Positive dog training
Positive dog training should support not only what your dog learns, but how both dog and guardian experience the learning process. I use a force-free, welfare-centred approach that recognises dogs as sentient individuals, while also respecting the needs, abilities and circumstances of the people who live with them.
With over 18 years of experience in dog training and behaviour, I help families build practical skills through clear communication, mutual cooperation and a better understanding of their dog’s body language and behaviour. Learning is adapted to the individual dog and guardian, taking into account the dog’s confidence, environment and natural needs, as well as the guardian’s lifestyle, abilities and what is realistic for the family.
Whether you are raising a puppy, navigating adolescence or wanting everyday life with your dog to feel easier, the aim is to build understanding, confidence and a relationship in which both you and your dog can thrive.
Behaviour consulting
When your dog is experiencing more complex or persistent behavioural difficulties, it can be stressful for everyone involved and difficult to know what they need or where to begin.
With over 18 years of experience in dog training and behaviour, I take a whole-dog approach to behaviour consulting. As a L.E.G.S.® Applied Ethology Family Dog Mediator®, I consider your dog’s Learning, Environment, Genetics and Self alongside their physical and emotional wellbeing, relationships, daily life and individual needs. Rather than applying a standard training formula to a presenting behaviour, I look at how these factors interact for the individual dog and what may be contributing to the difficulties they are experiencing.
The assessment begins before we meet. I review a detailed behavioural history to identify patterns, context and possible contributing factors, then use what I observe during the consultation to develop recommendations tailored to both your dog and your family. I have extensive experience supporting dogs with complex, multi-context behavioural presentations, including fear and anxiety, aggression, resource guarding, over-arousal, reactivity and separation-related difficulties.
The aim is to support safety, wellbeing and meaningful, sustainable change while helping you better understand and communicate with your dog.
Why choose Pet Pursuits for positive dog training and behaviour consulting?
Kirsten has helped me so much with my dog, above and beyond what I could have imagined. Pocky is a 9 year-old rescue German Shepherd who unfortunately had a rough start to life and suffers from quite severe anxiety. Kirsten’s advice to overcome/manage Pocky’s behavioural issues has been invaluable!
Karen IngramJac and I recently adopted Mabel Lyon an 8 week old cavoodle puppy. Committed to ensuring she has the best life and has the confidence to navigate the world around her, we reached out to Kirsten to seek professional guidance on what behaviours we needed to adjust and how we work with Mabel to support her through the stages of her development. We are so grateful for her tutelage. We are much more confident in ourselves and feel like we have set our tribe up to succeed knowing Mabel has the best foundational support, positive training practices that are based on safety, love, kindness and empathy to her individual needs. We cannot wait to see little Mabel thrive and know that Kirsten will be there along the way to support our crew.
Meredith BowerJust wanted to say thank you for the help you gave us with our toy poodle, Link. Before seeing you he was very anxious around our 3 year old twin girls, would ignore our commands, was very difficult to walk and would go crazy when the door bell rang. After only a few lessons with yourself…
Brett Needham, NorthcoteShortly after learning we were pregnant and moving into a new house, we contacted Kirsten as we wanted our Beagle pup to have a happy and secure transition into this new world we found ourselves. At this stage we believed that although graduating from puppy school that she didn’t know her own name…
Jenelle Ryan, ReservoirWe contacted Kirsten in April 2014, after engaging in a number of unsuccessful (and unpleasant) training sessions with other dog schools in the local area. Our 9-month Cavoodle Molly Ringwald was fearful of other dogs and in need of socialisation. Alongside this, we wanted to learn some key training techniques…
Kate Duncan, CoburgI would highly recommend doing some sessions with Kirsten to learn the art of rewards based training. Kirsten is very professional and focuses on teaching you the skills you need to be able to continue training your dog well into the future. We did weekly private sessions with Kirsten…
Chris Kamen, Coburg NthKirsten is by far the most skilled dog trainer I have ever met. My dog took to her instantly, and the techniques she has taught me have set me up in shaping a dog that is a joy to be around and polite and friendly with other pooches. I cannot recommend her enough.
James Spence, ReservoirPositive dog training and behaviour consulting in home or online, Melbourne
Reservoir Coburg Thornbury Northcote Preston Fitzroy North Brunswick Alphington Fairfield Mill Park Thomastown Lalor Epping Fawkner Bundoora Rosanna Heidelberg Eaglemont Craigieburn