DynamoDogs

27/01/2025

Here’s some thoughts on reactivity.

Reactive dogs make reactive owners and that, more often than not, leads to a toxic cycle of relationship. Reactivity can’t be spot treated, so if you want to fix it you have to get to the root cause and that is almost always buried somewhere deep in the relationship dynamic.

Think of it this way: in a relationship, both individuals have the right to their own needs, thoughts, emotions and feelings about what’s going on around them, and if you don’t take that into consideration the issues you’re having will never get solved.

Why? Because you’re coming at with only your perspective and experiences instead of creating a two-way communication where you both get what you want and need. When you switch this thinking the issues you’re having tend to fade away by themselves as both parties are heard and everyone’s individual needs are met.

So if you’re currently working on stuff with your reactive dog, take a moment or two to think about what’s actually happening.
What is it that you need from a relationship? What about your dog? What’s specific to them based on age, breed and breed purposes etc? Are you both fulfilled and getting what you want in terms of physical, mental and emotional needs? If not, how can you change that?

Last but not least, please remember that there’s nothing wrong with needing a bit of help to figure it out.
🚀🐕🧡

26/01/2025

Here’s an interesting thing about dogs and training.

The speed with which a dog runs for their reward is the same speed at which they’ll perform a given behaviour. That is, a meh sort of reward, even if given for free, will only ever produce a meh response from the dog when asked to perform for said reward.

Why? Because the potential rewarding outcome that you receive when completing a task is what motivates you to do said task to start with. And if you’re not motivated, you won’t perform.

Consider that next time you reach for whatever convenient thing you choose to give your dog as a ‘treat’ for doing tricks or obedience.

21/01/2025

Are you feeling a little uninspired to train your dog today?
Maybe this will help.

Please note the calmness and the exact cueing for the dog, as to what behaviour to do next.

Bart Bellon & Thor. What a team.

Bart is really, really, really the most gifted dogtrainer that is walking on this planet.What he can do with dogs is amazingWatch, enjoy and you will have a ...

19/01/2025

Have you ever asked yourself, why *exactly* did you get a dog and why did you get the specific one you have now?

There’s be a myriad of answers to this question, of course, but quite often people get dogs because they remember that a certain type or breed made them feel a certain way at a certain time of their life, so they got their current dog (of that same breed or type) to feel that way again. That is, quite often there is a whole heap of emotional baggage and emotional validation as an owner that comes with having a dog.

‘Yeah, and so what?’ you might ask. ‘Why are you telling me this?’

Well, this is surprisingly often the reason for problems! Why? Because the dog isn’t there for the relationship and companionship, but more to fulfil their human’s unmet emotional needs, and that is not a good way to pick a life partner, whether they’re human or animal. If anything, it’s a great way to build resentment, especially if the dog isn’t matching its human’s expectations and doesn’t fulfil the needs it was bought for.

More often than not, these unmet emotional needs are unspoken, and in some cases, the human might not even be willing to admit it to themselves. Good examples of this include stuff like ‘I wanted a dog as a kid so I bought one for my children so they could have that experience’; ‘I got a dog because I wanted the family picture of a dog’; ‘I got the dog because he looks just like my old dog that passed away, and I’m grieving that loss and I needed a replacement’; ‘I got a dog because I think it’s so fun to see dogs out at breweries and I want the attention that *that* brings’; ‘I feel bad about my past trauma, so I have to go out and rescue the saddest story out there so I can try to self-heal my trauma by putting that on the dog’.

The common denominator here is the ‘I’ statement, which, when the dog behaves in an undesired way, leads to the ‘why is the dog doing this to me? This is embarrassing’ thinking.

So what does this have to do with dog training? A lot, actually! Because dog training isn’t what happens in the 60 mins that you’re with your trainer. It is what’s happening every day, every moment that you interact with your dog. It’s in the relationship you have with your dog, and how you relate to each other.
Every time you interact with your dog, you’re training it to interact with you and the environment around you, whether you’re conscious about doing it or not. In short, the dog is learning how to interact with the environment and with you, based on the relationship you have together. As with all relationships, it’s a two-way street and in a lot of cases (especially around reactivity), the relationship is a little like that between an addict and an enabler. In fact, many dog owners who come see a dog trainer for help with a problem, often reach a big revelation expressed as ‘Oh. It’s me, isn’t it?’

So, the next time you look at your dog and wonder why they’re being such complete muppets, have a think about what you both do on a daily basis that might have caused the issue. Try not to waste time blaming the dog or yourself, but instead just observe and have a think. What is your current relationship status and what would you like it to be? How could you change the way you interact, what might be needed?

If you’re completely stuck, reach out for help. Sometimes all that is needed is a little bit of perspective, after all.
🚀🐕🧡

(This was inspired by, and in part quoted from, an excellent podcast episode by the Canine Cooperative: ‘Dog ownership vs relationship’)

Send a message to learn more

19/01/2025

Do you feed your dog raw meat regularly or on occasion?

If you’re in the North, I would highly recommend Eat Good (neighbours to Barking Good) in East Ivanhoe. They sell all sorts of meat, mince, bones, supplements etc, all human-grade but made for dogs.

If you’re in the SE, try Gippsland Game Meats, who delivers frozen raw food, in various forms, including rabbit, kangaroo and goat.

Barking good (and eat good, which doesn’t have a website yet): https://barkinggood.com.au/

Gippsland game: https://www.gippslandgamemeats.com.au/collections/pet-food

17/01/2025

You live in or around Coburg or West Reservoir and take your dog for walks along Edgar’s Creek?
Excellent, here’s a refresher for the on and offleash areas!

30/12/2024

Remember Snowy the who we had boarding at Casa Dynamo a while back?

He was on the look-out for a potential new home and now he’s found it! This lucky guy has just found a human who wants a new best mate; has experience with working dogs like Mr Snowy and lives in a quiet semi-rural area, which is perfect for a guy who gets a bit overwhelmed by city life.

I think Snowy’s going to love his new life, once he settles in and finds his feet.
🚀🐕🧡

23/12/2024

Happy holidays and merry Christmas everyone!

Thanks for the support during 2024, it is hugely appreciated and immensely valued by this small business venture. If you’re feeling generous and want to spread the jolly feelings, we’d be most grateful for a review. It might seem small and tokenistic, but it is actually valuable, as it helps other people find us.

Hope to see more of y’all and your gorgeous pooches in 2025. Here’s to ongoing adventures, more training successes and overall good times with dogs.
🥳🐕🎉🎄🍾

18/12/2024

In case anyone was confused about why their anti-pull harness isn’t working…

Dogs generally pull about 60 per cent harder on a leash when wearing a padded harness compared with a collar, even when the equipment is marketed as “anti pull” – putting the people walking them at risk of injury.

Some dogs – especially smaller breeds – pull with a force more than twice their body weight on the collar, potentially damaging their throats, says Erin Perry at Southern Illinois University.

“It’s really very shocking,” she says. “The dogs are almost choking themselves on that collar repeatedly. But the harnesses in our study just didn’t inhibit pulling in any way, and that’s definitely a wake-up call – especially because of the risk to owners.”

Read more: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2459747-dogs-pull-harder-on-the-leash-when-they-wear-a-harness-than-a-collar/

Image: CBCK-Christine/Alamy

09/12/2024

Are you looking for a new dog? Fancy yourself keen on doing some training and help a young fella find his feet? Do you have experience with working dogs in general and blue heelers in particular? Well… look no further.

If you can offer a dog-experienced and calm home, Snowy might be your new best mate.

Snowy is a young blue heeler, who has a fun, energetic and playful personality. Unfortunately he has not coped too well moving from the quiet outback, to the middle of Brunswick. Snowy gets very...

08/12/2024

Dogs are body language communicators.

If you have dog who is uncomfortable with certain things and who goes into self-defence mode when encountering those things (ie becomes reactive), you have to step in and show them that they no longer have to feel pressured to keep themselves safe as you’ll be their defender.

Advocate for your dog using assertive body language and stopping the oncoming person/dog/thing that your dog has feelings about.

Show them, don’t just tell them, that they’re safe with you and that you got their back.

07/12/2024

The holidays are almost here, and anyone in the dog world knows that it usually means one thing: Christmas puppies. 🧑‍🎄 🐶

If you or anyone you know is planning on getting a puppy over the holidays, great stuff. Set yourself up for maximum success by getting a trainer in early to help you out with the inevitable toilet training, chewing, crate training, socialisation etc. Likewise, if someone you love already have a dog, that’s also great! Get a trainer and learn some cool stuff to do with your dog in the new year!

Hence, in true Christmas spirit, we’re currently offering a 20% gift discount for any new clients who sign up for a consultation between December 13 and December 25.*

This means you can get your Chrissy pressie sorted by simply buying yourself or a loved one some one-on-one dog help! And all you have to do is send a DM.

Couldn’t be easier.

* sessions will take place in January, but bookings need to happen in December

04/12/2024

You know how you feel when someone invades your personal space inappropriately, how the hair stands up on the back of your neck and you suddenly are a little defensive or want to get away? Even when you logically know that person is not a threat, it makes you uncomfortable if they approach you abruptly, stand a little too close when you’re talking, or touch you without invitation.

It’s because you, like all animals, have something called flight distance —the space it would take for you to feel out of harm’s way in case you needed to get away suddenly. It’s the imaginary bubble around you that creates your comfort zone of personal space, and you get very prickly when it’s popped. For you, this natural personal space bubble is somewhere in the neighborhood of a 30-60cm (depending on your culture and heritage). For a highly domesticated species like the modern human, natural flight distance has been reduced over time as populations have increased and people have had to live in closer proximity (think big cities). So we can stand being pretty darn close to each other without getting uncomfortable, particularly if we are minding our own business (such as on a subway or in line).

We just assume our dog’s sense of personal space is the same as ours. But it is not. Most dogs have a flight distance of somewhere between 2.5-3 metres. Yes, that means that another person or dog is officially in your dog’s personal space bubble when they cross that invisible line. For dogs who are genetically domesticated to pet conditions, it can be a little less. But many dogs maintain this greater sense of personal space, and react strongly when it is invaded by other people and animals. We usually blame these dogs for acting out, unaware that their bubble has been popped.

Once you know about the bubble, you can navigate the neighborhood and greater world with your dog and avoid a thousand accidents simply by protecting that space. When you walk down the street, imagine a 3-metre bubble around you and your dog as you move along, and distance yourself from others in order to prevent them from popping it. If you don’t have enough room or time to create the distance, put yourself between your dog and the figurative needle. Like the one-car-length rule many drivers practice to avoid rear-end collisions, this practice can help prevent a thousand uncomfortable moments for you and your dog. Understanding how his flight distance works will also help you appreciate how often your dog feels backed into a corner. So much of the time, when we might think his behavior is unwarranted, bizarre, or unprovoked, he is just naturally responding to the uncomfortable situations that we and others accidentally put him in. It’s your job to keep his bubble from getting popped, so keep your eyes on the road and be a defensive driver!

28/11/2024

Loki bum is back for another stay at Casa Dynamo. This guy is the sookiest-looking there ever was.
I love him.
🚀🐕🧡

21/11/2024

Curious to learn more about the role emotions play in learning, and how you can help your dog have better experiences, ie more fun, less fright or anger, when out in the world?

Have a listen to the excellent Chad Mackin talking about Dr Panksepp’s ‘blue ribbon emotions’, what these are and how to activate them. It’s got a lot to do with reinforcement and choice, baby!

Now, go train your dog and have fun.

Listening to Something to Bark About (Fear, Aggression and Blue Ribbon Emotions)

Chad Mackin talks in depth about the 4 blue ribbon emotions and how accessing them enables reduction of both fear and aggression in dogs.