If you would like to send us your dog stories, we would be more than happy to share your story in our next newsletter.
Write to natalie@nakeddog.co.nz


Here's what you'll find:

1. The School's News
2. Upcoming Events
3. Behaviour Quiz
4. Doggy links
5. Doggy Reading
6. Doggy Videos

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School News
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Some recent thoughts about Dogs

Dr. Ian Dunbar, a veterinarian, animal behaviourist, dog trainer, and writer came to New Zealand and delivered 5 fascinating days of his personal journey of his research into the hierarchical social behaviour and aggression in domestic dogs.

With the recent news items about dog bites in the news, from the police dog attacking an innocent bystander to the little girl who walked into a friend's backyard and received the wrath of dog's fear, it is a real shame that the TV media did not take the opportunity of interviewing Dr Dunbar, an expert in the field. Instead the Sunday programme interviewed the Tauranga Dog Control Officer who theorised that dogs living inside our home humanised our dogs was the problem. Huh??

This theory of establishing and maintaining the control of our dogs through physical strength and dominance is a simplistic view of a most sophisticated social structure which tends to be counterproductive, inhumane and dangerous when used in pet dog training, or the treatment of behaviour problems.

Dr Dunbar was given the opportunity of explaining the reasons and the prevention of dog bites in his interview with Kim Hill from Radio NZ. Thank to Blair for organising this. It always helps when you know people in high places:) I just wish Rodney Hide came to listen. He was invited! ( duration: 31'24?)

Classes

KinderPuppy Classes - Our Thursday evening class starts thursday March 18th until April 8th
7:45 to 8pm: exercise and toilet dog in the dog run
8 to 8:45/9pm: class

Adolescent/Older Dog Class: We now have a new curriculum for this class. Our 5 days that we spent with Dr Ian Dunbar (in Auckland and Christchurch) have made us reassess our delivery of our classes. If you have taken this class previously and would like to continue working on your commands, impulse control, strategies for loose leash walking, reliable recall, come and join our classes. We now give daily homework which will focus your training with your dog.

Next 4 week class starts: March 15 until April 5
7:45 to 8pm: exercise and toilet dog in the dog run
8 to 8:45/9pm: class

Homestays for Dogs: Anyone going away and needing a home for their dogs, come see us. We charge $25/day for our clients. Some of them get to ride in our kayaks, and/or bike trailer. Other wait until they get to the beach and let loose, and of course, they call come back:)

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Upcoming Events in Christchurch
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Edie Jane Eaton - TTouch Workshop for dogs in Christchurch in March
                       - TTeam  Workshop for horses in the Waikato and Christchurch

Other dog events that's happening around the country, view our Dog Calendar
http://doglinks.co.nz/calendar.htm 

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Behaviour Quiz
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What are the best words to use to teach a dog named "Tippy" to come to you immediately when he/she is running into the street?

ANSWER
A. "Tippy Halt!"
B. "Tippy Come!"
C. "Tippy Koi!"
D. "Tippy Here!"

Last Newsletter Quiz's answer: How to help feardog dogs? According to Dr Ian Dunbar, the best way of getting your dog or resuce dog to like you is to start hand feeding your dog. He will associate YOU with FOOD, and that can only be good!

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Doggy links
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Take an online Advanced Animal Behavior through MIT

Going to the Dogs Cognitive scientists once spurned the dog as too domesticated to study. But now many are leaping at the chance to use man’s best friend to help understand how social cognition evolved

ASPCA Virtual Pet Behaviorist It's tempting to dismiss this, but actually it may serve some quite useful purpose in leading someone to getting professional help for a very troubled dog or to find some other solution

This is not herding Distinguishing prey drive from herding instinct

DNA and frequently used sires

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Doggy Reading
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What does the idiom: "Give a dog a bad name" mean? A person who is generally known to have been guilty of some offence will always be suspected to be the author of all similar types of offence. Once someone has gained a bad reputation, it is very difficult to lose it.

Dunedin Dog Show- 1897- the first one!

Everything for a Dog (5 hours audio) from Christchurch Library
Grade Level: 4-6 Age Level: 9-11 Listening Level: Grades 4-6
Bone and his sister, Squirrel, are stray dogs born in a shed. Left mother-less as puppies, the two dogs survive together for a while, but are soon wrenched apart, and Bone must now go on, alone. Charlie is a boy who has suffered a terrible loss. And, as he's healing with the help of his dog, another tragedy occurs.

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Doggie Videos
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Training with hand signals focus training. The only problem that I see is that she doesn't lift her expectations of a focus. She basically is 4 metres from her dog, and every time he looks at her, she walks up to the dog and give him a treat. You need to slowly increase your eye contact to 10 seconds before rewarding him.

9 Habits of Effective Clicker Trainers
Part 1: Using Rewards
Part 2: Timing

Avalanche search dog training A video I made for the library childrens group.

Shaping Explained -- Training Your Dog to Turn on a Light Switch with Clicker. In under 4 minutes (approx. 45 clicks), she has the main idea.Remember that this dog has been using the clicker before.