Hi folks, yours truly here for the last time in this particular incarnation, with the latest in the series of "The Celebrity Dog Listener" on Channel 7 Australia's Morning Show.

This is definitely one for the ladies, as I interview Australia's Golden Boy of the pool, World Champion swimmer Eamon Sullivan, about his other half, Baxter. As well as the opportunity to ogle a man in his budgie smugglers (Aussie slang for swimming trunks) it has some great information about the right way to play with your dog, especially when toys are involved.

There is also some advice on the best way to train a dog off lead, but I want to stress here that the biggest priority for anyone wanting to walk with their dogs off lead is that it is safe to do so. Busy roads, people and dogs can be unpredictable, and anything can happen. Basically, if in doubt, get the leash out.

You can click onto the TV clip by going to my new address for blogs at http://www.janfennellthedoglistener.com/whatsnews.php.

people can also follow me on Twitter and Facebook using tonydogzknight for both.

As this is the last blog to come from my old website, should you want to keep following my adventures and ponderings you will need to scroll to the bottom of the new blog page and fill in your email address. Then you will be able to keep up with all the latest news from both Jan and I as we travel the world teaching (and learning) more about dog behaviour.

Trust me, there will be a TV clip in the near future that you will definitely want to see! That is all I can say about it for the moment... Cheers, Tony

Hi folks, touched down in London yesterday and and currently enjoying some warm sunshine in England (YES! It CAN happen!!). Jet lag is being held at bay for the moment but it is a sneaky creature so vigilance is needed...

The Advanced Course in Sydney was terrific, and I also did some more filming helping celebrities with dog behaviour problems for TV (2 of a further 6 episodes to be done) so it seems that progress is in the right direction. Keep an eye out for my email with the next clip - as soon as I have it I will send it on. I have a feeling that one will particularly appeal to the ladies as my client was the current Australian Batchelor of the Year, Eamonn Sullivan.

The last time I saw him on TV, it was as the "highlight" of Sydney fashion week, and the camera did a close-up of his... er... trouser furniture. Mind you, it was no different than the attention that Pippa Middleton has received I guess...

After the Sydney course, I caught up with two of the students and I was told about a study done into Aborginal people which concluded that they were suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, brought on by their inability to understand the world around them. Sounds familiar?

Fot example, apparently the idea of a mortgage was completely lost on them. Also, their notion of boundaries was based upon tribes, not upon land ownership. The settlers rules made no sense.

We know that the main reason that we see extreme dog behaviour is their inability to understand the world around them AND be the member of the pack responsible as leader for everyone. While we cannot change the former, we can certainly take care of the latter through Dog Listening, so they can relax and trust our decision. We have to earn that trust though, and do it in a way THEY understand. Cheers, Tony Knight

Hi folks, I have received a fair bit of correspondence about my "guess the Dog Listener error" blog of last week, and as usual with Dog Listening, the answer is obvious (if you step outside the box, so to speak).

In fact, the comment put on the YouTube video clip about people not thinking like dogs was as close to the answer as it was actually way off target. If you add a few words to what they put, and it reads, "... people do not THINK they think like dogs." you are there.

The truth is, there are two animals (not one) whose nature we deny - dogs and humans.

Society is a thin layer of wallpaper, trying to cover up the crack in the wall that is our Nature. We may not like the idea that we are animals, but all it takes is one natural disaster, or famine (or Easter holiday if you found yourself in a supermarket just before Good Friday!) and our nature is revealed.

Have you ever looked up and seen somebody you don't know staring at you? How does it make you feel? That feeling in your stomach is your adrenaline coursing through your body, ready to run away from, or fight off, the predator that is looking at you. Your instinct takes over and prepares you to avoid getting eaten, and YOU CAN'T DO A THING ABOUT IT.

In denying dogs nature, we make it so much harder to understand our dogs behaviour. But, once you understand this, you can start to appreciate the true nature of our amazing relationship with dogs.

Or you could try putting up another layer of wallpaper... the crack is still there though, isn't it?  Cheers, Tony Knight.

Hi folks, I'll keep this short as it's my birthday today and too much work is not on my schedule... although some would agrue that it never is!

That said, Dog Listening is very much on the agenda this week as filming begins on Friday for Channel 7, and I have a radio interview with Bay FM tomorrow, as well as a meeting with a famous vet at his practice about working alongside them. Exciting times ahead for yours truly.

As some of you will know from listening to this week's audio, I have just got back from a fantastic time in New Zealand, staying at a bache (holiday home), where I attempted wakeboarding for the first time (and nearly the last as my friend forgot to give me the spare lifejacket at the beginning!).

Being surrounded by breath-taking scenery and messing about in the water reminded me of the film I did a while ago when in the South Island of NZ, where I talk about our view of Nature and of course dog behaviour, and I realised that I had been VERY wrong about something that is vital to Dog Listening!

Watch the clip here http://youtu.be/MhZ5jBATLLA and leave your ideas as to what you think I have missed. I will give the answer next week so keep 'em peeled. Cheers, Tony

Hi folks, yours truly here once more with a link to an audio clip I have done, answering those questions we did not have time for at the Geelong Dog Listener talk.

Go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWryNeSD_xg to hear them.

The subject of language – and the misunderstandings that occur – was evident as I tried to get to grips with the Aussie language. Yes, I know that technically it is English, but at there are differences that can create major problems.

For example, if you support a sports team in Australia, you “barrack” for them, while in America you “root” for them. Do NOT get these mixed up – if you were to tell an Aussie that you root for Dallas, they would think your name was Debbie…

Anyway, to illustrate this, I am now going to use an Australian Slang Dictionary given to me by someone who attended the talk (many thanks, or good on ya)…

“Fair dinkum, I won’t carry on like a pork chop about it, but as a pommie chalkie of Dog Listening, when I’m Down Under my bunghole sometimes makes a blue, and I look a right galah. I’ve got Buckley’s chance of avoiding it either. Fair suck of the sav! It gives me the irrits, like trying to make Lamingtons and forgetting the bum nuts. Even so, the mob said I was Mickey Mouse for a molly dooker, and that Dog Listening is ridgie didge.”

The hardest thing about that was finding phrases that were suitable for all the family – believe me, there are some crackers in this dictionary!

If we can have problems understanding fellow English speakers, imagine the plight of the dog in our home, surrounded by foreigners in a world is doesn’t understand.

So, isn’t it a really good idea to learn to communicate effectively with our dogs? Dog Listening does that for humans and dogs. Meanwhile, I have to work on my “strine”…

Hooroo, Tony Knight

Hi folks, in Geelong for my Dog Listener Training talk (the large CATS banner behind me in the photo is a little ironic)and there's some interesting developments over here in Oz to report.

A vet right here in Geelong asked to meet with me about doing an interview about Dog Listening for 3AW radio, one of the most popular talk radio shows in the country.

He also invited me to an open day at his surgery today (Sunday) which I will head off to in a couple of hours. There is talk of a sausage sizzle...

The talk at the home of the Geelong Cats went down well, even my jokes (well, most of them).

One lady came up to me at the end who told me she was going to come to the Sydney courses. She had been following The Dog Whisperer's work for years, and had recently attended a 2-week dog training course in Queensland. She told me that for the first time she felt that the pieces were starting to come together, and that I was the first person who had explained WHY AND HOW we should do certain things with dogs (another difference between Dog Listening and other methods out there ).

If anyone tells you to do something, be sure to ask why. If the reply is not convincing, think twice before doing it. Anyway, I look forward to seeing her in a couple of weeks, and to guiding her in her future career.

If anyone else reading this is interested in attending the Sydney course click here as I think there may be a few places still available. 

The jet lag hit me out of the blue last night in one of my favourite restaurants, which could have offended my friends if they hadn't known. I remember the first time I came to Oz I actually fell asleep in my dinner on the first night! This clip shows very well what jetlag can be like... Cheerzzzzzzz, Tony

http://youtu.be/7acdMaOHbqs

G’day cobbers, yep it’s that time again. I've taken dog listener training back Down Under for a few weeks, starting with a talk this Saturday (giving me a couple of days to get over the jetlaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa………… it strikes at the oddest time!)

Talking of dog training courses, I got talking to a guy at Heathrow airport, while having a coffee just before boarding, who was going to Boston, Massachusetts for a water colour course (over there he will be using water colors of course). Check out his work at http://www.peter-robson.com. He gave me a greetings card with a London winter scene which is brilliant.

He told me that his teachers advised him to practice doing the things he found difficult until it got easier. Simple advice, yet how often do we actually do that?

Great raw talent is one thing, but persistent practice is far more important for success. David Beckham would spend ages doing extra practice, long after the rest of the team had gone, and as a result he virtually carried the England soccer team at one point.

The point for those of us trying to change our dogs behaviour, is that as long as your practice is consistent, you will make sometimes drastic improvements, even if occasionally you can have “one of those days”. However, unlike David, you don’t have to spend hours doing Dog Listening… unless you want to. Some dogs are excellent dribblers too…

For anyone looking for a bit of extra help, there are 6 places left on the Foundation Course in Sydney at the end of the month, and after seeing the exchange rate yesterday (which came as a shock to me), now would seem to be the perfect opportunity for Antipodean friends to take advantage.

Click on the courses link Dog Listening in Australia to book your spot... I'm looking forward to making some more dog listener friends! Cheers Tony Knight

P.S. Here is the latest of my TV clips from Australia. Good music choice this time, but they do seem to like to see me walk... http://au.tv.yahoo.com/the-morning-show/video/ (click on the pets link on the left hand side of the website and its the first video)

Hi folks, yours truly is back home after another dog listener expedition.  This time a full-on course in Yverdon, Switzerland. Full-on because it was the first ever Dog Listener Foundation Course done in French, and I did it without a safety net!

There were a few slip-ups language wise (or paux-fas as an Aussie once put it...) but they found it charming rather than alarming. Not like the time I was in Montreal and instead of saying "mammals" I said "boobs".

It turns out that Swiss law says that dogs must be walked everyday, so for a split second there was a problem when I said that owners do not have to walk their dogs.

Thankfully, one of the skills that comes with experience is the ability to think outside the box.

I suggested that they practice Stop/Start Change Direction indoors, that way they can truthfully say that they walk the dog every day, as it transpires that the law is not specific about WHERE the dogs are to be walked. Ta-da!

This elegant solution went down very well with the students. Anne-Francoise - who contacted us in the first place to organise the course - got the best birthday present too. She got rid of her Guilt about walking the dog come rain or shine. Five minutes of SSCD indoors while it is raining outside is much more enjoyable (and drier too of course).

Unfortunately, this weekend's success does mean that I now have to start working on the translations for the Advanced Course. Have I created a rod for my own back?  Cheers for now, Tony Knight

Hi folks, my latest Dog Listener training TV clip has just been aired on Channel 7 in Australia where I tackle the age-old problem of barking dogs.

As you will see, with some dog behaviour problems, it doesn't take long for them to get the message when you use dog listener methods.

Click on the link below to watch it (to get to the right clip on the Morning Show site, scroll until you see the photo below).

http://au.tv.yahoo.com/the-morning-show/video/-/watch/24697721/catwalks-cranky-canine/

Don't tell anyone, but there I was with model and designer Gail Elliott and her husband - two high fashion designers, who know all kinds of a-list stars (AND Simon Le Bon!), and while I was adjusting the microphone I noticed a food stain on my  T shirt!  You can't buy class...

Anyway, back to the dog training.

Once you add patience and consistency, you actually find the results come quicker than if you rush things.

Ever noticed that the time you are in a hurry and you take a shower, is when the soap becomes extra slippery? Once you relax, things go much more smoothly.

That is the same for walking the dog to heel too. There are some people who say that the dog's nose must not go in front of he owner's knee, which results in not looking where you are going and constantly jerking the dog around. Not great or practical. When walking the dog, it can be slightly ahead, as long as the lead is relaxed. As Mum says, when the lead is smiling, you are Happy and in Control. 

Here's to less dog barking and happier dog walking. Cheers. Tony Knight

Ziggy is the very famous face of 'Hey Hey It’s Saturday' and is a very lovable character, with a very peculiar dog eating disorder.

When Molly puts Ziggy’s food down, there is a determined effort to cover the bowl with blankets and toys.

I've seen variations on this theme, but never this particular behaviour.

Fortunately, as a Dog Listener I understand how dogs think which makes it easy to decipher and explain and then provide Molly with the right bit of dog training to sort out this dog behaviour problem.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE Dog Training Video CLIP.

Burying food is a natural response, done to store it for another time. Another dog would do this by digging a hole and putting a bone in it.

But this bit of dog behaviour also gives the dog an opportunity go eat in front of the owner later to show who is the pack leader when food is the issue. A “fussy eater” will often only eat when their owner is in the room; after all, there is no point in doing it when there is nobody to see it.

I advised Molly to pick up the bowl if Ziggy buried it and left it alone. This is a way of training your dog to understand that if he doesn't eat when you put the food down, the food is taken away.

There is also a great little trick to do just before putting a dogs food down, which we call Gesture Eating. Here’s what you do:

1. Prepare the dog’s food, as well as something small for you (it doesn’t matter what).
2. Make sure the dog is in the room so it can see what you are going to do.
3. Eat the bit of food you have for you.
4. Immediately put the dog’s food down and walk away.

This shows the dog that you eat first, then it can have what is left once the coast is clear and this is a way of establishing that you are pack leader. Ziggy gesture ate in front of us, so I know it is something that will be understood, at least by Ziggy.

Ziggy is used to getting a lot of attention, and rushed to meet us as we arrived. It is important to initially pay no attention to a dog when you arrive, to show it that it doesn’t have to worry about you.

Molly found this idea hard at first, but when I explained that he could practice this when coming back from the shops (and not just from one of his exotic trips), he seemed happier that he could do that.

I always say that practice can be done in small bite-size chunks, so both the dog and owner get used to doing it. Cheers, Tony Knight.