work they put in each day with their dog in between sessions, implementing the techniques we discussed together so that they saw huge progress with their dog.
Seeing the young owner’s skill and confidence with their first dog was just a delight!
I feel humble to have made a difference.
Thank you for choosing Best Paw Forward. It really was such a pleasure to work with this lovely family.

07/06/2023

It's the same for us on the other side...🐾

"We need to go first... If we lived longer than you, we would not and could not survive. It’s supposed to be this way. We also need to cross the Rainbow Bridge before you do so that we can be on the other side to greet you when you get there. We wait at home for you here and we wait at Home for you there. It’s just the way it is."

from Jack McAfghan Book 1:" Reflections, A Dog's Memoir on Life After Death", Chapter 57 https://amzn.to/3fgWhyp

Cartoonist Harry Bliss

www.gocomics.com

19/05/2023

Want to feel a true sense of power…?
Best Paw Forward can help! It takes time, practice and patience, but the joy of this reality can be yours through a training program, either individually or as part of a group:
https://www.bestpawforwardbathurst.com.au

12/05/2023

Feel-Good Friday:
The Case of the Curious Puppy and their Sleeping Sibling …

09/05/2023

Congratulations, Annie and Kyla, on your graduation from Best Paw Forward’s 6-week individual Puppy Program!
Annie was a delightful student with her loving mum’s patient guidance and it will be a pleasure to see her mature into a happy, confident, well-mannered dog.

06/05/2023

Animals throughout history:

in 1928, Buddy, a German Shepherd, becomes the 1st guide dog for a US citizen Morris Frank.

Morris Frank was a blind man from Nashville. His father read him an article by Dorothy Eustis, a woman living in Switzerland who had seen shepherds training dogs to lead blind people get around. Excited by the idea, Frank wrote a letter to Eustis and received a response letter 30 days later inviting him to come see for himself. Frank then took a ship to Europe and trained extensively with a dog that had been bred specifically to lead a blind person. The training was hard, but after weeks with the dog, Frank could get around the nearby Swiss village holding tightly to a harness to which Buddy was strapped.

Morris Frank returned to America. From the day he got off the ship, he was successful. At one point, in front of a group of dumbfounded reporters, Buddy led Frank safely across a busy New York street. “I shall never forget the next three minutes, Ten-ton trucks rocketing past, cabs blowing their horns in our ears, drivers shouting at us. When we finally got to the other side, and I realized what a really magnificent job he had done” Frank later wrote.
When Frank returned to Nashville, people were amazed at the sight of the blind man and his dog successfully navigating busy sidewalks and couldn’t believe that it was the same blind boy they had so recently taken pity on. What amazed people the most was that Buddy had an ability best known as “intelligent disobedience,” which meant that he would obey Morris except when executing that command would result in harm to his master. If there was a low hanging branch ahead on the sidewalk, for instance, Buddy knew how to navigate around it to the point where Morris wouldn’t hurt his head on it.

About this time, Frank, Eustis and several others cofounded The Seeing Eye, an institution set up to train guide dogs and their blind masters. Today, the organization reports that it has, in its 80-year history, trained 14,000 dogs. Buddy is considered the first. In 1978, on the 50th anniversary of the founding of the school, the U.S. issued a commemorative stamp in honor of The Seeing Eye.

Source: wikipedia

05/05/2023

It’s Showtime! - the Royal Bathurst Show is a wonderful weekend, with lots of excitement and spectacle; including fireworks.
Fireworks are spectacular to view, but overwhelming sensory experiences for dogs.
Keep your dog safe this Royal Bathurst Show weekend.

Some tips are below to help your dog manage the noise, change of air pressure and odours of fireworks tonight and Saturday.

28/04/2023

Ouch!
Best Paw Forward Bathurst can help you teach you dog to give you their attention when called.

25/04/2023

Lest We Forget.

23/04/2023

Taking time in between groups for Best Paw Forward’s Autumn 8-week Basic Obedience Course to appreciate the Centennial Park refurbishment. It’s looking beautiful!