If you’re planning a driving holiday in SA, it’s good to know where you can let your dog out for a run. The good news is that most towns, even small ones, now have a fenced off-leash area.
Continue reading “23 Dog Parks In South Australian Towns”Perfect Fit: The Custom Fitted Fleece Dog Harness
Not long ago I published a survey of top Australian dog trainers about their favourite harnesses. It was an eye-opener for me.
Strikingly, one particular harness stood out from the rest: the Perfect Fit®. At the time, I hadn’t heard of it, and it was hard to purchase due to the need for a custom fitting. Then, an existing Adelaide importer asked me if I could start to stock it.
Continue reading “Perfect Fit: The Custom Fitted Fleece Dog Harness”A Perfect Fit Harness Measuring Guide
The following information is taken from the fitting guides produced by Perfect Fit. Tiny harnesses have been removed for simplicity as we do not stock them here in Adelaide..
This information is a guide only and is intended to be used in-store during the fitting process. In almost every case, one or other of the pieces will need to be swapped out to customise the fit properly.
Continue reading “A Perfect Fit Harness Measuring Guide”Are Desexed Dogs Harder To Train?
One of the common arguments for not desexing a dog is the effect on their trainability, especially herding, guarding or protection. But does this really happen?
Continue reading “Are Desexed Dogs Harder To Train?”A Puppy Checklist For The Social Distancing Age
UPDATE 13 May: Limited puppy preschool places are now available at our clinic on Thursday nights. To comply with current regulations, we request that:
- only one person comes with each puppy
- class members wait outside until the start time
For puppies elsewhere in the world, I’m afraid that the puppies of the next few months won’t grow up the same. I fear that this virus will change how they enjoy the rest of their lives. But I also think you can do something about it.
Continue reading “A Puppy Checklist For The Social Distancing Age”What Is The Best Way To Stop A Dog Pulling?
I see every day how hard it is to find the right way to stop dogs pulling on the leash. There are too many traps and too little good advice.
For these dogs, an appropriate restraint needs to be more than just comfortable and secure; it has to also be effective. So I put the question out to a select group of professional dog trainers.
Continue reading “What Is The Best Way To Stop A Dog Pulling?”How To Find A Good Dog Training Class
Everyone has an opinion about what makes a great obedience class. I’ve got a lot to say on the subject, but I’ll start here: obedience has nothing to do with it!
The evidence is clear and consistent. When measured by results, reward-based training outperforms more ‘traditional’ methods. It’s also much less likely to cause pain or anxiety.
That’s why this article is going to help you tell the difference. By the end, you should be able to choose the right class for your dog. I will go through some clues you can use, and then use an example of two very real classes.
Continue reading “How To Find A Good Dog Training Class”Tinker, Tailor, Whisperer, Trainer…
It seems like that, doesn’t it? You search for a “dog trainer” in your area and instead of a simple answer you get all this:
- Dog Obedience
- Positive Training
- Dog Whisperers
- Behaviourists
- Private vs Group Classes
It’s not even clear what the differences are. At last not yet. But you don’t want to find that out the hard way.
Continue reading “Tinker, Tailor, Whisperer, Trainer…”Puppy Preschool: The Evidence
This lovely photo by Julie Wilson shows Jack, one of our Puppy Preschool graduates. It’s the way we like to see them: making the most out of life.
Did his puppy classes help him become the dog he is now? To answer that we need to know not what puppy classes promise, but what they actually do.
You have a right to be shown the evidence behind any veterinary recommendation. Here’s what we know.
Continue reading “Puppy Preschool: The Evidence”Help! My Dog Is Terrible To Walk On Leash
‘At A Glance (Much More Below)’ What To Do
How To Reduce Leash Reactivity
A good start is to accept it for what it is: common and no cause for shame
- Get help: it’s going to be much easier with expert guidance
- Discover tricks to keep your dog focused or distracted
- Avoid interactions with other dogs when on leash or near fences
Now dive deeper…
Do you have a dog who is hard to walk on a lead, but almost never a problem when off it? If so, you’re not alone. I’ve come to realise from my daily conversations with dog owners that we may actually be in the majority. It’s time we stopped feeling embarrassed and started to look into why our dogs behave the way they do on a leash and what we can do about it.
Here is a typical story. I was walking my Loki to school the other day and met another dog walker going the same way. Her dog immediately started barking and yelping in response. Before too long the behaviour turned to lunging and snapping.
She said (a little embarrassed) “he’s not aggressive”. My kids said (in disbelief) “he’s out-Loki’d Loki”. And it was true. The pipsqueak who has made leash reactivity his signature move was completely overwhelmed and confused.
Continue reading “Help! My Dog Is Terrible To Walk On Leash”