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Herdy Nerdy Dog Training - Fear Free Herding Breed Specialist

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Pakenham, VIC
Herdy Nerdy Dog Training - Fear Free Herding Breed Specialist

Herding Breed Behaviour Specialist. Pakenham, Cranbourne & Drouin.
(4)

11/07/2024

ETHICS BEFORE EGO.

This is probably one of the most important skills any trainer can have.

So, what is it?

A Trainer who puts ethics before their ego will.....

😊 Refer out to another trainer when they are not skilled enough to handle the case in front of them

😊 Seek Further Training and Education to keep their skills and knowledge relevant & up to date.

😊 Use the most up-to-date science backed methods of training at all times

🙂 Speak nicely about other FF Trainers and their skills. They won't gossip about them, talk down to them, treat them like less , exclude them or prevent them from learning and growing. FF Trainers should be team players who work together for the good of the dogs and the industry.

And above all...

🔥 They will put the welfare and wellbeing of you and your dog ABOVE ALL.

They will not:

🙅‍♀️ Become argumentative, publicly attack or vilify , create childish memes and aggressive posts/comments about people who question them or seek studies to back a particular stance

🙅‍♀️ Take on or Continue to work with a dog when they do not have the skills and ability to help that dog

🙅‍♀️ Place blame on Owners or Owner Compliance

🙅‍♀️ Make claims that they cannot back with relevant studies or observations.

🙅🏼‍♀️ Gossip, Talk "S**t", Talk down to or about, shame, or otherwise bully other FF Trainers.

Don't forget that you can and should ALWAYS ask your Trainer questions about their education, their recent learning and their views of what is happening with your dog. It is ok to seek a second opinion. Just because a Trainer has been around for a while or holds a well known Qualification does not make them all knowing!

Choose Kind. Choose Qualified. Choose Ethics over Ego.

10/07/2024

Is it possible to train without punishment?

Sadly, the answer is not as clear cut as you'd think.
We'd love to think that in Force Free Training or Rewards Based Training that we avoid using punishment, but the truth is that by definition, anything we do that DECREASES a behaviour- is punishing. We also need to remember that is is the learner who decides what is punishing.

BUT, there is a HUGE difference between PUNISHMENT and FORCE.

Whilst punishments cannot be avoided entirely, we can absolutely make training choices that avoid Force.

How?

Lets look at a dog greetings someone a little bit to enthusiastically....

As a Trainer, I would suggest ignoring the jumping in favour of paying a calmer behaviour like a sit or resting on a mat. We are punishing the jumping by removing our attention. We are rewarding the calm behaviour we want with our attention.

So- how can we mitigate this being punishing for the dog?

We can teach them the behaviour we want prior to putting the dog in that situation. So, say I want the dog to hop on his mat. I would first teach him how to hang out on his mat first. We would then teach him that perhaps the door opening is his cue to go hop on his mat.

This would mean that although we are still by definition punishing the jumping, we have also set the dog up to succeed. We have not left him to his own devices to figure it out, we have not yelled and carried on at him for not doing something we haven't taught him. And most importantly, we have not resorted to forceful methods or tools to achieve what we wanted.

There is ALWAYS another choice. Force is never the only choice nor the only way. Train with your head, not your hands. Purely Positive might not a thing- but neither is balanced training.

09/07/2024

TRIGGER STACKING.

Sometimes, the world can be just a bit to much for our dogs. This can be due to many different things depending on your dog. When the world becomes to much, we often refer to our dogs as being “Trigger Stacked”. This is when we have several triggers happen close together which fills our dogs Emotional Bucket. When our dogs emotional buckets are full, they may need our help to empty the bucket and feel better again. Some common causes of Trigger stacking are:
* Anxious dogs whos routines are changed including things like visitors to the home, extended work hours, injury or illness etc.
* Over Excited Dogs who see to many exciting things close together such as visitors in the home, frequent dog park visits, lots of doggy play dates etc.
* Fearful, Frustrated or Aggressive dogs who see their triggers frequently, or at least daily, over a period of time including dogs, strangers, the postie etc.
Trigger Stacking is very individual, and how much a dog can handle well will change as they progress through training. Trigger stacking can look different for each dog and may include one or more of the below behaviours:
> Over Reactions
> Inability to Self Regulate
> Shut Down
> Higher Anxiety
> Reacting to things they normally ignore

Once our dogs are trigger stacked it on us to find ways to help them empty their emotional bucket. We can do things like Decompression Walks, Cortisol Holidays or taking a step back in our Training Plans and reassessing our Control & Management strategies.

Are you struggling with Trigger Stacking? Find our full handout on this at www.herdynerdy.com.au/resources

08/07/2024

Puppy Biting HURTS.

Puppy biting is the behaviour I see most people struggle to manage in a Force free approach. And that's fair- those little baby shark teeth dig in hard and often and they hurt and they illicit an automatic response from us. Honestly, anyone who can be bitten and not react even slightly is terrifying to me. (Seek help 🤣)

So , how can we handle this nightmare puppy stage without becoming a walking bandaid?

🐾 Be kind to yourself. You will yelp, squeal and react. It's an automatic action that you are barely in control of. You are NOT a bad puppy parent for reacting.

And then, we're going to set puppy up to succeed.

🐾 Nipping and Biting most often occurs when puppy is OVER TIRED. Puppies should be sleeping 18-20 hours per day. The younger they are, the more sleep they need. Help puppy out by popping them in their crate or pen with something nice to chew or lick to help them calm down and have a nap.

🐾 Nipping & Biting also happens when sore little mouths are seeking relief. Teething hurts. Even our most stoic of breeds seek relief from this one! Give puppy cold things to chew or lick. Cold will help soothe those sore gums and calm puppy. Whole carrots and cucumber are often winners!

🐾 Redirect onto a toy. Teach puppy that mouths are for toys, not for skin. Carry a toy with you and try beat them to the bite- give them a toy & an alternative way to interact with you!

Things to avoid:

🚩 Purposely Yelping, Yelling & Growling. These are all outdated and unnecessary.

🚩 Growling "No!". Again, outdated and unnecessary.

🚩 Playing hand bitey games and razzing puppy up with your hands. If you want them to play with toys, teach them to play with toys not hands!

🚩 Ignoring pup and letting them continue to chew, bite or nip. Always redirect to something more appropriate!

05/07/2024

DECOMPRESSION WALKS!

You've probably heard me mention these before, especially if you're a current or past Team.

So, what are they?

A TRUE decompression walk is:

🐾 Off Leash or Free of Restraint
🐾 In Nature so that you are unable to see/hear traffic, people, houses etc
🐾 Quiet & Calm with lots of sniffing
🐾 Dog Directed

This means a nice bushwalk, well away from the hustle and bustle of life , where your dog is encouraged to sniff, choose the direction and be a dog!

For our Reactive, Fearful & Frustrated pups, these walks are especially important as it helps their brain slow down, process and reset.

It is important to consider yours and others safety though when engaging in this activity

🐾 If you are likely to encounter another human or dog, and not be able to maintain effective control of your dog, then use a long line instead. Up to 10m allows a decent amount of freedom and won't impede terribly on your walk.

🐾 Ensure your dog is not going to chase Wildlife. If they are, then again, opt for a long line

🐾 Allow your dog to choose the direction as much as possible but ensure they are not heading off cliffs and into danger zones. ⚠️ Stick to paths and tracks and protect the bush

🐾 Be mindful that long grass can be home to Danger Noodles and other bush critters who need to be left alone ! 🐍🐛🪲

🐾Take water if you intend to go a good distance or if it's hot out. 💦

🐾 Take p**p bags and remember to pack out your rubbish. Keep Australia Beautiful! 🗑️💩

04/07/2024

Ears off? Then it's time for..... LEAD ON!!!

Does your dog master their recall at home and then absolutely forget it at the park? They can hear a chip packet opening despite a deep sleep but they don't seem to hear you when there's another dog around?

Well! Here's a handy solution!! This magical tool is called a ✨ LEASH ✨.

How does it work?

Gosh it's so simple it'll blow your mind! You'll think to yourself "WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT?" 🤦🏼‍♀️

They work by tethering your dog to YOU! They come in many handy lengths from 1m alllllll they up TO INFINITY AND BEYOND! 🚀

Here's some amazing bonus things you'll get when you choose to leash your dog with no recall!

🤌🏻 Reactive Guardians will thank you for not stressing their dog out and undoing all their training!

🤌🏻 That little old lady just enjoying her casual stroll will thank you for not bowling her over and breaking her hip!

🤌🏻 That injured or elderly dog will thank you for not making their pain worse!

🤌🏻 Your dog will thank you for preventing them chasing after wildlife and into traffic and getting hurt!

AND ! EXTRA SPECIAL BONUS TODAY ONLY!

When you purchase your leash in a combo with a treat pouch and extra delicious treats YOUR DOG WILL LISTEN TO YOU AT THE PARK! 🙌🏻🙌🏻

Run, Dont walk! To your nearest pet store today and get your hands on this little bitta magic 🧙‍♀️🪄

03/07/2024

HEY YOU! YES YOU WITH THE DOG THAT:

❤️ Pulls on Lead
❤️ Barks & Lunges at things
❤️ Chases things they shouldn't
❤️Needs extra time and attention
❤️ Is a dog

Stop beating yourself up about the bad days and the "bad behaviour". Nobody expects a child to act perfectly all the time, so why should your dog? A Few things to remember when you're beating yourself up:

❤️ There's no such thing as "Bad Behaviour". Thats a label used by people who don't understand how canine behaviour really works. Your dog is doing DOG Behaviour.

❤️ You're not alone. You're not the only person who has ever experienced this. You're also not the only one who feels guilty, sad, resentful, or is experiencing greif. Take a breath and reach out for support.

❤️ You can only do the best you can with the knowledge you have. Lean on your Trainer & Vet Team for professional support and reliable information when you don't know something (read: Don't google or Facebook for info!!)

Please remember to engage in regular self care and self kindness. Some suggestions:

❤️ Take a walk in the sunshine without your dog.
❤️ Go sit in the sunshine at a cafe and enjoy a nice hot coffee in peace.
❤️ Take a day off training & walking. Meet their needs with at-home enrichment and enjoy a Trigger-Free day
❤️ Remind yourself of all the amazing things your dog does every single day
❤️ Remind yourself of all the wins- no matter how small!
❤️ Remind yourself that you are a kick-ass dog owner and your dog is the luckiest dog in the world to have someone like you in their corner, advocating for their needs every.single.day

You are a rockstar. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

02/07/2024

DOGS ARE NOT PUBLIC PROPERTY.
There unfortunately seems to be a lot of this lately, which is highly disturbing. Patting an unknown dog is not just extremely rude, but its unsafe. That dog may be fearful of humans or your dog, they may be in training for Assistance Dog work and learning to ignore the world, they may be old and deaf/blind and you may give them a fright, or they or their guardian might just not be in the mood for strangers. And that's all ok. You should never be expected to let anyone pat your dog just because they want to and you should never expect to be allowed to pat a dog just because it's in public.

As a general rule of thumb, if it's not appropriate to do a child - don't do it a dog! 🐶There is absolutely NO reason to approach and touch someone else's dog without first ;

🐶 Asking the Guardians permission BEFORE you even move near the dog or put your hand towards the dog

🐶 Seeking permission from the dog. Do not put your hand towards the dog to sniff- I dunno about you but I don't like things being shoved in my face! Hold your open hand near your body and allow the dog to come to you or ask the Guardian if you can toss some treats to their dog from a safe distance!

Unless in an EMERGENCY , you should NEVER ;

🐾 Untie or Unleash another person's dog

🐾 Approach an unsupervised dog

🐾 Approach a tethered or crated dog

🐾 Do any of the above whilst hanging onto your own dog.

🐾 Talk to, make kissy noises or other noises at a tethered or crated dog.

ALSO IMPORTANT:

❤️ Regularly stop patting the dog to see if they opt back in for more pats

❤️ Pat under their chin first. Patting their heads may be seen as threatening.

❤️ Respect the Guardian and the Dog when they say No. Doesn't matter how cute or how much you need to pat the dog, if either say No, then it's a No. Don't make them repeat themselves.

❤️ If you walk past a tethered or crated dog that starts growling or barking at you, KEEP MOVING. Do not stand still and stare. Move away. They are reacting and need space from you. They can't create that themselves!

01/07/2024

Something I often hear is "My dog is very protective of me" or "my dog feels the need to protect me". Unfortunately, unless you've specifically trained your dog to do protection work, one of two things is happening

🐾 Your dog is stressed, anxious or over aroused and reacting to a trigger

🐾 Your dog is resource guarding YOU.

Dogs are actually pretty selfish- it's a very primal trait to protect yourself. Even humans do it! Save yourself first!

Resource Guarding is when a dog engages in behaviour designed to not have to share or give up a resource. Your dog may view you as their safety blanket - the one who provides for all their needs. The difference between this and protection is that the dog is behaving in this manner to protect themselves from losing a resource - not because they agree with you that that creep behind the bushes is a weird threat.

If your dog is reacting to a trigger, then this is an emotional response. They're not protecting you from other dogs they see as threats- they're protecting themselves from dogs they believe are threats. Think of it like a panic attack. Their behaviour will be designed to gain distance between them and the other dog (which may include behaviours that decrease distance!).

So, no. Your dog is not protective of you or protecting you- unless you've done specialist protection training work.

28/06/2024

NIP NIP!

What is Nipping?

Nipping is a short, sharp bite. It's often done with speed and shouldn't break the skin, but can and often leaves a pretty epic bruise. Unlike a bite, the dog won't latch on, hang on or clamp down!
For our Utility & Cattle herders, nipping is a vital part of their herding ability. They are going after animals 5 times their size after all!

So, Nipping is normal?
Yes! Nipping is a normal behaviour, especially in Cattle Dogs including the Australian Cattle Dog (ACD), Aussie Shepherd , Kelpie & Corgi to name a few! But, just because it's normal does not mean it's a behaviour we should just let happen or encourage!

If your dog is nipping you excessively, redirect them onto a toy or something else. Often nipping appears when the dog is over excited, stressed or engaging in herding behaviour.

You can also try playing games like Sheep Balls where the dog herds balls and keeps their distance so that they cannot nip you!

Should I punish a nip?
Absolutely not. Ever. Like all behaviour, this is communication. Think about what was happening when the dog nipped you and think about how you could help them manage that situation better in future. Attempting to punish this behaviour can be dangerous to your dogs mental wellbeing.

27/06/2024

Let's Talk about TOOLS!

When it comes to Dog Training, there are many many tools available and it can be confusing and overwhelming to know which tools you need, which are safe and which might hurt your dog !

So, here's some Tool Flags!

🚩 Tools that offer STOP, PREVENT or FIX a behaviour. For a behaviour to decrease, it must be punished in some manner. That's learning theory 101. Tools like no pull harnesses, head halters, check chains, prong collars, shock/vibrate/stim/beep/citronella collars all work by causing pain or discomfort in order to decrease a behaviour.

🚩 Tools that offer a quick fix! (This includes "trainers" who offer quick fixes) . Behaviour change and learning takes time & practice. (If it didn't, then anxiety would be fixed instantly!). This is not a thing.

🚩 Tools that say they're "less harsh than" or "less painful than". Saying a tool is better because it's less aversive than another aversive tool, whilst being aversive, literally means absolutely nothing. Aversive is Aversive.

Before buying any new equipment think about this:

💚 What is the equipment offering? Safety or a fix?

💚 Will this potentially harm my dog? Or my relationship with my dog?

💚 What words are being used to market the tool? Are they telling me about a "problem" that needs "fixing". Is that what we really want?

💚 Is there a better, kinder way?

Remember. is not a thing. Punishments and corrections are never required. Choose kind. Be the change.

26/06/2024

DOG CLUB!

Dog Clubs have always been a popular choice for dog owners- they provide a budget friendly way to get some basic obedience in and to take it further should you want to compete in Obedience, Rally O and often things like Agility, Hoopers, Flyball or DWD. Dog clubs are almost exclusively run by unqualified volunteers- people who have loved & owned dogs for an extended time but have none or minimal formal learning about dog behaviour & body language.

For your average dog, this is totally fine! You don't need to know all the little intracasies of behaviour - just how to get your dog to behave safely and in a socially acceptable way.

But for Behaviour Cases...

Dog Clubs are often not equipped with trainers who have the up to date knowledge and skills to provide behavioural counselling. Now, this isn't a dig at dog clubs by any means. They can be amazing - but please do not seek behavioural advice from them. If you're needing help with Anxiety, Reactivity, OCD or other upsetting behaviours, seek help from a Qualified Trainer who will be able to help build Dog Club into your training plan in a way you and your dog will cope with so you can succeed!!

25/06/2024

BOUNDARIES.

This week I've been reminded why Boundaries are so important, but sometimes super hard to enforce.

The animal care industry including Trainers, Vets, Vet Nurses & Techs, Animal care attendants, shelter workers, and students has one of the highest rates of Burn Out, Compassion Fatigue & Mental health issues. Vets have the highest rate of su***de....

Why?

Because, we care. Sometimes so much that we sacrifice our free time, time with our families, time with our own pets, and our own self care time worrying about and helping YOUR pet. Most people in this industry are paid MINIMUM WAGE. We don't get paid for all the extra stuff we do on the clock, let alone off the clock. As a Vet Nursing student, I can't begin to tell you just how hard we work to get the absolute best care for your pet. It's definitely not all kittens and puppies! And your beloved Pet you said goodbye to? We grieve them too.

Many of us who run as solo trainers are particularly awful at enforcing our boundaries. Even more so if, like me, you work with heavy behaviour cases. We want to help, we feel your stress and pain just as intensely as we feel your wins and success! We want to be there for you and support you so that you can support your dog. But, we're no good to you when we fall in a heap and fall apart.

So, please be kind to your animal services industry workers. Please remember we have lives, families , pets and feelings too. We need time for self care, free time and offline time too. They're necessary for us to help you as best we can.

A reminder that our opening hours are 2pm-5pm Saturdays and 10am-4pm Sundays. We run Jump Starts on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. We do not check messages and emails out of hours. We reply to you between clients . All current clients have been provided urgent contact details should they need them.

Stay safe. Spread love & Muddy Pawprints. 🐾

24/06/2024

LETS TALK ABOUT MANAGEMENT!

Those of you working with amazing trainers will know all about Control & Management! But for those who don't...

🐾 Control & management solutions are things we put in place to help our dogs cope either while we wait for medications to take hold or while we work on things as part of a training plan.

C&M are vital and just as important as the actual training for MANY reasons.

🐾 They help control the exposure your dog has to their triggers

🐾 They can help your dog to feel safe enough to switch off and rest (and we all know how important rest is for healthy brain function!)

🐾 They can keep your dog practicing unwanted behaviour like barking, fence running or yelling at people passing by your house

🐾 They strengthen your training by giving your dog down time away from a world they have to process and think about constantly.

Is C&M a complete solution? No . Is C&M training? Not really. BUT it goes hand in hand with any Behaviour Plan a trainer will give you and is just as important. In some cases C&M can be enough though. It's not cheating or being lazy to solve a problem with C&M- especially when the dogs welfare is better off that way!

Some C&M examples include:

❤️ Private courtyards for human reactive dogs
❤️ Quiet rooms for sound sensitive dogs
❤️ Stick on film on windows to block a dog's view of people passing by the house
❤️ A Happy hoodie to help noise sensitive dogs
❤️ Baby Gates to keep dogs away from Guests or Children
❤️ A muzzle to prevent bites
❤️ A leash or long line to prevent a dog running into traffic

C&M will look different for each dog and each journey. Its important that we remember not to judge others for where they are on their journey or their reliance on C&M.

22/06/2024

ALL BEHAVIOUR IS A FORM OF COMMUNICATION.

Growls are a dog's way of saying many things. On the ladder of aggression, a Growl is the final warning before a bite. It's communication we should NEVER ignore and NEVER punish.

Why?

🐾 A dog who has been punished for growling will not growl. Whilst this might sound ideal, it's actually very dangerous. A dog that does not growl, gives no warnings and will jump to a bite "without warning".

🐾 Punishing a growl doesn't address WHY the dog is growling. This means the dog has lost a way of communicating that something isn't right- this might mean we miss signs our dog is in pain or uncomfortable in certain situations.

Your dog's growl MUST work. Every. Single. Time. Whilst we should always aim to avoid putting our dogs in a position where they feel the need to use this behaviour, our dogs need to know they can give warnings and be heard- that they don't need to escalate to a bite.

Are you struggling with growling, resource guarding or reactivity? Reach out for professional help.

21/06/2024

HOT TOPIC! 🔥FETCH!

Is Fetch healthy and is it really a game we should be relying on for exercise with our dogs?

Our Herding Dogs have a need to control things that move- that's what makes them so effective at herding. So is a game with mindless movement causing frustration really the best choice for them? Or is it a game we play because it's whats easiest for us?

Many people misinterpret their dogs body language a perceived love for Fetch and miss the subtle signs of pain and addiction before, during and after a round of high intensity fetch.

Can Fetch ever be a good thing? YES! Fetch in small, rare doses with appropriate warm up and cool down can be great for some dogs but the moment addictive behaviour begins, it's time to stop!

Protect your dogs brain & joints and choose to play more breed appropriate games such as Treiball, Sheep Balls and Herd n Seek !

20/06/2024

It's sad that I even need to make this post really. But, this appears to be the state of things .

For those unaware, the dog training industry is yet again going through a period of turmoil. It never really stops, but from time to time it flares up. And every time, we see the same thing. Heated debates, ignoring and manipulation of science & research, and sadly we see people leave the industry in droves. Good people .

This page will NOT be a place for that debate to rage on. I am passionately Force Free. I will never harm a dog in the name of training. Not because science says so, not because I've been brainwashed, not because I am a snowflake or any of the other names that get thrown around for Force Free Trainers. I am Force Free because thats what's kind. We shouldn't need science to tell us to be kind.

If you dislike this method, if you don't think it works, if its not your thing- then thats fine. You do you Boo. But I would recommend you unfollow me- because I wont be changing my mind , my morals or my ethics. And I won't be engaging in these conversations. If you start a debate or you bring your sarcastic judgement to the table, you will be blocked and deleted. No response. There are plenty of places to debate- here will not be one of them.

Even if you are also Force Free, the same rules apply. In recent weeks I have had more bullying, veiled threats, imposter syndrome and panic attacks caused by other R+ Professionals than ever before. If you cannot play nicely with others , respect others thoughts and opinions- then please leave. The bullying within the Force Free Community is honestly beyond a joke lately- so much so that I am taking a break from being involved with most of the FF community online and in person.

This is a place to celebrate, love and learn about Herding Dogs & what makes them tick. This is a page built on and fuelled by love.

19/06/2024

Did you know that as a Pet Professionals Guild of Australia member, we offer Project Trade?

SWAP your punishment based training tools, FOR TRAINING! We want these tools off dogs, and you want training. Its a win win!

❤️ Swap your PRONG COLLAR or E-COLLAR for 50% off your Discovery Session OR a Free Private Session in Pakenham or Drouin or a Jump Start Session

❤️ Swap a HEAD COLLAR or CITRONELLA COLLAR for 50% off a Single Session OR Jump Start Session

❤️ Swap a CHECK CHAIN, NO PULL HARNESS* or SLIP LEAD for 30% off a Single Session or Jump Start Session.

Got something else to swap? Reach out and we can see what we can organise!

More info here: https://www.herdynerdy.com.au/project-trade

Address

Pakenham, VIC
3810

Opening Hours

Saturday	9am - 2pm
Sunday	9am - 4pm

Website

http://www.herdynerdy.com.au/

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Videos

Does your collie find great pleasure in attacking or herding your vacuum? It's super common! And the solution is all about creating easy to manage expectations! Could you sit still in your favourite celebrity walked into the room ? Probably not! Well, that level of excitement is what your dog feels when they see the vacuum! ITS FUN TIME! so , how about instead of wanting our dogs to just chill out, we lower the expectations a little? Here is Ellie demonstrating how she gets to enjoy vacuum time without eating the vacuum! The deal is she can be near, she can pounce around, growl and enjoy herself....as long as she's not eating the vacuum or barking at it. She's not expected to sit still on her mat. She's not expected to sit still and watch. She's not expected to be a robot. She can have fun and she can be involved in what I'm doing provided it's safe (and not wrecking expensive equipment!!) What's your expectations of your dog when your vacuuming? How do you think lowering or changing them might make your training more successful ? #bordercollie #dogtrainingadvice #dogtrainingpakenham #dogbehaviourist #dogtrainer #dogtrainingmelbourne #colliechase #letyourdogbeadog #enrichmentfordogs #herdingbreedsofmelbourne

Why do we love Positive Reinforcement? ❤️ It puts the focus on the things you and your dog are doing RIGHT! ❤️ Success lights up the rewards centre of the brain which feels GOOOD! ❤️ It sends a super clear message to your dog "This right there - that's what I want you do! Keep doing that" ! ❤️ It's an ethical and humane way of teaching and learning that's been proven effective by science! In a world full of negativity and stress, be something positive for your dog! Build a relationship with mutual respect, love and safety ! #positivereinforcementdogtraining #positivereinforcement #positivereinforcementpuppytraining #positivereinforcementtraining #forcefree #forcefreedogtraining #forcefreedogtrainingworks #forcefreetraining #dogtrainingpakenham #dogtrainingadvice #dogtrainingmelbourne

Thanks for this one @jamiethedogtrainer !! BRILLIANT. All of my Reactive Guardians out there will have felt this exactly at least one time during their reactive journey. So, what's so wrong about having friendly dog? Nothing. However.... 🚩 It's super rude to let your off lead dog run up to any leashed dog. Period. You aren't owed a reason why - just keep your friendly dog to yourself. 🚩 It's super distressing for both dog and Guardian when you let your friendly dog into our space. We work hard to show our dogs they are safe and that we've got their backs. Your "oopsy" might undo MONTHS or YEARS of training. 🚩 Good chance that if there's a leashed dog there, it's an on Leash zone. The laws the law! So, how can your friendly dog continue to have safe interactions? ✅ Ask before approaching. Check if it's ok for your dog to interact. ✅ Leash up if you have no recall. If you won't bet me $100 your dog will come back to when another dog is around, then stay on lead and work on your recall in a safe, less distracting environment ✅ Respect the No. Honestly, nobody cares that your dog is good with everyone or that you're a dog person . I'm my dogs person and we don't want to interact. If someone says no to interacting, then back off. #itsokhesfriendlyisnotanexcuse #reactiverehab #reactivedogsofinstagram #keepyourfriendlydogtoyourself #positivereinforcementtraining #positivereinforcementdogtraining

Check out Gracie's big smile after absolutely smashing it learning Middle with her Mumma! 🙌🏻🙌🏻 Clever girl and a fantastic team! #dogsofinstagram #dogtraining #bordercollie #bordercolliesofinstagram #positivereinforcementtraining #positivereinforcementdogtraining #positivereinforcement

Recall practice that ends with your dog happily knocking you over and winding you? I'll take that win! 🙌🏻 #bordercollie #bordercolliesperth #perthbordercollies #dogtraininggoals #dogtrainingsuccess #dogtrainingadvice #dogtrainingperth #herdingbreed

HOW CAN I HELP MY DOG LISTEN AT THE PARK??? Sometimes, the key to helping our dogs isn't always training. Sometimes it's just some plain old Control and Management which in this case is as simple as a 💫 LEASH! 💫 🐾 Keep your dog on lead! Use a long line if you want to give them more freedom on your walks (but be mindful of your local leash laws as there is usually a max length!) 🐾 Practice your recall at home! Less distraction the better! 🐾 Make it fun! Make it a game! Consider using a trick like Middle or Touch instead of a plain recall! 🐾 Pay the right wage! Are you asking your dog to come away from a group of his friends? Then you best believe he's earnt that super high value reward! Make it worth their while - you don't work for free so why should your dog? #dogtraininggoals #dogtrainingsuccess

There's no need to correct a dog that's been set up to succeed! Noone sayin STOP THAT! #lionking #disney #disneydog #positivereinforcementdogtraining #positivepets #positivereinforcementtraining #redshirt #imdtaustralia

TALK HERDY TO ME ! Got a herding breed? Why not give Sheepballs a go! Here's a lovely tutorial with Laura from @imdt_australia ! Post your game of sheepballs and don't forget to tag us! ❤️ #herdingdog #herdingdogs #herdingdogsofinstagram #herdingbreed #sheepdog #sheepherding #sheepherdingforcitydogs #cattledog #cattledogsofinstagram #bordercollie #bordercolliesofinstagram #bordercollies #rottiesofinstagram #rottweiler #imdtaustralia #funjobsforcitydogs

JUST A REMINDER, YOUR DOG DOESN'T NEED TO SAY HI! "I want my dog to be social so I get him/her to greet every person/dog I meet!" So, who's thought this one? Or who's been told that this is what you should do with your new puppy? Did you know that this can actually have the opposite effect? 🐶 As a general "rule", puppies should only say hi to ONE in every 10 dogs they come across! 🐶 Only people who will follow your rules should say hi to your puppy. It's perfectly ok to say "No!". Your dog's wellbeing is more important than their need to pat your dog! 🐶 Your puppy should have the choice to not have to greet someone or another dog. If your pup backs away from a greeting, reward them and give yourself some space. It's important your pup knows they can move away and that you'll look after them! But, how will he become socialised??? ✔️ Quality over Quantity. It's best that your puppy has less, high quality interactions with their world vs 100 interactions that aren't so great or are maybe a little scary. ✔️ Less interactions, More ignoring others actually prevents Leash Reactivity. If your dog gets used to greeting everyone and everything, when they are then restricted on leash, they can become frustrated which may come out as growling, barking and lunging whilst on leash. Learning to ignore other dogs is just as important as meeting dogs. ✔️ Choose older, calmer dogs that you know well. You have no idea how well trained, social or vaccinated that dog at the park is. ✔️ Choose people you know who are willing to go slow, be calm and follow your rules such as 4 paws on the floor and standing up when your puppy bites them! And always remember - not every dog is dog social and some dogs simply have no tolerance for puppy nonsense. Respect their space and ask BEFORE interacting. If you'd like some help socialising your pup or rescue dog, we're here to help! As always - Keep your dog on lead, Give others space and try to fin

Custom treat jar order for our friend Lilu ❤️ Looking for treat jars? We have both small and large in glass or plastic available ! DM us for more information or keep an eye on our store in coming days to order online! #treatyourself #dogtreat #dogtreats #dogtreatsfordays #dog #dogstagram #dogsofperth #dogsofinstagram

Today, Ellie met a Cuttlefish on the beach! Much curious, many wow. She enjoyed a good 20 minutes digging a trench around it while checking its vibe! Is now a very tired pupper! (And now I have a plan to Capture the behaviour and cue "Dig!" ! Should be very cute!) . . . What fun did your pup's get up to this weekend? Did they meet anything new? Any new scents ? New people? New dogs? New sounds? Remember our dogs greet the world with ALL their senses, but especially those wonderful noses of theirs! . . . . #dogbeach #dogbeachday #dogbeachfun #dogdigging #digdig #happydog #dogstagram #dogsofinstagram #dogsofperth #yanchepdogbeach #bordercollie #enrichtheirsenses

Just in case you didn’t already have enough good reasons to invest in some @collarandruff for your pups Xmas present ; the multi leads can actually double as an emergency slip lead! (Depending on your dogs head size obviously!). Just an extra backup for us if equipment fails us on the trails ! . . . Keep an eye on our posts for some new Collar and Ruff gear ;) Did we mention that we love C&R? . . . . #dogcollars #dogcollar #dogcollarsforsale #dogcollarshandmade #dogcollarswag #dogcollarsofinstagram #dogcollaraddict #doggear #doggearfreak #doggearforgood #doggearreview #doggearperfected #dogadventuregear #dogadventures #adventuredog #dogswhohike #dogswhotravel #dogswhorun #dogoftheday #dogstagram #dogsofinstagram #dogsatbunnings

When you visit other dogs ...... 😱 SOUND ON 🦻🏻... . . . . . . . #dog #dogs #funnydogs #funnydogvideos #tiktok #tiktoks #youbeenwherewithwhoforreal #perthdogs #perthdogsofinstagram #perthdog #perthdogslife #perthdogfriendly #perthdoglife #dogsofinstagram #dogoftheday #dogvideo #dogvideooftheday

Having fun today today K9 Nosework with @pats_perth ! Ellies loving it and doing well despite her Mumma needing to improve on some handling skills! 🙊 . . . #k9nosework #k9noseworktrainingsession #k9noseworktraining #k9noseworkaustralia #scentwork #scentworktraining #scentworkdog #scentworkfordogs #sniffing #giveyourdogajob #sundayenrichment #happydog #dog #dogsofinstagram #dogsofinsta #dogsofperth #perthdogs #perthdogsofinstagram #perthdogslife #perthdogfriendly #perthdoglovers #perthdogtraining

Throwback Thursday! Ellie & Bears first Rescue Dog Walk! This is one of the first times Ellie walked near other dogs and was a pretty amazing milestone in her reactive rehab training ! This was also the night she met @madamkiraandco and they started tolerating each other 😂 . . . . . #throwbackthursday #throwback #throwback #dogwalking #reactivedog #reactivedogsunite #reactivedogs #reactivedogsofinstagram #reactivedogtraining #reactivedogsaustralia #dogfriends #dogfriendship #dog #dogsofinstagram #dogstagram #doglife #doglovers #dogoftheday #dogsperth #dogsdownunder #dogsonadventures

She’s beauty, She’s grace , she’ll definitely eat your hoof. . . . . . #caninenrichment #canineenrichmentgames #canineenrichmentideas #dogenrichment #dogenrichmentactivities #cowhoof #dogtraining #dogmanners #bordercollie #dog #dogoftheday #dogstagram #dogsofinstagram #dogsofperth #dogsofinsta #dogsofinstaworld #dogsofaustralia