Agrade Animals Dog Training

22/06/2026

Some great results from the team this weekend at Upper Hutt Obedience Show
Photos say it all 😀👏👏

18/06/2026

Photos from training last night

17/06/2026

Scorch/ Timmy doing his obedience training.
I do not cut these videos as I like people to see the good the bad and the pretty 😂😂

07/06/2026

So Scorch-Timmy had his first bath 😂😂😂 check out the photos 😂😂😂😂

06/06/2026

So Scorch turned 6months, in this video there is no obedience as there is too much to put in now.
Heel work going well
Recall and finish sorted
Retrieve and finish from that done
Scent started
Send away crazy fast and started
Stays started and proofing
So just DC and positions to go really
But who knows if we will ever use any of this work. Time will tell !
But here’s what else Scorch gets up to 🐾😀🐾

04/06/2026

I like this post, worth reading.

One of the most damaging myths in modern dog training and animal behaviour is the idea that every animal can be fully rehabilitated with enough love, enough training, enough consistency, or enough positive reinforcement. They cannot. And the same is true in humans.

Some individuals recover remarkably from trauma, instability, neglect, pain, or chronic stress. Others do not, despite excellent intervention, safe environments, medication, therapy, behaviour modification, and years of support. This is because behaviour is not created by one single thing.

Behaviour is the result of genetics, early development, nervous system sensitivity, prenatal stress, pain, learning history, environment, social experiences, health, neurochemistry, resilience, and ongoing stress load all interacting together. There is no scientifically credible model of behaviour that says environment alone determines outcome.

Research in both humans and animals consistently shows strong heritability for anxiety, fearfulness, impulsivity, emotional reactivity, aggression, stress sensitivity, and resilience. Studies in behavioural genetics repeatedly demonstrate inherited differences in stress responsiveness and emotional regulation. Selective breeding absolutely influences behaviour.

Chronic stress and trauma alter the brain. Animals exposed to chronic fear, instability, harsh punishment, pain, chaotic environments, or repeated stress during sensitive developmental periods may never process the world normally afterwards.

Some individuals experience severe adversity and recover relatively well. Others experience comparatively mild adversity and struggle profoundly. This is true in dogs, humans, horses, primates, laboratory animals, and virtually every species studied.

Resilience is influenced by:
- genetics
- maternal stress
- prenatal environment
- early socialisation
- neurodevelopment
- attachment security
- pain
- chronic stress exposure
- learning history
- health

Two dogs can live through the exact same experience and emerge completely differently. A deeply traumatised, genetically vulnerable, pain-affected nervous system may improve dramatically and still never become “normal”.

02/06/2026

So the only results I have from the weekend are from Sherry and Banshee.
Well done Sherry, you and Banshee had a good weekend. 👍💜😀
A credit to how hard you have worked.
It might not be perfect, but your understanding of training is improving all the time.
Congratulations 👏👏👏

31/05/2026

I got a sad message tonight from Jane to tell me she had said goodbye to her best mate Fergus today.
My thoughts are with Jane at this sad time.
Run Free Fergus
You were a special boy who will be missed so much, Thankyou for introducing your owner Jane to me, she has become one of the special people in my life.
You and Jane had a great partnership in life and in dog sport. From beginners to Test C together in obedience, great at scent work, canine good citizen Gold, RallyO advanced dog.
You could certainly do it all
Your titles
CDXG RA TCQ SA AIS AES EVS MCS CGCG
Just shows what a great partnership you and Jane had.
Love you Fergus and I will miss that excited greeting you gave me every time I visited. Run free my friend

31/05/2026

Jodi Cowan a 50 year old woman was mauled to death by two dogs while out walking.

While this happened overseas, mark my words it will happen more here too.
Until the day we start being way more careful about the experience of owners of fighting or combat breeds and the crosses of these breeds, we will have this sort of thing happen more in NZ.

I believe breeders and welfare organisations need to only sell these breeds to really experienced good dog owners.
As inexperience will not save a life either canine or human.
RIP Jodi