Author: Tails, Trails, and Training

Hello fellow dog lovers! I’m Sarah, I’m 31 and I live in Melbourne, Australia. I’ve been lucky enough to grow up with pets as our valued family members, so I understand how important it is to have someone who cares for and loves your dog just as much as you do. Being a volunteer at animal shelters and zoos during my high school years, I’ve always known I wanted to work with animals. I graduated from Box Hill Institute in 2007 and have been happily working with animals ever since.

Day Visits, and Training, and Dog Walking oh my!

I started Tails Trails and Training in 2018. My love for animals developed similarly to that of many animal professionals, as a young child, with family pets.

I completed my Certificate iii Dog Behaviour and Training which is the highest qualification available in Australia. In addition, I have done volunteer work at Melbourne Zoo, Guide Dogs Australia, and RSPCA animal aid shelters.

Walking your dog is about so much more than just making sure they go to the toilet. Walking your dog provides mental stimulation, physical exercise, chances for socialization, and opportunities for behavioral training. It gets both of you out and about while helping to grow the bond you have with your dog.

Sometimes it can be really difficult to make sure your fur-family member gets out for a walk. Maybe you’ve got family commitments or work demands that are keeping you too busy, so much activity can leave you with a lack of energy or patience for your pet.

For more details about availability and other services check out my mad paw profile here.

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How to Enrich Your Dog’s life

My rules when training!

  • Always end on a high – always finish when your dog has done what you want, then reward and celebrate. This will make the next training session much easier as they remember it as a fun experience.
  • The more energy you give the more your dog will give you!
  • The more you interact with your dog, the stronger your bond will become. Spend quality time engaging in activities your dog enjoys, such as playing fetch, going for walks, or teaching new tricks.
  • Provide mental stimulation by introducing puzzle toys, interactive games, or training sessions that challenge your dog’s mind.
  • Vary your routine to keep things interesting. Explore new walking routes, visit different parks, or try out new activities together.
  • Socialize your dog with other dogs and people to promote confidence and good behavior in different environments.
  • Ensure your dog has a balanced diet, regular exercise, and access to veterinary care to maintain their physical health and overall well-being.
  • Create a safe and comfortable environment at home, including a cozy bed, appropriate toys, and designated spaces for relaxation.
  • Listen to your dog’s needs and preferences, and adjust your interactions and activities accordingly.
  • Consistently reinforce positive behavior with praise, treats, or toys to encourage desired actions and build trust.
  • Stay patient, consistent, and understanding throughout the training process, and remember that every dog is unique and learns at their own pace.
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Dog Breed of the Month; Vizsla

The Vizsla is originally from Hungary and means ‘searcher’ or ‘tracker’. This breed has a gentle and quite temperament but is also known for its energetic and loyal behaviour. 

Training!

As I always say, every dog needs training throughout its entire life. From puppy classes with a qualified trainer to ongoing classes and training. The Vizsla would do well to be socialised with birds and small dog breeds in particular, due to its inherited traits. Vizsla are a gun dog which are traditionally used in assisting hunters in finding and retrieving game. There are three type of gun dogs; retriever, flushing dogs and pointing breeders and Vizsla are pointers. The name pointer comes from the dog’s instinct to point, by stopping and aiming its muzzle towards game.

Other names; Magyar Viszla, Hungarian Vizsla, Magyar Vizsla

Other facts about the breed

Life expectancy: 12-15 years

Height: Female: 53-61cm, Male: 56-64cm

Weight: Female: 18-25kg, Male: 20-29kg

Happy training,

Sarah

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My Three Tips for Training

When it comes to training your puppy or dog there are three things I always keep in mind. The first and one of the most important is Mood. Your mood when training your dog can affect the whole session. Dogs can sense the chemical change in your body, this can range from stress, anxiety to anger. So if you’re training and feel yourself getting frustrated and/or short tempered, change your mood to be clam, happy and relaxed or stop training to the moment.

Our mood affects our dogs behaviour. If you are feeling unmotivated don’t train that day and go for a walk, have some cuddles or just have some play time (see my blog about Fun and Affective Ways to Wear Out your Puppy! also great for adult dogs by clicking this link https://bit.ly/33CBagU).

Second is the Energy you bring when training. High energy levels can get a dog more focused and increase enthusiasm about training. While low energy can mean that your dog will most likely ignore you and find something more interesting to do. I love using high energy as a reward by simply having a fun game after a training session. Lacey loves toys, so I have a couple toys she can only play with when training – this makes the toy and the game super exiting to her (I learned this from a trainer working with police dogs).

The last thing is Patience and to remember when you’re learning something new you don’t learn it in seconds. We even have instruction sheets and videos we can watch to help. Dogs only have us and if they aren’t understanding we have to use another technique, slow down, or break the skill into smaller steps. You also have to be patient with yourself. Once you find a way to communicate with your dog, all they want to do is please us.

Happy training!

Sarah

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Fun and Affective Ways to Wear Out your Puppy!

Do you have a new puppy that goes from asleep to a tiny tornado that destroys everything in its path? And you can’t take them out for walks yet as they haven’t had all there vaccinations? Well I have put together a list of activities and games to help tire out your new ball of energy and also help create a better bond with your puppy!

The first thing you can do is buy your puppy toys. There are lots of puppy safe toys for your new pet. Now the trick is to rotate your puppies toys. Breakup all the puppies toy into two (or even three) groups and every few days swap them out. This will be like Christmas for you puppy and give you a chance to wash toys.

Here are some great tips to help tire out your puppy:

  • Kong – fill the kong with puppy treats or even a little natural peanut butter and let your puppy entertain them selves. If you feel your puppy finishes it to quick try freezing kong for a longer lasting treat (also great for summer)
  • Bubbles – I have a bubble gun from Woolworths and its so much fun watching them chase the bubbles. Keeps them active and you don’t have to do much – great after work game (be mindful if your dog has allergies to soaps)
  • Snuffle mat – a snuffle mat is an oversized mat that you hide treats in. Puppy has to use there nose to search for the treats and this stimulates the pup which make them tired – yay. These can be purchased, made or I like to use natures snuffle mat – grass.
  • Play time – this might sound simple but this has so many benefits. Sit on the floor with a ‘new’ toy and make them chase the toy over your legs, throw toy a short distance and call puppy back. This game is strengthening puppies interaction with toys and there bond with you; win win.
  • Training – there are so many training activities you can do with your puppy. If your currently taking your pup to puppy classes, practise the things you’ve been doing in class at home. I love doing recall or for new pups learning there name. Find a hall way or small room that you can block off. Sit at one end of the hall and if you have someone else get them to sit the other end, have toys and/or treats and call pups and name reward when they come. This will train recall/puppies name and wear them out.
  • Puzzles – these can we bought online or made, but either way so much fun to watch your pup workout how to get the treats. I like to use their food bowl and stand toilet rolls in side, then sprinkle treats inside for them to get.

I hope these have helped you with your puppies. These also work for older dog, my 2 year Aussie still loves chasing bubbles. Let me know which one your pup likes and lets me know if you have any other activities you do.

Until next time, the treat lady. Sarah

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