GoodPet

21/09/2025

We apologise sincerely for the distress this has caused. Thank you for your understanding as we take steps to put this right.

18/09/2025

This ❤

The dog sits crooked. Again.

The handler corrects the position, the dog shifts slightly, then settles back into the same asymmetrical position. Frustration builds on both ends of the leash. The handler assumes the dog is being sloppy or lazy. The dog, unable to explain that sitting straight is uncomfortable, continues to seek a position that feels better for their body.

This scenario plays out in training classes everywhere, yet few people consider that the problem might be physical rather than behavioral.

The sit command seems deceptively simple, but it actually requires complex coordination throughout the dog's body. The dog must shift their weight backward, flex their hip joints, engage their abdominal muscles for stability, and maintain balance while lowering their rear end to the ground. Any restriction or discomfort in this chain of movement will result in compensations—and those compensations often look like "bad" sits.

Consider the dog who consistently sits with one leg tucked under or kicked out to the side. This isn't randomly lazy positioning. The dog has discovered that this arrangement reduces stress on a stiff joint or tender muscle.

Slow, careful sits can signal that the dog is managing discomfort. Quick pops back up to standing or slides into a down suggest the sitting position isn't comfortable to maintain. Dogs who resist the sit command altogether may be trying to avoid an exercise that hurts.

These aren't character flaws or training failures. They're accommodations that sensible dogs make to protect themselves from discomfort. The solution isn't more correction or more practice. It's assessment and, often, intervention.

Understanding the physical demands of seemingly simple exercises like the sit helps us become better advocates for our dogs. Instead of asking "Why won't you sit properly?" we can ask "What's making it difficult for you to sit comfortably?" and then address the underlying physical issues rather than just the visible symptoms.

Understanding the Physical Dog can help you SEE THE DOG in a way that lets you HELP THE DOG.

Enroll before October 12th and save $50 with Early Bird Dog Pricing.
➡ https://relationshipcenteredtraining.thinkific.com/courses/understanding-the-physical-dog-november-2025

18/09/2025

💔As September comes around each year, our Facebook memories remind us of a tragic anniversary. We want to take this month to celebrate the touching stories some of you have shared with us...💖

"I met Dr. Yin at the Western Veterinary Conference in Las Vegas when she did a class about positive reinforcement training and she used a chicken. By the end of that class she had that chicken doing all sorts of behaviors I never thought I would see. I expressed to her after the class that I was grateful to have seen her do this and she just smiled and said Thanks. She seemed quite humble and reserved. It wasn't long after that that the news of her death was released and I have wondered to this day if whatever made her make that decision had started long before. I sure wish I knew what I should have been looking for. It was a privilege to watch her work." - Adrian Stephens

21/08/2025

15/05/2025

👉 # Be a responsible dog owner

25/04/2025

"""YOU ARE INVITED!

Registration is now open for our Colloquium: "Transforming Animal Protection Legislation in South Africa: A Constitutional Imperative".

Monday 5 & Tuesday 6 May 2025: 09am - 5:30pm each day

In person: University of Johannesburg, The Kerzner Building, 57 Bunting Rd, Cottesloe, Johannesburg
Virtual: Zoom Link to be confirmed after registration

The purpose of the event is to engage meaningfully with key stakeholders regarding the current animal protection regulatory regime, the proposed new Animal Welfare Bill currently being drafted by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD), and the Manifesto released by the Animal Law Project last year.
With the intention of developing a progressive Animal Welfare Bill, which is aligned with the new constitutional dispensation, we invite persons interested in animal protection issues to attend and participate in this Colloquium.

We have an incredible list of speakers and sessions lined up, including a very special keynote address. Do not miss this!

We encourage in-person attendance, but space is limited. Please pre-register in advance. All welcome to register & attend virtually.

To register: email: [email protected] (indicate online /in-person)

Check out the Facebook Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1705574686704915""""

YOU ARE INVITED!

Registration is now open for our Colloquium: "Transforming Animal Protection Legislation in South Africa: A Constitutional Imperative".

Monday 5 & Tuesday 6 May 2025: 09am - 5:30pm each day

In person: University of Johannesburg, The Kerzner Building, 57 Bunting Rd, Cottesloe, Johannesburg
Virtual: Zoom Link to be confirmed after registration

The purpose of the event is to engage meaningfully with key stakeholders regarding the current animal protection regulatory regime, the proposed new Animal Welfare Bill currently being drafted by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD), and the Manifesto released by the Animal Law Project last year.
With the intention of developing a progressive Animal Welfare Bill, which is aligned with the new constitutional dispensation, we invite persons interested in animal protection issues to attend and participate in this Colloquium.

We have an incredible list of speakers and sessions lined up, including a very special keynote address. Do not miss this!

We encourage in-person attendance, but space is limited. Please pre-register in advance. All welcome to register & attend virtually.

To register: email: [email protected] (indicate online /in-person)

Check out the Facebook Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1705574686704915

25/04/2025

YOU ARE INVITED!

Registration is now open for our Colloquium: "Transforming Animal Protection Legislation in South Africa: A Constitutional Imperative".

Monday 5 & Tuesday 6 May 2025: 09am - 5:30pm each day

In person: University of Johannesburg, The Kerzner Building, 57 Bunting Rd, Cottesloe, Johannesburg
Virtual: Zoom Link to be confirmed after registration

The purpose of the event is to engage meaningfully with key stakeholders regarding the current animal protection regulatory regime, the proposed new Animal Welfare Bill currently being drafted by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD), and the Manifesto released by the Animal Law Project last year.
With the intention of developing a progressive Animal Welfare Bill, which is aligned with the new constitutional dispensation, we invite persons interested in animal protection issues to attend and participate in this Colloquium.

We have an incredible list of speakers and sessions lined up, including a very special keynote address. Do not miss this!

We encourage in-person attendance, but space is limited. Please pre-register in advance. All welcome to register & attend virtually.

To register: email: [email protected] (indicate online /in-person)

Check out the Facebook Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1705574686704915

23/04/2025

❤️🐾

23/04/2025

23/04/2025