Bogi's Dog Walking

12/03/2024

❌AT CHRISTMAS YOUR DOG DOESN’T HAVE TO:

🧑‍🎄 Visit Santa at the garden centre

🎄 Be around your visitors

🎅🏽 Go to other peoples houses

🎄 Go to see the Christmas lights switch on

🍺 Go to the busy pub on Christmas Eve

If they are anxious or get worried about people, dogs or busy places or if they just don’t like doing these things. It’s not a fault if they don’t like doing these things, many dogs don’t enjoy ‘human activities’ like this (some do, I have one that loves all of it and two that would be 🫤 ).

✅ Instead they may prefer to:

🚪 Be in their safe space (see upcoming post on this), a quiet room they like being in with a dog gate on the doorway when you have a house full of people who may scare them

🐕 Have an extra trip to a freedom field on Christmas morning and some extra enrichment at home while you go and visit family for a few hours if they’d find it stressful to come with you

🐶 A meet up with a dog or human friend at a place they like rather than a trip to the heaving pub on Christmas Eve

🦴 A trip to a dog enrichment centre or a 121 in an activity they love (scent work, mantrailing etc) rather than an outing to see the Christmas lights switched on

🍖 Some dog safe Christmas biscuits you’ve made them rather than dressing up in a dog Santa outfit

Loads of these Christmas ‘traditions’ that we enjoy are not enjoyed by our dogs, especially if they are anxious or more sensitive. Even the most robust dog may tolerate these activities rather than love them.

Please be mindful of your dogs wants and needs and don’t put them into situations they find stressful just because we want them to be part of Christmas. It’s your Christmas, not your dogs, they really won’t mind not being included in everything you do ❤️

Laura McAuliffe Dog Communication 2024

11/29/2024

Enrichment...just a buzz word or does it really help dogs behaviour ?
One of the MOST important skills you can teach is find.
It relaxes✅
It calms 💤
It helps overarousal and over excitement💥
If you are unsure where to start with find there is a video in the comments that goes over how to introduce your dog to this easy skill that enriches, soothes and engages their brain....win, win, win !
Graphics available abcdogsnz.com

11/27/2024

11/26/2024

Apologies, bit of a rant.😑💥and this will be a bit graphic.
Yesterday I was watching a post implode with bullying and misinformation...the issue?
Someone decided to muzzle train their dog.
Would these commentators rather see a dog eat away at their own flesh?
Perhaps they don't want dogs to heal from injury quickly and with less infection?
Maybe they would rather see a beautifully trained dog die from incessantly eating rocks?
Would they rather be bit by a dog that doesn't wear a muzzle?

Way too much discrimination and misinformation about muzzles out there.
So to the "I would never be so cruel", "how could you"....and the "I hope he bites you" commentators on this persons post....a well fitted and CONDITIONED muzzle shows a responsible guardian/owner/handler, it means this is a well thought out decision taken by a truly responsible person.

They take their responsibility and their commitment to ensuring everyone's health and safety seriously.....because if they didn't it really can be life or death for some.

Muzzles are used by the MOST responsible people.
End of rant.

Graphics available abcdogsnz.com

11/23/2024

ARE YOU MANAGING?
Are you managing your dog’s environment to prevent or improve unwanted behaviour?

As people, we tend to prefer and look for the more complicated solutions to problems. This tendency is termed “complexity bias” - the tendency to prefer complicated explanations and solutions instead of looking for the simpler ones.

Surely a complicated, time consuming, detailed solution has to be more effective, superior, impressive, or correct?

Complexity bias is so relevant when it comes to changing a dog’s unwanted behaviour. We often get so stuck on trying to modify behaviour through counter conditioning, desensitization or detailed training plans when sometimes the simplest solution to the problem lies in simply managing the environment.

Dogs will do what dogs do – when an opportunity arises to help themselves to food left on a table, to bark at the gate at anyone passing by, to have a drink from that big water bowl at the perfect height, that we call a toilet, to running off with irresistibly smelly dirty underwear, to rummaging through bins in search of anything that may or may not be edible, to running out an opened door in search of adventure - the list is long - dogs will be dogs.

Parents of little children use management all the time without giving it much thought. Baby locks on cupboards, covers on electrical sockets, valuable or dangerous items put far out of reach, fences and locks around pools, etc.

We wouldn’t just train a toddler not to stick their fingers in an electrical socket, not to open cupboards, not to touch a hot plate – it’s far safer, simpler and logical to first manage the environment, to prevent potential incidents.

The same principle should apply to managing a dog’s environment to prevent unwanted behaviour.

The more a behaviour is practiced the more difficult it is to prevent. The more a behaviour is rehearsed the better dogs become at it.

Preventing the behaviour from happening in the first place by using management is the logical, simple and effective way to address it.

Be a good manager – it’s far less stressful, for both us and our dogs.

11/22/2024

Yes!

11/09/2024

Bark!: The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog

11/07/2024

Puppies need to be gently guided into making good decisions, allowed to investigate their environments, and given reinforcement for the good behaviors they offer.

10/23/2024

Over excited, "hyper" dogs.
No amount of exercise seems to be enough for these dogs. ‼️
You just can not "tire" these dogs out without increasing amounts of exercise and even then it is often not enough.
So what do you actually do to help stop this cycle❓
What if I told you the secret to TRULY help most of these dogs is gradually decreasing exercise while increasing enrichment.
Too good to be true ❓.. or are we tapping into what these dogs actually need to lower that extreme energy.

Where on earth do you start this?
If you haven't tried enrichment using their nose and really don't know where to start...the video in the comments have instructions which are really easy to follow and implement today.
There is a reason this is the most popular video on our new channel✅

🙂Unmarked graphics are available for $ 1.20 USD or $ 2 NZD each (approx), these are then able to be used off Facebook for client handouts, posters etc. Please visit ABC Dogs Patreon Shop for our collection of graphics.
Everyone is free to share these posts on social media, however off social media use is protected.
Screen shots are a violation of copyright.
Please respect that these graphics take time and effort to make . All graphics belong to ABC Dogs NZ and are under copyright.

10/18/2024

Pet expert Steve Dale would like to see retractable leashes banned, and most dog trainers agree. Here's a horrific story as one example

10/11/2024

Photos and digital art by Jaxon ❤️🐕😊

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10/06/2024

PLEASE SHARE FAR AND WIDE, DO YOU KNOW US?!

These pups (both female) were found near 256th Street and Dewdney Trunk Road. They were brought to us late yesterday. They do not have any identification on them. They are safe at the Maple Ridge BC SPCA. If you know these dogs, or any information about them, please call the shelter at 604-463-9511. If you don’t get through, please leave a voicemail and we will call you back. ID 19+ and proof of ownership is required to redeem.

10/06/2024

The muzzle you choose depends on your dog’s facial structure, their specific needs and the situation in which it'll be used.
💡 Here is a cheat sheet with tips and info on muzzles.

To learn more about the different types of muzzles, their benefits, and all the details visit the BC SPCA AnimalKind website: https://animalkind.ca/muzzles/

09/28/2024

09/28/2024

I am very tired of aversive trainers using the excuse that pain and suffering is a natural part of life, to justify using training methods that inflict fear and pain.

Yes pain is a part of life, but there is nothing natural about being the ones to intentionally inflict it, especially towards those we love. -Holly Leake