REGISTER FOR
JUNIOR ANIMAL TRAINER
CLASSES

Wright Road, Aongatete, Western Bay of Plenty
Picture
Recipe for a Junior Animal Trainer: Take a handful of kids, mix with dogs, chickens, sheep and horses, and sprinkle with fresh air and laughter!
A montage of Junior Animal Trainers, Next Gen Trainers and PupStars kids!

10-3pm, one Sunday per month
Suitable for 7-12 year olds.   Is your child 11 years or over? Ask us about our popular and well-established Next Gen Trainers programme. Happy to discuss your child's needs and suitability for either programme. Email or text 021440078

We support kids to embrace their kind, compassionate, loving selves while feeling confident and capable handling and training animals of all different species.  
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No pets needed - we supply the animals!  Suitable for 7-12 year olds, this is a great chance for animal loving kids to get hands-on with all our animals, learning how to handle them safely, train them and care for them. In these workshops kids work with Positively Together animals, and then take their learning home to their own pets. You'll be interacting with our friendly, trained horses, sheep, dogs, cows, chickens and pigs! Discover how we teach the animals to do amazing tricks, and learn the building blocks to be able to train animals yourself!  In addition, practical animal training skills transfer directly to life skills as kids practice empathy, building positive relationships, holding boundaries, and celebrating mistakes as part of learning. 

Kids learn:
- how to safely and confidently (and respectfully) interact with many different shapes and sizes and species of animal
- practical training skills including observation, timing, coordination, clear communication
- to "listen with their eyes" so they can understand and describe what animals are communicating and how the animals are feeling 
- how to communicate and hold their own boundaries, with animal learners and peers
- to listen to their own bodies and identify their own feelings, so they can keep themselves safe and communicate their needs
- how to handle mistakes, "celebrate failure", and break challenging tasks down into smaller chunks (a crucial part of animal training, and also our own learning throughout life)
- how to train animals of ALL kinds, and how we use positive reinforcement to inspire them to WANT to play and work with us - no force, no fear, just fun! 
- how to build positive relationships with animals and people
And so much more!   And of course they will make likeminded friends, and spend the day moving their bodies in the fresh air.

WE DO
​Fun - friendship - respect - inclusivity - empathy - laughs - animal cuddles - silliness - pony time - conversation - confidence
WE LEARN
Practical animal training skills - timing - coordination - how to handle mistakes - dog safety - how to read body language

    Registration form for Junior Animal Trainers

    SPRING SEASON now enrolling. Please fill out form below to register. Existing students get priority placement.

    WHERE: Wright Road, Aongatete (or occasionally other locations if we have field trips arranged)
    WHEN: 10-3pm, one day per month
    2025 spring season dates: 6 Sept | 4 Oct | 1 Nov | 6 Dec (all dates subject to change)
    PLUS: in January, the option to join in for the day at the Next Gen trainers summer camp! Details on that closer to the time.
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    Cost: $295 for a spring or autumn season pass (4 full-day workshops).
    No casual spots available at this stage due to high demand.

    Junior Animal Trainers earn certificates and "level up" when they complete a full year (2 seasons) of the programme.  In addition, a badge is awarded at completion of their first season, and each month we award "Trainer of the Day" wristbands to two worthy trainers.
    Junior Animal Trainers who complete multiple seasons and then age out may be invited to graduate on to the Next Gen Trainers programme (generally around 11-12ish depending on the child, and on space/numbers) 
    PLEASE NOTE: The safety and wellbeing of our animals and the children attending are our utmost priority. To help your child have the best experience in our classes, please let us know if your child has any additional needs. Should they require support, you may be asked to stay and assist. Thank you for your understanding.
    ** Click here to read the Terms and Conditions before continuing (a new window will open, and then you can return here to complete the form).
    Please note: After you submit this form we will be in touch via email or phone.  A place on the program is not guaranteed (but we do our best!). Minimum and maximum numbers are required, and dates are subject to change.