Polite Pooches LLC

23/01/2024

New friend from this mornings puppy class. Welcome Phoebe💕

22/01/2024

Fosters get first dibs to adopt😀

22/01/2024

21/01/2024

😂😂😂

21/01/2024

I know many people struggle with this....and the most important step to stop or limit this is sometimes not taken.
For aesthetic reasons or for financial reasons (which I absolutely understand) the crucial step of ceasing this behaviour being repeated and rehearsed over and over isn't taken.
For aesthetic reasons...I get it, you have worked hard and have a beautiful home and fence......but now your dog is launching themselves at that beautiful fence...and at every dog, person or car that passes.
Asking someone to block that view through that fence or to create a temporary fence further back is often met with resistance.
Some people may struggle financially with a cheap option to block that view, try weedmat or thick opaque shade cloth to temporary staple to the fence, its a very reasonable price and comes in long lengths. Or look around the home for an old tarpaulin, there are very cheap or free options.

If you have a dog that sits on the deck and then launches into this "game" from there...change the area. That "launch pad" WILL be used over and over if left.

This won't just stop.

Another reason people are hesitant to stop this is they see their dog enjoys this "game". They see the pacing while waiting, the anticipation....and that is part of the issue. Reactivity can be highly stressful for dogs.
They are stuck in a loop and need help to stop.

Limiting opportunity is always a first step...from there you can put in other ways to help....but for some dogs, limiting the vision (and/or access to the fence line) will stop the behaviour immediately.

🙂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.

21/01/2024

20/01/2024

New friend from this mornings puppy class. Welcome Coco💕

20/01/2024

Enrichment day at puppy class😀

20/01/2024

Our parking lot is mostly slush❄️

20/01/2024

We do plan to hold classes today, Saturday 1/20/24. We hope to see you there!

20/01/2024

Good things to watch for during play.

"They will sort it out ".⚠️
I am all for letting dogs communicate with each other.
However, some dogs simply don't have the ability to know when to stop or when their style of play is just unwanted.
The dog that is being held back and is bursting with energy, straining and screeching on the lead because it really wants to play with yours....is not the dog to choose if you want to introduce your dog to healthy dog/dog play.
Over aroused/hyper dogs will usually run at other dogs full speed and insist on interactions.
They are incapable of watching the cues dogs can give.
They want what they want and they want it NOW !

Then you have the pesterers, they just insist on interactions even after being told no by another dog.
Some dogs "play" by insisting it is on their terms and they will certainly bully other dogs.
Be careful who you choose to pair your dog with.
Once they understand the basics of play and have some understanding of social interactions you can slowly expand who they may want to play with.
It can be good for dogs to play with other dogs with different play styles, it helps both dogs.....BUT match the energy and play styles first so they get a true understanding of HOW to play (and it doesn't come natural to many dogs).
Keep the interactions shorter rather than longer.
Smaller plays often allow dogs to read each other better.
As always dogs do NOT need to play with others but some dogs really are truly dog social.....tis is just a few hints to keep it that way.

🙂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.

19/01/2024

Spaniel lovers!

19/01/2024

Jelly’s “snow beard” is an indication she loves the snow😀

19/01/2024

This dog has had 8 months of training already😀

18/01/2024

We have a puppy from this litter in our current puppy class (Walter). He is smart, sweet and calm😀 It sounds like several of his brothers are still available.

18/01/2024

We have one of these puppies in our current puppy class (Walter). He is sweet, smart and calm. There are still some of his brothers looking for their forever home!

17/01/2024

New friend from this mornings puppy class. Welcome Tucker💕

17/01/2024

Maverick enjoying his first real snow day❄️

16/01/2024

16/01/2024

I don't think there would be many trainers out there that would disagree that dogs "playing" can be very misread.
Sometimes what may look like play is often highly stressful for one or all dogs involved.

Puppies need little and often exposure to play, however if the play styles they have been continually exposed to has been problematic, there may be issues with play going forward.
If they have limited exposure to dogs/puppies, they have limited experience and may struggle with appropriate play.

With grown dogs.... play is often encouraged with others they have just met...often without taking the time to assess and watch the play style and energy levels.

Playstyles matter
Energy levels matter

Supervising and stopping play is so important. If you have a dog that changes their own play style the longer it goes on (perhaps it starts to get more frantic and far more physical)....stop play before it gets to that stage.
I am all for dogs learning appropriate play with each other and allowing communication between them to signal "hey...thats enough"....the difficulty is you need to trust implicitly that the other dog involved can GIVE those more subtle signals that play is getting too rough....and you need to trust your own dog will read those subtle signals BEFORE a much larger and possibly damaging incident .

If these dogs have no history together.....neither will have any knowledge of those individual signals given.

Being excited to play....does NOT mean the play about to follow is going to be a healthy interaction for all involved. In fact dogs which are "bursting" to play often will not wait for signals from others that they are reciprocating...they will just charge in there....and that can cause an immediate fight.

This is just a guide.
There will be many people that have dogs that have stiff bodies when playing....it is very individual...however it is a good "rule" to be wary of stiff posture, especially from a dog thats energy is vastly different from yours.
Many larger dogs do a beautiful job "handicapping" when playing with smaller dogs.....they will continually drop/tuck a front leg to continue to play with another much smaller buddy, this is a great signal to watch....but generally speaking there are real and obvious dangers of a much smaller dog and a larger dog play.

Healthy play is a fantastic uplifting and joyful experience for all involved, participants and onlookers.....always advocate if needed.

🙂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.

16/01/2024

Tonight’s 6:00 Pm puppy class will be postponed until tomorrow night at 6:00 PM 1/17/24

16/01/2024

I have a last minute opening for a private session at the training center today at 2:00 PM. E-mail [email protected] if you would like that spot. Photo of Patou during his private session last week

16/01/2024

If you are expecting an e-mail from us and don’t see one, please check your SPAM folder. I can’t tell you how many people call me to say that nothing was received and it is sitting in SPAM.

16/01/2024

I’M NOT GUILTY!
Dogs might look guilty, but that doesn’t mean that they feel guilty.

“My dog knows that he’s done something wrong, just look how guilty he looks!" This is something that we hear so often.

People are highly amused and entertained on social media and even dedicated websites where pictures of “guilty” dogs are seen.

The “guiltier” the dog looks, the more popular these posts are and the funnier people find them.

I find this really sad because it’s a complete misunderstanding and lack of knowledge of a dog’s body language.

That “guilty” look is actually a dog showing the signs of fear, stress, anxiety or appeasement.

The fear of being punished, the stress and anxiety of hearing the person’s tone of voice, demeanor and noticing the person’s body language, appeasement behaviour in an attempt to calm the angry person down.

As people, it’s natural for us to want to believe that our dogs feel guilt and remorse about whatever they’ve done wrong. Maybe thinking that they really do feel guilty somehow makes their behaviour more acceptable and is a form of an apology.

Dogs are capable of a wide range of emotions that could be compared to that of a 2 to 2½ child, but it’s highly unlikely that they feel more complex emotions, like guilt, regret, remorse or shame.

Guilt is a complex emotion and defined as an unhappy feeling that you have because you have done something wrong or think that you may have done something wrong. It’s a feeling of shame, regret or remorse. The feeling of guilt requires an understanding of cause and effect and is relative to time.

Do dogs spend the day feeling guilty, waiting for us to come home to find a mess or a chewed-up couch or shoe, or are they waiting excitedly for us to come home because they really missed us and are looking forward to some attention?

For the emotional wellbeing of our dogs, let’s seek to understand them more and focus less on how we believe they should feel just because it makes us feel better.

16/01/2024

Today’s 11:00 AM puppy class has been postponed until tomorrow, Wednesday 1/17@ 11:00 AM. Today’s 12:30 PM Basic Manners class will also be moved to tomorrow @ 12:30 PM. Tonight’s 6:00 PM puppy class will be held as planned😀

16/01/2024

Brothers Tripp and Kai were so fun to work with today😀

15/01/2024

Tonight’s new session of Intermediate Manners/CGC Prep will be moved to next Monday 1/22 @ 7:00 PM.
We do plan to hold our 6:00 Basic Manners class tonight, but if you can’t make it, no worries, I am sending you an e-mail with options. Check your inbox. Photo of my dog Mya snuggling on the couch😀