Kaleidoscope K9 Training and Life skills

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Kaleidoscope K9 Training and Life skills

Kaleidoscope K9 Training and Life Skills delivers dog training in Bairnsdale and district in East Gippsland.

Learn how to develop a wonderful relationship with your dog through games and activities and a positive, reward-based approach.

02/11/2026

WINNERS - Congratulations to the following people and dogs:
Zali Saphin and Arrow
Janie Cohen and Liz Clay and Charley
for completing all 7 days of the Halloween Challenge.

Well done Team Arrow and Team Charley - you have won a Behavioural Consult.

Thanks to all who participated - keep playing those games.
You now have 7 activities (1 for every day of the week) to ensure that your dog is confident, calm, engaged and enriched. Don't lose the momentum - it is so important for your dog(s) to have these experiences. Don't underestimate the value of these activities.
For all the nerds out there who would like to know more about the science of why these enrichment activities work for your dogs(s) I will post some information on this down the track.

01/11/2026

HALLOWEEN CHALLENGE - last call!!!!
Well done everyone for participating in the Halloween Challenge over 7 days. I hope you and you dogs have had fun and that you have learned or practised 7 ways of making your dog's dinner build their confidence, perseverance, independence, toleration of frustration and focus. Now that you have done 7 days - make this a habit and deliver their food in creative and enriching ways all the time!!!
If you still have any of the challenge to post -please pop up your images by mid afternoon today (3 pm).
Day 1 - scatter feeding
Day 2 - Cardboard Chaos
Day 3 - Towel roll
Day 4 - Snuffle mat
Day 5 - Custard tart game
Day 6 - Novelty Party
Day 7 - Muffin tin

If you pop an image into each day on the fb page you will be eligible to enter the draw to win a behavioural consult worth more than $200. Winner announced tomorrow (Cup Day).
What are you waiting for????!!!!

31/10/2026

HALLOWEEN CHALLENGE Day 7
Muffin Tin Game
You will need a muffin baking tin ( or similar). Distribute some of your dog’s daily food allowance and cover with balks or scrunched up paper. A simple but easy food puzzle without spending $. Builds confidence and uses seeking skills.
Remember to upload an image or video of your dog (s) playing Muffin Tin game in the comments below. Complete all 7 days if the challenge to go into the draw to win a behavioural zoom consult worth more than $200. If you have missed any days you can go back and add an image in. You have until midday on Monday to complete the challenge. Winner will be announced in Cup Day. Go and have fun with your dog!!!!

31/10/2026

HALLOWEEN CHALLENGE Day 6
Novelty Party (with a Halloween twist)
Search out novel and unusual objects from around the house and set up a “party”. This game helps dogs cope with surprises that spring up in the world - like Halloween! You can include normal household objects that are presented unusually like an upside down umbrella, cones, gnomes , stuffed toys, hula hoops etc. once set up scatter some of your dog’s daily food allowance Amongst the items. If they are hesitant make it easier by keeping food at the edges or remove the particularly scary things. Start simple and over time build up to more challenging scenarios. This is a version of Positive Pairing where you are pairing something worrying with something positive eg food.
This game builds: Confidence, Optimism, Flexibility, Perseverance (grit), Independence and Toleration of Frustration. So be creative and see what you can find to create fun and challenging party. Look forward to seeing what you come up with.
Remember to upload an image or video of your dog (s) playing Novelty Party in the comments below. Complete all 7 days to go into the draw to win a behavioural zoom consult worth more than $200. If you have missed any of the days you can go back and add an image in. Winner will be announced in Cup Day. Go and have a party!!!!

29/10/2026

HALLOWEEN CHALLENGE - DAY 5
Custard Tart Game
I called this the Custard Tart game because I started using the foil patty pans from Custard Tarts!!! I try now not to eat custard tarts and buy the foil patty pans (empty ones) from the 2 dollar shop/ and get empty cat food tins from a good friend! You can use anything – such as small plastic bowls etc.

What you will need:
6 patty pans or similar
Some of their dinner – wet food works well, as it has a greater smell than dry food.

How to play:
Pop some of their dinner in the patty pans and hide them.
Start with a low level of difficulty - maybe inside or on the porch and make it easy to find to start with.
Gradually increase the level of difficulty so they really have to hunt them down. You can introduce a “go find” cue to encourage them if you want to.
Avoid helping them too much and let them problem solve on their own.
This is good for:
• Anxiety
• Stress
• Boredom
• Enrichment
• Using their best sense.
Have fun!
Remember to upload an image or video of your dog (s) playing Custard Tart Game in the comments so you get counted in the competition to win a Behavioural zoom consult (worth more than $200). Complete all 7 days of the challenge to be eligible. If you miss any of the days you can always go back and add the image in later. Winner will be announced on Cup Day. Enjoy the treasure hunt!

28/10/2026

HALLOWEEN CHALLENGE day 4
Snuffle mat ( or similar)

Here is Kiwi with his first snuffle mat and he loved it.
What you need: fleece fabric, scissors, a rubber mat with holes from hardware store. Cut fleece into strips measuring 5 cm wide and 30 cm long ( don’t have to be too accurate). Thread strips through the holes with ends pointing up. Tie a single knot. Continue along all the rows, once finished go back and tie some diagonally in each direction to fill the gaps. Hide some of your dog’s daily food allowance amongst the fleece and let them sniff it out.
If you don’t have one (and you won’t get one done today )- see below in the comments for alternatives such as a silicone one ( good for wet food) or a snuffle box with scrunched up paper.
Remember to upload an image or video of your dog (s) playing Snuffle Mat/Snuffle box in the comments so you get counted in the competition to win a Behavioural zoom consult (worth more than $200). Complete all 7 days of the challenge to be eligible. If you miss any of the days you can always go back and add the image in later. Winner will be announced on Cup Day. Have fun!

28/10/2026

HALLOWEEN CHALLENGE Day 3
Towel Roll
What you will need: an old towel and some of your dog’s daily food allowance. Open towel up, drop food randomly on towel and then roll carefully so that the food is distributed through the layers. Release your dog to hunt for them. Watch the video and you will see that Lucy has to really problem solve how to get the food - this was the first time I have done this with her. Enjoy!
Remember to upload an image or video of your dog (s) playing Towel Roll in the comments so you get counted in the competition to win a Behavioural zoom consult (worth more than $200). Complete all 7 days of the challenge to be eligible. If you miss any of the days you can always go back and add the image in later. Winner will be announced on Cup Day. What are you waiting for????!!!!

26/10/2026

HALLOWEEN CHALLENGE DAY 2
Well done everyone who participated yesterday
Today’s challenge is another easy one - CARDBOARD CHAOS!!!
How to play:
Gather up cardboard boxes of various shapes and sizes. Scatter some of your dog’s daily food in and around the boxes. Let them explore with their noses, problem solve and gain confidence. This one is great for building independence, focus, perseverance and optimism. And so easy. If your dog is hesitant, make it easier by removing some of the boxes and gradually build up the level of difficulty.
Have fun with this one.
Remember to upload an image of your dog(s) playing Cardboard Chaos in the comments so that you get counted in the competition to win a Behavioural zoom consult (worth more than $200). Complete all 7 days of the challenge to be eligible. If you miss a day you can always go back and add one in later. Winner will be announced on Cup Day. Go for it!!!

25/10/2026

HALLOWEEN CHALLENGE
We are starting with an easy one!!! Scatter Feeding
Simple but effective way to feed some of your dog’s daily food allowance. All you have to do is scatter the food in the garden (or wherever) and allow their best sense (smell) take over. This game activates your dog’s seeking system in the brain and takes over from any anxious or reactive systems. A calming game. Soooo…. do a scatter feed with your dog, film it with video or photo and post in the comments. Everyone who posts today will receive a copy of a resource to help prepare your dog for Halloween.
If you participate in the 7 days of the challenge you will go into the draw to win a dog behaviour consult worth more than $200.
So what are you waiting for? Can’t wait to see your dogs having fun.

25/10/2026

HALLOWEEN ENRICHMENT CHALLENGE
It’s Trick or Treat time!

Halloween is coming so I thought we could think about a different way of celebrating with our dogs where we are building calmness, adding in enrichment and providing treats in a different way each day – with a little bit of Trickiness in there as well.
So – a way of delivering treats (their daily food allowance) and tricks that will add variety to your dog’s week.

Each day next week starting Monday 26 October I will be posting on the Kaleidoscope K9 Training and Life Skills page an enrichment challenge. (Make sure you like or follow so that they will appear in your fb feed) These will all be achievable with items and bits ‘n pieces you have around the house.
You can participate in this challenge by posting an image or video of your dog (s) below the post in the comments.

At the end of the week the people who have participated each day and have uploaded an image or video as evidence will go into a draw to WIN a free Zoom behaviour and training consult worth over $200.

So, the steps to participate:

1. Check the Kaleidoscope K9 page each day from Monday 26 October to Sunday 1 November.
2. Follow the instructions in the post and film or take an image of your dog following the instructions. Eg. There will be a game or activity involving food delivery.
3. Upload the image or video in the comments below the post, and tell me how your dog enjoyed the enrichment experience.
4. The winner will be announced on Cup Day on the page and Messenger.
5. We will then arrange the consult.

Look forward to seeing you and your dog(s) have fun with this.

Address

Bairnsdale, VIC

Website

http://www.kaleidoscopek9training.com.au/

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