March Interview coming soon...
FEBRUARY INTERVIEW
Gypsy 6 yo Border Collie
My name is Gypsy and this is my story...
I ended up at the local shelter when I was 5 yo. I don't think my owner liked me. I was always in trouble
with him.
I spent most of my days tied up in the backyard. I hardly ever got walked. He never played with me and I
wasn't allowed to come inside the house. I lead a very sad and lonely life. On the rare occasions he walked
me I got so excited whenever I saw another dog but he'd scream at me to be quiet. I don't know why.
Whenever I saw other dogs while out, I started getting tense on lead and wanted to lunge at them.
Then 1 day he put me in the car and dropped me off at this strange place and I never saw him again.
This place had other very noisy dogs and I couldn't sleep at night. They barked too much. I was frightened
and I didn't know where I was. I didn't feel like eating neither. Would I ever see him again? Were was I?
Different people used to come by to take me walkies up the road, to the vet next door. Others used to come
by my yard and stare at me. Was I in trouble again?
1 of the girls there was nice. I saw her everyday for a while...She used to pat me before feeding me and talk
nicely to me. I hadn't had a cuddle for so long... Then one day this lady came by and spent a long time looking
at me. She was saying things I couldn't understand but she seemed nice. My girl came to take me walkies, I
thought, but instead I went to a separate area where the other lady was waiting for me.
I stayed with her for a while.
I must have charmed my way into her heart because the very next day the lady came back and took me home
with her.
I was very quiet in the beginning. I didn't know if I could trust someone ever again. She started letting me
inside the living room while she was watching TV. She fed me yummy things and the occasional dog bone.
I even got toys to play with and a comfy bed to lay around the room. She talked lots to me and gave me
lovely cuddles. I was starting to relax a little.
But when I went walkies with her, I remembered the times I was walked by my previous owner and I wanted
to lunge at any dog I saw and to bark hard at them. The lady didn't scream at me tough. She was patient.
The following week another lady came to see me and the 3 of us went out. The second lady was a dog trainer
and this was my introduction to Dog School. After few more of these visits other dogs of different sizes came
to walk with us, 1 at the time.
Initially they were well further apart but little by little on the following weeks they slowly got closer to me.
My owner started to give me cookies whenever I saw a dog and I was calm around them. So in the end I was
starting to enjoy these dog meetings. Even the big friendly Greyhound I wasn't scared of anymore.
I was having friends for the first time in my life...
And then I started attending local Chelsea Dog School. There were another 3 dogs in class. I got a bit excited
and barked a little but we did some fun activity things and exercises that distracted and relaxed me.
I graduated with good marks. I cannot go off leash but I am not afraid anymore. I am still with my lady owner
and she and I have a lot more confidence now. Dog training made a lot of difference to us.
It changed everything for the better.
I haven't seen my other owner anymore. But this is home now. And I am very happy...
WOOF ! WOOF !
Gypsy
JANUARY INTERVIEW
Photo: Adriana & Hudson
Melanie, Pet Pals customer interviews Adriana Milne – owner/ manager and Pet Pals dog trainer.
Mel has her dog Bondi walked by Pet Pals 3 times a week.
Bondi is a 7 month old Labradoodle and they did the Level 1 Basic Manners & Socialisation course with
Pet Pals recently.
MEL – Do you have a favourite dog breed or a favourite pet?
ADRIANA – Not a favourite dog breed. I relate to all breeds and I interact with them on equal terms.
Because I come into contact with so many different dog breeds through my work I learnt to respect and admire them for their special characteristics and to love them all. You can bring the best out of them the more you understand them. Dogs can really be your best friend for life. Now, favourite Pets.
I’ve had more contact with dogs, horses and rabbits in my life. I’ve been around the first 2 species for over
20 years. Rabbits for about 15. But I pet care animals in general.
MEL – Why did you decide to become a dog trainer?
ADRIANA – I have run the business as a pet sitting, horse care and dog walking service for over 8 years.
I observed some dogs I walked needed training and that many people weren’t handling them properly or
having access to the right information of knew where to find it.
And that some dog trainers my customers had contacted before charged far too much for a visit and few
dogs needed a set training program established for them and that a one off visit wouldn’t be able to fix the
problem so they couldn’t afford more visits.
More positive reinforcement training methods needed to be used instead of aversive ones.
And the desire to help people and their dogs to succeed as partners in life.
MEL – How was the Delta Society dog training course you
did?
ADRIANA – Fantastic but very demanding. The Cert IV Companion Animal Services – CGC Canine Good Citizen –
Dog Training took 2 years to complete. Lots of research at on site venues, the internet, dog trainers books to
read, assignments, observing other Delta instructors running classes, running and videotaping my own and
private consultations for assignments but it was all worth it in the end.
I really think that’s how it should be. Delta Society sets very high standards for its trainers. It’s the only Cert IV
in dog training in the country. Delta has an Association now and we’ll have Quality Assurance programs every
2 years starting next March 2010.
MEL – Which are the most common dog training issues out there?
ADRIANA – Pulling on the lead, jumping up on people, excessive barking, under exercised and under stimulated
dogs that can become nuisance behaviour to neighbours, too much digging in the backyard, dogs that don’t come
back to owner on recall. And for puppies you try to guide owner asap once they have a new puppy in the home
and very important – safety around children.
For puppies: play biting, toilet training, jumping up, some resource guarding issues.
MEL – What about aggressive dogs?
ADRIANA – Aggressive dog behaviour cases are referred to a Delta Vet Behaviourist professional.
MEL – Is it the only way? Don’t you see them personally?
ADRIANA – No, I don’t. But I do explain it at length to the person that seeks my advice that it’s actually the best
available choice at hand and the most effective. But that it does take time and commitment.
MEL – Have you ever been bitten by a dog?
ADRIANA – Not really bitten. Few warning hand grabs while trying to fit a walking harness on different dogs.
Ah, I forgot. As a child I did get bitten in the hand by a Pekinese dog. It was hiding under the owner’s chair and I
went to pat it.
MEL - Tell me the 2 most exciting animal close encounters you have ever had in your life.
ADRIANA – I was raised in Brazil. My grandmother used to know few very wealthy people and to be well
connected.
At a farm the lady host had 2 young leopards as pets. I mean, inside her house, on top of the couch-a la
Cleopatra style. It was allowed there back in those days. I went to pat them and one of them did a play scratch.
A bit of blood came out of my hand and they sniffed it and 1 of them kept a serious eye on me from then on.
It became a bit obsessed and both have to be locked away after it. At a Brazilian circus I hold a baby lion for a
while. It was gorgeous and playful. And I spent many hours with a baby koala when I visited the house of a
wildlife carer here in Australia. I got to hold it and feed it. Unforgettable experience! Sorry that is 3.
MEL – Gee, you’ve been around animals a bit. Do you ever get scared?
ADRIANA – Of what? Not really…Ok, I did once. I used to rug and feed horses at a nearby agistment and the
17 hds. warmblood mare got scared with a nearby storm that was approaching at a distance. I was feeding her
inside the shed. I obviously know not to stand in front of a horse but this time as I was going around her front
to adjust the rug straps and buckles she spooked at something from behind the shed and ran me down to the
ground. I remember trying to calm her and to move her out of my way but the massive weight of her body in
full forward motion was simply impossible to do it.
I went right under her, in between her front legs and I fell flat in the ground face up. She luckily jumped over
my whole body from toe to head, like I was a water jump. If her hooves had landed on my head I’d be gone.
I just prayed for God and had time to cover my face with my arms. I didn’t get a single scratch. After it I still
have to think of HER safety. She was a very expensive horse so I removed her neck rug and put her in safety
and I went to look for someone. She bucked a bit but let me approach her. I was a bit in shock.
MEL – Would you ever train other animal species apart from dogs?
ADRIANA – I will always be a dog trainer. It’s something I am meant to be. But I will be training 2 other species
as well. You will have to wait and see updates on this website.
MEL – Which animal species would you really want to have the opportunity to train?
ADRIANA – In regards to dogs I would like to have opportunity to train an Alaskan Malamute. I have walked a
few but I have never had 1 in my classes before. And a baby piglet. Studies have shown they are even more
intelligent than dogs.The closest one to me it’s at my horse agistment. She’s an adult size and one day she
scared me while I was preparing the horse feed inside the stable. She came inside and wanted food. She is
huge and the blowing through the nostril sound a bit spooky if you are not used to it. But now I know she’s a
real sweetheart so she doesn’t scare me anymore.
MEL – Which is the most intelligent animal you have ever met?
ADRIANA – Honestly I’d like to think that most animals would show you how much more they can do if given
half the chance. If mentally stimulated enough. But I have to say for dogs - it’s been a border collie named
Pepe that I met at a Gippsland farm. Sheep working herder and other animal - my horse Bounty. He was trained
in Pat Parelli Natural Horsemanship since a foal. So it means his brain has been intensively stimulated since a
very young age. He’s a real character but quite arrogant as well. Sorry to say this but he is.
He manipulates the environment to suit him as much as I allow it to happen. What it means, whenever I am not
there LOL! Poor James - my old horse that lives with him.
MEL – If you could ask dog owners 5 special requests what would it be?
ADRIANA – 1) Not to buy pets on impulse. Dogs – for future owners to research few dog breeds, to see which
one would be more suitable for their lifestyle, family environment, backyard size. Few Delta trainers provide
this as service as well. They can guide you towards the right selection. Not to buy only based on looks.
2) Puppies – to buy from a reputable breeder.
Registered with the VCA – Victoria Canine Association.
And to meet puppy’s parents to check for temperament.
To have a vet health checking the puppy before purchase if possible.
3)Dog Adoption – to consider adopting a dog from an animal shelter, the Lost Dogs Home or the RSPCA.
You can find their websites on my ‘Links page’.
Some of them may be there for various reasons and not a fault of their own – deceased person, person moved
interstate or overseas and couldn’t take dog with them, person can’t afford to keep it anymore, dog have been
found unregistered and with no microchip wandering the streets and has been surrendered and it’s in for
adoption now. They do deserve a second chance in life. Try to spend as much time with dog as possible to see
how he/she behaves around you, checking for temperament.
4) DOG AND OWNER EDUCATION - Ideally all owners would take their puppies to puppy pre-school with a Delta
trainer and all dogs should do a Delta Level 1 Basic Manners course. This would set up dog and owner for a much
better chance of success in life.
Dogs can last up to 10 – 12 years of age and few breeds even longer so why not to invest in some precious
training from the start? People should think that the time to call a dog trainer is as soon you get the dog.
To have a dog practice a bad behavior for years and then to call a dog trainer when the person can’t stand the
dog bad habit anymore isn’t the best way. We obviously can still help in these occasions but it may take longer to
fix it if dog has practiced for eg. digging the backyard for 5 long years.
5) Owners to treat their dogs with respect and dignity.
To use positive reinforcement training methods only with their dogs, no punishment or aversive methods -shock
collars, choke chains, yelling. So dog can have trust and a strong animal- human bond with its owner.
They should look up to you for the things they want in life, not to fear you.
They need a good, fair leader around them.