Hello Pup

17/01/2025

🙌

17/01/2025

Caught these two sharing a "bed" today! Is it lifelong friendship? Is it love? Or... Is it an intense, mutual desire to be comfortable? Either way, it's pretty dang cute.
🐾 Jett & Coco

15/01/2025

It was so nice to see this soft little face again for one of our first consultations of the year! Louis graduated both our Puppy One and Puppy Two programs last year, and is now sporting a beautiful wavy coat to complement his smile.

Unfortunately, Louis has developed some fear-based reactivity to things outside his home, and has a big voice for a little dog! His family are now equipped with some management and training strategies to prevent him rehearsing his barking, foster confidence, and teach him calmer, preferred behaviour responses. Louis is an avid learner, and was already demonstrating the ability to make calmer choices by the end of our consultation. Such a good boy!

09/01/2025

Last year we offered our ‘Puppy Two’ advanced puppy class (for dogs up to six months of age) exclusively to graduates of our Puppy One preschool course.

In 2025, we’ll be offering more Puppy Two classes, more often, and extending the invite to graduates of other preschool programs (eg graduates of pet store or vet clinic programs).

We have very limited space available in our next two Puppy Two classes, starting on Saturday 18 January at the Blackburn Vet. There are not one but TWO times slots available for this class due to demand.

Read more about our Puppy Two program: thrivecanine.com.au/puppyclasses

And enrol here: https://tinyurl.com/2uj9hdm4

Have a new puppy and looking to enrol in our Puppy One preschool program? We have classes starting in both Blackburn and Camberwell on Saturday 1 February, and you can enrol via our website. 🐾

06/01/2025

Saddened to hear of the passing of behavioural psychologist Karen Pryor - but what a life she lived. She leaves such an impactful legacy here with us.

Karen Pryor was a pioneer of clicker training (now used in some form by almost every trainer worth their salt), and brought it from its initial obscurity into popular use via her educational books, articles and seminars. She was hugely influential in the history of understanding and training animals, and she was the first "big name" I ever knew in the animal behaviour world. I hope one day to undertake her trainer course (every graduate of it that I've met has been an outstanding trainer).

Animal training would not be what it is today if it weren't for Karen Pryor.
She and her work will never be forgotten, and I truly hope she was proud of her lifetime of achievements.

With profound sadness and immense gratitude, we honor the life and legacy of Karen Pryor, a true pioneer in the fields of animal behavior and positive reinforcement training. Karen’s groundbreaking work revolutionized how we communicate with animals—and each other—leaving an indelible mark on science, education, and the lives of countless species around the world.

Continue reading: https://bit.ly/4214rRG

21/12/2024

21/12/2024

Training methods are not just a “difference of opinion”. They’re a matter of animal wellbeing and ethics.

In my recent posts, I’ve talked about how shelter dogs inherently experience a lot of stress in their lives and don’t often get their needs met.

On top of that, pain in dogs can go unnoticed in shelters since shelter dogs aren’t being supervised as much as dogs in homes might be, or undiagnosed due to limited resources.

Aversive control also very much removes much needed agency and opportunities to exhibit natural behaviours from dogs who already have so little choice and control in their lives.

In knowing this, subjecting dogs in rescues and shelters to aversive training tools and methods that cause pain, fear, and stress on dogs is detrimental to the dogs’ wellbeing, unethical, unnecessary, and counter-productive.

It is also dangerous for staff, volunteers, potential adopters, and the general public since it is well-documented that increased aggressive behaviours is a fallout of aversive and punishment-based methods. Exacerbating pain through aversive tools and methods on dogs already experiencing pain can also certainly lead to the display of aggressive behaviours.

Sure, there can be situations in shelters and rescues where emergency handling and tools like slipleashes may be needed. However, emergencies aren’t training, and slipleashes should be seen as a temporary safety measure, not a tool for punishing dogs and forcing them into compliance.

And understandably, trying to help dogs find homes asap is important, but finding adopters who prioritise a dog’s wellbeing over how well they comply out of fear is even more important.

It is no longer “rescuing” when the wellbeing of animals is not prioritised.

It is no longer “animal welfare” when needs-deprived animals are deliberately and unnecessarily subjected to more pain, fear, and stress.

As says: “If an animal rescue claims to care about animal welfare, but promotes the use of aversive training, then they actually don’t care about animal welfare.”

I hope in time we will see more rescues and shelters adopt humane and ethical care for dogs because shelter dogs deserve better.

ID: The text says “It should be a bare minimum for rescues to refrain from aversive tools and methods.” On the right is an old photo of Dave, a brown Singapore Special dog with pointy ears, sitting with his mouth slightly open.

12/12/2024

Look at these two very good boys! ✨

Tahi and Rua are 6-month-old greyhound / staghound / kelpie mixes who just love life! These two were born into the care of earlier this year after their pregnant mum was rescued from the pound. They are already *very* big boys - who will only get bigger!

We had the pleasure of visiting the dogs and their adoptive family to help Tahi with some fear-based behaviours and hyperarousal around other dogs and guests. Both dogs are high-energy and super keen to train, and will have wonderful lives with adequate enrichment, management, and ongoing training to teach them desirable responses in currently tricky situations. 

Tahi and Rua a very lucky to have had such great lives so far 🐾

05/12/2024

As the days get warmer, snake activity is expected to increase.

RSPCA Victoria has provided important advice on common symptoms that pets experience following a snakebite as well as what to do immediately after.

Remember, all snakebites should be treated as an emergency.

https://rspcavic.org/learn/pets-and-snakes/

05/12/2024

Summer is officially here, and the weather is warming up!

Wondering what you can do to enrich your dog's day when they can't go for their usual walk, run or play?

Here are some ideas 🐾

28/11/2024

Rollie and DJ *really* love their walks 🤭

26/11/2024

Thrilled to be looking after these guys for the next couple of weeks! They're so delightful 🤩 DJ & Rollie 🐾

19/11/2024

Ever wonder what good puppy play time and socialising looks like?
Here's a snippet from one of our classes at fantastic space Melbourne Dog Clinic , with behaviour commentary 🐾

06/11/2024

Come join us with Thrive Canine at the fear-free Melbourne Dog Clinic in Camberwell!

Only three days until our very first Puppy School class, run by the amazing team at Thrive Canine, commences.

Aaaaaaaaand while stocks last our Puppy School pack, given to all our new puppy school students, has increased in value to well over $100. Woohoo!

We still have a couple of spaces left for this Saturday’s class so contact us now for a last minute enrolment and to get your hands on one of our exxy Puppy Packs.

For our currently enrolled Pups, we can’t wait to meet you on Saturday. 🐾

01/11/2024

Peach just wants all the skelly-tons to know she can do tricks AND have treats 🐾🎃☠️🕸️👻

27/10/2024

So thrilled to see this progress for Bryan and his family!

09/10/2024

What do you think of Coco's whiskers? She grew them herself ✨🌱🌞