Manners 'n' More Companion Dog Training

09/09/2026

04/09/2026

WE WOULDN’T RECOMMEND JUST ANY PUPPY SCHOOL.

After nearly two decades of working with puppies and their families, I know that puppy classes are not all created equal.

Class size matters.

Trainer experience matters.

The way puppy interaction is managed matters.

And the individual puppy in front of us matters most of all.

That’s why I’m delighted to add a six-week Myaree puppy program to the carefully selected services available through Manners ’n’ More.

With a maximum of five puppies, experienced professional instruction and veterinary rehabilitation support, it offers the kind of thoughtful beginning I want for puppy families.

If you’re looking for puppy school, call me. I’ll help you decide whether this program is the right match.

Classes start Saturday 12th September.

📞 Colleen: 0415 136 777

Manners ’n’ More
Your Trusted Guide Through Puppyhood

04/09/2026

🐾 **Puppies never bark at nothing**

There may be nothing that *we* can detect—but that doesn’t mean there is nothing there.

Puppies hear, smell and notice parts of the world that are completely beyond our awareness. Your puppy may have detected movement, a distant sound, an unfamiliar scent or a subtle change in the environment before you noticed anything at all.

Barking can also continue because your dog has learnt that it works.

Perhaps barking receives attention, opens a door, starts a game, makes someone move away or produces another outcome your dog values. When a behaviour works, it is more likely to be repeated.

Rather than immediately asking, “How do I stop the barking?”, try asking:

🐾 What happened just before it began?
🐾 What might my dog have noticed?
🐾 What happened immediately afterwards?
🐾 Did barking produce a desirable outcome?

Barking is behaviour—and behaviour has a purpose.

Understanding what sits **behind the bark** gives us a much better starting point for helping our puppies.

Save this post for the next time your puppy or dog appears to be barking at “nothing.”

31/08/2026

One of the biggest game changers when raising a puppy isn’t teaching more commands.

It’s creating a realistic routine.

A routine helps you plan for:

🐾 sleep and quiet time
🐾 toilet breaks
🐾 meals and enrichment
🐾 play and training
🐾 safe social experiences
🐾 time for you to shower, eat, work—or simply breathe

Without a plan, it can feel as though your puppy needs something every minute of the day.

With a routine, life begins to feel more predictable—and predictability can help both puppies and people feel safer and more settled.

The goal isn’t a rigid timetable or a “perfect” puppy day.

It’s a flexible rhythm that works for your puppy, your household and your real life.

A good puppy program shouldn’t just teach your puppy what to do.

It should help you understand what comes next, prepare for the difficult moments and build a routine that makes everyday life together easier.

Because when the puppy person feels supported, the puppy benefits too. 🐾

28/08/2026

You can love your puppy and still wonder whether you’ve made a terrible mistake.

Both things can be true.

The puppy blues can look like:

🐾 feeling overwhelmed or trapped
🐾 crying more than usual
🐾 missing your old routine
🐾 worrying constantly about getting everything right
🐾 feeling guilty because you aren’t enjoying every moment
🐾 wondering whether you’re really capable of doing this

Bringing home a puppy changes almost every part of daily life—and often it happens overnight.

That emotional adjustment is real.

Feeling overwhelmed doesn’t mean you don’t love your puppy. It doesn’t make you a bad person, and it doesn’t mean the relationship won’t become everything you hoped it would be.

You may simply be tired, overloaded and in need of some support.

Please don’t struggle silently because you think everyone else is coping perfectly.

They probably aren’t.

You and your puppy are learning how to do this together. 🐾

27/08/2026

Headed back to Wagin this morning.

27/08/2026

Nobody talks enough about the sleepless nights.

The crying.

The toilet trips in the dark.

The uncertainty about whether you should comfort your puppy, ignore them or take them outside again.

And then morning arrives—and your puppy is ready to start the day while you feel as though you haven’t slept at all.

Sleep deprivation affects our patience, our emotions and our ability to cope. Even the smallest puppy challenge can feel enormous when we’re exhausted.

If you’re struggling with sleepless nights, please know that you aren’t weak, you aren’t doing everything wrong and you certainly aren’t alone.

This stage can be genuinely hard.

Having a clear plan for bedtime, overnight toilet breaks and gradually helping your puppy feel safe can make a tremendous difference.

Sometimes the puppy needs support—but sometimes the puppy person does too. 🐾