Experience

I formally trained my first dog in the late 1980’s. In 2004 I joined the Bloemfontein German Shepherd Dog Club and started to train my dog Tess for Begeleithund (Companion Dog). After qualifying her in 2007, I started to assist the Training supervisor in training dogs and their handlers. Around 2008 to 2009 I became the Training supervisor at the club and were in this position until I resigned from the club in early 2014. One of my pupils and I decided to start our own puppy school in July 2014.

Fetch!K9 Services was born in July 2014 and in 2015 we applied to Royal Canin to become one of their puppy schools. I also continue to train older dogs as well as running the puppy school with my friend, Candice. In 2019 I started to run the Puppy school alone and continued with the older dog training. Hill’s contacted us and we became the 2nd Hill’s accredited and sponsored puppy school in Bloemfontein. I still worked in the Corporate environment until end of Feb 2021 when I took early retirement and decided to do the training and behaviour consults full time.

During my years of training and learning about dogs, I attended various seminars by overseas professionals and did online course to keep up to date with the newest developments and will continue to do so in future.

 

OBJECTIVES

I would like to assist the people in our area to learn more about dogs and cats and how they learn and why they do the things they do. Hopefully I will have an impact on the percentage of dogs and cats that end up in the rescue system. I know if will be a difficult and long road, but you have to start somewhere.

Education

(Relevant to dogs)

1982 – Matric
2007 – Qualified Tess, GSD for Companion Dog(BH Test) – GSD Federation
2009 – Qualified Diesel, GSD for Companion Dog (BH Test) – GSD Federation
2015 – Super Pup Gold trainer Certification done by Shannon McKay
2016 – Qualified Duke, GSD for Companion Dog(BH Test) – GSD Federation.
2019 – Qualified Donna, Mali x GSD for Companion Dog (BH Test) – KUSA
2019 – Hill’s puppy school trainer Certification

2019 – Enrolled for the Behaviourwise Stage 2 course (SAVC approved) with COAPE International. I passed this course in 2020 with distinction.2020 – Did the course: Life skills for Puppies by Dr Helen Zulch.
2020 – Managing behaviour in multicat households – Understanding cat politics by Dr Aileen Pypers (Webinar)
2020 – Stressed Cats – Lockdown Behaviour Crises by Dr Aileen Pypers (Webinar)
2020 – Good Animal welfare for dogs and cats by Dr Aileen Pypers (Webinar)
2021 – Started my studies for a Diploma in Animal Behaviour COAPE International (SAVC approved)

2021 – Qualified my dog Donna for IGP1 (Tracking, Obedience and Protection) – KUSA
2021 – Four legged families: The Art of Mutliple Dog Management – Suzanne Clothier (Webinar).
2021 – Aggression in Dogs – Kathy Clayton (Webinar)
2021 – The Healthiest Sterilisation Options – Dr Kurt de Kramer (Webinar)2022 – 3 Day Webinar – UK Sniffer dogs – Jamie Pound from UK Sniffer dogs.
2023 – In my final year of my Animal Behaviour Diploma. I will be qualified as an Animal Behaviourist in February 2024.