NZQA qualified dog trainer (Canine Behaviour & Training at Unitec) using R+ and FF training methods.
(11)
Hi guys! Just letting everyone know that unfortunately I've been hit with another bout of COVID this week - the dogs are NOT impressed! I've been busily trying to re-book everyone and reply to emails but my brain is operating at about 50% effectiveness. I apologise if there are any errors or nonsensical ramblings in my emails! I should be back on board (including the rest of my brain) this weekend đ¤đ
MAPLE! Welcome to another âI canât pick just one cute puppy pic so here are all of themâ post đ She is an adorable, super-smart, rolly-polly 9.5 week old Groodle (Golden Retriever x Poodle) and she is so much fun! We covered all the good stuff to know at this age, especially creating positive, safe socialisation experiences (not just staying at home) that take advantage of the wonderfully optimistic state her brain is in right now. From car rides, to prams, soft crates, being carried or visiting friends with safe, healthy dogs, there are loads of ways she can see the world while staying healthy. We also talked about those adult teeth that will be coming through in a few weeks - it can be a challenging time, unless you are prepared! She looooved the enrichment toys, made the focus games look easy and Iâve left them practicing a âChin Restâ which should make for a cute way to ask for attention in the future! Canât wait to see how she grows - in all senses of the word đ
POSIE! I couldnât choose which photo of this darling girl I liked best, so you get both! Sheâs a SPCA baby, about 5 months old, super smart, has very little control over her wiggly lil body and she has landed in the best home! We had such a fun Puppy Foundations session today with a view to the teenage phase coming up soon! Amazingly we conducted this whole session while arborists dressed in high-vis with big loud machines worked away in the background and she wasnât the least bit phased. Such a great socialisation experience! Canât wait to catch up with her again in a few weeks time â¤ď¸
YODI! This little boy has been on an amazing training journey recently and I am so proud of him. We managed to get him up and flying with his parents in a small plane about a month or so ago which was an incredible feat - he even fell asleep in the air! Now we prepare for the big flight to Australia! We have started with training in the car while riding in his air crate. He's been doing really well with that and we've also been picking him up and moving him around in it in different environments to replicate a little bit of what the airport / transport experience will be like. The last 2 weeks we have started taking the air crate to Bunnings as itâs the closest thing to something like an airport with lots of strange people, noises, trolleys and electric doors etc. Heâs doing so well but thereâs no doubt itâs challenging for him sometimes - the trolleys especially! So we take breaks, have sniffs, have treats and take it at his pace. Baby steps but we are making amazing progress and our goal is a low / no stress flight so itâs very much worth it! Note - the 1st and 2nd pic are of a wall near Bunnings and I couldnât resist the photoshoot. Sums up his feelings some sessions perfectly đ
SASHA! This gorgeous girl is an 18 month old Husky X Malamute whoâs had a bit of a tough time after being attacked by some little dogs recently. We caught up to help rebuild her confidence and work on some alternative behaviours for moments when sheâs feeling a bit stressed about other dogs. She got to meet Storm and Otis and even had a little play session with Storm! Sasha is VERY excited about playing so Storm gave her a telling off at first for barreling into her but after that they had a few good zooms! Canât wait to catch up this beautiful blue-eyed girl again soon!
DEMO DOGS! Storm and Otis have been awesome helpers with me when presenting to students in Trades Academy at EIT recently! We were a bit rusty with our tricks but they did a great job with scent work demos and it was super fun to talk about what we do and why I love my job. I was so proud of Storm and Otis for being such happy little rascals. Thanks so much for having us EIT!
BHIMA! This super smily boy is a 3 year old Border Collie and the best foster fail from the SPCA đ He is extremely sweet, smart and very distracting while trying to explain about how dogs learn and communicate (I lost my train of thought to cuddles at least 5 times đ). We caught up with his new family to chat through training fundamentals and helping him become a confident, even happier boy! He isnât your typical working Border Collie and was likely a farm dog fail but he looooves people and dogs - they are his biggest distraction right now. Looking forward to hearing how he progresses (and hopefully catching up for moooore cuddles)!
MOLLY! Behold the puppy eyes đ This gorgeous girl is a 10-week old Springer Spaniel x Golden Retriever with a dash of Black Labrador. She is super smart, very busy and a lot of fun! We had an awesome Puppy Foundations session today covering a big range of âWhat To Be Prepared Forâ topics including a lot of good mental stimulation through enrichment activities. She was so excited about the food puzzles and amazing with the introductory training and focus games. She loooooved the Flirt Pole Game plus we snuck in a final challenge with the âChin Restâ which she picked up so fast! Sheâs a gorgeous girl and that amazing brain is going to be a challenge but also a wonderful opportunity. Canât wait to see how she progresses!
OPAL! Iâm playing catch up with my pics but how gorgeous is this girl?! She is a 5.5 year old Pembroke Welsh Corgi and she is extremely photogenic 𤊠We caught up last week to talk about some of her reactions to other dogs (especially Golden Retrievers!). We talked through body language and what happy, healthy dog-dog interactions look like, then she had the chance to meet Storm and Otis. She was perfectly, politely uninterested. And that is FINE! The more we discussed it, the more I suspect sheâs had a few situations where her âno thanksâ has been ignored, especially by young dogs who might not have the best social skills. Itâs sadly very common after COVID and the cyclone here in NZ. A lot of young dogs missed out on some important social experiences and theyâre inadvertently creating a bit (or a lot) of stress when greeting some dogs. Opal and her lovely parents have some techniques to help Opal feel calmer and happier when she sees other dogs, and sometimes that will mean moving away to avoid those negative interactions. She is such a sweet girl and loves her parents but sheâs not super interested in socialising with all the dogs she meets. And again, thatâs FINE! Super normal in fact. I look forward to hearing updates on how she gets on!
KAHU! What an amazing day! I have been so worried about her 4 week vaccine booster since day one and never thought sheâd cope with all of the environmental stimuli that the vet entails but she was AMAZING (she even showed off her âchin restâ - pictured)! I am unbelievably grateful to my fellow rescuer (she is the true legend!) who coordinated the appointment and calming support, to the awesome team at who were super understanding and empathetic both during the initial post rescue appointment, the tester check in last week and today - it was soooo positive for Miss Kahu! Today she was happy to go in to the consult room, have treats and scritchies, and an injection! Storm was there as moral support (and eating all the treats) but I still saw the confidence and trust Kahu had behind making her own choices - so proud! Very impressed with how this darling girl is taking on her new world!
MÄ PANGO! How cool are his markings? This gorgeous boy is a 6 month old French Bulldog whoâs growing up in an awesome big family of 8! His human siblings make sure he is well entertained but they are just having a few issues with toileting. We talked about going back to puppy basics by making sure he has lots of opportunities to go outside, keeping his inside âworldâ small and investing in some good cleaning products - a dogâs sense of smell is much keener than ours! As heâs sneaking into adolescence we also discussed how to be prepared for some of the inevitable challenges and as if on cue, he shot out the driveway đ𫣠He has so much love and a lot of support in his family so making sure everyone is on the same page to keep him safe and happy is our #1 priority. Looking forward to seeing him and his family again in my classes!
HAPPY MOTHERâS DAY! Whether your kids are furry or the non-furry kind, I hope you had a wonderful day and you were showered with love for all that you do â¤ď¸
ICE! This gorgeous Rottweiler is 2.5 years old and he is so puppy-like đ We had a fun session today chatting about some of his resource guarding behaviours and challenges with visitors at home. He has some great training foundations already so we added in a few management suggestions for visitors to combine with the training, including some more enrichment ideas. He loves his Kong so using this and more ideas to build positive associations with visitors (while not triggering any resource guarding) is one layer of what weâll put into his plan. We are also looking at some nosework for more mental stimulation each day and he looooved it - he is such a good searcher! It was awesome to see how happy he was and I just love this photo of his âhappy tongueâ at the end of our session. Cant wait to hear how he goes with his plan!
MILLIE! This gorgeous girl is an 18 month old Bull Mastiff who came to see us all the way from Takapau today! She has come a long way since she was first adopted and scared of a LOT of things. Today we focussed on her ongoing reaction to the postie, some visitors, sounds and people in high vis. She loved the enrichment toys, LOOOOVED the goats (especially yelling at Geoff), and she did so well with the training methods for helping with their training goals. She was awesome at the âFind It Gameâ which combines a few aspects of her training, from helping her feel calmer and happier each day as well as practicing ignoring scary or exciting things (as you can see in the video in the comments when sheâs ignoring the goats while âparadingâ her find!). It was such a delight to meet her and her Mum has done a great job already. Today gave them some more specific training techniques to help her learn new ways of coping in stressful situations, as well as reducing the stress levels in those situations. They have such a lovely relationship and I look forward to hearing how they get on with our training plan!
YODI! We had a great session today with Otis in the gorgeous Autumn sunshine âď¸đ They had a lot of awesome sniffs, fun recall games (Yodi tried his best to keep up) and they both coped so well with a few big distractions! It was such a lovely way to start the week and they both had big smiles on their faces as we headed home.
PRE-TEENS! I forgot to put my âliveâ setting on for photos so enjoy these little portraits of the cute pups who completed their âSafety Weekâ class on the weekend! Despite the name this is actually one of the most fun weeks with lots of treats, toys and play! In addition to recapping on recall games and leash skills, we worked on the âChin Restâ for help with handling in husbandry and vet visits, teaching âDrop Itâ using the âLive Toy / Dead Toyâ game then âLeave Itâ with toys and treats as well - it has to be a highly rewarding behaviour! On the way out we also practiced âWaitâ at the gate which proved to be a bit tricky as many of them wanted to stay for more fun times đ I canât wait to see them again this weekend for their graduation!
KAHU! Enjoy this short interview about her rescue, including plenty of pop-ins from the girl herself. Also me trying to hide nerves with lots of awkward laughter đ I was so impressed when she lay down beside me and even curled up towards the end rather than hiding in her room down the hall. So brave!
ARLO! This gorgeous boy is a 16 month old Cavoodle who has some big feelings about other dogs. He was awesome with the âEngage - Disengage Methodâ with my two dogs and he even had a super fun run around with Otis - thanks Arlo! It looks like itâs mostly frustration so we worked on some ways to help reduce that frustration. That included a ânoseworkâ game which will give him something super fun and rewarding to do around other dogs while building calmer, positive behaviours. He was such a delight and his happy face in these photos makes me happy too! Canât wait to hear how he goes!
ALFIE! This gorgeous boy is a 9 week old Schnoodle and he brought me some amazing puppy love this week! He was sooooo excited about the enrichment toys, to the point where he was exhausted and needed a snooze before weâd even finished the session đ We covered all the good stuff to prepare for in terms of whatâs coming up. as well as whatâs happening now - hopefully giving Mum the chance to be proactive about things like teething, barking, escaping and more! He has the sweetest temperament and heâs landed in such a lovely home so I see a great future ahead for this wee boy đ
BEAR! This gorgeous boy is a 2 year old Border Terrier who I caught up with last week - he is such a character! We were catching up to discuss a bit of a đ˝ issue that he is having. After a bit of discussion I have a theory that there might be a bit of stress and anxiety involved so while we will go back to some toileting basics, helping him feel calmer and happier across the board is part of the plan too. He looooved the enrichment toys and he was amazing at a fun nosework game we tried out at the end too. It might take a bit of time but hopefully a happier Bear is a Bear with a better idea of where to go đ˝đ We shall see!
RESCUE PUP! Meet 'Waikahu' who is our first official foster dog and has an incredible story! She has been living in the Waitangi Regional Park area just outside of Clive since Cyclone Gabrielle last February (over 14 months!) and has become a bit of a local celebrity during that time. She's been very wary of people (great with dogs though) so very difficult to catch and has survived solely thanks to her wits and friendly locals. We think she's only about 2 years old and looks to be a Whippet X Collie. An amazing local group I've been involved with have been tracking her movements and building up her trust over the last few months and this week we managed to rescue her - she even willingly approached me with a waggy tail for pats! It took a lot not to dissolve in tears at that point but we have her now and she's safe and happy. There are so many people and groups to thank for their help, support and expertise including the SPCA, HBRC and Nelson Search Dog/Tracking Page. We are so grateful! She's slowly adapting to domestic life and loving blankets, heaters, beds, cuddles and lots of attention. She's taken to my boyfriend James very quickly as well and slowly meeting the animal members of the family over time too. She'll be recuperating and slowly rehabilitating over the coming weeks and months so I'll share updates as we have them. In the meantime we have started a Givealittle page to help with some of the costs of her medical expenses, care and ongoing rehabilitation if you can spare anything - it would be hugely appreciated! https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/waitangi-regional-park-rescue-dog
HAPPY NATIONAL PET DAY! From all our gorgeous fur kids (past đ and present), we hope you had a wonderful day!
YODI! We had an awesome start to the week on a beautiful Hawkeâs Bay Autumn day đ He was feeling super confident and acing all our training goals until we came across THE SCARY DRESS! Hanging on a footpath display in the wind, this proved to be Yodiâs biggest challenge today! Itâs actually pretty normal for young dogs to be scared of some unusual things. Storm was very freaked out by statues of sheep, women in long coats and the Bunnings Santa one year đŹđ Our job as good dog parents and guardians is to help them out in these situations by making it easier. For Yodi it took more distance, time and lots of yummy treats. We ended up going the long way round but he was able to watch from across the road and then move on to do some high fives with me (much to the delight of a passing truck driver đ). Awesome work little man!
FLO & BELLA! I caught up with these two gorgeous girls yesterday for a super fun session to work on a variety of goals. They are 2 and 3 years old, definitely experiencing a few challenges due to adolescence, COVID lockdowns, the cyclone and further isolation due to a big renovation at home last year too - change and stress are really hard for dogs! They had so much fun with the enrichment toys (like soooo much fun) and it gave us some great options to work with for some of the things they are reacting to at home and their beach house - school kids walking past, dogs and people and visitors too! Using these fun ways for meal times to be more enjoyable and mentally stimulating, especially if we can do meals outdoors and even target some of those tricky times of day, can help to create calmer, happier associations and behaviours in those situations too! We also worked on some techniques to help with reactivity to unknown dogs and my beautiful assistant Storm helped to make sure we not only had no barking but both girls were happy to say hi to her too! They are such a gorgeous duo and had plenty of crazy play sessions to break up the training - loved it! Canât wait to see how they progress!
JESSICA BIEL (aka Jess Bess)! You know the session was a good one when it ends up with this look đĽšâ¤ď¸ Jess Bess is a 3 year old Shih Tzu X Maltese (maybe?!) who has some big feelings about other dogs. Today we ran through the foundation training approach to help her feel happier and calmer (and quieter) around other dogs. She did so well with Storm and Otis, even coming up to say hi at the fence briefly towards the end - so good! She has a wonderful relationship with her Mum and despite her hilarious recall fail / sneak into the goatâs pen today, I think theyâre going to make some good progress and Iâm really looking forward to helping them on their training journey. Especially more cheeky, happy grins like this đ
RUSTY! This gorgeous boy is a 15 month old Chihuahua who has some big feelings about other dogs and some humans. Despite the crazy wind today (I genuinely thought he might take off at one point đ) we had a great session working through some techniques to help him feel better around those things that worry him. He responded so quickly and it is a reflection of the great work his Mumâs have put into his training. Iâm excited to hear how he progresses from here. He may be small but he has a huge personality and with a bit of extra confidence I think heâll be a force to be reckoned with!
PUPPIES! Iâm getting behind in my photos but had two lovely Puppy Foundations sessions this week with Pietie (5 month old Border Collie X) and Reko (14 week old Staffy X). They were polar opposites but both very sweet and smart! Pietie loved the enrichment toys and it gave us some great opportunities to work on his favourite obsession - chasing birds in the back yard! Reko was a wee bit more quiet and a less busy pup but he warmed up to the enrichment toys then decided I was pretty cool too. He did a great job with the focus games and Iâve left them to work on it with his big sister Honey whoâs a 1 year old Lab X that has a lot of teenage energy going on đ Two very different but very fun pups that I look forward to hearing more about as they progress and grow!
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JUDGE! This gorgeous boy is a 1 year old GSD whoâs having some fairly typical teenage problems but it was awesome to see him respond to the training and games yesterday. His happy face was the best! He loooved the Flirt Pole, he was amazing at âFind Itâ (possibly the best first time searcher I have seen!), he was awesome with the fun recall games and then after all of that, he was the best boy for some leash walking practice - so impressed! He is a big, strong, young boy with lots of energy but he is also very smart and loves his family. I think he will make so much progress with what we covered yesterday! I will hopefully see him in my next teenage classes - canât wait! #proactivecaninetraining
WESLEY & POPPY! Enjoy a small insight into the chaos of trying to photograph 2 Dachshund puppies đ𫣠They are 3 and 4 months old, sharing their home with an 8 year old Foxy X, 2 cats, 3 kids plus Mum and Dad. The big goal for todayâs session was definitely reducing the chaos potential! We covered a huge variety of topics from teething to body language, what to know about raising two puppies of similar age, socialisation, genetics, development and more - phewf! They both loved the enrichment toys and they were great at the focus games. We even managed to sneak in a âChin Restâ as an alternative way for them to ask for attention versus jumping up, biting or barking. It was a big session but they did so well and to see them offering sits with a bit of duration for these pics was very impressive. It was so much fun and I canât wait to hear how they progress! #proactivepuppytraining
CLASS PUPS! After a wet week and a full moon we had a lot of crazy energy to burn off on the weekend! Luckily it was âSafety Weekâ for the Pre-Teens class on Saturday which meant lots of fun recall games and toy play to work on things like âDrop Itâ and âLeave Itâ. On Sunday the Advanced Pups Masterclass headed to Cornwall Park to test focus around a huge number of distractions including vehicles, people, cyclists, other dogs, ducks, food, the playground and excited kids! They all did so well and I was really impressed at the choices people were making to help their dogs or re-focus them when things got a bit exciting or overwhelming. Weâll be taking a break for the long weekend but back for Graduation the weekend after! #proactivecaninetraining
We had a very fun, busy weekend with all of these lovely pups. On Saturday, we had our Pre-Teens class who enjoyed âConfidence Weekâ in the beautiful sunshine. We put a big focus on understanding dog's body language so we can help build their confidence in positive ways. They had heaps of fun exploring new things, especially the agility equipment! On Sunday we had the Advanced Pups Masterclass at Napier Sailing Club! It was an exceptionally busy day, with almost every kind of distraction you can imagine. It was a great opportunity for us to practice reading our dogs and helping them out if the environment was too overwhelming for them. We also tackled the floating docks which was fascinating to watch with so many dogs of different shapes and sizes - and personalities! I was very impressed with how well they all did and I can't wait to see them all again this weekend! #proactivecaninetraining
CLASS PUPS! We had a huge weekend with the first week of classes with all of these gorgeous pups! Such an amazing mix of breeds, shapes, sizes and personalities - loved it! It was a windy Saturday for the Pre-Teens class (4-10 month olds) but we managed to cover all the good stuff including introductory training for recall and leash walking plus happy dog-dog greetings. Sunday was a very frosty start but a glorious sunny day for our Advanced Pups Masterclass! We also covered introductory training with a big focus on canine body language before taking on the âfun-gilityâ course. I was amazed at how many brave dogs went through the tunnel - even Wookie the Leonberger! Such a great weekend and canât wait to see them all for week 2 next weekend! #proactivecaninetraining
GRADS! These happy pups are from my Pre-Teens Class and we wrapped up our course on Saturday in the gorgeous Hawkeâs Bay sunshine! We recapped all the important parts from the last few weeks and it was so rewarding for me to see how far they had all come since our first class. It was an awesome group with all shapes and sizes, and amazing personalities to boot. Iâll miss them but so excited for their training journey from here. Canât wait to hear how they go! #proactivecaninetraining
THE RESCUE! Itâs been almost a week since Waikahu joined us so I thought Iâd share the rescue video - just the highlights from what was nearly 4 hours on the day and months in the build up. It still brings a tear to my eye and so grateful to all the amazing people who contributed towards this happening. Thank you as well to the incredible generosity for her Givealittle page (link in bio) which will go towards her medical bills, care and snuggly blankies / toys / whatever makes her happy! #waikahutherescuepup
CLASS PUPS! It was a drizzly Sunday morning but we braved the elements for a fun day out in Havelock North. We started off in the Village Green to work on recall, focus and leash walking around new distractions - and we had plenty! From dogs, people, random feijoas on the ground, the playground, kids on scooters, a variety of vehicles going past, mobility scooters and more - it was a challenging morning! We then took a walk around the Village to see how challenging things we consider âeverydayâ might be for our young dogs. We started working on a technique to help dogs calmly notice things that might cause them to get over-excited, frustrated or fearful which will take time to become a behaviour we can rely on but itâs so important for young dogs! We have our Graduation class next week so I look forward to building on this skillset! #proactivecaninetraining
STORM! My beautiful girl turned 5 today and we kicked it off with some very special celebrations! She had a delicious birthday breakkie with all of her faves (salmon mince, dried salmon chunks, a pigs ear, bacon-flavoured goat milk ice cream teddies and icing made from peanut butter, yoghurt and dried anchovies), pressies that she loved (so did Otis who stole one later!) and then adventure walks, smackdown playtime with Otis, more treats, cuddles and sunbathing. She deserves it all and more for being such an amazing girl - so very lucky to have her! #thebestbirthdaygirl
GRADUATES! Over the weekend we had graduation classes for all these gorgeous pups. On Saturday the Pre-Teens class had a fun recap on the key outtakes from the last 4 weeks including one last practice of happy, healthy greetings with other dogs - so important for young pups (and their humans) to learn! Then on Sunday we headed to the gorgeous Birdwoodâs Gallery outside of Havelock North for an action-packed session including Ostriches, scary statues, ducks, amazing sniffs and more! We focussed a lot more on body language and helping our dogs out when they encounter strange or scary things. Young dogs are going through a LOT so as their guardians we are responsible for making their navigation of our crazy human world as positive and low stress as we can. They all did so well! I wish all of these gorgeous pups all the best on their training journey 𼰠#proactivecaninetrainingp
CLASS PUPS! We had such a fun weekend of classes and enjoyed the cooler Autumn temperatures for training! On Saturday we had our âSafety Weekâ for the Pre-Teens class and learned some fun ways to help with teaching drop it, leave it and wait, as well as other important aspects of safety for young dogs including reliable recall, leash walking and my favourite - the âchin restâ! On Sunday the Advanced Pups Masterclass hit Havelock North to learn more about building up focus around distractions by understanding more about what might be challenging for young dogs and how we can help them out. I loved seeing the progress from both classes and Iâm excited for graduation next week! My next classes in April are now open for booking so check the website and get in quick! #proactivecaninetraining
GRADUATES! We had a lovely weekend finishing up with these happy pups! On Saturday we finished up with the Pre-Teens (5-10 month olds) at Proactive Canine Training HQ and recapped on all the fun, important takeaways from 4 weeks of classes. Then on Sunday we headed to @birdwoodsnz with the Advanced Pups Masterclass for their graduation challenge which included Ostriches, Guinea Fowl, statues, other people and more! They were such awesome groups of dogs to work with and I will miss them. Canât wait to hear how they progress! #proactivecaninetraining
LIVE TV! I had a very exciting start to the morning thanks to the awesome Association of Professional Dog Trainers New Zealand and TVNZ Breakfast inviting me to speak about the use of spray collars, in particular relating to a Napier Council ruling about 2 local dogs. While a bit nerve-wracking, it was great to have the opportunity to share my thoughts (and some cute enrichment videos). Extremely impressed at Storm and Otis for staying quiet for the entirety of the interview as well đ #proactivecaninetraining
GRADUATES! Today marked the final teenage class of 2023 and these cuties rocked it like superstars! It was another super hot day so we stuck to the shade as much as possible, starting at the Village Green in Havelock North. We recapped on all the important parts from the last 4 weeks including a new one - how to help our dogs to calmly notice things! Whether theyâre excited or fearful, understanding how to help our dogs to be calmer and able to respond to basic cues is an important skill to have. From kids running or on the playground, scooters and skateboards whizzing past, bikes, noisy traffic, other dogs and more, Havelock North Village had it all for us today! There were some very happy but definitely tired pups by the end - especially after our walk around the Village including fun stops for âurban agilityâ! I will miss these gorgeous faces but hope they - and you all! - have a fabulous summer break! Iâm taking a break for family time and hopefully some relaxing đ¤đź Itâs been a HUGE year! #proactivecaninetraining
CLASS PUPS! We had a big weekend with these gorgeous dogs in both the sunshine and the rain. On Saturday the Pre-Teens (5-10 month olds) had a lot of fun for âConfidence Weekâ including a recap on body language and introducing leash skills to help navigate situations that might be new and exciting or even a little scary in calmer, positive ways. They then tackled lots of new things like wobble boards, a tunnel, jumps, a seesaw, paddling pool and more! On Sunday we had the Advanced Pups Masterclass for teens (6 months to 2 years) where we built on the foundation skills from week 1 with a raft of new distractions including our goats and some new dogs. In addition to fun recall games and leash skills, we talked about ways to transform walks from a battle at each end of the leash to having fun together! Getting creative by using the environment to add some fun obstacles and tricks is so much enjoyable - plus it introduces some mental stimulation to happily tire your dog out too! There were lots of big smiles at the end despite the damp conditions. So impressed with both groups - itâs the most dogs Iâve ever seen go through the big blue tunnel on first introduction! So brave đ #proactivecaninetraining
CLASS PUPS! We had yet another weekend of bad weather so I relocated classes to the Hastings RDA and we had a great time! Saturday was week 2 classes for the Pre-Teens (5-10 month olds) focussing on âSafetyâ. We covered recall games, teaching âdrop itâ and âleave itâ as well as recapping on dog body language, especially what to look for in happy dog greetings. Sunday was week 1 of the Advanced Pups Masterclass (6 months - 2 year olds) and we had a lot of fun teaching the foundation skills of impulse control, recall and leash walking that weâll do every week while tackling the challenges of new locations. It was a busy weekend but so lovely to spend it with these gorgeous pups! #proactivecaninetraining
GRADUATION! Some people thought Robbie Williams was the biggest thing to happen in Hawkes Bay on the weekend but I beg to differ! These gorgeous pups put all of their skills from the last few weeks into practice with a big final class on the Clive River banks on Sunday. It was a stunning, hot day with cyclists, walkers, boats, other dogs and a wall of campervans to contend with. I added an extra challenge by bringing my boy Otis along with Storm. While he found the first class a bit tough, he had a good snooze then he joined me for the whole second class and he was SO happy! Iâm still smiling myself. I loved meeting all of these gorgeous pups and hope they all have an amazing summer ahead â¤ď¸ #watchtiltheendđ #proactivecaninetraining
CLASS PUPS! We had a stunner of a Sunday for our teenage classes today as we took on the challenges of Napier Sailing Club! It was super busy with a huge number of boats going out and coming in, cyclists, skateboards, scooters, kids, runners, a big walk / run event and other dogs coming past as well! We put a big focus on distractions and stress today, especially understanding when little stressors can build up to become overwhelming in a moment which we call âtrigger stackingâ. All the dogs coped extremely well considering how challenging it was and we saw a lot of shake offs (stress release) and while it was harder for some dogs than others, it was great too see their humans making some good choices to help their dogs decompress and recover if things got a bit tough. This is why we go to different, real world locations each week so we can practice how to adapt in these scenarios when the unexpected happens or the expected is too hard for our young dog on the day. Canât wait to see these guys for graduation class next week đđźâ¤ď¸ #proactivecaninetraining
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What is proactive training?
My aim is for you and your dog to get the best out of life by giving you some simple tools that help you train together and have fun doing it! Proactive training is all about better understanding your dog and being able to respond in positive, more effective ways, no matter what life might throw at you.
Concepts vs actions
So many of us just want a dog whoâll sit or stay when we ask them to. However modern approaches to training have made us realise that itâs just as important, if not more so, to have a dog who can be calm, or focused or even confident with new experiences. These form the essential foundation of so many actions that we want our dogs to learn.
Training should be fun
Just like humans, dogs learn faster and are more motivated to learn when itâs part of a positive, rewarding experience. Thereâs a wealth of games and fun activities that exist now to help dogs learn - without them even realising! This makes it more fun for you both and easier to add to your daily routine because you play them almost anywhere.
Learn to speak âcanineâ
Thereâs a great saying in dog training to make sure you âset your dog up for successâ when youâre working with them. Success for me is a happy dog whoâll learn faster because they know what youâre asking them to do, and they enjoy doing it with you! Itâs also making sure youâre confident and excited about what you and your dog can do together, because you understand more of what theyâre communicating to you.
Find out more about my proactive approach to canine training at www.caninetraining.co.nz
