Sit Happens NZ

31/08/2024

For those of you that may have heard about the debates going on, here’s a nice and quick summary 😊

24/08/2024

🐌 S L O W is the way to go! 🐌 Scout has made some friends!

🤔Does this mean his social skills are perfect? NO!

🪄 Does this mean he'll magically be able to make friends with every dog? Definitely not!

🥴 Does this mean he's no longer frustrated when he sees other dogs on walks? Nope!

🐶 But with some brilliant doggy guardians putting serious hours into dog integration with us, he is finally getting to fulfil his social needs with some lovely girls 🥰

👉🏻While we aren't there yet, his progress has been amazing 🤩

We'll be talking more on frustration, how it can present as aggression, and touching on Scouts ongoing training journey, during our upcoming presentation!

20/08/2024

⭐️ What a good boy! Gold star! ⭐️

"Just wanted to share, this is my Labrador Covie who is currently 9 months old and full of teenage hormones 😅😂 One of his training focuses was to work on distractions and we have been working on this daily! Today we tested all his training at Mitre 10, and he did SO well. He walked nicely alongside me on a short lead, did not want to greet everyone and everything we walked past. He did me so proud, thanks to Adele for all the tips and tricks to help work for this boy!!"

18/08/2024

🥳 They did it! 🥳

While this might just seem like every other cute clip of puppies at play, this was a HUGE milestone for Maggie (lighter Cavoodle) and a brilliant engagement for Reggie! This clip was taken at the end of our ~30 minute session together.

🫣 Maggie can struggle with low confidence in different areas, including interactions with other dogs, and her family have been doing everything they can to support her.

😵She could easily become overwhelmed in controlled puppy social groups (up to 4 puppies, each with their own 'safe zone'), and it was tricky finding the right matches to bring her out of her shell...

Cue Reggie! He can also be on the shyer end at times.

🫶 Earlier in the week, she had a 1:1 play with another 'Maggie' she had met previously between their puppy program sessions and surprised us with clear attempts and engagement in chasing and playing!

🙌 Yesterday, she had a huge breakthrough - Reggie and Maggie ran around together, presented play bows, and took turns being the chaser beautifully. These two will undoubtedly continue being friends, and take their adventures out into the world! 🥰

15/08/2024

💥 ULTIMATE 'DROP 💥 from this gorgeous guy!

"Massive thanks to Adele for everything she has done for us with both Koia and Biggie. Just wanted to pass on that the “drop” cue came into its own today when Biggie appeared from the bushes in the red zone with a whole dead possum in his mouth! We’ve practiced “drop” ever since he was a little puppy in class with Adele and today it was really important and possibly even a lifesaver."

🫶 We met Biggie when he was a wee tot and worked together to set solid foundations in our puppy program before continuing work in his teens. It's so lovely getting updates from our extended doggy network!

🧐 Do you have an update you'd like to share? Pop it in the comments, we'd love to hear from you!

08/08/2024

Fantastic! 👌
Seeing this and wondering how there are still dog “professionals” that claim they need a shock collar to train a dog 🤷🏼‍♀️

02/08/2024

Check out ⛈STORM⛈ prepping for future group work with Stage 1 of engagement while distracted! Storm and her mum have a PHENOMENAL connection - they've done the work and built a strong relationship and skillset to support their learning going forward 🫶

🤓 Storm loves her treats, but playing with mum is better than anything - recalling from chasing and tugging a flirt pole, and gradually increasing the amount of chasing and tugging, is great practice for increasing successful engagement in the high-arousal situations they may find themselves in 🥰

01/08/2024

🍯 TOFFEE 🍯 has entered adolescence, AKA, teenager time!

A *huge* well done to Toffee and family during our latest session - This was an incredibly high-distraction environment for him.

We practiced:

🌳 🙏 Exploring and watching the world in a more mindful way

💪 Long line skills for both handler and pup

🗣🚶‍♀️ Active communication and engagement balanced with free time

👉 Long lines are a fantastic resource for allowing our dogs the freedom they need to thrive while keeping them safe, and ensuring they aren't getting into mischief or practicing antisocial behaviour. They can be a life saver, both figuratively and literally!

30/07/2024

😍 Session #1, check! 😍

Four wonderful human-dog teams working together in a structured group class, starting with acclimation to a new space, rehearsing their foundational skills in a novel environment, and adding in the distraction of other dogs being present at a pace they can succeed with.

💪 Each of these families have put in the work, building up to a group class environment where we can solely focus on advancing our skillsets rather than starting with the basics. As such, placement has the prerequisite of doing 1:1 training with us first - this ensures we know you're all ready to go!

👀 Keep an eye out for more updates on our 2 current groups and their progress over the coming months

25/07/2024

🦈 PUPPIES - they bite and chew! 🦈 We all know the feeling of those razor like teeth grabbing at whatever is in reach! This can be especially true when they're tired, stimulated, bored, hungry, feeling defensive, and teething, but it's going to happen even if those criteria aren't met. They use their mouths to explore the world, and using their teeth is a completely normal puppy behaviour.

🤓 We can help our pups practice biting chewing on things that work for us, all the while facilitating a relaxing independent activity, by providing them with things that peak their interest.

✌ Check out little Ted relaxing and chewing on a dried lambs ear to wind down after an engaging in-home learning session!

19/07/2024

💔 SCOUT NEEDS HELP 💔 Please share this post if you're unable to open your home right now.

While making progress with his learning outside of his kennel, after being in shelter for over a year Scouts mental health has begun rapidly deteriorating. Scout has never had significant adoption interest - an application here and there, and his options are getting more and more limited as his psychological state worsens. While he lived with another dog in the past, this isn't an easy option without a huge amount of commitment and prior effort for slow integration in his current state.

👪🏻 Thankfully he loves all people, big and small. He can watch cyclists and walkers on a loose lead, and say hi politely if prompted to. He is still struggling seeing other dogs, although this has gotten significantly better with guidance and learning opportunities.

🏡 He has been placed with a foster temporarily, who described him as quick to adjust to rules in the home and a cuddle bug, sleeping well and can be crated overnight, but needs time and effort to build confidence being on his own. Somebody being around home allowed Scout to relax and snooze in the sun! He cannot be left uncontained for any significant time when alone.

⌛ At this stage, Scouts quality of life with no end in sight just isn't fair on him. While daily exercise and engagement is provided, he spends less than two hours a day getting one on one time. That's 22+ hours a day that he spends alone. That's at least 154 hours a week of a solitary existence for a dog who struggles with separation.

😞 He's losing weight. He's injured himself and is now needing to wear a cone in his kennel. The start of his walks have gotten more intense. He's needing more decompression time before we even consider fitting in some engaged learning opportunities. And there's only so much that can be done for him while he's still living in perpetual distress.

Our hearts are breaking for Scout.

Finding an animal-free home with dog experience is so difficult - we call them unicorn homes for good reason.

🦄 Do you, or someone you know, have a foster or adoptive unicorn home to offer Scout?

🫶🏼 Full behaviour support will be provided at no cost, and foster homes are provided with everything he needs for the duration of his stay.

If you could be this person for Scout, please contact Christchurch Bull Breed Rescue via their website here: https://www.chchbullbreedrescue.org.nz

09/07/2024

How are your dogs keeping warm this winter? 🥰

08/07/2024

🙌 HUGO! 🙌 While this big softy has a great time romping around off leash with doggy friends, he can have a hard time being limited by a leash - I'm sure many of you and your canine companions can relate! After an initial session online we met up for an in person session together, where Hugo and his family practiced how to keep composure and enjoy the environment on both short and long leads around multiple distractions - great work team 😍

02/07/2024

If that isn't your sign!!!

We truly believe as special as all dogs are, these souls have something so much more special to them. Those will turn into your true heart dogs if you give them a chance! ❤

Council's Animal Management team has noticed an increase in the number of dogs coming into the shelter, and the team really want to help these pups get rehomed to loving families 🥹🐾 So for the month of July, the adoption fee will be wiped in an attempt to get more dogs into their forever homes.

If you're looking for a pooch to adopt, please get in touch with the shelter on 03 941 7048, or visit them at 10 Metro Place.

Dog registration and vaccination fees still apply. Microchipping is already free for all registered dogs in Christchurch. More on Newsline, link in comments.

02/07/2024

🫒 OLIVE! 🫒 This lovely young girl has been learning house manners and how to relax inside after a rough start to life. We have been focusing on relationship building, security, consistency, and teaching life skills that are usually started in puppyhood. Understandably, Olive can also become distressed when left alone, leading to escape behaviours causing significant damage and potential injury.

She has been making wonderful progress over the past three weeks, including:

🦮 More success with keeping her paws on the floor with people entering and when excited

🧸 Learning how to play with toys

😌 Feeling safe and secure in her crate, building up to short periods alone

💅 Introducing low-stress nail care

🎉 and no longer having toilet accidents inside!

Check her out lovingly gazing at her moo shoe in her comfy bed next to the sofa! 🥰

12/06/2024

❤️ SCOUT ❤️ has been making lovely progress with his dog interactions!

🐕 Over the past few weeks, he has spent more time with other dogs than he’s been able to in the last 6+ months!

🥺 Our time observing his interactions over time has unveiled another factor in his behaviour - Scout is nervous to move forward! He wants to be social, but he is struggling to feel truly comfortable and progress with his interactions.

🤓 We are going to continue working with Scout, moving towards fulfilling his social interactions at a deeper level to fulfil his desire to make doggy friends.

🤩 This photo is featuring Moose who was transferred from the North Island to continue with his behaviour rehabilitation after a tough start to life, where he has shown amazing resilience with a continued desire to interact and play with other dogs. Both of these beautiful boys are available for adoption at Christchurch Bull Breed Rescue!

08/06/2024

A super cuddly kitty that's great with cat-friendly dogs? Look no further 🥰

8 months old Cat Rescue has this amazing kitten looking for its forever home. Bagheera is one of those quite special cats. He is incredibly cuddly and fri...

05/06/2024

✨ Amazing work Skyla!! ✨ Skyla's an absolute cutie whose family have been working hard increasing her confidence in the home and her responses to dogs out on walks.

They shared a huge win recently where Skyla remained relaxed and engaged when passing her neighbourhood doggy nemesis 🤯 What a star!

29/05/2024

⚾ TOY REWARDS ⚾ While treats are often the quickest and easiest option, we can use a LOT more than food as rewards when teaching our dogs!

While we don't encourage repetitive fetch, we can play other games (like catch!) with dogs who are into it, like Heath here 😍

And that's only scratching the surface of potential rewards for our dogs! The most effective reinforcer for behaviour can be access to the very thing distracting them in the first place... But we can save that conversation for another time 😜

21/05/2024

We ❤️LOVE❤️ the services and education provided by Kathleen at The Balanced Dog Ltd!

✨Introducing future training skills and equipment ✨ early can help reduce stress, as well as potential damage, before we see obvious signs indicating the need for modifications in our approaches around the car.

15/05/2024

Everyone needs some down time after a challenging work session! ✌

10/05/2024

This is one of the many reasons why we use force free, science based training methods and why you should always pick a trainer that subscribes to strong ethics of reputable organisations, such as CANZ or APDTNZ or IAABC.

10/05/2024

🖤MIDNIGHT🖤Following our recent discussion on how frustration due to unmet social needs can look like 'aggressive' behaviour, we want to give a big shout out to Midnight's dedicated family and the long term work they've put in!

This is still a work in progress, however it's been paying off - BIG time!

🐩🐕Midnight is now enjoying socialising with other dogs which is what she desperately wanted, including having a canine companion added into the home ❤️

😌 Our latest session included rehearsing her mat and relaxation work while seeing off-leash dogs playing across the road. There's still work to do!

🔍 This wouldn't have been achievable without identifying the root cause of her behaviour, as well as the time and effort her family put into her ongoing training.

08/05/2024

🙌 SOCIAL EXPERIENCES FOR SCOUT! 🙌

In a nutshell, here we are working on Scout's foundational skills in the presence of another (adoptable!) dog, but far more importantly, giving him an opportunity to start fulfilling his unmet social needs safely and with guidance.

Being able to start social sessions for Scout didn't 'just happen' - we've been working hard on:

🐕‍🦺 Watching, and disengaging from, other dogs without becoming overwhelmed (including before the camera was rolling in the first clip)

✌️ Facilitating and reinforcing regulation

🙋‍♀️ Engagement, connection, and loose leash walking

…So what is happening with Scout?

Like a lot of dogs we see both in homes and in shelters, he can end up lunging and vocalizing at other dogs on walks.

💥Scout has big feelings about other dogs, and early on he didn't have many other life skills to choose from. Volunteers have been working hard with him, however living in a shelter will always be stressful, and excessive stress can inhibit learning.

👀 He can find it difficult to disengage, and would then escalate his behaviour. While some might choose to label this presentation as 'aggressive', it can be far more helpful to unpack why something is happening and go from there. Scout appears to be unsure when he sees other dogs, which can make things go south quickly in certain conditions.

❌Don't get us wrong, some dogs definitely aren't interested in making other four legged friends!!

🧐 However, for dogs who are very interested, not having opportunities to do this can be incredibly frustrating. As we all know, frustration doesn't feel good!

⏰ We were on a time crunch towards the end of our nature walk so had to pick up the pace, but thankfully managed to get some videos to track his progress.

⛵️ Don't be fooled - it isn't all smooth sailing! When our minds and hands are busy managing the dogs in front of us, we aren't pulling out cameras. Sometimes we’ve had to call it quits early on when he hasn't coped, and change tactics. The challenge this time? Loose-leash walking was less than ideal at times! In the scheme of things, it's really no biggie when we take the situation into consideration. Great work Scout!

06/05/2024

🐷 Patrick & Elotito! 🐶

Enrichment is all about enriching lives - opportunities to explore all the smells, sights, textures, and having freedom to move and socialize with others safely at his own pace... We know Elotito the city slicker had a great day! 🥰

05/05/2024

✨SCOUT✨ working on his training goals! Here we are working on a few things on our list:

🚗 Acclimation to traffic

🙋‍♀️ Engagement on lead

🐕‍🦺 Loose leash walking around distractions

🐕 Reshaping how he feels, and reinforcing disengagement, from an unknown tethered dog barking at him from across the road near our car.

We work with dogs where they're at, not where we want them to be 🥰 Friendly reminder - Scout is adoptable from Christchurch Bull Breed Rescue . Great work Scout!

02/05/2024

💛Shy Puppies💛 Tussock & Toby are current shy students in our Puppy Foundation program. Teaching skills is only one part of raising a well-rounded puppy; supporting strong relationships, confidence building, and happy families are top priorities! 🥰

30/04/2024

😍Check out Scout! 😍This giant goofball is an adoptable resident at Christchurch Bull Breed Rescue. While he understandably experiences stress in the shelter which doesn't bring out the best in him, along with his daily walks with volunteers he has been enjoying his weekly 1:1 outings and training sessions with us where he shines!

We are working on:

🐶 Reducing his frustration when seeing other dogs, with the goal of reintegrating him happily into doggy-social time

🚚 Acclimation to traffic noises

🐕‍🦺 Loose leash walking

🐾 Increasing Engagement off lead

🐕 Recall in secure environments

Follow along for more updates of Scout and his training journey!