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bachingdog - Helping dogs and people live well together
Since she was a wee girl Melanie has been drawn to animals. On a camping trip as a two-year-old she went missing from the family tent and was found, after frantic searching, at the opposite end of the camp ground sitting underneath a tethered horse, chatting away to him. At five, Melanie would seek solace from Sasha, the family’s Afghan hound, confiding in her when burdened by a five-year-old’s troubles. These days, Melanie is dedicated to helping animals, dogs in particular, with their troubles, through education, advocacy, fundraising, fostering and her BachingDog behaviour consultation services.
Melanie has a passion for helping people and dogs live well together. Her Foundations for Foster Care – Dogs and Foundations for Foster Care - Greyhounds workshops were developed to enable carers to feel better equipped in their role, and her DogMatch service helps people in their search for a new canine companion. As a Pet Educator in NSW schools she has encouraged empathy for our canine friends while teaching thousands of children how to be safe around dogs. She has taught people of all ages, from pre-schoolers to adults, and loves witnessing (and experiencing) light bulb moments.
Melanie’s approach to enhancing canine wellbeing is built on the understanding that good nutrition is the foundation for good outcomes, and she believes that building dog owners’ sense of guardianship and helping them become more dog savvy helps both dogs and humans thrive.
She lives with her clan of 10 animals whom she regards as companions of the highest order, and she agrees entirely with JM Barrie that ‘Life is a long lesson in humility.’
Pictured above with Melanie are, from left to right, foster pup Aslan the Saluki, and 'The Fantastic Four'... Slipstream the whippet, Squeak AKA Tiny Dancer, Iota AKA Scruffy Ray of Sunshine, and Cricket AKA Tricky Cricky [Photo credit: Merrirose Whippets].
Pictured below with Melanie are Slipstream and Koko the greyhound, photographed by Project Hound’s Christopher Pearce in 2016. This image went on to be runner-up in the People’s Choice Award of the 2017 National Photographic Portrait Prize. You can find Project Hound on Instagram.
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Services
Behaviour, training, and Nutrition consultations
Whether you are seeking to: fine-tune the training of your dog; enhance the relationship with your canine companion; improve your dog's wellbeing; or, bring some much-needed order and harmony to your dog household, I am here to help. My approach to optimising canine wellbeing and behaviour, and helping dogs and people live well together, is holistic and individually tailored - taking into account many facets of wellbeing, including the all-important foundation of nutrition. My aim is to develop the bond, mutual understanding and cooperation between you and your dog so that you are best able to influence their behaviour as they navigate the world with you as their guardian.
I am based in the Southern Highlands of NSW and regularly travel to Sydney and surrounding areas to assist dogs and their people.
Help from afar
Meeting dogs and people in person gives me valuable insights, and is always my preference when working with clients, if possible. Sometimes, though, when distance makes that difficult, quite a lot can be achieved via a Skype or phone consultation. Nutrition Consultations in particular are well-suited to this format.
remedial socialisation
Some dogs have difficulty being relaxed and socially appropriate around members of their own species. A lack of social competence can stem from a variety of circumstances, including: negative experiences with other dogs, inadequate exposure to other dogs, or from well-meaning but misguided attempts to create a 'well-socialised' dog. I love helping dogs become more socially adept, so whether your dog is fearful and lacking in confidence, buzzes with over-excitement at the prospect of meeting other dogs, or lunges and barks at the mere presence of another dog, we can implement a plan to develop their social skills. You can read an example of successful remedial socialisation - rescue dog Roo - in the Testimonials section below. Roo not only had consultations with me but also came to stay with The Clan and I for a number of weeks. If staying with us is not an option, another way for me to help is via a Walk & Train service...
walk & train
If you would like me to work one-on-one with your dog, to facilitate their skill development; or if your dog would benefit from group walks with other dogs, to expand their social skills, then feel free to discuss Walk & Train options with me.
DOGMATch - find your next canine companion
Pictured with The Fantastic Four is Sadie (the tan-coloured dog sitting at the back), a successful DogMatch. You can read her DogMatch story on the Testimonials page.
One of the ways to maximise the potential for a harmonious and rewarding relationship with our canine companions is to make a well-considered decision about what kind of dog to get – a dog that will not only suit us but whose needs we can fulfil.
My DogMatch service is flexible, designed to offer whatever level of assistance you'd like, to help you in the process of welcoming a new dog into your life.
in-home boarding
Mushu the French bulldog (in the bed on the left) and Cobber the poodle (imitating a shagpile rug) enjoying their stay with BachingDog.
BachingDog's in-home boarding service provides dogs with a home-away-from-home experience, for their comfort and your peace of mind. Dogs who stay with us can join in adventures (if that's their sort of thing), sleep inside at night, and have supervised socialisation with other members of the BachingDog clan.
Puppy development
Bringing home a puppy is exciting but it can also be a steep learning curve for both pup and people - there's A LOT for them to learn about life with you and out in the big wide world. Puppy Development sessions are designed to set you and your pup up for success as you bond with them and guide them to become a happy member of your family.
Puppy consultations are tailor-made to suit you and your pup's needs. Topics typically covered include: toilet training, engagement training (how to have a pup who pays attention and is responsive to you), independence training (how to minimise the chances of your pup becoming co-dependent!), socialisation (what is good socialisation and what is not), preventing resource guarding, handling exercises, how to develop clear and fair communication with your pup, and training life skills such as Sit, Come and Leave It.
dog wrangling for film/tv
My happy little scruffer, Iota, with actress Miranda Tapsell. Iota was 'Toto' to Miranda's 'Dorothy' in the Wizard of Oz-themed Flickerfest 2017 promotional trailers. You can see them in action in the Festival Trailer and Tour Trailer.
Photo: Fairfax media
My dogs and I have worked on a number of short film productions. I really enjoy the process of preparing dogs for a role, collaborating with the production team and director/assistant director, and then helping the actor-and-dog team work well together on set.
Iota and I on set, ready to shoot the film's money shot, in which Iota is placed on a wooden raft and set adrift down the river. Lots of preparation went into getting this shot, and Iota's welfare was my foremost consideration at all times. You can see some of our prep work in this video.
Photo: Raquel Linde
workshops & presentations
I am passionate about education, and love creating and delivering presentations to audiences of all ages.
My Foundations for Foster Care - Dogs and Foundations for Foster Care - Greyhounds workshops were developed to enable carers to be better equipped in their role. You can see feedback for these workshops in the Testimonials section below.
In 2016 I was the keynote dog speaker at the 'Business of Saving Lives' conference, with presentations on Dog Selection - Sense and Sensibility and Hitting the Road - Maximising the Chances of Timely and Successful Adoptions.
From 2011 - 2016 I worked as a Pet Educator in NSW schools, delivering the Government's safety-focused Responsible Pet Ownership program to 10,000 primary school and preschool children, accompanied at each visit by one of my three suitability-tested dogs - Slipstream, Cricket or Iota. In 2014 I also had fun with the Year 3 - Year 6 students at the Future Vet Kids Camp, teaching them how to be good Dog Detectives, Dog Ambassadors and Dog Guardians.
In September 2018 I presented an information session on behalf of Wollondilly Shire Council, for residents dealing with noisy dogs. The Bark Stops Here: Happier Dogs = Happier Neighbourhoods provided insights and resources for understanding and modifying the emotional drivers of excessive barking, howling and crying, in order to implement win-win strategies for dogs and neighbourhoods alike. Council’s Letter of Appreciation can be seen in the Testimonials section.
I am happy to tailor-make presentations for your event, business or clientele, on a wide variety of dog-related topics. Feel free to make contact to discuss.
“Properly trained, a man can be dog’s best friend.”
“Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog it’s too dark to read.”
Melanie's Qualifications include...
Cert III Dog Behaviour and Training
Cert IV Companion Animal Services
CIVT - Natural Animal Nutrition
Cert IV Training and Assessment
Greenhound Assessor
SoA - Rescue Animals and Provide Basic Care
SoA - Provide Basic First Aid for Animals
BFRAP & BFRP (Bach Flower Remedy Practitioner for Animals and Humans)
Photo above, from left to right... Leilani-Elan, former foster dog; Iota, my Scruffy Ray of Sunshine; Cricket, AKA 'Tricky Cricky'; Slipstream the whippet; and Skerrick, also a former foster dog. Photo taken by Sarah of de lumiere Photography.
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testimonials
I love what I do, and one of my greatest joys is helping any creature become more at ease and adept in the world, so feedback from happy clients and valued colleagues is deeply satisfying.
Magpie & Fox / sarah & chris
"We first met the delightful Melanie of BachingDog via a referral from a rescue organisation that she was involved with. Since that time we have seen her perform in many capacities: private consultant for dog training, as a facilitator of a foster carers workshop and author of an accompanying manual, and we also used her DogMatch service to source our second dog (a rescue whippet as a companion for our first whippet).
When we met Mel, we had just acquired a whippet puppy and, as first time dog owners, were nervously looking for advice to optimise our training and overall puppy-rearing approach. Melanie went above and beyond simple training sessions: she first made the effort to visit our home so she could observe Magpie in her own context. During this session we were very impressed with her gentle and encouraging manner, which is suitable for a sensitive sighthound. Following the consult at home she gave us exercises to practice, prescribed a more nutritious natural diet for Magpie, sent comprehensive follow up notes and was even available for a follow up phone call to track progress between appointments.
Unfortunately, Magpie was a highly anxious puppy and experienced severe separation anxiety. A vet prescribed anti-anxiety medication but Melanie was able to help us avoid this last resort by using training techniques and tips to optimise our home environment to help Magpie feel calmer and demonstrate normal behaviour over time. This was very successful and we no longer have an issue.
Secondly, and to our great joy, Melanie invested significant time of her own and sourced Magpie a companion whippet. She carefully assessed a range of potential candidates and when she did eventually decide she had found a dog that sounded compatible enough to introduce to Magpie I can absolutely say that it was love at first sight. Fox and Magpie hit it off immediately and are currently living happily ever after!"
**Sarah and Chris are the talent behind Project Hound which you can follow on Instagram. Project Hound is a photographic series celebrating the lives of adopted ex-racing greyhounds and their people. The photo featured above the 'About' section on this webpage is one of Project Hound's images. That particular photo, by Christopher Pearce, was chosen as one of only 50 finalists from over a thousand entries in the 2017 National Photographic Portrait Prize, and it went on to be runner up in the People's Choice Award - congratulations Chris!**
Mushu the French bulldog, front and centre, with The Fantastic Four and Cobber the poodle (another boarder), collectively supervising my wood gathering endeavours.
Mushu the Frenchie goes off-road
Mushu usually lives in the city and is the only dog in his family unit. Staying with The Clan and getting off-road expanded his horizons - he even learned to co-habit with cats, despite his initial disinclination for them! Mushu's guardian writes:
"Mushu, our 3 year old male French bulldog, recently went to stay with Melanie for a couple of weeks. Melanie came highly recommended and after meeting her for the first time I could understand why!
She clearly has a passion and love for dogs that is reflected in her infectious and sparkly personality. Apart from the daily outings and new adventures that Mushu experienced with her and “the Clan” (that he is now part of) she also payed special attention to his specific “Frenchie” needs… he even has better listening ears now!
Thank you ever so much Melanie for your care, attention to detail, expertise and delivery of Mushu back in an ‘enhanced’ state!
All the best till next time!
Cheers, Juanita"
When Clancy and Banjo (in the centre, flanked by Squeak and Iota) arrived to stay with BachingDog they sent our IUC rating SKYROCKETING! For anyone not in the know, the IUC system measures how many International Units of Cute are currently residing in any one place, and while The Fantastic Four do a great job keeping our numbers high week to week (Squeak really pulls her weight in this department) this delightful pair sent our rating through the roof!
clancy & banjo come to stay
Tess writes: “I know how hard it can be to find someone you trust to look after your beloved dogs when you go away. When I dropped Clancy and Banjo off to Melanie I was a little nervous as they had never stayed with anyone else except my mum, but by the time I returned I was so at ease. During the time I was away I had regular video and photo updates and I honestly was able to relax knowing they were being cared for so well. They went for bush walks, played with the other dogs and had so much fun. So if you are in need I couldn’t recommend Melanie more, I think Clancy and Banjo have found their ‘Holiday Mum and Clan’. Thank-you Melanie… so very much!”
Roo / Kate
Roo is a rescue dog who truly landed on her feet when she was adopted by her new guardian, Kate.
When Roo first joined Kate's household she had a few challenges in dealing with visitors to the house, and also needed help to transform her opinion of, and behaviour toward, other dogs. Initially we had an in-home consultation, followed by an additional consult to further consolidate some skills, and then when Kate headed overseas for a Grand Adventure holiday, Roo (AKA Roozle, Roo-roo, Miss Roozle Snoozle, etc.) came to stay for some remedial socialisation. My Fantastic Four (plus my cats and sheep and galah) all contributed to expanding Roo's horizons, helping her become more socially adept and at ease.
"Mel has been such an amazing help for me as I introduced and trained my rescue dog Roo. She called to our home to help integrate Roo into our space and was clear and supportive in her delivery of leash and door training. She also prescribed Bach remedies to suit Roo and has given me invaluable guidance in nutrition and canine care.
Roo stayed with Mel and her awesome team of pooches as well when I was away. This experience of controlled socialisation and rehab for Roo was priceless. I was at ease and so happy to leave Roo in such capable and loving hands while away and returned to a lean, shiny, happy dog.
Thank you Mel with all my heart, you have done so much for us.
Kate and Roo xxxx"
Pictured is Smokey, a young dog whom Barbara and I collaborated to help.
alaskan malamute rehoming aid australia, Inc.
"AMRAA Inc and I [Barbara Trytko] have been involved with Melanie and her business BachingDog for over 5 years. As a rescue that deals with a number of dogs with issues, we have utilised Melanie’s services on many occasions and she has always been very professional, caring and easily followed in her approach, as well as holistic in her assessment and recommendations. She is also timely in her responses and very easily contacted for further explanation and follow-up. I cannot recommend her highly enough and we will certainly continue to utilise her services in the future."
greyhound adoption program (GAP), Victoria
“In November 2017 we had Melanie and her dogs run a one-day workshop for our greyhound foster carers. Attending were carers of all experiences and households, from those that had been fostering with us for 20 plus years as well as those first timers who hadn’t taken a dog home yet.
We had such positive feedback from all involved, with all who attended taking something they’d learnt home with them that day. Melanie had fantastic notes, tips and strategies for the carers to take home with them, and also had hands-on activities to keep everyone entertained during the day. Not to forget about the doggies who were very good helpers!
The day provided invaluable support to our carers, who often deal with many challenges when taking a new dog into their home environment. We would certainly recommend Melanie for any foster care group.”
Rose Streatfield, GAP Volunteer and Foster Coordinator Animal Welfare Department, Greyhound Racing Victoria
"I thoroughly enjoyed this workshop. It was the best dog/human info session I've ever been to - and I've been to a few! The information was easy to understand and interesting for all, whatever part of the dog journey you're on. I was very impressed as I'm sure everyone attending was.
The manual is "gold", it’s great reading and very helpful."
- Jenny, attendee at the Greyhound Adoption Program Vic foster carer workshop, Melbourne, Nov 2017
Mel Isaacs pictured with The Fantastic Four and foster pup Aslan the Saluki.
Mel Isaacs, co-Founding Director, Team Dog INc.
"I have known Melanie Sweeney since mid-2011, and during that time I have observed her in various professional capacities and collaborated with her on a number of projects.
As an Event Manager Melanie’s organisational skills are exceptional. She is proactive and thoughtful and her attention to detail has ensured the success of not only an animal welfare-related rally we co-organised in late 2011 but also workshops and a conference she has either contributed to or been solely responsible for since then.
As a Presenter Melanie has the ability to impart information in an accessible, engaging and entertaining way, sharing her knowledge and insight with her audience through well-crafted presentations and resources. Her foster carer workshops and manuals are standout examples of this, improving the lives of foster dogs by developing the awareness and skills of their carers.
As an Animal Advocate Melanie has worked tirelessly to increase the live release rate of impounded companion animals.
Melanie is a warm, giving and generous person, with a strong sense of fairness and justice for both people and animals. She has invested significant time and skill in the training and socialising of her dogs, which are a joy to be around.
I highly recommend Melanie's professional services. Her attention to detail and commitment to the wellbeing of animals and their people is outstanding, second to none."
Title page of the manual that accompanies this one-day workshop which was developed to enable foster carers to feel better equipped in their role. The workshop covers a variety of topics, including: foster carer do-s and don't-s, gearing up for foster care (equipment and toys), canine body language, interacting with dogs, dogs and children, managing dog-dog interactions, managing dog-cat interactions, and more.
workshop feedback...
"Thoroughly worthwhile, great information that was conveyed in a professional manner with a humorous slant!"
"I loved this workshop! Perfect for me in my role as both a foster carer and a pet parent. I liked studying dog behaviour, interaction and body language in more details and with expert guidance. I would recommend all foster carers do this workshop!"
"Really high quality content and delivery. Love the manual. Will refer to others to attend this course and will be back for future courses."
"This workshop helped immensely. Thank-you so much - I really enjoyed it!!"
"Thanks Mel, had a ball – very informative and enjoyable."
"It was a wonderful and very informative session. It has made me feel more confident and better prepared to bring foster animals into my home. I would highly recommend to other carers. I liked the examples and understanding ‘dog language’. I think the session was very well balanced and informative. Mel is amazing."
wollondilly shire council
Letter of Appreciation from WSC re my presentation The Bark Stops Here: Happier Dogs = Happier Neighbourhoods…
Click anywhere on the letter to enlarge it for easier reading.
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the fantastic four
