Talk Dog

02/11/2024

The 11 Australia Pet Shelter Statistics

69% of Australian households have pets.
There are 6.3 million pet dogs and 5.3 million pet cats in Australia.
Around 38% of Australian pet owners got their pets from rescues or shelters.
10,000 more cats and dogs were rehomed in 2023 than in 2022.
On average, it takes 21 days for a dog to be adopted and 14 days for a cat.
The RSPCA alone takes in nearly 90,000 animals a year.
The RSPCA receives nearly twice as many cats as dogs.
264 dogs and cats are euthanised every day in Australia.
There are nearly 400 animal shelters in the country.
Approximately $250 million a year is spent trying to tackle the unwanted pet problem.
Victoria had the highest number of pet adoptions of any region.

30/10/2024

29/10/2024

24/10/2024

Pack leader - what it is and isn't.
Here is a great explanation of the term "pack leader". Especially for those people who are triggered in a negative way by their own, wrong understanding and definition of the term.

24/10/2024

Do you know how to search your pup for ticks?

Follow these steps:
🐾 Move your fingertips through their coat at skin level, feeling for any bumps
🐾 Start at their head and neck (don't forget to check their mouth and ears!)
🐾 Continue checking down their front legs to their paws - make sure to check between their toes
🐾 Search their chest, belly, back, tail, and back legs
🐾 Remove their collar to search for any ticks hiding underneath

23/10/2024

On a personal note...

This is my current pack.
Dottie poses nicely. ❤️
Dudley hates photos. 🥴
And then there is Sh*ttle 🤦‍♀️

23/10/2024

DISTRACTED DOG WALKERS

The distracted dog walker is commonly seen chatting on their cell phone, wearing headphones or socializing with other people while oblivious to what their dog is doing, how their dog is feeling or what is going on in the environment.

This may not sound like a problem to some, but it is something that many people have a problem with, even more so if you have a reactive dog.

I compare walking a dog to driving a car. It’s not so much about our driving skills, but having to constantly be aware of the driving skills of others – trying to predict what they will do, which rules of the road they will ignore and how distracted they are. This is especially true in the country I live in, where driving can be a stressful experience.

I understand that we often need to multi task – there simply doesn’t seem to be enough time in our day to accomplish everything we need to, but walking our dogs should not be one of these times.

Some people might say – “but my dog is really friendly, well socialized, gets on well with everyone, is well trained, knows this environment well etc. and I hear that.

But another dog might not be – maybe they need space, are reactive, are not sociable, are recovering from an illness, might be terrified of another dog racing straight towards them chasing a ball thrown from a ball launcher etc.

If distracted dog walkers have no regard for other dogs or other people, they should at least have regard for their own dogs. Walking your dog should be a time of bonding, of relationship, of seeing the environment through the eyes of your dog, of reinforcing and teaching wanted behaviours, of keeping them safe and protected from the unknown.

Our dogs need us to be focused, to pay attention, to be aware and attentive.

Our dogs depend on us to advocate for them.

23/10/2024

BORN THIS WAY?
Why is a dog the way they are? Are they just born this way?

Genetics certainly play a part, but genetics are not always a reliable predicter of behaviour.

Genetics can provide us with insight as to what could be expected, but it’s so much more than just that.

Genetics, environment, life experiences and individuality all play a role in shaping a dog’s behaviour.

Just like us, dogs are unique individuals, each with their own personalities, emotions, likes and dislikes, sociability, preferences or different health issues. These often change throughout life.

Just as we learn and change through our life experiences, so do dogs. Negative or positive experiences, trauma, stress, learned habits, training methods, trust, feeling safe and secure, predictability and stability are all part of how these type of experiences affect behaviour.

Many dogs live in environments that are not compatible with what they were selectively bred to do.

People bred dogs to do certain jobs like guarding, herding, hunting, pointing, scenting, tracking or companionship. When dogs that were bred for specific jobs, find themselves “unemployed” and have no outlet for what they were originally bred to do, this often leads to pent up frustration and behaviour problems.

Conflict between the environment and a dog’s genetics are an increasingly common reason for behaviour problems.

Yes, a dog may have just been “born this way”, but always look at the whole picture to understand the why of behaviour.

Genetics, environment, individuality and experiences – they all matter.

16/10/2024

And that s why I avoid dog parks.
The MAJORITY ( and I am not saying all, so don't get your knickers in a twist) of people going to (fenced in) dog parks go there because they have no control / recall over their dog and mostly you see them talking to others and not watching their dogs. Then, if something like this happens, they are usually to scared of their own dog to get it under control and just stand back and scream.
Sounds like fun?! 🤦‍♀️
But this video explains dog body language and energy nicely.

16/10/2024

Today is , a reminder that knowing how to save a life—especially our furry friends—can make all the difference. While having to administer CPR to your pet can be terrifying, being prepared can help you act calmly and confidently in an emergency.

Stay Calm:
1️⃣ Breathe: Take a few deep breaths to steady yourself. Focus on the feeling of the air filling your lungs.
2️⃣ Delegate: If there are bystanders, assign them tasks like finding the nearest emergency vet.
3️⃣ Focus: Keep your mind clear. Concentrate on the steps ahead and stay in the moment.

When to Start CPR:
🐾 Your pet isn’t responding
🐾 Your pet isn’t breathing
🐾 You can’t feel a heartbeat or pulse

How to Perform CPR:
Compressions:
❤️ Position your pet on their side.
❤️ Deliver 120 compressions per minute (2 per second).
❤️ For every 30 compressions, give 2 breaths.

Breaths:
❤️ Close your pet’s mouth and seal it with your fingers.
❤️ Cover their nose with your mouth and give 2 breaths—enough to make their chest rise.
❤️ Check for a heartbeat after 2 minutes. If there’s no pulse, continue.

When to Stop CPR:
🐾 Your pet starts breathing and responding
🐾 You reach the vet clinic and they take over
🐾 You can’t continue physically
🐾 Your pet starts breathing but is still unconscious

Recovery Position:
Place your pet’s head to the side, slightly tilting down (unless there’s head trauma).

Compression Techniques:
🐶 Medium to Large Dogs: Compress one third of the chest depth.
🐱 Small Dogs/Cats: Use your thumb and fingers for compression, or compress directly over the heart.

Stay prepared and know that you can make a difference in your pet's life! ❤️

16/10/2024

Couldn't agree more. Most people can't/ don't want to meet a low energy dogs need. A working or high energy breed needs a lot more time and dedication. Otherwise they may become destructive, escape, starting continuously barking and kost likely end up in the pound.

16/10/2024

Especially when handling giant breed dogs, you need to use your own body in the best way to help you during training.

15/10/2024

Stop!!! Command.

14/10/2024

Recall exercise.