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Howling Wolves

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Howling Wolves

Dog training is my passion and my mission is to help humans enjoy training and living with their dogs
(12)

29/08/2023

I was away for 6 weeks overseas , first time Ralph and I had been apart.

Ralph went from having me home majority of the day , to only seeing my husband in the morning and night , and then a lunch time outing 3-4 times a week with 2 trainer friends of mine.

He handled it all very well.

During this time Darren started packing our house up.

I arrive back , and within 4 days of having me back , we are on our way down to our new home.

The trip itself had a a few stressful moments for Ralph , but he got through them well and we started settling into our new home.

I tried to leave him at home alone in our new house last week after being there for just under a week and he howled and barked the house down. I had only gone a few houses down , so I drove back.

He wasn’t ready.

I took that reaction as information, that he needed more time to adjust to his new home.

Today , I trialed leaving him again , this time straight after an adventure walk , and he was fine.

Life changes for dogs can affect them in different ways.

A baby being born.

Moving to a new house.

Going away on holiday.

Adding a new dog into your home .

It can make us feel like we have gone back to square one with things , when in reality , they may just need more time to adjust or they may need certain needs met which we may not be realising.

I have had to go back in steps in terms of using a more confined safe space for him. I use this when I notice he isn’t settling around the house , or if visitors arrive or while I shoot out somewhere.

He isn’t being a bad dog.

He hasn’t forgotten everything he had learnt.

He is a dog that is working through 2 months of changes , and starting to adjust to his new home. While he is working it out , I’m here to give him a helping hand.

28/08/2023

It took us 3 days to get down to Wānaka from Auckland - we had 2 overnight stops in 2 different places and a 3 hour ferry trip.

Here is the list of things I packed into Ralph’s own little suitcase so that they were always at hand in the Ute as well as on the ferry as we had a dog friendly cabin on .

- his own blanket which he had been lying on in advance to our trip. This came in handy on the ferry as I placed it on top of the bunk bed and it added a level of comfort
- Wet Wipes , because wet wipes come in handy for a lot of things! I didn’t have to use them but if your dog spews , if they have diarrhoea ( stress and cause this) etc. then you have them on hand.
- slip lead , this is there as an emergency leash. Incase for some reason a leash broke , or his collar , or I had to get him out of the cabin in a hurry etc.
- Adaptil spray , I used this on his bedding and Bandana . It’s important to spray it 15 minutes prior to placing your dog on the bedding etc.
- his favourite treats , I knew the ferry crossing would be a big test for him , as well as a bit stressful , so , his favourite treats helped to make it that little bit easier for him
- favourite chews , this gave him something to do on the ferry and the drive , as well as every night when we arrived at our accomodation. He would get an after dinner chew to chill out with.
- poo bags , you never know when you may need them
- a small pack of K9 Naturals dog food , in case we had any delays on the ferry and we needed to give him some food
- puppy pads , in case he decided to wee on the deck of the ferry ( they soak up wee really fast)
-Muzzle , I had this on hand just incase we had to deal with a stressful situation , or if there was an emergency evacuation on the ferry for whatever reason , or if it turned out he wasn’t coping with the situation as well as I thought he would.
- dog bowl
- bottle of water

I will share how I helped him settle in the overnight accomodation as well as how our first few days in our new house looked tomorrow 🏡

27/08/2023

Moving houses is stressful.

Moving houses is even more stressful when your new house is in a different city or town.

Your dog will be going through it all right there next to you , so it’s important you still meet their needs as best as you can.

Here are my top tips for moving homes with your dog - there will be a few posts on this topic so keep an eye out 🏡

23/08/2023

Ralph grew up on a rural property - we didn’t have many visitors.

Now , we have moved to a more urban home means that there are a whole lot more sounds , smells , movement which he hasn’t had before.

Luckily I work from home , so I have time to ensure that I can help him start to get used to it all.

Visitors coming to our front door is unavoidable, and while I would love to be able to set up every visitor as a great training opportunity, sometimes that just isn’t the case.

I set up a safe little area for him in the laundry which is right by the front door , so that I can ask him to go in there whenever someone comes to the door.

This morning a neighbour came over for a chat , and caught us both off guard - Ralph was certainly vocal but followed his “in” cue to go into his little space.

He still barked for a bit , but settled in the end.

Forward thinking is key.

I bought a baby gate within the first 2 days of us being in our new home since I knew this would be a key part of our training. I already started getting him used to it yesterday , and he happily slept in there during the day.

Him being able to listen to the “in” cue when someone is at the front door is our first win , imagine trying to drag a 43kg shepherd into a seperate space - it’s not fun for both parties.

Next step is helping understand that he can bark ( he is a Shepherd at the end of the day) , but that when “thank you” is given , it’s quite time. Also that visitors are nothing to be worried about.

The next step after that is connecting the door knock , with going to his bed. To be able to do this , he will need to be more comfortable with the entire situation.

Our end goal is for Ralph to be able to take the knock as cue to go to his bed without the need for the baby gate.

To be able to achieve all of this , I will need to see if there are confident dog people who will be willing to help us out with training , it’s a small community so hopefully I can find a few people🤞- pre planned visits , where the visitors understand what the plan is will be key for now.

I will keep updates rolling in as we progress through the stages.

22/08/2023

We have made it down to Wānaka!

3 days of driving , staying in 2 different AirBNB’s , and a ferry crossing - Ralph handled it all like a trooper! Not to mention a brand new town and house too.

The move has inspired me to put together an information series on my top tips for moving with your dog - keep an eye out for it this week!

Looking forward to meeting Wānaka and Queenstown doggos soon 🤩

21/07/2023

“I felt like I hit the jackpot when I managed to book the Puppy Essentials package with Livia just before she left Auckland. Livia visited our home before our little Wilson arrived and made sure everything was ready for him in his new home. We were so anxious, given this was our first puppy, from day dot Livia's advice and support was invaluable. Weeks later we are still referencing the information Livia provided and the training methods she taught us. As a result our little Wilson has settled in beautifully and is such a settled puppy.” - Shamini

Little Wilson has an extremely dedicated family who are all invested into helping to raise a well rounded adult dog. I always feel like it’s a huge privilege to be chosen to help with a pups first few weeks , sometimes months of their life in their new world.

Welcoming a puppy into your household can be a very exciting time , however it can also be stressful , especially if it’s your first ever puppy.

The Puppy Essentials package is put together to guide you through the first few weeks of your little ball of fluff arriving into their brand new life.

It includes a Howling Wolves Puppy Essentials Ebook which each week has a weekly task page added to it , as well as other crucial information.

The weekly tasks are simple , easy to follow with step by step instructions, so that you can practice them even while sitting on the couch , having breakfast or making dinner.

There are no half an hour long training sessions , they are broken up in to bite size “digestible” pieces.

The key is consistency.

And support during those first few weeks and months can be a huge helping hand , I am a txt message or email away.

The Puppy Essentials package is available in person or online - if you are interested in finding out more or would like more information then feel free to get in touch via [email protected] or by private messaging me on here 🐶

17/07/2023

Play can be a hard one to read sometimes , here is a video I had put together last year with some of the key things to look out for when two doggos are playing.

Ralph and Thor are a fantastic match in terms of play style , and their communication during play is fairly easy to read when you watch the video.

How does your dog like to play? Are they into rough and tumble? Do they love to chase? Do they love to be chased? Do they love to play bitey face while lying down on the ground?

Pay attention the next time your dog is playing with a friend 😊

11/07/2023

This is most definitely me. Who else can relate? 😂🤣

11/07/2023

I am currently back home in Hungary , visiting family for 5 weeks.

Dogs are viewed differently by the majority of people here , especially in the smaller , poorer towns.

A couple of years ago a dog shelter was opened near the little town I’m from , to try and help with the large number of stray dogs and dogs that were living in horrific conditions.

The shelter is full , they have around 70 dogs currently and they are trying to run it the best as they can with minimal money and minimal helpers.

I started volunteering a few days ago , and as hard as it is to see where they are right now , this is a lot better then where they came from.

Considering these dogs have spent most of their lives isolated and hardly any human contact , the majority are wanting human contact and love so much.

It’s a very humbling experience for me and being able to work with some very timid and fearful dogs who have lived in environments which most of us can’t even imagine.

You can’t rush these dogs , you have to let them make their own choices. Let them approach , no sudden movements , and help them realise that not all humans are bad ❤️

18/06/2023

🐶Ted the 1 year old Shih Tzu x Toy Poodle🐶

Here is what Cecilia had to say about their experience working together with me :

“We were initially referred to Livia by our vet. Our 1 year old Shih Tzu/Toy Poodle Ted was on medication for anxiety but we were still struggling with compulsive barking as his reaction to certain situations. After our first meeting with Livia we had a different dog on our hands. We couldn't believe the difference in Ted after just one session. Livia showed us techniques that were both simple and fun to do with Ted. Livia took the time to listen and she was so easy to work with. Ted is now off his medication thanks to Livia. The training and knowledge that Livia provided was amazing and we can't thank her enough for all of her help.”

🐻Ted Aka Teddy , is a very clever pup who loves to train and who loves to learn.

He also used compulsive barking as a coping mechanism when he wasn’t sure what else he could do in certain situations.

Over 4 sessions :

🐶 Ted started to understand that his bed meant treats and yummy chews and that he could relax and snooze on it.
🐶Ted’s dinner turned into a training opportunity
🐶That when people arrived at the front door Ted didn’t need to go into a barking frenzy or jump on them , he could instead snack on the treats on the ground and then enjoy a snuffle mat in the lounge.
🐶That when Ted was upstairs on the bed , people walking by on the street wasn’t a big deal.
🐶That there were better ways to ask for attention from his humans than demand barking
🐶That confidence building exercises are a ton of fun

It was an absolute pleasure to work with little Ted , and his wonderful family who were incredibly committed to his training plan , and kept up that consistency 🔥 I am only a small part of a dogs success , the biggest part is his humans.

12/06/2023

When I was 2 years old , I Ioved to act as though I was a dog.

So much so , at one point my parents became worried that there might be something wrong with me. Turns out , I grew out of it after a month or so , but my passion and love for dogs was always deeply engrained.

We had guard dogs in Hungary , who were kept as just that. Guard dogs. However , I definitely always viewed them more as my friends , and spent many hours brushing them , and sneaking them extra food.

After living in New Zealand for a few years , my parents surprised me with our very own puppy when I was 9 , Lucky the Newfoundland. I spent every free time I had with him , and when we had to say goodbye to him when I was 16 , I was absolutely heart broken. It still makes me tear up now.

I spent 12 years in sales and climbed the corporate ladder , I ended up landing my “dream” job , getting to travel around New Zealand in a National Role.

I became rather ill at the start of 2019 , it changed my life. When I came out the other side , my husband Darren told me I needed think about what I really wanted to do and I needed to change my career.

That’s where dogs came back into my life.

It felt crazy , and a lot of people thought I was crazy leaving my career. But in my gut , I knew it was what I had always dreamt of.

I went to Unitec in 2020 and studied Canine Behaviour and Training full-time for a year. Graduating in 2021.

What I learnt , absolutely blew my mind , dogs were so much more than what I had thought they were. “Just dogs”.

After Unitec , I ran a group class dog training business together with a fellow student and friend . It was a fantastic way to get to work with a variety of different breeds and a variety of humans too.

I thought I knew a lot , until my very own bundle of fluff arrived , and totally turned my life upside down. He inspired me to become a better trainer , to have to think on my feet a lot , to have to better my handler mechanics and to learn how to find what brings the best out of him.

I am constantly looking to learn new ways of doing things , constantly expanding what I know , and working on bettering myself as a trainer.

11/06/2023

🥳CONGRATULATIONS 🥳

Bit bittersweet knowing this will be the last Pupsense congratulations post I will be making.

Huge congratulations to the last students of our Sunday morning etiquette class who graduated this morning.

Extremely proud of how far you all have come , and thank you for making the final ever Pupsense class so good 🔥

10/06/2023

Harley and his humans had their second one to one training session this afternoon.

Being able to train dogs is just one part of being a dog trainer - the other big part , is being able to train humans and motivate them at the same time too.

If the owners can’t replicate what I show them over the week , then there is no point to the training session.

Consistency is key , and having easy to follow, clear and fun exercises helps to maintain that.

Today , we worked on practicing some of the basic behaviours Harleys humans have been working on over the last week (at home) , but it was made harder by being in a brand new environment.

We also started training a whistle recall 🔥

He is really started to get the hang of the “mat” behaviour , and is starting to understand not to run out the front door at home.

Turns out , Harley thinks the flirt pole is a pretty fun way to have a safe outlet for chasing. At first , he wasn’t that interested in it , however he had a great session with it this arvo.

Over the next week his family are going to continue working on the tasks I have set for them , which all get put into an easy to follow training E Book.

05/06/2023

🐶Wilson the 8 week old Cavoodle🐶

Wilson had his first one to one with me yesterday afternoon , isn’t he adorable? 🥹

His family have been busy implementing what we discussed in our first one to one prior to Wilson’s arrival.

He is doing great with crate training and his family is doing a fantastic job helping him settle in , and following along with the Puppy Essentials Ebook I provide.

This session we talked through getting Wilson used to the shower , a collar , creating a positive association with his name , learning how to have fun luring him with his kibble , hand targets to help bring him out from underneath the couch and pairing a cue with him going toilet.

I am a txt away so his family are able to reach out if they need help troubleshooting anything etc. over the puppy essentials package - whether it’s toilet training or biting etc.

Look forward to my next session with little Wilson 🥰

📧 [email protected]
📞 021 149 6442

05/06/2023

I want to be able to able to lift 80kg in a deadlift at some point.

Could I lift that without any consistency in training? No.

It has taken me a few months to build up to lifting 70kg , that’s with going to CrossFit multiple times during the week.

It has taken consistency to get to that point.

Same goes for dog training.

If we only train our dogs once a week , we can’t expect to same the same results as someone who trains there dog multiple times during the week.

I recommend short sweet sessions , more often , works better than a couple of one hour long sessions.

Consistency also relates to what things we can do to minimise confusion when training our dogs.

Consistently using the same cues etc.

Here are my top 5 tips to keep the consistency in training your dog 🙌

04/06/2023

Wilson arrived home on Friday - I had done a one to one consult a few days prior with his human to make sure everything was in place for his arrival.

The first few days , weeks and even months can be tough. The sleepless nights , the sharp puppy teeth , the howling - wondering what’s normal and what’s not. This is where I come in to be a txt message , phone call or email away.

I dropped off a snuggle puppy for him to snuggle up to while he settles in , this same snuggle puppy has helped a number of puppies settle into their homes a little bit easier. The heart beat mimics the heart of their mum , and can really help with soothing.

As you can see , Wilson has taken an instant liking to the snuggle puppy fast asleep in his crate 🥹

I get to meet him tomorrow for a one to one - definitely my dream job 🥰😍

If you would like to know more about the Puppy Essentials package I offer - get in touch now. I still have a few spaces available before I fly out of the country at the end of June for 6 weeks.

- Livia

📧 howling [email protected]
📞 021 149 6442

04/06/2023

🥳CONGRATULATIONS 🥳

Half of our final Sunday etiquette course graduated this morning - the other half will be next week 🥰

The team today absolutely smashed every single one of the exercises we did , including loose leash walking whilst weaving in and out of dogs practicing place 👏

Now , how is weaving dogs in and out of dogs practicing place beneficial? There are a lot of real life instances where a dog is lying down and another dog has to walk by. For e.g when at a cafe , waiting for children to finish school etc.

Today we learnt how to keep dogs moving and walking on , even when there is another dog close by.

Setting up real life scenarios to practice recall can be a tough one too in a class setting , so , we get the humans walking around the grounds as they would with their pups normally. The pups are able to go and explore all the way to the end of the long lines.

When I yell out “recall” they have to recall their dogs back.

Everyone did so well and I am immensely proud of them all 👏

03/06/2023

🐶 Harley the 7 month old Border Collie 🐶

Harley is such a gorgeous boy , he has the sweetest nature and really enjoyed training.

Harley’s humans need a hand with a few things - this includes helping Harley learn recall , that there are better choices available than chasing cyclists , to wait until a cue is given instead of rushing out the front door and out of the car , and how to relax on his mat until given a cue.

Our focus tonight was on building engagement using food and toys.

We helped Harley learn “out” and “grab” during a game of tug as this is something we will be using when we start going outside of the house.

We used food to play “hand targets” and “treat throws” and learnt about why “yesssss” is important to use when training Harley.

We started the basics of the mat behaviour and talked about how the training tasks can be integrated into their daily routines to help with consistency.

I am really looking forward to working together with Harley and his family - no doubt we are going to have a lot of fun and more of the belly laughter we had tonight.

As you can see - Harley was quite content when our training session ended 🥰

02/06/2023

Before I focus on any behaviours with a dog , I focus on what makes them “tick” , and this is a task I set for all of my clients during the initial consultation too.

What do they enjoy?

Do they enjoy food?

Do they enjoy play?

Do they enjoy “catching” the treat or do they enjoy chasing it?

Do they enjoy a game of tug or do they enjoy to run after a toy?

Do they enjoy being praised and patted?

(I am still talking about dogs , even though understanding how different human clients are reinforced is important too!)

Once we start understanding what makes a dog “tick” , we can start focusing on behaviours.

When I started working out what Ralph enjoyed , it fast forwarded how we work together as a team. It still took time to build it all up , but it was like all of a sudden we started to understand each other more. Or more , that I started understanding him more.

Get in touch now if you want to start working on finding out what makes your dog “tick” and how we can put that to use to help you understand your dog better.

📧 [email protected]
📞 021 149 6442

27/05/2023

Happy last ever Pupsense group class Emma 🧡 (I have one more left).

We have come so far since studying together at Unitec - little did we know we would run a business together!

We made such a good team , and our dynamic was meant to be. You laughed at my really cruddy jokes , handled my intense amount of talking , and you were incredible at coming up with fun games for us to teach in our classes.

We have had a ton of laughter , some moments where after class we needed a Gin & Tonic , we learnt a lot , and boy did we both grow with every single puppy and dog that came through our classes.

Through all the slobber , shark teeth bites , Possyum covered hands - I have no doubt I have a forever friend 🧡

Enjoy your very well deserved travels - thanks for helping create what Pupsense became 🐶

27/05/2023

Howling Wolves - how did the name come about?

Well, here I am , Livia , pictured with my gorgeous Swiss Shepherd Ralph ( he is a lot bigger now though 🙃).

The Wolf part came from…..Ralph….and the Howling part…..well that also came from Ralph 🤣

You see , as a puppy, he howled . I went through an intense first few months of the puppy blues when he arrived home and howling set those off a lot.

I struggled through it and once I came through it all , it made me determined to help people be able to get through the tough moments and to learn to understand their pups better.

Tough moments occur.

- Whether it’s a dog that has zero recall during their teenage months
- or a pup that has strong feelings about other dogs
- or a pup that just will not stop pulling on that lead
- or like in my case , a howling puppy that has turned your life upside down.

Whatever it may be , we can either use those tough moments to break down the team work we have with our dog (sometimes unintentionally) or build that team work up even stronger.

I want to help you build that team work up even stronger.

I won’t judge.

I will be there for you every step of the way , providing understanding and support ( and treatos for your pup!) .

I will only take in a limited number of clients at one time , so please email me at [email protected] to enquire about availability.

27/05/2023

🐶Dave the 8 year old Mastiff Cross 🐶

Dave is a big softy , who was all about learning new things today. He is the sweetest boy with a very loving family.

We had an initial consultation this morning , and worked through a few simple things Dave’s humans can implement into their daily routine to give him mental enrichment and help to fill Dave’s emotional cup.

This involves a few basic behaviours and fun games they can play with him.

Mental enrichment can be more tiring then taking your doggo for a walk , 5 minutes of mental stimulation can be equivalent to 10 minutes of physical exercise 🤯

Physical exercise is still important , but it’s about balance.

I also helped put together a “rain protocol” for Dave , as he can find the sound of rain on the roof quite scary. So to manage those moments for now , there will be a few yummy options for Dave to chew , lick and sniff - all of these release feel-good chemicals like endorphins, dopamine and serotonin. Our goal is to help Dave feel more comfortable whenever it rains.

Well done Dave , and I can’t wait to hear the updates from your humans over the next few weeks 😍

27/05/2023

Hi everyone ,

The Pupsense page is going to be changing to “Howling Wolves” which is my new dog training business which I will be running online and from the South Island once we make the move.

You are more than welcome to stay on here , as I will continue to share snippets about dog training etc. as well as tips and advice. I will also share the final pupsense etiquette course graduation photos on here next week.

I have a few spots for one to one available before I head off overseas at the end of June for 6 weeks , so if you have a new puppy , have any basic things you would like to work on , wanting to learn what other ways you can entertain your dog on wet and cold winter nights , then I am happy to arrange a time to do a consultation with you.

PM on here , email me at [email protected] , or give me a bell - 021 149 6442 .

Thanks for all of your support over the years - Livia

22/05/2023

🥳CONGRATULATIONS 🥳

Our final ever Pupsense Puppy Class graduated tonight - and what a fun group of puppies this was 🥰

Very proud of how far all of the puppies and their humans have come , and I have no doubt we will have updates from the students meeting up for play dates 🐶

Look at how adorable they all are!

A huge thank you to Nicole from Force Free Dog Life life for helping us over the past 5 weeks with the classes.

27/04/2023

🥳CONGRATULATIONS 🥳

Our Thursday night etiquette course graduated!!

The most rewarding part of being a dog trainer , is being able to see dogs and their humans become more confident together , and working together as a team.

Well done team 👏👏

25/04/2023

**NEW STUDENTS**

Our final ever etiquette course is an adorable bunch 😍 they had their first class on Sunday morning.

Meet :

🐶Nala the German Shepherd
🐶Kronk the Golden Retriever
🐶Bruno the Springerdoodle
🐶Riley the Rottweiler across
🐶Whiskey the Australian Shepherd x Border Collie
🐶Skye the Pomsky
🐶Heidi the Labrador
🐶Coby the Cavoodle
🐶Teddy the Cavoodle
🐶Jackson the Rottweiler ( starting this week)

This is a really fun group of pups and they did extremely well for week 1 , with the humans getting beautiful engagement from their pups.

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We started the basics of muzzle training using cones in our puppy class last night. When you mention muzzle training , I’m sure a lot of people think “but my pup isn’t aggressive” . They don’t need to be to wear a muzzle. During the storms we had - evacuation centres required dogs to be muzzled. If a dog has never ever worn a muzzle , then it has one put on ( which may not fit well if you have to borrow one) then it can cause stress for them. In an already stressful situation , the last thing we want to do is keeping adding stress. If your pup is injured , then there is the likelihood that they will have a muzzle put. Dogs can react out of character when in severe pain , under stress etc. Muzzles aren’t that expensive , and in puppy class we start off using simple cheap plastic cones you can buy from Kmart. Here is Ralph , having fun with the muzzle this morning 🐶 Music: Morning Musician: LiQWYD

Such a good feeling watching 8 pups , choosing to play with their humans instead of worrying about what is happening around them. The humans got into the play so well , we had people running around , jumping around , dragging toys along the grass - we had people trying out flirt poles and leather bite rags. Play is extremely powerful - and our etiquette class tonight nailed it and the start of their recall too 🔥

2 spaces left in our 5 week puppy class course starting this Thursday night held in Whitford - email us now at [email protected] to secure your spot 🐶

Our training grounds are now fully fenced 🥳🥳🥳 A HUGE thank you to 0508TempFence for delivering the security fencing early this morning and setting it all up - including dog bars to block off the gaps at the bottom 👏 We can now get stuck into getting things set up and ready for next year!

Ralph has been conditioned to costumes from the time he was a puppy. So much so , he really couldn’t give two Jingle Bells about wearing one. If he did care , he wouldn’t be wearing one. If your dog is uncomfortable about wearing a costume or coats etc. please don’t force them to. Take the time to condition them properly.

Puppy class exposure week fun ☺️🐶 love how much fun the humans and the puppies have together - that’s what dog training should be about 👏

I want to say the biggest THANK YOU to everyone who brought their puppies along to the @gumbootfriday puppy exposure event yesterday , also to everyone who didn’t make it but donated towards the cause. We raised just over $500 👏 A huge thank you to Alyssa from @bark_university_nz for helping me set up everything yesterday. Ralph was stoked that he got to be part of pack down 🤣 though the fan with the caution tapes did catch him off guard a little bit so it was a great chance for me to help him feel better about it. Thanks to my hubby Darren for helping pack down and clean up late last night 💙 We will have more time to prepare next year and to advertise ( and to get more cool things together for it) , so watch this space for next years event! Livia

We are at the Whitford Community Hall until 8pm - pop on down if you want to support Gumboot Friday and have a tired puppy for your Friday night! No booking necessary- turn up at anytime until 8pm. The only condition is a donation to I AM HOPE and that your puppy has had their first vaccination. If you don’t have a puppy or can’t make it , then you can still donate to the fundraiser using the link below : https://givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/gumboot-friday-puppy-exposure-fundraiser?utm_medium=qr&utm_source=qr Thank you @canine.nz for supplying the adorable Rou for the video 🧡 Music: Walk In The Park Musician: music by audionautix

Our Etiquette Course had their graduation tonight - and boy did they nail it 🔥 we have had a few pups have to swap from this course to our next one due to varying reasons - but this team sure have put a lot of work into their pups and it shows!! 👏 Tonight was about putting everything that was learnt over the 5 weeks into practice in “real life” scenarios ☺️ We can’t wait to see some of them back for our next Masterclass ✨✨ Music: Mumbai Musician: ASHUTOSH Site: https://ashutoshmusic.fanlink.to/mumbai

Hand targets are one of our favourite things to teach 😍 - great for engagement - great for recall - can train a duration to help with cooperative care - to get a puppy running with a sock in their mouth to come back instead of chasing after them - to get a puppy off the couch - to get a puppy out from underneath something Lots of different uses. I use hand targets as a way to gauge how comfortable Ralph is in an environment, if he struggles to do a hand target then he is more likely to struggle with basics like loose leash etc. Our next 5 week puppy class course starts tomorrow night 😍 we have 2 spaces left so message us now if you want to sign your puppy up! Or you can email us at [email protected]

A group of adolescent dogs , coexisting , at times showing their true teenage selves. What do we do when they show their true teenage selves? We redirect them. Keep them working with hand targets . Use treat scatters and treat throws. Use “place” to help create calm. Week 3 in our etiquette course and these pups and their humans are killing it 🔥 🔥

What’s better than a recall? A tandem recall! 🔥 Ralph and Thor nailed their recall today when I took them to Waiuku Forest for a hike. Ralph struggled ( and can still struggle) with his recall when another dog is around , so you bet I celebrate when his recall is this sharp even with another dog nearby 👏 hence the high pitched praise 🤣 Also , there were certainly moments when I was in a long line tangle too 🤣 two dogs is a different dynamic!

Ralph (my Swissie) and Thor ( one of our Pupsense students) had a play date today. I recorded their play so that I could watch it back and learn from it. However , watching it back , I noticed how clear their body language cues were that I thought I would share some of the ones I picked up on. These are some of the signs of what we would call “good” play. I am still and always will be learning about dog to dog interactions , it’s fascinating to watch dogs interacting with each other. Enjoy ☺️ Livia

Training should be fun. It should feel good. Not only for the humans but for the dogs too. Our Etiquette Masterclass smashed todays class 👏 we set the group up in a circle with cones set up around in another bigger circle . We practiced recalling the pups all at the same time back into the circle from the cones. This involves pups to have the ability to keep their “down stay” and then run back to their humans even when there is another dog running near them at the same time in closer proximity. We practiced “chin rests” and getting duration with it. The emergency stop had “down” added in and instead of throwing the treat to the dog from a distance the pups had to keep that down while their humans walked to them to deliver the treat. Being the first Masterclass we have run , we have trialed a few things and are working out what everyone wants to work on - it’s been fun getting to experiment and pushing our creativity on exercises.

When a piece of rubbish is absolute life 🤣🥹🥹 Bodhi having a ton of fun cleaning up litter today 😁

Puppy Class - Exposure week

Exposure week is one of our favourite weeks! ☺️ so great to watch the humans getting the puppies used to different textures , surfaces , and obstacles while building the puppies confidence up. Our next Tuesday night puppy class is already filling up ( starting on September 13th) , so if you want to experience what a Pupsense Puppy Class course is about - sign up now by messaging us or emailing us at [email protected] . Music: King Of The Roads Musician: Philip E Morris

Ardie demonstrating the emergency “stop” - we taught it in our Masterclass last week and Ardie is already nailing it! 🙌 Does your pup know the emergency stop? Such an important behaviour to train , you never know when you might need your pup to stop and drop at a distance , as we progress we will be pairing the “down” with the emergency stop. Well done team Ardie 👏👏

Practicing down stays and “middle” while one by one they practiced “heeling” next to the fence in Etiquette Masterclass. We are really excited to see where this class goes! They nailed every single thing we did today! 🙌 And most of all , everyone had a ton of fun which is exactly what we want training too be about for the humans and the pups.

Today was the final of our free Etiquette Masterclass prep sessions ( we ran 4 ). These were for all of our previous etiquette course attendees to come along to so that they can practice the behaviours which are the entry requirements for our Masterclass. Next week our first ever Etiquette Masterclass starts and boy are we excited 😍 The classes will be held around different locations , developing on everything our students have learnt so far.

Remember , not everyone likes dogs , some people are petrified of them. It’s up to us , to ensure our dogs have a good enough recall that we can call them back before they have a chance to run up to people we don’t know. If the people are wanting the interaction , then great , but please don’t just assume they do.