Dog Training at Home: Training Tips For Your Dogs
Dog training at home delivers a lot of benefits to dogs, no matter how young or old they are. Dog ownership is truly worthwhile. Not only can you give move care and love, but you can also train your dog and create a strong bond with them. For dogs who are indoors all the time, […]
The Best Ways to Train Your Dog
New pet owners can have a difficult time trying to communicate with their new dogs. When you tell him or her to sit, occasionally they will act as if they never heard you. They may growl at kids or even bark at you when it’s unnecessary. All this happens because your new furry friend may […]
Ideas to Challenge your dog when you can’t leave the house.
Things to do with your dog during lockdown. Stuck at home in the pandemic? Wondering how on earth you’ll be able to keep your dog from going stir crazy when you can’t take them out for a walk? While it’s not ideal, there are lots of things you can do to help make this time […]
Are you raising a well-adjusted dog?
Are you selfless enough to PARENT your dog? Simply being their best mate is fun for us, but is it in your dog’s best interest? We get it, it’s super hard to say no to your dog! Those eyes! How can you resist that adorable face? You just want to love and enjoy your dog […]
Anna discusses her dog Chips and teaching Dog Tricks
How important is teaching your dog tricks really? Hi, Anna here from SitDropStay Dog Training Melbourne. I want to introduce you to the newest edition to my family. On Anzac Day we got a call from a family friend who lives out in country Victoria. They had heard about a young Kelpie pup who was […]
Are you looking for Dog Training in Melbourne
Are you looking for Dog Training in Melbourne SitDropStay Dog Training Melbourne is pleased to welcome our new trainer and dog whisperer, Rod Sinclair. Rod has recently completed extensive training with us and joins our very successful Melbourne dog training team of Anna Hopkins and Brett Males. He will be covering the Western side of […]
When should I start training my dog?
The answer is NOW! Whatever your dog’s age – it is never too early (or too late) to start training. BUT you don’t have to wait for a special class or a specific age to begin. Maybe we need to change our understanding of what dog training actually is and what is actually required? Do […]
Why Isn’t My Dog Listening to Me?
Try “The Pause” If your dog isn’t listening to you there is one incredibly valuable and often overlooked tool in your canine communication tool belt… The Pause. We often see humans repeating a command over and over and over again “at” their dog.. becoming more and more frustrated as they do. Sit, sit, sit, SIT!!!!! […]
Is Your Dog Excited Or Stressed?
IS YOUR DOG EXCITED OR STRESSED? – Dog Training Can Help Did you know that many dogs appear excited when they are actually feeling stressed? Like many other owners, you may be very surprised to learn that what you thought was happy behaviour is in fact your dog feeling overwhelmed or anxious!
When your dog growls at you or your kids.
What to do when your dog growls at you or the kids I recently came across a post by a large welfare organisation promoting advice on dog behaviour, specifically what to do if your dog growls at you or your kids. The heading read: “Never tell off a dog for growling. A dog won’t bite […]
Does Ignoring Bad Behaviour Work?
Ignoring Unwanted Behaviour – Does It Work? This continues to be an area of confusion for many owners, and no wonder, for the answer can be yes OR no! It depends on the situation. Let’s use the example of a dog who jumps all over you when you get home or when you go outside. My […]
The Gift of Consequence
Creating a Good Attitude and Co-operative Behaviour– what to do when your dog won’t listen. Search the internet and there is no end to the debate regarding the use of positive and negative consequence in training dogs. Interestingly, there doesn’t seem to be any confusion with children! It has long been established by leading psychologists […]
Do You Really Want A Dog?
Do You Really Want a Dog? I love dogs. My own dog Storm (no longer with me) was the light of my life and a true soul mate. He was the best friend I’ve ever had and he taught me and helped me in ways I will be forever grateful for. It’s been over 3 […]
My dog goes crazy when I have visitors!
Does your dog go into crazy overdrive when guests come over? We see this often, with symptoms ranging from barking, growling, biting, hiding, demanding attention, jumping up and licking, to racing around showing off. It can be stressful both for you and your dog! Here are some tips to help you understand why they may […]
How To Teach Your Dog To Come When Called
Establishing A Solid Recall One of the most essential and enjoyable things to teach your dog is to come to you when you ask. It allows both you and your dog to have more fun, freedom, exercise and more variety and it is one of the concepts that I encourage owners to really dedicate time […]
Can You Say “No” To Your Dog?
We are hearing from many of our clients that that they were told in puppy classes that they are not allowed to say “no” to their dogs. By the time we get to these poor clients their dogs are out of control and often display ADHD symptoms. These owners are offered no way to stop […]
Bringing a New Dog Home
Are you bringing a new dog or puppy home? Here are some tips to help you get off on the right paw! So you have a new dog! This is usually a very exciting and happy time for owners! As humans, we tend to become over-excited and fuss over the new addition and treat it […]
Why Is My Dog Chewing Things They Shouldn’t?
One of the questions we are regularly asked is ” How do I stop my dog chewing shoes? I tell him off when I find the shoes all chewed up, and I know he knows what he’s done is naughty, but he keeps doing it.”
6 Tips to Improve Your Dogs Behaviour
In this article, we offer six simple tips that will improve your dog’s general behaviour and attitude. You can implement one or all of them. Try one at a time and see what happens!
Why Won’t My Dog Eat His Food?
It seems like dogs will eat just about anything placed in front of them no matter how unappetizing it appears or smells. Because of this, it can be frustrating, and even frightening, when your beloved companion refuses to show enthusiasm for a meal or refuses to eat it altogether.
Puppy Carers Needed
Seeing Eye dogs are vital for those with sight impairments in order to get through life without having to struggle beyond their means. While a cane and a good set of ears are extremely helpful, nothing beats having a loyal friend with all senses intact by your side if you are visually impaired or blind.
How Important are Puppy Classes?
Puppy training and education is essential for a young dog, but will puppy classes fulfil your needs? It seems that today every veterinarian or pet shop is running puppy classes. New puppy owners are told of the necessity of participation and strongly encouraged to take part in these classes.
The Benefits Of In-Home Dog Training
Confused about whether to go to classes or have a trainer come to you? This is personal decision and there are certainly benefits to both. Here are some good reasons why in-home dog training or having a trainer come to you is often the most effective and easiest way to establish a solid foundation and create […]
Keeping Children Safe Around Dogs
Ensuring children’s safety (both your own and those visiting) around family dogs is paramount and should be taken very seriously. We all hear how many children are bitten by the family dog. Unfortunately, all too often these incidents occur simply through lack of understanding of dog psychology and dog behaviour. Most incidents could have been […]
Why Does My Dog Eat it’s Own Poo?
If you happen to have a dog or puppy who eats their own poo, help is at hand! There are several reasons this could be happening. In my experience addressing them all seems to work well. There are, of course, some dogs who don’t seem to have a reason at all! Here are some ideas […]
How Frequently Should You Vaccinate Your Dog?
One of the most hotly debated topics today is human vaccination, but many people don’t realize that some controversy exists over pet vaccinations as well. For more than 30 years, it has been common practice for veterinarians to vaccinate puppies and kittens during their first four months of life and give them booster shots every […]
How To Stop Your Dog Barking
While some barking is natural and healthy behaviour for dogs, when it’s done in excess it usually means that there is an underlying cause of stress which is driving this behaviour to unhealthy levels. In other words, the excess barking is usually the symptom rather than the cause, and to stop it, we need to […]
How To Stop Your Dog Jumping
A very common issue that we are asked to address is how to stop a dog from jumping up, either on the owner or on others. Dogs mostly jump up when they are already excited, such as when you go outside, when you get home, when you start to play, or when guests come over. […]
7 Tips for Taking Your Dog to a Dog Park
Dog parks can be great fun but they can also be trouble if not handled correctly. Personally, I’m not one to take risks when it comes to the safety and learning outcomes of my dog, and I don’t think it’s fair to compromise others by not having a dog under complete control around theirs.
Should I Take my Dog to a Dog Park?
I am asked by clients regularly whether they should be taking their dogs to a dog park to socialise them. In my opinion, the answer depends on several factors, and every dog and owner is different. I’m not against dog parks, they can be wonderful. But it is important to handle them with care. Also, […]
4 Valuable Dog Obedience Training Tips
In this article I am going to give you four tips to help you improve your dog’s performance in obedience training. Before I do however, I need to be clear that I believe that the benefits of traditional obedience training are often overstated and over-emphasised. By traditional obedience training I mean the general idea of going […]
How To Introduce Your Dog to Your Cat
I was prompted to write this article after a recent enquiry from someone whose dog had killed a friend’s cat. The caller had gone to a friend’s house with his dog and let his dog run ahead of him excitedly into the friend’s back yard. The dog, upon seeing the friends cat (already excited), rushed […]
8 Tips to Help You Raise and Train Your New Puppy
Congratulations on your new project! Becoming a successful canine guardian is an important and fulfilling role that requires dedication, effort and time. Like a child, your pup is totally dependent on you, physically and mentally. We are regularly asked to introduce dogs to other animals. The following are some tips to make this introduction both […]
7 Tips To Teach Your Dog To Walk Without Pulling
How to stop dog pulling. We all want a dog that walks calmly by our side without pulling or lunging. It is one of our most common requests and certainly makes for a more enjoyable and rewarding experience. We believe it is critical to have your dog under control on a walk. Done properly walking […]
What Is Your Dog Telling You About Who You Are
Your Dog Is Your Mirror On a recent visit to our local craft markets my partner Emma was approached by a stall holder to answer a question about his friends dog. One of my friends has a dog who is aggressive towards him. What’s going on there? He asked. Emma replied, that’s probably how he feels […]
7 Tips To Successfully Toilet Train Your Puppy
One of the most common issues we are asked to help with when a client gets a new puppy is how to teach them to go to the toilet in one place, or learn to go outside. Let’s face it, it’s pretty hard to concentrate on much else or enjoy your new pup if this […]
Should your dog walk by your side?
One of the most common problems we are asked to help clients with is to stop their dogs from pulling on the leash. Today more than ever, we see so many dogs pulling their owners down the street, park or beach in some sort of rush to get somewhere. There are even people who we […]
What is a Dog Whisperer?
With the rise in popularity of dog whispering in recent years, it seems that today every dog trainer is calling themselves a Dog Whisperer. So are there really so many dog whisperers out there, or is the term being used too loosely? While there is no doubt in my mind that dog whispering methods
7 Tips to Recognise a Genuine Dog Whisperer
In this article I give you 7 tips to help you ensure that when you are wanting to engage a Dog Whisperer to help you with your dog and any issues you may be having, you are getting what you pay for. I’m not against dog training itself, and think it can be very effective and […]
Why Your Dog May Be Ignoring You
Have you ever thought about whether your dog is actually understanding your words or commands and attaching a meaning or reason to them? Just as if I asked you to “jump on one leg” – wouldn’t you ask “WHY?” When you are training, or implementing word commands into your dog’s life, consider giving them meaning. Let’s use sit […]
How Your Dog Feels About You
A good tip to keep you on track with your dog training, is to regularly ask yourself “Is my behaviour impressing my dog?” This is not only in the moment, but also an accumulative concept. How your dog feels about you is directly related to how he will respond to you. Your body language, voice, energy and […]
Greeting dogs – do you do “the voice”?
How many of you have witnessed normally calm, sane people (ok I admit it’s mostly us girls) suddenly change and become squeaky, high- pitched, wiggly and excited fools around dogs and puppies? It seems we are conditioned to believe this is an appropriate and preferred greeting to our smaller, furrier friends
Holistic Healthcare for Dogs. Diet & Nutrition
Many of us are now making the connection and the shift towards more alternative and holistic health care choices for ourselves, so it makes sense that we do the same for our dogs. We are lucky to have a much wider range of choice than we did a few years ago, from mainstream vets who […]
Does ‘Positive Only’ Dog Training Work?
Another weekend and again I have had to help several families whose dogs have previously undergone positive only based dog training. On every occasion this approach has proven to have been either detrimental or at best totally ineffective.
Ways to Challenge Your Dog’s Mind and Body
“But we walk him every day!” Many clients are confused or stuck as to why their dog still seems frustrated, bored or anxious even though they are getting their daily walk and family time. What may seem like enough to you may not be enough for your dog. Exercising your dog’s muscles is one thing, but […]
Dog Behaviour – Separation Anxiety in Dogs
Does your dog have separation anxiety? We believe this is a very misunderstood “condition” and contrary to popular belief it is reversible in most cases. If your dog, or one you know is experiencing anxiety (destructive behaviour, barking, escaping, chewing, digging, self harm, howling etc) when left alone, high chances are they fall into this […]
How To Keep Your Dog Cool in Summer
As we enter summer in Australia, it’s important to remember that while humans can usually keep cool indoors, pets cannot always escape the heat with their fur coats and their naturally higher body temperature. Here are some tips to avoid heatstroke and help make summer be more enjoyable for your pet!
