Dingo Dog Studio

04/08/2024

Busy Summer and forgot to post these fabulous graduating teams from 7/18/24, puppies and a few adults. Classes coming up in August and September come have some fun and learn a few things for you and your dog!

24/07/2024

'shared from my personal page'
Georgia 9/1/2008-7/16/24.
Our Dog Georgia left us a week ago. It has taken me awhile to actually write this as no matter how long they are with you, if it’s fast or slow, if they have been tons of work or easy, if it’s the right time or not, it’s always devastating. 😢
She had fought some skin cancer the last 8 months and we had taken her off all meds a few weeks ago to give her body a break. But she had a few recurring UTI's lately and last Sunday was diagnosed with bladder cancer and a large tumor. We brought her home for a few days but she deteriorated fast so we let her go. She had a good last hour, as she could barely stand, but she swam and waded in the lake the longest we have seen her swim all summer, perked up, sniffed a dead eel, lots of snacks, and cuddles. 🥲
She was an amazing dog, gorgeous, loved all people to the point of space invader, tolerated all dogs (not a play wrestler), an adventurer, swimmer, baller, hunter, funny, bratty, food stealer and roll in the dirtiest things ever dog! She loved training to the point she was usually bored with me or way ahead of me! In Apple photos when you can search on a person or pet, when I click G, there are 1882 photos, 🥲here are just a few.
She lived and loved hard and big and in turn made us live that way too! We are all feeling empty and lost without her large presence in the house. 😢

04/07/2024

Happy July 4th all! More dogs go missing on July 4th than any other day of the year, see safety tips below.

28/06/2024

Oh my!

21/06/2024

Nice write up on helping dog with thunder storms.

We're getting quite a few thunderstorms at the moment, so here are some quick tips for helping noise sensitive dogs!

1) Vet Check 👩‍⚕️ - Pain or other physical issues can contribute to or cause noise sensitivity; work with your vet to give your dog a thorough check over.

2) Comfort Your Dog 🥰 - It's not true that you shouldn't comfort a scared dog because you might reinforce the fear! A noise phobic dog is truly panicking and not putting on a show for attention. Try some different methods to see what works best, like speaking softly vs fun and upbeat, cuddles vs relaxing nearby etc.

3) Set Up A Safe Place 🏠 - Reduce the trigger as much as possible and make a safe place for your dog to retreat to. Close and block the windows to muffle the outside sights and sounds, run the air conditioning to reduce changes in the air, play some music or an audiobook to drown out the bangs. Some dogs like a cave-like hiding space such as a blanket fort or a crate, or to snuggle up under the covers on your bed. Scents designed to help sooth dogs, like synthetic Dog Appeasing Pheromone (DAP) may help as well.

4) Play 🎉 - Play can be incredibly powerful for overcoming fear. Try playing games with your dog while the noise is happening, but don't be too over the top or pushy if they're too scared to be interested in playing. Practise playing the games at times when the noise isn't happening so you can determine what they like best.

5) Compression 🫂 - Compression and sensory garments (like thundershirts and T-Touch wraps) may help some dogs, as can being held or cuddled by a human. Not all dogs will find this calming though, we recommend contacting your trainer if you'd like to try it with your dog.

6) Counter Conditioning 🥩 - Desensitisation and counter conditioning is a behavioural modification technique where we introduce a trigger in a less intense way, and create a new positive association with it. It's best done under the guidance of a trainer to prepare for storms or other noises BEFORE they happen, but it can sometimes work during a noise event as well. Every time the noise happens, celebrate vocally and toss some extra tasty food, or a favourite toy. We want your dog to think that the noise causes the fun stuff to happen.

7) Medication 💊 - Many noise phobic dogs need medical help to reduce the severity of their fear. Medications aren’t designed to replace the need for behavioural modification, but instead facilitate it. Speak to your vet or veterinary behaviourist for assistance.

18/06/2024

First Monty is the cutest! Second these are all my sentiments too for my pet dogs!

17/06/2024

Graduates of puppy kindergarten and adult/good manners classes from 6/11/24. Graduation night was smaller this time but fun with some practice of training cues learned, some agility fun and tricks shown off. All the pups and guardians learn so much! Some summer classes starting this week, a few spots left in PK! There are a few class dates off for Summer fun too, so fits all schedules.

12/06/2024

12/06/2024

I was on my normal walk today with Twig and Lucky, it’s a nice walk through a meadow by the river to a park in the middle of town. It’s busy with people and dogs (which mine love) and a mix of onlead and offlead dogs.

As I got to a narrow bit this morning, a saw a couple approaching with two dogs on extendable leads and as they saw me they shortened the leads right up and I could see that the people looked really worried about walking past me and my dogs.

I put my dogs onlead, took my dogs off the path into the undergrowth, and distracted them with food (made sure they didn’t look at the dogs) as the people walked past. If I had seen them coming sooner I would have asked them if they wanted me to move off the path. Not everyone feels comfortable to ask you to give them space but it’s normally pretty obvious when people are worried about walking past you and it’s easy to help them out.

The people and dogs walked past and thanked me for giving them space- no drama and we both went on our way.

I have no idea why they were worried about walking past me- the people may have been worried about strange dogs, their dogs may have been worried about strange dogs, the dogs may have been unwell or in pain or elderly or in season. Honestly it’s NONE of my business why they wanted space but it’s my job as a decent human being to be empathetic and respect that these people wanted some space.

I didn’t offer them advice, as it’s not my place. I’m sure we’ve all had unwanted advice over the years and most of it is awful. I bet every day they get told they ‘should let their dogs off lead’, or that ‘they were making their dogs anxious by making the lead so tight’ or that ‘they shouldn’t be walking in that place as it’s an ‘offlead’ dog place’.

I know people who’ve had reactive dogs carry on helping out other owners long after their own reactive dogs have passed away as they remember what it felt like. It costs nothing to try and make someone else’s day a bit less stressful. Even if your dog is totally fine with other dogs you can help other owners out who look stressed (and it’s none of our business why they might be stressed) by giving them space.

Laura McAuliffe, 2024 Dog Communication

08/06/2024

A little late posting with a busy month but here are recent graduates of puppy and adult training class, 5/23/24. Great learning and some fun was had. Come join us this Summer for small, fun and informative training classes for all pup’s and dogs.

23/05/2024

Yep, definitely a foundation I teach every dog and owner!! Love it.

The touch cue is the Swiss army knife of dog training--useful in so many situations!

22/05/2024

Somebody decided this year that he needed to be a lap dog outside too!

03/05/2024

Look at these beauties, graduates of adolescence/adult Good Manners Class 4/30/24! These teams really showed up and learned and had fun! Such a unique bunch too!
Come with your pup or dog and join us for some fun and learning in May. 2 sessions starting, small classes.

24/04/2024

Anybody want a ‘ good boy’? Already has some training etc

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/Sn4mxe6vJ4gCiMsN/?mibextid=CTbP7E

11/04/2024

Congratulations to the graduates of puppy and adult classes, 4/4/24! Awesome teams and great learning from all. I have classes starting tonight that filled fast, spring puppies and spring sillies brings them in. 😉 Come join us for some fun and learning in May.

04/04/2024

Loki decided the peepad put down for old dog Georgia on steroids mistakes is a great ‘mat’. Silly goose.

29/03/2024

Resilience is the ability to experience hardship and successfully adapt to, or recover quickly from it. During adolescence, it can sometimes seem that a dog has little resilience. The neurobiology of adolescence is fascinating, with some key events that occur at this critical time of brain development, including motor skills, how the individual processes information day to day, and the ability to regulate emotions. Understanding these processes gives us an understanding of, and greater compassion for, why and how behavior can fluctuate at this life stage.

If you’re feeling frustrated or overwhelmed by your adolescent dog, take a breath and remember this period is temporary. 😮‍💨

21/03/2024

Breezy and brisk at the lake today! Old lady Georgia has lost a lot of her muscle and fat to cancer treatment but she still loves a wade no matter the temperature. The walks are shorter and slower but she needs them for mental health.

07/03/2024

Puppy Kindergarten and Adult Good Manners graduates. Congrats to great group. Lots of learning and improving was had. New classes starting next week and in April come join us for some fun, training and learning about dogs as a whole.

06/03/2024

This looks fun and the trainer is great! And my friend! 🤪

28/02/2024

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/Nz7HutyEVcoopYLx/?mibextid=CTbP7E

Shake it…shake it off…

A recent study by two researchers in France looked at sniffing, pulse rate, and leash length on walks. Sixty-one dogs were taken on three separate walks, five minutes each walk, once with a 1.5m leash, once with a 5m leash, and once without a leash at all (walk order was randomized for each dog). Off-leash dogs sniffed the most, more than 3x as long as the dogs on short leashes. Dogs on long leashes spent nearly as much time as unleashed dogs sniffing, almost 3x as long as dogs on short leashes.

This study also found that sniffing resulted in lowered pulse rates, and the more intensely they sniffed, the more their pulse rates lowered. Pulse rate was also lowered when dogs “shook off” during walks on all leash lengths. The “shake off” behavior was often seen when the dog’s pulse rate was particularly high.

Read more about it below!

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1HX77kp2HBDiTxmq/?mibextid=Le6z7H

https://www.tuftsyourdog.com/everydaydogcare/giving-your-dog-time-to-sniff-on-walks-will-literally-soothe-his-heart/

What else can we learn about dogs from their walking behavior? Take your best friend on a Sniffari and see what you observe!

20/02/2024

Congratulations to our Puppy Kindergarten and adolescent/adult Good Manners classes graduates from 2/15/24. Great students both 4 and 2 legged. Training dogs is always training people too, and I love dogs and people! 🤪 Come join us for our next classes in February and March have some fun while learning together.

13/02/2024

https://www.arlboston.org/its-national-spay-and-neuter-awareness-month/?fbclid=IwAR221ZuLGcn9L8kpmCODIQlf-S5tXkpvDaYnF9RoW-Hw8j-2QLvlEt9NCnc_aem_AQVDKYt132UIG8_ftnRn9u59bdmjiRNqtHsXpFCRl0GeGPO836pV3i6fpNVfphDL64c

Here at the Animal Rescue League of Boston we field questions about spay and neuter on a daily basis which typically revolve around two issues...

02/02/2024

Morning naps today!

31/01/2024

Cutie pie of the week, Bucky! His guardian is starting out right with him, a few consults at home and puppy classes. He loves to bite and tug, but we just had to change his mind that a toy was better for tugging, then my pants, socks, and crotch etc 🤪Second picture my house pooches doing a ‘mat’ behavior to help with alert barking as the 17th teenager walks thru the house. 😄

21/01/2024

Some pictures of cuties that were awesome clients from puppies to adults, large and small, mutts and pure breeds. Love helping them all. Still some spots in puppy class starting Tuesday 1/23/24, and Feb classes open, come join us!

31/12/2023

Happy New Year All! Wishing all Peace, joy and health! 🎊🎉 As usual it’s been a good and bad year for us and probably everyone else too, that’s life, you learn to ride the waves. 🤪We recreated this photo of Finn and Georgia our 14 year old ACD mix, at our favorite woods walks, as she was diagnosed with skin cancer in November. It’s on her nose, lips and in her mouth. So we started doing a bucket list, of fun things, foods and such. I am writing this as a good story though too. Dermotogist told us 4-12 months w treatment, but cancer center consult told us new research suggest a slow growing strain of cancer and a fast growing one, she has slow. And new treatments of steroid and a chemo pill give her 1-4 years. Of course she is already an elder but we think we will have her for a bit longer than we thought. Enjoying our days and thankful for the years we already had with her!

24/07/2023

Graduating pups and adolescent/ adult teams from 7/13! What an adorable bunch and smart too! Great strides and work done with all. Come join us for fun and informative classes for you and pup, last Summer date and first fall date available!

10/07/2023

A few spots left in training classes starting tomorrow night 7/11 and more classes staring 7/20. Come join us for some learning and fun for puppies and adolescents/adult dogs. Pictures of client cuties for fun!

30/06/2023

More info..

Your dog doesn't have to experience hours of anxiety or nervous behaviors on Independence Day. Here's what to do.