Suzy's "See Spot Sit, stand & stay"

04/04/2024

04/03/2024

SPEAKER SPOTLIGHT - JADE FOUNTAIN

Jade is a wealth of information across so many species! She is currently in Tanzania conducting research with APOPO and their amazing detection rats. Her interest & study in animal behaviour, learning and welfare, applied behaviour analysis and zoology has taken her across the globe.

As such there is no better person to fine-tune your mechanical skills with!

This interactive workshop will guide you through how and what data to take, and timing, delivery and reinforcement mechanics, to take your skills to the next level.

Tickets on sale now!
https://www.ppgaustralia.net.au/conference/Jade-Fountain-bio-and-workshop

LEARN, GROW, INFLUENCE

22/01/2024

03/01/2024

Some graduates from my final Puppy Pre-school class after 14 years 🥰

03/01/2024

20/12/2023

Advocate for your Pups, Always! 🐶🤍

13/12/2023

Here’s a few suggestions for keeping your Christmas tree safe from puppies (or dogs/cats).

07/12/2023

Dog training in Tasmania

26/11/2023

🐾 As a dedicated trainer, you strive for the best for your dog, but we get it - sometimes it feels like an uphill battle. 🏔️ Despite your best intentions, behaviour struggles can persist, and progress can feel elusive.

Pause and consider: Could your very best efforts be part of the puzzle? 🤔 If your current strategy isn't yielding results, maybe it's time to try something different.

Let's talk common examples.

🗣️ Tiring your dog out with endless walks might not be the solution - it could build stamina, not calmness. Exposing them to fears may intensify reactions, not ease them. More dog encounters can increase reactivity, not improve it. That’s why we train FOR the situation, not in it.

Feeling overwhelmed? Time to re-evaluate! 🔄 Skill up for challenges with concepts that bring calm, relaxation, and optimism. 🌟 Ready to flip the script on traditional training?
Discover how concept training transforms the game and unlocks amazing results! 🚀🐶 💡✨

Check out our blog post:
https://absolute-dogs.com/3-concepts-lacking-in-90-of-reactive-dogs/

For targeted games and solutions, jump into our Naughty But Nice Bootcamp
http://absolutedogs.me/bootcamps

18/11/2023

Kids in Off Leash Parks - Safety First!
Some things to consider if you take toddlers to off leash parks.

Yes, dogs are meant to be friendly and under control, but let's face it, that's not what happens in the real world. Small children can be knocked over by the nicest dogs if they are playing. Some dogs are totally unfamiliar with children & may be scared of them.

There are very few places that dogs can be dogs and enjoy socialising with other dogs, so please think safety first if bringing kids to the dog park. ☺️

Please feel free to share 😍

20/09/2023

TRAINING TUESDAY - SEPARATION DISTRESS
The distress a dog can exhibit when being left alone can be crippling for a household. Help is possible, and help from a qualified professional can make a huge impact. This article from the SMH quotes PPGA member Jenny Harlow and gives some great insight into treating separation related distress.
https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/up-to-40-per-cent-of-dogs-develop-separation-anxiety-here-s-how-to-treat-it-and-prevent-it-20221209-p5c52l.html

20/09/2023

Training Tuesday
Another dog at the vet because he has eaten a sock (or any other object).
This happens when the dog feels that the only safe place for a treasured object is their stomach.
Prevention is so much better than cure:
• Stop taking things away from your puppy – exchange instead!
• Once they feel safe and exchange, teach a solid 'leave-it' cue.
• Stop chasing your puppy when they have something you do not want them to have – teach them to bring it back! (unless it is a real emergency)
• Stop messing with your puppy’s food – let them eat in peace.

If you need help with this, get in contact with one of our qualified members https://www.ppgaustralia.net.au/Find-a-Professional

05/09/2023

Why dogs jump up and how to stop jumping on people in 3 easy training steps for calm dog greetings.

31/08/2023

THEORY THURSDAY
Our animals will tell us if something is worth working for.
Know your student!

18/08/2023

DON’T FORCE ME TO BE SOCIAL!
Do we like everyone we meet? Do we all enjoy socialising and spending time with lots of different people? I certainly don’t and refer to myself as a “caninetrovert” – a person that much prefers to spend time with dogs rather than people. Maybe I’m a little different to the “norm”, but be that as it may, we are all individuals with different personality styles and social preferences.

Some of us are extroverts, gaining energy from interacting with people; some of us introverts, who find people draining and need alone time to recharge our social batteries and some of us are somewhere in between.

If we acknowledge that we are all different in this way, we also need to acknowledge and accept that our dogs are similar.

They could be overly affectionate or fiercely independent, approachable or nervous, energetic or laid back, confident or cautious, sociable, tolerant, selective or reactive.

We may be really disappointed when our dogs turn out not to be the socialite we expected them to be.

Some may even see this as a behaviour problem that needs to be “fixed”. Sometimes it can be improved, especially if the cause is from a negative experience, but genetics, breed tendencies, individual personalities, health and age all contribute to tolerance levels and sociability.

Accept your dog for who they are, allow them to choose whether they want to be sociable or not, respect their choices and never force an interaction that your dog is not comfortable with.

11/08/2023

One of my favourite messages to new students "Catch them being good. Be on the lookout for opportunities to reward your pup for good behaviour"

Don't take your dog's good behavior for granted. Notice it, praise it, reward it and reinforce it.

Look at your dog right now? I bet they're being a GOOD DOG! Let them know you like what they're doing.

Don't wait until your dog misbehaves to pay attention to them.

Join the Top Dog Academy now with a 1-Month Free Trial and get access to ALL of our online courses PLUS over three weeks of personalized support from the Dunbars, for FREE:
https://dunbar.info/august2023

Whether you are trying to resolve a behavior problem, improve your relationship with your dog, take their training to the next level, or promote and grow your own dog-related business, the Top Dog Academy has something to offer all dog lovers!

25/05/2023

It is easy to judge the other dog when it was our dog that initiated the altercation by being overly friendly

27/04/2023

A long read, but worthwhile.

An IAABC Foundation Publication

26/04/2023

2 of last week’s graduates from Puppy pre-school 😊
Where are Pepper and Dexter?

26/04/2023

Miss Katinka is training for the Endurance Trial (ET) in the ACT next month.
She will run 20km at a set pace, and remain in her allocated position in the pack. It’s not a race, she has to hold the pace that the bike in front sets.
Her challenge format is 8km -vet check- 6km - vet check- 6km- vet check. On completion she will have letters after her name (like a degree)
She is a delight to run. Permanently at heel with a 1 finger hold on her lead.
Credit for training goes to and breeding to