Blog

Livestock guardians are a broad group of dogs who evolved and were developed to protect flocks of domestic animals from large predators, especially sheep and goats. They originated in the Middle East, but are now found across the world. Well known livestock guardians include the Great Pyrenees, Tibetan Mastiff, and…

“Bully breeds” is a catch all term which refers to mastiff-type dogs and related terriers. All of these dogs shared a common ancestor in the Roman Molosser. Broadly speaking, they are stockily built with large heads and short snouts. While the Molosser was bred for war, subsequent bully dogs were…

The dog training industry is rapidly expanding, but almost totally unregulated. Functionally, there are no barriers to entry and anybody can claim to be a “dog trainer” without being appropriately qualified or vetted. Bad trainers often reinforce old behavioural problems while creating new ones which are particularly hard for owners…

Protection dogs are unique in how they work. This is what differentiates them from the more passive and reactive guard and watchdogs. Rather than working without supervision and off of its own initiative, a protection dog will be controlled by a handler and have received high levels of training. To…

As working dog handlers, we often take the need to train our dogs for granted. The same cannot be said about many pet owners, though. We have found too many owners are of the belief that they themselves do not need to train their own dog, and can instead rely…

Getting a new dog is always an exciting time. Whether you are welcoming a companion or working animal into your home, you and your dog would both likely benefit from a little forward planning. These are some tips we would offer to anyone about to get a…

Dog owners have a number of options as to how they can feed their pets or working dogs. Different types of dog foods offer their own benefits and drawbacks. As proper feeding is so integral to owning a dog, this area deserves due consideration and should not merely be an…

Mastiffs are a type of dogs which were developed for protection work, hunting, and blood sports such as bull-baiting. They are large, powerful, and best characterised by their droopy ears, bulky heads, and short muzzles. Mastiff-type breeds include the Rottweiler, Cane Corso, Presa Canario, Fila Brasiliero, English Mastiff, Boerboel, Boxer,…

Training puppies is an exciting, but complex process. Given how intelligent and impressionable dogs are, the importance of giving due consideration to their training when young cannot be overstated. Well-considered puppy training sets a dog up for success throughout its life, and something all owners should prioritise.

The first three…