Did your young dogs fear seem to come out of nowhere? Let’s talk ‘Fear Impact Periods’…
Fear Impact Periods -
In general, the more independence a dog achieves with maturity, the more cautious they become about the unfamiliar. During these distinct periods, dogs may become fearful of situations they once appeared to be accepting of, finding things more threatening. [Read More…]

Firstly, do not play any games with your dog that involve putting your hands into their mouth, chasing them, or allowing them to jump all over you.
Never alpha roll (forcefully rolling your dog onto their back) or scruff, as these can lead to a fear of hands and so hand biting.
If your dog is being mouthy, start with a stern “Bah!!” vocalization and get up and walk away. [Read More…]

Dog Parks and Off Lead Area’s —
Importantly, the dog park is not the place to socialize puppies  (from the perspective of intensity and a potential disease risk for your pup). Senior dogs too, may find dog parks overwhelming. Pay attention to your dog’s cues about this experience. [Read More…]

With more children interacting with dogs over the holiday period -
Many children I come across in my school visits, say a friendly dog has a wagging tail but a tail wag does not always mean a friendly dog …
The dog may have their tail tucked down low and wagging, they are a bit scared. Or when a dog’s tail is wagging up ’stiff like a board’ (almost ‘ping ping ping’) instead of ‘flowing like a wave,’ this is not a good, friendly sign!
Education is key (I offer free dog safety & education talks to schools within my business area) Selina McIntyre, Dog Behavioural Consultant & Dog Trainer, Dogs Best Friend.

Tis’ the Season!
Christmas can be quite a stressful time of year for your beloved dogs as well .
There can be extra people in your home with guests visiting (and possibly the shrill coming from ‘little people’) lots of exciting wrapping paper mountains, flashing lights and in general a lot more ‘buzz’ around. [Read More…]