Roma Dog Behaviour Academy

29/06/2025

Need a gardener? Call Stu!
He mowed my lawns for a year and has been reliable, professional, always going the extra mile.
He also has the cutest doggo that comes with him and is always happy to get pats!
I'm moving out and sadly won't need his services anymore, but totally recommend him!

https://www.facebook.com/themowcotga

Call Stu for Lawn and Garden Services in Tauranga 021-106-7895

29/06/2025

"Petting is a privilege, not a right."
We get it: your dog is adorable. That face, so cute… how can anyone resist smothering them with cuddles & kisses?

But here’s the thing: cuddling is a human way of showing affection, NOT a dog's.
In dog language, prolonged touch, leaning over, or tight embraces can feel annoying, invasive, or even threatening.

While we hug & kiss to show love, dogs often show affection in very different ways:
💜 sitting close
💜 following you around
💜 soft blinking eyes
💜 a relaxed body near yours

And we know: it’s hard to resist.
Especially when you dreamed of having a cuddly buddy to spoon with on the couch, bingeing your favourite shows.
Realising your dog doesn’t love touch the way you do can feel disappointing, even a bit lonely.

But your dog is still showing you love, just in their own way.

It's important to learn to read the signs of discomfort: lip licking, yawning, turning away, freezing, shifting away: these are their way of saying “please don’t.”

When you listen and respect those boundaries, you’re not missing out on love, you’re building it.

Tell us, are you lucky enough to have a "cuddly buddy"? Our dogs are not cuddly at all 😭 but we love them as they are!

29/06/2025

2 of them are safe 🙌🏻🙌🏻 now we need to get the other 2 and the mum 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
Thank you Beach Road Vet Clinic for seeing them today and thank you The Kitten Orphanage for receiving them ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ such a great team! ❤️❤️❤️

27/06/2025

Hi everyone,
Last night I was contacted by an orchard worker who told me that in the orchard in Katikati where he works there was a kitten in very bad shape.
I told him to bring the kitten over this morning to save him, but unfortunately, he died on the way.
Absolutely heartbreaking, we were waiting for him at the vet but when he arrived he was no longer with us 😭😭😭
The worker from the orchard told me there are another 5 kittens that they feed regularly, and we know that they will have the same destiny soon if we don’t get there in time.
What we need is a FOSTER, a place where the kittens can live recover, for around 2 or 3 months, until fixed and adopted.
Mumma cat is pregnant again and she also needs help 😭
All expenses and vet visits will be covered, we just need a garage, a shed, a room where they can be until they go to their forever homes.
Please help us help them, in the memory of his sweet sibling 😭
Get in touch if you can help 🙏

24/06/2025

Yes 😆

24/06/2025

Beautiful gang ❤️
Timmy, Koda, Jax, Louie & Max 🐾

24/06/2025

Letting your dog say hi on-leash might seem harmless… until it isn’t.
We totally understand the urge: dogs are social, and it feels natural to let them greet others.
But over time, repeated on-leash hellos can lead to unwanted behaviours that make walks less enjoyable.

Whether it’s entitlement, hyperarousal, frustration, fear, or defensiveness, just ONE on-leash greeting can spark reactivity that haunts every walk that follows.

We see it all the time:
🐾 Insecure dogs forced to greet and becoming defensive
🐾 Overexcited dogs dragging their owners just to say hi
🐾 Entitled dogs throwing tantrums when they’re held back
🐾 Fearful dogs lashing out in hopes that their display keeps others away

And when they can’t say hi fast enough?
You get whining, barking, lunging...even aggression!
Your peaceful walk? Gone. Embarrassment, or danger, takes its place.

If your dog is one of the rare, stable unicorns who can greet politely and move on with no fuss, amazing!
But for most dogs, on-leash greetings can create more stress than connection.

On-leash greetings aren’t neutral: they’re a gamble.
And it only takes one time to create a lifelong reactive dog.

Please don’t ruin your progress.
Skip the on-lead greetings.

Now, how to introduce 2 dogs correctly to increase the chances of both getting along? Have a look at our step-by-step guide below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cH9pcgRhbHQ

02/06/2025

This little lady will be on holiday until 23 June.
A well deserved break, official holiday with friends, after 3 years of not having holidays!
The last 3 years I chose to go back to Argentina to help my family during difficult times, and sleeping in the ICU chair wasn't not my preferred destination :)
So now it's time to drink vino, dance like nobody is watching, late nights chats, beautiful landscapes and stories to tell!
Take care of all your beautiful fur babies for me, I'll see you when I come back.
Cheers!

02/06/2025

I visited 4 places in the last couple of days and I feel they deserved to be celebrated for their great customer service ❤️ support local ❤️

1) Venus Beauty Papamoa - skin treatments & more! She is just starting and her studio is great.
https://www.venusbeauty.co.nz/
2) Siam Massage Papamoa - Pat is the best thing that ever happened to me 😆
3) The Brow and Beauty Papamoa - skin treatments and more! The team is lovely ☺️
4) The Occasional Florist Papamoa - beautiful bespoke bunches at a good price, love them 🩷 and Tracey is such a wonderful lady 🌸

02/06/2025

01/06/2025

I remember when I had a chat to Rebecca about this.
So glad to see it has become a reality ❤️❤️❤️
Well done Vetpost 🙏

Tauranga community joins forces to desex animals

28/05/2025

Maggie is a 4-year-old greyhound and a recent rescue from the harsh world of dog racing. When she first arrived at her new home, she was a bundle of nerves, petrified of everything.

Every sound startled her.
She couldn’t relax inside the house.
Toilet breaks were full-blown panic attacks.
She couldn’t engage, couldn’t trust, couldn’t feel safe.

It was like introducing an alien to planet Earth.

But Maggie’s incredible new family didn’t give up on her. Over just 3 weeks—and with only 2 training sessions—they’ve worked hard to help her rediscover the world, one step at a time.

Slow socialisation.
Patient exposure to everyday life.
Love, trust, and a calm environment.

And guess what? Today I received the most beautiful update. 🥹

Maggie is starting to feel safe.
She’s exploring her surroundings.
She even met our dog Roma in the second session, and stayed relaxed.

The transformation has been nothing short of magical.

Thank you to Maggie’s family for giving her a second chance. She’s the sweetest soul, just needed someone to believe in her. Now, she’s exactly where she belongs.

Go Mags! 💕🐾