City of Darwin has partnered with Pawsitive K9 Behaviour to deliver a series of workshops to help residents better understand the needs of their pets and correct nuisance behaviours.
The first workshop, Don't Bite Be Polite, takes place on Wednesday 16 April and is designed for dog owners dealing with aggressive behaviours such as fence rushing, leash pulling, anxiety or aggression and attacks.
City of Darwin Chief Executive Office, Simone Saunders, said the workshops were designed to help pet owners understand their dog's individual communication styles and behaviours.
"The free animal behaviour workshops aim to improve dogs' physical wellbeing and demeanour, while also keeping our community safe," Ms Saunders said.
"The Don't Bite Be Polite workshop will cover a range of topics including understanding behaviour, creating a safe home and learning environment, leash handling skills and muzzle training.
"Owning a pet brings many benefits and can improve our quality of life, however there are also responsibilities when it comes to pet ownership, including complying with the local regulations, and we encourage everyone to do the right thing to ensure the wellbeing of our pets and our community," she said.
Additional workshops will be held over the next few months, including:
- Noise Phobic - designed to assist noise phobic pets who may have a fear of storms and fireworks - Wednesday 21 May 2025
- Barking Matters - teaching owners about barking behaviours and information on how to prevent and correct the behaviour - Wednesday 25 June 2025
- Living with New Dogs - helping owners get prepared for having a new pet at home and understanding what living with and caring for a dog involves - Date TBC
These workshops are human-only; please leave dogs at home.
Pawsitive K9 Behaviour run small group classes that allow dog caregivers to socialise with their dogs while receiving professional guidance.
Booking are essential and can be made at pawsitivek9behaviour.com.au/index.php/book-now/
