Pawspectives

18/10/2026

COOPERATION REQUIRES TRUST! Puppy School teaches pups like Flossie, that giving up a toy is not the end of fun. Working with us makes good things happen. The game continues if they let go, voluntarily. Toss a second toy the moment they release the one they have. We can then insert a word like "give" once they consistently "give" up the toy. We can then use that word, which they associate with the action, to ask for forbidden objects, without them running off with them. Chasing pups just turns it into a game of chase. We all repeat behaviours that are rewarding.

17/10/2026

CONGRATS Dolly, Bianca and big sister Java! These delightful and speedy Italian Greyhounds had lot's of fun as they developed life skills during their six weeks together.

07/10/2026

04/10/2026

SET UP FOR SUCCESS! Since rehoming young Kelpie, Crumble, Linda's been teaching fun games to build his focus around distractions, like cars going passed, birds, scents, etc. Today we used those games to keep him engaged as we took him off the lead. We checked to see he was focused before exiting the yard and again after detaching the lead. Linda kept him engaged with a high rate of reinforcement to support the desired behaviour before putting him back on lead. We took him out of his comfort zone into the stretch zone, but not into overwhelm. He made us so proud!

29/09/2026

MOOTSKI, WELL DONE! A very friendly young Kelpie with all the enthusiasm you'd expect in a Herding breed. He loved putting his front paws onto an object to engage with Laura and receive a positive outcome. One of many training games he learned to stay focused around the other puppies. His patience and calm behaviour was rewarded with some puppy play too.

23/09/2026

- Weeknight & weekend puppy classes
- Individual lessons for all age dogs
https://pawspectives.com.au/ for details

16/09/2026

PRETEND PLAY! Kids use soft toys to rehearse social interactions and so can many pups. Unless they just want to dissect it. Like a decaf coffee, it’s not the real thing but a nice substitute. When pups get the zoomies and want to mouth and play "bitey face" (natural dog behaviour) we can provide an alternative outlet. Teaching object play redirects sharp teeth and claws away from human skin and clothes. SUPERVISE but remove yourself from the game. When it’s over put the fake pup away for another round tomorrow to prevent the risk of dissecting and swallowing inedible parts. Please check for loose or damaged parts after each session. Credit to Kim Brophey and her "Karl Hack".

12/09/2026

EAT IN PEACE! A lot of us were taught to touch or remove dogs food while they were eating to prevent ‘resource guarding’. This can have the opposite effect. It can cause frustration which could increase the chance they guard their food or swallow something whole and create a choking hazard. Who doesn’t enjoy eating their meal in peace?

If you do want to teach a puppy something, teach them that people bring more goodies, to build their trust. They’ll be more likely to form positive rather than negative associations with people and food. To keep kids safe the BEST PREVENTION is feeding dogs behind a barrier so kids practice leaving dogs alone when eating or resting. Respect is an important part of every friendship and every dog has their own capacity for tolerance on any given day.

Multiple dogs can be fed separately to enjoy eating at their own pace.

06/09/2026

To all Father figures🐾