Mealtime Manners

Today a post about one of the most important tools that will help you co-habit happily with your fur-babies.

Mealtime Manners.

Whilst on face value mealtime manners could be seen as a technique that just increases our control over pups exuberance, but in truth it is a method of reducing the occurrence of resource guarding if practiced regularly from a young age.

The first half of mealtime manners is asking your pup to wait until told to eat and the second half is teaching pup that we have every right to touch, interrupt or take away anything they may be eating at any time. Of course this takes a lot of work and repetition to get your dog to trust that you're not something to run away from, or even defend against.

To begin, hold your pups food bowl above his head and wait for him to sit, then start to lower the bowl to the ground. If pup remains sitting continue to lower the bowl, the minute pup's behind raises from the ground pull the bowl back up into the air. Continue this until pup realizes that in order for his food to reach the ground he must be sitting. This can take some pups only 5 minutes,  but others can be more obstinate. Be patient. It is worth it!
Do not let pup eat unless you have said a food release word (we use 'enjoy'), and over the next few meals gradually increase the length of time between the bowl hitting the ground and you giving the release word. If you've timed it correctly from the beginning pup will always know he has to wait for you to give him permission to eat.

Our dogs are now in the practice of sitting by their place mats whilst we prepare their food and waiting for the permission to enjoy their meal.

The second part of mealtime manners relates to resource guarding and must be practiced regularly to ensure confidence in the skill. For a myriad of reasons we want pup to trust us to take something from their mouth or touch their food. To earn this trust we must first assure pup (easiest to start young) that we can be trusted with their hard earn spoils, whether that be dinner or a bone. To begin, just start petting your dog whilst they are eating and get them comfortable having you in their space whilst they enjoy a meal or a bone, to make it a really awesome experience throw a delicious treats in their bowl whilst they are eating. Once they are completely relaxed with this, start to run your hand through their food, not taking any, just touching it and the bowl to let them see you are touching their food but not stealing it or taking it away. Again, make sure the really premium food rewards are flowing to make sure pup thinks you being around is excellent news. Next, start to offer the amazing treat as a reward for them letting you take their food away from them. Always use a better treat as the reward for letting us take their possession, so it is always a more positive experience. We never want pup to think it is a negative experience for us to take their food or be near them whilst eating. Continue this technique regularly all through their life so when you do have to take something away for a particular reason (say they found a chicken bone on the street) they don't think anything of it and know that they'll be rewarded in turn for releasing their prize effortlessly. 

Just remember that each pup is different and have had different experiences through youth which may influence their reaction to this sort of training. Whilst that may at first be a bit daunting, perservere! Just take it slow and work at the right pace for your pup.

Forever love your dog,

Emma

an evening meal in our house, we've worked hard to ensure Occa and Belle maintain their manners and are not concerned when we're peering into their food bowl... even with a camera! 

Review; The Kong Flyer

It is only fitting that for our first product review we feature our longest surviving toy; the Kong Flyer. 

The first savior we found to exercise the dogs and in my humble opinion,  the best toy you could buy for an active dog. We purchased one only a few months after we brought Occa home and were initially concerned about its longevity in his jaws. But true to form, Kong has created a frisbee from their tough, yet plyable rubber which has not broken, cracked or torn in two years! That's right my friends,  we have had one of our Frisbees for two years and it has been played with by multiple dogs at one time. It has withstood mid-air catching, tug of war and general chewing yet still hasn't shown signs of giving in.

The Flyer was relatively easy to get the hang of and once you got the angle of the throw correct (try to throw it flat so it doesn't catch on the air) it can fly for metres. There has been many a time that the dogs have become mere specks on the horizon from the distance they've had to cover with minimal effort from the thrower.

The Flyer is made of a soft, yet incredibly durable, rubber which is easy on the hands and teeth! The speed at which our dogs catch the frisbee is incredible, and you can only imagine what a harder plastic frisbee has done to a tooth over the years...

Overall,  Occa, Belle and I give the Kong Flyer an A+. We have never had a toy that has lasted this long and brought so much pleasure to the family. So simple to use and the bright colour makes it easy for the dogs to keep an eye on as they make their great leap.

Forever love your dog, 

Emma

A few action shots!

The positive road to teaching..

We train Occa and Belle using the positive reinforcement method of dog - training.  In a nutshell positive reinforcement is when you reward the behaviour you want repeated and ignore (but not punish) the behaviour you don't necessarily like. It is a simple cause and effect technique. Dogs thrive on cause and effect, particularly when they cotton on to the fact that they can get something out of it.

To strengthen our positive reinforcement training we also use the marking method (with a clicker), which puts a mark on the moment of behaviour that we want to reward. For example, the instant the dog sits we mark and then reward. This marking technique becomes particularly useful when doing distance training and you may not necessarily be close enough to your dog for immediate treating, but they'll still know a reward is coming.

We have taught Occa and Belle not only skilled obedience but also several party tricks using this technique and the results are fantastic. This method enables an even level of communication; you both understand what the marker means. A marker can either be a clicker (pictured below and what we use) or a chosen word (just be careful to choose a word you don't use around the dog in other circumstances). We went with the clicker to ensure there was no confusion as Husband and I have different voices and therefore would be recognised as two different markers. Once the marker is chosen we must ensure pup knows what the marker means. To 'charge' your marker (terminology from the RSPCA Life Skills Courses) you must repeatedly activate the marker (repeat your word/click the clicker) and immediately treat. This will form a relationship between the sound and a reward. Continue this until pup looks for a reward once the sound is made and voila you have charged your marker!!

The marker; available from most dog training centres or your local RSPCA.

The other important thing to consider when getting started on training is identifying what gets and keeps your dogs interest; food or toys. Our dogs are particularly susceptible to raw meat, meatballs (all kinds), eggs and their ball. If your dog finds reward from toys this is a good thing to foster as it means you will be less likely to have to 'bribe' your dog to perform certain behaviours.

We use a combination of treats to keep the dogs interested.

The first and best command to teach a dog, which should become their default, is the 'sit'. The sit is quite easy to teach using a lure. Hold a treat above the dogs nose and then draw your hand directly up into the air (palm facing the roof), the dog's nose should then attempt to follow the treat and in turn they will move their body into a sit position. The instant the dog sits, mark and reward. Repeat this over some time until the dog is recognising the hand signal and then gradually phase the lure out. You can now start applying the word 'sit' every time you mark, and this too will become part of the command.

Belle; exhibiting the perfect sit and attention pose.

The lure and marking method can be used for every trick conceivable, it is just a matter of thinking and figuring out how to lure and shape their behaviour to get the desired result. We'll be sharing our training tips and secrets on this blog, so stay tuned for posts on how we taught our dogs tricks like; bow, play dead, speak, hi 5 and spin. 

Every dog is different, but it is important to pay attention to your dog's cues so you know when they may be ready to either phase out the lure, or add in the verbal command. The other point to remember is  to gradually increase challenges and not expect your dog to immediately graduate from puppy school to university. Challenges can take multiple forms, including different locations, visitors, other animals, new sounds or smells, distance (from you), duration (how long you expect them to remain in the command), different handlers and treats. The list is potentially endless, but the key to solid and dependable training is short, sharp bursts of training every where you go. 

Forever love your dog,

Emma

The Arboretum Adventure

After being lulled to sleep by the sound of rain on Friday evening we were preparing to be housebound this weekend just past, however on awakening (admittedly quite late) we were surprised by the sun beaming into our room (affectionately known by the dogs as 'the Den'). 

Filled with weather induced happiness the three of us got into the car and headed out for a surprise adventure to... the National Arboretum Canberra!! The Arboretum is one of my absolute favourite places to take the dogs for a hike/walk as every time we go we explore a different path and whichever way we look it is always breathtaking. The dogs also appreciate the opportunity to meet and greet with kangaroos, cows (yes cows) and an incredible variety of birds.

The Arboretum was opened only recently, in February 2013, and is aiming to become the next wonder of the world. The majority of trees will take at least 15 years to reach maturity but it is quite wonderful to be able to take part in the journey from the very beginning. 

Perhaps the greatest drawcard for the Arboretum, bar it's captivating beauty, is that it allows dogs! Most (almost all) National Parks in Australia are not dog friendly which means finding different hiking/walking routes a real chore, but the Arboretum welcomes us with open arms and is right in our own backyard! 

On Saturday's journey we parked at the Cork Oak Forrest and took a hike down past the Acorn playground and central Village Centre; a real mecca for parents and their children (the playground is state of the art and rather unique).

Belle & Occa enjoying the view - you can see the Village Centre in the background. 

Once past the Village Centre we took one of the red paths (i.e. the 'less beaten') and before we knew it we felt like we'd left civilisation and were at one with nature (bliss). The only 'problem' with taking the path less beaten post rain meant the paths had turned to soft, slushy mud.. It made for fun photos and the dogs LOVE the feeling of mud under their paws, but it was decidedly not fun for my trainers! 

The Blue Dog leaving his mark on the Red Land. 

The Dingo Dog

At one with the land..

Very easy to forget we are only a ten minute drive from the City Centre.

Australia; the 'wide brown land', home of the Blue Dog.

Eventually we made our way back to civilisation and enjoyed the artistic side of the Arboretum; which includes sculptures like the above. The Arboretum, a celebration of Australia's nature, culture and history, is the perfect place for two Australian Cattle Dogs to list among their favourite places to visit. 

For all the Canberran readers, dog owner or not, definitely get yourself to the Arboretum. There is something for everyone; playground, picnic locations, hiking trails and is open to all. For the future visitors out there - if you are ever in Canberra you know where to go. 

Forever love your dogs,

Emma

Fetch with twice the paws..

A reader has asked us to give them some guidance on how we managed to get Occa and Belle to play frisbee/fetch harmoniously with one another.

There are two elements to this issue, firstly encouraging the newbie to learn the game and get excited by it and second to ensure the resident dog is happy to share the game.

The game of fetch is a part of Occa's soul and it just seemed to happen as he grew older. We certainly encouraged him to bring the ball or Frisbee back with treats and excitement, but his innate skill was already there.

Belle on the other hand is a player. She will sit down with a toy and chew and wrestle it for aaages! She loves to play independently so getting her to learn fetch was the first trick. We used a mixture of mimicry of Occa and treating when she brought it back. Still to this day she only brings the Frisbee within a metre of you and Occa generally retrieves it for us. Although it was absolutely crucial to play a few short games with Belle alone so she got the hang of it and enjoyed it!

Once we had Belle taught up on the game without Occa, we then played with the both of them. We praised Occa lots when he let her have a go, and made him 'wait' (if this instruction hasn't been mastered just hold his lead or collar) for Belle to have a few turns; treating him the entire time. The point of this was to make the experience of playing Frisbee with Belle an all round pleasant experience. Sometimes he gets the frisbee, sometimes she does but he always gets treats and praise.

They have now reached a point where Belle is a bullet and can outrun her brother easily so we let Occa have a few minutes by himself with Belle 'waiting' and then they run together. It's quite funny because on their run back to us they usually hold the Frisbee together. . Photos below!

I hope this helps! The real key is to be prepared with lots of treats and praise to ensure the game is always fun and pleasurable for both dogs.

Forever love your dog,

Emma

The Ten Commandments (Canine Style)

'The one absolutely unselfish friend that a man [or woman] can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him and the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous is his dog' - George Graham Vest..

Time is short and precious. Spend time with your furry pal, you are his entire world.

Forever love your dog,

Emma

(Photo courtesy of Google.com)

Can they really live in suburbia?!

There is a certain nostalgia surrounding Blue Heelers in Australia, and when out with our pair we certainly garner a lot of attention.

One of the most common questions we get asked is how much do we have to exercise them to still live in suburbia. . So I thought I might give you some insight into our daily schedule.

We love having smart dogs who thrive on working. After all they are working dogs. The trick to keeping them mentally, as well as physically, happy and healthy is recalibrating what they traditionally deemed work.. i.e. finding a modern day replacement for cattle herding.

We do this in several ways; teaching tricks, Frisbee throwing, obedience challenges, playtime with other dogs and lots of walks around the neighborhood to keep up with the other dogs' scent messages. We aim to mix-up their routine all the time to keep them guessing and excited about what we're doing.

We have two 'sessions' per day;  morning and evening. Ever since they were puppies they've have two 'witching hours' so we've always tried to organise our sessions around those times. (I've heard that dawn and dusk are really common witching hours for dogs!!)

Seasonally our focus changes as to whether we have a longer session in the morning or in the evening.. at the moment as it is winter, and gets dark really early, our long session is in the mornings before work. You can see in the photo below how dark it is even in the mornings! 

We'll take a long walk for about 30 minutes around the suburb, allowing the pups to have a good sniff, leave messages for the other neighborhood pets and then will head to an open area for our HIT (high intensity training)session. We'll play with either a ball or Frisbee for another 15 - 20 minutes, which leaves them overflowing with endorphins, with huge smiles as pictured below.

The evening will be a more subdued mental session with lots of training and mental games in the backyard.. having a treasure hunt is my personal favorite. I'll have them wait and watch me hide treats and toys in a particular area and then I say their release word and they're off. It keeps them entertained using their nose, memory and even some teamwork to make sure everything is recovered.

At the end of the day after all is done the pups really love to settle in for a snuggle. They are couch bunnies, pictured below, as long as we have satisfied their needs. We have successfully trained the dogs to be inside/outside 100% of the time (even in our absence) and because we are in a routine of regular stimulation they are quite happy to relax on the couch whenever we tell them it is time to 'settle.'

A tired dog is a happy dog.

Forever love your dog, 

Emma

Bath time..

Having two medium sized pups can make it somewhat difficult to find a good place for bath-time. They are much too big for our laundry tub.. and it is getting rather chilly for the old backyard job..

However luckily for us, and many Canberrans alike, Tru Blu coin operated dog wash comes to our rescue. Our local dog wash is located at Cooleman Court, attached to Classic Car Wash.

The unit is super easy to use with a twist dial to choose different functions (I.e. shampoo, rinse, flea & tick rinse, even a conditioning rinse) and then you are off. The liquids all come out of the same hose so there is no difficulty with change over. They have even made the rinses a lukewarm temperature as to not freeze or burn our furry pals. (Our hands enjoy this creature comfort also!)

You finish off with a blow dry and before you know it your formally greasy and dusty pal is fluffy like a bear again (at least in our case!). The cost is $10 for 10 minutes and we find we can wash both dogs and dry Occa (Belle has some dryer fear) in that time. A bargain in our eyes and a superb addition to the neighborhood shopping precinct.

Much to Occa and Belle's disdain,  it was bath-time yesterday... despite their obvious unhappiness about the bath, they usually get spoiled with a visit to PetBarn immediately after.

Forever love your dog,

Emma

Sunday Adventures - 8 June

Every Sunday we head off to my parent's house for family dinner.. the difference with our family dinners though is that ours always include our dogs! Our 'mini pack' totals four dogs; Occa and Belle (who you've already met) and Lucy and Cameron. I'll briefly introduce them below as they will no-doubt feature heavily in the future.

Cameron is my aunt's dog, a Jack Russell cross Pug who is three years old. He is an old soul who has a massive crush on Belle. He follows her everywhere and wants to be near her as much as possible. Luckily, she returns the feelings, though not quite romantically.

Lucy is my parent's new puppy and is still a fairly recent addition to the pack. She is a pure 'red cloud' Kelpie and around 14 weeks old at the moment. Suffice to say she is still learning how to engage with the older dogs and what they like and don't like. . she still hasn't caught on that older dog's don't appreciate their mouths being licked constantly, but it is the canine method of appeasement - so she gives it a red hot go!

*Note; dogs will also do this to humans, Belle who is a little bit nervous constantly licks our faces to appease us.. thank you Paul the Canine Coach (based in Canberra) for this piece of advice. Therefore it is best not to get too cranky when this happens continuously, simply stand up and walk away.*

Lucy follows Occa around (whom is affectionately known as "the Blue Whale" in my parent's household) and mimics his every behaviour. She is beyond besotted with him and last night we managed to capture a few snaps of their antics.

Occa; the chewer. He will sit with a squeaker for ages just chewing and squeaking. This one is particularly great (Kong Squeezz Bone) as it doesn't have a squeaker inside (it is the squeaker) and therefore it is less likely to be destroyed. A true winner for the working dogs and their tough jaws!

Dad has created a squeaker - tug combination toy for Lucy by simply tying a length of rope to the Kong Squeezz Bone. Occa and Lucy loved it! Eventually Occa got so tired and lazy (he just can't keep up with the youngster!!) that he laid down whilst Lucy ran from side-to-side pulling him only mere inches.

We have successfully taught Lucy the true working dog motto; "work hard, sleep hard."

Lucy, so happy holding paws with "the Blue Whale."

Belle was tired last night and didn't get in on the fun, but next Sunday we'll get some shots of her and Cameron enjoying their love affair. 

Forever love your dogs,

Emma

Welcome to K-9 Tails

Woof, woof!

An appropriate beginning for a blog about our canine friends. This blog will follow our life and experiences with two Australian Cattle Dogs (Occa and Belle) and the friends they meet. We'll not only be uploading details of our adventures around town and the country, but also giving some insight into different training methods and techniques we've used, product reviews and the best places we have found that cater to our four-legged friends.

But first to introduce the stars of the blog. 

Occa, the Prince (or so he believes). Occa is a three year old Australian Cattle Dog who we rescued from the Australian Cattle Dog rescue in Sydney, Australia. Highlights of his personality include; his adventurous nature, his abundant happiness all the time and his love of love. He is obsessed with cuddles, ball-time and is a general show-off (you'll see this exhibited in time). You can see him here on a handmade rocking chair in Farrer, Canberra posing perfectly for the camera.

Belle. The gentle soul. Belle is a 2.5 year old Australian Cattle Dog cross Kelpie/Border Collie who we rescued from the ACT RSPCA. She has the best of the working breeds mixed into a delicate package of muscle and speed. Highlights of her personality include; her sweet as pie nature, her willingness to learn and please and her incredible athleticism. We affectionally call Belle 'Thunderpaws' due to her amazing speed across an oval and the sound those powerful paws make upon the ground. Whilst Belle is choosy with her canine friends, she is the biggest snuggle bunny and the most loyal creature. Belle is here amongst the autumn leaves at the Woden CIT Farmer's Markets - a weekly Sunday adventure we take.

We've been a family unit of four for a little over two years and have learnt much along the way about what works (and doesn't!) for our dogs and we would like to share this with the rest of the world. We take regular adventures which put us in great stead to recommend awesome places to visit with your canine pals and have tested a myriad of products and toys; we will feature product reviews on this blog for your convenience. We've also enjoyed training our dogs at both the RSPCA / the ACT Companion Dog Club and we'll upload training videos and tips to help you along the way with a new, or old, companion. The mind of the dog is an amazing thing which many do not attempt to harness or engage with - but the rewards and pleasures of training and spending time with your dog are returned ten-fold. 

Please feel free to comment with any ideas or suggestions for what you'd like to see on the blog. We are always happy to hear from you. 

forever love your dog...

Emma