K9 Techniques Ltd

26/06/2024

We are taking the long weekend off... starting from today 😊 Back on Monday where our latest raffle draw winner will be announced.

Until then Oreo is going to enjoy some extra time in bed (he was invited🥰) and I hope you also enjoy your Matariki weekend ✨

22/06/2024

This very big and very beautiful girl is 2.5yr old Rosa 😍 Rosa is the biggest softie with the sweetest of personalities but she can be too much to handle sometimes. Thankfully Rosa is not a jumper (think everyone would struggle to remain standing if she was) so that’s one behaviour we don’t have to worry about…. there’s actually a higher risk of being licked & slobbered to death then being squashed 😂 What does cause her owners concern is her behaviour while out on walks. As you can imagine Rosa has a lot of strength so when she gets excited & wants to go say Hi to every dog (so many friends!!) her owners struggle to hold her back & risk being towed. To minimise this risk Rosa is only being walked at selected times and, sadly, she can’t enjoy walks with her much older (& calmer) brother which everyone, especially Rosa, would desperately love to do. Rosa also isn’t the most obedient of dogs, unmotivated by food or toys, she tends to listen when she wants to. So today’s 1st session was about getting some much needed foundations laid with regards to her walking and listening skills. Rosa was fitted with a Training Halter and after a bit of practice (more for the humans) she was walking so much better. Still lots of work to be done with her walking but getting her not pulling all the time is a big step in the right direction. Another step in the right direction is teaching Rosa commands are not optional – it’s not up to her to decide if she wants to listen or not. And that includes when there are distractions around. The best distraction found today was actually her Mum – Rosa found it challenging to resist Mum being on the floor but after a few attempts Rosa found her self-control & training ended on that essential positive note👏 A great 1st session and as an extra bonus (for me) I get to practice my te reo commands. Mahi tika ana Team Rosa and thanks for not judging my pronunciations – I need training as much as you 🤭

20/06/2024

Some days you just want to lie down in a pile of autumn leaves & destroy a tennis ball 🥰

19/06/2024

This afternoon I spent time with a feisty red-head and Bingo is her Name-O (sorry I know that was terrible but I can’t control the ear-worm that plays every time I hear her name…o😅) But putting childish remarks aside, Bingo is a stunning girl with a simple story. Mum & Dad are 1st time dog owners and after doing a lot of research on how to train a dog (and getting awfully confused with all the different techniques, ideologies, videos & opinions) they decided their preference was to train Bingo without having to rely on treats and enlisted my help. And I’m so happy they did 😊 Unfortunately I don’t think Bingo shared my enthusiasm - especially at the start - but slowly & surely the fire in her became more controllable and she proved those beautiful ears are not just for decoration. At 5 months of age Bingo is also overflowing with puppy energy, excitability & the typical behaviours that go paw-in-paw alongside loads of personality & spirit…. jumping, nipping/biting, pulling on clothes, barking, attention seeking, jumping on furniture, barging through doorways, pulling on the lead & deciding if she wants to listen. We don’t want her to lose her sassiness & zest for life 🥰 but we do need to tone her down a little (or sometimes a lot🤪) and luckily Bingo has the perfect parents (and the sort of clients I love working with)…willing to learn, open to suggestions & committed to doing whatever needs to be done👌Thanks for your time today Team Bingo and for ultimately choosing me to help you with your beautiful girl. I'm very much looking forward to our next session where we will be attempting to make Bingo even more of a Red Heeler…. Heel command & improving her walking & excitability while in public is next on the list. See you then🐾👣

16/06/2024

Over the weekend I met this beautiful Pocket Rocket – looking awfully cute in her little bandana with her favourite toy 🥰 Rocket is about 7 years old and her life is a mystery up until the point fate stepped in. Approximately 7-8 months ago Rocket was found wandering the streets and thankfully a kind soul stopped to see if they could help this poor wee dog (who was obviously uncared for & not where she should be). Once they opened up their car door she jumped in and refused to get out. Friends of this good Samaritan agreed to look after her until owners could be found but this turned out to be easier said than done. After much investigation it was discovered that Rocket originally lived over 130km away from where she was found and unfortunately her registered owners had passed some time ago. No-one else came forward, there were no other leads (excuse the pun) & her foster family had recently lost their beloved elderly dog so fate once again took them by the hands/paws and forever joined them together 🫶 An amazing story of how it all started for Team Rocket and now it’s time for another important chapter to start…. training. It’s believed that Rocket hasn’t had much or any training so on top of teaching her some basic commands there are several behaviours her new family want to stop: pulling on lead, excessively licking faces, jumping on & over everyone, often sudden reactivity towards other dogs or when in a stressful situation, barking at the window when she sees something in the street and digging holes in the couch 🛋 Taking into account everything this little girl may have gone through etc I think she did really well in her 1st session. It doesn’t matter that she wouldn’t Sit 1st command or she wouldn’t always hold the command until released – this is all brand new to her (as is the techniques her family is learning) – but she was improving with each repetition (which is all you can ask for) and with more time, patience and guidance I can see this Rocket taking off in all the right ways. Thoroughly enjoyed meeting you all Team Rocket – have a great week, practise your homework, and I look forward to seeing you all again soon😊

14/06/2024

**Attention Auckland Dog Owners**

It's that time of the year to register your beloved pooch. Do it before 1 August 2024 and take advantage of the $$$ savings offered. Go to the Auckland Council website for more information

09/06/2024

Yesterday was dedicated to this lovely boy 😍 Introducing 5 year old Bobby. Bobby is a darling boy who loves people - but because of this love he doesn’t understand the concept of personal space, calm greetings or waiting patiently for physical touch. Visitors (and especially Grandma… his most favourite visitor) will be greeted with big bouncy jumps and forceful nudging to make sure all attention is on him and hands are now giving him pats & cuddles. Even when relaxing on the couch everyone can expect to have a nose prodding them and forcing hands/arms to move in his direction. And if you happen to have food, or be around food, you know Bobby is going to be right there… head in lap (if he can) or simply eye-balling you the whole time. You would also be strongly advised to never leave food unattended – it will not be there when you get back😋 But the biggest issue for Bobby’s family is his reactivity towards other dogs when out walking. It’s got to the stage where only Dad is able to walk him and often at night to avoid coming across another dog. Unfortunately the weather wasn’t in our favour to work on his walking (next time🐾) so the ultimate test - with his greetings, forceful nudging & personal space - was arranged…. Grandma popped round! Thankfully she only lives just down the road and she was very willing to help for the greater good. It’s fantastic when you can create a real situation that you know your dog is likely to get wrong (initially) but then watching them listen to your verbal guidance, making a different decision, and showing control. Great work Team Bobby & thank you so much Grandma for helping out 🙏 greatly appreciated. See you all again soon 😊

08/06/2024

***Sorry very long story but (hopefully) worth reading to the end***

Such a fun afternoon spent with this cheeky 2 year old goofball. Say Hi to Dan. Dan already knows basic commands but previous training conducted was heavily food focused and is not working as well as the family would like – especially when it comes to Dan’s naughtier behaviour. For example substituting a treat for a shoe is not going to solve the problem of him stealing shoes (and why would it? He knows it will get him a treat!!) You also wouldn’t want to “reward” him with treats when he’s been pulling on the lead, digging holes, chewing the furniture and/or walls, demanding attention, stealing & chewing other items around home (like before-said shoes) or when/if he ‘eventually’ comes back when called 🙄 No disrespect to the previous trainer but it’s time for a complete overhaul & reset…. ditch the treats, teach Dan the difference between acceptable & unacceptable behaviours and help him learn how to make right decisions🤔 And while I could talk about how well Dan did today during his 1st session – especially with his near perfect Sit Step-Aways (Sit Stay) under distractions – I have another story that ties in nicely with Dan’s decision making and one that I found simply hilarious (wish it had been captured on video)

Bit of background first…. family home is currently being renovated so there is a temporary ‘bedroom’ set up in the lounge (mattress on the floor). Dan has always jumped on the bed but now that the “bed” is more accessible it makes it even easier to lie/roll all over it, chew toys on it and claim it as his whenever he wants… and what’s wrong with that?? For his Mum & Dad everything is wrong with that!! So today, at their request, we worked on a bed boundary meaning Dan is now only allowed on the bed/mattress when invited. And this is where the story got funny 🤭

After setting the boundary, and testing Dan a few times with it, a fly started buzzing around & annoying Dan so when it landed on the TV (which is at the foot of the bed) instead of Dan jumping on the bed to try & catch it, he simply walked all the way around the bed (✔️great decision Dan!). When he reached the other side and the fly flew off I watched Dan look at the bed in front of him, look at the end of the bed (where he had just walked), back to the bed & floor on the other side of him, back & forth a few times, and I knew instantly what he was thinking -- “should I walk back around or maybe, could I, yes, I think I can, jump over the bed!!” Oh the dilemma & no prizes for guessing which option he took. Dan jumped & his facial expressions were priceless --“Look at me!! I’m going to make it!! 😁 Oh No!! I’m not!! 😲”

Sorry Dan… really funny but you made the ❌ wrong decision (this time) And that’s ok because that’s what training is all about. Learn from your error of judgement and I’ll see you next week funny boy 😉(and thanks to everyone who read this long post to the end – I hope you could picture the situation and found it amusing)

04/06/2024

Everybody needs a Buddy in their lives that they can rely on and this 2 year old Buddy is definitely a dog you can rely on 🤭 You can confidently trust he will paw you or pull on your clothes for attention, only listen when he feels like it (in true Lab fashion more likely to listen if food is involved), barge through doorways, jump on furniture, steal toys / shoes / socks, turn everything into a game, jump & mouth when excited, pull on the lead and effectively use his size & strength when he doesn’t want to do something (the very popular “flop down”). So yesterday was Team Buddy’s 1st training session to resolve these issues and Buddy wasted no time in showing how much attention he constantly demands from everyone and how quickly he will flop down & refuse to move. But persistence pays off (for us… not him) and after a few battles of willpower he decided it was getting him nowhere so lets just see what happens if I do what I should. What happened is he discovered he got more praise, more cuddles, more positive attention…. exactly what he’s always trying to get 🥰 Of course he kept trying to fight the process every now and then (he gave his poor Mum a harder time) but the session ended on a plus and he was a tired pup by the time I was walking out. Overall a good start towards making Buddy more reliable for all the right reasons. A pleasure to meet you all yesterday and Buddy….. if you want more attention you know what to do 😇 Be a Good Boy and I'll see you next time 🐾

26/05/2024

Is it just me or does 9 year old Jessie look a bit like Gizmo, the cute mogwai from the 1984 film Gremlins? (if you’re too young to know who I’m referring to look it up… and stop making me feel old😆). After spending time with Jessie today and seeing how she behaved during her 1st training session, I can also see similar characteristics. On the one hand we have Gizmo who is cute, loveable, friendly and docile (which is how Jessie behaves when at home and things are nice & quiet) but under the wrong circumstances you can be faced with a stronger, more impish, persona who can wreak havoc (which is how Jessie can behave when she’s feeling anxious, left alone or isn’t getting her own way). Jessie’s owners admit (because of her size & cuteness) they have typically allowed her to do whatever she wants but this has only helped reinforce Jessie’s belief she’s in charge & she makes all the rules. So when life changes dramatically - because there’s suddenly a new hooman addition to the family - what Jessie has always been able to do (i.e. jump on the furniture whenever she wants to) is now more of an issue… especially when she isn’t respecting personal space around baby. Because Jessie has never been great at following instructions we saw a few gremlin moments today as she tried her hardest to fight against being told what to do. There’s no doubt she’s going to challenge everyone, every step of the way, but as long as the family can stick to the agreed rules (and not feed Jessie after midnight) I’m sure we can prevent a full blown gremlin situation. And that's a wrap on another busy week of training… time to relax with some popcorn & a movie🍿🎬 Now what shall I watch??? 😉

21/05/2024

*** Client Testimonial ***

"We would like to thank Amanda for her professionalism and warmly recommend her to all dog owners who would like to improve their dog's behaviour and leadership obedience. I came to Amanda because of my 3 year old border collie who had fear aggression and was reactive. We learnt very quickly the techniques that Amanda works with and in a few days it was very easy to use with any problem or just praise. I found the course very useful. Amanda was very flexible with the fact that we sometimes missed two months because we were out of town, but this did not affect the results. It's fantastic that she doesn't leave us alone after the course, and responds to any request quickly and efficiently during the course and afterwards. I'm glad that we chose K9 Techniques. Thank you Amanda! Lotti & her family"

Thank you Lotti & family for sending me this feedback to share with others & for this beautiful photo of darling Lotti 🥰 You have been so lovely to work with and (especially since English is not your 1st language) you need to be proud of what you have achieved with Lotti. Yes I give the techniques, tools & help needed but it's nothing without owners doing the work - which is why having those extra weeks between sessions didn't affect your results (it also helped that Lotti is eager to please you). Well done - you have a wonderful dog and I wish you all many, many years of happiness together 😊🐶

18/05/2024

This beautiful girl is Zepi. Zepi is just over 2 years of age and today she & her Mum started their training with K9 Techniques. Zepi has had training previously but (as is often the case) the training was treat driven and unfortunately Zepi has fallen into the usual pattern (when bribes are used) which is making her first decision “Do I fancy that treat or not?” 🤔 instead of “Yes Mum always happy to listen” 😇 Mum wants, and needs, more confidence & reassurance that Zepi is going to listen & obey any time, anywhere, and so it’s time for a totally different approach. I often see a bit of resistance from dogs initially when they realise a treat is NOT coming their way but in Zepi’s case she took it like a pro. She didn’t care less that food wasn’t on offer because she found a reward that meant so much more to her…. positive feedback & cuddles🥰 Training is never just about obedience – it’s also about manners & good behaviour shaping – and today the main behaviour we worked on was stopping Zepi from jumping up. Zepi sometimes jumps out of excitement or to get attention, but even if it's not a regular occurrence (Zepi doesn't do it all the time) it’s always a behaviour I encourage every owner to stop completely as soon as possible (no matter the age, size or cuteness of dog). Basically, if your dog jumps on you they are more likely to also jump on other people – loved ones, strangers, young, old, small, tall, & everything in between 🫣 - and even if your dog is friendly it's never a behaviour that everyone will welcome (especially because claws are often involved) so it’s always best to have a blanket “no jumping” rule. Overall a great 1st session and already I think this sweet girl has a lot of potential🤩

16/05/2024

Had an enjoyable afternoon with this big goofball as he went through his first training session. Introducing 4 year old Zeb. Zeb is a very happy boy and you can’t help but smile when he’s around 😁 His energy & zest for life is fun to watch but where it stops being fun is when he can’t control his excitability and he becomes too energetic & boisterous. The main times he struggles to contain himself is when visitors arrive, he’s playing with his young human siblings or he just wants attention. Unfortunately the kids don’t want to play with him as often because he’s too much to handle and visitors could easily be intimidated by having a big, bouncy, barky, dog running & jumping around (luckily I’m not intimated so when I got the added “jump into the face/stare down experience” I wasn’t phased but it sure shocked his owners) 😲 Zeb doesn’t have a malicious bone in his body – it’s all play - but his size, strength and energy can make him a hazard to be around. And because it’s now having a more negative impact on family life this has to change – time to create even more positive energy so everyone in the family can experience the same level of happiness & joy that Zeb exudes🫶 I’m really going to enjoy this one… especially when I introduce Team Zeb to the magic of calmness & relaxation (next session🥱) I can feel a grin coming on already knowing how much of an impact this will have… or maybe it’s just the thought of Zeb’s infectious personality that is still making me smile. Either way looking forward to our next training session together - see you then Team Zeb 🌞

15/05/2024

During training sessions I often share stories of what I've seen dogs do when they want to get out of doing something. So when I saw this video it just made me smile thinking of all the drama queens I've had the joy in meeting over the years 🤣

https://www.facebook.com/100066337585380/posts/760855609469018/?app=fbl

14/05/2024

*** Client Testimonial ***

"We are so thankful for everything Amanda taught us, we have been able to build a great bond with Frankie through the training. Amanda used clear and effective techniques that we use all the time. It's like we have a different dog! We now love taking her for walks, and trips to the pub! Thanks again for everything" Emma & Tom (and Frankie)

Thank you Team Frankie for your kind words & for sharing your experience with others - it is truly appreciated🙏 And I'm so happy Frankie is joining you on dates to the pub - what a lovely way to end a busy day/week 🐶🥂 (Frankie - here's a bit of advice for you sweetheart - if you keep being a Good Girl I'm sure Mum & Dad will trust you can behave without having to wear your Training Halter. How soon that happens is up to you... you know what to do😉)

As a side note I've actually heard from so many clients recently who are doing the same with their beloved pooches and it thrills me to know how many dogs are enjoying trips to pubs & cafes instead of being left at home. That's what it's all about - having confidence to take your dog anywhere knowing they will behave instead of creating a scene 🥰 Want to be able to do the same? I can help😊

11/05/2024

Happy Mothers Day to everyone who identifies as a Mum. Hope you have a wonderful day💝

11/05/2024

I spent a delightful afternoon with 2 equally delightful ladies today… 14 month old Hope & her Mum. Hope is such a powerful word and is used to describe a situation where there is little certainty but there’s an expectation of a positive outcome & getting what one desires or longs for. In this case - rescued from a life no dog should have to endure to finding kindness in strangers and eventually finding a loving furever home - I’m sure you will agree Hope is the perfect name for this sweet girl 🫶 Her Mum also has a few “hopes” of her own…. a hope that her girl can become more settled at being left alone & stops some destructive behaviours, a hope that she stops stealing shoes when she feels she’s not getting enough attention, a hope she stops barking at the neighbours dog, a hope boundaries can be set up around home without relying on gates that are currently set up or ensuring doors are always closed, a hope she can be more obedient & trusted to come back when called and a hope she can live a life filled with peace, happiness & calmness instead of anxiety, fear & nervousness. And based on today’s 1st training session I have great hope that all of these things (and more) can be achieved. Hope did amazingly well, especially with her distraction training, and I’m sure her Mum felt a great sense of pride with what Hope was able to achieve😇 Thank you for your time today Team Hope – it was such a pleasure to meet you & I’m already looking forward to our next training session together. As an end note I just want to give a shout out to everyone who was involved in giving this special girl a much needed Hope at life… it’s a shame we need angels like you but I’m so thankful you exist🙏

04/05/2024

This very happy face belongs to 11 year old Fiddy. Fiddy has been adjusting to civilian life after retiring from being an Explosive Detector Dog for Aviation Security. Fiddy has always loved people and over the span of his career he’s not only worked in different locations but also with different handlers. Add to that his handsome good looks and it doesn’t surprise to learn his resume includes modelling when he was once the poster child for Aviation Security 🥰 But, despite all the great things he has done and achieved, he also had a well-known reputation for being a barker when left alone. It appears poor Fiddy has always struggled to cope when he doesn’t have company and, unfortunately, now that he’s retired & living in the suburbs, it’s a problem his adopted family need to find a way of resolving. They are aware this will not be an easy fix - or even something that can be fully fixed (especially considering how many years he’s been this way) - but they are willing to put in the time, patience & love needed to at least try 😊 So creating the 1st layer of foundation started today and it started with introducing a new way of communicating with him, being stricter with his obedience (so he doesn’t decide if he wants to listen) and teaching him jumping or tying to sn**ch a ball out of a hand (both of which I think stem from his working days when a ball was used as his “reward”) are no longer acceptable behaviours. Rules & structure should always be considered basic necessities – and fixing some smaller issues before trying to tackle the bigger issues - is my recommended starting point. For anyone thinking he’s too old or too set in his ways to adapt & learn new skills I can assure you the old saying “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” is totally false… and Fiddy was more than happy (& capable) of personally debunking that myth today. A total pleasure to meet you Team Fiddy – have a great week, take one step at a time, and I’ll see you next week to add another layer to your necessary foundation 😊

30/04/2024

A great article from RNZ & I'm so pleased this horrific incident is getting the serious attention needed 💔

The woman's elderly terrier was fatally attacked in a park by dogs from a walking pack - she now wants tougher rules put in place.

29/04/2024

This is the true story behind my post a couple of weeks ago (the one that I modified under duress due to receiving threats from the owner of Stimulated K9). Because this is now in the public domain I'm freely sharing as a warning to all dog owners - especially anyone who uses this particular dog walker (you may be unaware of the danger due to all negative comments on their FB page being deleted by the owner - but if you want to read some alarming feedback check out various Grapevine pages).
I finish by again expressing my deepest sympathies and heart-felt sorrow to Barbara & family who have lost their sweet little girl in such a horrific way 💔 RIP darling Kippa

Barbara Wright says her 'hero' dog had to be put down a week after the attack.

29/04/2024

This morning I was lucky enough to spend a couple of hours with this beautiful ball of fluff 😍 Say Hi to 3yr old Coco. Coco may be small in stature but she wants to appear bigger & tougher then she actually is and you will have no problem hearing her before you see her. For such a little girl she has a mighty big voice 📣 Unfortunately she doesn’t just bark when she’s startled or hears a sound, when visitors arrive or when people walk past the house… she also barks at every male figure she sees - even if she knows them, shares a house with them and sees them on a daily basis – and she doesn’t care if it’s during the day or the middle of the night. Obviously far from ideal and is the main reason why Coco’s Mum wants help 😳 Coco also has an older brother (just as small, fluffy & cute as she is) and when he’s getting attention Coco tends to get quite jealous and wants all the attention put on her instead. And if he's playing with a toy guess which one she wants🙄 A contributing factor to all of her unwanted behaviours is the fact she currently lives without rules, she decides if she wants to listen to Mum or not, she’s in charge and, therefore, if she wants something she’s going to do it or get it. So Step One: Implementing some rules and taking away some decision making – starting with her barking, jumping and sitting when commanded until allowed to move again. No surprise to see a bit of resistance from her to begin with but ultimately she handled everything very well. I especially loved the focus she was giving her Mum - seeking out reassurance & praise for doing what was asked (and as a side note Coco has a beautiful prance in her step when she’s feeling pleased with herself 😇) A lovely 1st session and I look forward to seeing you again soon Team Coco 😊

24/04/2024

6 year old Dexter is ball obsessed⚽️ If a ball is around he is demanding (loudly) for someone to throw it. If the ball is taken away, it then becomes his mission to find it. And don’t think taking it inside and closing the door is enough… this very smart boy knows how to open ALL the doors in the house😮 So what better distraction to use during Dexter’s 1st training session today then trusty, fun, reliable ball. And I’m sure some of you are thinking I am quite mean BUT teaching your dog how to have self-control & learn how to hold a command, no matter what is happening around them, is an important skill to have in your training playbook. First lesson – how to hold a basic Sit & Sit Step-Away (Stay) command until released, with distractions. Dexter has never been good at doing what is asked when distractions are around (1 of the reasons why his owners wanted help) but it wasn’t long before this very clever boy was amazing his family and showing how capable he actually is of listening, obeying, focussing and resisting temptation. Outstanding!!! And because ball played such a vital part in today’s 1st training session it seems very appropriate for ball to be part of Dexter’s photo & positioned exactly where Dexter always wants it to be 😁 This is just the beginning. There’s a lot more to be worked on from an obedience, behavioural and manners point of view but - for now - training is over for the day 😊 Dexter that must mean one thing….. time for more ball fun (just ask nicely & quietly) 🤫

23/04/2024

How is it possible that this morning was over before it really begun?? One minute I’m meeting 10 year old Baylee & talking to her family and the next it was nearly time to say goodbye 😮 Luckily Baylee is mostly a good girl and she doesn’t have a long list of behaviours that need resolving, so we could afford spending more time talking through every detail. And when you’re working with a family - who may all have different ideas & different ways of interacting with their beloved dog - talking & trying to get everyone consistent & on the same page does become the higher priority. Thankfully there was 1 behaviour that everyone agreed needed to change ASAP…. and that was Baylee pulling on the lead🐾 Poor Baylee has had knee surgery and due to a high risk of her re-injuring the knee (or having a different knee also blow out) her family have the very difficult job of monitoring & restricting Baylee’s activities, which unfortunately also means no more doggy daycare and playing with friends (sorry Baylee… doctor’s orders🧑‍⚕️) What happens now is, when she’s out for a gentle walk & sees another dog, all she wants to do is go say Hello and if she can’t meet them she will pull & sometimes bark out of excitement / frustration. The end result…. walks are no longer as enjoyable. So today Miss Baylee was fitted with a Training Halter and the only physical training that was done was getting Baylee ok with wearing it and getting her family ok with how to walk her on a short, loose lead. After a few (normal) resistant moments the walks were getting better & better with each repetition👏 Team Baylee’s homework for the week – more gentle walks on halter, with a short loose lead, without pulling, AND for the family to sit down and get everyone to agree on what rules are going to be put in place. I have a feeling the latter part will be the hardest… guess I’ll find out next session 😉