What is Wolfe Dogs all about?
Wolfe Dogs owner/operator - Kelly Wolfe with Needle the Kelpie & Halo the Malinois (personal dogs) and Roxy and Cooper (client dogs)
You got your dog to enjoy life and have fun adventures together, but sometimes their behaviour can make this stressful and embarrassing. This is why we coach dog owners to get unstuck and feel confident again, so that you can live a bigger, more fun life together. .
I’m here to support you and your dog with a range of options to suit your individual situation, from group classes, to private owner coaching or more hands on training help. Whether you have a brand new puppy, a dog needing some new obedience skills and manners or some more complex behavioural challenges, I’m happy to help. We take a big picture approach, tackling each piece of the behaviour puzzle to build you and your dog up as a team, ready to tackle the fun adventures ahead.
You can be confident choosing Wolfe Dogs as a qualified and experienced trainer, speaking plain English & grounded in common sense. For your protection I carry full insurance, and am currently certified in canine first aid as well as prioritising continuing education to keep up with the latest developments in canine behaviour and training.
When not working with your dogs, I am busy exploring and training with my own two dogs (Halo the Belgian Malinois and Needle the Kelpie), working on my lifestyle block with the animals, reading a good book or listening to some good country music.
Education/Qualifications:
NDTF Certificate III in Dog Behaviour and Training (recognised under the Australian Qualifications Framework).
Family Dog Mediator via the L.E.G.S. Applied Ethology Family Dog Mediation Professional Course.
The School of Canine Science - Puppy Lab, 30 Days of Canine Science, currently completing the 3 year Behaviour Bible.
Attended multiple seminars and courses on a wide range of topics including Michael Ellis 3 day seminars in Melbourne (2023, 2024), Michael Shikashio’s Aggression in Dogs & Defensive Handling among others.
Numerous other online courses, conferences and webinars from world leaders in dog training and behaviour across stock dogs, dog sports & pet dog training and behaviour.
Canine First Aid Certified
Experience:
Born, raised & ran a bull farm, 10 years in charge of a team of working farm dogs - raising, training and working dogs on cattle from puppies through to end of life seniors. Owning up to a dozen dogs at a time + visitors.
Involved with and training in various dog sports, starting with agility around 2009. Currently training for PSA protection sports with Malinois Halo with the local working dog club.
10+ years in dog rescue, 5 as a trustee for DC Rescue Dogs. Fostering a wide range of different puppies, dogs & needs. As part of the team we saved 1000+ dogs and puppies from private surrenders, council pounds and other situations, rehabilitating and training, as well as supporting foster homes and adoptive owners.
Founding member of the Canine Industry Standards Association (CISA) - aiming to raise the standards of canine professionals in NZ through education, regulation and community.
Approx 20 months working in a Dog Daycare as a handler & the facility trainer before going solo. Private pet dog training since July 2020.
Former professional pet photographer (private, commercial & dog sport), with a heavy focus on working and sporting dogs.
Passionate about adventuring with dogs, having hiked and travelled all over the country with personal dogs over the years.
The dogs who taught me the most - Flight and Patch the Heading Dogs, Brooke and Teddy the Beardie X Huntaways, Yogi the Beardie X Border Collie, Flick the Border Collie and Needle the Working Kelpie on our last farm.
What People Are Saying
“
Kelly has an innate understanding of dogs and a great training methodology. She had been a great help for me with my young golden retriever Oscar who needed guidance with his OTT exuberance when greeting other humans and dogs. I know Kelly will be happy to provide ongoing support if I hit speed bumps along the way with Oscar.
”
— Ruth Woodward
“
Kelly has been with our German short haired pointer since she was a puppy, and her impact on our energetic girl - and us! - has been invaluable. Early on we had some in-home sessions that were invaluable to me as a first time puppy owner and a timely reminder for my husband. Now our girl enjoys some amazing adventures with Kelly that keep her learning - and the great thing is that we can see the ongoing improvements. Our girl loves Kelly and welcomes her with full body wags each week. Kelly is insightful and always aims to do the right thing for every dog in her care, and their owners too. I highly recommend her.
”
— Wendy Ferrell
“
I found Kelly on Facebook when her posts totally resonated with my struggles, and now learning, with a young Kelpie pup. I can’t recommend her highly enough.
I work with her via zoom and emails all the way from NSW, Australia and even at such a distance her advice and support have been invaluable. Her down to earth approach and wonderful understanding of herding dogs shines through and has really helped me begin to build structure and purpose into my training with my pup.
When I was feeling completely overwhelmed Kelly immediately spotted what we needed to learn and sent through individualised and detailed, yet easy to follow, instructions for introducing mat time and working on impulse control through tug games, as well as advice for walking on the lead and dealing with one very, very excitable puppy.
My puppy was terrified of her crate and all the usual strategies were not working. Kelly helped me change the dynamics of the crate set up and my dog now goes in there voluntarily to sleep which is huge progress for us.
I am super keen to find activities for my dog to use her herding instincts as she grows and Kelly has suggested training games and ways to nurture and stimulate that little herdy brain. On Kelly’s advice, I have also signed up for an online Treibball course and we are having loads of fun with that.
Kelly has really gone above and beyond to support me and my pup. I check in regularly with her and often wonder how she can spot our needs in all my overly detailed descriptions of events. She does just that, and her replies are always so practical and realistic that they help me reflect on how we are doing.
The people of Pirongia and surrounds are very lucky to have such a wonderful trainer available and I wish we were closer to be able to work with Kelly in person.
”
— Alisa King (Australia)
A worked dog is a happy dog
Let’s Talk!
Have any questions? Flick me a message and I’m happy to help.