Dog Training With Earle

30/07/2026

July has been a busy month for Hoopers gear. Our equipment has grown from zero to hero, with 2 barrells, 8 Hoops, 4 bottomless tunnel and one baby tunnel, a gate, with plans to increase the hoops and an additional gate. A great win for a low impact dog friendly sport. If interested any of the gear or what we do with it please comment

16/07/2026

Hi, today I have got a new piece of equipment, it is called a bottomless tunnel used for Hoopers, we will be using this tunnel in both agility and hoopers. While this is a prototype, it is fully within the regulations of hoopers and works well even when the wind picks up. I will start on the next tunnel shortly. Any suggestions for the colour of the next tunnel?

29/06/2026

🐾 This week we're having some fun with new equipment! 8 New Hoops and shortly a hoopers tunnel 🐾

This week we're introducing our dogs to Hoopers – a fun, low-impact dog sport that's closely related to agility, but with some important differences.

Hoopers uses many of the same teamwork and handling skills as agility, but instead of jumps, dogs navigate hoops, tunnels, and barrels. Because there is no jumping or tight twisting, it's much gentler on a dog's body.

One of the great benefits of Hoopers is that dogs can start competing from 12 months of age, compared with 18 months for agility. It's also a fantastic sport for dogs of all ages, from young dogs learning new skills to older dogs who may no longer be suited to the physical demands of agility.

Most importantly, Hoopers is all about building confidence, communication, and teamwork between you and your dog—while having lots of fun along the way!

We can't wait to see how everyone enjoys this exciting new challenge! 🐶💙

08/04/2026

Today was a fun session with Dexter and Julie. It was learning to Serpent from a distance. We also practice rear crossing behind Dexter and made use of the weave guides to make sure that Dexter learns to decelerate going into the weaves. The weave guides are designed to pop off easily if Dexter comes in to fast and hits them at speed. Dexter loves the use of them . If you want to learn Dog agility skills please contact message me.

02/03/2026

✨ A little thank you & something new! ✨

Firstly, thank you to everyone who continues to follow my posts — I really appreciate it. I hope some of them are fun, interesting, and maybe a little quirky at times 😄

I thought I’d take a moment to introduce a new training asset I’ve added: weave guides 🐾

Weave guides are a fantastic training aid for:
• Dogs learning weaves for the first time
• Dogs working on distance sends into the weaves
• Dogs learning to complete the weaves independently while the handler moves off to the next queuing position

The guides clip onto the weave poles, are quick to put on and remove, and do not damage the poles in any way — making them practical for both training and shared equipment.

They’re a really versatile tool and useful for both young learners and more experienced dogs that need clarity or confidence in their weaving.

For anyone keen to make their own set, a full set of 10 guides (suitable for 12-pole weaves) can be made for under $50 in materials. We can cover how to build them as part of a training session — whether you want to make one guide or a complete set of guides we can do this in a session. I have enough material at present to make 1 or 2 complete sets available now please message me and let me know if you would like to make 10 guides for your next session.

As always, training is about setting dogs up for success, and these are a great addition to the toolbox 💪🐕

16/02/2026

Rewarding a dog isn’t just about what you give —
it’s about how you give it.
WHEN YOUR DOG GETS IT RIGHT…

✔ Happy voice
✔ Treat
✔ Touch & engagement
When you combine these the dog will be more inclined to earn it again, rather than just a piece of kibble tossed at them. One will feel like a celebration the other not so much.

14/02/2026

🐶 Dog Treat Storage & Safety: Bags, Containers & Treat Pouches 🐾

A quick safety reminder that often gets overlooked: how we carry and store dog treats matters.

Loose plastic bags (including zip-lock or soft treat packets) can be risky if dropped or left within reach. Dogs can:

⚠️ Get their head stuck
⚠️ Panic and suffocate
⚠️ Ingest too many treats at once
⚠️ Chew and swallow plastic

✔️ Small rigid containers with secure lids are a much safer alternative. They don’t collapse around a dog’s face and help control access if accidentally dropped.

✔️ Treat pouches are also a great option when used correctly:

Worn securely on the body (not left on the ground)

Closed when not actively training

Designed specifically for dog training (not open snack bags)

Treat pouches keep rewards accessible while preventing dogs from helping themselves or getting into trouble.

As trainers and dog owners, it’s often the small, everyday habits that prevent accidents — not just the big obvious risks.

A simple change can make training safer and smoother for everyone ❤️🐕

Happy (and safe) training! ✨

10/02/2026

Just a thought of the day about dogs and how much we did not know about them and their behaviours

27/01/2026

Now we are fully into summer and the grass seeds from Barley grass are every where, please be aware that these tiny seeds can kill our dogs fairly quickly as they use barbs to propel themselves into the skin and travel through the dogs body causing damage. One of my customers have a large dog who is the biggest softy out there, on his travels a grass seed had embedded into his skin around the chin area, the grass seed then traveled inside the flesh from one side of the neck to the other side.. The vet had to open up his neck to follow the path of the seed to remove it. So please be diligent and check your dogs for these seeds especially around the face and feet

It's that time of year again...please beware of barley grass seeds invading your dog's body and give him a through check over after walking in long grass.
Sourced from Rangiora Dog Park: facebook.com/RangioraDogPark

05/01/2026

Here is Kerry and Charlie, they have just learnt to do straight 12 weave poles. Charlie is very enthusiastic and is loves doing activities with his mom