Trainer Profiles
All endorsed Kiwi Avoidance Trainers are listed here. Valid certificates can only be issued by endorsed trainers.
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Guus Knopers
Bay of Plenty, Whakatane
Guus started working with dogs over 40 years ago in Holland with his family's dog training business. He now trains dogs for a number of agencies and for multiple purposes.
Monthly trainings
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Chris Giblin
Aotea / Great Barrier Island
Chris is passionate about conservation and protecting wildlife. He is the Operations Manager on Aotea for an iwi led project eradicating feral cats and rodents. He works a feral cat detection dog.
1 - 2 trainings per year
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Malcolm Macfarlane
Waikato, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, Whakatane
Monthly trainings
Next session:
Nov 15, 2025, Waiheke Island (Onetangi Sports Park) -
Joe Metekingi
Tongariro , Whanganui
Monthly trainings
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Glen Coulston
Whangarei
Good Wood Aotearoa Director. Glen trains dogs of owners who live in the Whangarei area. If you live elsewhere, please select another trainer
Bi-monthly trainings
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Sandy King
Stewart Island/ Rakiura
Sandy supported by SIRCET, runs two KAT sessions each year on Rakiura where kiwi live in backyards. She has worked with the Conservation Dog programme for 20 years and owns two rodent detection dogs
Bi-monthly trainings
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Sheila Westley
Coromandel
Sheila volunteers for the Project Kiwi Trust on the Coromandel. Kiwi live all around people on the Peninsula making it important to be responsible owners and bring dogs to kiwi avoidance training.
Monthly trainings
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Brendan Carrucan
Coromandel
Ko Brendan Carrucan tōku ingoa. Nō Aerana ahau. E awhi ana ahau ki te tiaki i ngā Kiwi mai Te Tara o Te Ika a Māui
Monthly trainings
Next session:
Nov 8, 2025, Location is a short distance along Puketui Road from the corner of Puketui Road and the Kōpū- Hikuai Road. -
Nick Murphy
Waikato
1 - 2 trainings per year
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Perry Griffin
Waikato
1 - 2 trainings per year
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Ian Cox
Nelson Marlborough
Monthly trainings
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Steve Rigby
Rodney
Monthly trainings
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Jesse Emery
Bay of Plenty, Whakatane, East Coast
Bi-monthly trainings
Next session:
Nov 9, 2025, Awatapu Drive, Lagoon - Riverside Drive End -
Jannene Harker
Far North
Regular trainings
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Heidi Pease
Taranaki
(trainer #62)
1 - 2 trainings per year
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Billy Barton
Wānaka, Otago, Southland
I am happy to do one off sessions and happy to be contacted directly, please just text me with your details - 02102277173
Monthly trainings
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Toby Salmon
Whakatane
1 - 2 trainings per year
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Christine Friis
Coromandel
Bi-monthly trainings
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Lesley Baigent
Far North, Bay of Islands
Monthly trainings
Next session:
Nov 29, 2025, Whitehall Forest Entrance, SH10 opposite Matauri Bay Road -
Myles Gembitsky
Whanganui
Myles has trained and owned dogs for hunting in conservation areas along Whanganui River for many years. He has been training dogs for the Kiwi Avoidance Training programme since the early 90s.
Regular trainings
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Toby Shanley
Taranaki
Toby has a background in kiwi management, predator control and terrestrial ecology. He works with the Taranaki Kiwi Trust to support the recovery of the kiwi population across Taranaki.
1 - 2 trainings per year
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Corey Kurei
Bay of Plenty
1 - 2 trainings per year
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Amy Knopers
Canterbury
1 - 2 trainings per year
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Jason Hanham
Northland
Regular trainings
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Shaun Gifford
Waikato
Monthly trainings
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Ethan Benney
Whangarei
Works for Good Wood Aotearoa. Ethan trains dogs of owners who live in the Whangarei area. If you live elsewhere, please select another trainer
Bi-monthly trainings
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Paul Prip
Taranaki
Paul has a background in animal pest control, and since 1983 has trained, worked, and hunted with dogs. Paul works with others who are protecting and restoring Taranaki kiwi
Regular trainings
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Wallis Cocks
Regular trainings
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Anya Kruszewski
West Coast
Bi-monthly trainings
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Brent Hartshorne
Nelson Marlborough
Regular trainings
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Richard Rope
Dargaville
Richard has been around dogs most of his life and runs pig dogs. He is passionate about people getting out in nature but not at a cost to kiwi.
Bi-monthly trainings