‘Dramatic increase’ in demand for dog behaviour help

Dog behaviour experts say there has been a noticeable increase in people seeking help to manage their beloved pets.

With a spate of dog bite incidents in the news recently, organisations in Auckland believe dog owners are becoming more open to expert help.

Jo Clough, from Pet First Aid & Training New Zealand, said her team have noticed an increase in demand for their services.

Along with their usual training for those who work around dogs or encounter them in their everyday life, the group started a children’s programme about safety around dogs and have had eight holiday programmes booked in the most recent break.

Mrs Clough said that was a dramatic increase since the course started in December 2014.

Chained Dog Awareness New Zealand, an organisation that aims to educate dog owners and re-home chained dogs if needed, have also received an influx of people asking for help.

“We used to get notifications come through every now and then, now it’s everyday… I’m probably getting five emails a day asking us to take the dogs,” said spokesperson Amanda Fraser-Jones.

The group work with families who are struggling with their dogs, to provide them with education about how to be a responsible dog owner, she said.

Auckland-based dog trainer, Doggy Dan, also said he is very busy in his business.

“There’s certainly a huge market out there for people who need help.”

The dog trainer said it is important for both the dog and the owner to understand each other.

“First you’ve got to understand the dog, then you can train their body,” said Dan.

Mrs Clough said there were 12,937 dog bites reported in New Zealand last year.

Dogs can be provoked to bite by small gestures, which the owners often don’t understand, she said, which is why people needed to continue learning about safety around pets.

“It is all about education and the right education and everybody giving the same message.”