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 credit: 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.
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 on the Testimonials page.
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.”