Austin Dog Zone

01/11/2024

09/10/2024

These are what heroes look like; and we don't use that term lightly. Deputy Jack Thorpe and K9 Fiji spent 10 days in Western North Carolina searching for the missing. Jack and Fiji located more than 20 adults and children who had been reported missing, giving their families peace of mind in knowing where their loved ones are and the ability to give them a proper burial. As I type this I'm brought to tears thinking about some of the things they encountered and find myself wondering how heavy it must be for all of the SAR teams to carry around the memories of what they have encountered in the aftermath of Helene.

While details don't need to be shared, I will leave you with this, it takes a special kind of person to knowingly volunteer to go and search through hell and mud all in the name of giving families and communities closure. To say we are proud of Jack, K9 Fiji, and all of the other SAR teams would be a gross understatement. You guys are our unsung heroes, and for that, we will all be forever grateful.

"We are done. We are tired and sore, but we did our best. God bless the people of Western NC and surrounding states who lost so much."
~

30/09/2024

Support Small Businesses and give them a little grace.

Photo CreditSmall Business Moms

26/09/2024

Our dogs recall quickly, shed enthusiastically, outrun eagerly, turnback positively and try harder than most, for one simple reason, they want to—
You can't force or bully a dog into wanting to try for you,
especially when conditions are hot or the task difficult; you have to earn it.
Key to this is helping him enjoy aspects of training he finds difficult; it’s an integral part of gaining trust .

Your dog recognizes situations that make him feel uncomfortable. When you help overcome that discomfort and turn it into something he enjoys,
he connects the positive feeling comes from working with you.
It elevates your connection and empowers your bond, growing confidence both in himself and you.
You’ll need to also be fair, consistent and teach in a way your dog understands.
It’s your responsibility to communicate clearly; it’s not your dog’s burden to interpret accurately.
The more unambiguous and intuitive your method, the less room for misinterpretation.
You empower your dog’s development by setting him up to succeed and this includes keeping reasonable expectations of gradual improvement.
Training should never be about ego or an agenda to compete in X trial.
Success at competition is the knock on effect of good training.

A dog’s ‘try’ is ultimately a reflection of his desire and enjoyment. There are different methods that are successful but there’s a big difference between training in a way that makes sense to your dog that he enjoys
versus only drilling or imposing your will. The latter doesn’t result in your dog giving you his heart—
You can just train or you can partner.
macraeway.com

19/09/2024

This is accurate. 😂😂😂

08/09/2024

03/09/2024

You came a long way handsome boy!

03/09/2024

Board and train Pippin on a stroll!

30/08/2024

Genetics are strong.

28/08/2024

How secure are electric fences?

A survey of 974 dog owners asked how their dogs were confined to the yard, whether they had escaped. The results showed that an electronic fence was the LEAST effective method of containing a dog: 44% of dogs contained by one had escaped. Dogs were less likely to have escaped from a tether (27%) or from a see-through fence (e.g. chain link or slatted wood) (23%) or a privacy fence that is not see-through (also 23%). Escape rates were not associated with how dogs were trained on them.


Ref: Starinsky, et al (2017). Escape rates and biting histories of dogs confined to their owner's property through the use of various containment methods. JAVMA, 250(3), 297-302.

19/08/2024

We have had a few cases of mycotoxin poisoning recently. Its not a poisoning that folks are generally familiar with, so we thought we'd share the information to raise awareness.-

Ingestion of mouldy food from the bin or a compost pile puts dogs, cats, horses, livestock, and even wildlife at risk for toxicity due to tremorgenic mycotoxins. These toxins may be found in MOULDY bread, pasta, cheese, nuts, or other decaying matter like compost. Clinical signs include vomiting, agitation, incoordination, tremors, seizures, and elevated body temperature. A specific mycotoxin called aflatoxin can even cause liver failure. Be sure to keep mouldy food and compost out of your pets reach!

13/08/2024

It’s up to you how you want to train.

09/08/2024

I truly believe that if Steve Irwin were alive today, he would have a dedicated group of people who hated him for how he treated animals.

Steve always treated every species he worked with, as the species they were, not forcing them to change their nature.

More and more I find myself trying to convince people to "let the dog go outside, it's okay if they get a little dirty" or "your snake is arboreal and can't just be confined to a small tub." Or "Your working breed dog is not happy being still and lazy in your one bedroom apartment with nothing to keep them active and thinking."

It seems in this next generation of animal husbandry, we're deciding that all animals are now going to become (and be treated as) our little babies.

Now, is it okay to refer to your furry, feathered, scaly friend as such? Of course!
Is it okay to treat them as human babies...absolutely not at all.

As we see this change taking place, so to do we see more and more stressed out animals. Ones with a lack of structure and mental enrichment...but tons and tons of random toys and bags of treats.

What Steve Irwin did is create an environment that was enriching for the animals he had. Not attempt to force the animals to adjust to his environment.

Taking your Border Collie or herding, working, hunting, breed on a 10 minute walk (as long as you remember, it's not raining or just not feeling upto it) once a day, is not cutting it.

Locking your pyrenees or Shepherd breed in a kennel all day and then keeping'em in a small apartment, but still expecting the dog to be still and always cuddling...not cutting it.

Keeping your African grey parrot in a small enclosure with a few items that you've not replaced...is not cutting it.

When you bring an animal into your life. It is so important to understand what that animal is and have a structured enrichment routine and appropriate setup for the breed/species before you take in the animal.

Anything less than what your animal needs is a disservice to your best friend.

Be kind to your animals, enrich their lives (in a way that's appropriate for them). Keep them thinking. Keep them exploring. Give them understanding and structure and you will keep them happy.

~Benjamin McGill, M.C.B Owner of GoodBoy animal training.

Picture taken while visiting local aquarium store.

24/06/2024

Be a Dog Detective – Dogs Do Not Like Hugs and Kisses
https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/resource/be-a-dog-detective-dogs-do-not-like-hugs-and-kisses/