Canine Focus Dog Training

16/05/2023

Tikka Spika

08/12/2022

💡 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 - in the context of Australian dog related legislation - is not an incredibly well defined context.

🍎 At it's core Effective Control is about the inherent responsiblity of a dog's handler/owner to maintain control to a degree that the dog is unable to adversely affect the community around it.

✅ Effective Control is a requirement that exists whether your dog is on or off leash, and regardless of whether your dog is in an on or off leash area.

𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗱𝗼𝗴 𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗱𝗼𝗴:

👉 Allowing their dog to rush towards or worry an on leash dog and/or handler that is in an off leash area
👉 Allowing their on leash dog to rush towards or worry a person and/or dog walking past with their on leash dog
👉 Allowing their dog to run up to a person and their dog whilst they are training in an off leash area
👉 Allowing their dog to interrupt a family enjoying a picnic together at a beach
👉 Not ensuring that their dog is within their line of sight at all times
👉 Not being able to recall their dog 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥 in an off leash area
👉 Failing to continually observe their dog whilst it is in an off leash area eg: staring at their phone
👉 Allowing their dog to compete with another dog involved in a game of fetch without the other owners permission
👉 Allowing their dog/s to stalk/circle somebody else's dog/s in an off leash area
👉 Allowing their dog to turn a blind corner on an extendable leash
👉 Allowing their dog to rush at or worry a passerby on a skateboard or bike

🔎 It is often the case that Councils and Municipalities do not provide any level of formalised training for their staff in relation to this legal concept, including a number of relevant legal precedents. It is also often the case that such organisations are reluctant to prosecute cases relating to a failure to maintain Effective Control.

BOTTOM LINE: You are responsible for your dog's behaviour, so develop and train your dog accordingly.

*𝘈𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵.

17/11/2022

⚠️⚠️ COWS OUT ON ROAD THURSDAY 17/11/22 11:30pm⚠️⚠️
Masons Rd & Epping Rd, Wollert

Police have been called - too busy to attend
COW animal ranger called

There are several Black and White cows out, so very hard to see

My partner and friend is waiting for assistance

17/11/2022

PREPARING YOUR DOG FOR HOLIDAYS

For many dog owners, their four-legged friend is a major consideration (and perhaps hurdle) when it comes to planning a holiday. As I see it, there is a hierarchy of best-case scenarios for what you can do with your dog while you are away:

1) Take them with you
2) Have someone house sit and mimic your life/routines
3) Send them to stay with a friend or family member
4) Put them in boarding kennels

Your selection from the above list will depend on many factors, including the holiday destination, your dog’s routine and behaviour, how nice your house is, and how nice your friends and family are. There are lots of excellent boarding facilities to choose from, but these are in high demand and may be a shock to your dog if they are used to living alongside you in your home.

Regardless of the option you intend to go with, here are some things you can do to reduce the stress for your dog when you go away:

PLAN AHEAD
The last-minute scramble is never a good option! You may end up with less-than-ideal circumstances for both your dog and budget. Consider your options ahead of time so you can ensure you and your dog are prepared.

MIX UP ROUTINE
If your dog is used to a particular way that things go, based on your specific home and lifestyle, the adjustment to care with someone else will be tricky. Break up their routine, change when they eat and where they sleep. Adaptability will go a long way to them being comfortable in your absence.

CRATE TRAIN
You may have heard this one from us before! Crates are great. They provide consistency for your dog in changing environments and promote independence. Whether they are remaining in your home, or going elsewhere, it will help them a lot.

PRACTICE SLEEPOVERS
If there is an option to familiarise your dog with the people they’ll be with and environment they’ll be in before you go away, it will make the transition that much easier.

You will enjoy your holiday all the more knowing your dog is comfortable in your absence. Plan ahead and prepare them well and it will be a fun time for everyone!

13/11/2022

Tikka Spika

November and we have the wood fire on 🔥🔥, rained all day yesterday and today.
WTF is this weather?

10/11/2022

01/11/2022

Puppies
Hersenwerk with young puppies
(8 weeks-5 months old)

If you welcome a puppy into your home, you probably can't wait to do all kinds of activities together.
Maybe you learned about Hersenwerk and really want your puppy to enjoy the fun!

But.... a puppy needs to be a puppy first. Puppies need to be able to discover the world in their own way and at their own pace. As an owner you're the one to guide them through that process and make sure that your puppy gets what he needs.

Hersenwerk for dogs has a clear vision about puppies (8 weeks-5 months old) and Hersenwerk:
- A puppy's life is full of discoveries
- Let puppies discover the world
- Let them develop at their own pace
- Offer them all kinds of (safe) materials they can sniff and feel
- Make sure they sleep a lot
- Offer new things phased; preferably one new stimulus per day
- Guide your puppy, without cheering
- Be your puppy's safe haven

Things you can offer your puppy to enrich his life:

Inside the house you find many things your puppy can explore. Put a doormat or bathmat on the floor and let the puppy discover how it feels and smells. Same with f.e. boxes, paper, bowls, bags and clothes.

Outside the house there is a world full of smells and stimuli for your puppy. Let him smell, stand still, listen, feel. He needs this to get to know the outside world.
If your puppy shows you he's ready to discover the world a little more, let him slowly and relaxed discover grass, the street, asphalt, a brick wall, a garbage bin, people, cats, children and other dogs. If your puppy only wants to sniff from a distance, that is okay! He'll approach it when he's ready to do so. Never force him.

Give your puppy the time he needs to smell and discover!
And what do you do? Sit down and watch and enjoy your puppy!

When your puppy is getting older (after 5 months), you can start with easy Hersenwerk with treats. Only a few minutes per day is enough. Puppies need much time to sleep and process all their discoveries.

Photo: Rob Wensveen

31/10/2022

⚠️⚠️🐍⚠️⚠️
FYI all Whittlesea residents and visitors ⚠️⚠️🐍⚠️⚠️

To everyone walking around Kinglake views and around Oakbank off the track seriously please be aware there is slight sore just did see one just because it is flooding it does not mean they are not there please keep your dogs on a lead in your children close I think also Whittlesea needs to put up Snake signs not just flooding signs

30/10/2022

This morning we had a sparky ⚡️🪛🪜in the roof and these two where too busy chewing to give a s**t about him

29/10/2022

💟💟FOUND💟💟
A clients Great Dane Jimmee has taken of running from Omeo area
Scared by fireworks 💥

29/10/2022

ANYONE ONE MISSING THIS BORDER COLLIE❓❓
⚠️Copied and pasted from Eden Park Community Facebook group⚠️
Dog hanging around 6th Avenue Eden Park last few days. Very timid, looks lost. Collar no tags that I can see but can't get close. Maybe female but very fluffy.

27/10/2022

When does 1 + 1 = 1.5?
Sounds crazy right? Hear me out!

So many of my clients with behavioural problems either have two dogs, or consider getting a second dog to help the first one with issues like timidity, anxiety, or separation problems.

The problem is, that most folks really get TWO dogs, to have ONE AND A HALF dogs in practice.
That is, they want to do:
❌ ONE set of walks
❌ ONE training session
❌ ONE meal time for all the dogs together
❌ NO separation between dogs during the day
❌ And, they often let the older dog do a heap of heavy lifting when it comes to socialising, toilet training, and a whole raft of other puppy things.

When we raise TWO dogs as ONE AND A HALF dogs, it's inevitable that we end up with codepencies, missing foundational experiences, expectations of never being alone, and in many cases more significant behavioural concerns such as separation anxiety, resource guarding, timidity, and even aggression.

So you do yourself a favour, and check that if you have TWO dogs, you truly have TWO dogs, meaning:
✅ Daily separate walks and exercise, targeted at each individual dog
✅ Daily training sessions
✅ Separate crates, pens, and feeding times
✅ Individualised time for each dog to spend with you.
✅ As well as letting your dogs enjoy being dogs together!

Featured here is Penny of who is one of Nara's best friends!

27/10/2022

CATCH THE GOOD ... FORGET THE BAD ... OR WAIT ...

You may have been told to "ignore the bad and reward the good" when it comes to your dog's behavior and training.

👉🏼 It should be noted that there is a lot more to it than just rewarding good and ignoring bad, a whole lot more!

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND

📚 Dogs are always learning & being trained, always!

This is true whether you are actively trying to train them or passively. I call active training when you are aware and actually working on something you set forth to consciously work on.

Passively training is when the dog is being reinforced or punished without you consciously trying to let that happen. For example, your dog is jumping on you and you are petting her. This is passively training her to jump to be greeted/petted.

👀 Become more aware of what your dog is doing at all times.

When you are cooking dinner and your dog is lying on his bed make an effort to drop some treats on the bed between his paws so you can reinforce him lying there politely while you cook dinner.

While you brush your teeth at night what is your dog doing? Find a way to reinforce or train your dog during normal daily activities.

🕰 Training should happen at all times, whether you are trying or not.

All the time little daily activities can be "training sessions". You don't necessarily need 20 minutes to set aside to work on your dog. It is a good idea to work on specific cues and behaviors but it's equally as important to do little things all the time.

A training session can be 30 seconds while you are making the kids' school lunches!

🚫 Try not to focus on how to train your dog "no" or how to stop [fill in the blank].

If you focus on the above, including sessions that involve specific cues and behaviors, your dog should make good choices often enough that the "bad" behaviors should start to diminish or disappear completely. (Note: This doesn't include serious behaviors like aggression, that's a totally different ball of wax!)

💰 Don't be afraid to hire a professional.

Finding a qualified and well educated dog trainer or behavior consultant can be worth a lot! If you need help finding one let me know and I can direct you to one.

––

––
Stacy Greer, CPDT-KA
Copyright© 2022

24/10/2022

Making sure that you keep your dog contained on your property is not only part of being a responsible dog owner, it’s the law.

Across Victoria, dogs are not allowed to wander the streets, and it is not appropriate for you to open your gate and let your dog roam unattended – even if it is ‘only just out the front’.

Dogs that are allowed to roam are far more likely to be involved in vehicle accidents, dog attacks, and can make others in the community feel unsafe. They also contribute to neighbourhood pollution – often picking through rubbish bins and pooping on nature strips.

If your dog is found wandering at large, it may end up at the pound, and you may be fined. Make sure you keep your dog in its yard, and check your fences regularly to make sure that your dog cannot accidentally get out.

24/10/2022

We still have not found the owner of this female desexed German Shepherd who was wandering in Arno Court, Hidden Valley and taken to the Wallan Vets.
If you know who the owner is please have them contact us on 57346200

24/10/2022

Impounded - Craigieburn (via Bundoora Vets) 22/10/2022

Animal # 5109

Epping Animal Welfare Facility - 03 8401 6200