My method of dog training focuses on communication through body language and energy, without relying on treats. Whilst treats can play a part in certain areas of dog training, my aim is that your dog wants to please you as a human, not because you provide treats. There is nothing more rewarding than your dog showing you respect as a leader. Pleasing you because of a strong, healthy, respectful relationship.
My job is to simplify things for you and give you a true understanding of what your dog is trying to tell you. My unique training philosophy utilises body language and energy to communicate with your dog, fostering a natural and lasting bond.
Let me help modify behavioural problems such as:
Our Dog Training Services
Kat’s 4 Dogs offers the following dog training and behaviour services on the Sunshine Coast. Each dog is unique, so I tailor your new lifestyle program to meet your specific needs and goals.
If you are experiencing behaviour problems with your dog, you need an In Home Assessment and Behavioural Modification session.
This specialised visit is for puppies from 8 weeks to 5 months with dedicated owners who truly want their new puppy to thrive and adapt into a well-established set up.
Most reactive dogs are either scared, excited or anxious. This program works first on behaviour modifications at home, and then introduces exposure for you and your dog in the real world.
Frequently Asked Questions
If your question isn’t listed here, contact us – we’d be happy to hear from you!
Dog psychology, not human psychology!
It is important that I think like a dog, not a human. This is why my methods are based on dog psychology not human psychology.
My main focus is on your dog’s state of mind. So often we think a dog is happy if it’s over excited or if it is obsessed or unable to calm down, in fact these states of mind are unhealthy in the dog world. In dogs with these issues you will probably notice they suffer with some form of anxiety as well.
For me, it’s important to find out why your dog has a behavioural problem. Once I’ve assessed the home environment and determined the reason behind the behaviour we can start the rehabilitation process.
Kat’s 4 Dogs is all about creating calm assertive leadership and guidance your dog will benefit from in so many ways. If we learn to fulfil our dog’s needs both mentally and physically you will have a happy stable companion.
All my sessions are designed for you and your dog and are specific to your environment. To me, a truly educated dog lover always ensures their dog’s needs are met first.
My dog training methods:
- I will not ask you to throw things near or around your dog to scare them. These methods will not work.
- You will not see me arrive with a pocket full of treats or a water bottle to spray in your dog’s face.
- I don’t believe in harsh methods such as hitting or yelling, this will only create fear in your dogs.
- I’m honest and up front and will only work with people prepared to make changes for the better.
- I will help you create clear rules and boundaries in your home to establish leadership, trust and respect.
If you are truly looking to create a trusting and respectful relationship, your calm yet assertive energy is the key, your dog understands very quickly when he is in the presence of good energy. I will explain and show you how to achieve this. There is so much you need to know about dog training and I’m here to help you understand your role in helping your dog become balanced.
My promise to you is I will be with you the whole way through your dog’s training and rehabilitation stage and provide ongoing support.
Customer service means so much to me and ensuring you and your dog’s welfare and happiness is my passion. I want to see more dogs stay in the family home environment and out of rescue centres.
What My Clients Are Saying…
Ellie – the dog nobody could groom!
To Katrina Boyd
My 12 year old Border collie Ellie and I would like to share our experience with you at Katrina’s.
My Ellie was badly treated in her younger years so she became very fearful, aggressive and defensive and did not trust anyone. I could never touch her hind legs or brush her. Visiting a vet was a joke; they were all scared of her.
Taking her for a walk was testing – she wanted to attack every dog getting close to us.
Katrina has dogs of her own and I was apprehensive about Ellie’s behaviour. She introduced the dogs, played with them, took them for a walk and rewarded them. Her calm and confident behaviour, firm but friendly approach and handling, relaxed Ellie and she accepted to be one of the group. When she stepped out of line, one of Katrina’s dogs pulled her back. What a great training Katrina’s dogs had.
Later, Katrina decided to cut Ellie’s matted coat, the fur between her paws and her nails.
Good luck Katrina, you will need it… But she did not need any luck. She knew exactly how to treat the wriggling, snarling and biting Ellie. Katrina was firm, but without force, professional and determined, but passionate. She was in charge – Ellie gave in.
Ellie no longer scratches, takes anti-itch medication and uses anti-allergy shampoos. She is a happy girl, her skin is healthy and her coat shiny. She does not want to attack every dog anymore and even the vet is surprised.
My confidence in Katrina? – 100%. She is professional, firm, consistent and totally dedicated.
I have no hesitation recommending Katrina and her services to any owner who cares and loves their pooch.
Thank you Katrina.
Kat’s 4 Dogs Dog Training and Behavioural Specialist Sunshine Coast
Straight from the dog’s mind – What Banjo really thinks!
Dear Aunty Katrina / All-time best human trainer that ever walked the planet, being adopted is hard. When they picked me up I found out my new parents didn’t even speak the same language as me and to top it all off, they hadn’t ever even been masters to a dog before so they really just didn’t know what they were doing.
Didn’t they know being a working dog is in my blood and that I am really really smart and that they were going to have to prove to me that they were smarter than me if they wanted to be my master?
I realised pretty quickly that I wanted to be the leader of this pack. My new parents really tried and they certainly love me to bits (after all I am pretty darned good looking and a sweet pooch at heart) but I was too smart for them and pipped them at every turn.
But then Mum found you.
At first I was just relived because at least you spoke the same language as me (which Mum and Dad certainly still didn’t) but then you started teaching them how to be the leaders of the pack which I wasn’t so into. I do love you Aunty Katrina but you have really changed my life and now I can’t get away will all the fun naughty things I used to.
Far out you made it tough for me to keep winning – not only did I have puppy school with you but you started showing up all over the place – at my house, in my yard, on walks, in the park!
At first I thought just by showing off and doing stuff right at puppy school I could get away with still doing whatever I wanted at home and outside of class. Most of puppy school was pretty easy for me because like I say, I am very smart – “sit, stay, leave it”, ha! Surely even a cat could do that.
I made Mum feel like she was going crazy because everyone thought I was so well behaved at school and then we would get home and I would just do whatever I wanted and she couldn’t get me to stop. Even though I am really lovely I even had to start nipping them when they were bossing me about to show them that I was the pack leader.
Mum thought you had magical powers at first because I would do what you said but not what they said but then over time you trained Mum and Dad how to communicate better with me and provided them the perfect solutions to all the tricks I was pulling to show them who was the big dog in the pack.
Puppy school was fun and made me feel like I was working which I loved but it was really the home training that ended my reign of household domination. I was pretty darned persistent so Mum thinks you were like an angel coming and seeing me in action in my own environment so you could really help them get to the core of why I was acting out.
Even after I lost my puppy teeth, I really enjoyed chewing on anything I could especially if my folks let me out of their sight in the house even for a moment – I had a lot of fun chewing window sills, doors, computer and camera cables, shoes, anything hanging on the line, outdoor furniture and cushions – the list is endless. Ahhhh, good times.
Mum and Dad tried all sorts of things they read about on the internet like spraying me with water, putting yucky tasting stuff on things I liked to chew or giving me other things to sink my teeth into but none of that worked on me. I was the leader of the pack and the only way they were going to be able to get me to stop is by showing me they were going to be the leaders.
After you trained Mum and Dad how to control me in the house I am now trustworthy and can be left alone without anyone having to worry about my safety (either from very dangerous things like chewing on cords or by what might happen to me if Dad caught me eating another pair of his thongs). I even know when it is time to relax and go straight to my designated spots in the house when asked where I am allowed to sit calmly and wait – I like knowing my job even if it’s just to wait.
There are too many other things to list that you have trained them how to fix – I am no longer freaked out totally by the sound at the lights when the little green man says we can walk. I chew only my own toys. I am lovely with small children instead of jumping up on them and knocking them over. I don’t nip my parents (or anyone). I wait on my spot when a visitor arrives at the front door instead of crying and trying to jump up at them and lick them (at least for a few moments). I prance like a pony when walking on my lead most of the time. I (mostly) do as I am told.
There are still some things Mum and Dad are working on (like that I am still adamant about barking at possums or birds that dare come into my yard) but the difference is that now you have trained them how to cope with me they know how to calmly assert their wishes and show me they are now my masters.
Even though I wish I was still the leader of the pack I have to say it is more fun now Mum and Dad have a better idea how to really be my masters – they get to enjoy walks with me and take me on holidays and lots of fun places they just couldn’t trust me before.
You have been tirelessly dedicated to helping me and my parents be a happy family and we can’t tell you how awesome we think you are – even in doggy language there are not enough words to express what an amazing difference you have made in our lives.
I could never dream a human would be so passionate and dedicated about what they do (I thought only dogs were that loyal) – taking desperate phone calls, emails and visits with my folks – you are truly an angel to us doggies and masters. Thank you.
– Lots of licks and tail wags, Banjo the 2 year old Border Collie (translated to English by my Mum and Dad / Masters Steve and Haley Bellamy)
Kat’s 4 Dogs Dog Training and Behavioural Specialist Sunshine Coast
Lola and Erik – Rehabilitation and Rescue dog success story
Hi Katrina,
Just wanted to drop you a line to say thank you so much for all your help, and to share with people in QLD who may be looking for help with their dogs our story.
It sure has been a roller coaster ride! Your house visits greatly improved Elke (greyhound) and Lola’s (mini-foxi) separation anxiety, and meant we had the tools to help our dogs relax.
Last year when Elke passed away we were heart broken and so was little Lola. Once again we required your assistance and support to work with getting Lola back into a calm routine. You showed great compassion not only for Lola but for myself and Harriet in a time that was incredibly challenging.
From March to December last year we did all the exercises and training you showed us and bit by bit all of us learnt to relax and laugh again. Lola went from extreme OCD barking and pacing the yard and behaving fearfully when faced with unfamiliar people, to seeing her yard as a place to relax and enjoying new people throwing a ball for her.
We spoke at length about getting a second dog when the time was right, in December that time arrived! Thank you for taking the time to help us settle Erik the rescue rotti in. You helped us gel our pack together and we couldn’t be happier.
Lola and Erik enjoy each others company and make us smile every day with their games in the yard. Your humour, patience and compassion make you outstanding at what you do. Your insight on not just training but behaviour of dogs and humans has been the key.
You will be missed here in Sydney, I hope Noosa knows how lucky they are to have you!
Kat’s 4 Dogs Dog Training and Behavioural Specialist Sunshine Coast
Daisy
I recently used the services of Katrina Boyd from Kats4Dogs and was so impressed with her skills. Katrina came to my home and spent 2 hours with myself and Daisy, my Miniature Schnauzer.
Katrina has a very gentle but no nonsense approach to training and Daisy responded very well to her methods.
I highly recommend Katrina to anyone who is seeking help re behavioural problems or simply needs assistance in training their dog in the correct manner.
Katrina gives you all the right skills to handle your dog and help you form a strong and loving relationship with you as the leader. Thanks again Katrina.
Regards,
