German Shepherd - Fern

03/08/2023

30/07/2023

CONGATZ to giveaway winner - Tequila Tutengaehe
Thank you to everyone who showed support and entered. Appreciate you all 💝

GIVEAWAY

Kia ora e te whānau. Thought we would do a little giveaway. For your chance to get your hands on one of these new bottles and travel cup all you have to do is the following

1 - like/follow Ngā Mihi Creations page
2 - like this post
3 - tag as many friends/whānau (1 tag = 1 entry)
4 - share post

Giveaway ends Monday 7th August 12pm
***Winner will be announced on this page and not via comments***

(Please be aware there is a fake page circulating, please report the fake page and or comments)

10/01/2023

Fern the German Shepherd

03/01/2023

Gsd on tour

01/11/2022

https://youtube.com/shorts/7mtzPrQsths?feature=share

15/10/2022

Grass Seed Season

Grass seeds start sprouting in Spring time & by summer are dried (yellow) out & most dangerous.

Grass seeds have small barbed edges which burrow into the skin and even internal organs. They will often require surgical intervention and in some cases can be fatal.

The most common areas they’re found on dogs are ears, paws & eyes but they can get caught anywhere.

Be mindful where your dog is walking during warmer months & try to avoid uncut grass.

Make sure to check your dogs regularly looking for the grass seeds themselves or wounds where they might have already burrowed & make sure to consult a vet.

24/09/2022

I’ve been thinking a lot about the lack of patience people have been showing with their dogs lately. Patience is a huge part of training your dog. Without it, you go know where.

I've also realized recently, how many people don’t know the story of how I became a trainer. As my business has grown, the amount of people who know about Fin has become less.
My struggle with Fin was the reason I met a friend and mentor of mine, Jess (limitless Aus) while she was in New Zealand.

Recently, I was reading through notes from her class we attended years ago. It said:

“The dog's mindset is the most important thing to consider if you are struggling with a behaviour. Not just the mindset at the time, but the mindset at all times leading up to those moments.”

When I make you, go back to the car and re-start, it’s not for fun. It’s for a reason- mindset. People are always rushing the small stuff. Having a say in the small stuff with your dog, means you have a say with the BIG stuff too.

If I had never had the patience to hold Fin accountable for his heel position, even for the tiniest placement, we would have never progressed past his reactions to other dogs. Instead, the dog who once attacked other dogs, could walk past any dog. No matter what that dog was doing - lunging/pulling towards us, because Fin knew to stay in his heel. There was never another option. Only consistency and a calm handler mindset created that.

So when I say, I understand how hard it can be to be patient, and that’s what's lacking and the reason the dog is not moving forward, I really mean it's a huge part of the equation. And not to be skipped over.

And sometimes, it will take 30min to get out of your front door. But in the long run, that patience now, will create a great relationship with your dog for the next 10 years.

22/09/2022

22/09/2022

🧐 Understanding what is happening to your dog when it does X 🧐

🐺 A dog that does all the stuff but doesn't know how to not do. Dog gets walked, plays games, digs holes, chews sticks, has all the "fun".
😅 Downside - Your dog never turns off, which then manifests as frustration, which then creates destructive or annoying behavioral issues. That's not fun. That's stress.
🙌 Solution - Balance out the adrenaline between activities instead of creating more. Crate, tether, teach dog to go to a mat & take a breather before starting another activity. Activity, wind down, activity, wind down etc. With some activities there needs to be a longer period of rest in between (age, activity output, medical concerns should all be taken into consideration).

🐺 A dog that likes to "window watch" & bark at the things going by. They're having so much fun!
😅 Downside - Your dog is in a constant state of alertness & adrenalization. This is stressful & creates alot of frustration & anxiety.
🙌 Solution - Stop the practicing of the behavior. Crate, tether or have them in an area where they can do something else like chew on a bone.

🐺 A dog that is constantly overaroused & reactive on the walk but "must be exercised".
😅 Downside - Your dog is practicing
Walk = Overstimulated = Stressed.
🙌 Solution - Teach your dog to work on a leash in a calm environment with a calm manner before adding more duration to your walk. Your dog can clock up a whole blocks worth of exercise just in your driveway that is more beneficial for you & them long term, than practicing unhealthy behaviors & states of mind for the sake of getting in exercise.

🐺 A dog that must have the stick, the ball, must chew the lead & play tug. They MUST have it!
😅 Downside - Your dog is learning to value high loads of adrenaline over common sense activities eg:Actually listening to their handlers. Once adrenaline gets over a certain level, you're now just creating a ju**ie addicted to being high. This can be dangerous & unhealthy for your dogs chemical & biological system.
🙌 Solution - Put rules & time limits on your activities. If you're going to be using a ball as a reward, ask your dog to do something before throwing it. Try layering multiple behaviors - Eg : Sit, Down, throw ball. Watch for signs of fatigue & cap the amount of throws so the body has a chance to wind down to a neutral chemical state again. This also helps limit the wear on joints. If you are playing tug, do the same thing. Start the game, add in rules, End the game, Rest.

😴 Resting between activities is highly overlooked when it comes to dogs. It can sometimes be the 1 thing that changes your dogs whole attitude. Try it & see how it goes.