Positive reinforcement based training to build happy relationships between animals & their guardians
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Beautiful beardie x Eevee is a member of the big feelings club, where sometimes the training wins look a little different than for dogs who aren't usually anxious. Being able to chill in the front yard and pause to take this picture were big wins for her 😍
Adventures with the best boy Ranger - I had the privilege of looking after this special munchkin a few months ago and it was such a joy to be able to go back out on all of our old favourite walks, though at a much slower pace than we once did. It had been over a year since I had seen him last and the pure, uncontained excitement when he spotted me arriving was so heart melting.
Ranger was one of the first few dog reactive dogs I worked with and one of the OG Bella's Buddies - we had trainer only adventure and training walks a few times a week for several years before I moved down to Cambridge and loved exploring the local on leash spots - on leash doesn't mean less adventure after all!
With all of my regular trainer only dogs, I pour so much time and energy in to our work together it's inevitable I get a bit attached, which is why I feel so lucky when I get given the opportunity to visit my Auckland dogs - even though they're not regulars anymore I still miss my Auckland buddies!
I hear often from guardians that they feel like they're doing everything wrong. And I get that, for sure! If you're really struggling with some of the behaviours you're seeing in your animal it can be hard to feel like you're getting anything right.
I promise you though, for all the times people have told me they feel this way, I have not once met a single pet guardian that is doing EVERYTHING wrong. In fact, most people are doing plenty right! Often you've even got the right idea and just need to add or tweak a few things here and there for everything to fall in to place.
Even when there is lots going on and we need to change quite a few things - you're still not doing it all wrong! It's okay to be doing the best you can with what you have available right now. You can't know what you don't know yet.
Chances are that no matter what, you've still got at least two things spectacularly right - you love and care about your animal and you're learning so you can make the changes that you need to.
Nobody could ask for more than that 🐾
Branch Manager Chloe, at your service 🐶
Handsome giant Archie has had a bit of a break from sessions over the wetter months (who am I kidding, all of the months have been wet this past year 🙈) but is excited to be back to work on some fun new stuff! Look at that face, butter wouldn't melt! 🐶
The idea that our animals owe us nothing can be a tricky one to sit with.
I once had weekly lessons with a coach that would tell me time and time again that 'your horse gets 23 hours a day in the paddock with all his bills paid, he bloody well OWES you an hour of good work when you ride'.
Realistically - we choose to bring animals in to our lives. It isn't compulsory. We choose where they live, what they eat, how much they can move, where their outings are, what enrichment they get.
Even when we aren't interacting with them directly, we are still controlling so many aspects of their lives. Then we tell them that they have to go and do things they would rarely if ever choose to to on their own - walk on a lead, sit, not sniff on walks, get in a metal box on wheels that moves, jump silly painted sticks in a funny sand square, all sorts. Why? What's in it for them? Are we paying them for their efforts or do we think that providing the basics is enough? Do they get to opt in or do we decide for them?
When you really start to unpack it, do they owe us behaviours or is it us that owes them ours?
Ellie the pony was the best girl for her co-operative care session the other day! 🐴
She has to have medication via injections each month and unfortunately had an iffy experience last time around and wouldn't let anyone come close to her neck anymore.
Teaching her how to be an active participant in her own care through a start button behaviour and spending time desensitizing to as many parts of the process as we can in advance will help make things nice and predictable for her so she is better equipped to cope on real injection days.
*syringe pictured is EMPTY with no needle*
This is something I needed to hear so much more often than I did when I was a newbie. I was privileged to start training dogs force free, but I had a long history of more traditional training with horses before crossing over.
I remember right from the very beginning, being consistently shamed by coaches and other authority figures for being too soft, too kind, letting my animals 'get away' with 'bad' behaviours, not 'correcting' them, not pushing them to work hard enough or 'respect' me... if I had a dollar for each similar comment I've heard in my time with both dogs and horses, I'd be able to buy a house in Auckland.
It was such a relief to learn later on that that's not how any of it works and wanting to be gentle with my animals and being patient and respectful of where they were at wasn't turning them in to poorly behaved monsters, my issues came from me confusing the heck out of them with my inconsistency and lack of understanding how they learned. A few quick tweaks and life was much easier and less confusing for everyone!
I still hear similar comments all the time about horses and dogs alike - that training issues come from being too soft and lack of 'respect'. I know there are people out there who feel exactly like I did early in my training journey.
So here's your permission to bring all your kindness and softness to your training with your dog, horse, cat, or whichever species you choose. Just remember to learn and then bring your consistency, too.
I'm back Auckland Buddies! Well, for the week anyways.
I'll have space for a bit of training and walking in the Central/Eastern Bays areas and pet feeding in Glendowie/St Heliers.
DM for booking information!
Whether we're talking about our dog 🐶 or our horse 🐴, the language that we use to do so is important! It shapes our perception of our animals and influences our expectations and the way we train them.
Remember that meme from a wee while back that goes along the line of if you invite someone to your cottage in the forest it sounds nice and cozy but if you're inviting them to a cabin in the woods it suddenly sounds far more sinister. Same, same! Just subtle shifts in language can have quite a pronounced effect.
Go have a swipe and check out a couple of easy language swaps to start you off!
If we want our animals to behave in a particular way, it is our responsibility as guardians to make sure the environments we put them in facilitate the performance of said behaviour.
This will be fluid too - the ideal environment will change depending on where your animal is at with their training, how they are feeling, whether you're working to teach a new behaviour, modify an existing unwanted one or desensitize triggers.
Managing the environment and learning what is appropriate for yourself and your animal's current needs is one of the most important skills we need in order to set our learners up for success, but it can take some practice with your trainer to get the hang of.
Double Trouble! 🐶🐶
Or quadruple trouble most of the time, these two little cuties (my nephews, you best believe that Treat Lady Aunty is their favourite Aunty!) keep their humans on their toes! Two puppies of similar age is never an ideal choice but sometimes things happen and next thing you know you've brought home a pair.
If you've somehow found yourself with two pups close in age, here are a couple things I want you to keep in mind....
- They are individuals! No matter how similar, don't forget that each puppy is an individual and will have different needs and progress at different rates. One might nail toilet training in a few days and the other might take weeks, one might be a straight A student at puppy school and one might be the class clown. All totally normal but it can be extra challenging if their differences mean their needs are conflicting sometimes.
- Teach them to cope with doing things separately. They should each have separate training sessions, separate socialization outings and be comfortable being separated from each other this doesn't mean EVERYTHING needs to be done apart from one another but it should be possible without causing them distress. Sometimes this is easier said than done so get a trainer on board if you're struggling.
- It's okay to need help! One puppy is a lot, two puppies will make you question your sanity on the regular. Don't be afraid to rope in trusted friends, family or professionals to help you care for them and give you a well deserved break from one or both every now and then - it takes a village!
Sorry Bramble, your nickname isn't 'Tiny Hippo' for no reason, your body is just super calorie efficient 🙈
One of the things I've been loving most at the horses' new grazing is having enough poles for a reverse round pen! Especially for horses like this little dude who is not very peopley and can get overwhelmed and panicky quite quickly in a more traditional set up with a regular round pen or long line, it is a great way for him to get his steps in but also allow him to say no or wander off to take a break when he needs to.
If Chief's squishy cheeks don't melt your heart then I'm not sure what will! 🐶
(Full disclosure, he belongs to a friend so I may be ✨️slightly✨️ biased as his aunt)
This handsome little dude and his brother recently found their way to their new family after being in a less than ideal situation. They're now getting everything they need to be happy, healthy lads as they grow.
Two puppies is always a huge challenge, I always say having one puppy is one puppy but two puppies is at least 8 puppies 😂 Luckily these guys got to meet with me very early on so their family are prepared for all the things having littermates entails.
I'm so excited to share that Equine lessons are officially available to book 🐎
Whether you're after a 1:1 lesson to work on a specific challenge you're having with your horse or you've got a group that want to give something new a go, I've got you covered!
I am most passionate about teaching co-operative care, floating, leading, trick training and foundations for backing, though I do love teaching in other areas, including ridden lessons too.
Teaching using positive reinforcement based methods, I am all about building relaxed, happy relationships between horses and their humans.
Keep your eyes peeled for more horse content in the future and reach out if you'd like to book a lesson with your horse.
Cambridge based, Auckland dates and travel to other areas available by arrangement.
The end of an era 🧡
Never one to do things on anyone's terms but his own, Solly was unexpectedly found peacefully passed in his paddock last week.
Many of you who have worked with me over the last year have heard all about Solly and his antics re-learning how to float to move down to Cambridge with me and the rest of the herd, which he finally got to do in January.
In his 29 years 3 months of life, we spent 14 years and 8 months to the day of it together. More than half of both of our lives. It was a privilege and a joy to get to be his forever human.
I am grateful that he lived such a full and happy life loved by so many and that he remained happy, healthy and full of his wonderfully chaotic orange personality to the end.
He will be leaving a very large, very permanent, orange pony shaped hole in my heart.
I don't know about you, but those puppy forehead wrinkles melt my heart every time 😍
Baby Tazz did awesome learning to be the goodest girl with her family 🐾
Archie has recently joined me as a regular buddy and isn't he handsome 😍
St Bernards are such goofy, gentle giants and he is no exception. So much fun working with him and he's already picking new skills up, I can't wait to keep building on them as we get to know each other better.
That's a wrap for 2022! It's been a challenging year and I think most of us are glad to see the back of it! As always, I'm so grateful to all the animals and guardians I have had the privilege of working with this year, I know it has been a bit hectic at times with my traveling back and forth and I really appreciate everyone that has been patient throughout. I'm looking forward to meeting a whole bunch of new buddies in Cambridge next year.
Zoe 🐾
I hope everyone is staying cool in this melting hot weather and enjoying their weird week in limbo between Christmas and the New Year ☀️
Big Bella and I are enjoying a lovely, quiet break hanging out in her pool together before resuming training in 2023!
Muzzled dogs are good dogs.
Muzzled dogs are loved dogs.
Muzzled dogs are worthy dogs.
Muzzled dogs can be happy dogs.
Muzzled dogs are not always muzzled due to aggression or reactivity (but some are, and that's totally okay too!)
Muzzled dogs are deserving of peaceful time to live their best lives in appropriate public spaces.
Muzzled dogs and their guardians are doing their very best to keep themselves and others in their environment as safe as they can with the knowledge and skills they currently possess, exactly the same as dogs and guardians without muzzles are.
Seeing muzzled dogs in well fitted gear out and about with their humans makes my heart sing, I am so, so passionate about muzzle training for ALL dogs as it is such a valuable skill and it brings me so much joy to see it in practice.
Miss Bella is usually a lean, keen adventure queen and loves our big walks outdoors but a change of scenery is great enrichment 🏞
We love walking around the pet shop as there are so many smells to be smelled and distractions to proof our training with. Working that nose and brain hard!
How cute is Roany in all her pink gear 😍😍
Her people have been working hard on teaching her how to feel relaxed and comfortable with all this riding stuff so she and her little person can get out and about confidently and safely. Much like my own little pony, she's naturally inclined to be all about the doing and less about the being.
One of my favourite things about training with multiple species is noticing all the similarities when working with them. No matter the differences between learners you can successfully teach and alter behaviours using a fear free, positive reinforcement based approach.
4 whole years of Bella's Buddies 🥳
My Facebook memories jumped in to remind me that it's anniversary week. Wild to think that a little over 4 years ago I left my job to pursue dog training on my own with absolutely no idea how it would turn out.
This last year or so has definitely been a bit quiet on the social media front between the pandemic and personal commitments but I've still been here and as always it's been such a privilege working with all the pets and their guardians that I get to help.
Thank you to everyone who supports me, whether you're liking or commenting on posts, working with me in person or recommending me, you're all the reason I'm able to do what I love and especially with all of the challenges of running a small one person business throughout a pandemic, I appreciate every single one of you 🐾
Who said leashed walks were boring?! Just a couple of besties living their best lives out on the farm 🚜
Long lines are such an awesome way to give our dogs the freedom to run around and display normal dog behaviours with the peace of mind that they can't get into too much mischief or cause a dangerous situation if their ears tend to be a bit faulty when there are distractions afoot.
There is a little bit of skill required to use one without becoming an unwilling participant in a macrame piece so make sure to check in with your trainer for some tips and tricks and practice at home before you head out and about.
Kora's nailed the cute little puppy dog eyes 🐶
Moments like these are the perfect opportunity to offer our puppies feedback about their choices!
It's so easy to take behaviours we like for granted and miss the chance to build habits we like (like sitting quietly to ask for attention) and without realising we leave our puppies to figure out other ways to access the things they need (like jumping on people to ask for attention) that might not be so ideal.
Being proactive about letting your puppy know when they're getting it right on their own means you're more likely to end up with habits and behaviours that you like.
Instead of 'catching' them doing something you're not a fan of, 'catch' them doing stuff you like, no matter how small!
How often do you let your dog know when they're getting it right?
Learning how to do nothing is an important but often incredibly overlooked skill in animal training, we can get quite enthusiastic about teaching them how to DO things and forget to teach them how to BE. They don't have to be, and in fact shouldn't be, bouncing off the walls all the time looking for the next thing to interact with!
Being able to just exist in an environment and watch the world go by can be really challenging for some animals but is well worth investing time in, especially during the critical socialization period in our puppies, to set them up for a lifetime of safe, relaxed experiences out and about.
Little cairn terrier Bonnie is a tiny ball of pure enthusiasm and loves to say hi to everyone and everything in sight but it's not always appropriate or safe, she finds it challenging to just chill and watch the world go by but spending the time practicing now helps her to understand that chill and hanging out with her handler is the default, enabling her guardians to choose appropriate moments for interactions without Bonnie getting frustrated if they don't happen.
Talk about high level distraction 🐄 The mama cows at had some very loud opinions to share while we were there yesterday and Bella didn't miss a beat with her loose leash walking 😍 Such a tolerant little munchkin, we are so lucky to have such a great park that provides such a variety of training opportunities.
Look at that super cute long snoot 🐶
This incredibly handsome boy and his people have done a great job learning some strategies to help navigate his being an energetic teenager. He's got some new things to do with his training and enrichment activities to keep his brain busy and encourage the behaviours we want to happen more often.
Adolescence is often a tricky period for puppies and their guardians, especially when they seem to grow right before your eyes and they figure out how to do all sorts of fun (not always so fun for the human 🙈) things that they couldn't before!
You're definitely not alone and there's lots that can be done to help you and your puppy have an easier experience.
If you'd like to learn more about what you can do for your teenage pup, get in touch to book a 1:1 training session either in person or via Zoom 🐾
UPCOMING AVAILABILITY - Cambridge & Auckland
Hey Buddies!
I have just set my dates for the next wee bit and have spaces in both Auckland and Cambridge area, if you're looking to book in for puppy or dog training, walks or trainer only sessions then let's chat and get you booked in!
Look forward to hearing from you,
Zoe 🐾
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Sorry Bramble, your nickname isn't 'Tiny Hippo' for no reason, your body is just super calorie efficient 🙈 One of the things I've been loving most at the horses' new grazing is having enough poles for a reverse round pen! Especially for horses like this little dude who is not very peopley and can get overwhelmed and panicky quite quickly in a more traditional set up with a regular round pen or long line, it is a great way for him to get his steps in but also allow him to say no or wander off to take a break when he needs to. #forcefreetraining #forcefreehorsetraining #shetlandpony #partbredwelsh
That's a wrap for 2022! It's been a challenging year and I think most of us are glad to see the back of it! As always, I'm so grateful to all the animals and guardians I have had the privilege of working with this year, I know it has been a bit hectic at times with my traveling back and forth and I really appreciate everyone that has been patient throughout. I'm looking forward to meeting a whole bunch of new buddies in Cambridge next year. Zoe 🐾
Talk about high level distraction 🐄 The mama cows at @cornwallparknz had some very loud opinions to share while we were there yesterday and Bella didn't miss a beat with her loose leash walking 😍 Such a tolerant little munchkin, we are so lucky to have such a great park that provides such a variety of training opportunities.
Mission: Get as tangled as possible 🐾 Status: Achieved 🤦♀️ The tail end of a good few minutes of rolling in the long grass, some days it's hugely beneficial to your dog to throw out your plans of a beautiful structured walk/run and just let them take the wheel, it is their walk after all!! Today we planned to go for a jog up the mountain and a gentle walk back down but as you can see Veda was entirely on her own schedule today, sniffing and rolling her way to the top and jogging back down again. She had a much more fulfilling walk than if I'd pushed my plan on her and went home content and ready for a nap.
Clever little Minnie started learning a new trick when I stayed with her while her owners were on holiday the other week, this was our second 5 minute session working on it. This is definitely a cool trick to show off to your friends but it has some practical applications too!! In this specific instance I taught it to help with grooming the belly and underarm areas, while not at all practical in the grooming salon, at home it was proving to be much easier to see what I was doing when she chose to be upside down. 'Play dead' can also be a great incompatible behaviour in some circumstances too. *Minnie completed all her basic puppy training with me a few months ago and her family practice with her regularly, unfortunately I can make no promises that you will return from your holiday to a dog that has learned new tricks but I'm always willing to make a start and show you what progress we make.
If you had ever wondered what your cat might do with a puzzle toy, wonder no more! Rainy day enrichment the other day for my own kitten Koda (grey tabby) and brother’s cat Harley (the mini lion) This was their first attempt at this puzzle and as you can see, they like the treats but are a bit confused about what to do still. Harley’s preference is to supervise and sneak in and grab the easy treats! It was a great way to get them both thinking and also spend some nice relaxed playtime together, added enrichment bonus for the next dog that gets to use it, it now smells like cat!
8 week old Bono the schnoodle was loving his first attempt at an enrichment feeding activity during his first training session today - ditching the food bowl and feeding in alternative ways is such great mental exercise for dogs of every age and type. As you can see here it doesn’t have to be expensive or difficult, this egg carton provided plenty of entertainment for puppy and humans alike.
If you're heading away for the upcoming long weekends it's not too late to book your guinea pig or bunny in for a holiday of their own! Boarding spaces available for either BYO cage so your pet is in more familiar surroundings or rent one of mine. I have extensive experience with both guinea pigs and rabbits and their unique needs, so you can relax on holiday knowing they are in good hands. Pictured are Oats and Muesli, boarders, happily tucking in to a meal of dandelion.
I'm Zoe, your local puppy trainer and pet guru. I offer puppy training, rabbit & guinea pig boarding & grooming as well as a variety of other pet services. I have spent 10 years working in the pet industry, including 3 years of dog training, so have extensive experience with a variety of companion animals. I have a particular passion for training puppies fear free, creating confident and happy dogs. I also specialize in rabbits and guinea pigs, having a special interest in their unique needs and I have owned them since childhood. Check out my page to see what services I can offer you and if you don't see what you're after, send through a message and I'll do my best to help!
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