Clare Valley Home Services & Dog Training

27/11/2025

Last puppy class at Clare Valley vets for this year.

🎓Congratulations to Thursday nights class on completing 5 weeks of basic training.
🐶Karen and her pup Bert. Bert’s a little man who likes to stay close to his mum but also wants to be friends with all the pups in the class.
🐶Kate, Carl and there pup Lexie. Lexie is a little energised bunny who just keeps on going. During the course Kate and Carl have been teaching Lexie on how to settle and be much calmer.
🐶Ella and her pup Rusty. Even tho Rusty was much bigger than the other pups he was a real gentle boy with the other 2 pups.

💐Thank you Sophie, Nicole and Erin for letting me run classes this year at the clinic and for letting them continue on in 2026.

📆Taking bookings now for Monday and Thursday puppy classes in 2026. 1:1 lessons still available until 21/12/25.

27/11/2025

25/11/2025

24/11/2025

It’s national Border Collie day. Who doesn’t love a crazy Border Collie!

24/11/2025

🐶1:1 training available up until 21/12.
🐕Canine massage available up until 20/12.
🐕‍🦺Dog walks available up until 23/12.
🏠 Home visits available up until 22/12.

🪅 Taking bookings now for puppy classes starting mid January at Clare Valley Vets - Mondays and Thursdays at 6pm.
🪅Taking bookings for mid January start for 1:1 training, canine massage and pet home visits.

📱 Pm or phone for more information or to book.

23/11/2025

🐶 Training Tip of the Week
Your dog isn’t giving you a hard time - they’re having a hard time.

When behaviour feels frustrating, pause and remember your dog isn’t being difficult on purpose. They’re communicating the only way they know how. Shift from punishment to understanding, and progress comes naturally.- The busy paw
🐕

22/11/2025

Our Puppy Program needs a few extra helping hands this Christmas!

With some of our wonderful volunteers taking a well-deserved break over the holidays, we’re looking for caring community members who can support our pups through emergency boarding. Even a short stay makes a huge difference, as it keeps our future Guide & Assistance Dogs safe, happy, and on track with their training.

If you’ve ever thought about volunteering, now is the perfect time to get involved over Christmas >> https://bit.ly/BedandBreakfastBoarders

[Image Description: Three yellow puppies on their bed, two are sleeping while one is looking at the camera.]

13/11/2025

💔𝗩𝗘𝗧 𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚: 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗯𝘂𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝗽𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁! Every year, pet parents unknowingly turn a festive gift into an emergency vet visit. A warning regarding the Christmas "treats" many pet stores are now starting to stock for dogs. Many of these so called treats end up with the dog "enjoying" some time in a veterinary surgery over Christmas.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗮.

The chews are made from cattle or horse hides and their journey starts with the hides being soaked in a toxic sodium sulphide to remove the hair and fat. More chemicals are used in order to split the hide into layers which is then washed with hydrogen peroxide to give the white "pure" look and remove the rancid smell. 🤢

Now comes the pretty festive colours and the glue to form cute shapes.
On testing, these chews have shown traces of arsenic, mercury, chromium and formaldehyde. 🫣
If that wasn't bad enough, they regularly cause intestinal blockages, poisoning from chemical residue and choking.
The chews go slippery when wet and are near impossible to get hold of to save a choking dog.

Please leave them in the shop where they belong or if some well-meaning person buys them for your dog/s, put them safely away then throw them in the bin! 🗑 Please be safe with your dogs!

🔎 Looking for 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗲-𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀? 📍Check out our 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗮𝘀 𝗚𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗲 𝗗𝗼𝗴𝘀 with lots of premium quality alternatives! 👇
https://www.australiandoglover.com/2025/10/best-australian-dog-christmas-gifts-2025.html

13/11/2025

🚫 Retractable Leashes: Just Don’t.

We know they look convenient — a shiny handle, a long cord, and the promise of “freedom.” But retractable leashes are one of the worst inventions in the dog world. Here’s why:

🐾 Zero control. When your dog is 15–20 feet ahead, you have no control over what they run toward — traffic, another dog, a child, or a squirrel. You can’t reel them in fast enough when things go south.

🐾 They get dropped — and it’s chaos. The big plastic handle slips out of your hand (it happens to everyone), hits the pavement, and chases your dog as it retracts. Many dogs bolt in terror, dragging the noisy handle behind them. Some run into traffic, others are too scared to be caught for hours.

🐾 They cause injuries. Rope burns, cuts, tangled legs, and even amputated fingers — yes, it happens. Those thin cords act like cheese wire when they whip around you or another dog.

🐾 They teach bad habits. Dogs quickly learn that pulling = more leash. That’s the opposite of loose-leash walking, and it’s why you see people getting yanked down sidewalks.

🐾 They create instant chaos. Picture this: you’re walking your calm, friendly dog. Suddenly a 20-foot missile on a retractable leash is charging toward you. It’s a recipe for panic, bites, and tangled humans.

🐾 They break. The mechanisms jam or snap all the time — especially with bigger or strong-pulling dogs. Once that happens, you’ve got a runaway on your hands.

If you want a safe, enjoyable walk, stick with a 4–6 foot standard leash and keep that connection between you and your dog. It’s safer, saner, and far less likely to end in rope burns, runaway dogs, or regret.

Let’s retire the retractables for good.

— The DCHS Team ❤️🐾

11/11/2025

"Wow! Is that what it means?"😮
Oh that word!

Socialisation is a word that conjures up visions of cute puppies playing with other dogs and pups. Socialisation "means" interacting with others doesn't it?
Yes and no.

It's not a great word to describe what should be a priority.
Acclimation is a far better term we should all start to use.
Acclimation to wet surfaces, stairs, wind, even standing in the rain.
Yes, it absolutely includes other animals too.

The trap is when people make other dogs or pups the main focus during that very important developmental time in a young puppies life.
We may forget that they haven't seen or heard a bus before.
Crowds of people aren't thought of.
A wheelchair or a scooter can be very unsettling for a young dog if they haven't come across one earlier in life.

Of course we do want our young puppies to interact and play with others.
There's a fine balance here too.
They shouldn't play with all others they come across, they shouldn't meet all others either.
Those experiences with others need well thought out and supervised.
Why?
Acclimation is still the goal. We want them to feel part of the world, but not develop such a strong emotional pull that they must greet and insist on playing with every dog.
Or they can start to physically pull you towards them.
Every dog they see.
Every walk.

If we allow puppies to meet and play with all others, that can be a very short path to a young dog that "insists" they must interact with all others.
That is what they learned when they were younger.

Choose your play partners wisely.

Think of everything this world has to offer and what you encounter everyday.

How can we expose them positively and carefully?
That's the goal.

Not "socialisation".

11/11/2025

🎓Congratulations to Harvey and his handlers Kevin and Jess on completing 5 weeks of basic training.
When I first started visiting this family for training Harvey was not to sure of me and kept his distance but with time and patience he’s now happy to meet me at the gate when I arrive waiting patiently for his pat and treat.

🐶If you would like to do some 1:1 training like Harvey’s family please pm or phone 0407434161.