The Pooch Project

02/10/2022

Please don't expect your current dog to act just as your others/last one did 😔

A super common mistake I see owners make is they base their expectations of their new dogs on the ways of their old dog. Please don't dwell on the fact that your last dog was an angel and this dog is not - you are setting them up for failure from the get go. Just work with what's in front of you 🙋🏼‍♀️

Please remember that everyone (including animals) are individuals and have their own personalities. Yes, a certain amount of attributes can be assigned based on breed BUT at the end of the day, not one dog will be the same as the next 🥸

01/10/2022

Happy Saturday!
Make sure your take some time to relax and unwind 😎

30/09/2022

The question is, "Father's Day".

Okay, the actual question is, what is the one line I find myself saying most often in behavioural consults and dog training sessions?

“It’s all relative!”

Sometimes fixing one thing you think may not be related, can fix everything!

Our Connection online course is perfect for establishing those strong foundations that are guaranteed to make EVERYTHING easier.

Go check it out - link in bio 🧐

28/04/2022

Are they detrimental to your dog's body and mind?
Let me share the opinion of a vet nurse, dog trainer and dog walker with you...

Head on over to our blog to have a read.
Link in bio.

28/04/2022

24/04/2022

🇳🇿 ❤️ 🇦🇺

24/04/2022

Should we do a "How to make your dog insta-famous" course?!

I vote YES! 🤣🤣

23/04/2022

Just watch a dog bounding along joyfully through a park and you will have an idea of what it is to live here and now.
The past is the past and the future is unknown; so make the best of what you have right now 😎🤗

15/04/2022

Happy Easter! 🐣🐰

Remember to keep the chocolate and hot cross buns all to yourself this weekend 🤤

If you are doing an Easter egg hunt, Make sure your dogs are either away or don't have access to the hunting zone. And another wee tip is to count the choco eggs you put out so you can make sure your dogs don't join in on the hunt if any are missed.

I know those puppy dog eyes are hard to resist but keep them up high, out of doggo reach and don't share with them.
🐣🐰

13/04/2022

Really looking forward to getting stuck into putting together more courses for you all over the next month.

What course are you in need of?

12/04/2022

Dogs are generally extremely stoic.

Some dogs can still wag their tails and seem extremely happy, whilst enduring a significant amount of pain.

Tune into little things like how your dog is moving and/or how they are acting; do they seem more unsettled than usual, are they less tolerant of certain things, do they no longer jump up on places they would have normally, etc.
These can all be signs of things they don't feel the need to tell us.

Particularly as they get older, stay in tune with them and make sure to get them checked up if you feel like they maybe aren't quite 100% themselves in any way.

22/03/2022

“Oh the places you’ll go”
- Dr. Seuss

This is a friendly reminder to take your pooch somewhere new this week! 👏 🗺🧭

Tanzi loves exploring new places and is quite fond of water so when we came across some on this walk she went straight to the deep end 😆

21/03/2022

While we’re dealing with our pandemic, the doggies are having their own little outbreak....

Here’s a few little tidbits of info and what to be mindful of (this has become so much easier to explain since Covid has been around!!) surrounding Kennel cough

- Kennel cough/Canine cough is a respiratory infection that can be caused by both bacteria and a virus; the doggy version of bronchitis. It is passed on via airborne particles from an infected dog or surfaces where these particles may have come into contact.

- The name is very misleading; it is not caught exclusively at kennels - it can be caught anywhere where they could come into contact with another dog or in dog-common areas such as dog parks, doggy daycares, even just parks where dogs commonly pass through.

- Vaccination doesn’t completely prevent chance of infection but it lessen symptoms and their chances of contracting the virus. Some doggies can get quite sick and unvaccinated dogs and young puppies are most at risk.

- The most obvious symptoms include coughing and lethargy. This isn’t just any regular cough, however, and is very distinctive. Majority of the time it starts off as more of a hack, like they are trying to bring something up. It can then quickly move on to what is best described as a cough that sounds like a ‘goose honk’.

- If your dog has these symptoms or you are concerned, get in touch with your vet. Some dogs require antibiotics but all will need to isolate from contact with other dogs for at least a week.

- If your dog has kennel cough or has similar symptoms, please let your dog walker/daycare/kennels aware so they can do the cleaning required to prevent further spread.

18/03/2022

Anyone else feeling anxious?
Each day, I'm waking up and wondering if today's the day Dave or I get covid (or if any of my team get covid) and all of the things we will have to reschedule/cancel/miss out on when it does happen....
I don't know about you guys but I AM EXHAUSTED and very much over feeling this way.

BUT, this global pandemic is out of our control.
And as a dog trainer, I'm always harping on about "stop worrying about the things that are out of our controls and instead focus on what we can" 🧐

So moral of the story; I guess I better listen to my own advice and relax and bit with the anxiety inducing, forward-thinking and just focus on all the oodles of positives. You should try it too 😉

16/03/2022

Ever noticed that when you are feeling down, your dog will comfort you with a wet nose kiss or a gentle nudge?

Showing someone you care doesn't have to be about grand gestures - sometimes, just being there is enough 🥰

09/03/2022

Our vizsla pals come from the hunting group and are known for their amazing scenting abilities 👃

New Zealand's only certified penguin detector dog is a Hungarian vizsla named Mena.
Mena and her handler Alistair work together to locate individual penguins, nests, and roosting/moulting sites on the Kaikōura coastline. Their work is crucial to the tracking of the species and the threat of predators.

Ka pai, Mena 👏🏼

08/03/2022

Meet Dave. He's the man behind the camera.

But he's also listened to me go on and on about dogs for over a decade now so (whether he likes it or not), he's pretty much also a dog trainer too 🤣

He is a freelance content creator; making videos, taking photos and telling stories for over five years now. His work is a real mixed bag but he loves filming music, events, people who love doing what they're doing and of course, dogs!

The Pooch Project is a hybrid of our passions - dogs and videography.

Creating our courses together have been fun. Does he get frustrated at me and how much I ramble on when filming, yes. But so far, it's been a fun journey and we are looking forward to creating sooo much more for you all to enjoy.

03/03/2022

Want to work on your dog's recall?

Here's what we cover in our 14 day Recall course!

What's stopping you, sign up now - link in bio 😉