Newsletter November 2011

Here's what you'll find:

1. Schools News and winner of the Pet Expo Jug-a-Tug!
2. Classes
3. Training Tip
4. Did you know..
5. Doggie Videos
6. Dog links
7. Buy a Rugby Ball for your Dog!
8. Rehoming and Homestay -

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1. School News
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Pet Expo image

A lot has happened since our last newsletter. Both Natalie and Blair were at the Christchurch Pet Expo (Oct 5, 6) representing Doggone Safe- Dog Bite Prevention. Parents are aware that it is important to teach their kids to ''Ask the owner before you pat" but a lot of people didn't do quite so well in understanding the signs of a nervous or fearful dog. Everybody should play our Doggone Crazy Boardgame!

A lot of people came, and took part in our Guess How Many Kibbles in the Tug-a-Jug contest.
The WINNER is Marie Henry who guessed exactly - 250 kibbles in the Tug-a-Jug. Well done. Email us to let us know where you'd like to pick it up!

The Association of Pet Dog Trainers Conference (APDT) in San Diego was amazing. Both trainers have come away with some great ideas and are excited about offering our new class NOSE WORK. We met some of our favourite dog trainers, and said hello to those we knew. Five days of serious and fun dog talk with Victorial Stillwell, Ian Dunbar, Suzanne Clothier, Cathy Bruce, Gail Fisher, Kelly Dunbar, Trish King, Joshua Leeds, Karen Prior, Kathy Sdao, Grisha Stewart and more.... and thats just the ones we remember.

There was another 400 "canine-codependent" trainers there. We also got to meet other US specialists working with canines and Autistic kids (thats real promising) and visited the awesome San Diego Humane Society - a benchmark for what Christchurch should be doing for its wayward, lost and displaced canines.

We hosted our International speaker, Steven Jenkinson, who brought with him some great ideas about how to build a dog-friendly Christchurch. You may have heard him on Radio NZ, or read about him in Fetch Magazine, or read the article UK pet expert calls for canine friendly city in the Canterbury Star Newspaper. Steve is a gem. Just put his name in Google and put dog after it....

His gift to us was bringing the scientific discipline of dogs and the built environment. Checkout Pets in the City and in particular the work of Dr Lisa Woods's "Living Well Together".

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2. Classes
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Dog Training for Kids- Come and join other kids in teaching their dog some manners, tricks. 4 weeks of fun starting Tuesday Nov 8 at 6:30pm at the Foundation of the Blind in Merivale. Register online.

Life Skills Class for dogs older than 5 months.
Two locations:
1) Foundation of the Blind in Merivale- starts Tuesday Nov 1st at 7:35pm
2) Wainoni Boys Scouts- October 27 at 6:30pm

Kinderpuppy class
One location only at the Wainoni Boys Scouts, start Thursday Nov 3rd at 7:35pm

Fun Nose Work Class: This NEW exciting class is about using your dog's natural abilities of using their powerful sense of smell to locate a specific odor against the backdrop of many others. 6 week class starting Nov 3rd at 7:35pm at the Wainoni Boys Scouts. Blair will be giving this class. Email us your interest. Since this is a new course, we are discounting this class to $100 for 6 weeks. Numbers are strictly limited. Crate trained (or car) will be essential.... this is an inside and outside all weather class, so come prepared.

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3. Training Tips
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“Moving around or talking too much while training your dog is like singing in the ear of a math student while they are trying to work out an algebra problem.” Sometimes “helping” just isn’t helping! said Karen Pryor in the article by Eric Brad called Two Important Words of Dog Training Advice

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4. Did you know
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Recent research has demonstrated that dogs read human gestures more readily than both chimpanzees and wolves. Even kennel-reared dogs outperformed hand-reared wolves, suggesting the capacity is not a product of experience around people. Part of dogs’ specialisation is making the most of their human-rich environment. (from Dogs in Canada Magazine) Eric Brad must have read the same article as this is what he talks about in his article (above)

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5. Doggie Videos
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2011 World Sheep Dog Champion (video -- about 14½ min)

The Truth About Cats and Dogs: Pets Are Good for Mental Health of `Everyday People'
Study finds thinking about one's pet is as beneficial as thinking about friends

Dogs sneak food when were not looking
excerpt:
Before every dog owner and lover reading this comments, "Duh! I knew that already," the finding is not to be taken lightly. The research, published in the latest issue of Applied Animal Behaviour Science, adds to the growing body of evidence that dogs possess theory of mind, the ability to attribute mental states to oneself and others.
In other words, dogs can likely perceive what we see and know, allowing them to take advantage of us when opportunity arises.

Dogs probably feel sorry for us
Excerpt:
Dogs appear to empathize with us, to the point that some therapy dogs even seem to take on the emotions of their sick or distressed human charges . . .
The matter is more complicated than you might think, because researchers need to tease apart true empathy from a phenomenon known as "emotional contagion."

Dogs are likely born with canine telepathy
Excerpt:
Dogs are so in tune with us that they can read our minds, according to a new Learning & Behavior study that also determined canines are probably born with the ability.
Practice makes perfect, however, so the more a dog hangs around humans, the better he or she becomes at "canine telepathy," which actually relies upon hyperawareness of the senses.

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8. Rehoming and Homestay
-------------- Stoody is a Spoodle.

It is approaching Xmas and it is the time of year we get to see that a lot of our clients find that their usually reliable friendly canine care givers are off on Holiday too. Off course we try to help but Natalie and Blair are off to train some dogs in India, and as many of you know, we love to homesay our client dogs if we have room or can place your fur kid with another of our clients.

That means we are always looking for 'volunteers' who would love to have an extra companion stay over or you may even know someone reliable with great fences who would like to look after 'short term' one of our most excellent companions, sometimes for only a few days, sometimes a week or two. Now this is not entirely a freeloading dog sharing your couch here, these are dogs that pay there way too. Owners provide food, bed, toys and a 'per diem' (dog talk for an allowance to cover those petty wee expenses like trips to the beach, park and an ice-cream for you).

Just look who is looking for a homestay for Xmas?

This is "Stoody" - Stoody is a 2yr old Spoodle, very social and great with children, currently lives with an 8 and 4 year old. Stoody wants a warm and cosy home for a couple of weeks, from 20th Dec to the 4th of January. Email us at info@nakeddog.co.nz and put 'Stoody' or if you would like to be a Homestay 'volunteer' in the subject line.

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