Tanya's Training Tips

Exercising your dog is quintessential to a happy and well behaved pooch!

Teaching your dog to walk nicely on a loose lead will ensure a pleasant experience for both you and your dog. Here are two simple ways to achieve this

1.       Reward your dog for walking nicely next to you without pulling by providing treats and praise. If your dog pulls out in front stop call him/her back to your side and then continue on with the walk.  This will teach your dog that in order to continue walking I need to be at my owner’s side.

2.        Invest in a anti-pulling harness or a head halter, this is by far the quickest way to achieve a loose-lead walk.  Contact your Vet or trainer to have one fitted.

Exercising your dog is not only great for weight control but is an effective mood enhancer and boredom buster. Finding a local off-leash area will also give your dog invaluable exercise and mental stimulation (please ensure your dog has a reliable recall and is well socialised before letting them loose in a public area).

                                             Visit your local council website to find local off-leash parks.

Community Engagement

In 2011, the RSPCA NSW Education Team expanded to include 2 Community Education Officers, Matt and Claire.  Their role is to liaise and work with local councils and community groups to further education and partnerships in relation to animal welfare.

Some specific things our Community Education Officers do are: 

-     Presentations/workshops/discussions on a variety of topics specific to community needs and interests

-          Advice and assistance to communities working to improve the welfare of animals within the community, with a focus on outreach and marginalised communities

-          Fostering relations with communities through positive interaction with RSPCA staff and animals

If you would like to contact our Community Education Officers, call 02 9782 4460

Another unbelievable statistic...

1, 192 dog attack incidents reported to local councils in NSW from January, 2011 to March, 2011

15, 083 cruelty complaints investigated by RSPCA Inspectors in NSW for the 2009/2010 financial year

With those sorts of numbers, it’s no wonder that dog safety and responsible pet ownership are still popular topics for discussion for the RSPCA NSW Education Team in their fight to prevent animal cruelty. But another alarmingly number not as widely publicised is 12, 775, 565 – the number of layer hens still living in cages, producing eggs for our consumption. This issue was brought up today during a Vacation Care visit in Quakers Hill where kids were shown how much space a layer hen is afforded in a battery cage – that’s right, less than an A4 sheet of paper. If given a choice, the kids were adamant that the hens wouldn’t choose to live their lives confined to a cage.

RSPCA is campaigning to get hens out of cages by encouraging consumers to choose eggs produced from either free range or barn laid systems and promoting those products that display our RSPCA ‘Paw of Approval’.

For more information on our Approved Farming Scheme, click here.



Shelter Dogs get a treat & learn how to sit!

Yesterday the Education Team was delighted to host a visit by a group of kids from Youth off the Streets. The kids thoroughly enjoyed the visit which started with a tour of the Sydney RSPCA shelter and veterinary hospital. This was followed by a presentation on RSPCA and interaction time with some of the shelter dogs available for adoption, Tim, Ellie, Hunter, Pumpkin and Slick!

A lesson on how to meet a dog and where to pat it safely for the first time was given to the kids. This was followed by some fun playtime with some of the RSPCA shelter dogs. With a bag full of doggy treats, the kids learnt how to teach a dog to sit using the treats and positive reinforcement.

Thank you to the wonderful staff at Youth off the Streets for bringing the kids to our shelter. We hope you had fun! See you next time.



Here are just three of the dogs that took part in the visit yesterday. Would you like to adopt one of these dogs? Please visit http://www.adoptapet.com.au/











Squeaky fun!

 

Providing a range of toys for your pet is important for their wellbeing!

Remember that generous donation of toys and treats from a school in Rosehill? One of those lucky toys has ended up in the capable jaws of Slick – a one and a half year old Mastiff cross Australian Cattledog.
Currently calling Yagoona Shelter his home, Slick and his many Shelter mates spend most of their day inside their enclosures, waiting for the right family to adopt them. In the mean time, they require mental stimulation and with the generous donations of toys we can keep boredom at bay!

Today also saw Slick enjoy the company of quite a few different people - see our post tomorrow for all the juicy details!

If you think Slick might be the dog for you, hop onto http://www.adoptapet.com.au/ for his details!



Fun filled OOSH with RSPCA Education Team!

Now that school holidays have officially begun, the Education Team is busy preparing for the many OOSH and vacation care visits taking place in the next two weeks.

RSPCA visits to OOSH and vacation care involves a presentation and activity on Dog Safety and Repsonsible Pet ownership, and when possible accompanying our visits is one of our adoption dogs from the RSPCA shelter!

If you are part of an OOSH or Vacation Care Centre and would like an visit from one of our Education Team members, please contact us at education@rspcansw.org.au and let us tailor a presentation for you.

Look out! The Education Van is about!

Did you know that the RSPCA Education Team is often accompanied by dogs from an RSPCA Shelter? This is all thanks to support from Hyundai who generously donated an iLoad van which is fully equipped to transport animals.

Creatively decorated by Boorowa Central School whose artworks were the winning entries of the drawing competition last year, the Van has travelled to many places across New South Wales. During its first regional trip, the Education Van did not shy away from the exposure, finding itself in the parade at the Inverell Show.

Should you wish to make a booking with the Education Team and be graced with the Van’s presence, just drop us a line at education@rspcansw.org.au

If you see the Van on the road, remember to give it a wave as it passes by!