#dogtrainerpakenham

Do you advocate for your dog???

You wouldn't allow a stranger to approach your child, reach into the pram and pull them out for a cuddle. You'd intercede! Do your dog the same courtesy, and advocate for them.

Is your dog anxious about or scared of strangers? If so, when people ask to pat your dog say NO! You don't need to worry about offending that person, and you don't need to give a reason unless you want to. Be polite, but be firm, and your dog will learn that you are willing to step up on their behalf. 

Which means they don’t need to react.

Is your dog worried about other dogs? Make sure you react to the approach of other dogs and owners before they can allow their "friendly" dog to get in your dog’s face or in their space. It is not the right of that person who "just wants to socialise their dog" to override what you believe is best for your dog. Again, your dog needs to see that they have a strong leader who will step up on their behalf and not allow the other dog into their comfort zone. 

Which means they don’t need to react

A New Leash on Life Dog Training Head Trainer Profile:

Hi I'm Keryn, and I'm the head of A New Leash on Life and the rest of the team (the dogs are the heart of course lol) have insisted that I have to introduce myself, if I'm going to introduce them, so here goes:

Name: Keryn

Alternative name: Aunty K (to two gorgeous nephews)

Role: Head Trainer

Other roles: admin, social media and finance boss

Favourite role: Mum of dogs

Favourite Colour: blue

Favourite Food: chocolate

Favourite Day of the Week: any day with a sleep-in

Hobbies: My favourite (non-dog) activity is iPhone photography. The dogs are totally supporting of this because I used to take nothing but dog photos, now they feature in heaps less photos, and they often get to run, sniff and explore whilst I'm taking photos.

As a kid I wanted to be: a ballerina or an accountant. Thankfully I got over that as I'm not that good at maths and I definitely cannot dance.

Favourite place you have travelled to? Japan. I lived there for a few years after I finished school and got to see quite a bit of the country. I'd highly recommend it to anyone wanting to travel.

What dog breed would you like to have, but will never have & why? I'd super love to have a Great Dane, they are so regal and elegant. They come with their own unique set of living and training challenges, but all part of the fun. However, I'll never have one because they just take up too much space for my small home, it wouldn't be fair. And let's face it, cleaning up after their poos would be like living with an elephant lol.

How do you choose your dog training?

Increasingly as I speak to more and more potential clients I see that people are trying their hardest to train their dogs (which is awesome), but often they are training them with the wrong training method. Now, I'm not saying mine is the only right method, in fact mine is not the right method for many people, and that's ok, but what criteria should you use to choose the training that you want to do with your dog?

🏠 Should you choose something that is close by? Just around the corner from your house? Or at the local reserve?

⏰ Should you choose something that is on at a convenient time, or on a convenient day?

💲Should you choose an inexpensive option, something that falls within your budget?

👩‍🦱 Should you choose the same trainer as your friend or neighbour?

These are all important points to consider but if they are your primary motivation for selecting a dog trainer, business, or school then you may find yourself in a situation where you end up learning something that doesn't sit well with what you believe in, and therefore you end up not following through. It's amazing how many people are doing things differently at home to what their trainer is teaching them to do.

So, here's what I would advise you to do: 

Investigate the methodology that the trainer, training school or business is using and make sure you believe wholeheartedly in what they do, because if you don't you are not likely to practice, reinforce or follow through. And if you believe in it, you are more likely to get the results that you are after. After that then come back to the other points we considered above.

How to get a great pic of your doggo's!

Whilst I'm far from being a professional photographer, I do use some deliberate tactics to get the pics of my boys that I use on my pages.

🐕 Teach a super solid sit step away or drop step away so you know they will absolutely hold position for you whilst you walk away

🌳 If you are out in public and can't take them off lead, get your shot anyway as you can always edit out the lead, or hide the lead behind their body

📲 Angle matters - get down on their level (or raise them to yours on something interesting)

📷 The best camera is the one in your pocket, so even your smart phone can do a great job, but don't let your smart phone control the shot, set the focal point and exposure yourself if you know how (I didn't know how until I did my photography course)

🥎 Have some means of getting their attention but don't overuse it - I use squeaky noises or certain words that get their attention, but you could use a squeaky toy or treat held right next to the camera lens

✅ Take lots of shots - I keep clicking as I know that getting them to pay attention can be fleeting, and now that I'm trying to get three to pay attention all at once it's super tricky

Hi, I’m Keryn and I'm Head Trainer here at A New Leash on Life! I'd love to wish you all a very Happy New Year, one that we can all look forward to enjoying thoroughly.

This is me and my three dogs, Zander Jaffa & Miki.

I’m a certified dog trainer specialising in training your dog at home - convenient, time-friendly and effective! Choose an in-home program, an online program or a combination program.

I’m super passionate about helping people to train AWESOME canine family members, without relying on the typical food reward, who can go with you anywhere, and truly be a family member.

I created A New Leash on Life to help you raise a beautiful new puppy, or to help you give a new life to your family pooch who might be stuck in a backyard vegetating - who might be at risk of not being welcome in the family anymore.

What can I do for you?

Book a free "Quick Chat" with me via zoom and I'm happy to steer you in the direction you want to go http://letsmeet.io/anewleashonlifedogtraining/quick-chat

Or just grab my phone number off my website www.anewleashonlife.com.au and ring me any time after 8/1/23.

Is your dog rehearsing unwanted and undesirable behaviours?

In the lead up to the end of the school year I bet thousands of kiddos are rehearsing hard for the end of year production at their school. They are probably practicing their lines and actions, and attending rehearsals, so that on opening night they are likely to get everything just how they want it.

Rehearsals make sure that the actual even will go smoothly, the outcome as planned.

This is similar for our dogs, though they are not anticipating that awesome moment when the curtains go up - for them every moment is opening night. And every time they rehearse any behaviour - good or not so good - it grows more strongly ingrained and more likely to be repeated again in the way that they find most desirable!

So what behaviours is your dog rehearsing that you'd like to change? Drop me a line and we can put a plan into action to make 2023 their best year ever.

Ready to get started training with your doggo but just can't find anything running this time of year? How to you get support with training your cheeky dog over the silly season?

My online program offers:

✅ Obedience without food reliance

✅ Teaching good manners for around the house and out & about

✅ Convenient multiple mini lessons that you can watch anywhere anytime and review time and time again if you'd like to

✅ Trainer support (that's me!) continuously across the Christmas & New Year period

✅ Suitable for any dog (and if you have a puppy I have a puppy version too)

✅ A great way to get the whole family into learning and training the family dog

✅ Suitable for dogs & their humans in any location

✅ Proven results

"We have just finished the 10 week adolescent course with our three year old German Shepherd. We absolutely loved it.

Keryn has an amazing amount of knowledge and is able to explain clearly what you need to do as well as adds videos in so you can see first hand.

Our dog was able to pick up all the basic commands and skills almost immediately and is honestly a changed dog." - Kristin & Sterling, GSD.

As we approach the end of the year it's good to see as many dogs as possible trying to get on top of their training skills - hopefully they'll all be invited to be a part of the upcoming festivities because they are such good boys and girls!

Winton the Bulldog x used his session to learn to stay on his mat, even when the guest arrived (that's me!) and started practicing not barging out the front door. He got to do some socialisation with Zander & Miki, and learned that dragging Mum over to another dog is not ok with her, even if you just want to play.

Max the Lab boy worked on his drop and drop stepaway (stay) under distraction - Zander was a great distraction. Max also has had some sociability issues in the past and did well with greeting Zander nicely and even got some b*m sniffs going.

Duggee the Cobberdog puppy learned mat command for the first time, and did well staying on the mat for short stretches until released. He had a good play with Zander and then learned about not barging into the house until invited. With guests coming soon into the household he'll need to be polite & quiet, and wait to be invited so it's important that his family practice now before things get too hectic.

Henry the Beagle x Poodle & his sister Lola the Groodle had their second session, and they learned to drop and hold a drop stepaway, which neither had learned before, so well done. We also worked on not jumping up on people as well as Henry's incessent barking, which tends to trigger Lola as well. That one will be a work in progress.

Daisy the Cavoodle had her second session too, and learned to drop and hold her drop with Jaffa to show her the ropes. Then she also practiced not barking at every movement out the front window. Finally we added a boundary challenge for her. Daisy's Mum is preparing her for an upcoming house move and she'll need some great manners and imprecable listening skills in her new living space so lots of practice is needed now.