Author Archive
Understand Value from a Dog’s Perspective – Karen Phillips
Have you ever wondered why some people make dog training look so easy? Their dogs gaze at them adoringly waiting for their next command while lying quietly at their owner’s feet. Then jump to attention the moment their owner gives the word. The reason for this is that these people understand the concept of value […]
July 2011 – Sue McDougall
The rain jacket has come out of the cupboard and the spiders have been chased out of the gumboots. It is time to do all those projects that have been put off until the rain came. It’s here and a few damp days are not going to stop anyone. Even though we wish with all […]
Sometimes Their Bark is Worse Than Their Bite – Karen Phillips
A common question that I am asked during workshops for Better Pets and Gardens is how to stop dogs barking. Understandably barking can become a big issue given that it also impacts the neighbours and has been the cause of many neighbourhood disputes. One of the first things you must do before attempting to solve […]
Punishment is Not the Answer – Karen Phillips
When our dogs do something that we don’t want, it is common for our first response to be disciplining or using punishment such as yelling, smacking or perhaps even threatening them with a rolled up newspaper. Research has shown that using punishment in dog training only serves to suppress the behaviour that the owner is […]
June 2011 – Sue McDougall
When we think of winter gardening we always think of cold, wet and windy. In fact, in Western Australia nothing could be further from the truth. Secretly as gardeners we would love it to rain every day but in reality it just doesn’t happen. Take advantage of the warm winter sunshine and use the time […]
May 2011 – Sue McDougall
May is my favourite time of the year. Cooler mornings are a sign of things to come – lots of rain. The season is close to breaking and finally we have seen some rain tumbling down. After experiencing one of the driest years on record I am amazed how well our gardens have fared. Take […]
Don’t Become the Fun Police – Karen Phillips
I recently spent a couple of days running workshops for Better Pets and Gardens about how to have a well behaved dog. During question time there were a few common problems that came up over and over again. One of them was how to get a dog to come back when called. To effectively resolve […]
April 2011 – Sue McDougall
April is the best month to get into the garden. Whether your interest lies in growing vegies or flowers, there is something to do for everyone. Gardening at this time of the year makes sense. Rain is on the horizon and the soil is still warm. Plants have a good chance of becoming established before […]
Get Rid of Bad Behaviour – Karen Phillips
Often we accidently train our dogs to do things that we didn’t really want them to. This is generally caused by our lack of knowledge and understanding of how dogs learn and the basic principle of the way behaviours in our dogs are reinforced. Some simple examples are jumping up on people, begging for food […]
Crates are Great! Karen Phillips
One of the most useful and valuable items a dog (or cat owner for that matter) can possess is a pet crate. These days, pet crates are available in a multitude of sizes and materials. Training your dog to feel comfortable and secure in a crate from an early age has many benefits including convenience […]
