Cause & Effect, Dog Training

16/08/2024

That feeling when you've come out of retirement to help clients and given the afternoon off.

13/08/2024

Does your dog not like going out in the rain or getting his feet wet? Ive got 2 like this. Im sure they think their feet will melt if they get wet.

This is a pretty common problem and it does cause some problems at home, especially in young dogs who sneak off and toilet somewhere in the house instead.

So what to do?
Well its a fairly simply answer but it also takes some effort from you
When you know that your dog needs a toilet break - like first thing in the morning, or when you come home and they have been inside for the whole time - put your lead on them, grab your umbrella, and take them outside. If your dog already has a word/command to go to the toilet, bonus points. It also helps to go to the area where they usually toilet.
They are usually in such a hurry to get back inside that they dont fluff around too much before going. Then you can give them some praise and go back inside to the warm, dry house.

09/08/2024

Can you love your dog too much?
Well it isnt so much about how much you love him, but how you show that love.
As humans, we are primates. Our dogs are Canines, and here is the fundamental problem.
As primates, we show our love through physical touch, hugging, kissing and generally giving off a "soft" vibe. We tend to pretty much let our beloved dogs do what they like, when they like by and large. We think this shows them how much we love them.
Dogs however, being canines dont think that way. They thrive on structure and knowing exactly what they can and cant do. They need to know that we can look after them if need be and that we can handle any situation. They need to feel safe.
Giving your dog these things, and then some physical affection if they enjoy it, is how you can show your dog just how much he means to you. Your relationship will be so much better and your dog will thank you.
Note the body language of this dog in the photo.

07/08/2024

Most people who contact trainers, have one or two specific behaviours they want fixed.
Unfortunately, what most people dont understand is that the behaviour your dog is showing, is generally caused or influenced by alot of other factors that also need working on.
Training your dog never ends, it just changes, Like most things in life, there is no easy fix but the effort and time you put into your dogs training, will be more rewarding than you can ever imagine.

05/08/2024

Raising 2 puppies together can be very interesting.
Many times, families have had the same breed before and even raised 2 at the same time previously.
One of my clients currently have 2 young, herding breed puppies. One is very calm, laid back and picks training up easily
The other, although the same breed, is much more unsettled, pushy, attention seeking, and needs alot more motivation and breaking down of the training into little steps to succeed. Incredibly fun to train though because you can see the light bulb moments happening.
So, when you bring 2 puppies into your home, or even a puppy of a breed you have previously lived with, bear in mind this one simple tip.
Each dog, no matter what breed, is an individual. Even within the same litters, temperaments can differ greatly. Why? Because although good breeders breed for consistency in their animals, sometimes, genetics has other ideas.

02/08/2024

This is my 3rd dog, Theo.
Theo is a labradoodle and is 10 years old this month.
In his younger days he was a fantastic therapy dog in Aged Care as well as working his magic in a job centre where his job was to be a calming influence for nervous young people. Not all therapy dogs love working with all ages. Although he did work with children, his preference has always been adults and the elderly.
Theos favourite thing to do is being patted..... and eating. He does like eating

Theo also helped me out with working with clients and their dogs but moved into retirement a couple of years ago after suffering an injury. He took quite a while to recover but is now fine, still active, healthy and still very capable or getting up to mischief all by himself. You can tell looking at his cheeky face, which is one of my favourite photo.

31/07/2024

I love naming my animals with more human like names.

29/07/2024

This Lexie my oldest dog Lexie is just over 14.5 years old now. I've had her from a little puppy
In her younger days she was an amazing helper dog with clients. She was always calm and confident and had just the right balance to work with energetic puppies.
She also was my main demo dog when I taught Emmett Technique.
She might be getting old and her mind mightn't be as sharp anymore but i still ser glimpses of that cheeky, adventurous puppy inside.

24/07/2024

How many dogs do you have in your life?
I've got 4. Two I have had as pups, the other two as older dogs.
This girl is 10. Her name is Dakoda who I inherited from family 3 years ago.
We believe she is a belgium Malinois x boxer and she certainly lives up to those breeds. Playing with her ball on a string is her favourite thing to do. Even though she's 10, she is still high energy and needs a regular physical and mental workout to keep her happy. Not a dog for the faint hearted.

19/07/2024

17/07/2024

As a dog trainer, part of my job is to help my clients understand their dogs better.

There is a lot of truth to the saying, "You can't do better, until you know better"

So if you are having some trouble with your dog, don't let it continue to bubble along, thinking that it will eventually get better. It will more than likely get worse.
Let me teach you to know better and create an enjoyable life with your dog.

15/07/2024

So how many dogs do your have in your family?

Quite often I get enquiries about problem behaviours in multi dog households.
These issues can stem from living circumstances, lack of structure, differences in personalities, temperaments, and differences in ages and sexes to name a few.

Unfortunately, there is no quick fix in dog training. When we work in the realm of behaviour modification we are working on changing the dogs understanding and emotional responses. This takes time, just as it would with us humans. When there is more than one dog involved, the work, committment and consistency for the family increases.

Thats why it is so very important to get professional help as soon as a problem raises its head and not let it get out of control, because once that happens, its a lot more difficult to deal with and takes alot more time and effort.

14/07/2024

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1019198059860560

12/07/2024

How to nails relate to dog training?

Well, here at Cause and Effect Dog Training, we take a holistic approach to your dog, which means, looking at your dogs overall health, diet, mental and emotional state, and physical comfort. All of these things can effect the way your dog thinks and learns - just like us.

So getting back to my original question. Well, a simple thing like nails being too long can cause issues in your dogs whole body, from muscle aches and pains, changes in movement and gait, changes in temperament and his ability to concentrate.
If you are interested to learn move, just click on the link.

https://causeandeffectdogtraining.com.au/blog/nails-how-long-is-too-long/

11/07/2024

Researchers in Hungary used MRI and EEG technology to understand how well a puppy understands human words.

10/07/2024

Bobbys feeling pretty flash this week with her brand new collar.

We always like to support local business where possible.
Bobbys new blue accessory comes from Miley & Me.
Next time you are down at the Cobb and Co Markets in Toowoomba on a Saturday, drop in to Miley and Me and have a look at their extensive range of dog coats, toys and accessories.

Whether your dog is into the more flashy side of apparel or just a straightforward, no nonsense girl like Bobby, you're sure to find the perfect item.

08/07/2024

Sometimes, clients just need a one off session to tidy up a few areas where they and their dog are abit unclear about how to go about working on a problem or just where to go next.

The family of this beautiful girl have done a fantastic job with her training but just needed a little clarity on how to move forward in a few different areas.

As you can see, after our lesson, this big girl was ready for a break and a rest.
Never underestimate how mentally fatiguing training can be for your dog when they learn new skills.

05/07/2024

Why holding your hand out to a strange dog is a good way to get bitten.

How many times have you seen someone approach a strange dog holding out their hand? This can sometimes be accompanied by "Its ok, Im a dog person"....
The misconception is that you hold your hand out for the dog to smell you. Well.... the dog has already smelled you from several metres away already.

The reality is that not all dogs are friendly and want to be near a stranger for a number of different reasons, ranging from breed and temperament characteristics, prior negative associations, picking up their owners stress or anxiety, lacking confidence in themselves to name a few.

So next time you come across an unfamiliar dog, Dont Do Anything. Simply ignore him and let him approach you if he wants. Dont look, talk or try and touch him. Notice his body language and if he clearly wants to say hello, go with it.

03/07/2024

Part of your relationship with your dog, is non-verbal. They read our body language so very well, smell the hormones and chemicals our bodies are producing, which leads to noticing our moods and emotions, and take meaning from the tones of our voices. If someone spoke to you angrily in another language, you'd still get their meaning.

So when you say to your dog "you are really not very smart". "you are too old to learn", "I dont know why I got you", "you really make me mad" - stop and think. Your dog is picking up your tone and intent without understanding your words.
At the end of the day, what your dog is doing, whether good or not so good, is your responsibility.
Stop telling him to be stop jumping if you havent taught him to.
Stop telling him to be calm is you havent taught him to
Stop telling him to not bark, if you havent put any boundaries around when he can
And the list goes on.

I witnessed a little dog the other day who was in an unfamiliar environment, stressed and looking at his owner for security. The owner had no idea any of this was going on. She looked at him, looking up at her and told him to go away. You could see and feel that little dog deflate and shut down. I asked to take him for a walk outside where, once he realised he was allowed to sniff and be curious, his whole body language changed. He de-stressed. You can learn to read these subtle signs in your dog too, All you have to do is reach out to me.

Our Words Matter. Use them wisely.

01/07/2024

Do you ever look at your dog and think "Why cant you just do what you're told"?

Heres the thing though. Dogs dont speak english. They initially learn by repetition of an action with a sound. Over time they become familiar with certain noises we make (words) and what we have trained them to do whether that is a more structured obedience command like "come" or "sit" or just something like going on their bed when you tell them too, politely moving out of your way, not pushing through a doorway, not jumping, sitting calmly for a pat.

So next time you are getting frustrated with something your dog is doing - STOP.
And then think - have I showed my dog what I want? Does he truely understand what Im saying? Have I put in actual time teaching him this?
If the answer is no, then its time to reach out and get help.
Its just a PM away.
https://causeandeffectdogtraining.com.au/

28/06/2024

Barking dogs is such a huge problem, no matter where you live.

In the street where I live, we have dogs constantly barking. Some are locked up all day in pens because their fencing is hopeless and they escape constantly when let out and others are home alone all day, very day and have no stimulation, enrichment or training when the owners are there.

But what about the dogs? Why do they bark?
Dogs naturally bark but its not normal or natural to do this for long periods of time.
Sometimes its just sheer boredom, lack of stimulation or being unable to physically expell some energy. Sometimes its from frustation caused by the inability to reach a trigger - cat, postman, another dog etc. Sometimes its part of a guarding response and sometimes its from feeling insecure.

Dealing with this issue starts by understanding the reasons why your dog barks firstly, then coming up with a plan to address this.

Dog ownership isnt just about owning a dog. Its about being responsible for another beings welfare, mentally and physically.

26/06/2024

I’m very happy to recommend Linda from Cause and Effect dog training. We had an initial consultation and then 4 x 1 hour sessions at home. We have 3 Groodles and they were running the show. With Linda’s help we were able to work individually with each one and have seen massive improvements. Walking is now a joy. No more pulling. Recall is so much better and staying on their mat is almost there. Their favourite was the sniff and search work. Much happier and less anxious dogs. Thanks Linda 🐶 🐶 🐶

24/06/2024

With the access we have to Search Engines like Google these days, its so easy to get caught up in the "Ill google the .................... problem I am having with my dog.

So what can go wrong with this? Dogs are sentient beings - meaning they are able to experience feelings, such as pleasure, joy, distress and pain. This means that you are never guaranteed to get the answer to your dogs problem from a search engine like Google because it gives generic answers that may work with some dogs and not with many.

When you engage a professional trainer, they should be able to look at your dog as an individual and style their training in a way that will give you the best outcome.
We are training you, the family firstly. Without giving you the skills, knowledge and tools to understand your dog and work with him you will still be lost or confused about what to do in the future when problems arise.
Going straight to a professional can save alot of time and stress.
Help is just a click away, so please reach out if you need a hand.

21/06/2024

Whats the difference between using Dog Treats and Dog Food for training?

When we first start the training process, we normally do quite alot food rewarding. What we use really does matter.
Food Rewards are not meant to be used forever, rather they are a means to motivate your dog into learning. If you need to have food on you for your dog to do things he knows well, then you arent training - you are bribing.
The difference between using FOOD rewards and not TREAT rewards, is this. Treats are not nutritionally balanced and in alot of cases, are not even good for your dog. Many contain zero protein, lots of cereals and fillers and even sugar. They are usually pretty expensive as well. You can see why its not ideal to be using alot of these.
Food rewards on the other hand are just that. Food. Balanced nutrition which is good for your dog.
If your dog isnt hugely food motivated, chances are its the kind of food you are using. Some foods are just alot tastier and nutritious than others.

19/06/2024

These 3 rascals recently completed a 4 week training Program with us.
They each have very different personalities and because of this, each lesson was tailored for each separate dog.
Being high energy dogs, learning impulse control was one of the bigger lessons as well some of the basics they needed a hand with like the recall, stays, not jumping and barking, how to be calmer inside the home.
We also taught some new skills for their humans about how to communicate the way the dogs understand, how to build value in themselves to motivate the dogs to learn and build a better relationship. Giving them an outlet for their genetic need to hunt and how to play to build confidence and connection.

Now, having an understanding of why their dogs act the way they do, they can move forward with more confidence in the future.
Their family now have a better understanding of what each dog needs and how be good leaders for them to continue to learn and live their best life.

17/06/2024

Everyday when I come home from work.

17/06/2024

When should I start training my puppy?
What actually is socialisation/exposure?
What should I teach him first?
Its just a phase, the biting will stop eventually, wont it?
Is chewing stuff up ok - after all, hes just a puppy?

These are all questions I get asked alot. If you are wondering about the answers to any of these questions or would like to know the best way to raise your puppy to be a confidence adult who is a pleasure to live with, just click on the link to learn more.
https://causeandeffectdogtraining.com.au/blog/is-my-puppy-too-young-to-start-training/

14/06/2024

What happens when we have our in home first session?
Well, firstly, we have a talk about your dogs history, what is now happening, how long it has been going on, when it happens, the circumstances around it happening and how you handle it.
While all this is going on, Im looking at how your dog is responding to having a stranger in his home, how you are both relating to eachother and what type of relationship you have.
Most of the time, there are many things going on and we have to understand the very basics of how your dog views and understands his life and family firstly and move forward from there.

If your dog is creating stress in your life and you arent sure what to do, reach out to me. Changing your life, starts with a phone call.

12/06/2024

Sometimes it's just about fun

10/06/2024

That waggy tail feeling you get when you've learnt new stuff and had fun doing it.