Dog Savvy

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Dog Savvy

Dog Savvy
An exciting alternative to food based training. Our focus is on achieving a w Its great fun! I know I don't. For many dog owners the answer is 'no'.
(22)

I have had dogs all my life and have been involved in training them on and off for over 35 years. I have gone through all the fads of training from choke chains and reprimanding to positive food rewards and no reprimanding. I currently compete in obedience and Rally-O and I have also done agility with several of my dogs over the years. I am just starting to learn Dancing with Dogs, learning tricks

and trying to get a bit of rhythm. I found that my dogs would quickly respond to food in training but do you carry food around with you at home or out and about? There are some people you see who have a treat bag permanenty attached to their hip when out with their dog but I wonder if it is for the dog or the owner's insecurity; 'Will my dog behave if I don't have food?' or more importanty, 'Will my dog behave if it is distracted?'. How often do you hear an owner say, 'My dog is great at training but it doesn't listen to me anywhere else', 'He only behaves when I have food', 'He won't perform in the competition ring' or 'If there is a distraction he completely ignores me'. I wanted to find a method of training where I didn’t have to rely on food. I was also looking to find training that provided good manners no matter what. I wanted to be able to stop the barking, jumping on people, getting towed around the streets when going on walks, chasing the neighbour's cat, harassing guests at the BBQ and even worst nipping and biting. Sound familiar? The final incentive to become a trainer was because I could not find any training method that could help me with one of my dogs Shar (a six year old Kelpie cross) who has terribe fear and anxiety problems. Although she responds to food (in fact she hoovers it) it has no effect at all when she goes into her 'fear drive'. I could wave a piece of fillet steak in front of her and she would ignore me. Traditional methods of training and canine behaviourists were unable to give me any solutions. I was told by one veterinarian behavioural expert that she was one of the worst examples of a dog with fear and anxiety problems and that I should consider having her put down. If I wanted to persist he recommended Prozac. I certainy had no intention of putting Shar down and I didn't want to have her living a drug-induced life and went looking for alternatives. I attended the trainers course at Alpha Canine Group in Melbourne in July 2012. I took Shar and my other dog Beau (a rescue dog from Shenton Park Dog's Home) who both underwent the training with me. The aim of the training is to teach owners to communicate with the dogs. The dogs learn to learn and in doing so gain confidence and trust their owners. Using the communication established in obedience training, owners are then abe to progress to teaching their dogs good manners and if necessary, address behavioural problems. This method of training has enabled me to better communicate with my dogs and become the leader. My dogs look to me for guidance and they quickly settle. I achieve this control by using my voice (which is all you have when your dog is off lead). On returning to Perth Shar's improvement was very noticeable and continues to improve. She is my 'work in progress'. She now responds to the training even when in her fear drive. Beau is now my demonstration dog, who I use at training to show how to carry out commands and also prove the training works. I am very excited about sharing my knowledge with dog owners who, like me, have been searching for the alternative to food based training when dealing with all types of problems that can arise when owning a dog. The think I love best about this type of training is the trust and confidence your dog gains. I never thought in my wildest dreams that I could sit outside a cafe with both Shar and Beau in a relaxed drop, no matter what the distraction, and spend an hour or so having coffee or lunch with friends. Even Shar, with the occasional reassuring 'good girl' relaxes beside me. Here's to gaining confident, well mannered companions!

03/12/2024

Done both.

The former beats the hell out of the latter — for both species. ❤️

02/12/2024

23/11/2024

LAST TRAINING DAY FOR 2024

Today is our last training day for 2024. Training times will be as usual but we are combining fun obstacle courses into the training. Hope to see you are there.

A reminder that next week is our Christmas walk and sausage sizzle at Whiteman Park. If you dont have the details I will be posting them tonight. All past and current members are welcome to attend. We just need to know if you are coming so we can cater for the sausage sizzle.

21/11/2024

24/10/2024

Okay, so this is a word that gets an awful lot of play in the training world, and it’s definition has come to mean an awful lot of things. Many of which, are incredibly counter-productive, if not downright dangerous.

So let’s see if we can’t clarify a few things.

Socialization isn’t:
-About letting your dog freely interact with dogs at the dog park, day care, or with friends dogs.
-About allowing your dog to meet other dogs on-leash.
-About allowing all manner of people, in all manner of mental/emotional states interact/pet/pressure your dog.
-About exposing your dog to the sights and sounds of cars, buses, motorcycles, bikes, skateboards, joggers...and allowing them to freak out, panic, aggress, hide, bark etc.
-About exposing your dog to the sights and sounds of dogs, cats, and other animals, and allowing them to freak out, aggress, lunge, bark, growl etc.

Socialization is:
-About teaching your dog the proper responses to dogs. What is and isn’t appropriate behavior, and correcting the unwanted when it appears.
-About teaching your dog to walk by the barking, lunging dog(s) on walks and ignore them, completely. Correcting if necessary to achieve this result.
-About advocating for your dog and ensuring people aren’t allowed to pressure your dog, by touching, crouching down, attempting “kisses” etc. That means being a big boy or girl, and stopping others from engaging in unwanted, uninvited interactions.
-About exposing your dog to all manner of daily life “things” and ensuring a proper response. If aggression/arousal is present, it’s corrected, if fear/arousal is present (and causes an overreaction/fleeing etc.) it’s corrected. Ask your dog to learn to ignore and not care about these “life” distractions/concerns/temptations. Teach them to listen to the training, not the world around them.
-About teaching your dog to leave other creatures alone. The cat, the bird, the cow, the goat, the other dog, is simply none of their business. If they decide those things are their business, it’s your job to correct and clarify what is and isn’t their business for them.

Socialization has become a ridiculously simplified, dumbed down, all-encompassing idea. Free interaction and exposure have been presented as a panacea, the magic gateway to a balanced dog. That’s a whole lot of B.S. you’ve been sold, by a lot of people full of B.S. 🙂

Socialization is all about teaching your dog how to behave and exist in the world...properly. People have a belief that only interactions create a well socialized dog. They don’t understand that existence is almost always preferable, and more valuable than actual interaction. Yes exposure is critical, but exposure without 100% clear guidance, and corrections for poor choices, isn’t socialization, it’s chaos, and it’s not teaching your dog what’s right, what’s wrong, and that you’ll keep them safe, so they don’t have to.

A well socialized dog isn’t fazed by the world around them. And that doesn’t come from simple exposure and interactions without guidance. Ironically, that’s precisely how you create anti-social dogs.

Think on that for a minute.

19/10/2024

BASSENDEAN 10 AM CLASS REMINDER:

Can everyone in the 10am class bring a mat with them big enough for their dog to lie on. You will be learning 'on the mat'. This is a great exercise to master especially with the holidays and Christmas just around the corner.

Anyone from the 9am class who hasnt done 'on the mat' or would like to revisit it can stay on and join in the exercise.

09/10/2024

RECALL AND GOOD MANNER WORKSHOPS FOR 2024

These workshops are exclusively available to all past and current members who have done either classes or private lessons with Kaz at Good Dog Behavioural Training (0410 460 083) or June at Dog Savvy (0407 472 994).

There are a variety of dates available and we will run either a recall or good manners workshop on the days depending on demand. If you are interested in attending please contact us and let us know which date/s you are wanting and which workshop you are looking to do.

We only take a maximum of four dogs per workshop. The workshops are held at my home in Greenmount so we can do real life training especially with good manners in the home. There is a large fully enclosed back yard for recalls. See the attached brochure for further details.

09/10/2024

A couple of weeks ago we went up to Toodyay to have a walk and see the wildflowers which was lovely although a bit hilly for an 'easy' walk. Afterwards we went into the main street for some lunch at a cafe. It was a very busy day with lots of people and dogs going by and cars, trucks etc on the road next to us. The dogs did so well. It was Trevor's first visit to a cafe and he aced it.

Im always amazed when people see us with four dogs they are amazed we can handle them. Most common comment 'You've certainly got your hands full!. I just raise my hands and say 'hands free' and continue eating our lunch.

A visit to a cafe with your dogs shouldnt be a stressful time. It is relatively simple to train your dogs to be calm and self-controlled. They lie in a drop watching the world go by or asleep. We dont have outbursts, our dogs arent trying to get to people and dogs passing by. Its always a pleasure to have calm, well mannered dogs out and about.

28/09/2024

REMINDER: IMPORTANT TIME CHANGE FOR BASSENDEAN CLASSES:
As from TODAY, SUNDAY, 29 SEPTEMBER all classes will move to our summer training times as the weather begins to heat up.

9.30 classes will move to 9.00
10.30 classes will move to 10.00

28/09/2024

25/09/2024

FREE INFORMATION / BEGINNERS CLASS STARTS THIS SUNDAY, 29 SEPTEMBER AT 10AM AT BASSENDEAN

Santa's little Elvies are gearing up for Christmas which is just around the corner. If you are wanting to gain control of your out of control puppy, have some peace and calm over the holidays now is the time to get training. Dogs dont magically start behaving as they get older, in fact it can get worse. Dog training is an ongoing process not a quick fix. Would you send your child out into the world to fend for himself when he finished kindergarten?

We can help you with obedience - sit, drop, stay, loose lead walking and recall. However, this is just the beginning. Most people are wanting good manners from their dog. Something the dog should do on its own not the owner having to constantly remind and correct the dog to get what they want. We deal with barking, jumping, mouthing, on the mat, coffee table etiquette and boundaries such as doors, kitchen, bedrooms, couch, gates, car and others. Wouldnt it be nice not to have to maintain these but your dog do it on their own - eventually even when you arent there.

If you are interested in achieving these exercises we have our next free information / beginners class on THIS SUNDAY, 29 SEPTEMBER AT 10.00 in Bassendean. We train at Anzac Reserve, Cnr Anzac Terrace and Ivanhoe Street, Bassendean.

We do have some vacancies for this class so if you are interested in attending please phone June (Dog Savvy) 0407 472 994 or Kaz (Good Dog Training) 0410 460 083.

25/09/2024

IMPORTANT TIME CHANGE FOR BASSENDEAN CLASSES:

As from THIS SUNDAY, 29 SEPTEMBER all classes will move to our summer training times as the weather begins to heat up.

9.30 classes will move to 9.00
10.30 classes will move to 10.00

22/09/2024

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ANYONE WAITING FOR AN EMAIL FROM DOG SAVVY - WE HAVE BEEN HACKED

Unfortunately my computer has been out of commission (hacked) and is away at the hospital getting fixed. I can receive emails but cant send them. Some of you who have contacted me will receive an email from Kaz with details of the free information / beginners class next Sunday 29 September at 10am.

If you havent heard from anyone or you would like some information please phone June at Dog Savvy 0407 472 994 or Kaz at Good Dog Training 0410 460 083. As a last resort just turn at on Sunday at 9.50 am so we can get you to complete an enrolment form prior to the class starting, we do have some vacancies. We train at Anzac Reserve, Cnr Anzac Terrace and Ivanhoe Street, Bassendean.

Apologies for the inconvenience. We are not ignoring you we just cant reply to your emails at the moment.

19/09/2024

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL PAST AND PRESENT MEMBERS:
WALK AT WHITEMAN PARK THIS SUNDAY AT 9AM

This Sunday, 22 September is a long weekend and therefore no training in Bassendean. We will be doing a walk at Whiteman Park with coffee/breakfast at the cafe afterwards.

We will meet at the usual place. Current members should have received a message from Kaz with details. We will meet next to Carpark 7 on the grass area opposite the cafe. The walk is at 9am. If you wish to attend just make sure you are there by 8.50. Walk will go for approximately 30 minutes. We will try and set up at the cafe but if it is too busy we will set out on the grass so please bring a chair and water for your dog.

Hope to see everyone there. Apologies for late notice but my computer was hacked and Ive just got it back.

Address

Greenmount
Perth, WA
6063

Telephone

+61407472994

Website

http://www.dogsavvy.com.au/

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