The Dog Behavioural Trainer

20/02/2024

So we have 89% yes!!! Amazing!! The Q & A will be in March 11th at 5pm. For those who want to join please send me a DM as we only have limited spaces.

08/12/2023

Tomorrow is going to be extremely hot, much hotter than today and it was a scorcher.

Most dogs struggle in anything above. 25-27C, Brachycephlic dogs (Pugs,Frenchies, Bulldogs,Bostons,Boxers) around 24C.

Getting out very early tomorrow and doing a sniff walk for a short duration is the safest thing to do for you dog.

Access to water and a cool floor to lay in through your the day will keep your pups cool, not to mention you too.
Keep cool everyone.

03/10/2023

I can’t believe you have been 6 months today. It feels like yesterday. The whole in my heart is still empty and aching.
I still hear you wooing at me at 6pm for your dinner. The thump of your tail on the couch as I walk down the hallway, the head shake in the mornings when you got off the couch then bashed your way into my room for snuggles. I miss you terribly Archie Bear.

18/09/2023

Only a couple of spots left in my reactive class starting next week.
6 week course that has no more than 4 dogs per class in an enclosed space. All dogs behind barriers and exposures and learning is done in a controlled way. Weekly Zoom check ins and daily check ins with me. There is no other class like this. DM me for details.

02/09/2023

We’re so excited to announce that the C.A.R.E. approach of will be the discussion piece with Andrew Hale on September 14th (UK Time)

Andrew’s work and approach is something that we have looked to and used in our own practices over the years.

His platform and community on Facebook “Dog Centred Care : The Emotional Experience of Dogs and their Caregivers” is a fantastic resource, with a seemingly never ending supply of educational content and supportive community.

We’re feeling very grateful and excited for this opportunity to share the C.A.R.E. approach and how it can help improve the lives of dogs and their people.

There’s a link in our bio to find out more about how to tune in live or watch it back afterwards.

28/08/2023

New Reactive Class starting September 16th. Book now!!

Do you walk late at night trying to avoid other dogs? Then this class is for you.
Class consists of only 4 dogs so book now.

09/08/2023

Having a dog that struggles with other dogs is hard and sometimes you just don’t know what to do to help them. Sometimes people here things like “you just need to socialise them, take them to the dog park”… If only it was that easy.

The first thing is understanding the “why” the behaviour is happening, understanding the emotional needs of your dog and putting them in situations where they can feel safe and comfortable enough to take the time to learn new associations.

If you are struggling with your reactive dog give us a call. We have another round of reactive classes starting in a few weeks, so sign up now.

28/06/2023

Today we talked reactivity being reactivity week.

We talked about where reactive behaviour comes from. It’s not as simple as it’s just “fear”.

As Caregiver’s it is our job to really understand who we have in front of us and why they are struggling in our world.

We also talked about the human side and how difficult it is being a Caregiver with a dog that struggles with things in life.

Understanding these struggles and advocating for both ends of the lead is our job as humans.

We have all reacted to things in our lives, sometimes we know why, sometimes we may be judged, sometimes someone will be there to hold our hand, sometimes we learn to understand the why we reacted.

These are the advantages we have as humans.

Our dogs only have us, it is up to us to be there for our dogs, to advocate for them, to take the time to understand and hold their paw through the journey for them to be happier and comfortable and confident in our human world.

14/05/2023

Happy Mothers day to all the mothers human and fur. I hope everyone has taken time to hug their mums and spend time with fur family.

Today I think of the good times I spent with my mum and my Archie Bear. Remembering them as I loved them.

21/03/2023

We’ve been very fortunate in our recent walks around the area where folks will leash their dog up when they see us walking on leash, or at the very least, ask whether we’d like them to leash their dog.

Even though Dave isn’t reactive to other dogs anymore, we still really appreciate it because Dave doesn’t always want to interact with other dogs, and he does get worried when other dogs are too bouncy and try to play with him.

Here is a big THANK YOU to everyone who’s already doing this!

There are a number of ways we may signal to other people that we do not wish for our dogs to interact with them or their dogs like being on leash, wearing a muzzle, actively training, and actively keeping a distance from others.

Today, 20 March, is Dogs in Yellow Day, where we can bring more awareness and attention to dogs that need their space when on walks. Having our dogs wear yellow can be another way we signal that our dogs need space.

I very much appreciate that we have these signals we can use especially for those of us who do fear for our physical safety vocally advocating for our dogs.

If more people could be aware of these signals and help out by leashing up and keeping a distance, that can really help and go a long way. Dogs that display reactive and fearful behaviours and their humans will very much thank you for this simple move!

Keep being considerate and compassionate towards other dogs and dog guardians that are on their own learning journey and support them by giving space and leashing up! You can make a world of difference to a worried dog and human just wanting to enjoy a nice walk. 💛


ID: The large text on the top says “Thank you for leashing up and giving space to dogs that:” Under this are bullet points that say “Wear yellow, are on leash, wear a muzzle, are busy training, are keeping a distance”. Next to the bullet points is a cropped picture of a yellow Labrador looking dog wearing a yellow bandana.

20/03/2023

When we interact with any dog it is important that we see them as an individual. Yes they will have genetic traits from their specific breed, or breeds if they are a mix, but they are an individual and how their brain works is individual to them, their genetics, their life experiences e.t.c.

This is obviously also true for dogs that may be anxious or sensitive to certain things, environments or in general. So much so that they have done studies and found the brain of a dog that suffers from fear or anxiety is different to the brain of a dog that may not. This is also true with humans.

https://theconversation.com/anxious-dogs-have-different-brains-to-normal-dogs-brain-scan-study-reveals-201775?fbclid=IwAR09xtnHNftaegeFLvVM69_YX3saRGxDS2xMzCx9MB6zfU-2xAeS097H-4U

If your dog is struggling with anxiety, their brain could be wired differently. Understanding these differences can help our furry best friends.

09/03/2023

I wanted to say thank you to everyone who has reached out after Archies sudden passing.

The beautiful messages, flowers, donations to rescues in his name. I am so so deeply grateful to you all.
It reminded me of how many people and dogs he touched and helped, he was, and always will be my special Archie Bear.

Thank you to my clients for being understanding while I grieve this week, I will be back to work next week.

Hug your dogs and tell them that you love them. We are so privileged to have them in our lives, sometimes not for long enough. They give us their love and trust and so much more than we expect. Appreciate them.

Archie you will always be with me and what you have taught me I will continue to use to help other dogs in honour of you.

I love you my ginger ninja. "Wooooo" loud and proud big guy.

07/03/2023

24/02/2023

ATTENTION ALL DOG OWNERS IN THE EAST!!

Dog baiting is happening again, this time reported in Randwick.

IF YOU HAVE A DOG THAT LOOKS AND FINDS FOOD WHEN OUT ON A WALK DO NOT LET THEM OFF LEAD!

DOG BAITING NOTICE - update
A pet owner I know living in Randwick around Bradley Street, Botany Street and Writtle Park, is currently witnessing their beloved 5 year old family dog suffer a very slow and painful death due to suspected antifreeze poisoning. It is expected this beloved family pet will likely pass or will be euthanised in the next 12 hours due to kidney failure. This is devastating to the affected family and has cost in excess of $10,000 to try and save their beloved family member’s life.
“The kids and I saw him yesterday and he was pretty sick. He looked at us like he knows he is dying and then he stood in the corner of the room looking at the wall so we couldn’t see his face.” [Pet owner]
Rolled up pieces of bread have been found dropped over the front of their high brick fence in what appears to be a deliberate baiting act.
If you suspect your animal being poisoned from antifreeze, please take your pet to an emergency vet. Early treatment might prevent a slow and painful demise, as well as permanent damage.
Please be cautious and observant of any food in and around this area that could be eaten by dogs. Also be mindful of children who come into contact with anything suspicious, as this is lethal to children. Please also check your front yard and fence line areas for anything dropped over a fence.
If anyone has any CCTV cameras in the area, it would be greatly appreciated if you can reach out directly. If any person has been acting suspiciously, please report this to police.

31/10/2022

I LOVE this. This is something that we should not just apply to ourselves, but also to our dogs and their learning and when we teach them.

12/10/2022

Have an adolescent dog, or a puppy heading for adolescence? Do yourself a favour and read this.

My puppy’s a teenage dirtbag, baby!

He doesn’t listen to my recall, lately!

Cause he’s just a teenage dirtbag, baby!

Yeah! What do I dooOOOoooo?!!??!?

Right, now that I’ve got that out my system, let’s talk about adolescent dogs. As you can see, Rack Pack dog Max has left puppyhood behind and entered into the dreaded teenage phase. Yes, even I, a dog trainer, can’t escape this part of doggy development. It is a trial by fire with trials ranging from:

✔️dogs forgetting what their name is
✔️ suddenly developing an interest in everything other than their owner
✔️ Seemingly discovering what their ancestors were bred to do and practicing it. A lot.
✔️ Testing every boundary you have put into place
✔️ Apparently losing everything you’ve ever taught them in some mental black hole.

The list goes on. I can feel you nodding along emphatically. I’m willing to bet you called your teenage dog a di****ad already at least once today. I won’t even get started on the Kevin & Perry-esque tantrums that can occur when an adolescent dog gets frustrated. Jesus.

Now, I hear you think with mounting horror… ‘What’s the reason for it? How do I stop it?’

The answer: gin and an exorcist.

Ok, I’m joking about the exorcist but you will likely need the gin, preferably a bottle.

Let’s talk about the whys.

Canine adolescence and canine puberty are two distinct things. Adolescence, while varying across breeds, tends to expand from 1 to 2 years of age. Puberty, on the other hand can start from 6-9months of age in males and 6-16months of age in females. It’s important to remember that these are all natural parts of a dog’s development into maturity. The adolescent phase is very much a ‘coming of age’ where young dogs naturally start to peel away from their family. This increasing need for independence goes a long way to explaining why your puppy is starting to seek more in their environment.

During adolescence there are a lot of changes going on in your dog’s body. Their brains are going through developmental changes, some parts maturing faster than others, leaving these young canines sensitive to punishment, easily frustrated and unable to fully process the emotions they feel. Top that with the raging s*x hormones of puberty, you have a melting pot of teenage woe. I think we all had a goth phase at some point. Better hide the eye liner from your teenage dog!

So, what can we do?

⭐️ Firstly, you can’t stop this. Not even neutering will stop this and can in fact cause more trouble for your dog. This is a natural process that mammals go through, and as personal survivors of our own adolescence, I think we can offer some understanding about it.

⭐️ Have some empathy and patience, which I know is asking a lot, but try to remember being in their place.

⭐️ Ensure you have a solid bond in your dog’s puppyhood and work to maintain that relationship during adolescence. Offer comfort and reassurance, be a safe space and train your dog with clear boundaries positivity.

⭐️ Manage them during times of training back slides. It can seem counter intuitive to take the foot off the accelerator when training a young dog, but during the teenage phase, doing exactly that will help prevent too much frustration or reinforcing behaviours you don’t like. This can mean going back to using a long line, for example.

⭐️ Take days off and select some quieter walks for your dog to have a chance to decompress and not become over stimulated. Some days your dog might just be randomly fearful or finding it hard to regulate their emotions. Going to quieter places, or a quiet day at home will prevent bad experiences for you both.

So, with this knowledge in hand, you have my understanding and sympathy when your teenaged dog acts up. It’s ok to get annoyed or loose your cool, it’s a frustrating time for everyone, but hopefully this post will have given you some clarity as to the why it is happening. It isn’t just you, and your dog isn’t doing it to spite or dominate.

Now, may the odds ever be in your favour… and don’t forget about the gin!

02/07/2022

Meet Charlie, on the left, and Ralph, on the right. I met them via a Zoom consult last year when Ralph first arrived.

This picture would not have been possible 2 months ago. Charlie struggles with generalised anxiety and was finding it hard to cope with the new arrival of Ralph

It has taken time, some help with a Vet Behaviourist and dedication for these two to be in each others space without conflict.

This week there was a break through and they started to play!!!! This is HUGE for Charlie. Being comfortable enough and to feel safe enough to engage in play.

There is still work to do as Ralph is still learning to read her signals to stop the play, but it is a huge leap forward.

The dedication of her caregiver is what has facilited this, it demostrates why it is so important to understand that change does not happen with 1 session with a trainer.

So proud of them all.

16/06/2022

This is such a simple but also very meaningful statement that can be used in reference to dogs.

The environment plays a much a bigger part in how dogs behave than people realise. Environments are FULL of cues for our dogs that elicit the behaviours we see.

So when you observe your dog behave in a way that is unusual, don't focus on the behaviour, look around you, what is the environment saying to your dog that your dog is replying to.

👇