Cleo my Movie Star ZiwiPeak Puppy

Fri, May 21st, 2010 4:09:30 pm

Hello I am Cleo Gedge ( nee Lucy Mitchell) one of the ZiwiPeak puppies.   I have now settled into life with my new human parents Neil/dad and Lynn/Mum on the orchard and love the freedom of the space.    This gives me plenty of exercise and of course plenty of space to explore.

I have all this energy due to my nutrition and just can't sit still for too long, but I guess this helps me keep strong and the fact that I love my bones as they keep me healthy.    I especially love keeping watch from the front lawn as to what the builders are doing on the sections below our orchard.

We have lots of visitors and in the summer our baby cousin, Micah loves to come and swim in the pool.   Of course I just need to keep watch on him also to make sure that he is safe.    I'm not that keen on taking a dip in the swimming pool - I much prefer watching,   however don't mind running in and out of the creek, as that's not so deep.    I do hope to gain a little more confidence with my swimming next summer and will spend lots more time at Opito Bay when its warmer again.

Our family has welcomed a new "addition" - with Baby Isabella so I have a sister.   While she lives in Auckland with her Mum and Dad,  she often visits or we travel to Auckland to spend time with her.   On those trips to Auckland I often sit in the front seat and take a peep to see that everyone is "ok" in the back.

Up until now I have only been on one deer hunting trip -  that was pretty cool as we flew by plane into the hut - but I really wasn't too pleased to see the hind hidden in the bush and got a little frightened.    I really do hope that Dad wants to take me again later in the year now that I know what to expect, but I'm looking forward to spending a day with Dad and Ben at the pond next Saturday for my first "duck shooting" experience.  I will let you know soon how that goes.

Here are a couples of photos of me, one in my hunting gear and another in my movie star (Marilyn Monroe look) at our 1st birthday ZiwiPeak puppy party.   I sooo enjoyed meeting up with all my sisters and brothers and saw my Mum and Grandma again which I so enjoyed.   Just nice to return to where I was born.

  

ZiwiPeak Puppy Bear is Surfing now

Fri, Apr 16th, 2010 5:55:01 pm

ZiwiPeak Puppy Bear Hutchinson-Smith has taken up Surfing.   His owners Claire and Richard told us today that Bear has so much energy to burn daily due to his amazing health that they have enrolled Bear in Surfing lesson's at Maketu.  His first day went well and it show's all over his face.  

Bear tells us about his first lesson:

Rich my dad, gave me my own Surflech surfboard ( you can see it in the photo above).  It was so cool as I was dominating Maketu, hanging 10 and then had a couple of ‘bears' and a few ZiwiPeak Venison & Mussel treats to finish off the day with the lads and the instructor!'

So amazing, so out there - I'm hooked.

Go Chocolate Labradors

 

 

 

ZiwiPeak Pup Bear has hit the teenage years!

Tue, Mar 30th, 2010 3:35:05 pm

One of our ZiwiPeak puppies - Master Brown Bear Hutchinson-Smith is showing his Mum and Dad that he's wanting to look hip in his teenage years by trying out and sporting a new piece of jewellery -The Fish Hook hanging from the lip.   Due to discomfort and realising that having a Fish Hook hanging from one's lip isn't as great as it's cracked up to be, it ended up with Bear's parents having to make an appointment with Dr Liza to have it removed.

Dr Liza, now shares her story of Bear and the Fish Hook.

One of the many things that I love about being a vet is that you never know what will unfold on any given day and one learns to expect the unexpected.   Another delightful aspect of vet work is that there's usually some colourful character (the animal or owner or both!) to work with.

One night I received an after hours emergency call from Brown Bear's owners... the gorgeous 1 year old ZiwiPeak chocolate lab had been investigating the content of the fishing tackle box and now had a fish hook stuck in his lip.    He had been was pawing at it in an attempt to dislodge it and was quite uncomfortable.

I arrived to be greeted by a tail wagging Bear who clearly hadn't discussed the pros and cons of body piercings with his owners! I've known Bear since he was born and the slightly sheepish look he had was different from the innocent puppy expression that he donned when I had seen him last. The two lovely young chaps looking after him held him as still as they could while I examined the extent of the hook's invasion but Bear was not happy about being still, he would have rather been playing!

It was clear that Bear would need to be sedated in order for me to remove the hook properly. I injected Bear with a wonderful sedative and within a few minutes he was snoozing beautifully on the lounge carpet.

The hook was caught inside his lip with the barb fully imbedded. To remove it I needed to push it completely through his lip and once it was through we cut off the barbed end of the hook with some wire cutters and then finally slipped the rest of the hook out from the site of entry.

Fish hooks can sometimes be very dirty and cause infection at the site of penetration so I carefully disinfected the area and gave Bear a dose of anti-biotics, stopped the bleeding and then we were done.

The beauty of the sedative that I love to use is that it's fully reversible so I gave Bear the reversal to wake him up and advised the guys who were lying at Bears side throughout the procedure that it should take 5 or 10 minutes for him to come around.

10 minutes later we were all still at his side patting him and talking to him, awaiting his return to consciousness. The guys were a little worried about the delay and I assured them that some animals can take longer and all of his vital signs were stable so we had nothing to be concerned about.

Another 10 minutes went by and Bear was still snoozing away apparently enjoying his drug induced restful slumber, the guys beginning to grow impatient as they still had a lot to do before the night was over.

I lifted Bear's head to hopefully give him some stimulus to respond to and the next moment he stood up excitedly wagging his tail and looking at us as if to say "What happened, what did I miss?" to which he received the reply from his loving owner "Bear, you just milked that for everything that you could, didn't you!".

 

 

Chogiyo a Mini-pin is on ZiwiPeak

Wed, Feb 10th, 2010 3:33:04 pm

Hello ZiwiPeak,

After days of researching for a natural dog food that is 100% Kiwi, we were very excited to come across your product.    We have managed to locate a store locally in Christchurch called Cyberpets who carry the full brand and were very helpful.

Our bundle of joy, Chogiyo, who was brought to NZ with us in 2008 from Seoul, South Korea.    A Mini-pin, 6 years old, and still full of life!   Thanks ZiwiPeak

 

 

 

ZiwiPeak's Spoilt Dog & Cats in New York

Fri, Sep 11th, 2009 3:30:01 pm

Fluffy and Fido get top-notch treatment and fancy feasts

THESE may be hard economic times, but there's an animal-loving A-list out there who still have the means to spend big, and they're quick to justify why Angus steak is favorable over Alpo. Of course, even a novice penny-pincher knows a good knock-off or alternative.

 

The upper crust of cats and dogs enjoy their air-dried beef, not to mention lamb and venison. Lucky for them, ZiwiPeak, a luxury pet food company from New Zealand, offers the protein-rich meal in jerky-style dog food cut into bite-size squares. A 14-ounce bag of Cat food is $14.99, and a 2.2-pound bag retails for $28.99 at the Pet Market (224 W. 72nd St.; 212-799-4200).

"My 15-year-old Lab-greyhound mix Roofy won't eat dry food alone, even when it's mixed with soft canned food," says Jeffrey Lamb of TriBeCa. "But when I top off her bowl with ZiwiPeak, she immediately finishes the bowl." Bargain $ubstitute: Ziwi-Peak treats, $7.99 for a 3-ounce bag at the Pet Market.

A romp in the dog park is most pups' definition of a great time. But heavy rains make the experience unpleas¬ant for dogs who hate getting wet. Plus, some dogs don't play well with others. For the pet elite, however, an indoor workout can be just as satisfy¬ing thanks to luxury retailer Hammacher Schlemmer, which offers PetZen's canine treadmill in two sizes: small ($549.99) and large ($899.99) (Hammacher.com).

The ju$tification: "It could save you the cost of a destroyed couch," explains dog trainer Pups can get their Denise Herman of Brooklyn's Empire of the Dog. "If your dog has proper outlets for his stim¬ulation, then he won't treat your home as a chew toy."

Bargain $ubstitute: A stay at Unleash Brooklyn, which recently installed a PetZen treadmill, is $43-$50 per night.

Pets love to share their human friends' bed, but not all owners want Fluffy up in their fancy. Luckily, Hastens' organic mattress, which is made of entirely chemical-free components, provides an alternative. Of course, it also costs as much as $12,000, so clever pet owners are buying Hastens crib mattresses - a relative bargain at $365 - and putting them on the floor for Fluffy instead (Hastens, 80 Greene St.; 212-219-8022).

The ju$tification: "We haven't diagnosed chemical sensitivities in dogs yet," says Dr. Heather Peikes of Animal Allergy and Dermatology in Chelsea. "But changing a dog's bed at least once yearly helps with dust-mite allergies." Bargain $ubstitute: A machine-washable fleece dog bed, $27.90-$93.90 at west-pawdesign.com.

Julia Szabo

Shanghai emails ZiwiPeak

Thu, Jun 25th, 2009 3:28:01 pm

Lynn Jiang from Shanghai emails us:

Lynn asks:   My dog loves ZiwiPeak cuisine and treats very much, and I was just wondering how do you pronounce your brand name ZiwiPeak?

Your help would be highly appreciated.

Thanks

Regards

Lynn

Hello Lynn

Thank you for your email. I am glad that your dog loves ZiwiPeak, and remember that it is so healthy.

How do we pronounce ZiwiPeak? We say it:

'Zee Wee Peek'.

I hope this helps.

Kind regards

Great! Thanks for the prompt reply!

I know why my dog loves ZiwiPeak - you guys value your customers so much, and by right of this philosophy, you're able to provide us with the high quality food!

Yes, he's very healthy, look at him....

Thanks again and best regards

Lynn

Training the Natural way with K9 COMMS

Tue, Jun 9th, 2009 3:27:01 pm

Amichien Bonding® Sue Murray/K9COMMS - The 'Dog Listener' for New Zealand talks about naturally training your puppy or dog. This language is not new - dogs speak it to each other. Their ancestors, the wolf, use it within their packs. Over time, we the human have lost touch with nature and formulated what we think is the way to communicate with our canine friend resulting in all sorts of problems. More often than not an owner gives their dog the wrong signals and in doing so the dog comes to the conclusion that it, not the owner, is the leader of the domestic pack. Hopelessly unequipped to perform this role in a world it does not understand, it reacts in all sorts of ways, most commonly by becoming stressed, aggressive, obsessive and overprotective. Time to take the pressure off our dogs. ‘Amichien Bonding'® is based on 4 main components. Each is simple, non-confrontational, gadget and drug free. This is not a ‘quick fix' but when implemented consistently, this soon becomes a way of life. This method of training is suitable if: You have a genuine respect for your ‘best friend' and want to improve your relationship with him/her. You want to learn a gentle, pain-free, method of communication. You are experiencing behavioural problems with your dog and want to overcome them resulting in a less stressed environment in your home. You are contemplating or have a new puppy joining the home and want to avoid all those problems that could occur down the track. You have or are considering taking in a rescue dog. These unfortunate creatures have been let down by humans sometimes more than once, so frequently present are some extra challenges that can be overcome.

Sue Murray-K9COMM-The 'Dog Listener' for New Zealand has her Christmas Message

Tue, Dec 16th, 2008 3:26:28 pm

In my last contribution to ZiwiPeak's site, I talked about buying a puppy for Christmas.  This time I would like to address the issue of where to buy it from should you decide to add to your family.

Firstly think about the type of dog you would like, consider your lifestyle and level of activity.  Remember all dogs can be great family dogs if given the correct set of rules and bought up well.

If you are seeking a particular breed then the NZ Kennel Club (www.nzkc.org.nz)  has a very comprehensive list of breeders and is a good place to start.   You might also want to find the local club for that breed and go to one of their shows or contact their club secretary who will be able to give you some information.

Avoid falling into the trap of getting your dog from a pet shop no matter how beautiful it is or how exotic the shop may be.  I say this for many reasons and just cannot condone pet shops selling puppies.

Unlike getting your puppy from a reputable breeder, you are not able to ask any questions about the puppy, you are unable to view the mother or father (sometimes you are unable to view the sire if it has been a stud dog but you should be able to view the Mum).  You are unable to see the nature of the mother of the puppy, her condition and the conditions the puppy was raised in.  The owners are not available so that you can see how they respond with their own dog(s), this will give you an idea of how this puppy has been raised.

It simply is not a natural environment for a puppy to be raised in, behind a glass screen.  They are not being properly socialized and are missing out on many of the vital lessons to be learnt.  The other thing to do is to avoid taking a puppy that is younger than 8 weeks old.  The mother teaches the puppy so much up to this age.  Remember that a good breeder will be there to give you back up support, usually for the life of the dog.

Lastly there are many beautiful dogs and puppies awaiting a loving owner at the local SPCA,  Council Dog Pound, Humane Society and there are even breed specific rescue organizations.  If any one is requiring any further information on any specific breed organization please feel free to contact me as I have a comprehensive list of them.

Have a great and safe Christmas.  Remember the old saying:  ‘A Dog is for Life, not just for Christmas'.

I thank 'ZiwiPeak' for their continual support and wish them a great Christmas and look forward to working with you all in 2009.

Take care and love those pets of yours, they are lucky to have you.

Sue

K9COMMS

Meet Elvis - He's in New Zealand

Mon, Oct 20th, 2008 3:37:01 pm

Hi Kimberly and the ZiwiPeak team. I am writing to you to thank you for the box of ZiwiPeak pet food that you so kindly sent me.   Next time I see you at Joe's Garage in Queenstown I will give you a big lick to express my appreciation for the delicious food and treats that taste soooooooooo good and 'REAL MEAT' hooray someone has finally worked out that we dogs need meat. I was wondering if I could do a spot of marketing down here.   I have lots of dog friends and we all meet at Joe's with our owners for a catch up most days so would love to spread the word about ZiwiPeak and pass a few treats around.

The Venison and Green Lipped Mussel are the best, in fact I feel like a spring chicken when I have eaten these.   I am bouncing around annoying everyone especially Ken my dad as he likes to think he's got control of me but guess what I am in control.

I think I'd be a great looking ZiwiPeak dog for the Queenstown area so look forward to catching up over a latte and a treat next time you are down.

Wooff, Wuff ,Wuff to all you fellow dogs out there and

'GO ZIWIPEAK'.

Hi again, Sue Murray from K9COMMS.

Tue, Oct 7th, 2008 3:22:01 pm

I am excited to tell you this month about ‘Southern Star Dog Foundation' which was founded after a phone call to me from a concerned Mum of little Adam, who has little sense of danger, managed to wander off his property, to run amidst the birds on the waters edge. When found after a frightful search, his parents realized that they need another safety net, beyond near-constant supervision, fences and a tracking device and so Patty Dobbs Gross, founder of North Star Assistance dogs in USA, and author of The Golden Bridge; NZ Specialist Dog Trainer Guus Knopers, Adam's parents and I threw our weight together in a determined effort to help other children like Adam, through the placement of Assistance dogs - bred and trained here in our own beautiful country. Adam's dog Bambi will be coming from the USA organisation North Star Dogs, also the sister organisation to Southern Star.  So how will a dog like this help little Adam?  She will be trained to perform special tasks like the little pup you see in the photos which has also been donated to our organisation:

She will loyally follow him wherever he goes. She will answer for him with a bark when we call him. She will find him when he slips unnoticed into a small space...inside a wardrobe, behind a sofa or under a car! She will alert us when he attempts something dangerous, like trying to stray off the property...and will stay with him and gently try to hinder him from doing so. She will also be able to alert us to other unusual or undesirable behaviour, that many parents of autistic children come to know so well. She will be a comfort to him when he is in an unfamiliar environment - helping to prevent stressful melt-downs and tantrums in public. She will sleep on his bed to provide the warmth and deep pressure that he needs, to get a good night's sleep. Â

Our Mission

Our mission is to select, train and place assistance dogs with children, and under particular circumstances with adults, who face social, emotional and educational challenges. The majority of children we serve are on the autism spectrum, however we also create Southern Star placements for children suffering a loss or coping with a serious illness.

As a non-profit organization,  Southern Star appreciate and value the support of ZiwiPeak who are  donating their premium brand of food so that our dogs can have the very best start nutritionally.

Personally I am thrilled to be a part of this organisation which is going to make such a difference to the lives of children.

Cheers,
Sue

K9COMMS

K9Comm & ZiwiPeak come to Jimmy's Rescue

Tue, Sep 9th, 2008 3:21:01 pm

It always saddens us when we hear the story of a poor animal abondoned, living in poor conditions where the owners have given up on them.   This is one of those stories that never made the news but has touched me personally.   His story was one of those sad ones.

One afternoon I received a call from my local SPCA to see if I might be able to help them with a dog they had uplifted.  I said I would come in and see him as they were not sure if there was anything that could be done for him.

I was greeted by the sad but beautiful big brown eyes of a cute little tri- coloured foxie cross aged about seven months.   His physical condition was appalling weighing just around 7 kilos, absolute skin and bone.

Jimmy had been kept in a kennel and run for the past five or so months of his life.   I was shown the photos of him prior to uplifting and I just cried.   How could someone do this to a dog or to any animal?

He lived in a very expensive kennel and run which was cluttered with bowls from a dinner set, never collected just stacked one on top of another, never cleaned but that matched the rest of his environment.   His kennel was littered with faeces and what should have been bowls of clean drinking water also contained urine and faeces.   This little guy was so neglected, underweight and abused.   So how could I turn my back on him?

Due to insufficient exercise, Jimmy's back legs had not developed so he walked a little like a crab.   At home he didn't know how to eat a bone, play with my other dogs or even just play.   He would spin around in a circle so fast that it was hard to see his tail from his head and he would salivate and lick his back end on both sides.   It was a truly pathetic sight to see a dog so stressed.   He would also jump up and bark and then pull the grass out of my lawn.   Anything new stressed Jimmy and would send him into this ritual.

I will update you on Jimmy's progress but to date with the thanks to ZiwiPeak for supplying some much needed top of the line nutrition for him, Jimmy now almost one year old currently weighs in at 17.5kgs with a beautiful glossy coat.

I will continue to work with Jimmy and feed him well with ZiwiPeak which has made a huge difference to his life.

Stay posted.

 

Regards

Sue- K9Comms.

Thinking of a new addition?

Wed, Aug 6th, 2008 3:20:01 pm

Sue Murray- K9Comm

Many of you may have made or are thinking of making the addition of a puppy to your household over the past weeks so this time I would like to touch some of the important things to consider when bringing one into your home.

As you know I use the methods of Jan Fennell ‘The Dog Listener' as her approach is not one of harsh treatments or gadgets but by establishing yourself as the leader of your dogs pack so they feel no pressure to have to look after you.

By using this method termed ‘Amichien Bonding', we find that by setting kind, clear boundaries for your puppy from the beginning that they are much happier and less stressed.     They are willing to co-operate with us because they want to, not out of fear or because something will be thrown its way or he will be screamed at.    This method is outlined in Jan's books, ‘The Dog Listener' and ‘The Practical Dog Listener' or through her DVD.     Alternatively I also teach ‘new Mum's and Dad's' this in consultation form.

Another vital area to cover is nutrition. A good balanced diet as close to the dog's ancestors, the wolf would eat, is definitely what I promote and feed my own dogs.   For growing puppies, make the investment in good food or you will end up spending the money at your vets.

When their nutritional needs are met and you have a strong, healthy puppy, they are also balanced in other areas.    Check out the ingredients on the back of the packet, read the small print and when you see those words that you are unsure of, take the time to find out what is really going into your dog's daily food intake.   It will pay dividends, trust me.

Enjoy.

Regards

Sue - KPComms.

Santa Maria - My Spanish Dog on the 'Camino'

Thu, Apr 10th, 2008 3:19:01 pm

Hello to you all and may I introduce Santa Maria my dog on the 'Camino' in Northern Spain.

I travelled to Northern Spain just recently and walked the 'Santiago de Compostela' - 'Camino'  a road that  St. James the Apostle first walked in the 9th century and spans the northern landscape of Spain.   Quite a feat to walk but wonderful all the same as I have never experienced such energy on a walk as this one delivered.

Why I have this photo of Santa Maria is I meet this lass at O Cebreiro a small but very old village 1300ft above sea level in the province of Lugo, lying outside the pre-Romesque church called Santa Maria looking very sad.   It amazed me that so many people walked passed and never even acknowledged her but I did and a friendship developed which to this day haunts me.

I noticed as I passed her that her neck looked sticky and on further investigation I noticed this dog was very sick.   She was termed by the Spanish as abandoned and for everyone that lived in this village they hated abandoned dogs with a passion as in O Cebreiro and most of northern Spain there are alot.   Prominently German Shepherds, these dogs if lucky work guarding cattle and sheep for farmers but most are tied up as guard dogs or abandoned.

Santa Maria was a dog who I suspect managed to free herself of her terrible steel spiked collar and escaped as this was why her neck was raw and outlined the size of the collar that had been around her neck.

I immediately took action and dived into my pack for a tube of Uguvities cream which she let me put around her neck and didn't flinch a inch.   I then noticed she was fairly thin so left her to seek out our Spanish guide to go and talk to the hotel kitchen and ask for meat scapes which after a long conversation and a few bribes managed to come up with a complete bag of meat for me.   I snuck up to the church and called her over behind trees by the grave site and emptied the bag and she tucked in to my enjoyment.

The next morning she was back at the church waiting patiently for anyone to give her food and a pat and when she saw me rose to greet me for a cuddle and let me once again put another thick row of cream around her neck.

Walking back to the front door of the hotel for breakfast I was rudley interrupted by a huge dog that belonged to the owners of the hotel .   He barged through in front of me, through the dining room to the kitchen and returned with a huge meaty bone twice the size of him.   This did amuse me but a plan was formulating in my head to obtain this bone and give it to my new friend.

I watched patiently and observed that he was king pin around the village and was showing off  to the other abandoned dogs the large bone he had in his mouth until such time that a abandoned dog came too close to him and he put the bone down and ran after him.   What an opportunity I thought .   I set off grabbing the bone and putting it under my jacket all of which Santa Maria saw me doing and as I headed back to the church she followed after me to where the grave sites were and sat patiently as I delivered the bone to her for breakfast.   Mission accompanished I gave her a cuddle and walked back down the road.

Setting out for the day I headed back to church to say goodbye but she was gone.   I was sad but knew she had food in her stomach and hopefully the cream would heal her wound.    As I walked I never knew I would come across her again but as I was taking a break she came from nowhere and sat by me and so my new friend and I walked the rest of the day together.   Unfortunately my crew at the end of our day walking were moving to another village so goodbye's were in hand and as I attended her neck once again and fed her sadness came upon me as I said my goodbye's.

My last day on the Camino saw me having another last break before walking into the city of Santiago and who should come and sit on my feet but Santa Maria.   I was in shock not to mention everyone around me.   My dog had walked 102kms to find me.

In the photo attached to this story you see her eating a big piece of meat which was my last gift to her before entering the city.   I felt ill as with tears in my eyes I said goodbye and asked two Spanish guys to tell her to go back on the Camino.   From this moment on I realised that Santa Maria had given me an awesome walking experience which I will never forget and didn't really understand until I returned home.

There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about her and would love the opportunity to return to the Camino to find her.

Perhaps thats my next adventure?

Enjoy.

Kimberly Mitchell

ZiwiPeak

Wolves-Yellowstone National Park/USA - Sue KPCOMMS

Tue, Mar 4th, 2008 3:18:01 pm

Hello again and it is nice to be back to Summer having just spend three weeks in the USA mainly in Yellowstone National Park and Indiana where it has been well into the minus degrees with plenty of snow.

The purpose of my visit was to observe 'Wolves' in the wild and also to attend a three day intensive seminar on 'Wolf' behaviour.

The seminar was held at 'Wolf Park' situated in Indiana where there are a number of Wolves living in captivity in large areas.

It was amazing to see them up close howling, mating and performing all of those behaviours we see in our domestic dogs.   As it was the breeding season were unable to interact with them as emotions were heightened but this was offset as being the best time to observe their behaviour.

I then followed this up by flying to 'Yellowstone Park' to spend three and a half days in the company of some of the most experienced trackers, cinematographers and photographers (publishers of their own books and work for National Geographic), biologists and those with PHDs and Masters in the subjects of 'Wolves' and behaviour.

WOW, what an experience for me.   Here we watched the Wolves in their own natural habitat through spotting scopes.

One big question that was covered at both venues was that of feeding and eating patterns.   Two mains points made in the discussion was that the Wolf will first eat the main organs, ie. Heart, Lungs, Kidneys, Tripe and then the meat/bone of the animal.

They do not eat the stomach contents.

In winter they tend to eat the subcutaneous layer of fat first for obvious reasons.

Well, I could write pages and pages about this wonderful experience but I  will keep this for another snippet of news.

Watch out and until next time.

Sue Murray - KPCOMMS

Helping People and their Canine Friends

New Zealand

Canine Communication with K9.COMM

Thu, Jan 31st, 2008 6:02:04 pm

Hello to you all and Happy New Year for 2008.

By now we are well underway into a New Year which promises to be a great one for ZiwiPeak and K9.Comms I am  very sure.

I have a very exciting year ahead with Jan Fennell, 'The Dog Listener' returning for further courses and talks plus her son Tony is making his way to New Zealand for the first time to hold the 'Advanced Course in Canine Communication'.

On the 30th January, I am heading off to the USA to further my education into the behaviour of the 'WOLF' and how that can be translated into what we see in our domestic dogs.   I plan to spend three days in Indiana at the 'WOLF PARK' attending an 'Intensive Behaviour Seminar'

'WOLF PARK' is dedicated to the conservation and education of 'WOLVES'.

I am then travelling up to Montana and spending seven days in Yellowstone National Park observing the 'Wolves' in their natural environment under the watchful eye of Jan Fennell and two biologists who are going to guide the trip.   We are also being treated to evening talks by local experts.

Although it is going to be major shock going from our fabulous summer to -20 degrees, I am excited about seeing these amazing creatures and learning more in depth as to how their behaviour relates to our domestic dogs plus their eating patterns and lots more.

This is the best time to observe 'WOLVES' as it is the mating season so behaviors are heightened - so, there is much to learn and to be able to pass onto my clients and of course wonderful to share with ZiwiPeak as their Cuisine 'Real Meat' food is based on what a 'WOLF' would eat in the wild and how they eat it.

So next time I will report back on this amazing journey and how the 'WOLF' which I have observed really behaves and how I can incorporate this in my training.

Sue - K9.COMMS

Sue Murray-K9COMMS -Tips for Christmas/New Year

Wed, Dec 19th, 2007 3:17:28 pm

Hello to you all,

Yes, it is fast approaching Christmas and the end of another year.

Of course a lovely time to be sharing with family and friends but also a time when the SPCA'S are full to overflowing and when puppies are considered as Christmas presents.

Things I feel that we should be mindful of at this time of year:

• Remember not to leave your canine friend in the car - best they stay at home where they can remain cool and relaxed.
• Puppies and dogs are a lifetime commitment so if you are considering giving one for Christmas consider if the person is prepared for that commitment and it is not a 'SPECIAL SURPRISE' for them.
• This can also be a great time to take in one of those less fortunate dogs from your local pound, SPCA or Rescue centre.   If you are not planning to go away it is a perfect time to really bond with your new friend and spend time 'getting it right'.
• Remember if you are taking your dog to the beach do observe the restrictions in place and ALWAYS clean up any mess your dog makes so that everyone can enjoy our little slice of paradise.
• Last but certainly not least, have fun with your beloved pets and spend time with them.   If you have some free time you might also like to help out for an hour or two at your local SPCA - they would certainly appreciate any donations of time, food or blankets.

Lastly, I would like to thank ZIWIPEAK for the assistance they have given me this year to help dogs through my Trust - dogs that are abondoned or ill treated.

Thanks too for your support at the Jan Fennell events I have organized this year.   I look forward to taking this to a new level next year.

Have a safe and cheerful Christmas with your family and friends, human and canine.

See you in 2008.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.

Sue Murray

K9COMMS

New Zealand

Jan Fennell-'The Dog Listener' & Sue Murray-K9COMMS

Sat, Oct 27th, 2007 3:16:26 pm

Hello again,

During the later part of September and into early October, I hosted  Jan Fennell, 'The Dog Listener' from the United Kingdom as she toured to New Plymouth and Auckland in the North Island of New Zealand holding a series of talks and courses.

As you can imagine, it was a hectic time but wonderful to see so many people now searching for a kinder and more natural way of solving those behavioural problems.

I would like to thank ZIWIPEAK for their kind and generous donation of bags of Cuisine dog food, dog treats and moist Cuisine canned food which contributed to two wonderful raffle prizes at each of our talks.   The proceeds from these raffles went to two well deserved organizations namely 'Hearing Dogs for Deaf People' and 'The Auckland Zoo Conservation Fund'.

I would also like to thank ZIWIPEAK for the giveaway packs which each attendee at the talks received.

Once again, it was wonderful to be supported by such a ultra premium All Natural brand from New Zealand.

Sue Murray

KPCOMMS

New Zealand

ZiwiPeak and K9COMMS

Sun, Sep 5th, 2010 3:15:25 pm

When Sue Murray- K9COMMS rang me to tell me about her business I could hear the same passion in her voice that ZiwiPeak has so I asked her to come and have a further talk and to experience ZiwiPeak first hand.

Straight away I could see a fit between the two of us as Sue had the same ideals on nutrition for Dogs & Cats and could really understand how we had based ZiwiPeak on what a wild animal ie. the Wolf would eat in the wild.   The other point that appealed was her working with Jan Fennell  the 'Dog Listener' from the UK as Sue identifies  with Jan's methods from the Wolf pack when she rescues dogs or is taking her obedience classes.

From our initial meeting we have asked Sue to be part of the ZiwiPeak website so we can keep up with her wonderful progress.

I give you Sue Murray-K9COMMS.

My name is Sue Murray and  I would firstly like to thank ZiwiPeak for the opportunity to contribute to this website.

I started up my business ‘K9COMMS' which is based here in Tauranga, after returning from the UK having completed the Foundation and Advanced Canine Courses with the world renowned Dog Listener ‘Jan Fennell'.

My business is built around Jan's principles of showing that you are the leader of the pack, but doing so in a kind and gentle way with no need for gadgets, drugs or any harsh treatments of any kind.  Jan has modeled her methods on the wolf pack and how they elect their ‘Alpha leader'.

I now offer private consultations so that anyone who cares and wants the best for their dog, can learn this method too.  The result, A Stress Free Happy Dog.

I also work with one of the local vets teaching puppy owners how to implement this method through our ‘puppy classes'.

I am able to speak from experience as some years ago I took into my care a ‘rescue dog' as they are so commonly termed.  The problem was that I had no skills to cope with the myriad of behavioural problems she presented me with.  I was ill-equipped to show her that I could be the leader of her pack because I tried to communicate with her in my language and not hers.  That is where I was going wrong.

With the best of intentions, I sort the help of traditional obedience classes but they just didn't teach me how to live with her in my own home, how to overcome those classical problems which I see at most consultations, the pulling on the lead, jumping up on people, barking, the list can be endless.

I went down many avenues, all with the same result.  Some treatments I found too harsh, some I just hated but was told that ‘this will work' and in the moment of frustration, I felt I had no choice.

So I began a journey searching for something that did work and when I saw Jan Fennell on the television some years later, I just knew that this was it, a gentle way of getting your dog to co-operate with you because he/she wants to.

So now I have five dogs of my own and take in dogs from the Western Bay of Plenty pound which are going to be destroyed.  I do this through the Charitable Trust I have set up called  ‘K9COMMS  - ADOPT CHARITABLE TRUST'.

They live in my home with my very understanding husband, two young children, two cats and I also can see how they behave around our chickens and stock. This helps me to get to know them and place them in the right homes.

I would like to thank ZiwiPeak for supporting this work by supplying the food and the treats I use as positive reinforcement.  To be able to feed these dogs, some of which come to me in such a terrible state, a high quality food such as ZiwiPeak, is a truly wonderful.   I like to feed my dogs the type of food a wolf would eat in the wild, i.e. a balanced real meat food, with bones,  instead of a food thats highly processed and full of additives and preservatives.

I look forward to sharing more of my stories and experiences in the months to follow.

You can learn more about this trust on my website www.k9comms.co.nz.

Thank you,  Sue Murray - New Zealand

Coco's Birthday

Thu, May 3rd, 2007 3:14:30 pm

Well look at me, I am all grown up and I am now 1 year old and just love my life. I didn't know when I was a puppy that I was joining the ZiwiPeak family but I do now and boy have I had a great 1st year. I live on a golf course, 800 feet above sea level and look out from my country kennel at the surrounding area of rolling hills, forestry and the beautiful sea and islands that they call the Bay of Plenty. Mum spoils me quite a bit  since the boys have all grown up and left home so I am her girl and go everywhere she goes even into restaurants and cafe's. I even have a godmother at Pacifica Garden's  called Bonnie. Mum called in to show me off as a puppy and when she saw me it bought back all the memories of her departed Labrador so Mum said would she like to be godmother to me and she said yes and so I am and its cool.

I eat the best food & treats in the world ZiwiPeak and have plenty of bones and we hunt for rabbit's on the golf course so I get plenty of exercise and a treat at the end of it, if we catch anything.

I have lots of friends & family that visit or come to work. Benny my Fox Terrier friend is our green keepers dog and I see him daily as he joins me for breakfast and if the weather is really nice I spend the day with him and his dad Rod on the golf course.

Then I have Belle another Fox Terrier but a girl like me and she has lots of whiskers and she comes to work say twice a week. Her Mum is Karen and she works for ZiwiPeak as head of documentation for all our exports. We have great fun at ZiwiPeak running around and messing the place up, have treats usually ZiwiPeak Venison & Green Mussel and Mum takes us down to the park for a rabbit stake out for exercise.

I have my very own cousin's.   There's Hunnie, she's a Dachshund real small and tan and Peggy-Sue she's an older dog and they live in Whangamata which is a cool beach resort with lots of surf and sandy beaches.
We see them quite a lot because Mum's family lives there and we always have real exciting adventures, like beach walks and throwing sticks in the big waves and I have to go in and fetch them.   Sometimes it can be real scary but Mum is always there keeping an eye on me.   We sometimes have parties and the cousins and I dress up with hats and new collars and we really get spoilt.

I see my Mum (Lucy Prole) quite a bit as her Mum and my Mum are friends so she comes and checks me out to make sure that I am behaving myself and gives me the quiet cuddle on the side and a few words of wisdom as I am still learning alot.

Oscar, is my new brother and he's a furry cat.   He's grumpy all the time.   Mum gave me a teddy for Christmas and I have been trying to get him to play with me and my teddy but he's not interested. His kind of game is baiting me around corners and attacking me with his claws which hurts but I am no fool now and if he does this too many times I get him back by getting to his food bowl first and eating all of  his ZiwiPeak and that really gets him upset.
My birthday celebration was the best. Mum & Dad and my doggy Mum (Lucy) got friends over for a luncheon and they cracked a bottle of Moet and sang Happy Birthday to me and Lucy and I got a feast of Venison and ZiwiPeak for lunch and a special birthday cake with candles. It was the best.

I still have a lot to learn and realise that I am only young and have at least another year before I am fully mature but I am enjoying the journey and who knows in the future I may have a family of puppies myself.

Love Coco
xxxxxxxxxxxx

Coco & Belle-My friend

Sat, Mar 3rd, 2007 3:13:01 pm

Here's is my girlfriend Belle.   She visits ZiwiPeak Limited a couple of times a week for games, treats, bones and lunch.   We have so much fun at the ZiwiPeak headquarters. We had to pose for photos the other day and Mum told us that it was going on the website so look really gorgeous.   Well this wasn't an easy task for us as posing is hard, (tummy in, tongue in, and if possible smile).   Well a lot to remember for two modern ZiwiPeak girls. Love Coco    xxxxxxxxxx

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