Harmonious Hounds

21/01/2025

I’m sharing another post about the misconception around puppy socialisation.

I also like to use the word exposure.

20/01/2025

Training for open RATG.

20/01/2025

I cannot agree with this more. Incorrect socialisation overwhelms puppies and can backfire.

Allow your puppy, or your older dog, to simply observe in a calm way. Teach them to engage with you in different environments rather than allowing them to think that other dogs and people are of more value than you.

This really is our "fault" as a society.❗
We seem to promote play instead of acclimation.
Socialisation is a very warped term.
"Socialisation" really isn't play, play is a separate and important skill BUT if your dog or puppy is actively encouraged to play with every other dog or puppy they encounter...that in itself can be the beginning of a lifetime of reactivity.
I have been criticised for promoting "too much" calmness around other dogs and puppies...."Why can't they show emotions", "Why can't they play"?
Never said they couldn't....however, because of the societal pressure to play with all other dogs and puppies (wherever we take them) we can VERY easily set our dogs up to view all dogs and puppies as a source of constant amusement at the mere glimpse of one, a reason to go to the very extremes of emotions.
They may "dig in" and drag you closer.
The barking, shrieking and spinning can start....for two reasons, the emotional extremes dogs now have attached to other dogs and the frustration because they can't reach that other dog quick enough.

So maybe the term "socialisation" is the issue, because for us it means "socialising".
Acclimation is a far better term.
Yes this dog trainer handout is available https://www.abcdogsnz.com/product-page/abc-dogs-nz-socialisation-a-misunderstood-concept?srsltid=AfmBOoqgDG7Dz4PA1Dux7WQJJTop1g9IMIB8KhAnvFL0fKik2CShlc65

16/01/2025

Yes to this👇🏻

For all those owners who allow their dogs to meet people and other dogs when they’re out and about and don’t know why their dogs go bananas when they see a person or dog, I hope this helps.

Dogs are amazing pattern readers, and easily become conditioned that something occurring predicts another thing occurring if it happens often enough. It’s why picking up your car keys, or walking towards the cupboard where their food is, or picking up their leash, or packing your suitcase, or answering the door after the doorbell goes off — causes an intense reaction.

It could be excitement, it could be anxiety, it could be sadness, it could be anything depending on what the “signal” predicts, and how your dog feels about it.

Same goes for your dog who is allowed to meet random people and dogs — and who takes great pleasure in it. If this sequence occurs often enough, it will begin to condition your dog to view people as a visual signal that predicts a party/arousal/intense emotional escalation.

You end up turning people and dogs into “doorbells”.

This is why you’ll hear almost all experienced trainers not engaging in this activity. (Of course there’s other considerations like creating negative outcomes from these interactions, but that’s a post for another day.) Most trainers, and astute owners are keenly aware that if this meet and greet activity is practiced enough, you’re going to have a dog who is struggling to hold it together when they see people and dogs — because you’ve conditioned your dog that the appearance of people or dogs predicts craziness.

Of course there are exceptions. (There are always exceptions.) There are chilled out, lowkey dogs who enjoy these interactions but who don’t lose it. And there are owners who only do this on rare occasions — and so the reactions are far less intense. But if you do this on the regular, and you have a dog who loses its sh*t when it occurs, you’re almost certainly setting you and your dog up for a lifetime of overly-aroused, reactive nuttiness when people and dogs come into the picture.

And if you don’t enjoy the behavior this creates in your dog, then I’d highly advise you change your approach, or at the very least, minimize it greatly. A doorbell that only predicts someone at the door 5-10% of the time is a far less insanity-inducing doorbell, so perhaps you can adjust your dog’s predictive powers by making things far less predictable. :)

15/01/2025

I have a new “Skills for Life” class beginning on Sunday 2nd February. These are small classes, maximum of 6 dogs, and dogs must be over 6 months of age.

Classes are held at orchard hills vet Hospital and bookings are essential.

If you would like some help with general training, leash manners, recall training and how to have fun and build a better bond between you and your dog, or just helping your dog to focus on you in a distracting but controlled environment, please feel free to contact me for more information at -

[email protected]

04/01/2025

Is your dog training you?

It is worth thinking about how we might be reinforcing those challenging behaviours and how we can change what we reinforce.

24/12/2024

Merry Christmas everyone and thank you to my clients who signed up and attended my classes this year, as well as to those who have had some one on one help with their furry friends.
I hope 2025 is filled with good things for you and your families.

23/12/2024

Only for looking at Caddie😍

19/12/2024

14/12/2024

This is a long read but the information is so important when we are approaching the time of year when homes can become hectic.

10/12/2024

We did the Lapstone Hill Tunnel walk on Sunday. At 660m long it is quite impressive. Originally built for the railway in 1891, a new rail line was subsequently and the tunnel was used for the storage of mustard gas during World War II, then used as a mushroom farm. Hopefully it will be open to the public permanently when restoration is completed.

25/11/2024

Joey has had his summer haircut. I have 3 shorthairs again. I can hardly tell them apart now. 🤭

24/11/2024

Congratulations to 2 of my students for completing “Skills for Life” classes today. Mannie and Bunji both achieved fabulous goals with leash manners, recalls, station training as well as having some fun with engagement games, targeting and improving connection. Well done.

30/10/2024

Joey is learning to station with 2 paws up. I had 3 sessions with him today and this is what we got. He does have a good understanding of place training and we have had some fun with paws on things so the concept is not new to him.

We begin rewarding the position with low value food rewards, and rewarding the release with a high value food reward.

We quickly transition to making the release more exciting and fading out rewards in position.

This is all in a quiet environment. As we progress to more difficult situations, such as when visitors arrive, we will increase rewards for being in position again.

This station is not meant to be a relaxed behaviour like I expect with place training on a mat or bed, so I actually want the anticipation of the reward for release to be exciting.

Teaching Joey a station behaviour with front paws up. Beginning by rewarding the station behaviour with low value treats, and rewarding the release, or break...

27/10/2024

Huge congratulations to Albert, Marlow and Belle for completing Harmonious Hounds “Skills for Life” course today. These 3 dogs and their humans did so well. Loose lead walking is well on the way, as are stays and RECALLS…. Wow!! They all blew me away with their recalls. Good work everyone. Wish I had videoed those recalls. What an absolute pleasure to have you all in my class. 🐾🐾🐾

24/10/2024

Yes I agree with this. Keep your best mate safe. It’s you that your dog needs a good relationship with, they don’t need to play with a whole lot of unknown dogs at a dog park to be social. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard or read “we used to go to the dog park until…..”.

13/10/2024

These 3 beautiful dogs are in my current Skills for Life class. They are such a pleasure to have in class and their humans are so keen to give them the best life.

12/10/2024

These two were on fire last night at the United Retrieval agility trial. Joey 1st place and Q in Novice Agility, Georgie 2nd place and Q in Open Agility and 2nd place but over time in Masters Jumping. Seven runs altogether and all were such fun to run. Good dogs🐾😇