Got a Pandemic Puppy? Professional Trainer Good Dog Can Help

I got a puppy, Chips, in the depths of the pandemic who is now four years old. Time flies.

Recently, I received an automated email from the vet declaring that he is officially an adult – nearly 30 in dog years. Which is concerning as he still freaks out whenever anyone comes to the door, launching himself like a clawed missile at friends and strangers.

My partner and I joke that Chips is like Pinchy, the snappy lobster from The Simpsons who Homer sees as an adorable crustacean friend, but everyone else sees as a vicious slobbering beast. We need help, and after several recommendations, discovered there is just one name when it comes to dog trainers in Melbourne’s inner city: Tim Watson from Good Dog.

Watson – a serious, quietly spoken dude in Vans, a hoodie, and a beanie – arrives one winter afternoon and sits calmly on the couch while Chips bounces around him snapping and barking. I sheepishly list some of our ‘issues’.

1. Attacks visitors
2. Barks at cat next door / General barking
3. Incessantly brings toys
4. Aggressive when on lead
5. Lunges at passers-by / Sometimes bitey

Watson nods gravely. “We don’t want to squash his personality, but we need to teach him what is appropriate,” he says. “Greeting at the door obviously provokes a high state of arousal, so we need to focus on bringing that down.”

This first session is $250 for 90 minutes, with four or six optional follow-up sessions. It’s worth the investment. After all, Watson is a professional dog whisperer with over 10 years’ experience and makes house calls. Previously, he was working in a life insurance claims office and decided he was ready for a change. “I was really tired, and my doctor said, ‘You need to get outside more … go and make that dog thing full time’,” he recalls.

Watson has become the go-to trainer for “every kind of dog and every kind of person” – including famous pups such as Dylan Alcott and Chantelle Otten’s dachshund Sauce. “I mainly work with puppies and dogs that have anxiety-related behaviours, aggression, socialisation issues, or with people who want their dog to accompany them to a pub or a cafe,” he explains. “The success is dependent on the owner and how much time they are willing to put in with their dog. There are certainly people who get in contact hoping to get things fixed, but realise I’m not there to train the dog, I’m there to help them.”

He particularly enjoys preparing a dog to welcome a newborn baby into the home. It’s one of his specialised training packages, alongside the Charles Barkowski (for dogs who hate being alone), and the JK Growling (for dogs who act up on walks). “[Parents-to-be] often contact me too late, and only give themselves a month, or a few weeks before the baby is born,” he says. “So as soon as you find out you’re pregnant, you should start the course.”

We quickly agree on some tasks to focus on with Chips. We establish a second bed in the living room which will be his ‘zone’ where he gets attention. It’s about ‘drive capping’, or regulating his emotions. “You need to establish the time to play and the time to chill. Put his special toys away when he’s not playing and reward the quiet moments with high value treats.”

I discover that rowdy “Pandemic Pups” like Chips are common. They missed group puppy training sessions and spent formative months separated from other dogs and strangers. “There was also an over-breeding of dogs so there are a lot of dogs out there that aren’t from great stock,” Watson says. “And a lot of people didn’t get the right help early on. They use Tik Tok, social media, or home-schooling [to train] their dogs.”

After arming me with a list of training techniques, Watson heads off suggesting we meet at the park in a few weeks for another session. Later that night, watching TV, I notice Chips isn’t bombarding me with one grotty toy after another. Where is he? He’s sitting quietly in his new ‘living room bed’, waiting patiently for a treat. It’s a moment worth celebrating.

gooddogbehaviour.com.au