Training & Behaviour

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...

When a dog finds something valuable and fears that it is going to be taken away or they are invested in or possessive about it, they might stiffen, growl, lunge or even bite.  This is known as 'resource guarding' and often occurs around food or toys, but also items of clothing, certain chairs or places on the couch - anything that a dog values highly...

I’m a big advocate of crate training dogs, because when it is done right, it provides your dog with a secure and happy place they can go to when they want a rest or are feeling anxious. It helps keep your dog safe and prevents escaping while traveling, or  may also be used to keep them safe during thunderstorms or fireworks. However should they be...

Around five thousand or more years ago we began selectively breeding the herding dog. Our canine companions at this time would have shown some inherent behavioural traits or motor patterns that we would have seen as being useful in keeping the shee \p herd together and moving in the direction needed. These behaviours or predatory drive motor patterns, would have only been displayed by our...

Hands up if you have a dog who loves balls, sticks, squeaky toys and other innate objects to the point that it is now starting to drive you crazy? My hand is raised here and Darcy's ball obsession is something that I’ve been working on with him over the past few months. At first it’s all fun and games, but the impact that a ball...

When adopting a pet there are a number of key things you need to think about, in the same way you would if considering buying a puppy, kitten or other pet, to ensure that it is the right fit for you and your family - and for the long term!  As we celebrate the Petstock Foundation National Pet Adoption Month, here's some things to consider....

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...

Dogs that bark excessively can create tension and cause many issues between neighbours, family and friends, particularly if the barking continues or worsens over time. It is important to remember that barking is a large part of a dog’s natural behaviour. Excessive barking however is a problem that affects the entire community and is a major reason for local council complaints. Puppies Before we delve...

Many dog owners complain about their dog pulling on the lead and want to know what to do about it. The problem often arises from the fact that their dog has been allowed to rehearse this behaviour over and over again. So, if you have a puppy get on to it straight away. Dogs often pull from excitement, especially if they don't get walked every...

Independence training is important at all stages of a dog’s life to help build their confidence and comfort in being left alone. 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 of proper socialisation, or even too much and inappropriate socialisation. Unfortunately, many puppies missed out on puppy...