About us

All of our staff are background checked for your security and pet first aid trained for your animal’s safety.

Nicole

Nicole knew from a very early age that she wanted to spend her life working with animals and is passionate about helping our furry friends to have the happiest lives possible. Her objective is to help out in any way possible.

Nicole is a qualified Veterinary Nurse with six and a half years of clinical experience, having gained her Certificate in Veterinary Nursing at CPIT in 2009. In addition to this, she is a qualified Canine Behaviourist and Puppy Trainer, having gained a Diploma in Canine Behaviour and Psychology and a Certificate in Puppy Training through correspondence study via British College of Canine Studies. In amongst all of this she has also gained her Bachelors degree in Science (Biology) with focus on animal behaviour papers at the University of Canterbury in 2014.

Pro Dog Trainer Certified
Association of pet dog trainers New Zealand - APDTNZ

Georgia

I have always had a soft spot for my feline friends having grown up with cats right from the start, and due to this I decided to start working alongside animals as a volunteer at the SPCA as soon as I was old enough.
This then lead down the slippery slope of studying Vet Nursing in 2015 at CPIT and has since seen me work in a wide variety of clinics across New Zealand, caring and handling a wide variety of creatures big and small along the way.
I have a real passion for understanding feline behaviour and stress free handling and look forward to meeting your furry friends with this new adventure!

Kim

Kim joined us in Christchurch after living in Auckland where her degree in Zoology & Physiology led her to work for the council in the shelter environment. Through this job, she developed many skills such as general obedience training, temperament testing and handling of all kinds of doggos.

She started out dog walking, and eventually took on the running of our Teen Pups and Puppy Preschool Classes before handing the reigns over to head off on her O.E

Kim is currently living in Canada, but couldn’t bare to say goodbye, so she continues her work with us tackling mainly administrative duties. She’s a real superstar!

Sarah

Sarah comes from a farming background so has grown up around all sorts of animals. She also has a background of Vet Nursing, working in a vet clinic environment before having her twin children. Now that the kids are at school, Sarah spends her days with the group walking doggies who absolutely adore her.

Anja

I have had a passion for dogs since I was 6 years old and we got our first family dog “Teddy”, a German Wolfspitz. He became my best buddy and that’s when my love of dogs started. I have a BSc with a focus on Animal Behavior and Brain function, I have worked in the kennel industry for 4 years, as a dog behaviorist for a dog training franchise, and at a well known local pet store advising owners on dog nutrition and behavioral advice. I almost got my late dog operational in LandSAR. My young German Shepherd “Posh” is currently learning dog sledding and hopefully tracking and obedience in the not so distant future.

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Posh

Hi I’m Posh and the human above me is my personal assistant/mum Anja!

As you can see by my gorgeous photo I’m a German Shepherd. I’ve always loved dogs! Well actually…I used to be a bit scared of other dogs to be honest… Nowadays though I’ve made many dog friends and I love going with mum to help other dogs overcome their fears too.

I look scary with my big ears and long wolf nose but I am a softy at heart. I love nothing more than travelling in the Head To Tail car to mums behaviourals and helping my fur friends in any way I can.

Maybe I’ll get to meet you and your pooch soon!

Theresa

Theresa has a qualification in Dog Psychology, Behaviour and Training and she’s super excited to have now joined the team at H2T.

From a young age she has lived with and looked after dogs, (cats and other pets) and this was only the beginning of her passion for animals.

She has gained lots of additional experience volunteering at the SPCA, Christchurch (caring for the cats, kittens, rabbits, bird and farm animals). She also qualified and became a volunteer of the SPCA canine unit. This included tasks such as feeding, cleaning the kennels as well as walking/exercising and training the dogs.

Since then she has been dog sitting on a regular basis and have helped friends train and understand their dogs behaviour. She has also recently joined the USAR-dog team as a volunteer to help with the training of their working dogs.

Phoebe

Phoebe is the proud owner of her own pooch, a 6-year-old blue heeler named Jock. This, along with her 5 years of experience working with dogs, means she has gained valuable knowledge and skills that enable her to provide exceptional care and attention to each dog she encounters.
 
She has had the pleasure of working with dogs of all sizes, from tiny Chihuahuas to majestic Great Danes. This diverse experience has allowed her to understand the unique needs and temperaments of different breeds, ensuring a tailored approach to each dog’s care.
 
One area where she excels is working with reactive dogs. Phoebe understands that some dogs may have specific behavioral challenges or anxieties that require extra patience and care. She has successfully worked with reactive dogs, helping them build confidence and trust through positive reinforcement techniques.

Abbi

Working closely with both cats and dogs has always been a huge
passion and dream of Abbi’s ever since she had her first furry best friend at age 5. Ever since, she has made it her goal to expand her knowledge, skills, and love for these beautiful companions and constantly search for ways she can work alongside them. 

Having completed a certificate in Animal Management and Veterinary Nursing, she currently has 4 years, and growing, experience in all forms of animal care from dog sitting, to kennel/cattery work, through to farm animals. She is also currently working at a local pet store running the puppy preschool, she thoroughly enjoys advising customers of all things pet related.

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Rhiannon

Rhiannon joins us with a Diploma in Canine Behaviour from the British College of Canine Studies along with being DogTec* Dog walker certified and a prior instructor of pet first aid courses for PetTech.

She spent 8 years working as a dog walker and in a dog day care before taking a break from the dog care industry to focus on her own aging pups. 5 years on and she’s excited to get back to dog walking as a casual walker for us here at Head to Tail.
 
In addition to her formal qualifications Rhiannon used to compete in competitive obedience with her Malamute Miika, who sadly passed away last year. 
She currently owns two Aussie Shepherds and has a soft spot for high energy, working dogs who like to keep her on her toes!

Shazz

I have loved animals from a very early age and had my first Dog Jess when I changed careers and entered the dairy industry. Jess was a Border Collie who was a great companion to have on the farm especially through the Christchurch earthquakes.  

I now have 2 Border Collies (Blue and Gypsy), and have spent a lot of time on their training. During the 2020 lockdown I came across Games Based Training and decided to learn everything I could on how to be a concept trainer. I also studied dog behaviour as well. Once I introduced games with Gypsy and Blue, I realized just how much fun you can have training your dog’s and how cool it would be to share this with clients. 
 
I run the Games Based Training Classes for HTT. I absolutely love teaching this class! It’s an honor to be able to be a part of someone else’s dog training journey helping them reach their goals. Gypsy is my assistant for the course. She demonstrates the games and loves to show off her tricks! I enjoy studying anything dog related in my spare time and am a member of the South Island Collie Club.
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