23/09/2024
This is just too good, not to post it again and again.
Thanks ABC Dogs NZ for your except education.
K9Luva Training and High Needs Home Stays
- Home
- New Zealand
- Whangarei
- K9Luva Training and High Needs Home Stays
Professional Dog Trainer with extensive experience training dogs with behaviour and/or psychological challenges.
(5)
Provides Home Stays for difficult/High Needs canines on a one to one level. Training is tailored to your dogs individual needs.
23/09/2024
MONSTER GARAGE & ESTATE SALE - SAVE THE DATE (so big I hired a hall!)
NOVEMBER 24TH 10am TO 3pm (no early birds please)
Maungakarmea Community Hall
ALL items either Brand new or in good usable condition.
Items include;
- Antiques (100+ years)
- Small & large animal husbandry items
- Fencing and lifestyle block accessories
- Furniture
- Home & living
- Personal care
- Womens clothes (sizes S-M)
- Outdoor/garden/tools
- Repair & renovation items
and of course - LOTS of dog gear!
Pricing $1-$1000
Raising funds to upgrade my dog training & rehabilitation facility.
Cash or EFTPOS only
20/09/2024
Here Boss has got the total hang of using his weight distribution and paw placement nailed!
20/09/2024
Here we have it - Ramp training complete!
Pretty impressive, considering a few days ago Boss would not use it to go into ute.
A clear training program, with increasing the steps and confidence.
I so love working with dogs that have learnt to trust, make decisions willingly and happily.
I think it's pretty clear that Boss feels very proud of himself - just as I am of him!
20/09/2024
Here is Boss and Lisa doing his 3rd ramp training session, this time into the ute with less steep incline.
This is to allow Boss to develop confidence in his placement of his paws and to learn to use his back legs to push rather than jump. Less impact on his old joints than jumping in and out.
Training should be fun, rewarding and confidence boosting for handler and dog equally.
19/09/2024
Here's a little reel from another dog training page. it's funny but oh, so true!
18/09/2024
I want to share with you this very beautiful gift I just received in Memory of Grayson.
Needless to say, tears did flow!
I think it is one of most beautiful things I have seen and I look forward to finding a special place to hear the wind chimes in his memory.
Thank you so very much Chevaun, Enzo and Coco for your kindness.
17/09/2024
Ramp training with Boss.
All of my clients will know Boss. He has been with me over a year now and has come such a long way. Loves interaction (not so keen on the blokes though), LOVES his toy teddy and hanging out in the car. Unfortunately, he has a badly damaged front leg and now his back legs are getting a bit weaker. I really don't want him jumping in and out of the ute, so today we started his ramp training. As most clients cancelled due to the weather, we did 2 short sessions between downpours and this is his 3rd session. It will be quite steep to get into the ute, and it will wobble a little, so I start on the ground getting him used to the feel of the ramp, and then slowly increase the elevation.
12/09/2024
In case you are wondering - Bruno is learning too!
Many of you will know the story of Bruno, and have seen him from the upstairs window - Bruno has suffered some serious abuse in the past (recent xrays show multiple old broken bones) and he was EXTREMELY fear aggressive. 3 years or so later, he still has quite a small world as his anxiety limits his ability to cope well with change, including meeting new people.
However, he is now showing a real willingness and enjoys learning (although he has his own special style) and patience is very important with Bruno.
Just towards the end of this session, a boy racer went up the road, which usually sets him off - but not tonight! So proud of him. Every small step forward is a giant step for dogs like Bruno.
11/09/2024
And here is Mayhew having his turn.
First thing he had to learn to do, was not paw it!
11/09/2024
Sustained Target Focus.
A few of my clients are now starting to teach their dogs how to maintain a sustained focus on a target.
Just so you know, that I am at times teaching and practicing the same skills with my crazy bunch 🤣, here are a couple of videos of Mere and Mayhew practicing this skill. It will be a nice visual reference as to how to start this process. As you watch the video progress you can see how the dogs start to make a strong connection to the desired behaviour very quickly.
First up is Mere.
09/09/2024
Just re-posting this video of Blesk learning station/settle traiing for those new clients just starting this training.
09/09/2024
Positive Crate Conditioning.
Kind thanks to Hannah from ThinkDog for allowing this share.
Lots of my clients are currently doing positive crate conditioning so here is a lovely video from Hannah showing a gentle and kind way to teach good feelings about being crated.
If you are just starting - start with the lure process first then reward for the dogs decision to go in, and give lots of 'release' so the dog becomes much keener to enter than leave.
07/09/2024
Marlo.
Building trust takes time and patience. Especially with breeds that are designed to be more 'suspicious'.
Marlo has been coming to see me on and off so sometime and our relationship has taken time to develop into a trustful relationship.
While we have been able to hang out and be around each other, Marlo has taken time to decide to offer me genuine 'friendship'.
Today Marlo decided I was pretty OK and was offering me interactions.
Love my job!
As you know, rehabilitation takes time, compassion and understanding, but the rewards speak for themselves.
28/08/2024
I just wanted to jump on for a quick post to thank you all for your wonderful, heartfelt and sincere messages, texts, flowers and care packages.
I have been over whelmed with the support I have received since the loss of my beautiful Grayson. I can honestly say, that it is helping my heart to heal knowing that I am now surrounded by people who love, respect and mourn their beloved dogs as much as I do.
Mayhew, Mere and Bruno are taking it quite hard as he was their 'leader/elder' and a couple have not experienced losing their canine friend before, so we are just taking it one day at a time together.
If I haven't contacted you, then your scheduled training sessions are going ahead.
Love and blessings to you all, and your dogs!
25/08/2024
Today I will say goodbye (for now, until we meet again) with my precious Grayson.
Nearly 15 years since you came to me as a 4 week old abandoned puppy.
Thank you Grayson for teaching me how to learn to understand dogs and help them be the best they can be.
The last 3 years Grayson has endured significant health problems and has received the best expert veterinary care, for which I am eternally grateful.
Today he told ne he is tired and ready to join all my other beloved dogs over the rainbow bridge.
Thank you so much to all my friends/clients who have been so understanding on the bad days with him and the late notice cancelations of their lessons etc.
I am totally devastated, but must do the final act of love and kindness for Grayson, who has taught me so much.
I may be out of communication for a little while.....
21/08/2024
I had such fun with Drax yesterday - we tried jumping. Well, I supervised the jumping 😂
Took him a little while to get the hang of it, but pretty impressive for his first go!
17/08/2024
Drax - done running, now balance work
17/08/2024
RUN!
Sunny's turn (and Stella has to get involved of course!)
17/08/2024
RUN!
Charley burning energy and loving it!
17/08/2024
With the weather being so unpredictable this weekend, the boarding dogs are enjoying their time out between downpours.
Have got all regulars this weekend - Sunny & Stella, Drax and Charley and new Blesk is having his first weekend here (and doing awesome.
13/08/2024
I am so excited (as I always am!) to share this video of little Toshi.
Toshi has struggled with anxiety and some serious fear aggression issues.
His owners didn't quite realise what they had got when they rescued him from a previous life. All credit to them, they have perserved and remained committed to helping Toshi enjoy his world.
Today was the first time we attempted platform work, and Toshi really enjoyed the challenge - even when the platform moved.
So very proud of this little man!
11/08/2024
Here's Blesk again practicing station work at his home.
He won't get off for treats that land on the ground or when his owner calls her other dog and treats him around Blesk.
The goal is that Blesk will be able to 'station' while he is at competitions and not in work.
11/08/2024
Here's Blesk again.
At last week's session we started his 'station' training - the ability to stay on a platform while there are distractions etc.
This session, we tried it outdoors with increased distractions - especially dogs, as Blesk doesn't really know how to feel around other dogs just yet, so it is helpful if he really doesn't care about other dogs at this stage.
I am always so inspired by seeing the change in dogs and their eagerness to learn (and quickly) when we understand better how they learn and what impacts the learning ability.
Wait until you see the updated video of this exercise at his home - amazing!
02/08/2024
Please adopt Riff - you won't get a puppy who has had a better start to life!
02/08/2024
Introducing Blesk.
This young puppy with froma strong working line, and he had just started to feel a little overwhelmed in the big world. His first session last week he was quite barking and unsure with the dog noise on site, and not very connected with his new owner.
After 1 week of good foundation work at home, this is Blesk earlier this week.
Here we are capturing anytime Blesk 'chooses' his owner, mark the behaviour verbally and reinforce it with treats.
It's so exciting to see how quickly some dogs just love to learn, once you understandd how they learn.
Won't be long before this duo are experiencing the agility world environment.
02/08/2024
Nail trimming with Mayhew
Nail trimming is often extremely difficult and if you get it wrong and accidently cut the quick, you usually won't get another chance. Dogs who struggle and hate it, make it a stressful experience for all! I know - in the past I did force my dogs to have their nails done and it never went well. As I evolved in my knowledge I now focus on co-operative care with my dogs. They know what is going to happen and accept it.
Mayhew took a little while to say he was ready so I just waited for him to 'consent'. The first few times I just reminded him how I would hold his paw then when he stopped withdrawing, that is my cue to start.
Apolgies for the initial background noise (I forgot to mute the TV! and of course, Grayson is objecting to not being the centre of attention LOL)
31/07/2024
We haven't seen a lot of Duke, so here is an update.
Duke is highly reactive to most stimuli, finds it very difficult to relax and be a dog, and food is not a high motivator for him.
Turns out tug is his thing. This ticks a lot of his genetic needs, while understanding it is restricted to only a couple of specific 'tools'. Very quickly Duke realised how to hold it, how to grab it and to help him stay connected to his handler.
Watch what happens as the tanker goes past - this has not been possible for Duke previously.
Training is NOT a race, especially when emotions and unhelpful learned behaviours need to change, but the awards are definitely worth it.
30/07/2024
Huntaways are great pets!
30/07/2024
Introducing Evie (back) and Bonnie (front) - seriously, how cute are they!
Evie is just a young puppy and Bonnie is around 18 months old.
Evie was not listening very well to her owner and was becoming a little 'nervy'. Bonnie barked and pulled on the lead. Both dogs were co-dependent when together and unable to be easily distracted from each other.
These are normal young dog behaviours, once you understand why they do it, re-training out of this behaviour is much easier and more resilient.
They have had a few sessions and making great strides - and they love learning!
Address
Maungakaramea
Whangarei
Opening Hours
| Monday | 7:30am - 7pm |
| Tuesday | 7:30am - 7pm |
| Wednesday | 7:30am - 7pm |
| Thursday | 7:30am - 7pm |
| Friday | 7:30am - 7pm |
| Saturday | 7am - 7pm |
| Sunday | 7:30am - 7pm |
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Videos
Boss on Ramp
Here Boss has got the total hang of using his weight distribution and paw placement nailed!
Ramp training - final result
Here we have it - Ramp training complete! Pretty impressive, considering a few days ago Boss would not use it to go into ute. A clear training program, with increasing the steps and confidence. I so love working with dogs that have learnt to trust, make decisions willingly and happily. I think it's pretty clear that Boss feels very proud of himself - just as I am of him!
Ramp training with Boss
Here is Boss and Lisa doing his 3rd ramp training session, this time into the ute with less steep incline. This is to allow Boss to develop confidence in his placement of his paws and to learn to use his back legs to push rather than jump. Less impact on his old joints than jumping in and out. Training should be fun, rewarding and confidence boosting for handler and dog equally.
Ramp training with Boss
Ramp training with Boss. All of my clients will know Boss. He has been with me over a year now and has come such a long way. Loves interaction (not so keen on the blokes though), LOVES his toy teddy and hanging out in the car. Unfortunately, he has a badly damaged front leg and now his back legs are getting a bit weaker. I really don't want him jumping in and out of the ute, so today we started his ramp training. As most clients cancelled due to the weather, we did 2 short sessions between downpours and this is his 3rd session. It will be quite steep to get into the ute, and it will wobble a little, so I start on the ground getting him used to the feel of the ramp, and then slowly increase the elevation.
target focus training
In case you are wondering - Bruno is learning too! Many of you will know the story of Bruno, and have seen him from the upstairs window - Bruno has suffered some serious abuse in the past (recent xrays show multiple old broken bones) and he was EXTREMELY fear aggressive. 3 years or so later, he still has quite a small world as his anxiety limits his ability to cope well with change, including meeting new people. However, he is now showing a real willingness and enjoys learning (although he has his own special style) and patience is very important with Bruno. Just towards the end of this session, a boy racer went up the road, which usually sets him off - but not tonight! So proud of him. Every small step forward is a giant step for dogs like Bruno.
Sustained target focus training
And here is Mayhew having his turn. First thing he had to learn to do, was not paw it!
target focus
Sustained Target Focus. A few of my clients are now starting to teach their dogs how to maintain a sustained focus on a target. Just so you know, that I am at times teaching and practicing the same skills with my crazy bunch 🤣, here are a couple of videos of Mere and Mayhew practicing this skill. It will be a nice visual reference as to how to start this process. As you watch the video progress you can see how the dogs start to make a strong connection to the desired behaviour very quickly. First up is Mere.
station/settle
Just re-posting this video of Blesk learning station/settle traiing for those new clients just starting this training.
Positive Crate Conditioning
Positive Crate Conditioning. Kind thanks to Hannah from ThinkDog for allowing this share. Lots of my clients are currently doing positive crate conditioning so here is a lovely video from Hannah showing a gentle and kind way to teach good feelings about being crated. If you are just starting - start with the lure process first then reward for the dogs decision to go in, and give lots of 'release' so the dog becomes much keener to enter than leave.
Drax agility
I had such fun with Drax yesterday - we tried jumping. Well, I supervised the jumping 😂 Took him a little while to get the hang of it, but pretty impressive for his first go!
Drax
Drax - done running, now balance work
Sunny - RUN
RUN! Sunny's turn (and Stella has to get involved of course!)
RUN!
RUN! Charley burning energy and loving it!
Toshi - moving platform work
I am so excited (as I always am!) to share this video of little Toshi. Toshi has struggled with anxiety and some serious fear aggression issues. His owners didn't quite realise what they had got when they rescued him from a previous life. All credit to them, they have perserved and remained committed to helping Toshi enjoy his world. Today was the first time we attempted platform work, and Toshi really enjoyed the challenge - even when the platform moved. So very proud of this little man!
Blesk station at home
Here's Blesk again practicing station work at his home. He won't get off for treats that land on the ground or when his owner calls her other dog and treats him around Blesk. The goal is that Blesk will be able to 'station' while he is at competitions and not in work.
Blesk - station training
Here's Blesk again. At last week's session we started his 'station' training - the ability to stay on a platform while there are distractions etc. This session, we tried it outdoors with increased distractions - especially dogs, as Blesk doesn't really know how to feel around other dogs just yet, so it is helpful if he really doesn't care about other dogs at this stage. I am always so inspired by seeing the change in dogs and their eagerness to learn (and quickly) when we understand better how they learn and what impacts the learning ability. Wait until you see the updated video of this exercise at his home - amazing!
Blesk - capturing choice
Introducing Blesk. This young puppy with froma strong working line, and he had just started to feel a little overwhelmed in the big world. His first session last week he was quite barking and unsure with the dog noise on site, and not very connected with his new owner. After 1 week of good foundation work at home, this is Blesk earlier this week. Here we are capturing anytime Blesk 'chooses' his owner, mark the behaviour verbally and reinforce it with treats. It's so exciting to see how quickly some dogs just love to learn, once you understandd how they learn. Won't be long before this duo are experiencing the agility world environment.
mayhew - nail trimming
Nail trimming with Mayhew Nail trimming is often extremely difficult and if you get it wrong and accidently cut the quick, you usually won't get another chance. Dogs who struggle and hate it, make it a stressful experience for all! I know - in the past I did force my dogs to have their nails done and it never went well. As I evolved in my knowledge I now focus on co-operative care with my dogs. They know what is going to happen and accept it. Mayhew took a little while to say he was ready so I just waited for him to 'consent'. The first few times I just reminded him how I would hold his paw then when he stopped withdrawing, that is my cue to start. Apolgies for the initial background noise (I forgot to mute the TV! and of course, Grayson is objecting to not being the centre of attention LOL)
Duke play as a reward
We haven't seen a lot of Duke, so here is an update. Duke is highly reactive to most stimuli, finds it very difficult to relax and be a dog, and food is not a high motivator for him. Turns out tug is his thing. This ticks a lot of his genetic needs, while understanding it is restricted to only a couple of specific 'tools'. Very quickly Duke realised how to hold it, how to grab it and to help him stay connected to his handler. Watch what happens as the tanker goes past - this has not been possible for Duke previously. Training is NOT a race, especially when emotions and unhelpful learned behaviours need to change, but the awards are definitely worth it.
Sensory Area
Welcome to.............. The New Sensory Area. This is mostly for the many nervous and low in confidence dogs I see and work with, but each dog that has been in it over the last few days has found it interesting. Even Boss is keen to have a good old sniff around. If anyone has a solar garden fountain they no longer want, I'd love to add that in here 😉😍
