Monthly Archives: May 2011

Book Review: “Raw & Natural Nutrition for Dogs” by Lew Olson, PhD

Posted on May 31, 2011 by Marika S. Bell

As many of you already know, I am a big fan of feeding dogs a more natural diet than the Big Brand Processed biscuits that pass for today’s “complete and balanced” diet.  Sure, they are convenient but are they truly … Continue reading →

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Joanie! Dog of the Week!

Posted on May 29, 2011 by Marika S. Bell

Joanie has had a hard time finding the right home. She was brought into Newtown SPCA at about 10 weeks old with her mother and all her litter mates. Slowly each one of her litter mates has found a home … Continue reading →

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Help! My Dog Never Listens!

Posted on May 24, 2011 by Marika S. Bell

It really is nothing short of remarkable (to owners) when you can walk in their house, after warning you repeatedly that the dog is a notorious jumper, then afer one initial jump she sits and has an intense focus for … Continue reading →

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Mylie and Kylie! Dogs of the Week!

Posted on May 22, 2011 by Marika S. Bell

Mylie and Kylie are Sisters. Brought in as young puppies with a large litter, they were registered as a cross between a Mastiff and… wait for it… a grey hound! They are both amazingly sweet girls who get along well … Continue reading →

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SPCA Wellington needs Fosterers!

Posted on May 19, 2011 by Marika S. Bell

The Wellington SPCA was recently honoured by the RNZSPCA for Outstanding achievements in Saving Lives, but they continue to need help from people in the area who can open their homes to fostering until the  perfect home is found for … Continue reading →

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The Little Set Backs

Posted on May 17, 2011 by Marika S. Bell

I, like many of my clients am living with dogs that are not always perfect. In fact sometimes they are downright frustrating. I have never asked for my dogs to be robots (although sometimes I think that would be so … Continue reading →

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Calming Behaviours: Tongue Flick

Posted on May 13, 2011 by Marika S. Bell

Calming Behaviours are “out of context” behaviors that signal that the signaller is friendly or nervous. Basically a dog who is not looking for a fight. One of the most common calming/anxiety signals is lip licking. This is a quick … Continue reading →

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Tane! Dog of the Week!

Posted on May 9, 2011 by Marika S. Bell

Tane showed up at Waikanae SPCA a few weeks ago. I actually met him the first day he arrived so he was quite worried and paced around, wouldn’t take any treats I offered him and cried a little as he … Continue reading →

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Announcing! CPDT-KA Certification!

Posted on May 5, 2011 by Marika S. Bell

I think you can tell by the title that I am pretty stoked about this, although I have been keeping the process quiet until I heard official word, I am now very pleased to announce that I have achieved professional … Continue reading →

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“Real Life” Training

Posted on May 2, 2011 by Marika S. Bell

Also Called Pattern Training, is all about setting your everyday routine to include some basic cues and practical exercises so your dog learns that appropriate behavior should be on-going, not just during a training session. Don’t get me wrong, the benefits … Continue reading →

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