Setup Your Dog For Success
Training dogs on the Mornington Peninsula in Obedience, Rally-Obedience and Flyball for over 30 years!
As a member of Hastings Dog Club you will enjoy:
- Weekly instruction from friendly and experienced instructors;
- Foundation program for all New Members;
- Assistance with unwanted behaviours;
- Beautiful grounds and Club Rooms, the envy of many;
- Friendly atmosphere with lots of space for dogs with fear;
- Fun Days, Workshops and Events (eg. Trials); and
- Much, much more
LATEST NEWS
He’s cute… but he’s also vulnerable.
And on a hot day, a parked car can become dangerously hot in minutes.
🙅♂️ Don’t leave your pets in the car (not even for a quick errand).
🙅 Never leave a child unattended.
If you’re heading out, take them with you. Let’s keep our little ones safe this summer.
📞 If you see a child or pet locked inside an unattended car – call Triple Zero (000) immediately.
And on a hot day, a parked car can become dangerously hot in minutes.
🙅♂️ Don’t leave your pets in the car (not even for a quick errand).
🙅 Never leave a child unattended.
If you’re heading out, take them with you. Let’s keep our little ones safe this summer.
📞 If you see a child or pet locked inside an unattended car – call Triple Zero (000) immediately.
Socialisation: Your Dog Doesn’t Need More Friends… They Need More Skills
“Socialisation” might be the most misunderstood word in dog training. It’s right up there with “he’s friendly” (usually shouted while the dog is launching like a furry missile).
Most pet owners think socialisation means:
“My dog should meet every dog and every human.”
A decent trainer knows it means:
“My dog can cope with the world calmly… without needing to interact with everything in it.”
Because socialisation isn’t about collecting strangers like Pokémon.
It’s about teaching your dog how to function.
✅ Real socialisation builds:
• Neutrality (seeing things without losing their mind)
• Confidence (the world feels safe and predictable)
• Emotional stability (recovering after surprises)
• Good manners (no barking, lunging, jumping, or chaos)
❌ What socialisation ISN’T:
🚫 Meet-and-greet with everyone
🚫 Dragging a worried dog into “busy” places
🚫 Dog parks as a personality test
Every greeting is a training repetition.
If your dog learns “I see a dog = I must go say hello”, you’re building a habit…
and that habit turns into frustration when the answer is no.
That’s where a lot of “reactivity” comes from, not aggression… just over-arousal + big expectations + no skills.
✅ What good socialisation looks like:
• Watching the world calmly from a distance
• Short sessions, not marathon outings
• Teaching disengagement (look at it → look back to you)
• Curated greetings only (rare, calm, controlled)
• Parallel walking instead of lead-collisions
📌 Remember this:
Your dog doesn’t need to greet everyone.
They need to exist around everyone.
That’s not antisocial.
That’s stable.
That’s safe.
That’s the dog you can actually take places without starring in a live-action drama series.
“Socialisation” might be the most misunderstood word in dog training. It’s right up there with “he’s friendly” (usually shouted while the dog is launching like a furry missile).
Most pet owners think socialisation means:
“My dog should meet every dog and every human.”
A decent trainer knows it means:
“My dog can cope with the world calmly… without needing to interact with everything in it.”
Because socialisation isn’t about collecting strangers like Pokémon.
It’s about teaching your dog how to function.
✅ Real socialisation builds:
• Neutrality (seeing things without losing their mind)
• Confidence (the world feels safe and predictable)
• Emotional stability (recovering after surprises)
• Good manners (no barking, lunging, jumping, or chaos)
❌ What socialisation ISN’T:
🚫 Meet-and-greet with everyone
🚫 Dragging a worried dog into “busy” places
🚫 Dog parks as a personality test
Every greeting is a training repetition.
If your dog learns “I see a dog = I must go say hello”, you’re building a habit…
and that habit turns into frustration when the answer is no.
That’s where a lot of “reactivity” comes from, not aggression… just over-arousal + big expectations + no skills.
✅ What good socialisation looks like:
• Watching the world calmly from a distance
• Short sessions, not marathon outings
• Teaching disengagement (look at it → look back to you)
• Curated greetings only (rare, calm, controlled)
• Parallel walking instead of lead-collisions
📌 Remember this:
Your dog doesn’t need to greet everyone.
They need to exist around everyone.
That’s not antisocial.
That’s stable.
That’s safe.
That’s the dog you can actually take places without starring in a live-action drama series.
