Behaviour Antics

25/07/2024

Little Suzie is a cracker of a dog who is very switched on! Unfortunately this also means she is super on the ball with using her behaviour to get what she wants by barking and jumping up which has worked well for her so far. She’s done very well to communicate what she wants, especially because she has quite a big furry family to be heard over! We focused on setting Suzie up for success by rewarding behaviour we want and thinking about ways we can use management to help Suzie not practice the less desirable barking and jumping.

It’s up to us to help our dogs learn what behaviours are preferable in certain situations as otherwise dogs just do dog stuff that works for them which don’t necessarily gel with our human socially accepted constructs.

17/07/2024

👏👏👏 Nice little news story on dog body language.

15/07/2024

Last week we spent quite some time watching a livestream of many fabulous dogs and handlers competing at the 2024 Agility Nationals in NSW! So much incredible training and fun in one place. To keep on theme, I thought I would share a video of highlights from an agility workshop we attended with our baby dog last month (Seidr 18 months old) with amazing OneMind Dogs trainer Lynn Madden. We are still building these skills (and confidence) together and hope to compete together one day. Our priority is to always have fun! *
Have you tried any dog sports with your dog? Is it something you would be interested in trying but not sure where to start?

* It was a lot of running and we both were very tired afterwards!

04/07/2024

We recently met with Willow and her family to work on some “stranger danger” challenges she has been having. Willow has big feelings when it comes to strangers while out on the walk as well as anyone entering the home, so much so they avoid having visitors all together because it's easier.

By taking a gentle approach, Willow and I became fast friends in a neutral area before successfully entering her home without issue. We were able to work on some strategies to help her overcome those big feelings she has when it comes to strangers as well as working on some “doorbell desensitisation”. Isn’t she sweet!

04/07/2024

🟢✅Referrals and Existing Clients✅🟢
After some extensive medical leave (who knew foot surgery and double jaw surgery within 2 months was a lot to recover from) we are excited to begin helping you in person with your dogs again. As we slowly return, consultations will be open only to those referred via a professional (such as your vet) or existing clients. Even here, due to coming into winter, sessions are very limited so get in quick!

Sessions via Zoom allow more flexibility as they can be done in the evenings so this could be a great option for you as we come into the darker days of winter. We have consulted successfully over zoom in the past, including Zoo staff who obviously cannot travel to us.

Online support is always available for existing clients so please continue to reach out if you need.

If I don't have availability, please check the Pet Professional Guild Australia or Association of Pet Dog Trainers website for recommended trainers.

https://www.ppgaustralia.net.au/Member-Search
https://www.apdt.org.au/trainer-directory

If you can’t find anyone suitable above, please reach out for a more tailored recommendation

26/06/2024

LAST chance to try Lyka Pet Food for 50% off! Discount ends 30th June. Happy to answer any questions you might have about it. We really like having it on rotation for our dogs.

https://lyka.com.au/join/BEHAVIOURANTICS

Have you thought about trying Lyka? Now is the time with this 50% off your first box offer! We love having Lyka Pet Food on rotation for our dogs and while it's definitely expensive, it really is good so this is the perfect time to try it, even just for some once off variety! Our dogs love the Fish and Turkey ones the most.

Use my code to get 50% off your first box. Be quick — this offer is for a limited time only!

From energy boosts to shiny coats and better breath, there are more benefits to be found in every Lyka bowl licked clean. Lyka is...
✅ Australian made
✅ Real food ingredients
✅ Custom-portioned meals
✅ Formulated by board-certified veterinary nutritionists
✅ Delivered to your door

This offer is valid until 30/6/24

Link here as well as in my bio:
https://lyka.com.au/join/BEHAVIOURANTICS .

03/06/2024

Have you heard of the term "Alpha" in dog training? Do you know where it came from? Watch this video!

"𝑨 𝒅𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒅𝒐𝒈 𝒊𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒓 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒅"
⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️

The Alpha Dog Theory has been categorically disproven several times and this video covers where this idea comes from. The video explains why early wolf research suggested that wolves organised themselves into packs with an alpha male and female fighting for dominance and for the pack leader position. Dr. David Mech published and book that was instrumental in creating this view, but he has since corrected his early observations about wolves and explained that they live in families instead. The original alpha wolf theory was inaccurately extrapolated to dogs and this generated lots of incorrect misconceptions. More importantly, how wolves and dogs see their social life matters very little to good, effective and humane behaviour modification procedures. Come with us on this journey into the story of the alpha dog theory and why it is wrong.

https://youtu.be/FhaDNAtrUik

30/05/2024

Have you thought about trying Lyka? Now is the time with this 50% off your first box offer! We love having Lyka Pet Food on rotation for our dogs and while it's definitely expensive, it really is good so this is the perfect time to try it, even just for some once off variety! Our dogs love the Fish and Turkey ones the most.

Use my code to get 50% off your first box. Be quick — this offer is for a limited time only!

From energy boosts to shiny coats and better breath, there are more benefits to be found in every Lyka bowl licked clean. Lyka is...
✅ Australian made
✅ Real food ingredients
✅ Custom-portioned meals
✅ Formulated by board-certified veterinary nutritionists
✅ Delivered to your door

This offer is valid until 30/6/24

Link here as well as in my bio:
https://lyka.com.au/join/BEHAVIOURANTICS .

29/05/2024

Celebrating 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐘𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐒 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 and helping improve that human animal bond with kind, modern and empathetic rewards based training!

I'm so grateful and appreciative to each and every one of you. From those who have used my services to those who have simply liked, commented on or shared one of my posts, your support means so much to me.

Small businesses (and their humans) rely on even the smallest of actions to be able to continue what they do….. so Thank You and here's to more Behaviour Antics!

~Teisha ❤️

28/05/2024

𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐠! 🐕

While we haven’t been able to do much training with client’s lately, we’ve still certainly been busy! Here’s some backyard agility training we’ve been working on with our youngest resident fluffertron Seidr (16 months old). She’s doing great at home but getting this kind of focus and engagement off property with a dog this age can be challenging and is always a work in progress.

Most important is that I guide and show her and make it fun, even if she doesn't get it right! (We are both still learning this sports thing). Withholding rewards when they don't get it right can very quickly shut down a dog and damage their confidence. We do make sure to have an extra reward jackpot when we do get it right!

This is an overly complex manoeuvre that we might not need in agility comps for a long time but we decided to play with the challenge of teaching it ;)



Music: Gingerbread Happy Time
Musician: EnjoyMusic
URL: https://enjoymusic.ai

23/05/2024

Check out this upcoming webinar to really up your game when it comes to low stress grooming for your pet!

𝐋𝐨𝐰-𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐃𝐨𝐠 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞

Presented by: The Funky Foxhound
When: Thursday, May 30, 2024
Time: 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM AEDT
Location: Live Online Webinar
Cost: free for members, $20 for non-members

MAY WEBINAR - join us on May 30th for this great webinar on all things Dog Grooming. Whether you do this yourself or go to a professional groomer, or would simply like to learn more about grooming your dog in a kind, fear free way - this Webinar is for you! And it's only $20.

For all dogs, a level of regular grooming is a requirement for their health and well-being. For some, this may simply be bathing and nail trimming; for others, it may involve clipping, sc******ng and extensive brushing. Unfortunately, many dogs find this process difficult to some degree and as a result, may experience high levels of stress or show undesirable behaviours which can be dangerous to both themselves and those who are grooming them.

In this webinar, Emma Cook will explore how we can utilise a low-stress handling approach and environment during grooming to increase the safety and welfare for all involved. She will discuss some common problems that may arise during the grooming session and how to address them, as well as how to get pet guardians on board with the low-stress grooming process. Understanding how to utilise low-stress grooming procedures will make sessions less of a chore and more of a bonding experience between caregiver and dog - something many groomers and guardians have only ever dreamed of.

https://www.ppgaustralia.net.au/event-5654025

18/05/2024

🤣 the floors are a dead giveaway of dog inhabitants in our house

03/05/2024

A very pleasant reminder to make sure your microchip and contact details are up to date if you move or change your number xx

02/05/2024

Fun and positive training for sports is our goal when we choose to partake in these activities. They are just another way we can share and build a bond with our canine friends, probably why I've been so lazy with actual "titling" but it's on my to do list to grow our relationship even more in that space ;)

Your dogs physical and emotional health should be paramount

** please when you share my content use the share button at the bottom of the infographic rather than screenshotting.

This helps to keep the content with the original copyrighted owner and allows people to find my page which then leads them on to further factual based information and opinions.

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I'll admit it.

I'm not a big fan of high impact dog sports.

I think they can be fun, but not when we add competition into the mix.

Sure, it's a great feeling for us when our dogs do well, but I'm not sure that we always have the dog at the center.

We have a lot of control over our dogs so if you're putting emphasis on (and the only real outlet that your dog has) is a dog sport of course they are going to get excited about doing that activity.

On the home site for agility it says that agility is supposed to "mimic the way that a dog would naturally move their body".

(Now I've seen A LOT of dogs moving their bodies... But not in the way an agility course is set up. 🤔)

I think there is a place for dog sports, if you don't get too caught up in the intensity.

I've tried a few different dog sports with my dogs, but I always approached teaching by letting the dog lead me on their interest level.

My dogs have always deviated towards natural behaviors like wanting to sniff, dig, chew, deconstruct, chase. Running is also an interesting one. I observe they often run in short bursts rather than long stretches. I would say most of the time they canter.

Observation without bias is critical to understanding what behaviors your dog actually engages in.

(Of course that is in the absence of fear, anxiety and other pressures.)

With my dogs I thought Nero would love fly ball and he had no interest past the first 2 sessions. He would have 2-3 goes and then take the ball off and played by himself! (That was a clear message 🤣)

My high drive, working-line GSD Lycan didn't care for bite sports, but he loves playing tug with me. Lycan became too aroused during the initial lessons and I was told I had to have him "work through it", but I wasn't going to push him.

Something that I absolutely can I get my head around is dogs in sports with aversive tools.

Can you even call that participating?

Dog sports are elective if your dog needs an aversive tool to be a part of that sport - participation is for you, not the dog.

What are your thoughts on this?

02/05/2024

Have you heard of Clever Hans? I absolutely love this story. The clever Hans effect is such a foundational tale for me regarding animal behaviour observation.

Tell me, have you encountered a clever Hans in your life?

Dive into the captivating tale of Clever Hans, the horse believed to be a mathematical genius in the late 1800s. Join Jose from Train Me Please as he unravel...

20/04/2024

Bit of a cute from our house for you. Blow dryer on the TV and Seidr arrives wondering when it's her turn! We've put a lot of work into conditioning the blow dryer to be a positive experience for her which has definitely paid off

06/04/2024

Don't forget to put those clocks back friends! An extra hour of sleep!....or maybe not ;)

We're lucky both of our dogs love a good sleep in

05/04/2024

Love some cat training facts for a Friday. Do you have a counter surfing kitty?

FELINE FRIDAY

One of the most common questions a cat behaviour consultant hears is "how do I keep my cat off the kitchen counter?"

See the image below for some tips.

Most importantly, don't punish your cat for doing what a cat does naturally (checking out the environment, getting up high to survey the scene).

Instead, make sure the kitchen counter is really boring (no food, no attention) ... and offer your cat a better alternative (a nearby raised area where they can keep an eye on all the "action" - while also getting treats!).

🐈🐈‍⬛💟

Image credit: www.catbehaviorassociates.com

30/03/2024

So excited I was finally able to finish catching up on the recordings from the 𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑 hosted by ZooSpensefull . What an incredible conference full of people doing amazing things with the animals in their care all over the world. From birds, seals and elephants to sharks! It is amazing what is happening in this space right now.
From a behaviour nerd stand point, I really loved the discussion on “𝑲𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒊𝒈𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒔” which are popularly used in not only cooperative care training but also many other aspects of training with dogs. Apparently there is no current scientific evidence that supports their use being more beneficial to behaviour training outcomes than not. Curious how many of my training friends use keep going signals and find them useful?

29/03/2024

Training my own dog’s has been a bit different lately since I have not been able to talk well. Using a Clicker is a super convenient and effective way to communicate to my dogs when they are getting something right. Here is a tiny video of a session I did with my young (14 months here) dog Seidr who is learning some little exercises akin to doggy “physio” to help ensure her body is strong and balanced. Our sessions also really are pretty short, often just a couple of minutes long!

28/03/2024

With Easter and the long weekend upon us, we've put together a few tips to help you keep your furry companions safe and out of trouble.
🐇🐣🥕🍫
Are you doing something fun with your dog this long weekend?

28/03/2024

While I start to ease back into seeing you and your dog’s lovely faces after some time off due to medical leave, I wanted to share a snap I took prior that I forgot to post!
Tilly and Toby, a lovely duo! Both are very different dogs with different challenges but their human is very committed to achieving some training goals with these 2.

Can you guess who is who?

28/02/2024

Speaking of Pattern Games. Here is a fantastic video on teaching the 1 2 3 Pattern Game by our good friends Train me please

Join Jose from Train Me Please as he introduces a simple and elegant pattern game to enhance your dog's comfort while walking on a lead. Through the 1, 2, 3 ...

26/02/2024

Recently we were incredibly lucky to attend a workshop on “𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬” by Dr Kat Gregory & Dr Di Rayment. It was also fantastic to catch up with a bunch of other training friends from Melbourne and even Bendigo who I don’t get to see often enough!

The workshop focused on pattern games. Pattern games are fantastic skills we can teach our dogs that can help them in many training scenarios including fun and sports but also challenging situations. They can help give dogs more ways of coping and dealing with uncertainty and also boost engagement.

While I do already use pattern games in some format, this was a fantastic boost to my knowledge base regarding pattern games and I look forward to amping up their use in my sessions with you.

Let me know if you want me to share more information on “Pattern Games”!

19/02/2024

Do you have a dog that ‘demand barks’ at you?

This 3 part discussion on demand barking will give you some very insightful food for thought.
I absolutely love this podcast in general and highly recommend it but be warned, Hannah is a self proclaimed training nerd so nerdy tangent discussions are prevalent! (and I love it).
I listen on Spotify!

The one in which I say some controversial things about demand barking.

https://hannahbranigan.dog/podcast/181/

18/02/2024

If you see a 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒈 out and about, please remember 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆, 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂 𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 xx

When dogs lunge, bark, and growl at other dogs or people, the dog is having a hard time—and so is their guardian. More awareness of this is needed.

05/02/2024

Elly is HOME! What amazing news and it wouldn't have been possible without everyone's help, no matter how small.

Poor dear Elly has been missing from out near Bachus Marsh Gisborne/Coimadai road since Friday. Please share to help spread the word to help get her home. Elly was visiting the area so isn't local and must be feeling very scared and missing her family.
She can be timid towards strangers so please be gently friendly if you see her and contact Jane xx