Training & Behaviour

The English Cocker Spaniel was originally bred as hunting dogs in the United Kingdom. They were primarily used to hunt and flush the woodcock out of its woodland habitat, hence the term ‘cocker’. Temperament English Cocker Spaniels are intelligent and curious, love their family and are very gentle and affectionate. Some can be on the reserved side, or a little timid if not well socialised...

Independence training is important at all stages of a dog’s life to help build their confidence and comfort in being left alone. As people start to return to work in the new year, this is more important than ever. As a dog behaviourist, I am seeing many owners that are having problems with their puppies and even older dogs due to anxiety and a lack...

This week’s breed in focus is the Rottweiler, bred in Germany and named after the German town of “Rottweil”. During the Middle Ages they were used as herders, guards, messenger dogs and cart pullers, but almost became extinct due to industrialisation in the 1800’s since they were no longer needed for these jobs. Fortunately, despite almost becoming extinct, Rottweiler lovers found them a new purpose,...

Dogs that bark and lunge at other dogs, people and a wide range of other environmental triggers around them are often viewed as being aggressive.  In most cases however, a reactive dog is 'acting out' due to fear and is using this dog behaviour to make the thing it fears go away. Having a reactive dog is a common dog behaviour issue A reactive dog...

With so many puppies missing out on that critical early socialisation they need due to Covid-19 restrictions, and many rescue dogs being re-homed,  there are now many nervous dogs that can be reactive when meeting new people, particularly those coming into their home. If you have a nervous dog or one that reacts to people inappropriately, it is important you don’t introduce them to too...

Mental stimulation is just as important as physical exercise for our dogs.  You can help keep your dog’s brain stimulated with interactive toys, taking them on new routes or different dog parks when out walking, brain games and other playful activities. Many common dog behaviour problems such as chewing, digging, barking and other destructive behaviour can be managed, if their bodies and brains active during...

There can be a number of reasons for a dog not eating their food and, as much as you may not like me saying it, it often it has to do with what we owners are doing. If your dog doesn’t seem to like a new food you are serving, or they are a fussy eater in general, you may find you are over-feeding them,...

This week’s breed in focus is the Brussels Griffon, a toy breed originating from the city of Brussels in Belgium and bred to hunt and kill rats. Temperament Thegorgeous little Brussels Griffon characters have been around for 200 years and are best known for their trademark beards, almost human expressions and proud appearance. They are super eager to please and bond well with their owners,...

Teaching leave it as part of your dog obedience training is really important. It could even save your dog’s life. Begin the training at home first under low distraction, and ensure they are reliably responding to the command, before heading out to higher distraction areas. There are a few different ways to do this when teaching leave it to your dog, so I’m going to...

This week’s breed in focus is the Australian Bulldog. While their English cousins originated as far back as the 13th century, the Australian Bulldog is a fairly new breed, first developed in Queensland in the 1990’s in an attempt to improve the breeds tolerance of the harsh Australian environment. Temperament The Australian Bulldog is an intelligent breed and, as they can be a bit dominant...