In The Dog House

17/10/2022

17/10/2022

I completely support and share the message here by Kaizen K9!

Majority of dog attacks received by our local council are due to dogs being off leash in public areas or areas where dogs are meant to be on a leash.

Allowing your dog to run up to another person or dog is just plain rude, disrespectful, and ignorant.

Would you allow your child to run up to another family when at a restaurant or out bowling, or sporting, or any activity and get in their face or disrupt what they are doing? No, you wouldn’t.

It’s not different with your dog. Your dog is your responsibility. No one gives a s**t if it’s friendly. Keep your dogs on a leash and if they aren’t, make sure you have a rock solid recall.

Be responsible for Dogs Sake!

14/10/2022

Welcome to the ITDH family, MAX!

Max is 8mths old and things have gone a little haywire in his busy household, especially with his interactions with children. The main thing is that his owners reached out to rectify the situation and learn how to set Max up for success!

We talked about how pups learn, how to play with them appropriately and how to set rules of the game that benefit pup and child. We introduced crate training and started working on communication to help build the behaviours we want.

Max loved the work and is pictured here learning a place command which he rocked! His owners have some work ahead with creating the structure they need and sticking to it, but I have no doubt they can achieve it and that their pup will grow into the well behaved dog they want.

Thanks to Max’s family for trusting me to help them with their boy 💙

14/10/2022

Welcome to the ITDH family SUNNY, a 5 year old Border Collie!

Sunny’s owners contacted me to ask for my help with what they seen as ‘reactivity’ to other dogs when out on walks. Walks have become unenjoyable for both dog and owner who are doing less and less of the things they love.

After a 2 hour session this morning, I’m pleased to say Sunny was thoroughly pooped in all the right ways and also feeling more joy about the walk than she had in a while.

I’m not a fan of the word ‘reactive’ in general, and from everything I seen today, Sunny just needs greater genetic fulfilment, and needs to know what she is meant to do on the walk… in a nutshell, she needs a job to do and she needs to be taught to do it. That job starts by rewinding what’s currently being done by going right back to basics and building the behaviours we want from Sunny through clear cues, markers and reinforcement…and today she was paid big! I want Sunny to become addicted to the process, to the idea of a reward, to trying to seek one… and I want her to enjoy it all too!

At the start of the session she was lunging, pulling, barking, and had no engagement. Over the course of the session she was checking in, relaxed, walking next to us. Dog training requires work. There is no easy fix, in fact, there is no ‘fix’, it’s consistent effort sustained over time in order to achieve profound change. Today we made it fun, for dog and owner, and the results will show in more than just improved walks, we’ll end up with an improved Sunny, or as I prefer to say, the ‘real’ Sunny!

Im confident that Sunny and owners can get to the place they so badly seek - an enjoyable walk together ❤️
Let the work begin….!!

Thank you to Sunny’s owners for entrusting me to help out with your girl 🐾

03/10/2022

Fairly accurate! 😂

03/10/2022

Credit to Take the Lead Dog Training 👌

21/09/2022

In The Dog House has released a small number of sessions for 1on1 Training and Behavioural consultations.
Some of the work we specialise in includes:
-Loose leash walking
-Obedience
-Puppy rearing
-Separation issues
-Dog Aggression

Limited capacity! To enquire please DM or email [email protected]

12/09/2022

Tune up session with DALLAS

Today I took the beautiful Dallas for a tune up and review session… and boy was I super impressed! Having just moved to a new house in a new town, she is coping super well with all the new stimulus - the environment may change but if it’s well practiced, the obedience stays the same, consistent and powerful!

There were birds, dogs, bikes, prams, people… so many things that 6 months ago would have sent Dallas into a spin… but not anymore. She handled like a pro and even earnt some off leash time, because the reliability is now so solid, the change in her so profound… she is truely living her best life.

Hats off to Dallas owners for continuing to work their girl and give that girl a job - she loves it and it shows 🥰

09/09/2022

Rest In Peace beautiful Queen 👑

21/08/2022

Now if this isn’t a perfect match up, I don’t know what is 🤷‍♀️😂

17/08/2022

👌

16/08/2022

Grab it. Bag it. Bin it ⬇️👌

29/07/2022

Hiya HARRY
In my care for the weekend while his owners take a quick trip away.
He really is cute as a button 💙

27/07/2022

Nope, it’s not a wolf, it’s just my Alaskan Malamute BUCKLEY.
What I wouldn’t give to see him trot in and give me a cuddle right now.

Hold them tight and love them right, they don’t live a long time but their love lasts a lifetime 💙

26/07/2022

Its been quiet on the social media front but busy on the dog front - behind the scenes!

Here’s a snapshot of some of the things we’ve been working on in July 📸🐾

➡️ Pet Sit - SNOWY the Chihuahua
➡️ Pet Sit - HARRY the Cavoodle
➡️ Pet Sit - MIA the Cavoodle
➡️ Pet Sit - LOUIE the Cavoodle
➡️ Pet Sit - LOLLY the Cavoodle
➡️ Training - STELLA the Bernese Pup
➡️ Training - DALLAS the GSD
➡️ Training - PUMBAA & BRULEY the Aussie/French Bulldogs💙🐾💖

And of course, a lot of time spent with my own superstar BLAIR the Alaskan Malamute ⭐️

Need help with your dog?
Get in contact today 📞📧

07/07/2022

Answers below ⬇️

Anyone with an answer other than C needs to make a booking!

04/07/2022

My girl Blair gave our groomer an extra tip today… big tongue kisses!!!
I highly recommend Shampoochies Mobile Dog Wash for all of your grooming needs 👌

03/07/2022

To the world you may just be one person, but to your dog, you are the world! 💞🌎

03/07/2022

I’m so guilty - my answer is just 2

02/07/2022

💯 Total support 💯

“Never worry about who will be offended if you speak the truth… worry about who will be misled, deceived and destroyed if you dont”
~Unknown

29/06/2022

😂

24/06/2022

I often talk to my clients about invisible boundaries and how to teach them to your dog when you want more control in your home.

Here is my girl Blair demonstrating her understanding that she isn’t allowed up the stairs. No verbal command was issued to make her stay, but she has been trained that there is a boundary there she must respect.

Want to find out how? DM 📩

22/06/2022

Spot on again 💯

💡 When I first meet prospective clients I often invest some time in trying to learn about their influences in their attempts to train their dog, and/or modify problem behaviours they're dealing with.

💥 There are some names that frequently pop up - perhaps unsurprisingly some of them represent better quality role models than others.

💭 As tends to be the way of the world these days, most often there are names/accounts referenced which have huge social media reach - even though the competency represented in their content is questionable at best.

✅ There are so, so many ways to train dogs, and it can absolutely be the case that someone can be doing high quality work that looks completely unlike the next person.

🔎 This being said, there are some characteristics which tend to be present in good quality dog training work.

⚡ If you're not seeing the largest number of these points consistently featured as part of a particular dog trainer's work then it's worth doing a deeper dive to examine whether that's a great influence on your dog training practice.

18/06/2022

PET SITTING bookings are now open for July school holidays!

✅We come to you! Your pet stays in the comfort of their own home.
✅Daily visits by a qualified, accredited and professional animal behaviourist.
✅Police checked and fully insured.
✅All animals catered for.

Bookings are filling up fast so don’t delay - contact K9 Kellie today!
PM or Email: [email protected]

18/06/2022

Fantastic post by Canine Services International.
So often clients do not factor emotion into their dogs behaviour or training, and actually, don’t even know/believe that dogs have such complex emotions.

They certainly do, and failing to consider emotion in your work will most definitely lead to underwhelming results.

17/06/2022

DIGGING!

Share in the comments what outlets for digging you provide for your dogs.

17/06/2022

Well done to trainer Jacqui Z***r on getting this message out there - it’s an important one!

When a dog uses aggressive, anxious or avoidant behaviors to "guard" an item it values, this can be dangerous to your baby, warns this K-9 training expert.

15/06/2022

Greater accountability 👆
Less comfort zone 👇

14/06/2022

Accurate!

14/06/2022

I absolutely love PetCube!!

As many of you are aware, we recently lost our eldest dog Buckley, and our youngest dog Blair has been understandably a little out of sorts. On top of this, we’ve also moved house and I’ve been home off work unwell. With my return to work imminent, i wanted a way to check on Blair and ensure she was ok. She has been howling on and off since Buckley passed and she also suffers epilepsy so managing her well-being is even more of a priority when I know she is a little unsettled.

Enter PetCube - I was so skeptical at first as I usually think these things are a gimmick but it was so easy to set up and install - took literally 5mins and I can check on what Blair is doing anytime/anywhere - I can even talk to her!

I was sitting at school pick up when I took this screen shot. I checked in on the app on my phone to see what she was doing and there she was - sleepin the afternoon away.
I cheekily then used the mic option to rudely wake her up and talk to her, asking her to sit.

This is not a paid promotion. I have no affiliation with this product. But it’s bloody awesome and I highly recommend it!
Not sure my new neighbours are amused by me talking to my dog through the camera mic when I’m not home 🤔 😂 🤷‍♀️

Technology at its finest, and cheap too 👌
https://www.petcircle.com.au/product/petcube-smart-hd-camera/p7332

03/06/2022

Things have been a little upside down at ITDH lately with illness and moving house causing some disruptions to services.

We hope to be back up and running soon, but for now, we’re taking a short break!

*Pic of my girl Blair, teaching me the art of relaxation ❤️

03/06/2022

EXPOSURE WALK - Not your average walk

Dallas had a big day out recently, a 1on1 session including lots of exposure along the way.

It’s so important for all dogs, not just pups, to experience the world and all within it, in order to be confident and well adjusted in our busy society. The more you do this with your dog throughout their life, the less likely they are to be anxious about anything they encounter.

On this walk, we started with obedience practice, including a long down stay in my front yard, we then walked to the Burns Beach coastal foreshore which is a great place to work amongst many people, other dogs, bikes, scooters and the general hub of coastal life. We then went down to the local pet shop which gave a great indoor exposure opportunity, including checking out the fish, and ignoring some grumpy dogs.

We ended the session with a couple of new plush toys and a big smile from Miss D.

All up this took about 1.5hours.
Make your walk count!

29/05/2022

📣 ON LEAD MEET & GREETS ARE NOT A THING

💡 Leash pressure(restraint) is a MAJOR trigger for frustration/aggression and it amplifies fear/anxious responses.

🤷🏻‍♂️ Sure! If you can keep both dogs on a loose leash they MAY be okay (if they are generally sociable with all random dogs they meet).

💡 But what if you can’t?

🤷🏻‍♂️ Meeting an unknown dog whilst restrained is a pressure cooker for so many dogs.

💡Only 1 of the 2 needs to feel that pressure for the situation to blow up.

👋🏻 “Nah mate, I’m good thanks!”

26/05/2022

Every word of this 👌💯

A bit of a rant but when some of your more popular force free trainers have a hard time with tough working dogs and the blame is immediately placed on the dog, it gives me little faith on the future of the working dog.

Nancy working her showline GSD or doing sport work with her biddable malinois through treats and toys only is not a good representation of the working dog.

Are you aware of police dogs and MWDs that will shred a bad guy even while getting stabbed or shot? Do you know there’s a certain level of toughness and lack of biddability a dog has to have to not comply with that level of pressure? Those are the dogs you have to say “no” to in training, those are the dogs you have to use tools on in training, those are also the dogs the purely positive community will take out of the gene pool if legislation advances to every corner of the dog industry. If so whatever dopamine happy dog will be left will run at the first sign of confrontation as the endorphin dogs will then be a thing of the past.

I’m not condoning abuse and the industry definitely has to improve. Old school trainers have to evolve and use more modern approaches, but the fact still remains, we need more tough dogs, not less, the kind your average trainer who just got her certification online cannot handle.

25/05/2022

Amendments to the APCA be halted until proper key stake holder consultation has occurred

24/05/2022

💯

To bring everyone up to speed, there is a toxic, social war going on between the Pure Positive/Force Free movement and Balanced Training. One of these bodies is massively funded and out to dictate how you train your dog. But don’t get fooled by the pretty language and perfectly-placed buzz words..

“Animals have never learned through punishment or consequences”
“Don’t train with pain”
“Reward what you like, ignore what you don’t”
“Dominance and force in dog training creates stress and fear”
“This dog just needs medication”

I’ll be honest, “Positive-only” sounds pretty great on paper, but practically? Not so much.

News flash: “Purely Positive” anything doesn’t exist. Life, parenting, career, school, nature, it all has consequences and it all has pressure. And if you want to talk about the quadrants of consequences, There’s FOUR. Yep, PP/FF peeps pick and choose which quadrants they want to train with. Balanced trainers use what works. We implement a holistic approach.

Rewards = information
Punishment = information

Information and communication are how dogs (and humans) learn. Punishment is NOT abuse.

If I’ve lost you in all of this chaos, allow me to break it down: Rewarding a behavior will encourage repeating, punishing a behavior will deter. These PP/FF folks are trying to change that.

The ban on these tools is coming. The ability to train how you want is being argued. The ability to use certain tools is being argued. The ability to say “no” to your dog is being argued.

So this post is to raise awareness as to what’s going on out there. I’m sharing my thoughts and stories because spreading the truth, sharing content and success is how I bring value to this community. My clients and followers are my motivation. I believe in these tools because I’ve seen them work, time and time again. Believe me, we were there one day. Stuck, stressed and struggling feeling like everything we tried with our dog wasn’t working. Trainers had failed us and it was incredibly crippling.

These tools and training methods have saved my dogs lives along with so many others, and I don’t want that to be taken from us. This current debate has really taken away from the dogs (and the training). Have we forgotten our mission? To help dogs, to clear shelters and empower owners to succeed.

Myself and all other balanced trainers have to deal with the constant hate, negativity and criticism from the PP/FF body. “Death before discomfort” is especially unsettling to me, and this idea is the reason so many dogs are being killed for no reason.

It’s time we stand up and share our success. Our rights are being stripped and our dogs are suffering.

P.S. Any hate or bashing will not be deleted, rather exposed. So watch your words :)

23/05/2022

💯

A big problem we have is that everyone has an opinion.

That’s not the problem, the problem is those with no experience or education on the subject want to express their opinion as fact.

Most pet owners really will not understand deep seated behaviour problems and how they are solved.

Journalists who write pet dog magazines do not understand dog training.

Veterinarians who do not train and treat behaviour problems do not understand either.

Politicians certainly don’t understand.

Experienced dog trainers DO understand.

But strangely they are not asked to contribute to how laws on dog training tools are created????

23/05/2022

Agree!

What have you done to train your dog today? Yesterday? Last week? Last month?
If you have to look beyond that time frame, you’ve left it too long.

Training your dog is your responsibility. No one else’s. You wouldn’t send your child to kinder and then never bother with school. Training your dog is ongoing, it’s lifelong. A trainer will educate, guide, coach, support…but it’s your job to do the dirty work.

So get your hands dirty today.
Train your dog.