Service Area: Sunshine Coast
My Qualifications: I hold a Graduate Diploma in Animal Studies and I am currently awaiting certification for my Doctorate of Animal Studies. I am also a qualified Veterinary Nurse with over 20 years industry experience.
My Background: I have recently joined the DogTech team as the Sunshine Coast representative, allowing me to fulfill my lifelong ambition to bring owners and their dogs closer together through gentle training methods and behaviour modification. Dogs and their relationship to people is my passion and the reason I undertook many years of formal studies to obtain my qualifications.
I have been fortunate enough to own dogs from an early age and I know the incredible pleasure they bring when the relationship is harmonious. The loyalty, affection and love they give us is beyond measure. I have owned a variety of breeds, including very large and headstrong males, so I am confident working with all breeds, sizes and temperaments. I am currently training Assistance Dogs for the disabled, which is incredibly rewarding for me as well as the owners and dogs.
My qualifications and veterinary nursing experience also allow me to assess possible medical conditions that may be influencing a behavioural issue.
I currently share my life with two beautiful dogs––a chocolate Labrador and a rather large Bull Mastiff, who is also a registered Assistance Dog through my training.
My Objective: By combining my formal training, experience and passion, I offer you a very broad range of knowledge and skills to ensure your dog receives a thorough assessment and a behavioural training program that is customised to your specific needs. I am committed to assisting owners who are experiencing behavioural problems and also those who would simply like some basic command training.
How: Training can be conducted at your home or in class depending on your requirements. Both you and your dog will find the proven Dogtech Whisper Wise rewards based training fun and easy to learn and practise. The technique uses only positive reinforcement and reward-based training. No harsh or fear-based methods are required, so the experience is very positive for owners and their dogs.
Puppies:
Training and socialising your puppy will ensure you have a well-balanced, well-mannered friend for life. I will be operating group classes where your puppy can learn all of the basic commands, how to interact with other puppies and you will have a lot of fun too. I can also train your puppy in your home.
Whether you have a problem dog or you would simply like some assistance with basic training – I can help. Please feel free to contact me with any doggie problems you may be experiencing and I will be more than happy to assist you in any way I can.
Gold Coast Pet Expo – September 2011
The Gold Coast Expo was held on 17 & 18 September 2011 at Central Park Oval, Varsity Lakes. Our Dogtech instructor for the Gold Coast, Troy Fitzgerald was on hand to help visitors with their doggie behavioural problems, and was joined by our Queensland Manager, Justin Jordan on Sunday. This pet expo is the largest Pet and Animal Expo in Queensland, giving businesses a great opportunity to showcase their products and services, and Troy reports that it was a great success.
Photos are of Troy Fitzgerald with Dr Chris Brown (Bondi Vet TV celebrity), and Justin Jordan.