Back To Basics Dog Training

02/01/2023

Reaper and Maize.

These two were typical boisterous and powerful Rottweilers. In thier teenage years they were challanging the family with their size.

Maize finds the children running and playing very stimulating and was engaging in play inappropriately. Due to Maize's size the children found this intimidating. We are now working on her impulses and letting her know what is nice play and what is not.

Reaper is just muscle, bone and determination. Reaper has come from working lines and is a beautiful specimen. Due to his size it can be hard to control him while training, especially as he is in his silly teenage years, however the owners are doing amazing and this guy in just a small amount of time has excelled.

We are very proud of the owners, with children, other animals on the property and a family business, they are dedicated to making these guys the best they can be and hopefully allow other people to fall in love with the breed.

30/12/2022

Pip, one of our board and train babies is a very excitable girl. Everything is a game to her. Just because she is 6 years old, doesn't mean she needs to slow down.

Out on our walk Dusty the cat decided to join. Pip thought Dusty looked deliciously fun, however we taught Pip we need her concentration and to focus on the person holding the lead.

Dusty is doing great and Pip's concentration has become so much better!

30/12/2022

I had the opportunity to meet these 6 beautiful poodles, all family including mum, dad and 4 of the children.

These guys have been set up fantastically for having a pack of 6. All dogs are well mannered with only having some minor issues.

I have no doubts however it will be under control soon. Mumma dog just gets a little protective of her babies, even if the threat is just on the TV.

Family photo of Joop, Millie, Penny, Peppa, Charli and Barni.

24/12/2022

Lola is like most Dachshunds, to cute to handle!

Lola had some minor issues around the home like jumping, barking at the door and fence and some barrier issues, like getting under mum's feet while she is cooking.

After meeting with Lola twice we have been able to curb these issues. Lola is still learning as she has had 10 months one way and 2 weeks another. Both mum and I are so happy with her progress.

21/12/2022

Dexter and I are working on our friendship.

Dexter Introduced himself by bolting through the back door, launching himself on my chest and barking in my face. I am appreciative the owners muzzled this guy until he calmed down.

I was told this is how he meet unexpected guest generally which I can assume is intense and not wanted by friends and family.

As you can see however he also is a sweet boy just figuring life out. With one session I was told there was improvement. This is great news and I can not wait to meet Dex again!

19/12/2022

Marley is a bit spoiled and has big attitude.

Marley is also a sweet boy with all the love in the world for his mum.

We want to keep the sweet and adjust the attitude a little. I love a dog with some s***k so we do not want to change his personality, it's just the kids are getting a little tired of getting growled at when they want to also sit with thier mum on the lounge.

By teaching Marley some basic manners and some lead training we are hoping he is still Marley with a better understanding of manners.

16/12/2022

This is how I was introduced to Boston.

He is a great boy around his family, however he has started to not take to kindly to 'strangers' arriving and has had two incidents that were very close calls for the people.

For the safety of the people around and Boston himself we had an introduction with a muzzle. After spending time with Boston I soon realised he is not an 'arrogant, aggressive, dominant German Shepherd', he has his own feelings and thoughts and they need to be considered also.

In the comments below I will put a photo of Boston when we left.

27/11/2022

Mylah and Bobby

One is older, wiser, patient, quite and calm, the other is Bobby.

Bobby was so much fun however with his puppy energy and teddy bear look. Bobby is a typical pup that demands attention insted of asking for it. We have helped the owner in this session to show him how to ask for things insted of demanding.

Some feedback below we got which was so nice to receive:

Bobby was literally A NEW DOGGO.

Bobby did have a shocking day (old puppy again) yesterday. But all the days before that NOT ONCE did he jump up or attack the cat. I put him outside and he didn't bark (just that little whinning)

Spoke with mum yesterday, and we still want to get you back in to do some more work with us 💯

22/11/2022

It is never too early to meet new friends!

It is important for puppies to meet all types and ages of other friendly, well behaved dogs. It is great to socialise as soon as you can, get out and about for your pup to meet new people and dogs.

So we do not spook a shy puppy it is best to keep it in a controlled environment so there is no nasty meetings, usually this is where bad habits form.

20/11/2022

Benny is a typical pup. A little hyper and little distracted. However I was very impressed by how much the owners had already done with Benny. He is a well rounded boy and just needed to tighten some obedience up.

The cage in the back is where his new duckling friends live.

I usually dont complain about my job but I was not impressed I had to leave him there!

11/11/2022

Shadow Part 2

11/11/2022

Shadow is a typical 9 month old Rottweiler, full of energy, power and is impulsive.

Shadow pulls on the lead, darts from side to side and loved being in front protection mode.

Our first video shows Shadow on a typical walk. The second video shows what we worked on in our session. She has come a long way in one session and we are very proud of her.

For Shadow's next session we will bring in more distractions to build on her skills.

05/11/2022

This clip was for me. I use these videos to learn and grow as a dog trainer. I just had to share this one as I was so impressed with Obi.

Just before this clip I was helping Obi with reactivity. He would bark, scream and lunge when meeting other dogs. This boy was in the middle of his lesson when I was just checking he was listening so we could do part 2 of the session.

Obi on his 3rd lesson was so good with his lead work I had to share. Again, this was a pulling dog. I am now also aware by sharing this information I will now have to do a video showing his reactivity. I will do so and post on our next session.

Please turn your volume up, you will hear nothing! This again is another win. I used one hand signal in the end and no verbal commands, just pure body language and lead work. Good boy Obi!

Thanks for watching. If you need lead training or have a reactive dog, we can help.

02/11/2022

We love feedback!

On my first meeting with Tank, he could not sit still long enough to be able to move to another command. Now after a few weeks of practicing some methods, Tank's family were able to have a meal outside while Tank sat and watched, insted of jumping on the table and making it impossible to eat.

As you can see Tank is not happy with the situation but he is listening and doing as asked, even if he is sticking the tongue out, this is a win!

25/10/2022

A baby is coming!

Not from this pair but from the humans.

These guys had great general behavior, however with a new baby coming in to the home we needed to teach these guys how to be calm and teach that the house is for rest and relaxation. The backyard is where you can run, jump and play.

This pair got it down well. This photo was taken a few hours after I left, they were already understanding what was being asked. Yes there are 2 dogs in the photo!

Was a pleasure, thanks guys.

14/09/2022

"Arlo The Naughty Pug"

Arlo was actually quite sweet and wasnt as naughty as expected with that name.

Arlo just needed some direction on what he can and can not chase. How to stop pulling on the lead and just general manners. He is a smart boy so is responding well to training and being a pug is very food motivated.

15/08/2022

This little guy was attacking his owner!

We were called to come and meet Tucka. When I first met his owner her thumb was bandaged up by the last attack from Tucka.

People around the owner originally said "he is just a puppy, he will grow out of it". They then took him to puppy school where they were told "he is just a puppy, he will grow out of it".

After the attack the owner called us. He was going to be expelled from puppy preschool due to his behavior and the groomers were having trouble with him also.

After 2 sessions with this guy teaching him some general obedience and lead walking, Tucka has come a long way, he is a smart boy, we just need to show what is appropriate and what is not.

The owners have done great work with Tucka. After 5 days Tucka, was understanding what his owners were asking. After a month we tried some new things which he picked up by the end of the lesson. I have faith in all these guys.

If you need help, send us a message.

General obedience within the home and out on the street is all these guys needed to understand what is right and what is wrong. How to follow and not to lead.

31/07/2022

Over 70% of dog in Australia have symptoms of anxiety.

Symptoms include:

Feeling nervous, restles or tense, having a sense of impending danger or panic, trembling, feeling weak or tired, trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry, having trouble sleeping, experiencing gastrointestinal (GI) problems, having the urge to avoid things that trigger anxiety.

This can not be fixed with quick training methods or heavy handed measures. You want your dog to listen out of respect, not fear. You should have your dog want to please you, not have to please you.

If you and your dog are needing help with anxiety or have a dog that needs training who has some anxiety, give us a call or send a message and let's talk.

26/07/2022

This is Wynter. He really is a good boy. Has a big smile and soft personality.

Wynter just needs some help with recall and walking on the lead appropriately. He really wants to make his mum happy so is picking things up quickly. Wynter's mum also just wants him to be happy, what a nice combination.

22/07/2022

Teddy and Molly are really close but we had some issues that were effecting the owner to train Molly.

Teddy is a big Rottweiler, he is a very solid boy and could do damage if in the wrong hands. Teddy's owner had the right idea from the beginning and trained Teddy really well. Teddy has all his basic obedience and is a sweet natured boy.

Molly is the little Kelpie sister. Molly was supposed to have the same path as Teddy and be well trained, however Molly did not want to be trained by humans, she wanted Teddy.

We were able to work with both dogs and owner to change the training and routine. Once we were able to make some changes, Molly was happy to move away from Teddy and start learning that humans are actually fun to learn from also.

15/07/2022

Unfortunately we see far to often, people walking down the street being dragged behind the dog. This does not have to be the case.

We have helped so many people in the Hunter to be able to walk with the dog instead of behind. This can cause injuries to the person or dog.

To be honest it is never an enjoyable walk when you are getting pulled along. This can cause you to stop walking your dog, which cause further issues.

Take back control of the walk, contact us today and organise a session and see the difference.

01/07/2022

Starting early is so important to get ahead of the game. If we can set our puppies up for success from the beginning, our jobs are alot easier. Not impossible however to start at any age.

By the end of our session this dude was laying on command, loose leash walking like boss and making fantastic eye contact.

I did make an offer on him, the owner rejected!

27/06/2022

If you are like thousands of other Australians and got a puppy through covid, you may also be experiencing some issue due to not being able to attend puppy classes or socialise your puppy correctly.

If this is you, reach out to us and let us know what issues you have, we may able to help!

Or like our page to see how some of our other clients have made progress.

24/06/2022

This girl!

She made me look good. Acting like a normal teenage staffy at the start. By the end of our session I had her walking by my leg with no lead, not a loose lead, no lead. Yes, there were no distractions, yes, it was in the backyard but every little win is a win in a dogs world. We can move from there!

With a handshake goodbye to end the session.

22/06/2022

This little guy was not interested in me when I first arrived. Would not come in the same room as me, would not look at me, would not take a treat.

Look how close we got! By the time I left he couldn't get enough of my treats and no longer barked as I came through the door.

14/06/2022

This guy was amazing!

He can sit, stay, drop, dance, turn, army crawl, hi-five and shake. He can not walk correctly on a lead however. After just 15 minutes however he got it, he understood what I was asking and followed. Some dogs take longer than others, but they all get it in the end.

10/06/2022

STOP THE JUMPING!

Some dogs feel this is the best way to greet people, it is not. It is not enjoyable for many people. Some dog lovers don't mind being greeted this way, however it can cause injury to children, aged or frail people.

We can help stop your dog greeting people this way. Send us a message today!

04/06/2022

Toto, whose real name was Terry, was abandoned as a puppy. Luckily for her, however, she was adopted by German immigrant Carl Spitz, the unofficial dog-trainer of Hollywood.

All dogs need is a bit of training, support and love, it's amazing what they can do with it!

Sorry delay. Been away working….

A few famous Dogs

1. Toto, the Cairn Terrier
Many of us know the line from the beloved film, The Wizard of Oz, when Dorothy laments to her canine friend, “Toto, I’ve got a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.”
But what others may not know is the story behind this famous doggie actress, even though this is easily one of the most famous dogs in history.
Toto, whose real name was Terry, was abandoned as a puppy. Luckily for her, however, she was adopted by German immigrant Carl Spitz, the unofficial dog-trainer of Hollywood.

With his help, she was trained to become one of her generation's most coveted canine actresses, starring alongside some of the time’s biggest stars, including Judy Garland. Before her close-up in The Wizard of Oz, Terry was already well-versed in the ways of the silver screen.
By the end of her career, she had been cast in 17 films, living to be 11-years old.

30/05/2022

We train children to adults on how to train their puppy or dog. No matter the age of the human or dog we can help get some structure and training into the household.

22/05/2022

The plan is to burn some energy before we start our session.

Now, just to catch him...

22/05/2022

This girl was very set in her ways and wanted to be the leader. After some negotiations we ended the session in her being ok with listening to me and was happy to have me in her company.

Until we meet again girl...

22/05/2022

One with eyes of wisdom.

One with fresh eyes for the world.

Two beautiful creatures.

We had such a great time with this pair. No matter the age, we can always learn something new!

20/05/2022

Picture: Blue Child Dog

As most are aware these guys were originally bred to chase cattle, hence the name cattle dog. This little girl has become a child nipper. This is very common in this breed being a natural instinct.

This habit is easy to train away from, like all training, the earlier we start the better as we do not want the dog to see biting as play. We had some better ideas.

20/05/2022

Let us help you teach your dog their birth name, not the name they think they have!

20/05/2022

I had to get a close up for two reasons.

1. Look at those colours and that beautiful coat! (and eyes)

2. The crate used to be scary, now look at this boy! He is so happy and calm in his crate. Only two months ago the crate looked scary, now this boy uses it for his own time and space.

20/05/2022

You may be able to see an issue we have here.

This little guy gets bored easily and turns to destruction. We have gone through some boredom busters and basic training to remind him what behavior we want.

He done so well in his first lesson, I have no doubt this guy is going to come along in leaps and bounds... just no jumping.

20/05/2022

To crate train or not to crate train?

As you can see this little pup has no issues with it at all, this boy seems to be enjoying it actually.

Crate training has both benefits for dog and the owner. Speak to us today about crate training the positive way.