ROOT Dog Training

04/29/2025

Are we missing the point❓
There can be a very good reason why your dog isn't listening or responding.
Did we just grab the cheapest, most brightly coloured bag at the supermarket?

Those straps that look like pressed cardboard, have you smelt them?
They either have a very distinct unpleasant smell or they have no scent (and NO flavour) at all.

The vast majority of rewards given to dogs are awful.
Full of flour and rice....if they have meat products in them, they can be from countries that have dubious animal welfare codes.

Have we tapped into what they like!

➡️Use what they love and watch the transformation!
➡️Kibble is usually not a great motivator for many dogs.
➡️Have you tried rewarding with a game to see how they respond?
➡️When they do well, do some rapid rewarding. They deserve it!

Not all dogs ARE motivated by food.
Tap into what they like and watch what happens!

This dog training graphic is available through abcdogsnz.com Just click the dog training graphics tab🙂

04/28/2025

Trusted pet care year-round.

04/28/2025

Always check your dog for ticks after a walk! Focus on these common hiding spots:

04/27/2025

Looking.
Not looking.
Blinking.
Not blinking......I know it can be complicated to read dogs.

No one ever likes to think of their dog as being stressed (and stress isn't always bad !) but when stress accumulates we can have a dog that is struggling.

Can we see this?

Yes, absolutely but it can be tricky.

The eyes are one area we need to scrutinise a little more.
➡️Tightness and whiteness.
➡️Changes in glances. Quicker, fleeting glances going back to one thing in particular or darting looks all around at everything?
➡️Averting gaze and avoiding completely?

Some videos in the comments about signs of stress and we really do owe it to our dogs to recognise just how they may be feeling.

This dog training graphic available through abcdogsnz.com, just click the dog training graphics tab to view over 130 dog training handouts.

04/19/2025

These fruit are SAFE to feed your dog. Just remember to peel the skin and remove the pits, seeds, and rinds!

04/17/2025

bit.ly/3Ul1tTW
Sometimes dogs get a little weird. 🐶

04/17/2025

REDEFINING BAD BEHAVIOUR

“Bad” behaviour needs to be redefined as information and communication.

When we think of a behaviour as bad, naughty or disobedient, our natural human response is to stop it, fix it, punish or suppress it as quickly as we can, so it doesn’t happen again.

When we redefine behaviour and look at it as a form of communication, as an emotional response or expression, it helps to change the way we think about and react to it.

Think about a child that is acting out at school. Maybe throwing tantrums, bullying other children, cheating, fighting or displaying some other type of “bad” behaviour.

A teacher or parent wouldn’t just label that child as “bad” or behaving badly. The reason for the behaviour would be looked into so it could be understood, acknowledged and addressed.

Bad behaviour is very often an expression of a need for help that should not be ignored.

If we do this for children, why not for dogs?
Just like us, dogs are sentient beings with a range of feelings and emotions and their behaviour is a form of communication.

“Bad” behaviour can provide us with important information as to what we need to address.

Looking at “bad behaviour” from a different perspective, helps us to acknowledge that a dog is struggling and provides an opportunity to investigate and address the cause.

Listening, understanding, acknowledging, meeting needs, perhaps managing or making changes to the environment is what “fixes” bad behaviour and promotes wellbeing.

04/17/2025

Many of us have seen people put their hands near a dogs face at first meet so the dog can smell them. Some of us have even done that ourselves.

Dogs have amazing senses and can smell a person from across the room without a strange hand coming at them. Putting your hand in front of a strange dogs face is increasing your risk of being bitten, no matter how friendly the dog may be.

We wanted to share these tips for National Dog Bite Prevention Week so you, and the dog, can feel a little safer when meeting.

04/17/2025

Myth busting🚫
A bow means a dog wants to play.
Well...yes it can but it can mean a whole lot more!
It can also mean a dog is trying to escape quickly, they may feel threatened.
It can also mean a dog is in pain.
Look at the whole picture.
What happened just before❓That is often key.
What does the dogs ears, eyes, mouth, tail and body tell you?
What were their movements just before?
One action a dog makes really isn't enough information for us to decide, we need to look at the bigger picture.
Videos in the comments if you would like to look at how dogs use their bodies to communicate to us and others.

This dog training graphic is available through abcdogsnz.com 🙂

04/15/2025

Same, same but different❓
Does your dog know that?
We are often less than clear with what we want or how we would like our dogs to behave....yet we still expect them to just "understand".
We can actively encourage behaviour which can be really problematic at other times.
We can also reward wanted behaviour and when that same behaviour is shown in completely different circumstances...we ignore it.
We can be the biggest influence on our dog behaviour, yet we can struggle to see that.
Is it really just all on "them"❓

This dog training graphic (and over 130 more) available through https://www.abcdogsnz.com/product-page/abc-dogs-nz-we-influence-behaviour-everyday?srsltid=AfmBOooriiTFHBiBs7QWu9HE4zC5rEC43KhQbVOtuqrCktZabssFqCS5

04/14/2025