Category: Owning a Dog

Dark haired puppy looking sad with puppy eyes

Justin Jordan Blog, Dog Behaviour, Dog Training, Owning a Dog, Tips behaviour, dog training, education, social interaction 0

20Mar

Separation Anxiety in Dogs

Separation anxiety is a feeling of loneliness that is experienced when being separated from a parent, carer or loved one. While it is most often seen in children, it is also a very real feeling that our pets and especially dogs experience.

The inevitable truth of owning a dog is that you will have to leave them alone at times, no matter how much we don’t want to! Many dog owners must leave for work for upwards of 8 hours a day, meaning their dogs are left without social interaction and exercise for a large portion of their day.

Effects of Separation Anxiety on Your Dog’s Behaviour

Separation anxiety in dogs can cause bad behaviour and a decline in the mental health of your dog. One of the most common forms of bad behaviour that becomes apparent in dogs with separation anxiety is excessive barking. Dogs with separation anxiety often resort to barking or howling out of boredom, but other common problems that arise include escape attempts, digging in the yard or chewing. While separation anxiety can present itself in several ways, the resulting behaviour is often confused for your dog suffering from boredom.

Preventing Separation Anxiety in Dogs & Puppies

So how can you prevent separation anxiety in dogs and puppies? There are several ways in which you can help to ease the effect of separation anxiety for your dog. With some changes in your own behaviour and the help of some very clever dog products, you can provide your lonely dog with some relatively simple solutions to separation anxiety symptoms.

Separation Anxiety Dog Training

By changing your own behaviour slightly while leaving your dog alone, you can help your dog to deal with separation anxiety.

1. Stay assertive

Stay calm and collected while leaving your pup alone for the day. Dogs are very perceptive animals, so by displaying anxious behaviour yourself before leaving your dog will act accordingly.

2. Don’t make a big deal about leaving

Make sure that you show your pup the affection that it deserves long before you leave the house. By communicating to your dog that leaving the house is not a big deal, they can become more accustomed to spending time without you!

3. Socialise and exercise with your dog before leaving

By tiring your dog out a little through exercise, you can encourage your dog to spend its time alone resting. This is good behaviour to encourage, as your home time is seen as the more social time for you and your dog to enjoy.

Dog Toys for Separation Anxiety

There are also dog toys available online that can help you to reduce separation anxiety in your dog. These toys often provide stimulation and mental training for your dog, occupying them for hours. These can come in the form of chew toys, cuddle toys or slow-release treat games.

One of our favourite separation anxiety dog toys are Lickimats. By spreading soft food over the mat, dogs will spend hours slowly licking this off. This provides your dog with a tasty treat while also stimulating them and keeping them busy. You can buy a Lickimat from our online store here.

How Jordan Dog Training Can Help with Separation Anxiety

If you’re struggling to help your dog with their separation anxiety, you can enlist the help of an expert dog trainer from Jordan Dog Training. The team offers home dog training services that can be targeted specifically to help with separation anxiety and other behavioural issues. Contact the team online today.

Pet insurance: What the right coverage can do for you

Justin Jordan Health and Safety, Owning a Dog 0

08May

More often than not, a visit to the vet involves a great deal of trepidation not only for your dog’s health concerns but also the potential costs involved.

With advancements in veterinary technologies and diagnostics, caring for our pets is becoming more and more expensive, and all owners want to be financially able to give their pets the best treatment possible. Injuries and illnesses are often unexpected, and these costs can cause major stress, particularly when after-hours emergency treatment is required.

Thankfully, you can be prepared for when accidents do occur!

What is pet insurance?

Pet insurance, like health insurance, is designed to assist with covering medical bills or in this case, veterinary bills. Some plans can assist with paying up to 80% of the bill.

Pet insurance can cover accidental injury, illness and extras including routine care, dental and alternative treatments.

Why should I get coverage for my dog?

Unless you have savings that can cover the costs for unexpected vet bills, pet insurance is crucial if your dog is to recover from an illness or injury. Your best friend is a member of your family and we all want to have the ability and means to offer help when they need it most.

There are several great benefits to having pet insurance for your pup:

· Peace of mind

· Receive the optimal treatments, not based on a budget

· Maintain their health

· Unexpected vet bills won’t cause financial burden

· You will save money in the long run if an accident does happen

Take out an insurance policy for your puppy when they’re still young and do not have any pre-existing conditions. This will ensure your dog is covered for any conditions that arise throughout their lifetime.

Who do I call?

Pet insurance is becoming increasingly popular as owners experience its benefits. There are many insurance policies available to Australians, however we recommend coverage from Bupa. We’ve received a lot of good feedback about Bupa from our clients who’ve experienced excellent service and coverage for an affordable price.

Bupa offers 3 types of coverage to dog owners; basic, standard and ultimate. You have the freedom to select the amount of coverage suitable to you and your pooch, based on their needs and your financial situation.

Read more about Bupa’s pet insurance (PDS) online and ask for a free quote so you can assess your budget.

It’s a good idea to place pet insurance in the ‘essentials’ category when preparing to find a new friend, and factor the cost in from day one. Your best friend loves you unconditionally; pet insurance helps you to support and care for them when they need you the most.

Travelling with dogs

Justin Jordan Health and Safety, Owning a Dog, Tips heat stress, travel 0

26Nov

Travelling with Your Dogs

Travelling with your dog over the holidays is a great way to include your best friends in your adventures. Some important things to bear in mind are warm weather safety and car safety.

3 Tips to Desensitise Your Reactive Dog

Justin Jordan Dog Behaviour, Dog Training, Owning a Dog, Tips reactive dog 0

12Oct

How to desensitise a reactive dog

In dog obedience training, there are often many different approaches to the same problem. At Jordan Dog Training we recommend the following approach for working with reactive dogs as it does no harm (emotionally or physically) to the dog and it uses a science-based understanding of canine stress and dog behavioural learning.

What do we mean by “reactive dogs”? This refers to more than just a nuisance habit such as jumping up on people in excitement. It’s a label that we give to dogs who perceive certain situations as a threat and react instinctively to try and protect themselves. To people, it often looks like an overreaction, but to the dog it is very real. read more

Breed Spotlight: Labrador Retriever

Justin Jordan Breed Info, Owning a Dog, Tips labrador, temperament 0

25Sep

Considering buying a Labrador? Here are some facts and information on the breed to get you started.

Appearance

Labradors are a robust, athletic looking dog with a tail that will clear your coffee table. Their coat may be black, yellow or chocolate. Labradors typically weigh between 25 to 36 kilograms, and females are usually smaller than males.

Temperament

Labradors have a cheerful, steady temperament that makes for a wonderful family dog. However, lab puppies in particular can be very bouncy, so care needs to be taken around small children. They are notoriously mouthy and need clear guidelines about what they may and may not chew.

Labradors are intelligent and eager to please, making them very responsive to training. They love company and will likely want to follow you around the house and rest at your feet.

Exercise and space needs

The Labrador Retriever is a large sporting dog, originally bred to work with fishermen and hunters. They are happiest when they have a job to do and when they get plenty and varied exercise, including walking, running, swimming, hiking or retrieving. While the don’t need a large yard, they do need plenty of opportunities to stretch their legs and engage their mental faculties.

Grooming

Labradors have a short coat with a dense undercoat that does shed, particularly when the seasons change. A good quality de-shedding tool or curry comb will help to reduce the amount of hair drop around your house, but it cannot be avoided entirely.

Everything you need to know about BLOAT (GDV)

Justin Jordan Health and Safety, Owning a Dog bloat, emergency treatment 0

15Feb

Bloat is a life-threatening condition which many dog owners are unaware of. It involves the stomach twisting, which creates an obstruction to major blood vessels and limits the heart’s ability to pump blood, damaging vital organs.

Bloat is a veterinary emergency.

Any symptoms should not be taken lightly with a “wait and see” approach. The longer it takes to see a vet, the less likely it is that your dog will survive. Death can be the result in just a few hours without appropriate treatment.

How to get a dog like Red Dog

Matt Cooper Owning a Dog, Red Dog, Tips temperament 0

29Sep

Introducing Red Dog—the charismatic and spirited official junior mascot of the Queensland Reds.

Red is an extraordinarily energetic and affectionate pooch who never fails to entertain and bring a smile to his two-legged fans.

So how do you get a dog like Red Dog?

Doggy Day Care: The Perfect Solution For Busy Dog Owners

Justin Jordan Blog, Owning a Dog 0

21Jan

2015 has well and truly started and most of us are back to the daily grind. For dog owners, this generally means saying goodbye to your pup in the morning, sometimes for 8 or more hours.

Most of us know the feeling all too well – the howls of protest and relentless “puppy dog” eyes can be utterly heart wrenching (and can also sometimes lead to us being overindulgent in the evening to appease our guilt). read more

Selecting Your New Dog: Which Breed Is Right For Me?

Justin Jordan Blog, Owning a Dog 0

21Oct

When thinking about a new addition to their family, most people spend a large amount of time thinking, “which breed is right for me?” It all depends on your family, your lifestyle, and your home. Although you may be tempted to buy a certain breed based purely on looks, remember that a dog’s exercise & space requirements, grooming needs and general temperament are all vitally important. There are many categories that may help you decide on the breed that is right for you. Striking a balance between size, exercise requirements and temperament will set you on the right track to choosing the appropriate breed to successfully fit into your family. read more

Dog years to human years converter

Carolyn King Blog, Owning a Dog 0

09Apr