Total Wellness Dog Training

07/09/2026

For those who compete in Obedience there is an extra trial added for the year! Yay! 🙌 Thanks Grafton club! ❤️

We have just received approval for an extra obedience trial in the area before the end of the year! This trial will offer CCD, CD and CDX only. Save the date - Friday 6th November 4pm. Entries will open on Top Dog Events on 6th October.

06/09/2026

🚨“POSITIVE” DOG TRAINING DOESN’T MEAN WHAT YOU THINK IT MEANS. 🐕

One of the biggest misunderstandings in dog training is the belief that:

❌ Positive = treats
❌ Negative = cruel
❌ Punishment = abuse

That’s simply not what the terminology means.

The 4 quadrants of operant conditioning describe what happens after a behaviour and whether that consequence makes the behaviour more or less likely to happen again.

➕ POSITIVE = something is added
➖ NEGATIVE = something is removed

⬆️ REINFORCEMENT = behaviour increases
⬇️ PUNISHMENT = behaviour decreases

So yes — positive punishment exists.
And yes — negative reinforcement exists.

These are scientific terms, not labels for whether someone is a “good” or “bad” dog trainer.

The real question should be:

👉 What are we adding or removing?
👉 What behaviour are we trying to change?
👉 Is the dog learning what we actually want or need them to learn?
👉 Are we considering the individual dog in front of us?

Dog training isn't about picking a trendy label and blindly following it.

It’s about understanding behaviour, consequences, timing, communication and the individual dog.

And perhaps most importantly…

🐾 We choose to have dogs live in our world along side us. That means we have a responsibility to help them learn how to navigate it.

What do you think?

Do you understand the 4 quadrants — or were you taught that “positive” automatically means “treats” and “negative” automatically means “bad”?

👇 Let’s have the conversation.

30/08/2026

🚨 YOUR DOG ISN’T “JUST EXCITED.” THEY’RE PRACTISING PULLING.🚨

I know… you love seeing your dog excited to go for a walk.

But if your dog is dragging you down the street, pulling towards every dog, person or smell, and you simply follow along…

you are teaching them that pulling works.

Your dog pulls ➡️ you move forward.
Your dog sees a dog ➡️ you let them get closer.
Your dog wants to sniff ➡️ they drag you there.

From your dog’s perspective:

“Pulling gets me where I want to go!”

Then we wonder why they pull harder tomorrow. 🤷‍♀️

And before someone says:

“But my dog just wants to say hello!”

Here’s the uncomfortable truth…

Your dog does NOT need to greet every dog they see.

In fact, learning that they can calmly walk past another dog without interacting is one of the most valuable skills you can teach.

A good walk isn’t:

❌ Dog pulls
❌ Human follows
❌ Dog chooses the direction
❌ Human spends the entire walk hanging onto the leash

A good walk is:

🐾 Your dog can explore
🐾 Your dog can sniff
🐾 Your dog can enjoy themselves
🐾 BUT they can also disengage from distractions
🐾 They understand leash pressure
🐾 And they can walk with you when asked

Freedom comes from good behaviour — not from ignoring behaviour.

Loose leash walking isn’t about controlling every step your dog takes.

It’s about creating a dog who understands:

👉 “I can enjoy my environment, but I still need to listen to my human.”

So… be honest 👇

Who actually walks who in your house? 😂🐕

If your dog is currently taking YOU for a walk, you're not alone — and it can be changed.

📍 Grafton NSW & surrounds
🐾 Total Wellness Dog Training
**Bring balance and harmony to your relationship.**

28/08/2026

We are here for you. The pet dog owners who want a dog they can take anywhere and do anything with. We are here for REAL LIFE dog training. ❤️ happy training

26/08/2026

Reminder for all of those hoping to compete in Rally Obedience.

Can I talk to my dog during a trial? - YES! 🙌

*this is taken from the offical ANKC Rule book effect from 1 July 2026.

EXHIBITORS AND HANDLERS
Commands and Signals:
Communication from the Handler to the dog is allowed and shall not be penalised. Unless otherwise specified in these Rules, Handlers may verbally praise and pat their dog.

Where, in the opinion of the Judge, the Handler’s touch is being used to physically guide or correct the dog, the dog must be non-qualified for failure to meet minimum requirements.

Multiple commands and / or signals using one or both arms and hands are allowed although they will be penalised accordingly. The Handler’s arms need not be maintained in any particular position.

Where the dog is being substantially lured around the course (for example, finger clicking, static hand position in front of the dog), the dog must be non-qualified for failure to meet minimum requirements.

At any time during the course, loud or harsh commands, intimidating signals or physical guidance will be penalised.

All verbal commands must be in English unless approved otherwise by the Judge.

We all start somewhere so why not give it a go!

See you around and happy training. 🙌

23/08/2026

Your Dog Does Not Need to Say Hello to Every Dog!

Unpopular opinion: your dog does NOT need to say hello to every dog they see.

In fact, teaching your dog that they don't have to greet every dog can be one of the most valuable skills you can give them.

We often hear, “Don’t worry, my dog is friendly!” as an excuse for allowing a dog to run up to another dog, pull towards them on lead or invade their personal space.

But here's the problem:

Your dog being friendly doesn't mean every other dog wants to be friends.

Some dogs are nervous. Some are recovering from previous negative experiences. Some are reactive. Some are elderly and simply don't appreciate an enthusiastic youngster jumping all over them.

And some dogs just don't want to say hello.

Socialisation doesn't mean meeting everyone 🐶

One of the biggest misconceptions in dog training is that socialising your dog means allowing them to meet as many dogs and people as possible.

It doesn't.

Good socialisation is about teaching your dog how to comfortably exist in the world.

That means being able to walk past another dog without needing to greet them.

It means seeing another dog across the park and remaining calm.

It means being able to focus on their handler even when another dog is nearby.

Your dog's ability to ignore another dog is a skill

Imagine walking down the street and your dog sees another dog.

Instead of immediately lunging towards them, barking, whining or dragging you across the footpath, your dog looks at the other dog and then looks back at you.

That's something worth celebrating.
That is neutrality.

And neutrality is incredibly valuable in real life.

A dog that thinks every dog they see is an invitation to play can quickly become frustrated, overexcited or difficult to control.

Dogs deserve personal space too.

Responsible dog ownership means recognising that not every interaction is necessary, appropriate or safe.

Your dog can still have appropriate opportunities to play and socialise with suitable dogs.

But those interactions should be **intentional**, not something that happens simply because another dog appeared.

The goal is to create a dog that can make good choices at liberty and a dog that trusts you to make the decisions.

You don't have to stop your dog from enjoying other dogs.

A well-socialised dog isn't necessarily the dog that wants to greet everyone.

Sometimes, the most confident dog in the room is the one that can calmly walk past and say:
“I don't need to meet you.”

That's not antisocial. That's good manners, emotional control and real-world training.

At Total Wellness Dog Training, we believe training should prepare dogs for real life — not just for the training field.

Because the goal isn't a dog that behaves perfectly when everything goes their way.

The goal is a dog that can calmly navigate the world when it doesn't. Your dog doesn't need to say hello to every dog

And honestly?

That's a very good thing.

20/08/2026

Experience You Can Trust

With over 10 years of experience in the professional dog training industry and over 20 years of personally training and living with our own dogs, we bring extensive practical knowledge, experience and understanding of canine behaviour to every dog we work with.

Our commitment to learning goes well beyond formal qualifications. We have invested many years attending seminars, workshops and learning opportunities with highly experienced Australian and international dog trainers and specialists, continually expanding our knowledge across a wide range of disciplines.

This includes learning from professionals working in scent detection, assistance and working dogs, competition dog work, behavioural training and specialised canine training from trainers both here in Australia and internationally.

We believe that great dog trainers never stop learning. By continually seeking knowledge from leading professionals and bringing that learning into our own practice, we can provide training that is informed by experience, education and the latest industry knowledge.

Professional experience. Lifelong learning. Real-world results. ❤️

20/08/2026

🎓 **DO YOU ACTUALLY KNOW HOW YOUR HORSE LEARNS?**

Every trainer uses the **Four Quadrants of Learning** — whether they realise it or not.

Positive reinforcement. Negative reinforcement. Positive punishment. Negative punishment.

But what do they **actually mean**, and how are you using them every time you train your horse? 🐴

📚 **Module 3 of the Fortis Ridge Training Academy is now available on Patreon.**

Stop just copying exercises. **Learn the WHY behind training.**

👉 Join the Academy and start becoming a more educated, intentional trainer.
https://patreon.com/FortisRidgeHorses?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink

**Train with knowledge. Train with purpose.**

19/08/2026