Duke's Academy for Dogs

16/08/2024

What an awesome, fun and busy day at Daycare. The pups just LOVING life! We are incredibly blessed to have these gorgeous furkids in our care! 🐕💙❤️♥️

14/08/2024

dukesacademyfordogs.yolasite.com

At Dukes Academy for Dogs we create closer bonds between handlers and their dogs. We help you to understand your dogs, by showing you how to read their body language just how they learn to read yours.

13/08/2024

13/08/2024

🙉 Behaviour is communication 🙊

Juno stops on a walk and turns her head indicating she would like to take a right, not a left.

Juno grunts and leaps up when I move my feet beneath the covers, expressing her displeasure about a rude awakening.

Juno squints her eyes, purses her mouth, and rocks ever so slightly onto her haunches when a child runs up asking to pet her. "No thanks, kid. Not today."

Every movement and sound a dog makes—from the subtle wag of their tail to a sharp bark or low growl—serves as a vital expression of their inner world, conveying their needs, emotions, and intentions. The same way we use our voice, the symbolism of words and their meaning (and, yes, our body language, too), a dog exhibits particular behaviours to communicate something deeply significant, whether it be feelings of anxiety, excitement, fear, pain, discomfort, or a specific need or desire. Rather than dismissing unwanted behaviours as simply "disobedience" or "rudeness," it is imperative to interpret them as meaningful signals that require our attention and understanding.

By attuning ourselves to these communicative behaviours, we can engage in a more profound dialogue with our canine companions. This approach not only enhances the efficacy of learning/teaching but also deepens the relationship and trust between a dog and their caregiver, fostering a relationship grounded in empathy and mutual reciprocity.

30/07/2024

Love our Saturday slots.

Agility Foundation
Puppy 1
Puppy 2

27/07/2024

A HUGE WELCOME to our new Puppy 1 Pups.

24/07/2024

A slow mo kind of day 😊😊

15/07/2024

This weekend my Border Collie Explore and I competed in an Agility Show. The judge was Alen from Croatia. First time running under an international Judge. Well my boy did not disappoint. WOW What a thrill! My boy got a fabulous clear round and a 3rd place with a signing. What an epic weekend!! Beyond proud of my boy!!!

28/06/2024

Good life at Daycare

27/06/2024

Our daycare pups love their walks. We have the incredible privilege of walking our pups in an incredibly safe environment where they can sniff to their hearts content. Our daycare isn't just a place you leave your dogs, it's a place they get physically, mentally, emotionally taken care of!

27/06/2024

Reasons to Allow your dogs to sniff:

When you’re taking your dog for a walk, do you let them move at their own pace and sniff freely, or do you dictate where and when they can sniff? Sniffing is a powerful behavior for dogs that serves a variety of functions. Here are five reasons to let your dog sniff when out in the world.

1. Sniffing is how dogs learn about the world.

Dogs have an incredible olfactory system (sense of smell), one of the best in the animal kingdom. Dogs have up to 300 million olfactory receptors in their nose (we have about 5 million), and it’s estimated that about one eighth of a dog’s brain is dedicated to olfaction. Dogs evolved to use their sense of smell to survive - to find food, to learn about other members of their species, to navigate the landscape, and to evade predators. Sniffing is the primary means by which dogs gather and process information about the world. It’s as essential as sight is to humans. Would you want to take a walk with a blindfold on?

2. Sniffing lets your dog be a dog.

All dogs should be given daily opportunities to practice the innate behaviors that make them dogs, and sniffing is no exception. Playing, vocalizing, digging, scavenging, foraging, and hunting are all normal dog behaviors that we often see as “problems” when done in contexts that we don’t like. Giving your dog plenty of opportunities to sniff is an easy, no brainer way to let your dog be a dog!

3. Sniffing works your dog’s brain.

Because such a large portion of their brain is dedicated to their sense of smell, sniffing is a great way to give your dog’s brain a workout - and a happy side effect of this will be a more calm, relaxed dog at home. While a sniff walk will certainly engage your dog’s brain, you can level up by playing scavenging games in your house or yard (scattering or hiding treats for your dog to find), using food puzzles, or signing up for a nose work class. Try out some scent games for mental enrichment, and see if you notice a more relaxed companion at home.

4. Sniffing relieves stress.

Studies have shown that when dogs sniff, their heart rate goes down - and the more they sniff, the more their heart rate goes down. This suggests that sniffing has a calming, self soothing effect on dogs, and that it may help reduce anxiety and stress. Over time, daily decompression walks using a long line can have significant benefits for fearful or anxious dogs, or any dog living in our modern, busy world. Putting sniffing on cue (through “Find It” games and the like) can help dogs disengage from scanning, staring, and fixating on potential triggers in the environment, and the movement involved can release tension in their body.

5. Sniffing feels good.

Sniffing activates something called the Seeking System portion of a dog’s brain - which is also the portion of the brain responsible for releasing dopamine, the “feel good” chemical. An increase in dopamine can boost mood, motivation, and attention, and helps regulate learning and emotional responses. In addition to reducing stress, studies have shown that sniffing can improve a dog’s mood and make them more optimistic. I joke that when we take a walk, my dog is checking the “pee mail” or checking the “social posts” in the neighborhood - but in reality, the feeling he gets through investigating scents are probably similar to the feelings that keep bringing us back to social media.

6.Sniffing is a form of communication

Dogs don’t just sniff to gather information, relieve stress, and feel good - they also use it to communicate their emotional state. Dogs who are feeling stressed, overstimulated, or anxious may sniff to self soothe or as a displacement behavior, kind of like how we say “um” or scratch our heads when we’re feeling nervous and aren’t sure what to do. Sniffing can also be used as an appeasement gesture or as a cut-off signal to other dogs or humans. If we observe our dogs carefully, we can start to understand what their sniffing means in certain contexts, and how they might be feeling.

7. Give “the gift of sniff” to enrich your bond

Every walk you take with your dog is a conversation. Giving them the freedom to explore their environment gives them choice and autonomy over their body and their environment. It tells them that they matter, and that their needs, desires, and feelings are important. We may never fully know a dog’s inner life, but we can honor its existence. Letting your dog sniff gives you the opportunity to slow down, be in the moment, observe, and practice empathy. Over time, these moments you share with your dog will build a bridge of trust and deepen your bond.

Dogs give us so much - let’s give them the gift of sniff in return.

27/06/2024

Why introduce your furkids to puzzles?

They offer mental stimulation
Mental stimulation is essential for your dog’s overall wellbeing as it reduces stress, builds confidence, and relieves anxiety. When dogs don’t get enough mental stimulation they may fall into bad habits such as barking or chewing things they shouldn’t.

Puzzle toys are a fantastic way to engage your dog’s mind when you don’t have as much time to walk or play with them.

Your pup will eat slower
Eating too quickly may cause your dog to vomit or experience physical discomfort. In extreme cases it can even cause a dangerous medical condition known as Bloat (though this is rare).

If your pup is a ravenous eater, a puzzle toy is a great way to help slow them down. Rather than stuffing puzzle toys with treats, use them as a delivery method for your dog’s regular meals. Whether your dog eats kibble, wet food, or a combination, there are toys out there that will accommodate any food.

Another alternative is a slow-feed dog bowl. These bowls are similar to interactive toys, but instead of ” solving” a puzzle by moving pieces around, these bowls have built-in ridges that prevent dogs from gobbling up huge mouthfuls of food quickly.

They reduce anxiety
Anxiety can be common in dogs and can have many possible causes; including being left alone and fear of an unfamiliar setting. Fortunately, giving your dog a job to focus on is a powerful way to reduce anxiety, if only temporarily. Puzzle toys are a great way to do this!

When your dog is focused on uncovering the delicious snacks hidden inside the puzzle toy they’ll likely be less focused on whatever is causing their anxiety.

If you’re traveling and need to help your dog adjust to spending time in the car, hoping to keep them occupied in a hotel room, or need to leave your pup home alone for a few hours, set them up with a puzzle to solve!

Note: If you’re leaving your dog unsupervised with the puzzle toy, make sure it doesn’t have little parts that could break off and be swallowed.

21/06/2024

What do we offer you ask.....HERE YOU GO!

20/06/2024

Agility Foundation is in FULL SWING and our pups are LOVING every second!!! let's go!

16/06/2024

Wishing all our dads a very Happy Father's Day 💙

13/06/2024

Love watching dogs form friendships! 😍

13/06/2024

We must protect our park

13/06/2024

Proper little naughty kids 😜 😉 😋

13/06/2024

Happy Happy Happy Pups at Duke's Academy for Dogs Daycare 🐕 ❤️

13/06/2024

Did you know 20mins of sniffing = 1 hour Walk.

28/05/2024

It's been a day.....but ending it with this view is pretty dam amazing and worth it all! 👌

21/05/2024

Our daycare dogs loving their walks 🐾🐾🐶🐕

18/05/2024

Puppy 1 graduation today. Such awesome little pups and handlers. So so proud 👏

16/05/2024