proactivecaninetraining images

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 do much for having us EIT! #proactivecaninetraining

BHIMA! This super smily boy is a 3 year old Border Collie and the best foster fail from the SPCA 😍 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 😂). We caught up with his new family to chat through training fundamentals and helping him become a confident, even happier boy! He isn’t 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)! #proactivecaninetraining

OPAL! I’m 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 🤩 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 she’s had a few situations where her ‘no thanks’ has been ignored, especially by young dogs who might not have the best social skills. It’s sadly very common after COVID and the cyclone here in NZ. A lot of young dogs missed out on some important social experiences and they’re 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 she’s not super interested in socialising with all the dogs she meets. And again, that’s FINE! Super normal in fact. I look forward to hearing updates on how she gets on! #proactivecaninetraining

KAHU! What an amazing day! I have been so worried about her 4 week vaccine booster since day one and never thought she’d cope with all of the environmental stimuli that the vet entails but she was AMAZING (she even showed off her ‘chin rest’ - 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 @vetservices_napier 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! #proactivecaninetraining

MĀ PANGO! How cool are his markings? This gorgeous boy is a 6 month old French Bulldog who’s 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 ‘world’ small and investing in some good cleaning products - a dog’s sense of smell is much keener than ours! As he’s 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 😂🫣 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! #proactivecaninetraining

ICE! This gorgeous Rottweiler is 2.5 years old and he is so puppy-like 😂 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 we’ll 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 ‘happy tongue’ at the end of our session. Cant wait to hear how he goes with his plan! #proactivecaninetraining

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 ‘Find It Game’ 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 when she’s ignoring the goats while ‘parading’ 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! #proactivecaninetraining

YODI! We had a great session today with Otis in the gorgeous Autumn sunshine ☀️🍁 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. #proactivecaninetraining

PRE-TEENS! I forgot to put my ‘live’ setting on for photos so enjoy these little portraits of the cute pups who completed their ‘Safety Week’ 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 ‘Chin Rest’ for help with handling in husbandry and vet visits, teaching ‘Drop It’ using the ‘Live Toy / Dead Toy’ game then ‘Leave It’ with toys and treats as well - it has to be a highly rewarding behaviour! On the way out we also practiced ‘Wait’ at the gate which proved to be a bit tricky as many of them wanted to stay for more fun times 😂 I can’t wait to see them again this weekend for their graduation! #proactivecaninetraining

ARLO! This gorgeous boy is a 16 month old Cavoodle who has some big feelings about other dogs. He was awesome with the ‘Engage - Disengage Method’ with my two dogs and he even had a super fun run around with Otis - thanks Arlo! It looks like it’s mostly frustration so we worked on some ways to help reduce that frustration. That included a ‘nosework’ 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! Can’t wait to hear how he goes! #proactivecaninetraining

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 🚽 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 🚽😉 We shall see! #proactivecaninetraining

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 (link in my bio) 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! #thecutestlilrescuegirl

YODI! We had an awesome start to the week on a beautiful Hawke’s Bay Autumn day 😍 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 Yodi’s biggest challenge today! It’s 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 😬😂 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 😂). Awesome work little man! #proactivecaninetraining

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! Can’t wait to see how they progress! #proactivecaninetraining

JESSICA BIEL (aka Jess Bess)! You know the session was a good one when it ends up with this look 🥹❤️ 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 goat’s pen today, I think they’re going to make some good progress and I’m really looking forward to helping them on their training journey. Especially more cheeky, happy grins like this 😂 #proactivecaninetraining

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 😂) 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 Mum’s have put into his training. I’m 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 he’ll be a force to be reckoned with! #proactivecaninetraining

GEORGE & RAFFY! This handsome pair are 7 month old Frenchie brothers and we had so much fun training together with their parents! In typical adolescent style, their recall has gone out the window recently – especially around distractions. We caught up here at Proactive Canine Training HQ where I could give them some freedom to run around off lead and see how they coped with distractions like birds, other people, our goats (and their poop!) as well as lots of new sniffs! Everything was exciting for them but they are definitely the sniffiest Frenchies I’ve ever met – it was awesome to watch! We covered some of the usual recall games to help build up responsiveness to their names, then we tried out the Flirt Pole and that was an instant winner! Flirt Pole recall is also now in the plan – they loved it! We finished up with a game to gain some increased focus and engagement by becoming part of their ‘sniffy world’ – the ‘Find It’ game! They are both great little searchers and it also adds in a fun way to build up confidence and independence from one another, as well as impulse control and both parents can easily do it with them. It was a huge session but their big smiles at the end said they’d had a great time. Can’t wait to hear how the get on! #proactivecaninetraining

XENA! It was so fun catching up with this beautiful girl again. I first met her virtually during lockdown when she was a puppy. She is now a 3 year old Blue Heeler X Whippet and I think she has the best of both breeds! We caught up today to work on a few things before she makes the big move to Australia. She’s not a huge foodie so I busted out all my favourite toys for her and they were a huge hit! We are going to use these to help build up her recall, especially around other dogs, and also help her to learn that she can just move away with her Mum if she feels like she needs space or doesn’t want to meet other dogs. We even threw in some fun nosework to help with both goals too. She is a VERY good searcher 🤩 I think this big smile says it all - she had a great time! I secretly hope I get to see her again before she moves to Australia but I also think her Mum has done a great job and has lots of fun things to work with to help them progress. Watch out Aussie - Xena is winging her way to you soon! ❤️ #proactivecaninetraining

MICK & LIZZIE (maybe 😂)! How divine are these two cuties? These 7 month old siblings have only just landed in their new home - one week today! They are settling in amazingly well and I was so impressed at how happy they were to engage with me. They adored the enrichment toys and it was great to see their two different personalities shine through as they worked on them. We are going to focus on helping them to decompress first and process any stress from this big change in their lives, then helping their family to learn about their body language and help facilitate plenty of positive socialisation experiences for them so they can learn that the big, wide world is something to be excited and optimistic about. I absolutely loved meeting them and can’t wait to see how they progress - those sweet little faces are sure to be breaking hearts all over Hawkes Bay in the coming months! #proactivecaninetraining

YODI! Just celebrating this gorgeous boy and all the amazing progress he has made and continues to make 👏🏼❤️ He is the best little dude and I’m so grateful to be part of his journey. #proactivecaninetraining

YODI! We have had such a fun week this week in the sunshine and even more exciting, he’s coming for a sleepover on the weekend 😍👏🏼 We have been doing a lot of prep for it including plenty of group walks with my two, learning to play and chill together (even just ignore each other!) plus coming to visit at my house and meet (yell at) the goats! Yesterday we just had some 1:1 time at Keirunga Gardens as it’s going to be a busy few days coming up. He posed like a champ including a photo of his new trick ‘wave’ which looks more like ‘kiss the hand’ 😂. The last pic was a failed attempt at this golden boy in a golden beam of sunlight but I still love it. Bring on #yoditakeover2024 this weekend! #proactivecaninetraining

ACE! This gorgeous boy is a 7 month old Coltriever (Border Collie x Golden Retriever) and we had such a fun session yesterday. He’s just landed in an awesome new home and while he’s settling in his family want to make sure they’re doing everything they can to help him feel as happy and calm in his new world as they can. He is a little bit worried about some new environments, sounds and people which is understandable given it’s all very new to him. He responded so beautifully to the ‘Treat and Retreat’ approach when I arrived which basically involves me throwing treats back over behind him from a comfortable distance for him, so he can safely move away - plus good stuff happens every time! He was smiling in no time and happy to raid my enrichment toy bag as soon as we got inside. We talked through lots of ways for him to feel calmer including some basic scentwork in the form of the ‘Find It Game’! He did a great job with his fave toy at home and the goal is to be able to take it on the road with time - literally - to help him in new locations by giving him something known and rewarding that he can focus on. I can’t wait to see how our plan goes and look forward to catching up again to continue to his positive progress #proactivecaninetraining

BONNIE! This smiling beauty is a 15 week old Rottweiler and she was such a treat to hang out with yesterday. She had a blast with the enrichment toys and she was so good at learning her marker word plus the focus games that I added one more - a chin rest! I love this behaviour for many reasons, especially for a large breed dog growing up with small children and 3 cats! I find dogs will often take to using a chin rest as a way to say please or ask for attention, so with small humans and little furry animals in the family it is a much safer alternative to using big furry paws or barking etc Plus it’s super cute! We also talked about helping her learn to be calm when crazy kittens are running around - that’s a challenging one for sure! She loves learning and she’s very bright plus she has an awesome family who’s already doing lots of great things with her. I think there’s a bright future ahead for this gorgeous girl! #proactivecaninetraining

PHYSIO DOGS! I’ve been hopeless at taking photos of my lovely dog training sessions this week (crazy busy, very hot!) so please enjoy pics from today’s physio session with the amazing Sarah at Animal Physio. Sorry for shedding on everything and thank you for making both of my pups feel happy and safe Sarah! #proactivecaninetraining #somanytreats

STORM & OTIS! We had a huge weekend in Wellington with 3 days of travelling and scentwork trials - I am SO proud of how they did! Trials aside, they both took a big trip in the new ute with just me (Dad stayed home) and stayed in a new place in suburbia (we live rurally) which all presented numerous opportunities for things to go awry, but they were amazing. There was only a little bit of barking at some strange noises the first night, and they coped with 3 different trials where they spent a lot of time in the ute waiting their turns and listening to excited dogs barking around them. Not only that, we had some WILD weather as well which made things that much more challenging. Both dogs managed to do their searches amazingly and qualify in their Novice scentwork trials run by the awesome team at A.C.E. Dog Training – third time for Storm and first time for Otis! Friday night Storm also did a buried hide trial run by the amazing guys at Hide and Scent (who had to adapt on the fly in crazy weather conditions) in both sand and then water and she found both hides so fast! Sadly she was a bit too much of a keen bean on the water search and was disqualified for not going through the starting cones, but I’m still super proud of her. I also met so many amazing people and I was reminded of how incredibly supportive this dog sport is for owners of reactive dogs especially. I am absolutely exhausted but so proud of the dogs and myself for doing this big trip. I believe it went so well not just because of training but because I did everything I could to keep up their known routines, taking lots of their comfort items with us that smelled like home (blankets, toys etc) and plenty of calming support like Adaptil diffuser and spray and Biopet Relax which help my dogs feel happier. Both dogs can be a bit sensitive so these tactics really helped them, and they LOVE scentwork too. If you want to find out more about scentwork please reach out as I just love it and the dogs do too. You’d be amazed at the things it can do for your dogs and they can be any size, breed or age to compete. #proactivecaninetraining

TITAN! Those eyes are like magical, hypnotic orbs that have me reaching for my treats without thinking 😂 I had a lovely catch up with this boy and his Mum yesterday which included a LOT of fly chasing before he flaked on the floor. They have moved into a new home recently with a friend and his dog which has led to some conflict between the dogs, including a scary fight. We talked about how sensitive dogs can be to stress and change, as well as the seemingly small things that can build up to ‘breaking point’ when dogs are learning to live together. Our strategy moving forwards is to help Titan decompress and feel a bit calmer overall in his new home, while also working on management and prevention around all of those scenarios that might be leading to a stress build up (around food, toys, attention from Mum, access to certain spaces etc). Understanding dog body language is so important in these scenarios so we can use techniques to redirect Titan well before the tension rises. He’s such a good boy and so eager to learn so I am sure this plan will start to make life happier and calmer in the days and weeks ahead 🐕❤️ #proactivecaninetraining

MEG! Who thinks this 3 year old Shih Tzu x Maltese had a good time with the enrichment toys today?! She is such a sweet girl and SO smart! She picked up the intro training and focus games so fast, plus she showed how clever she was by learning to ignore a moving truck next door instead of barking. Meg lives in a rest home so barking can be a bit of an issue. We talked about a few methods which we’ll try with Meg, and they also help with crate training and being happier to stay at home too! We also talked about recall and calm greetings which we will get started on in the coming weeks. She is a rascal (but in the best way) so I look forward to catching up again and seeing how she has progressed! #proactivecaninetraining

MILLY! This gorgeous girl is a 15 month old Mini Schnauzer and she had a great session here at Proactive Canine Training HQ yesterday! Milly can be fearful of new things and other dogs so we introduced her to the ‘Engage-Disengage Game’ and by using some easier approaches, she was happy to meet both Storm and Otis. She even had an awesome play session with Otis who had a huge smile on his face - he loved Milly! She also met (and yelled at) the goats as well as exploring the tunnel and other fun objects in the training paddock. I had such a fun time with Milly and her Mum and they have some great things to take away and work with to help Milly feel happier and calmer. We even managed to fit in a nosework game that changes her regular game of fetch into a rewarding and tiring game that also helps her practice ignoring other dogs and staying focussed on Mum and Dad. She had a huge smile on her face at the end and wasn’t keen to leave 😂 Can’t wait to hear how she gets on! #proactivecaninetraining

YODI! After my exciting start today on live TV (😬🫣 see my stories) it was so nice to head out to the beautiful @birdwoodsnz with Yodi, Storm and Otis. Yodi is coming to stay the night next month so we’re spending a bit more time hanging out together ahead of that. Such a cute trio they make! We are still working on training goals too and today included calmness around the ostriches and ducks, walking nicely on lead, practicing our new ‘wave’ trick as well as calmly walking on the cycleway despite busy traffic, other dogs and cyclists! Everyone did so well with minor worry from Storm about a bird statue, and Otis with the cow statue in the 3rd pic - no barking though 😂 Yodi was a rockstar of course! #proactivecaninetraining

MR ALFRED PENCIL! How is this for the cuuuuutest glow up?! ✨🥹 I first saw this gorgeous boy when he was just a tiny puppy (second pic). He is a Beagle x Jack Russell x Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and nearly 3 years old now! He came for a super fun session yesterday to work on some reactivity to other dogs as well as recall. He was absolutely awesome with all that we threw at him, even being confident enough to sit near Storm for treats - he has GREAT food drive! He loved the back and forth recall game between his parents and possibly his favourite thing was meeting (and yelling at) the goats! It was such a treat to see him and his family again. Can’t wait to see how this little rockstar goes with his training! #proactivecaninetraining

SILKE & DONNY! These two cuties came to Proactive Training HQ for a joint session this week and they are such characters. Silke is a 5 month old German Shepherd so we talked a lot about the teenage phase coming up and helping develop those good foundations of setting her up to be calm and happy in a variety of situations. We also covered leash skills to make sure she’s not pulling her parents off their feet, especially as she gets bigger. For Donny who is a 2 year old ex-racing Greyhound, we talked about the same things but for a different reason! Donny has been struggling with other unknown dogs so we did a bit of practice with my two rascals and with the right set-up he did so well! They are the most unlikely of siblings and yet they get on so well and their parents adore them. I am so looking forward to hearing how they get on! #proactivecaninetraining

LILA! My first puppy of 2024 was this divine Labrasproodle (Springer x Labradoodle). She’s only 10 weeks old but you wouldn’t know it based on our session 🤩 We talked about some considerations with the breed mix and she certainly showed me that she is very bright, very energetic and looooves to chase things! She’s settling in to her new home so well including sleeping overnight and toileting like a pro. We talked a lot about how to reduce the evening crazies which could potentially get worse with adult teething coming in soon. Making sure she gets plenty of good brain exercise (enrichment through food and play) as well as PLENTY of sleep during the day and being proactive with teething support such as chews and cold / frozen ideas will all help to make sure she’s not turning into a Tasmanian Devil at 4pm! Can’t wait to get updates on how she progresses and here’s hoping she keeps that little white swirl on her head - so cute! #proactivecaninetraining

INCA! One last gorgeous pup for 2023! She is a stunning 1 year old Frenchie who’s just arrived in Hawke’s Bay and is settling in with her new family like an absolute dream. Today she got to come to Proactive Canine Training HQ and meet me, Storm, Otis and the goats! Havok took a particular interest in her (see my stories 😂🐐❤️). As with any newly adopted dog, she’s just starting to become more confident and settled, plus little hints of her personality are starting to show too. I think she’s going to be a lot of fun and quite the wee firecracker - can’t wait to see her grow! Happy NYE everyone 🥳❤️ #proactivecaninetraining

MERRY CHRISTMAS! Wishing all the gorgeous dogs and their families out there so much happiness this festive season 🧑🏼‍🎄🐕❤️ With lots of love from me and my little Christmas elves - missing one who did not wish to be exploited on social media 😂 #proactivecaninetraining

BOUDIE! How sweet is this boy’s face 😍 We had our first two 1:1 sessions this week before the holidays and he was so good! We explored a local park with lots of lovely shade in this sudden heat in HB, but it also presented us with sooooo many opportunities to test out how he’s coping with different people, sounds, activities and even smells! He is very scent driven which is super cool (for me!) plus he is very smart and keen to learn so he’s picking up things super fast! It’s fascinating to see how different he was from one session to the next - in a good way ❤️ Can’t wait to catch up with him again in the new year! #proactivecaninetraining

YODI! We had such a lovely session yesterday exploring Te Mata Peak from the Tauroa Road carpark for the first time since they’d felled some of the ancient trees there. It was eerily quiet and I had just finished saying that to Yodi when we soon encountered ALL THE HARD THINGS AT ONCE 😂😬 Honestly! Excited ladies who wanted to say hi, other dogs on lead, joggers, mountain bikers, stinky things to roll in and even toddlers! I was fully prepared to exit stage left but surprisingly Yodi took it all in stride - even stopping to sniff and pee nonchalantly straight afterwards?! So impressed at how this gorgeous guy is progressing and we’ll celebrate every small win from smiling at the excited ladies, ignoring the bikes, joggers and dogs, to voluntarily watching and following the tiny human as they walked ahead of us. Our human world can be a tough place for young dogs but the more we understand about them, the easier it is to make it easier for them! #proactivecaninetraining

TEENS! We had an awesome class at Napier Sailing Club today and we got to explore more about dog body language so we can help our dogs to be happier and feel more confident in new, busy and often challenging situations. With summer holidays coming up, learning how our dogs are coping with the things going on around them and how we can help them by either making it easier, giving them more space and time to process what’s going on or even leaving if it’s too hard or stressful, is so important. We often miss the subtle signs or say our dogs were being disobedient when they were actually just overwhelmed or scared or too excited to think clearly and respond like they might do at home. It was definitely challenging and even my girl Storm had a few a-woo-woos during class but she had a good snooze in the car and the class did so well to tackle the floating docks in slightly rocky conditions. There were lots of happy faces at the end and hopefully some good post-training snoozies this afternoon! #proactivecaninetraining

GRADUATES! I was inspired after seeing a @constructivecanines post and spontaneously decided to try getting these gorgeous Pre-Teen pups to demonstrate their ‘Paws Up’ skills for their certificate photos. We only just added it to the curriculum last week so the results were… interesting 😂 We had such a fun 4 weeks with these gorgeous pups covering a huge range of skills that should set them up to becoming great adult dogs. The teenage phase is a wild ride and none of us are immune to those crazy days that adolescents will throw at us. Knowing how to help them be successful, knowing when to just have fun and save the hard training for another day as well as knowing how important it is to develop a training relationship built on fun, trust and love are the cornerstones of these classes and it was such a fun group to work with. Can’t wait to hear how they all get on over the summer holidays! #proactivecaninetraining

ROCKY! This gorgeous Lakeland Terrier boy was amazing today in a variety of challenges - a bit like Ninja Warrior for a low-level reactive pup 😬😂 We started at a big off leash dog area but amazingly it was deserted 🤷🏼‍♀️ So we had a quick sniff then moved to another smaller dog spot and practiced getting space calmly around other dogs with some lovely pups. We then finished up with a walk around the Village which was super busy on a (rare) sunny day. We almost had a clean run until we encountered the terrifying combo of hectic, young Springer Spaniel dragging a young girl right towards us at speed. Safe to say Rocky wasn’t the only one who reacted 😂 He’s doing a fantastic job of learning alternative ways to get space and not be so worried about other dogs. He’s also getting very good at the ‘Find It Game’ which will help with this as well. So much fun hanging out with this handsome guy today! #proactivecaninetraining

DAVE! This handsome boy is a 14 month old Catahoula x AmStaff (maybe?!) who had me in stitches today with the enrichment toys. The video is reasonably self-explanatory - Dave LOVES the Snoop! I have never seen another dog try to fit two in their mouth but, well… GO DAVE 😂👏🏼 We had a great catch up today to talk about adolescence and stress / anxiety, in particular how they impact on dogs’ ability to learn and progress. Dave and his Mum have had a tumultuous year but despite it all, they’ve laid some great foundations in their training - and more importantly building up their relationship! It was so lovely watching them interacting today. There’s a lot of trust and happiness between them! I am excited to see how they progress with a few changes to their training and some new games to try out, and here’s hoping for an easier year ahead for them both ❤️🐕 #proactivecaninetraining

OPAL! This beautiful girl is a 5 year old Pembroke Welsh Corgi who’s just landed in an awesome new home. She was previously with a breeder but now she’ll spend her days enjoying endless cuddles and 1:1 time with her adoring new parents. She is such a sweet wee thing and while this new world is full of new experiences that can be a bit overwhelming, she showed today that she can overcome her fears with some time, patience - and tasty treats! She was happy to just have cuddles with her parents and watch me for the first 45 mins but she slowly edged closer and by the time I had to leave she was taking treats from me, snuffling in the snuffle mat and getting into the Snoop as well! We covered a lot of information but she has wonderful new parents who are so keen to make sure she is happy and confident in her new life. Can’t wait to hear how she gets on! #proactivecaninetraining

ROCKY! This gorgeous boy is a 3 y/o Lakeland Terrier that some of you may remember from his puppy session way back in 2020 (scroll to the end for puppy Rocky cuteness)! We caught up today to work on some challenges with recall as well as interacting with other dogs - especially when he’s with Dad at work. He’s been showing a few reactive behaviours recently so we’re doing a bit of troubleshooting to find out why. It could just be that he’s maturing and isn’t so keen on playing, he could be responding to inappropriate behaviours from the other dogs, it might be that he’s not happy at Dad giving other dogs attention or it could even be undiagnosed pain! I noticed today that he was slightly dragging and skipping on his back left leg today - subtle but noticeable! You would be surprised at how often pain is a big cause of behaviour change! He was absolutely lovely with my two dogs (polite ‘thanks but no’ to their play requests) and he still loooooves the Flirt Pole which we’ll use for recall training - assuming his back leg isn’t an issue! He is SUCH a sweet wee boy and it was super fun to catch up again. #proactivecaninetraining

YODI! Capturing the mood of the whole of Hawke’s Bay on a very wet Monday. Believe it or not we were actually trying to stay dry 😅 Sorry @danielleharpa for the slightly damp wee boy I dropped home! #proactivecaninetraining

PRE-TEENS! We had week 1 of classes with these gorgeous young pups at Proactive Canine Training HQ today. It was such a fun first week learning about body language, an introduction to training with young dogs, some fun recall games, boundary training and what to look for in happy dog-dog interactions. They are a very sweet bunch and for week 1 they did so well - even with all of the distractions! I’m really looking forward to seeing their progress over the coming weeks 😍 #proactivecaninetraining

YODI! We had a lot of fun this week training at an exciting off-leash dog park then exploring the Village on a busy, hot day around lunchtime. He coped amazingly well with so many distractions and his recall at the park was 👌🏼 Interestingly his session in the Village at a different time of day to when we usually train was much better than normal. I thought it would be harder as it was busier and it was very hot, but he proved me wrong! Maybe he’s just happier in the afternoon - who knows?! We are always learning, together! #proactivecaninetraining

BOUDI! If Friyay had a face, this would be it 😍 This gorgeous boy was 2 days from no longer being with us when his amazing Mum found him and agreed to foster him! I am SO grateful she did because he is soooo sweet and so loving. He was such a treat to work with today! He is naturally a bit conservative about new things but drawn to animals - he looooved the goats as well as Storm and even Otis (a little bit)! We worked on some ideas to help him feel happier and calmer in new situations as well as learning that not every dog and person is THE most exciting thing ever! His Mum is so sensitive and savvy to dogs feelings and body language so he’s landed in an amazing home. Seeeeeecretly hoping he’s a foster fail but he would make so many families an amazing new addition. He’s a 2 year old mixed breed and he is absolutely gorgeous. While it’s heartbreaking to know he may have been put down (like many others) just because they are crowded with so many shelters / rescues, it’s heartwarming to know he’s on such a good path with such wonderful support to help him live his best life ❤️ #proactivecaninetraining

RUBY! This gorgeous girl is a nearly 16-week old Cavoodle and she is sooooo much fun! She’s everything you’d expect from combining one of the most intelligent breeds in the world with those Spaniel genes that make them very active and sporty - they love to run and sniff and chase! While they look like little Teddy Bears it’s so important to take care of those needs including lots of great mental stimulation and being proactive about things like impulse control and recall. These guys often LOVE to chase birds and those ‘deaf ears’ are in effect very quickly - especially when they are teenagers (coming up soon for this wee girl)! Ruby was into every single enrichment toy I had and she loooooved the Flirt Pole so we talked about how to best use those to work towards a happy, healthy, safe Ruby! I can’t wait for more cute updates as she grows up ❤️ #proactivecaninetraining

YODI! We have been loooooving the spring sunshine and the flowers. We promise we did some training in between photoshoots 🤩 #proactivecaninetraining

CASH & POHATU! These happy faces really say it all. After a super tough 8+ months including a cyclone, displacement, moving around, trying to settle back together as a happy extended family and introducing a new young dog into the mix… it’s no wonder these two weren’t instantly best friends. We took plenty of time, their parents were AMAZING at learning about their body language, understanding what to look for in healthy interactions, setting them up to feel safe and start to get to know each other and amazingly on the weekend THIS! Such lovely, happy, mutual play. It was very emotional and super awesome to see. Can’t wait to hear how they progress! #proactivecaninetraining

MIELA! This gorgeous girl is a nearly 6 month old Lowchen and gave me some serious Fizzgig vibes (Dark Crystal reference - anyone?!) 😂 She is an absolute bundle of energy and she has a very cool life with more exciting adventures to come. She’s currently living in a small community of motorhomes and she is (surprisingly!) the only dog there. They are hoping to head on the road next year though so preparing her to be as confident, resilient and happy with whatever each adventure might throw at her is so important - especially for keeping her happy and safe! We talked about a lot of pre-teen foundations including how to help her learn to calm down and focus after being excited (we call it impulse control) because she is just sooooo excited to meet everyone! She is very bright and loves learning so I was having to multitask after she finished ALL of my enrichment toys and realised working for treats was super fun. We will use those enrichment ideas to help with things like calmness around visitors, noise desensitisation and more. Plus we introduced my favourite - the Chin Rest - as an alternative way to ask for attention instead of jumping or nipping. She really is such a character and I think she’ll bring so much joy on her travels to her family and also any dog lovers they encounter! Can’t wait for updates 😍 #proactivecaninetraining

NAHKO & MIWOK! These two handsome boys are 5 year old Mini Schnauzers but there is nothing mini about their personalities 😂 They are so much fun but they do have some BIG feelings about other dogs. We had a great catch up to discuss all the ways we can help them feel calmer and happier, both at home and out and about. We started with introducing enrichment activities both at meal times but also in play (especially some nosey stuff!) for improving their daily mental stimulation as well as chipping away at some of the anxiety that’s driving their big feelings. We also made a connection between some potential leg or back pain for Miwok which started about the same time as their reactivity got a lot worse recently. By addressing more of their emotional state we can really help their ability to learn a new way to cope in those stressful situations, maybe even making those situations less stressful so it’s not just about coping but more about continuing to enjoy their walks! Can’t wait to hear how they get on 🐕❤️🐕❤️ #proactivecaninetraining

CHILLI! Mr Handsome here is a 2 year old Border Collie who’s been starting to struggle with a few dogs and his parents were wanting to understand more about why this is happening as well as helping him feel less stressed in these situations. He had a great time systematically removing and hiding all of the orange enrichment toys (colour choice on point 👌🏼) and we talked about how these and other enrichment in the form of nosework games could help reduce his stress overall as well as putting that busy, young Collie brain to good use! We also worked through the foundations of the ‘Engage-Disengage Game’ to help him both feel better as well as learning an alternative way to get the space he needs that’s much lower stress for him and his parents. He was such a delight to meet and I’m looking forward to catching up again to further progress this in real world scenarios with Storm and Otis! #proactivecaninetraining

GEORGIE! This divine cutie is a 12 week old Cavoodle and already breaking hearts with those puppy eyes! She was such a delightful wee girl in her Puppy Foundations session where we covered a huge range of topics. She has an older dog brother called Monty who had some strong feelings about the enrichment toys (fair enough, they’re awesome!). Georgie was a bit wary of coming near me after that but we waited and chatted then suddenly at the 45 minute mark, we were best friends! She is such a sweetheart and she has a wonderful family who she clearly adores (the cats are yet to be convinced) and I can’t wait to hear how she grows. She’s starting the adult teething phase with adolescence on the horizon so being prepared for the common challenges will hopefully reduce some of the potential stress while helping Georgie feel a bit calmer and happier. Cavoodles have an amazing combination of genes in a cute, Teddy-Bear-like package. Understanding what she needs, while making it fun for her family to help her get it was a big focus. I’m sure she’s going to love the Flirt Pole especially! #proactivecaninetraining

STELLA! Guess which face shows the moment I’d been asking her to wait for a treat too long 😤😂 We caught up last week to talk about challenges with car travel as well as fearful avoidance of her harness and lead. She has become extremely skilled at playing keep-away! We came up with a plan that includes enrichment ideas (which she LOVED) and working gradually on desensitisation to those ‘scary things’ as well as giving her more choice in those interactions. We are also going to play around with the car set up to see if a different perspective (literally) helps her feel better, while still keeping her safe. Adaptil calming spray is also on the list! We finished up with a super fun game with the Flirt Pole which will hopefully help towards their final goal of not chasing the cats. Stella is the most athletic Frenchie I have ever met - so fast! I look forward to hearing how she gets on! #proactivecaninetraining

YODI! Enjoy this Friday extravaganza of adventure content from this guy today 😍 The sun was shining and we had an absolute blast while coping with bikes, kids, kids on bikes, dogs of all shapes and sizes and horses! He did an amazing job in challenging circumstances and he had the biggest smile on his face - when he wasn’t throwing me that amazing ‘Blue Steel’ look for photos. Hope his enjoying a well-earned snooze in the sun now ❤️ #proactivecaninetraining

STORM & OTIS! I hope you enjoy this profile on my own dogs and how much they’ve taught me on my journey with them. Both dogs were adopted at 10 months (teenagers!) with behaviour issues but the best personalities. STORM - Female GSD X Husky - 4 years old - Adopted from an Auckland shelter, March 2020 - Moved with us to Hawkes Bay, weeks before the first lockdown! - Escape artist, VERY high prey drive, hyper social (dogs + people), jumped on people, low play / food drive, big lead puller and the hardest dog I’ve ever worked on recall with! - We’ve made huge progress - no more escaping, can be calm around dogs / people, regular visitor to Duart Care Centre, great with kids, lived with our cat, learned to cope with our goats, lead skills are much better and even recall in exciting situations! - She's an amazing training asset and she's an accomplished novice nosework dog. I’m hoping to get her a novice trick dog title when I get time too! OTIS - Male Border Collie X Husky - 2 years old - Adopted privately in Auckland, June 2022 - Arrived a month before my Mum died so he's been through a lot! - Resource guarder (food, objects, space / access), counter surfing, digging, destruction, jumping on people, no impulse control, biting and yelling to solve anything, chasing vehicles and bikes, reacting to joggers / walkers / dogs, fear of children, disliked any handling, pulled on lead, some prey drive (worse with Storm) and eating weird stuff like a guitar pick! - He's been / is a wild ride BUT we’re seeing that adolescent brain calm down and the hard work is showing! - Resource guarding is almost gone, no more counter surfing, much better impulse control, less reactivity, letting me put his harness on, clip some nails and brush him! Leash skills and yelling are still a WIP but he’s SUPER smart and loves to play. He’s also on his way to being a great nosework and trick dog too! So do I have perfectly trained dogs? No. Have they taught patience, empathy and understanding for anyone experiencing these issues. SO MUCH! They’ll continue to grow and I know I can help them be their best, while living a great life. I love them both so much!

MONTY! This unbelievably handsome boy is a 2 year old Border Collie and he’s just become part of a new family here in Hawke’s Bay. He’d settling in SO well and absolutely adores his Mum. He has such a lovely temperament and he’s so eager to learn. He loved the enrichment toys and they present us with some options to help (alongside management) with some of the slightly challenging behaviours and situations such as chasing vehicles, lunging at traffic in the car and most importantly, helping the family cat feel happier with the new furry addition to the household. He has really landed in a wonderful new family and I’m so happy hearing about all the progress already. I can’t wait to hear more as he continues to grow! #proactivecaninetraining

BENNY! Would you believe this handsome Papillon x Foxy is 8?! He is so puppy like and I loooooved having him to visit at Proactive Canine Training HQ! We worked on some helpful strategies when encountering dogs or people that Benny is unsure of and he got to meet Storm and Otis as well! He showed lots of lovely dog communication with both of them, off and on lead, and gave Otis a totally appropriate telling off when he ignored / missed his request for some space. He coped so well and he has a lovely relationship with his Mum so we can easily build on the existing trust and engagement they have (he offers so many lovely check-ins!). I look forward to hearing how he goes and catching up again soon! #proactivecaninetraining

LUCY! This happy girl is a 15 month old Staffy X Ridgeback (maybe?) and she is a bundle of awesome! She’s still very much a teenager but she also has awesome play and food drive which made for a lot of fun yesterday. She has moved to Hawke’s Bay recently and is getting used to house bus life, as well as preparing for becoming a big sister to a tiny human soon! Giving her better outlets for her energy as well as a big focus on calming down and being responsive in exciting situations (we call this impulse control) was a big focus. She looooooved the enrichment toys, the ‘Flirt Pole Game’ and ‘Live Toy / Dead Toy’ with the Purple Pullers as well as an extremely impressive introduction to scentwork with the ‘Find It’ Game. I don’t know who was more tired at the end - her or me 😂 She is SO much fun and having these options will give her parents loads of options to keep her happy each day, reduce jumping up, pulling and lack of focus on walks as well as some quick ways to fit in some fun time when the baby arrives and they can’t always fit in a walk. Such a fun session! #proactivecaninetraining

YODI! He’s counting down the minutes to his parents coming home but I made sure I kept him busy this week in the sunshine. We had some awesome wins around dogs, people, kids on scooters, farm animals and even noisy cars coming past really close! He’s been getting very good at busting out his new (and old) tricks in new locations too - even around distractions 👏🏼 He’s been such a delight to spend some extra time with. Can’t wait to show off his new tricks to Mum and Dad next week! #proactivecaninetraining

RHUBARB! I just looooove how happy he looks in this photo 😍 He was such a rockstar today in a location I consider pretty tough for most dogs - Te Mata Peak! He rocked it all from loads of other dogs to runners, mountain bikers, people (even babies) while he was both on leash and off leash! He showed off his amazing ability to switch from excited to focussed and responsive, as well as recall in some pretty exciting situations. The helpful insight I got today was seeing the big difference between arousal and the emotion behind it for Rhubarb, especially what that meant for his coping skills. While happy-excited, even zoomies-excited he can refocus well now but when frustrated (and there’s a lot of arousal that comes with this too), he struggles a wee bit more to refocus. So just like young children (because dogs only really reach the equivalent intelligence of a human 2 year old), we looked at ways to positively redirect him, sometimes deliberately distracting him, reducing the frustration levels with more distance and giving him a tonne of rewards for being a calm boy around some of those exciting things that he wanted to interact with but it wasn’t appropriate. I was SO impressed with him today, even if his Mum said he was being an extra good boy just because I was there. It was an awesome last session before we have a break while he’s away but I look forward to catching up post-holiday! #proactivecaninetraining

MONTY! Just look at that handsome 🍫 face! This gorgeous boy has turned 3 and he’s an awesome big brother to his human sister. Now he’s matured out of the teenage phase his parents just want to work on a few final tweaks to his training to ensure he’s a reliable good boy in lots of different situations. We covered everything from reducing counter surfing, boundary / mat training, calm greetings and even the classic chin rest as an alternative way to ask for attention - one that will be rewarded with attention by the family and visitors alike because it’s super cute! I was absolutely prepared for a crazy chocolate tornado when I arrived, but he surprised me with his smarts and he offered me so many lovely sits during the session. His parents have obviously done a lot of work and with the change from the adolescent brain, in addition to a few tweaks, I really do think he’ll become that Chocolate Lab that makes everyone want one and think they’re naturally that beautifully behaved. Spoiler alert: Most of them don’t stop being a puppy until they’re about 8 years old. Even then… 😂 #chocolatelablove #proactivecaninetraining

YODI! In addition to his skateboarding skills (see today’s stories) this guy had so many other highlights this week! He had a fantastic walk through the Village including calmly coping with a busy children’s playground, he hung out with his girlfriend Storm on a new walk alongside the Karamu stream, explored Keirunga Gardens and met new friends then he conquered the home stretch (literally) by ignoring other dogs and stock along his road while enjoying the sunshine. As always he blew me away with his progress, including his impressive trick training skills! He’s been such a delight to work with and I can’t wait to see how next week goes 🤩 #proactivecaninetraining

BRODIE (and Lola)! While Mr 1 year old Boxer was the reason for my visit, how could I not include a pic of his gorgeous Mini Schnauzer sister? 😍 Brodie has had a BIG 6 months with 2 surgeries, some stressful kennel stays and the cyclone earlier this year as well. All on top of the emotional rollercoaster of adolescence! It’s unsurprising that he’s been feeling pretty out of sorts and showing both fearful and reactive behaviours. For now our focus will be on reducing those high cortisol levels through various decompression and de-stress activities and ideas. He loved the enrichment toys and he’s the second dog ever that I’ve seen work out that rolling the Jw Hol-ee Roller up a wall gets him access to the treats at the bottom of the ball 👏🏼 His family is also learning a lot about dog body language and how to help Brodie out in stressful situations, as well as setting him up in dog training classes so he feels happier and calmer, while learning that other dogs aren’t something he needs to be so worried about. He started the session a bit wary of me but by the end he was very keen for kisses and cuddles. It was such a treat to meet him and his family, and I can’t wait to hear how he progresses! #proactivecaninetraining

WINNIE! This beautiful girl absolutely made my day yesterday 😍 I first met her at the start of this year at the SPCA where she was frightened and doing her best but needed some help. Luckily this now 2 year old girl has found an amazing foster family (who she’s working towards a foster fail with 😂) and she has absolutely flourished! I was her first visitor at home and she did SO well. At this stage in her journey her confidence is really starting to shine through and as I say to many families, you often don’t get a break between anxious / fearful and excitable young dog behaviours, and that’s where we are at now. We discussed some fun impulse control games to integrate into daily life, how to build up a reliable recall and I introduced her to the ‘Find It Game’ to help with both of the previous goals, as well as giving us a fun format that we can use ‘on the road’ to help work towards some calmer behaviour around exciting things. It was SUCH a treat to see this beautiful girl again and whether she wins over her current family or she finds a new forever home, I’m certain she will make an amazing addition to the family. She made me laugh so much and she has such a sweet temperament. It makes me so happy to know she’s been given another chance and her foster family are doing an awesome job already. Can’t wait to hear how she progresses! #proactivecaninetraining (that second photo cracks me up so much 😉😂)

YODI! What a weeeeeek 🤩 We had so many awesome highlights in our sessions from successful recall around distractions (away from other dogs), being calm and happy around some super cute piggies and chickens (who he used to react to big time), hanging out with Storm and Otis, being amazing off lead and even managing to get out and back home without barking at the neighbour’s Jack Russell! He also posed for a photo - at a distance but still! Very impressed with this boy’s progress this week 💚 #proactivecaninetraining

RUBY & JURA! Enjoy my efforts at trying to photograph two excited Labrador teenage girls after a biiiiiig session today 😂🤪 These girls have come along hugely since we started and while loose leash walking is still a work in progress, they showed some amazing off leash skills today including excellent recall, check ins, calm greetings of other dogs and some very confident river swimming skills. I was SO impressed! It was such a fun session and I’m betting they had a huge snooze afterwards. #proactivecaninetraining

YODI! We’ve had a huge week of training fun and adventures 🤩 We focussed on our usual goals but I decided to throw in some fun new tricks to show off to his Mum and Dad when they are back from overseas. Sneaky hint in the first pic of one of them 🛹💚 Stay tuned for updates! #proactivecaninetraining

RHUBARB! These photos perfectly capture the current state of things for this rascal who’s injured himself and isn’t allowed to run for at least the next month… unimpressed is an understatement 😂😬 BUT we are working on a plan to keep him (and his Mum) sane using that gorgeous snoot! I love scentwork and I think Rhubarb will too - low impact, mentally challenging, rewarding and tiring! The best combo for rehab 👏🏼 Today we introduced the scent (clove bud oil) and started work on a nose hold indication which is how he’ll tell us when he finds the scent once it’s hidden. He was very enthusiastic and also very quick to learn. Can’t wait to see how he progresses! #proactivecaninetraining

YOSHI! This gorgeous girl is a 2.5 year old Staffy mix who showed off all her athletic skills to me yesterday and I just love that second pic that captures her in action! Yoshi has some really big feelings about strange people, especially when they come to her house. Her Mum had her set up so it was easiest for her when I arrived then we just took it at her pace using a technique called ‘Treat and Retreat’. It worked so well that she was happy to say hi and relax around me in <10 minutes. You could say it worked a TREAT 😂 It won’t always be that easy however so I’ve given them some variations to use as needed, as well as introducing the ‘Find It’ game as a way to help her feel happier around strange people on walks as well. She already knows how to search for food hidden at home but taking this up a level so she’s looking for toys and she’s doing it WITH her Mum as a rewarding activity they do together should really help her to start to feel calmer and happier in outdoor environments, even when strange people are walking past. She also loooooved the enrichment toys, especially the Snoop (who doesn’t?!) so adding more of that into her daily routine at meal times will also hopefully help her feel less anxious overall. She had the biggest smile on her face at the end of our session! Can’t wait to see how she progresses 😍 #proactivecaninetraining

OTIS! Turns out my boy impressed more than just me at his first scentwork trial 🤩 Very excited to receive his Merit certificate today for lovely searching, as well as some delicious goodies! Thank you so much to Noseworx for hosting such a great trial and to our awesome trainers at the HB Dog Training Club for all of their support. So proud of my loud, crazy boy. He absolutely loooooves this sport! #proactivecaninetraining Trial photos credit to Emily McGowan - love them! 😍

THOR! Look at that face - such a happy boy today! It was a stunning morning so we headed to Te Mata Peak to practice being calm around other dogs in a tricky environment (tight spaces) and he was fantastic! He even earned some free time to sprint around because his recall was excellent today and he was in such good form. I have only one more session with this boy before he makes the big move to Auckland 😢 We have been on such a big journey together and I am going to miss him a lot! I will definitely be visiting him next time I’m up in the city ❤️🐕 #proactivecaninetraining