http://www.pawsitiveconnection.com.au/blog/ The latest Blog feeds from www.pawsitiveconnection.com.au en-us Tue, 17 Mar 2026 10:32:33 +1100 Rocketspark http://www.pawsitiveconnection.com.au/blog/post/12338/parallel-walking/ If you want to introduce two dogs to each other, whether it’s a young dog to an adult dog, or two adult dogs, parallel walking is a great way to start. Parallel walking is moving together in the same direction, at a distance to start with, allowing plenty of space and time to observe and gather information about each other and feel safe.Body LanguageReading body language is an important skill when introducing dogs. It allows you to interpret what each dog may be feeling and if they are ready t... Tue, 10 Mar 2026 13:56:05 +1100 http://www.pawsitiveconnection.com.au/blog/#post12338 http://www.pawsitiveconnection.com.au/blog/post/11946/travelling-with-dogs/ With many of us taking our dogs away on holidays, there are some important tips and planning reminders, brought to you from our seasoned road trippers who travel around with dogs on a regular basis, most recently travelling from Brisbane to Geelong, around 3500kms!Safety & SecuritySecure your dog in the car. There are many options from variocage to crate and seatbelt to cargo barrier, so whatever you choose ensure the best safety and security that works for your dog, your car and you. Make s... Tue, 02 Dec 2025 11:40:35 +1100 http://www.pawsitiveconnection.com.au/blog/#post11946 http://www.pawsitiveconnection.com.au/blog/post/11732/introducing-dogs-to-swimming/ Not all dogs – even those bred to work in water, know how to swim. Some love the water and take to it easily, others may take some time or just not like it at all. So, how do you introduce dogs to the concept of swimming?Choosing the LocationPool, lake, creek, beach? You may be lucky to have all these options, or maybe it’s only the occasional beach trip.Pool – convenient if you have one, but entry for puppies is difficult unless you have a beach style entry.Lake/creek – fantastic option... Tue, 04 Nov 2025 12:07:01 +1100 http://www.pawsitiveconnection.com.au/blog/#post11732 http://www.pawsitiveconnection.com.au/blog/post/11588/boundaries-in-dog-training/ Have you ever heard positive reinforcement training means you are a push over? That it’s just allowing dogs to do whatever they want?This is most definitely not the case, and teaching boundaries is a big part of that. Boundaries in dog training help us to establish clear rules, foundations and structure. We aren’t necessarily talking about a physical boundary (although that does come into it), but also social and emotional boundaries.For example, how your dog interacts with people or other d... Tue, 07 Oct 2025 15:41:17 +1100 http://www.pawsitiveconnection.com.au/blog/#post11588 http://www.pawsitiveconnection.com.au/blog/post/11451/your-dog-decides-whats-rewarding/ Your dog truly decides what is rewarding in training, so it requires careful observation by you to find out what they really like.If your dog is food motivated, by what type of food? How is it given – straight to their mouth or do you toss it for them to chase? If your dog is toy motivated, by what sort of toy and how do you make it rewarding for them – by running with it, tugging on it, letting them carry it?This may change. It can depend on the situation, the individual dog and any feedbac... Tue, 02 Sep 2025 12:55:30 +1000 http://www.pawsitiveconnection.com.au/blog/#post11451 http://www.pawsitiveconnection.com.au/blog/post/11423/exercise-and-arousal-and-how-it-relates-to-behaviour/ It’s normal for excitement levels to increase during exercise, particularly for activities like ball chasing. However, with the excitement comes increased arousal which increases heart rate and adrenalin levels, causing an increase in cortisol levels. Cortisol is the body’s primary stress hormone. It helps regulate lots of things in the body plus activates the sympathetic nervous system to prepare the body for ‘flight or fight’.  Adrenalin is designed to be released in short bursts ... Tue, 12 Aug 2025 13:13:28 +1000 http://www.pawsitiveconnection.com.au/blog/#post11423 http://www.pawsitiveconnection.com.au/blog/post/11337/feeding-based-on-body-condition/ Feeding your dog based on their body condition is adjusting the amount and type of food to ensure your dog stays in peak body condition.𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧?Body condition score is a system used to assess an animal's body fat and muscle mass using a scale and can determine if an animal is too thin, too fat, or at an ideal weight.Generally, peak body condition and an ideal weight for a dog is:• Ribs, spine, and hip bones are easily felt... Mon, 23 Jun 2025 11:55:58 +1000 http://www.pawsitiveconnection.com.au/blog/#post11337 http://www.pawsitiveconnection.com.au/blog/post/11069/nail-maintenance/ Overgrown nails are uncomfortable and painful. When the nail contacts hard ground, it is pushed up into the nail bed which can cause toes to twist and puts pressure on the toe joints. This can lead to arthritis and problems with posture and movement.Your dog’s nails should not touch the ground when they are standing on a hard surface.Some dogs will naturally wear down their nails when exercising, but they do still need regular checking and maintenance.Why can nail trims be so stressful?Invasio... Thu, 10 Apr 2025 10:49:55 +1000 http://www.pawsitiveconnection.com.au/blog/#post11069 http://www.pawsitiveconnection.com.au/blog/post/11068/ingredient-splitting/ If you feed kibble you need to know what ingredient splitting is. Pet food labels can be confusing at the best if times, and sometimes, manufacturers make it seem like their product is better than it actually is.Ingredients in pet food are listed in order of how much each ingredient weighs before the food is cooked and turned into kibble. If you take a more abundant ingredient such as a grain or legume and split it into smaller portions, your more desirable ingredient (e.g. meat) can be listed h... Thu, 10 Apr 2025 09:19:44 +1000 http://www.pawsitiveconnection.com.au/blog/#post11068 http://www.pawsitiveconnection.com.au/blog/post/11065/lead-reactivity/ The ‘going crazy’ often refers to pulling, lunging, whining, barking and/or growling at other dogs. Your dog may be quite happy to meet other dogs in their home, or off leash in a park, but when it comes to being on lead; their manners can leave you pretty embarrassed. Let's look at understanding why your dog may do this first.Dogs do what works for themThe reasons why dogs show this behaviour can be many, and often difficult to work out. It can vary from excitement and frustration to nervou... Tue, 08 Apr 2025 14:05:29 +1000 http://www.pawsitiveconnection.com.au/blog/#post11065