How many kennels do you have?
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We have 22 purpose built kennels. 20 are available to our guests while 2 tend to get booked with development dogs for different working dog projects from government agencies to stock dogs.
What does a typical day for my dog look like?
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We start cleaning kennels and toileting dogs between 7-7.30am. Our team will get everyone out for a stretch of their legs and toilet break while keeping their nature and temperament in mind. Reactive dogs get to enjoy more one on one time while social dogs get time to play with preselected dogs suited to their play style. From there we start circling through dogs until 4 pm. Food time starts from 4pm and our last nighttime check is at 7.30pm.
When they aren't enjoying run time, play time or long leash time in our 15-acre backyard, dogs enjoy downtime in their kennels. Due to the small operation, there is always something going on, so no dog feels left out. Our team spends their day in and around our kennel bank to ensure the wellbeing of each and every dog.
What happens during the night?
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As a small family-owned business, owners Nat and Dan do live on site and only 20m away from the kennel facility. No noise goes unnoticed, and we have cameras in place to be able to check in on dogs without disturbing everyone's sleep.
Are the kennels indoors or outdoors?​
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Our kennels are indoors under a large shed, double insulated and sheltered from the weather.
Can my dogs stay in the same kennel?​
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We do not double dogs up. Every dog gets its own kennel. Dogs from the same household can stay in neighbouring kennels and are guaranteed to get daily play time together.
This helps us to monitor food intake and keep the overall kennel atmosphere calm and under control.
Do I need to provide bedding?
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We supply all bedding and will not take beds or other accessories. Using our own bedding allows us to cycle through fresh bedding and exchange bedding as we see fit. This ensures that hygiene standards are maintained at all times.
Do you board small dogs?
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We don't discriminate! We board anything from miniature Chihuahuas to Great Danes.
Do you board aggressive or reactive dogs?​
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We do specialise in rehabilitating aggressive and reactive dogs so are most comfortable to board any temperament. We do however charge an increased rate for dogs who pose a bite risk to ensure we can allocate an experienced trainer to their daily care. This allows us to create a boarding environment in which even aggressive and reactive dogs can make positive experiences.
How much training will my dog receive per day?​
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Our standard is to get each dog out for a dedicated 2 x 30minute training session per day. This allows the dog to rest and let the lesson sink in before revisiting.
Depending on each and every individual dog's needs, temperament and nature we break training into smaller episodes or lengthen it if a topic requires more in-depth attention on the day. We very much concentrate on the needs of the dog and the goals we are working towards to ensure that the right training - play - rest ratio is met. This is, why it is hard to answer this questions with a one size fits all answer.
What will you train my dog to do?​
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Through our intake process and the forms you will fill out before dropping your dog off at our facility we will get a scope of the topics you are struggling with. From here we work towards shaping behaviours that will aim to replace the behaviours that aren't wanted in your home environment. This may vary from dog to dog and will be adjusted as we get to know your dog and its temperament and nature.
The general rule of thumb is that we will train your dog to recognise commands and display behaviours that will help you communicate and manage your relationship at home. Then we will train you ;)
Will this fix my dog?​
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This is one of those questions that raises red flags straight away. Dogs are not like cars. We cannot drop them off at the mechanics and replace some parts to solve what is going on in their minds.
Like human and all other animal behaviour, shaping dog behaviour requires consistency and repetition as well as a brain open and receptive to learning and changing.
So, while we can't 'fix' your dog we can help it open it's mind and show it different ways of approaching situations. We can train it to recognise new behaviours and choose them over old behaviours and we can help it become resilient and confident withing its own skin.
Then we get to the most important part: teaching you how to help your dog so you can continue the training at home.
What is the difference between the 2 and 3 Week Board and Train Packages?​
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The 2 Week Package is great for younger dogs who haven't shown any reactivity, aggression and/or extreme timid behaviours and haven't had the chance to practice them for multiple months/years. It concentrates on 1-2 simple obedience topics like loose leash walking/sit/bed/stay.
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The 3 Week Package allows us to take the time to work with more complex cases, teach them basic patterns and then evolve this into behavioural topics like reactivity/aggression/resource guarding/socialisation.
We prefer not to expose a dog we just met to situations that trigger it and cause it to escalate without becoming its friend and teaching it that it can rely on our queues first.
What type of Training Techniques do you use?​
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We are balanced trainers. To us this means that we balance our approach to suit each and every individual dog. An introverted and soft Border Collie will require a different balance to a boisterous and extroverted Rottweiler.
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As balanced trainers we do use all four quadrants of operant conditioning as well as classic conditioning. Again, the balance used depends on the dog, it's temperament and therewith it's needs.
What type of Tools do you use?​
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We mainly use long, light slip leashes for our day-to-day handling. Each dog is taught how to work with this tool before we introduce more complex questions.
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We have used prong collars on occasions where dogs (Shepherds/Rottweilers) were strong enough to pull their handlers into dangerous situations but do not use these in our day-to-day training. We would also never use these without discussing this with the owner first as it is a more specific tool.
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We use harnesses for protection work, for pulling and to build desire to play in our dogs. This is breed and situation specific and not part of standard training.
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We use normal flat collars for tethering exercises, for identification purposes (to attach ID tags) or to walk dogs who don't show any intention of pulling on the lead.
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We don't use haltis. We don't use no-pull-harnesses.
How old does my dog have to be before it can start Herding?​
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Due to the size difference between sheep and most puppies as well as their stamina and brain development we have set a minimum age of 6 Months.
What breeds can enjoy Herding?​
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Definitely: Kelpies, Border Collies, Koolies, Cattle Dogs, Aussie Shepherds, Finnish Lapphunds, Corgies, Rough Collies, Bearded Collies ...
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Maybe (please contact us to discuss): Malinois, German Shepherds, Belgian Groenendaels, Rottweilers, ...
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Not at all: Staffies, Mastiffs, Bulldogs, Amstaffs, Chihuahuas, Dachshunds, Greyhounds, Whippets ...