Mr Pooch Dog Training and Behaviour Sutherland Shire

02/08/2024

Friday fun 🐾🐾🐾🐾

05/07/2024

Can Hugo possibly be any cuter? 🥰🥰

I don't think so! Hugo is a beautiful Golden Retriever puppy who is very smart!

During our private puppy training session we noticed that Hugo was more motivated by play than by food and that is ok! While we do want to ensure that food is valuable to the dog and we need to adjust our training around feeding times or use their meals during training as rewards, we also want to get our puppies to love play.

Some dogs will be more play motivated than food motivated naturally and when we combine the physical exercise from play with the mental stimulation from training you get a great combination to fulfil your dog's needs!

What is your dog's biggest motivator and are you using that to improve your training?

If you like help with your dog's behaviour Mr Pooch would love to help!

25/06/2024

😂😂😂😂

21/06/2024

This is little Freddy! A smart 12 week old cavoodle pup who had a lot of energy to burn!

During our Puppy class we spoke a lot about the most important things we should focus on during the early stages of puppyhood!

One of the things that I find that is normally underestimated is the importance of playing with your puppy (and dogs in general).

Playing stimulates the brain, encourages physical activity and strengthens the bond between you and your pup!

It helps both dog and owner to learn to communicate better! As your pup gets older we should introduce the use of markers and rules during play which will help your dog to develop impulse control!

Get your dog to love play,then reward your dog by playing with him when out on a walk when he chooses to focus on you! By providing something your dog loves in a distracting environment you become more interesting than all the other distractions out there!

Our goal is to be the strongest motivator for our dogs in the presence of lesser motivators like other people, other dogs, birds and anything else in the environment.

Would you like help with your dog?

Mr Pooch would love to help 🐾🐾🐾🐾

12/06/2024

Do you have a personal stalker at home?

While we think this is really cute and our dog loves us so much that he needs to follows us to every room in the house this behaviour could be one of the signs of separation distress!

Dogs are pack animals and independence is not something that comes naturally to them!
It is something that we need to teach them! It's a skill that needs to be developed in order to have a confident dog!

It's something we should work on since they are little puppies! There are different techniques and tools that will help along the way.

By not giving the dog the option to follow you everywhere by managing your environment you are helping on building independence. Providing enough physical exercise and mental stimulation and fulfilling your dog's needs are also essential.

And last but not least be mindful of what type of behaviours you are reinforcing!

12/06/2024

09/06/2024

Little Max is learning that the deck of his house is not the right place to go toilet!

When toilet training puppies is important we don't get angry with them when they go toilet in the wrong place as this can make your puppy fear you and he will still go on the wrong spot only when you are not around!

Positive reinforcement is essential for the dog to make the association of where the desired location is!

Supervising your puppy and managing your environment are also essential so the puppy doesn't get to rehearse toileting in the wrong spot!

By giving your puppy lots of opportunities to do the right thing and being rewarded when that happens you will be on the right track to have no accidents inside the house!

Need help with your dog? Mr Pooch would love to help 🐾🐾🐾🐾

19/05/2024

Meet little Lenny! A 10 week old cavoodle who is as cute as a button!

His owners contacted Mr Pooch to help with puppy training in the comfort of their own home and we talked a lot about the most important things to focus on during the puppy phase!

Toilet training, crate training, supervision and management of the environment, safe exposure to world, socialisation, puppy biting and more!

One other thing we focused on was how to desensitise Lenny for vet and grooming visits, being touched in particular areas to administer medication is very important to make the experience less stressful for dogs!

When it comes to puppies being proactive will go a long way!

14/05/2024

This is beautiful Maru! The 5 month old Norwegian Elkhound started showing signs of food aggression ( resource guarding) and his owners contacted Mr Pooch to help!

It is so important to address very undesirable behaviours like food aggression as soon as possible so the dog does not have a long reinforcement history and does not get to rehearse the behaviour over and over again!

When it comes to dogs guarding resources it's important to use techniques that will change how the dog feels about that particular situation so we are addressing the underlying cause of the behaviour!

We also taught him the " Leave it " command which will help building impulse control and talked about strategies on how to help with excessive barking!

I can't wait to see his progress after his owner has the chance to do the homework!

Do you need help with your dog?

Get in touch for a chat!

03/05/2024

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For info on how to store pet food properly, Comment STORAGE and we’ll message you the link to The Forever Dog LIFE where in "Chapter 1 - Feeding Your Pet: the section titled 'Food Storage' we cover the best ways to store your pet food toppers, treats, meals, or supplements💊. Get your copy now and claim over $250 in digital FREEBIES valid till June 4th!

12/04/2024

It is National Dog bite prevention week and education is key when dealing with situations when dogs are likely to bite!

Did you know that bite rates are higher in children under 5 years old?
Supervision and management of the environment are essential when you have little children and dogs in the same household.

We must teach children how to behave around dogs, respect their personal space and learn about body language in order to prevent aggression!

14/03/2024

Do you have a new puppy?

Are you wondering how to channel all that puppy energy into something positive and reduce problematic behaviours like puppy biting, destructive behaviours, digging etc!!

Use part of your puppy daily food intake for training and mental stimulation providing them with enrichment activities such as kongs, snuffle mats, puzzle toys, and lots of DIY options!!

By giving your puppy a " job" your puppy is a lot less likely to get bored and find something to do himself which in most cases mean something we don't like them to do!!

Did you know that we offer Puppy training in the comfort of your own home?

If you need help with your puppy or older dog get in touch!! We would love to help you out 🐾🐾🐾🐾

07/03/2024

Who can relate to that ? 😂😂😂

05/03/2024

This is beautiful Billy and cute little Eddie!
Their owner contacted me to help with Billy's anxiety around other dogs and assist with strategies on how to make sure that Billy accepts Eddie well as he is a new addition to the family!
We are also teaching Billy to be calmer around visitors and how to greet them appropriately!

Do you have any issues with your dog you like to address?

Mr Pooch would love to help you out 🐾🐾🐾

01/03/2024

Are you a dog lover looking into making some extra money walking and minding dogs?

Mr Pooch is hiring and would love to hear from you!

- the position would suit someone who works or studies in the afternoons or evenings and is free in the mornings
- must have own transport
-must be comfortable with large breeds and reactive dogs
- training will be provided but experience with dogs is preferred

If that sounds like you please get in touch via email at [email protected]

27/02/2024

Who can relate to that? 😂😂😂

Would you like your dog stop going crazy at the doorbell?

We can help with that! 🐾🐾🐾

20/02/2024

Is your dog actually enjoying play time with other dogs?

Reading dog body language can be tricky sometimes but it is an essential part of dog ownership and that is very important when it comes to dogs playing together!

These are some of the things we should see when play is healthy and both dogs are having a good time!

- dogs are taking turns and switching roles, the one who is chasing becomes the one who is being chased and vice versa.
- dogs have quick breaks and then one invites the other to keep playing.
- dogs will mirror each other
- loose body movements and posture ( no tension)
- play bows, open mouths, bouncing, exaggerated growling noises and a repeated desire to return to play.

Matching play styles is also important as different dogs enjoy different types of play!

By ensuring your dog is really enjoying playing and interfering when necessary we can prevent the development of anxiousness, fear, and even agression!

17/01/2024

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09/01/2024

This is beautiful Cookie! Her owners contacted me to help them out with loose leash walking!

When teaching loose leash walk there are many things we need to take into consideration such as ;

- does your dog understand what we are asking them to do? Are you giving your dog clear directions?
- are you reinforcing the pulling behaviour by following them in the direction they are pulling? If so that behaviour is working for the dog so most likely they will keep doing it!
-is the environment too stimulating for your dog therefore he is not able to pay attention to you?
-is your dog anxious or fearful of certain things when out on a walk? Etc!!

When teaching any new behaviour to dogs we need to always start in a very low distraction environment and only when the dog have mastered the behaviour in that environment we move to more challenging ones!

Need help with your dog? I would love to help out! 🐾 🐾 🐾

24/12/2023

Merry Christmas everyone!

12/12/2023

This is beautiful Bobby after our training session today! I think it's fair to say he was pretty tired 😆😆! His owner contacted me to help her help Bobby overcome his fear of other dogs!
Understanding the dog's body language and stress signals is a huge step in the right direction to identify how the dog is feeling in particular situations!
Learning to advocate for your dog and using specific techniques and guidance will help Bobby feel safer around other dogs!

11/12/2023

Just a reminder to pet owners out there to avoid Rawhide chew toys for your dog this Christmas! These can cause serious risks to your dog's health and it is not worth the risk!

30/11/2023

Coincidence? The Universe is rarely so lazy.

Are you wanting to make the switch and ? There is a wealth of information out there, so many various wonderful groups like Raw & Holistic Cat & Dog Support Group & NO BULL Just Natural Health For Dogs for starters.

Your independent raw food pet shops are also an amazing source of information and advice, they will help help navigate everything and for every budget.

Click on the video section on this page and you will find many videos by me and various guests helping you to make the transition to raw and how feeding fresh can help your dog with a multitude of issues.

Make the switch to real, fresh, species appropriate food for your dog (and cat!) and watch them thrive!