Holidays - Wherever we travel I always like to take pictures of the local dogs that we encounter both in Oz and overseas.
As we haven’t been anywhere much in recent years (🤔hmm maybe having 8 dogs has something to do with that😁) I haven’t posted many pics of late but let’s get the ball rolling again!
In Thailand the majority of the population follow the Buddhist religion. The more I learn about it the more I like it. You see they are taught respect for all creatures both humans and animals and value their lives.
So even the lowest stray/feral dog (called Soi dogs) are allowed to live out their lives regardless. This can be very confronting for any of us from Western cultures as there is a rampant uncontrolled population of dogs.
The positive thing is that most Thai people no matter how poor themselves will allow these dogs to co exist and many do feed them any scrap food that they have.
Quite near my sons house is a Buddhist Temple - it’s a beautiful, peaceful place and the Monks that inhabit it have a collection of stray dogs and other animals.
My family go there regularly for the kids to feed the huge population of mixed fish and turtles in the Temple lake. The inhabiting dogs have got to know them well and greeted us with wagging tails - maybe it was the cooked chicken we stopped to get as a special treat for them that had those tails doing overtime😄.
One in particular (the kids have named her “Princess”) couldn’t have cared less about the food but just wanted to be with the kids. My son says he thinks she has been abandoned at the Temple by a family for some reason- she was already desexed (rare) and in excellent condition. She has now been there for 3 to 4 years and just loves kids.
We met two of the Monks as they to came down to feed the turtles on their scooter (funny sight).
I’ve included a short Vid of Princess and the fam.🥰
Bronze Level - Yay!! We’re off and running again. Stay tuned
20th Anniversary - It is 20 years this year since I started my Delta Society Behavioural Trainers studies and also began Mildura Delta Dog Training school.
I can’t believe that we are still going. Most of the trainers that went through the 2 years of comprehensive studies, residentials etc were based in our capital cities. A few of us were from regional areas but when I recently looked at our state of Victoria there are very very few still listed on the directory map for Delta trainers.
We were the first fully positive school in our Sunraysia area. I have had a number of students mentored out here at MDDT and a great support team all round.
I would like to thank all clients and their doggos of course for supporting us over the past 2 decades and hope that we can continue for a while longer🤞.
Cheers
Bron Welsh
Restructure in 2023 - Welcome to our loyal clients and MDDT followers🙏 and thank you for your continuing interest and support.
The following video was simply to put you all “in the picture” regarding some big changes happening out here in the near future.
I will give you more details of the revised format of classes for 2023 once they have been finalised during our recess this month.
Regards
Bron Welsh
MDDT Owner
Bronze Graduates - Last Sunday our two Bronze Groups combined for their public outing walk along the riverfront.
It was their 5th week and the Trainers are watching from the time the dogs arrive and get out of their cars and assemble. The handlers have to show that they are mindful of their own dogs safety as well as the other users if this public space.
They should have their treat bags, poop bags and we’ll fitted equipment (collars, harness’ and leads).
On the walk the dogs should be paying attention to their handlers when asked and not overly reacting to their environment and distractions.
Bern and her team do a great job with this level and they always seem to have fun.
We’ll done to you all and for those going onto Silver - remember practice, practice, practice.
Puppy School - We are about to make some changes to our baby Puppy Classes. The period between 8 and 16 weeks is one on the most important times in your puppies life. Once they leave their mother and littermates and come to your their hopefully “forever” home then the clock is ticking.
This early “imprint period” is so so important. I think that we have always run a quality puppy school but am always conscious of improving our classes as research into puppy development continues.
So as of mid June our puppy classes for the babies will have some inclusions. We will still have a 5 week course with the first week being without puppies. We will be having just one group on a Saturday afternoon so numbers will be limited. Each puppy will receive an “enrichment package” on the first week as well as their usual “goody bag” and certificate on graduation week.
Please help us out by passing on the word to friends and family that anyone getting a puppy would be wise to get on our waiting list before they pick their puppy up to guarantee a place in our classes.
An added bonus is that once puppies have finished their pps class then they are able to use our “off leash” front training paddock. We have one of the only fully controlled (disease free) fenced dog paddocks in Sunraysia. But are only available to our clients so that we can guarantee fully vaccinated dogs are able to use our facility.
Beginner Level Grads - Last Sunday morning we had 2 classes of Beginners complete their 5 weeks of basic manners training. Some missed due to it being a long weekend but this little clip shows those who did attend.
Big thanks to Bern, Abbey and Sherryn for taking such good care of them all.
Congrats to everyone for making the commitment and time for their fur babies.
Superstar Jett🥰 - Omg I just love this beautiful boy. Introducing “Jett” our gorgeous 2 year old Labrador x Goldie.
Jett first came to us as a baby for Puppy Pre School. He was always a really chilled little fellow and nothing much phased him.
I was watching his temperament from day one as was his human mum. Amber had told me that they hoped Jett would be suitable for an Emotional Support Dog at a local primary school. Amber as a teacher knows the importance of making sure that his temperament was going to suit the pressures that he would be put under just being in a busy school environment every day.
I was invited to visit the school late last year to see him “working” and see if I had any concerns that he was show any stress signs or behaviours that may have indicated issues.
I’m happy to say he excelled! His mum (sensibly) was only taking him 2 half days a week and he had a time out place to go to etc.
Jett has now completed his PPS, Juvenile, Beginners and Bronze levels and reached mental maturity (turned 2 years of age). He’s going to start his Silver level after Easter. All of these things have helped in his training along with a lovely secure home life with Amber and her family.
His mum says they are still using him on a part time basis to ease him in since school has resumed for 2022 which is great.
I do worry about the pressures that any Assistance/ESD/PTSD dogs are expected to cope with on a consistent basis. If there is any underlying anxiousness in their temperaments then they are being set up to “fail” and this is sad as everyone usually has such high expectations for them.
I am hoping that this beautiful boy will achieve great things in his working life.
Good luck Jett and Amber.
Training Update - Saturday 9th Oct
COVID Update - We’ll we all know that it’s “on” again - Lockdown🥴 - so just update those who were in our current and about to commence classes.
Cheers and be safe
Bron Welsh
Smart Babies
Smart Babies! - Some time ago I had a gentleman come through training at MDDT who had a lovely rehomed Greyhound.
During training we were asking owners to train a basic “SIT” as their dogs “please” word. So that anything that the dog wanted eg food, attention, access to places they have to ask politely.
The owner of this Hound insisted that Greyhounds can’t be taught to “sit” as they are not physically capable of sitting like other dogs🥴.
We’ll here’s the proof. Our 4 beautiful babies are learning their manners and whenever they are looking for attention now look at what they do!!😁
Will, Grace, Buddy and Bessie😍
Opportunistic!! - According to the dictionary it means “exploiting immediate opportunities” and boy that sums up this boy!
We were in Kakadu and this was at the Yellow Waters restaurant. This was one of the local dogs (looked part Dingo).
He came in and cruised the venue making sure that he did not miss a morsel. He knew to particularly target the tables with families with little kids - more spillage😂.
No one bothered him - I’m not sure if he was on the payroll but he did a great job.
“Ruby” when she first appeared and many onlookers were asking “whose the idiot that brought their dog down here off lead?”
