Speak! Our Pet Blog
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
The “Go To” Game and Distractions – Karen Phillips
So here we are at month five and the final instalment of the “go to” game where we have shown how to train a puppy to go to his mat and stay there until asked to leave. Last month we worked on duration of the behaviour in different locations around your house. This month it’s […]
The “Go To” Game All Over the Place – Karen Phillips
We are now at month four of training the “Go To” game. Over the last three months we have been working towards teaching your pup or adult dog to get on a mat, lie down and stay there until otherwise advised. This month we are going to work on getting this same behaviour in different […]
The “Go To” Game – Stage Three – Karen Phillips
This month we are up to Stage Three of the mat game. If you have worked your way through the instructions in the October and November newsletters you should now have a pup that will go and get on the mat as soon as you make it available to them. This has happened because you […]
The “Go To” Game – Stage Two – Karen Phillips
Last month I introduced you to a great game that you can play with your puppy or adult dog in the comfort of your very own lounge room. I’m hoping that since then you’ve spent a bit of time rewarding your pup for getting on to a “special” mat. By rewarding your pup for getting […]
