Obedience coordinator for the club Carol Hodges said a thoughtful and responsible dog owner and handler is the key to a well behaved and friendly pet. 

“At the dog club, we do not train dogs, we train handlers to be a responsible dog owners,” she said. 

“We have people come to the club with dogs that have anxiety that is sometimes taken as aggression.

“We offer training and instructions that can can help people understand the underlying causes of their dog’s perceived aggression.” 

According to Ms Hodges, the best starting point when looking to buy or adopt a dog is to understand the characteristics of the breed and how owners can accommodate the needs of their pet. 

“You just have to pick a dog that is right for you and get the correct education before getting a dog,” she said. 

“If you want a dog to sit on your lap, you wouldn’t go buy a German Sheppard and if you live in town with a small back yard, you wouldn’t get a Blue Heeler.

“Often the problem is people are getting dogs and finding they can’t control them and locking them in the backyard and then when issues like the dog getting anxious and the owner getting stressed develops.”

While Ms Hodges accepts some breeds of dogs are more aggressive than others, she said it’s the responsibility of the owner to make sure their dog is properly socalised and has basic training. 

“Some dogs are aggressive but I’m not going to name breeds,” she said. 

“We try to train handlers to relax their body with the dog which can translate to the dog because the dog will always be watching you.

“For example, if you think a dog is going to be aggressive, don’t walk towards it, don’t walk head on.

“We are trying to help people understand a lot of aggression is anxiety and fear because the dog has not been trained and socialised properly.” 

The Ballarat Dog Obedience Club will launch their latest round of training on February 4 with spaces still available for those needing a hand with their dogs. 

Ms Hodges said all breeds and the younger the dog, the better chance it has of being successfully trained and managed. 

“Don’t wait until it’s too late,” she said.