Kool K9 Dog Training

16/12/2025

And it is a “wrap’ the very last Kool K9 class for 2025!

15/12/2025

The last Level 2 class for 2025 practicing their skills at Hamilton Lake

09/12/2025

This can be tricky to determine but always we need to think of the dog. If your dog is very excited or just not ‘listening’ when you know he knows the behaviour, stop and give the dog a break and the other bonus is you will not get frustrated. 🙂

Don't fight against it, work with it!⚡
There is a zone.
It's not mystical or magical, it's neurological and simply the best time to teach.

The "perfect" technique means nothing if we don't respect just how a dog is feeling before we start.
This is a little tricky to explain and seems a bit contradictory to many, but good dog trainers simply won't persist to teach when a dog is not in a true learning state.
That does not mean we give up, it just means we change the conditions first.
We attempt again after we have used those little tricks we know to reduce over arousal, anxiety or we have figured out just what this dog needs.
Even then, we may only get a few golden moments of engagement in.

Then we wait for the next opening.
We see it's coming, we see that arousal settling or that confidence builds again and "bam" we will get another few minutes in.
That's when we can really make a difference.
Those little moments we had together become more frequent and that relationship is building for us both. Perfect!

Find those little moments.
Find what makes your dog "spark" in those moments.
But, respect that sometimes those moments may be few and far between when a dog is either hyper or hypo.

Another point here. This is individual.
It doesn't mean that dogs wont engage with you when they are in those extremes.
There are always dogs that will, and happily!

The zone is there, it just shifts for each individual dog.

08/12/2025

A growl is not something we want to hear from our dog but if you do hear it you need to take notice - why is my dog growling, why is it worried? Then do something to help your dog. And by the way punishing does not necessarily mean physically punishing it can mean speaking harshly to the dog.

DONT PUNISH THE GROWL

We dont go through life being a ray of sunshine 24/7.

Let’s be honest,.nobody can be “perfectly pleasant” all the time. We all have moments where we need to set a boundary, say no thanks, or let someone know we’re uncomfortable or displeased.

Dogs are no different.

And yet… heaven forbid a dog growls.

Suddenly people panic, punish, or treat the dog like it’s “being bad.”
But here’s the truth: growling is NORMAL.

It’s communication, its designed to make something stop or go away.

A growl is a dog’s way of saying,
“I’m uncomfortable.”
“I don’t like that.”
“Please give me space.”
"STOP"

It’s the canine equivalent of a boundary.

You can work on adjusting certain boundaries, gently and thoughtfully, with positive reinforcement and trust-building.

But for the love of all things dog, do not punish the growl.

Punishing a dog for growling doesn’t fix the emotion behind it. It just silences the warning.
And a dog who’s too scared to growl is a dog who skips straight to a bite.

So ask yourself honestly:
What would you prefer a clear warning?
or a dog who feels they have no safe way to speak?

Let growls be conversation starters, not punishable offenses.

Your dog deserves to feel safe expressing themselves.
And you both deserve a relationship built on communication, not fear.

(Context matters when it comes to growling. Many dogs are vocal and growl during play as an example. Knowing how to observe and recognise communication is a vital skill)

08/12/2025

We talked talked about this in class tonight. Of course you need to be able to read your dog and if it is too excited and pulling forward or anxious or reactive and barking, you need to turn away and give your dog more distance- but let it look again from the greater safe distance.

Let them look !
They need to observe and see what is around them if they should learn to cope.
- looking without being disturbed by us
- time to digest and learn
- first at safe distance
That is how they learn about their environment.
Making them look another way might be more convenient for ourselves, but the dog does not learn anything., except following demands, which gives them no life skills.

So give them time to look and make their choices. They are so much better at being dogs. - polite, social and conflict solving - than we can teach them to be.

That is why my favourite thing on earth is observing dogs. It makes me happy

06/12/2025

Today I wore my ‘ other hat’ and coached a training day in a new sport called Hoopers. The dog in this video, Ice ‘nailed’ quite an advanced challenge. If you are interested in Hoopers pm me and I can give you information about it.

26/11/2025

This is Winston and he is a 6 months old Golden Retriever. We have been working on his recall because it wasnt too good! His main distraction is people that he wants to go and say hello to. He and his owner have worked hard and this is the result .if Winston came when he was called he was cued to go back to the person for pats as this was the reward he wanted.

16/11/2025

On the weekend i went both to the Tamahere market and I watched my daughter in the Round the Bridges event in Hamilton. At both events people had dogs and I observed some dogs that were not enjoying being there. Don’t get me wrong some dogs love it but many people are oblivious to their dog having to negotiate the crowd. Also, as the days get hotter think about whether your dog is suffering being out in the sun and especially going for long walks on a hot pavement. As always be aware of your dog and what it is trying to tell you and as I said in the previous article keep your dog safe and it will love you even more!

16/11/2025

in order for your dog to love you even more you need start by helping your dog feel safe. Give your dog choices - I love ‘Sniffarir’ type walks for this. Interact with your dog. - play, train, do activities or just ‘hang out’ together. Use treats - as we know most dogs love food and giving treats to your dog actually builds your relationship.

2. Give your dog choices.

12/11/2025

Much is said about why there is a need to use aversive training methods such as electric collars and prong collars but I do not believe they are necessary. My methods will not hurt your dog in the name of training.

If you love your dog, don't hurt them in the name of training. Positive reinforcement works. And it avoids the risks of aversives like leash pops, shock collars, and prongs. If you're struggling with your dog's behaviour, get help from a trainer who will use reward-based methods (and if it's a sudden change, see your veterinarian first).

04/11/2025