It’s easier to prevent behavioural problems:
Why In Home Training is crucial
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.
It is also recommended to do progress sessions every 4 weeks to ensure you stay on track with your puppy’s development.
It is important to get your puppy off to the right start. My specialised In-Home Puppy Training Set Up visit is specific to your family and environment.
I will help you set up the home properly. I will give you a program to follow to prevent bad behaviour developing.
There are many dog behaviours we create without realising. This in-depth In-Home Puppy Training Set Up session will show you how to avoid some of the most common dog behaviour issues such as barking, separation anxiety, excitement, fear, aggression to name a few. It will also stop behaviours your puppy is demonstrating now, such as biting, nipping and jumping and toilet training problems.
Note: Not all puppy training is the same, in fact my session is worlds apart from an obedience trainer’s session. My information is life changing information.
Don’t risk your dog’s future with incorrect advice in the most crucial time of their life. Call Kat TODAY!
But, Why?
I’ve had so many clients with older dogs that are now experiencing behavioural problems with their dogs say to me “Why have I never heard this information before?”. My answer, because you’ve used obedience trainers. Teaching your puppy obedience is the easiest thing to do. Whilst I can help with obedience as well, that is not my focus.
In my experience, puppies and older dogs struggle to focus and follow instruction from the owners. Why? Well, if your puppy only sees you as a provider of fun, food, love, kisses and cuddles your dog will not naturally want to follow you. This is the bottom line – there are many dogs that can perform for food but without the food the owner gets nothing from the dog. That’s because respect hasn’t been created through leadership.
It’s typical human behaviour to wait until something is broken before we fix it. In my experience waiting for your puppy to mature in hope that the behaviours disappear means they generally mature with the behavioural problem. One of the common myths is that dogs will start to behave as they mature. This is not always the case.
My In-Home Puppy Set Up visit is designed to create stability, consistency and structure which will lead to the correct conditioning and a trusting and respectful relationship – Kat is Noosa’s most respected Dog Behavioural Trainer.
Training Videos
17 week old Tidda! How do you get a 17 week old puppy to achieve excellent results at such an early age? Leadership & hard work!
Chakra’s day is full of work and mental stimulation. This is holding the boundary while breakfast is prepared and then getting fed.
Little puppy Bear is learning that an open door means wait.
Puppies We’ve Trained
Frequently Asked Questions
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…
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
Oscar
Oscar is our third Westie and knowing how important training is for this breed we had decided that of course we would start with puppy training. As Oscar is my husband’s dog I thought I wouldn’t have to go with him to classes as having been through the process a few times I didn’t think I would get anything out of it and was mainly for socialisation before he started obedience training.
After a few false starts and a bit of research we decided to try Katrina’s Kats4Dogs. John thought I should attend classes so off we went.
What a surprise! This would have to be the best possible start you could give your puppy. This was so different from any of the puppy classes we had been to before. The concepts and ideas Katrina gave us have been invaluable. We were definitely given the tools to train our puppies and understand their thinking a bit better.
Our older Westie, Rosie, has benefited too and some of the concepts, especially of calming will be of great help to her.
I believe puppy training is extremely important to start you on the path to having a well behaved dog who is a joy to have. You couldn’t do better than Kats4Dogs. It is worth every cent.
Kind Regards
Kat’s 4 Dogs Dog Training and Behavioural Specialist Sunshine Coast
Lovable Louie
Hi Katrina,
We just wanted to touch base to say thank you for all the input you have had with Louie.
We were lucky enough to attend your puppy school and we loved the approach you took with a focus on the puppy’s behaviour, the socialisation of the dogs, obedience skills for dog and owner and education on how our actions impact our dogs and how to prevent behaviour problems.
I was expecting a far less comprehensive introduction to owning a dog based more on physical health needs and basic obedience and I felt so lucky that it was your school that we ended up choosing.
A few months on and with the plan of introducing another puppy we had a home visit to ensure we were doing the best for Louie and the soon to arrive Olive. We could immediately see a change in Louie with increased structure and a week on we are noticing a calmer more cooperative dog.
We found it so helpful to have the plan of action we should take with each behaviour that we wanted to address, such as: where to calm his mind, how to encourage good lead walking and how to address his barking, ‘reclaim the fence’ now rings out if we hear him barking out the back and we swing into action!!!
I see your input as extremely valuable for anyone who loves their dog and has a desire to do the best for the dog mentally as well as physically. I have, and will continue to sing your praises to anyone I know who owns a dog. We will certainly be attending the next phase of training for Louie and will be bringing Olive along for puppy school when she arrives.
We really appreciate the impact you have had on helping us enhance a strong and healthy bond with our dog.
Kind regards
