13/02/2026
Writing this is something Iโve put off over the last week. I want to do justice to the beautiful big boy, Axl โ the super dog โ that we said goodbye to last Saturday. To say the least, this dog was a massive part of my life, my character, and my career for the last ten years.
Axlโs family โ Liz, Peter, Louise, and Zoe โ are an incredible family Iโve had the pleasure of growing up with. In fact, my mum was in a pregnancy group with Liz when she was expecting the twins.
When the Davidsons got in touch because they were about to welcome a Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy into their family, I was so thrilled to be asked to help as their dog trainer.
I had only just started working professionally as a dog trainer and walker about six months earlier. I was recovering from shoulder surgery, which seemed to take forever to heal.
Axl, the super pup, was adorable, playful, calm, and very cuddly.๏ฟฝI visited him twice a day every weekday for training, playing, and socialisation โ breaking up his alone time at home and laying an awesome foundation for his behaviour and training.
From about six months old, that became once-a-day visits. As he matured, we saw each other a couple of times a week for amazing adventures.
Axl became a calm, confident, steady character that I loved introducing to other dogs. He was a great training and adventure buddy to many dogs.
Training-wise, his biggest challenge was always chasing swallows. The joy they brought him was incredible โ he could chase them for ages when he was younger. This became one of the cornerstones of our training. When I could confidently say that, using positive reinforcement, I had trained him to wait for his release cue to chase, recall when asked, leave it, and then be released again, I knew he had already helped me grow enormously as a trainer.
It wasnโt without hilarious fails too. I still smile and laugh thinking about the time he dragged me through the mud at the skate park. Middle of winter. Full mud. Skater kids laughing their heads off at the girl covered in mud trying to grab this massive Scooby-Doo-like dog.
Those first few years especially โ so special, so much fun, so much growth.
I was a skinny young woman, coming out of disordered eating and health problems. I would often laugh and, kind of proudly, say that I was training a dog almost the same size as me โ without harsh tools or techniques. Just well-applied positive reinforcement.
In 2020, Axl was my canine training partner for the Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer Professional certification โ an in-depth six-month course all about clicker training and shaping behaviours. Six months turned into two years as, like the rest of the world, we dealt with the challenges of COVID. In 2022 I became a KPA CTP (Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner) with Axl by my side the entire course and assessments.
Axl has taught not only me, but so many of my work-ex students from Unitec and now my co-workers. He was my best dog friend and the face of Howlistic Help branding.
Axl became a big brother to Eddie the female Rhodesian Ridgeback and the fun they would have together was just gorgeous. I know she will be missing him sorely.
Axl had an amazing, full life, filled with love, adventure, and everything a well-loved dog could dream of. He went without suffering, in his mum and dadโs arms. Iโm grateful I got to be there to say goodbye to my best dog friend.
โEveryone thinks they have the best dog. And everyone is right.โ
