Gem Dog Training

14/09/2024

Toilet training puppies who live in apartments is often much harder than for pups with access to a backyard.
Thankfully there is now a wide variety of systems ranging from artificial turf to real turf to tray systems and these can transform balconies into a makeshift toileting area.

However having a good system is just the start.

Many owners struggle with getting the puppy to reliably use that area as it often does take a little more know-how and patience than outside toilet training.

This is because when you have a yard available to use, it’s relatively easy to achieve piddling and pooping success in the correct place while the puppy is wandering around. (the movement stimulates their bladder and bowel) When you plonk a puppy on a small toileting area, they will likely either just sit there doing nothing or they will keep jumping off. This is usually then followed by peeing on the floor somewhere!

Achieving success when your puppy is young is key to a much less messy and frustrating time later on. If you are struggling with it, get in touch to book a comprehensive home visit.
I will step you through the process and develop a stepped out guide to get you on the track to success.

Pictured is my adorable client Mac who is one of many pups who’ve mastered their toileting systems while completing their puppy training at home with me.

11/09/2024

04/09/2024

My girl Sheena is getting ready to give birth to puppies.
Except that she definitely doesn’t have any puppies in her belly, she just thinks she does!

Have you heard of Pseudocyesis or experienced it with your dog? Also known as a false pregnancy, it occurs commonly in female dogs who’ve gone through their reproductive heat cycle.

For 70 or so days after a dog’s heat cycle, the dog is basically experiencing pregnancy hormones without the babies. This is because the corpus luteum which is responsible for producing progesterone is still active during this time. When the progesterone levels start to fall this stimulates the rise of another hormone, prolactin. In dogs with higher levels or who are sensitive to prolactin, this causes the symptoms of a false pregnancy and includes nesting behaviours, mothering objects such as toys, restlessness, mammary gland enlargement and even milk production!

It can be quite concerning for owners who are now left wondering if their dog has somehow managed to fall pregnant.

Needless to say, a trip to the vet is warranted to determine this and if any treatment is necessary or if the symptoms are mild enough to settle on their own after a few weeks.

Interestingly, it’s likely that we can attribute this phenomenon to our dogs evolving from wolves as non breeding female wolves within a pack share the responsibilities of raising the breeding female’s puppies and this includes producing milk in order to feed them.

I’m looking forward to Sheena being physically developed and ready for desexing before her next heat cycle as pseudocyesis isn’t particularly fun for her or me!

27/08/2024

Dog training classes won't train your dog.
But they will teach you what you need to know to train your dog and you can incorporate that knowledge into your everyday life.

As well as giving you the knowledge to train, they are fun, good mental and physical exercise for you both, a great opportunity to bond with your dog and meet other dog owners. Classes also allow you to work with your dog under distraction but in a controlled environment.

Beautiful Kenny (pictured) is an absolute joy to have at classes and the work his human is putting into him is paying off. Kenny has attended puppy sessions, the Intermediate Course and now frequently attends our Top-up Training sessions to keep progressing with his training. That’s the commitment that builds a great relationship and a great dog. 💙

(Classes currently being held at The Gap on Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings.

26/08/2024

I’m looking forward to working with Candy’s Cavoodles / Theodores Place again next week with 2 new litters growing quickly. Maria has already given the puppies an amazing start with Early Neurological Stimulation and Early Scent Introduction. Next week we will continue to develop their confidence with some one on one work with each puppy. It’s such an important time in their lives and you can really see the difference it makes in their development.

26/08/2024

Happy International Dogs Day! Josie and Sheena are like “meh, it’s dogs day every day in this family.”
It really is like that and I wouldn’t change a thing. These girls are our everything. 🩷🩷

21/08/2024

If you’ve been told not to take your puppy out until they are fully vaccinated, please keep reading.

You are missing important and extremely valuable developmental weeks that you can’t get back and you are putting your puppy at risk of future behaviour issues.

Even waiting until 12 weeks will disadvantage your pup, their fear reactions are often well and truly in place by then.

The ideal time to start is from 8 weeks. But safe exposure is extremely important so choose outings such as…

* puppy preschool classes on hard, indoor floor surfaces. (1st vaccine is sufficient)
* small, frequent drives in the car
* trips to pet friendly shops while being carried in your arms or a pet stroller/carrier
* sitting outside shops with pup in your arms
* walks along roads with some traffic noise, with pup in your arms or a pet stroller.
* standing outside dog parks with pup in your
arms
*Visiting family and friends. If they have healthy and puppy friendly dogs, this is still fine.

There is always going to be slight risk. You cannot build a sterile bubble around your puppy. The key is to limit the risk of disease transmission while simultaneously limiting the risk of future behaviour challenges. It’s a balancing act where both sides have to be considered.

Thanks to my extremely handsome model Archie whose humans got him off to a great start coming to puppy sessions. 💙

Our classes run weekly and you can start any time so you won’t lose valuable weeks waiting for a course to begin.

Bookings online at www.gemdogtraining.com.au

18/08/2024

5 month old Bernie has landed himself a wonderful family to call his own. 💙

During a recent puppy consultation, we spoke about what makes a great dog.

Genetics and early social development play a huge role in a dog’s future behaviour but what can we do outside of these factors, especially as they are often not within our control, as is the case with older rescue pups?

Many people focus on teaching commands in the hope of ensuring a well behaved dog. This kind of training has loads of benefits but there are other components that are necessary to create a well balanced dog.

One of the most important steps is creating a balanced and healthy relationship with our dogs. A healthy relationship consists of communication that makes sense to a dog. This means getting out of our human brains and away from our own emotional needs. It means creating an environment and a relationship where we can assume the role of the decision maker and protector of the “pack” and not accidentally load our dogs up with these jobs.
Only when we spare our dogs from these responsibilities can we have a truly relaxed dog.

We covered a lot of this in our session and also started to develop a sit, drop, recall and lead walking with the use of luring, positive reinforcement and marker words.

We packed a lot of learning into 1 session but in reality, it’s just the beginning of a journey. It takes time and knowledge to build a wonderful relationship with a dog and I’m looking forward to helping this beautiful little guy and his family.

14/08/2024

If the puddles inside at the moment aren’t just from wet feet…..

14/08/2024

Pet strollers are a thing! And they can be a good thing! Your mind may conjure up images of ladies dressed in designer clothes with perfectly groomed white fluffy dogs with pink nails and diamond collars. But pet strollers can be really useful! They are especially helpful for safely exposing young puppies to the world without fear of contracting viruses. It also allows a puppy to view their surroundings from a less overwhelming vantage point while they are being exposed to the world during their critical exposure period. It can be much less taxing for the owner than struggling with a pup in their arms or a carry cage. And many people use them for older or recuperating dogs who are less mobile but still like an outing.
So if you see a dog out and about in a stroller, there’s probably a very good reason for it that doesn’t always include treating the dog like a baby. 😊

Puppacino O'clock!
Make outings a breeze with a Pet Stroller from La Luna Pet Care.

www.LaLunaPetCare.com.au

25/07/2024

Do you find yourself saying “ah ah” to your puppy constantly every time he/she gets into puppy mischief?
At our recent puppy session we talked about the pitfalls of relying too heavily on this and discussed better ways to manage and control puppy behaviours. We also had some fun playtime where all the puppies were able to develop their social skills in a safe and appropriate manner.
Sessions are for puppies 8 to 16 weeks and run weekly every Saturday.
Bookings online at www.gemdogtraining.com.au

19/07/2024

I’m not the dog trainer……
You are!
I’m the human trainer. 😊
It’s your relationship with your dog, your ability to put into place what you learn and your consistency in making sure every interaction with your dog counts towards raising the “good” dog you are dreaming about. ❤️🐶

10/07/2024

My current brain activity…..
1. Can I fit this puppy in my cabin baggage?
2. Would I be able to sneak her through security? 😂
3. Would my husband divorce me?
4. Would it be worth it in the event of #3? 😂
Peppertree Lane puppies

10/07/2024

Our visit at Peppertree Lane is sadly coming to an end. It’s been great being here for births, neonatal care, new owners collecting pups, working with the adult dogs, learning about their breeding program, husbandry, puppy development and health programs. With an extensive background in both veterinary and human medicine, Peppertree Lane
runs with the efficiency and cleanliness/hygiene of a well run hospital combined with the love and nurturing of a family home. They really are incredible proof that a larger scale breeding operation is still able to maintain the amazing standard of care that owners are looking for when purchasing a well bred puppy.

16/06/2024

Casual Top-up Training classes are up and running for our handler/dog teams who want to keep working on their skills. Today we worked in a busy public park where our dogs had to focus on their skills in a different environment to usual with distractions of a train line, a playground and a dog park. They all did so well! Such a nice way to spend a winter Sunday morning. ❤️ 🐕

15/06/2024

Are you looking for real world puppy training classes?
I raise puppies in my home as my job! Yes I know it’s tough but someone has to do it! ❤️🐶
But it means that my classes and my knowledge comes from 30 plus years of experience, not a book or an online course. If you are looking for classes that provide more than generic puppy classes basic information, come and join the fun of Puppy Play & Train sessions every Saturday afternoon, $35 per class. Bookings online.

25/05/2024

These adorable pups all completed their 6 weeks of Intermediate Puppy Training and they absolutely blitzed it. We held our last session of training in a high distraction area but these little (and big!) cuties didn’t miss a beat. So proud. 💙🐶🩷

26/03/2024

Oodle breeders sometimes get a bad rap in the dog world, made worse by the influx of non ethical puppy farmers capitalising on the popularity of the different breed mixes. But I’m so proud to be working alongside some amazing breeders who put so much into raising healthy, happy and well adjusted puppies.
Brisbane Bernedoodles & Groodles Australia now include free phone/video puppy training consultations with Gem Dog Training for every one of their puppies settling into new homes.
Such an amazing initiative and one that’s very appreciated by new puppy owners.

We have only 8 short weeks to get our puppies ready to go home to their families. But, we don’t leave you once you take your puppy home.

Our sensational dog trainer, Susan from Gem Dog Training conducts a 1.5 hour home phone consultation to get you set up and ready for your newest addition.
During the 8 weeks that puppies are with us we work hard to put them into a routine and to structure their days. Just like young children, puppies need a firm routine in place.
When you take your puppy home you will need to continue their training, keep them in their crates at night and have in place a toilet training routine. Well trained puppies and dogs don’t happen by accident.

Susan will be able to help families navigate the early weeks with a new puppy and avoid puppy pitfalls. We are super excited to be including this in our program as we know how beneficial this information will be for new puppy families.

If you’d like more information about our breeding program please message us or check out our website at www.brisbanebernedoodlesandgroodles.com.au 🐾

18/03/2024

The Puppy Blues is real. But help is here if you need it. ❤️

12/03/2024

My birthday present from last year is 1 year old today! And what a year we’ve had. I’m grateful for what she’s taught me and continues to teach me.
As a dog trainer, every dog teaches me something and I will never stop learning.
I’m so blessed to have such beautiful teachers in my life. Love my quirky, sassy Sheena girl so much. 🥰❤️

07/03/2024

This is a bit different to my usual posts.
Some of them are so hilariously accurate! 🤣

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/gAxfQ8Vn2Bbwxi58/?mibextid=WC7FNe

06/03/2024

This beautiful boy’s owners were absolutely correct when they guessed I was coming to train them rather than Apollo. 😊
We had a great session putting new communication techniques into place that will help limit any confusion about what Apollo thinks his job is. A truly relaxed dog is a dog with no responsibilities. Apollo is a wonderful boy and now with a few changes, he can start to learn to be a more chilled out version of himself. It can be hard to change our own patterns and habits but we certainly can’t expect our dogs to change if we can’t. I think these guys are going to ace it, can’t wait to see how they go.

04/03/2024

Here’s the most adorable “odd couple” you’ll ever meet. 💙💙
The very handsome boy on the right is Bowie. It is Bowie I was mainly there to help as he struggles with some nervous reactivity on occasions. But with dog behaviour, it’s important to look broadly at pack/family dynamics so little Momo gets to be part of things too.
This tiny little man is quite the senior citizen now and has had a very interesting globe trotting life. He was an “orphaned” survivor of the devastating earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Japan but has been lucky enough to live a long and wonderful life after being adopted.
The boys’ amazing owners have done a great job putting what we spoke about into practice. They are already seeing some heartening improvements with both of them after just a few weeks and I’m looking forward to working with them all again at their next visit.

03/03/2024

Today was Graduation Day for the Intermediate puppies. 6 weeks of classes saw lots of progress and these beautiful pups are well on their way to being happy and well behaved canine citizens. We had so much fun and although we were missing a couple of lovely faces today, I’m looking forward to seeing them all again for further classes as they progress. ❤️

20/02/2024

I love watching our beautiful puppy friends growing up and developing their skills, their confidence and their personalities.
I wish I had photos of every single one of them, they are all adorable.
Unfortunately getting good photos of fast moving balls of fluff is not my strong point. 😆

19/02/2024

Things are pretty busy at Gem Dog Training HQ at the moment. (i.e my house)
Lots of Josie being the bossy head mistress, lots of puppy energy and lots of mud all through my house.
Dreaming of a custom dog friendly house and facility.

Pictured L to R - Indi having a little puppy training holiday

My 2 girls Josie and Sheena

And Aubrey from Tail Blazers Dog Training having a little holiday with us while her Dad is having a well deserved break.

05/02/2024

“Pedro was doing great”
“Everything was as it should be”
(Quoted by his handler)

No. No he wasn’t doing great. And everything wasn’t as it should be. This dog was clearly uncomfortable, he was clearly communicating his discomfort and he was clearly ignored. So he felt he had to take his communication to the next level.

Dogs have communication signals to convey when they aren’t comfortable in a situation. In this video, you can see that Pedro is tongue flicking/licking, his ears are back and flattened, he’s looking away and the tension in his facial muscles is causing the white of his eyes to show.
These are all behaviours known as calming signals. They may be subtle to an untrained eye but it’s so vitally important that humans learn to notice them.

Please, for the love of our dogs, learn about canine body language. They are talking but often we aren’t listening. The result is both the dogs and the humans becoming victims.

A news reporter barely escapes being blinded after getting too close to a police attack German Shepherd during an interview that won't be soon forgotten.

17/01/2024

Puppies whining and barking when left alone is one of the most common issues we are asked about.

Being pack animals, it’s not natural for dogs to be alone and puppies or dogs settling into brand new surroundings are even more likely to feel the effects of isolation from their new family.

It takes a deliberate and gently stepped process to build their confidence and independence in being alone and this is best started sooner rather than later. While we want to provide comfort in those early days of them settling in, it’s important that we are focused on the timescale of preparing them for our inevitable departure.

Reach out if you’ve recently welcomed a puppy into your family and we can design a plan to make the transition as smooth as possible. A puppy consultation in your home is a perfect way to do this.

03/01/2024

It’s New Years Resolution time for many. Maybe you are resolving to get fit, maybe you are resolving to get on top of some dog behaviour issues. They are one and the same in many ways and there’s no short cut to either. Both start with solid knowledge and an action plan to success and then the results depend on you.
Be the change that you want to see in your dog.

25/12/2023

Most people are currently using A.I to put their dogs in front of beautiful and perfect Christmas backdrops. They look amazing.
But me….. I prefer to wrangle my dogs in front of the real tree while their butts and tails knock the ornaments flying, they jump around, scrunching up the blanket under the tree, the angel falls on their head and eventually I almost get them both looking at the camera. (Ahem Josie….) 😂
Wishing our beautiful friends and followers a happy and safe Christmas. We’d love to see your perfect and not so perfect Christmas dog shoots. 😊