Adding a new dog to the household means being thoughtful about how you introduce them as well as taking the time and patience to set everyone up to be happy and relaxed. This blog post includes tips for introductions, settling in and ongoing considerations for keeping everyone happy.
Read MoreThinking about introducing a new dog into the household? There’s a lot to think about before you make the decision and once you are ready to commit, there’s lots of great information in this post to help make that addition to the family a happy one for everyone!
Read MoreThere’s nothing harder than seeing your dog (or any pet) suffer from stress and anxiety. All of these ideas are great for dogs of all ages to reduce daily stress levels, improve mental stimulation and overall wellbeing. They’re also great for us humans too as there’s nothing better than making your dog happy.
Read MoreDid you know that there are lots of different ways that dogs play together? Knowing what's healthy and when you might need to intervene is really important.
Read MoreSocialisation is not just about meeting other dogs and it’s not just for puppies! It is more about helping young dogs learn how they fit into our world and in many cases you want them to be anything but ‘social’. Learning to be calm, to focus or to have confidence in new situations, are all important parts of growing up. Think of all the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, movement and textures the might encounter in the world! Let’s help them navigate them with ease.
Read MoreMy gorgeous girl Storm celebrated her first birthday during lockdown here in NZ but I figured that doesn't mean we had to hold back on the festivities. Luckily I had some goodies in the house and we got to practice some VERY tough impulse control while waiting for her special cake. She was such a good girl!
Read MoreHappy Easter everyone! Hope you enjoy this fun little video of an Easter Egg Hunt I did with Storm. Amazing what you can find lying around the house during isolation! Storm loved it and it was a great way to have her work for her breakfast. #ditchthebowl
Read MoreThere are a lot of dogs (and people) out there struggling with walks being less interesting and more repetitive now. The good news is they don’t have to be! By building in a few things on your dog’s walks, you can reinvent the same location or route with lots of fun activities for you both. You can also do them all on lead or with a long line. They’ll love working with you and it’ll help build up their focus and engagement with you outdoors. These ideas will make walks start to be about time that your dog gets to do awesome things with you, instead of everything else being more interesting! Hope you enjoy it! #traintokeepsane
Read MoreWith the isolation period coming up, I wanted to share something fun to make you laugh and inspire you to stay fit and enjoy spending more time with your dog. Hope you enjoy it! #traintokeepsane
Read MoreDue to the Coronavirus many of you will be getting a lot more time back into your day – no more early alarms, commuting to work, nor will you need to spend time getting dressed up, doing your hair and make-up or potentially even going to the gym. My plea to you – give some of that time back to your dog!
Read MorePunishment. It's not a nice word to see on my website but there's been an alarming rise in the number of trainers in NZ using methods that I think suck (to put it mildly). Why do I think that? Apart from the fact that positive reinforcement methods have been proven to be a more effective way to train animals of all kinds, why on earth would hurting or terrifying a dog improve their behaviour and our relationship with them?
Read MoreNo doubt about it, walking nicely on lead is not easy – for dogs or humans! Dogs naturally walk much faster than us. Convincing them it’s better to walk half their natural speed does require some effort, mainly by showing them you’re just as awesome - or even more so - than all the other exciting stuff outdoors.
Read MoreWe love our dogs and as dog owners, it’s so important to remember that in their repertoire of communication, if all else fails, they have teeth and they just might use them. Talking about dog bites often brings to mind visions of scary dogs roaming the streets or off lead at parks, but the interesting thing is that most serious dog bites happen at home. They’re also not isolated to particular breeds only.
Read MoreWould you know what to do if your dog was choking? It’s so important to supervise dogs with chew treats and toys, even if we think they’re indestructible. Learn more about how to keep your dogs happy and safe, as well as what to do should the unimaginable should happen.
Read MoreMaking your dog work for their food will be rewarding, mentally and physically. Instead of feeding them in a bowl, consider some different approaches to make them work for their food in fun ways. They’re scavengers so make scavenging a fun part of eating!
Read MoreAuckland Council is allowing public consultation on dog rules in Auckland until 10th May and I want to encourage as many local dog owners and non-owners alike to give feedback! Enrichment and socialisation are critical for healthy, happy dogs of all ages and these restrictions can directly impact on a dog’s ability to have those experiences.
Read MoreIs your dog just not into other dogs? This is such a common conversation that comes up and for most owners it’s an emotional one. Many people (owners and non-owners alike) expect that dogs are going to be best friends with every dog that they meet, but that often isn’t the case.
Read MoreI was lucky enough to be asked to share some thoughts on my new dog training career and show off one of my super-cute clients for The Spinoff recently. I studied Canine Behaviour and Training at Unitec in 2018 (a course I would highly recommend to anyone considering a change in career to work with dogs), and I have been interviewed twice as a follow up to my studies.
Read MoreIf you haven't heard of 'The Zoomies' before, I'm about to put a big smile on your face. You may have seen them before and not realised what they were. While they vary slightly, it essentially looks like your dog just had 10 cups of coffee and is attempting to be everywhere, all at once.
Read MoreDogs (and many other pets) can have a really positive effect on your mental health. Studies have proven that they feel empathy and the calming effects of touch are also amazing.
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