Winnie & April

I wasn’t expecting that 🥹 A few weeks ago, we entered into the K9 SuperWall event at the Spring Creek Dock Diving Club Series. Because she had zero experience, we booked in for a practice session before the official comp. She gave it a red hot crack and exceeded my expectations (like always), but we got stuck around the 7’6” mark and couldn’t quite crack it… Despite this, and despite being the smallest dog in the open division, Winnie managed to tie for first place and climb an incredible 8’1” - officially becoming the highest-scoring Australian Cattle Dog in SuperWall history 😭 Because of one earlier miss, the final results came down to a countback, and we officially placed second 🥈 I’ve said it before, but this dog teaches me more than I could ever teach her. She throws herself at every challenge I set her, without even a hint of hesitation ❤️ I’ll never get over watching this tiny, gritty cattle dog achieve things I never would have dreamed possible for her. To say I’m proud is a big bloody understatement 💕 @K9 Superwall Downunder #k9superwall #superwall #australiancattledog #dogsportsaustralia #dogsports #redheeler

Which one was your favourite? 🐮 Wait til the end to see the newest addition to the farm pack 🥹💕 #farmdogs #kelpie #australiancattledog #cattlegrid #jackrussell #redheeler #dogsofaustralia #dogsoftiktok #thedogtrend #mypets

The anatomy of a heeler 😌 Did we miss anything from the list? 👇 #heelerlife #cattledog #redheeler #australiancattledog

I never thought this would be possible 😭 Yesterday, we had our annual vaccination visit, with a completely new veterinarian. Now, vet visits with a stranger reactive dog are stressful enough, but with a complete stranger to Winnie too? 🫠 Because of Winnie’s dislike of people in her space or touching her, Winnie hasn’t had a full body health exam while conscious for 4 years… until now. She made it through without a single bark, growl, or lunge (just a smidge of side eye though 😂) The vet got to examine her ears, teeth and gums (which we removed the muzzle for), joints, lymph nodes and abdomen - and then to top it off, she took her vaccination like a champ 🥹 Some of the things that have helped us get here has been the training we’ve done over the past year. This includes practising key positions for administering vaccinations, building trust and autonomy through cooperative care (check our story highlights for examples), and doing regular touch desensitisation for her eyes, ears, mouth, paws, and limbs. We’ve also taught a verbal cue (“open wide”) for mouth checks, and have taught a closed fist as a focus point to give Winnie somewhere to direct her attention during the exam. The reality with cooperative care is that at the vet, you don’t always get time for true opt-in, especially if your still working on it (cooperative care training takes TIME). Exams have to happen. But because Winnie understands how to yield to gentle pressure, recognises handling cues, and has built trust through all our practice at home - she’s resilient enough to cope when things aren’t perfect. She might not love it, but now, she can through it calmly, safely, and without getting worked up. We’re not at the finish line (if that’s even something that exists), but moments like this show just how far she’s come. I’m so SO fkn proud of her 🥹 If you’re in the thick of it with a reactive or handling-sensitive dog, please know it can get better. It won’t be linear, and it DEFINITELY won’t be quick - but with patience, trust, and consistency, you’ll start to see the pieces fall into place, and your training start to pay dividends ❤️ #cooperativecare #vetvisit #reactivedog

Yeah no 😂 #australiancattledog #redheeler #redcattledog #heeler #cattledog #acd

Have you ever seen anything more peaceful? 🥺 #seniordog #jackrussellterrier #dogsoftiktok #childhooddog

That about sums it up 😂 #australiancattledog #redheeler #blueheeler #cattledog #redcattledog #heeler