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Conduit K9, Saint Helena Bay (2025)

28/12/2024

I bet you all Dobby was thinking here is, "I am SPEED!"

Did you know a Belgian Malinois can run up to 56 kilometers per hour. On top of that, they are muscular, agile, and smart dogs.

Belgian Malinois are known for their bounding movements and high energy levels. They're also capable of jumping over 2.1 meters in distance and possibly as high as 2.4 meters.

I would not want a dog biting me at that speed! Without a bite suit, at least.

26/12/2024

Merry Christmas everyone! I know I'm a day late, but we've been very busy.

On Sunday, Dobby and I traveled to Wolseley to meet up with Karla at her parents' house. On Monday, Karla, Dobby, and I traveled to Wilderness to be with my mom for Christmas celebrations. On Tuesday, I proposed to Karla, and we're now engaged. This was a very special moment for me, back in Wilderness.

Dobby's been having a terrific Christmas holiday so far. At first, in Wolseley, he got to play with Rosie, Karla's parents' dog. Normally, Rosie is quite timid of Dobby, as he's double her size, but this time, she immediately wanted to play! They played non-stop from the moment we arrived to when we left. Rosie even jumped into the car with Dobby! Luckily, they'll see each other again over New Year's.

Yesterday, and today, we took Dobby to the river for a swim. He obviously LOVED it! Yesterday, we spent about two hours there. Dobby swam, ran, and practiced some calm behaviours during this time. Today, we spent more time on calm behaviours and less time on the running and swimming. This is purely because water is Dobby's biggest weakness.

It's safe to say that now we're all going to enjoy a glorious afternoon nap!

21/12/2024

You don't get puppy bites fuller than this!

We're officially on a little holiday now before getting back to reality. Over the next two weeks, we'll be traveling from the West Coast to the Boland, then to the Garden Route, and then come back to the Boland before returning to the West Coast.

It's going to be quite a bit of driving the next few days, but luckily, Dobby doesn't mind it at all. So let's go on an adventure!

18/12/2024

I can't believe I've had this dog for a whole year already!

Here's a few random facts about Dobby, with as little context as possible, to celebrate;
1) He likes to chase his tail
2) He gets zoomies around the house every time we get home
3) He can not resist a plastic bottle
4) He has a horse girlfriend
5) He thinks he needs to play with his frozen carrots and apples before eating them
6) He occasionally forgets he has a tongue
7) He loves morning cuddles (and power naps) with dad
8) He enjoys chewing his limbs
9) He screams with excitement when we drive to the beach
10) He naps in pretzel positions

Let me know if you have any questions in the comments!

16/12/2024

What would you do if you saw Dobby running at you like this? Pure excitement to go have a bite! Dogs show excitement in many ways.

Tail wagging is one of them. A neutral position and fast wag of the tail is a classic sign of excitement and happiness. However, the speed and direction of the wag can indicate different emotions. Other body language signs of excitement include relaxed ears, a relaxed body, and leaning in to you. A dog may freeze and become fixated on a stimulus, such as a toy or another dog, as well.

A dog may be vocalising incessantly, barking, or chattering their teeth when excited. This is very evident when we drive Dobby to the beach! Like humans, dogs also express themselves using movement. A dog may be jumping up, spinning in circles, pacing back and forth, or unable to settle in one spot when they're excited.

Other behaviours, which are prevalent in very excited dogs, may be grabby, mouthy, or drooling excessively. They may also have dilated pupils, poor impulse control, or a high heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration.

Training, exercise, and mental stimulation can help improve excitable dog behaviours if they're considered issues.

13/12/2024

Here's just a photo of Dobby casually swinging into the weekend. Just look at that flexibility in the second photo!

Puppies are very flexible because their bones are still developing, and their connective tissues are more pliable compared to adult dogs. This means their joints have a greater range of motion due to the presence of active growth plates in their bones, which are made of cartilage that allows for bending and flexibility. As they mature, these growth plates harden and close, reducing their flexibility.

12/12/2024

One of my biggest pet peeves is people making assumptions.

As some of you might have seen, I'm trying to sell a few extra dog things lying around. These things are all either still brand new or still look like new, and that's why I want to try to sell them.

So far, I've sold one or two things, but then I received a direct message that shocked me to my core. This person wrote something along the lines of, "You should consider donating these things". Mind you, I have A LOT of dog gear that I no longer use. The things that weren't brand new, or still look new, were indeed donated to clients' dogs or shelters.

I'm not the type of person who posts about all my 'good deeds' because I don't do them for the likes. I didn't reply to this person, but it has bugged me all day. Am I overreacting? It's just highly annoyingly when people make assumptions of someone they don't know at all.

10/12/2024

Just look at the thighs on this boy. At only six months old! And those thighs are even bigger now.

To achieve this, I do two major things with Dobby. One, take him for lots of swims. Not only does he LOVE it, but it's also an excellent exercise to build muscle without extra weight of strain on the joints. Two, feed him lots of protein. Unfortunately, I can't yet afford to go full raw diet. However, I add some raw food to every kibble meal.

How do you ensure your dog builds muscle?

08/12/2024

One thing that was very important for me about Dobby was that he needed to be healthy. Not just from an illness point of view but also from a physical point of view.

Luckily, I have Karla, who's a veterinary physiotherapist, in my life. She could look at him objectively as well, as she didn't have any feelings attached to him yet. I was already in love and sold before I bought him.

An absolute this boy!

07/12/2024

Just look at that bite on my six month old Dobby!

Before I got Dobby, I did a ton of research on Belgian Malinois, more specifically Malinois as protection dogs. I focused on finding good trainers and decoys to shadow and also sourced out a few decent trainers with YouTube channels. I really wanted to do things right once I got my Mali.

When I finally got Dobby, I continued educating myself at seminars by asking loads of questions and also by just accepting and really concentrating on critique. I don't see critique as a negative thing. Especially when it comes from someone with a lot more experience than I have.

05/12/2024

If he could, he would probably walk on two legs to get to the decoy. But what is a decoy?

The decoy is the person who is tasked with testing the training and genetics of the dog within the rules of the sport the dog is competing in. In a sense, they're always the "bad guy" for the dogs.

A well-trained decoy teaches a dog how to increase and perfect their bite's effects. This can range from improving the dog's drive to improving the dog's biting technique.

03/12/2024

Why would anyone just want to go pet a stranger's Belgian Malinois without asking? It's definitely one of my biggest pet peeves.

When we initially got Dobby, strangers, and even us, were still very scary. To build his confidence, I took him out into multiple public spaces. At first, we stayed away from the noisy crowds and just observed them from a distance.

As Dobby grew more confident, I started moving into the noisy crowds. This is where we started encountering wandering hands. We purchased a collar with a handle from Alfies Pet Accessories with a patch that says 'DO NOT PET'. This changed nothing.

The crazy thing was that it was mostly adults reaching out to touch him. Here and there, we had the heartwarming moments of little kids excitedly asking if they could pet him or parents explaining to their little kids that they couldn't pet him. At this stage, the answer was normally no, as I really didn't want to risk Dobby reacting in fear.

Nowadays, it's less of an issue, as Dobby is now very confident around people. But he still doesn't enjoy being touched by strangers. At least living in a small town means everyone knows him by now.

02/12/2024

Dogs pull on leashes for a variety of reasons.

Excitement is probably at the top of the list. Dogs can get excited about going for a walk, and the sights, sounds, and smells of the outdoors can be overwhelming. Shown here by Dobby, who was excited for a bite on the decoy.

Another reason could be instinct. Dogs have natural instincts to explore and chase, which can lead to pulling. I'm sure most of you have experienced your dog suddenly chasing after something while still attached to the leash.

Fear or anxiety can make a dog do a lot of strange things. Dogs may pull if they're scared of something, like loud noises or unfamiliar surroundings, to try and get away from it. This can vary in degree depending on the amount of fear or anxiety.

Physical discomfort from an ill-fitting collar can cause dogs to pull. This sounds counterintuitive, but this is how a dog will try to remove the discomfort, as pulling will directly affect the collar or harness' fit.

Lastly, a lack of training can cause your dog to pull on the leash. Dogs that haven't been properly trained on how to behave on a leash will naturally pull in all directions.

Do you struggle with leash pulling?

01/12/2024

Dogs bark for many reasons.

Dogs bark to express their feelings. Dogs bark to communicate how they're feeling, such as when they're excited, frustrated, scared, or bored. In these photos, Dobby was barking due to frustration, as I was holding him back.

Sometimes, dogs bark to seek attention. Dogs may bark because they want attention, and they've learned that barking is an effective way to get it. I know it's difficult, but this is why we ignore puppies when they cry and bark for attention.

Boredom plays a massive role in undesired behaviours. Dogs who are left alone for long periods of time may bark out of boredom. Especially when they don't receive any structured stimulation throughout the day.

Some dogs bark during greetings. Dogs may bark when they see people or other dogs, especially if they're excited and their tail is wagging. Dobby gets extremely vocal, from excitement, when we drive to the beach.

Separation anxiety is a definite killer and comes in all shapes and sizes. Dogs who bark when you leave may have separation anxiety, which is a serious condition that can cause them to become more stressed over time. It's important to address this issue with a trainer or behaviourist sooner rather than later.

Some dogs can be territorial. Dogs may bark if they're cautious about strangers or don't like unknown people or animals in their space. This is more common in your naturally protective breeds, like German Shepherds.

Dogs can also bark out of fear. Dogs may bark if they're afraid of people coming near their territory or if they're afraid of noises, such as fireworks, thunderstorms, or lawnmowers. Sometimes, fear and aggression go hand in hand as the dog is simply trying to defend itself from whatever is scaring them.

Lastly, stress or anxiety can influence the frequency of your dog's barking. Dogs may become stressed or anxious for a number of reasons, such as a change in their environment or routine. This is generally a problem with rescued dogs coming out of poor circumstances.

30/11/2024

Dobby dropping it into low gear to launch himself forward with full power.

"Drive" in a dog is a term that refers to a dog's instinctive desire or impulse to act and is often used in dog training. It's not the same as a dog's energy level, but rather their motivation to respond to a stimulus. Different types of dogs also have different types of drives.

Prey drive
This is a dog's desire to hunt or chase. A dog with a strong prey drive might ignore a cat laying in a window but will chase it when it runs away.

Pack drive
This is a dog's desire to follow another dog or person's lead. A dog might have a high pack drive with other dogs but a low one with people, or vice versa.

Defense drive
This is a dog's tendency to fight or flee when confronted. A dog with a high defense drive might respond aggressively, while a dog with a low defense drive might be more likely to avoid a confrontation.

Every dog has different amounts of different drives, and these drives are determined by genetics. A dog's drive threshold, or how long it takes for a drive to kick in, can also vary by breed and dog.

What drives your dog?

27/11/2024

Look at that tiny little pup! Full of attitude after just one and a half days at a bitework seminar.

Dogs go through many physical and mental changes in their first few years of life. Around one to three years of age, many dogs start to show personality changes.

Dobby is definitely a testy teenager at the moment.

23/11/2024

This boy is just STUNNING in a wide collar! Does anyone want to sponsor me a leather one?

Dogs wear wide collars for a variety of reasons. One, support. Wider collars provide more support and are better for strong dogs that pull on the leash. Two, protection. Wider collars spread pressure across the neck, reducing the risk of injury. They can also protect a dog's neck from other dogs or injuries while playing. Three, comfort. Wider collars are more comfortable than narrower collars, which can dig into a dog's throat. Four, leash training. A comfortable collar makes leash training more enjoyable and successful.

Does your dog have a narrow or wide collar?

22/11/2024

'If I can't see them, they can't see me' is exactly what Dobby was thinking in these moments.

It's incredible what drive can make dogs overcome. At this stage of Dobby's life, new things were still a bit scary. But as soon as he learned what that wedge meant, there was no stopping him! And that's all thanks to good genes.

I have to add that if someone tries to pinch his nose like this now, he'll give you some attitude back.

Conduit K9

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