Newcastle City Pets

21/02/2025

Lot's of talk about letting dogs decompress.....but how ❓
Newly adopted dogs really need to know you and your home offer safety and security.
Here are some good tips on key areas to help a dog decompress.
Enrichment while working on all the other areas in this dog training graphic is a key area.
Enrichment HELPS decompression and you can easily do this by teaching a simple "find" and then expanding that when they are ready.
In the middle of this video (video in comments) it shows you how to start this....you may find other concepts in the video helpful too. While it isn't strictly about newly adopted dogs it has lot's of tips and hints to help a dog relax.
This dog training printout is available through https://www.abcdogsnz.com/product-page/decompression-for-adopted-dogs-abc-dogs-nz-dog-training-handouts

19/02/2025

Yes your dog can be like this! And it’s not fun or good for anyone including the poor dog unable to self-regulate. Need some help with your pet? Contact City Pets!

Always a bit controversial when I post this.
Yes I know🙄🙂...the term "over socialised" doesn't make sense if the true meaning of socialisation is looked at BUT, I find this term really does fit these dogs.
These dogs have always been allowed to pull and drag their owners/guardians towards another dog, person or anything they want to get closer to.
They run into other dogs faces, they struggle with impulse control and self regulating their own emotions.
They can struggle to read another dogs body language because no time is taken to assess.
Some people insist these dogs are friendly....they may very well be friendly but they can cause some very big issues for others and one day there may well be an incident because very few dogs like or will even tolerate this behaviour.
Socialisation isn't about meeting and greeting every other dog.
It isn't wanting to play and mount other dogs.
These dogs can be reactive which is a surprise to some as they may view reactivity only as barking and "aggression".
These dogs may struggle to be calm at other times too.
There will be some videos in the comments that can help.
If your dog is displaying signs of being "over socialised" there are lots of resources out there and a good dog trainer can help.
This dog trainer graphic is available through https://www.abcdogsnz.com/product-page/abc-dogs-nz-over-socialised-dogs-common-issues?srsltid=AfmBOorfOWsNIp657raW71sbAkoKOLeHkfEhKN-iz3OyYC5f2cJb8RKe

13/02/2025

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, please be mindful of the flowers you bring into your home 🌻

While a bouquet is a lovely gesture, some blooms can be dangerous to pets. Even a small nibble can lead to serious health issues, including vomiting, organ failure, and in some cases, fatal reactions 💀

To keep your furry friends safe, opt for pet-friendly alternatives like roses, sunflowers, or orchids—because love should never come with risks ❤️

If you suspect your pet has ingested a toxic plant or flower, contact your vet immediately. Acting fast can make all the difference.

19/01/2025

Simple, easy and very rewarding enrichment technique for your dog (works with cats too!)

06/01/2025

With temperatures rising today, if you’re not sure whether it’s too hot to walk your dog, just follow the 5-second rule 🖐🐶

Simply place the back of your hand on a surface for five seconds. If you can’t handle the heat, your dog can’t either and it would be best to wait till things cool down before venturing out 🚶‍♀

Your dog can easily overheat when walking in the warmer weather. Dogs cool themselves through their paws and by panting. They simply can’t do this if the ground and air is too hot! 🥵

To avoid burning your pooch’s pads, try walking early in the morning before the pavement has heated up or later at night on cooler grassed areas 🌿

If you think your pet has overheated or is suffering from heat related issues, call an RSPCA veterinary hospital or your local veterinarian immediately.

04/01/2025

Such a damaging and difficult never ending loop‼️
More exercise❓More ball throwing ❓more, More, MORE ‼️
The stamina these dogs have is incredible and the exercise they require is unsustainable.
Many people get stuck in this loop where they have to constantly keep their dog moving, entertained or focused on play.....because if they don't their dogs can start to show unwanted behaviour.
You CAN stop the over arousal loop.
More exercise is usually never the answer to these issues and can FUEL this behaviour.
Get some calm into their lives.
Teach them HOW to switch off.
One of our most popular videos about this subject has over 16,000 views and can help you start the process, link in comments.
Make 2025 the year for real change.

This handout is available abcdogsnz.com

16/12/2024

Pretty simple really.

DON’T GET A DOG…UNLESS YOU CAN MAKE A COMMITMENT

In an ideal world dogs would be included as a family member and we would commit to sharing our time and life with them in the relatively short time they have on earth.

In an ideal world, we would take the time to learn about how dogs communicate through their body language, their emotions, their needs and keep learning about updated, modern, force free / pain free methods to understand or modify behaviour.

In reality, dogs are so often seen as an item of property, an object, a commodity to be bred and make money from, a cheap, replaceable security system, a garden decoration, a toy to play with when the kids are bored or an accessory that looks good while out walking, running or taking selfies.

Dogs are not objects, just like us they are sentient beings with the capacity to feel a range of emotions.

Dogs are naturally social beings and need to spend time with their human family.

A life spent confined to a backyard or fenced in with little or no human companionship is not a life.

They need love and attention, exercise and mental stimulation. They need routine, consistency and predictable patterns to feel safe and secure in our world.

Having a dog requires commitment, understanding, patience and dedication.

It’s hard work, it’s sometimes messy, dirty and stinky, it costs money and requires changes to our lifestyle.

It’s a decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly or without making a long term commitment, but the rewards of forming a secure bond with another sentient being can bring so much joy and enrichment to both our lives and theirs.

30/11/2024

Greet and retreat, dogs aren’t people. They don’t ‘socialise’ (a sadly misused word now!) or greet other dogs the way we meet people. Stop making them uncomfortable and learn how dogs work and let them be dogs, not little people in furry suits! Another excellent resource from ABC Dogs NZ.

If we really want our dogs to meet others (especially if they are socially awkward), this helps enormously ✅
Choose your dogs carefully though, matching energy and body shapes (and sometimes breed for a very socially awkward dog) are all great ideas too....some dogs have a particularly difficult time reading other dogs that look different to them.
You can do this on lead....but a little word of caution about allowing over aroused/over excited dogs dragging you towards other dogs they want to meet....that can soon become a lifelong habit and you can be dragged to meet every dog they see, even at an enormous distance away.
It is opening up the door to a possible life time of over excited reactivity.
If we watch dogs, many will meet for a few seconds and then disperse, they may check out this dog again and then both dogs may be happy to have a play or not....and that is ok!
It is perfectly normal for dogs to be socially choosy with who they interact with.✅
We need to respect that.

These graphics are available for purchase for educational handouts and posters, feel free to check out the store https://www.abcdogsnz.com/dog-training-graphics?srsltid=AfmBOopS8IIostWJ4XsWPsQK0oRAyAMYnCXRkfMuM4sAziC4J67UYvxl

21/11/2024

ARE YOU MANAGING?
Are you managing your dog’s environment to prevent or improve unwanted behaviour?

As people, we tend to prefer and look for the more complicated solutions to problems. This tendency is termed “complexity bias” - the tendency to prefer complicated explanations and solutions instead of looking for the simpler ones.

Surely a complicated, time consuming, detailed solution has to be more effective, superior, impressive, or correct?

Complexity bias is so relevant when it comes to changing a dog’s unwanted behaviour. We often get so stuck on trying to modify behaviour through counter conditioning, desensitization or detailed training plans when sometimes the simplest solution to the problem lies in simply managing the environment.

Dogs will do what dogs do – when an opportunity arises to help themselves to food left on a table, to bark at the gate at anyone passing by, to have a drink from that big water bowl at the perfect height, that we call a toilet, to running off with irresistibly smelly dirty underwear, to rummaging through bins in search of anything that may or may not be edible, to running out an opened door in search of adventure - the list is long - dogs will be dogs.

Parents of little children use management all the time without giving it much thought. Baby locks on cupboards, covers on electrical sockets, valuable or dangerous items put far out of reach, fences and locks around pools, etc.

We wouldn’t just train a toddler not to stick their fingers in an electrical socket, not to open cupboards, not to touch a hot plate – it’s far safer, simpler and logical to first manage the environment, to prevent potential incidents.

The same principle should apply to managing a dog’s environment to prevent unwanted behaviour.

The more a behaviour is practiced the more difficult it is to prevent. The more a behaviour is rehearsed the better dogs become at it.

Preventing the behaviour from happening in the first place by using management is the logical, simple and effective way to address it.

Be a good manager – it’s far less stressful, for both us and our dogs.

18/11/2024

A timely reminder ❤️
God only knows why these products are still legally sold 🤷 in Australia . I guess the consumer keeps buying so the retailers keep selling these gimmicks 😮‍💨

Every year the Xmas rubbish rawhides come out and people who don't understand, buy them not being aware of the dangers

We strive to provide the best for our furry friends, but sometimes what seems like a harmless treat can hide potential dangers. There have been 1000s documented cases of dogs with pieces of rawhide lodged in their windpipe, stomach, or intestines, creating choking hazards and an intestinal blockage, gastrointestinal distress, such as vomiting or diarrhea, can occur if rawhide irritates the digestive tract . Since rawhide is a byproduct of leather, some items pose a significant challenge to a dog’s digestive system when it comes to breaking down.
The surgeries to remove these products is not only expensive it’s a high risk to your beloved dog 😮‍💨

During the manufacturing process, rawhide is often soaked in a cocktail of chemicals to preserve it and enhance its flavor. These chemicals can include formaldehyde or chromium salts, hydrogen peroxide and bleach, which may pose risks to adult dogs and young puppies alike.

There are so many better alternatives for your dogs Xmas presents…. So it’s honestly best to simply avoid the risk at all !

07/11/2024

Ensure your furry friend stays safe and cared for, no matter where your adventures take you, with the RFDS Pet First Aid Kit. Designed to handle the unexpected, this compact and lightweight kit is perfect for outdoor trips, camping adventures, and everyday use. With tick removal tools, a snake bite....

04/11/2024

A simple explanation of a frequently asked question “But aren’t I just rewarding them for being….?”

22/10/2024

Doors!! So exciting and so frustrating. Here are some great tips from ABC Dogs NZ

OH BOY❗
This is one of those issues that can be really frustrating for us and our dogs.🤦
Sometimes we don't help this because we can inadvertently INCREASE excitement when we want to lessen it.
"Is that Mum home....is it ?"
"Who's that, Who's that Max ?"
These are common phrases which can become CUES for the very behaviour we don't want.
There is a video in the comments with 3 steps you can take (and start today).....to lower your dogs over excitement with visitors.

Instead of the barking and jumping...what would you like instead?

Please respect that these graphics take time and effort to make. Everyone is free to share on social media🙂, however off social media use of these marked graphics is prohibited.
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 or for personal use.
Screen shots are a violation of the copyright.
Please visit ABC Dogs Patreon Shop for unmarked graphics. All graphics belong to ABC Dogs NZ and are under copyright.

03/10/2024

DON’T FORCE ME TO BE SOCIAL!
It may be really disappointing and frustrating when our dogs are not the social beings we expected them to be.

Many believe dogs should just naturally get along with other dogs, after all they’re the same species.

Some believe the “unsociable” dog has a behaviour problem that needs to be “fixed”.

Early, appropriately timed and correct socialisation is vitally important, but sometimes despite all of this, some dogs are just not that sociable.

Sometimes this can be improved, especially if the cause is from a negative experience, but genetics, breed tendencies, individual personalities, health and age all contribute to tolerance and sociability, which also change throughout life.

If we, as a human species, don’t get along with everyone we meet, how can we expect our dogs to?

Do we label every person that has an argument, doesn’t make friends with everyone they meet, doesn’t like every other person, prefers not to socialise - as having a problem that needs to be fixed?

Why is it so easy to accept that every individual person is different than to accept that every individual dog is different?

When we have done what we can to improve our dogs’ social skills, we need to accept and acknowledge our dogs for the individuals they are, allow and respect their choice of whether to be sociable or not and never force interactions that a dog is not comfortable with.

27/09/2024

A walk with your dog is for walking with your dog: put the phone away and enjoy the time together 🐾

DISTRACTED DOG WALKERS

The distracted dog walker is commonly seen chatting on their cell phone, wearing headphones or socializing with other people while oblivious to what their dog is doing, how their dog is feeling or what is going on in the environment.

This may not sound like a problem to some, but it is something that many people have a problem with, even more so if you have a reactive dog.

I compare walking a dog to driving a car. It’s not so much about our driving skills, but having to constantly be aware of the driving skills of others – trying to predict what they will do, which rules of the road they will ignore and how distracted they are. This is especially true in the country I live in, where driving can be a stressful experience.

I understand that we often need to multi task – there simply doesn’t seem to be enough time in our day to accomplish everything we need to, but walking our dogs should not be one of these times.

Some people might say – “but my dog is really friendly, well socialized, gets on well with everyone, is well trained, knows this environment well etc. and I hear that.

But another dog might not be – maybe they need space, are reactive, are not sociable, are recovering from an illness, might be terrified of another dog racing straight towards them chasing a ball thrown from a ball launcher etc.

If distracted dog walkers have no regard for other dogs or other people, they should at least have regard for their own dogs. Walking your dog should be a time of bonding, of relationship, of seeing the environment through the eyes of your dog, of reinforcing and teaching wanted behaviours, of keeping them safe and protected from the unknown.

Our dogs need us to be focused, to pay attention, to be aware and attentive.

Our dogs depend on us to advocate for them.

20/09/2024

Great easy to read graphic that explains the difference (and importance) of reactive vs proactive behaviour management.

11/09/2024

"I think 10 meters is far enough away" ❌
Your dog is the one who determines the distance, we can't✅
You may have found the perfect area because triggers are available... yet your dog is still struggling.
You are too close.

Reactivity is a tricky beast and we really need to respect the emotional turmoil bubbling underneath...and those emotions simply won't change if you are too close when you begin working with them.
There is a time to challenge distance, ...but again, your dog will let you know when they are ready. There are videos in the comments which can hep if you are new to a reactive dog (as there can be a lot to learn).
You CAN make a big difference with reactivity. ✅

Please respect that these graphics take time and effort to make. Everyone is free to share on social media🙂, however off social media use of these marked graphics is prohibited.
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 or for personal use.
Screen shots are a violation of the copyright.
Please visit ABC Dogs Patreon Shop for unmarked graphics. All graphics belong to ABC Dogs NZ and are under copyright.

26/08/2024

Happy International Dog Day to all our beautiful dogs and their families! Share a picture of your gorgeous dog celebrating their special day 🐾

Celebrating International Dog Day 2024 🐾