Training & Behaviour

In episode 4 of our pet-friendly travel special, we catch up with a Pooches at Play regular, Axle the English Staffy, to get some training tips for a Staffordshire Bull Terrier of the British variety. About the English Staffy Both the English and American 'Staffies' are breeds that fall under the 'Mastiff' breed category.  The English Staffy is a courageous, highly intelligent and affectionate breed...

The Middle Island Penguin Project Maremma Sheepdog Ambassador dogs, Amor and Avis. are helping to promote an important conservation message.  However, while the Maremma Sheepdog is well suited as guardian dogs in rural and large block locations, they simply don’t do well in suburbia. About the Flock Guardian breed As a Flock Guardian breed, traditionally Maremma Sheepdogs were employed as sentinels and defenders of sheep...

With over 30% of dog owners also having at least one cat and 45% of cat owners having at least one dog, it’s clear that dogs and cats can get along pretty well. However, it is important when introducing dogs and cats that it is done slowly and steadily. When introducing dogs and cats that will be expected to live together happily (or at least...

Some puppies are born deaf and other dogs can go deaf from a variety of causes, from chronic ear infections or injuries to drug toxicity and, just like us, old age.  Often people think that a deaf dog will have behavioural problems or will be too hard to train whilst, sadly, a lot of puppies that are born deaf are euthanised. However, a deaf dog...

With many cat owners out at work all day, and more and more cats spending most if not all of their time indoors, it can be hard to know how to exercise an indoor cat.  However, ensuring your cat gets the mental and physical stimulation it needs is vital to keeping it fit and healthy. Cats can live to their mid-to-late teens or even early...

In this segment Lara and dog trainer Trish Harris run through basic dog obedience exercises including Sit, Recall and Yuck training and discuss why they are so important for the safety of your dog.

Everyone loves a puppy.  But, anyone who has had the joy of having a puppy knows that they are also a lot of hard work, they need a lot of toilet training and can leave a messy trail around the house pretty quickly if you're not well prepared. If you are planning on bringing a puppy home soon, then take a read of what to...

Pooches at Play Host, Gyton Grantley meets with Sharee Hocking from Companion Canine Training and learns about the benefits of becoming a dog trainer. Sharee shares her journey with her own Assistant Dog and tells Gyton about her career in training other assistant dogs to help more people like herself. Engaging in a certificate of dog training is not only beneficial for people already working...

There are plenty of reasons why one should study dog training. In fact, studying a certificate in dog behaviour and training isn’t just for people that want to go on to become professional dog trainer, it can actually help any owner that wants to understand why dogs do what they do or want to understand their body language better. In the video above, Pooches at...

Doing agility training with your dog can help provide them with the mental and physical stimulation that high drive and working dog breeds need to help keep behaviour problems at bay. It can also help build a great bond and greater leadership between the owner and their dog, whilst also providing great exercise and a fun social experience to the owner.