A Dog's Life

10/10/2022

The resident oldies at A Dog’s Life tend to wander off on their own on walks and find all the yucky stuff to roll in!

10/10/2022

Gorgeous little Babs the chihuahua x fell asleep sitting up earlier this week after an extended play session with her new best buddy, Caviar.

10/10/2022

They say dogs that sleep for long periods of the day are truly content and happy. That explains why we get so many tired pooches at A Dog’s Life! Caviar is loving some evening cuddles 🥰

20/07/2021

I hope everyone is staying safe in lockdown! Please enjoy some puppy pics to make your day a bit better 🥰

03/06/2021

Hi Dashie owners!!
With the new restrictions coming into play on Thursday night, I should be able to host an outdoor training session on the weekend as per usual. I am only able to have 10 people maximum at each session presently, and we must all be wearing masks and be spaced appropriately. RSVP is essential for the time being, to secure your place.

Saturday 5th May - 10:30AM
Merri Park Oval - Parking on Sumner Avenue. We meet near the children's playground on the oval.

Sunday 6th May - 10:30AM
Jells Park East Picnic Area Carpark (This comes up on Google maps). There is a small shelter in the carpark where I like to meet everyone first, and then we proceed to a nice grassy area for the duration of the session. The entrance we use to get to this area of Jells Park is off Waverly Rd - and head left past the tyre spikes rather than heading up to Madeline's Cafe.

This week we will be focusing on how to get your dog's attention and hold it during stressful situations, as well as strengthening the bond between you and your dog, and other basic obedience tips and tricks. This session is mainly catered to dachshunds but would be relevant for other small breeds you may have.

Dogs of all ages and temperament welcomed. Please keep your pups on lead for the duration of the session and clean up after them ☺️
You are more than welcome to let them off and have a play after the session finishes 😊

Session cost is $25, and will run for an hour. I can reserve a spot for you upon message request, or replies to the post. Look forward to seeing your dashies! 💕❤️

02/06/2021

Hello! Due to businesses being allowed to operate outside such as mobile dog grooming, etc, I will be open for business on Friday!
This means all of my sessions will be outdoors until restrictions ease again.
If you've been putting off dog training, or I have been fully booked in the past, this is the time to schedule a session!

I come to you to provide dog training or walks for essential workers. I am also able to continue dog-sitting services for those still working out of home.

Looking forward to working with you all again!

PS: I have also updated my website to include my current bookings so you can check my availability there now!

19/04/2021

Hi everyone!
I'm announcing the start up of my obedience training sessions again after a short hiatus.
We will be doing sessions at Jells Park in Wheeler's Hill, and Merri Park in Northcote. If there is enough demand, I will expand into other areas.

Saturday, 1st May - 10:30AM - Merri Park, Northcote. Parking on Sumner Avenure - meeting on the oval.

Sunday 2nd May - 10:30AM - Jells Park, Wheelers Hill. Please search for Jells Park East Picnic Area carpark, we will attempt to meet in the little shelter in the carpark.

These will continue weekly and we will run through obedience basics, focus in distracting situations, and any behavioural questions you may have.

Please ensure your dogs are leashed at all times, and clean up after them. 😊

Bring treats or toys to motivate your pups - every dog is different! I will have some spares if you run out of anything.

Please send photos of your up-to-date vaccination records to me if you wish to attend the session. Alternatively you can bring this with you on the day. I cannot accept unvaccinated dogs. As kennel cough is going around, please avoid the session if your dog is hacking and coughing a lot.

Dachshunds and corgis are my speciality, but all small breeds and mixes are welcome. Weight limit of 20kgs.

$25 for the session - it will run for approximately an hour or longer. Please inform me beforehand if you are bringing a dog that displays aggressive behaviour with other dogs or people so I can ensure everyone is safe.

Looking forward to meeting all of your dashies!

Caitlin, Hugo and Lulu 🐾

05/03/2021

Hi Dashie Lovers! I'm hosting another Dashie Obedience class this Sunday at 2PM. Other small dogs welcome if you have others that aren't dashies!

We will be meeting again at the Jells Park East Picnic Area Carpark - this is what shows up on Google maps.

Sessions run for an hour and cost $25. I'm here to answer any questions you may have 🙂
We will cover behavioural issues in the session as well for those experiencing issues at home.

Weight limit of 20kgs for dogs, and a C5 vaccination is essential. No age limits. Please RSVP as soon as you can 😊

Looking forward to meeting all of your dashies!!

17/02/2021

Hi Dashie lovers!!

With restrictions easing, I'll be hosting my Dachshund Obedience Training Session at Merri Park this Saturday (20th), and one at Jells park on Sunday (21st). The session will run from 3Pm to 4PM, and costs $25 (regardless of your amount of pups!). No age restrictions, I just need to sight a copy of your pup's C5 vaccination record. Please RSVP as there is a limit of 20 people to outdoor gatherings. If successful, I will do additional sessions next weekend and expand to some other areas.

For Merri Park - There is parking on Sumner Ave, and we will be meeting on the oval (provided there aren't any sports being played on it).

For Jells Park - We will meet at the little shelter at Jells Park East Picnic Area Carpark. There are map refences below.

While this session is specifically for dachshunds, other small dogs are absolutely welcome. A weight limit of 20kg is set for this session, so we can have some social interaction and play towards the end.

We will be starting with some obedience basics, and I'm happy to answer any questions you all may have! I have blankets for dogs that don't like sitting on grass, and extra toys for dogs that can't resist a squeaker. I usually have extra treats on hand also.

Payment can be made with cash on the day or bank transfer. I'm looking forward to getting to know you, and your snags!

13/02/2021

❤️

When dogs are trained with methods such as leash jerks, yelling, and shock collars, they have worse welfare than dogs trained solely with food rewards

10/02/2021

An update regarding the dachshund obedience classes - Please send me a message to confirm your attendance for the following sessions before Friday (Map References are attached below):

13th of February - Merri Park, Northcote
3PM-4PM - Parking on Sumner Ave

14th of February - Jells Park, Wheelers Hill
3PM-4PM - Parking in East Picnic Area Carpark

If you have another small dog, they are also welcome. No dogs over 20kgs. Dachshunds of all age accepted, provided they have up-to-date C5 vaccinations. To RSVP please send me a message on my private profile or the business page.

$25 for an hour session.
Payment can be made on the day in cash, or via bank transfer. I currently only have one person RSVPing for Jells Park and need more for this to go forward.

I look forward to meeting you all soon! :)

11/01/2021

Hi Dachshund/small dog owners, I'll be announcing some group sessions very soon! Due to popular interest, it looks like my sessions will be at Ron Barassi Snr Park in the City, and Jells Park to the East. Stay tuned for a further update this week! 💕

29/12/2020

Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year to all! 💕 Thank you all so much for your support this year; it means the world to me.

I'm currently organising some group sessions for smaller dog breeds and will be posting some announcements soon.

I'm also available for dog walking for those that are heading back to work in January!

05/12/2020

The dogs got a bit excited and carried away during recall training today! Cheeky little sausages! 🐾♥️

28/10/2020

It's always a good training day when the pups will sit still for the camera! ♥️🐾 Such cuties

Puppy training sessions are going fast, book now to secure your spot!

17/10/2020

This looks just like a normal puppy playing scene, but it is a huge step for Lulu!
Lulu started life at a puppy farm as a breeding mum very early on in her life. When she was finally rescued, she had been abandoned on the street and left to fight for whatever scraps she could find. She has struggled with food aggression and tolerating other dogs without resource guarding. The only dog she had ever tolerated is my Hugo.
After a few weeks of accompanying me to puppy training she is actually playing normally with another dog that isn't Hugo! She's 8 years old and is leaps and bounds away from what she was when first adopted. She's truly a special girl! This is the reason I absolutely love what I do ♥️

16/10/2020

A very happy birthday to my best friend and mascot, Hugo. ♥️

29/08/2020

Haltie training has worked excellently for Mayze! She has caused injury from pulling too much in the past but is now walking like a dream thanks to some haltie training. 🐾♥️

29/08/2020

Good afternoon!
Just a service announcement for clients that we are still able to train and socialise your dogs that are aggressive, antisocial and/or anxious, and are considered a “genuine animal welfare concern” during Stage 4 restrictions.
Puppies under 12 weeks that require socialisation in order to grow into well-balanced adults also fall under this category, as well as dogs that are being considered for rehoming.
If this sounds like your dog, feel free to shoot us a message or call the posted number.
Stay safe everyone!

20/08/2020

Enjoy these pictures of Sol trying out her new handmade wheelchair! Sol is 17 and loves a long walk, but sometimes her rear legs can't keep up with her anymore.
The wheelchair is tailored to her height and weight, and reduces the strain on her rear during long walks. If her legs start to drag, she has soft fleece padding to hold her feet up.
Who says old dogs can't learn new tricks?

07/08/2020

06/08/2020

29/07/2020

Got some visitors whilst training today! 🐾 Malayia's recall is getting so good, she comes back mid-play for a snack as soon as she hears the whistle!

27/07/2020

This weekend Malayia did some recall training on the long leash! 🐾 What a stunner! ♥️

24/07/2020

Malayia learned to shake on Wednesday! What a great little student ❤️