Perth Canine Craft

21/11/2024

I want to thank Kaizen K9 - they were a great help in many ways to help me make it happen!

The Kai project is complete!!

Just so happy that Kai found his purpose in life - this boy would make a horrible pet if he wasn't getting drive fulfilment - now he has drive fulfilment by doing a job at a government agency!

Looking forward to seeing how he goes throughout his career!!

20/11/2024

The Kai project is complete!!

Just so happy that Kai found his purpose in life - this boy would make a horrible pet if he wasn't getting drive fulfilment - now he has drive fulfilment by doing a job at a government agency!

Looking forward to seeing how he goes throughout his career!!

11/11/2024

To punish or not to punish, that is the question!

05/11/2024

It only takes 2 minutes to benefit your future dogs

Use It or Lose It?

This survey aims to gather insights on the future of dogsport in Australia. With just 10 questions, your input is quick, easy, and completely anonymous.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/5GGWVWJ

02/11/2024

After yesterday's Hans Ebber seminar at Kaizen K9 I was too curious to dabbling in this exercise that help easily frustrated dogs like Kai...

02/11/2024

After yesterday's seminar with Hand E Kaizen K9 I'm dabbling in an exercise that seems so simple and yet helps in complex ways with high drive dogs who are easily frustrated like Kai.

02/11/2024

Just giving you all a heads up!

27/10/2024

Meeting Your Dog’s Drive Needs: Lessons from Koda’s Story🧐

Koda’s journey to rescue wasn’t due to a lack of 💜love; his high-drive needs were simply misunderstood. 🤔Despite his owners’ efforts to manage him through tethering, occasional walks, and containment, his natural instincts went unfulfilled, leading to behavioural issues that made life challenging for everyone.😅

When Koda came to SSAFE Metro I got to meet him and later have him for under 4 weeks to help rehab him.😎 We focused on meeting his drive needs, and the transformation was incredible.

Here’s what we did to help him:
🐾 Drive Expression Through Structured Play – We engaged Koda’s mind and body with tug games, fetch, and mentally stimulating tasks. This structured play allowed him to express his energy and instincts productively, helping him feel more fulfilled.

🐾Introducing the Slat-Mill – The slat-mill was a game-changer, giving Koda the freedom to run at his own pace. Unlike a regular treadmill, it allowed him to sprint and control his movement, building his confidence and meeting his high-energy needs.

🐾Developing Emotional Control – Using the slat-mill, we trained Koda to both sprint and slow down on command, which helped him manage his impulses and gain emotional control.

🐾Improving Obedience and Behaviour – Tools like a prong collar and remote collar allowed us to work on his loose-leash walking, recall, and “leave it” commands. This training taught Koda boundaries and helped him become more responsive.

🐾Managing Anxiety and Attention-Seeking Whining – We gave him structured time alone, ensuring his drive needs were met beforehand. This helped reduce anxiety and taught him that not every moment required attention or stimulation.

Within three weeks, Koda’s behavioural issues improved by 80%!😎 His story is a powerful reminder that fulfilling a dog’s drive needs through structured activities, tools, and consistent training doesn’t just address behaviour; it strengthens the bond and creates a happier, healthier dog.

Comment below if you've seen similar signs in your dog!

22/10/2024

Koda out and about in the real world

20/10/2024

🧐Nail trimming can be a tough task for some dog owners, and if your dog already hates it, it becomes even more challenging.

🐾Here’s the reality: your dog is going to need their nails trimmed regardless of their feelings about it. In the best-case scenario, they’ll enjoy or be indifferent to the process; in the worst-case scenario🫣, it involves vet sedation and the related expenses💸. So, what can you do?

🤔For Puppy Owners:
The key is consistency and exposure.
📈For the first 8 months, make it a routine to handle your pup’s feet daily. This doesn’t mean always cutting nails but handling, inspecting, and touching their paws to build tolerance.
📈After 8 months, continue this routine weekly until your dog is around two years old.

🎯The goal is to normalize the experience.

🫢It's essential to recognise that most people prioritize convenience in the moment rather than focusing on the bigger picture. If you take the time to teach your pup to handle a little stress and comply with nail trimming, you’ll set them up for a stress-free experience for the rest of their life. This approach goes beyond nail trims—it extends to any grooming or handling situation.🤓

🐕For Dog Owners Facing Issues Now:
If you’re in a situation where your dog already dreads nail trimming, it’s unhelpful to dwell on what should have been done. What’s important is figuring out what to do moving forward.

🎯The goal now is to teach your dog, at the very least, to tolerate nail trimming and, ideally, to learn to love it.

🧐Here’s how to get started without any professional help:
🤓Desensitization and Counter-Conditioning: Start by introducing the tools—clippers or a grinder—at a distance and then give your dog's meal just for being near them. Later do the same with play!
📈Gradually increase exposure while pairing it with your dog's meals and play sessions.

🤓Handling and Building Trust: Work on getting your dog comfortable with their paws being handled. This might mean just a few seconds of touching their paws, slowly increasing the time when everyone is chilled at home.
📈 Progression and Patience: Take it one step at a time, working towards touching the nail, applying the clippers or grinder without cutting, and eventually making small trims.

Do this for 6 weeks - if you have made no progress - then get in contact!

🤔For Those Who Want to Avoid the Work:
If you don’t want to put in the time and effort, that’s okay—it’s a choice. But understand that this will mean paying for someone else to train and consistently trim your dog’s nails for the rest of their life.💸 This isn’t a criticism, just the reality of what it takes to have a dog.

Check out the comments to see a video with what I have been doing with Kai to get him used to grooming - he's such a busy body it's hard for him to keep still LOL

20/10/2024

19/10/2024

There is hope for Koda

15/10/2024

What? You didn't know that part of being an Assistance dog is to learn to wait while your handler is doing stuff.

Cody is just hanging out in reception as we want to be called next for my client's appointment!

13/10/2024

I love helping people, but I will tell you now - I am not the only dog trainer, so I always share my resources with potential clients. Check out in the comments which resources I commonly share!

09/10/2024

I absolutely love such updates

08/10/2024

Doing some more things with Koda, and getting to know him