Hi, I am Thirza.
I live on a small farm in the North of the Netherlands (Friesland) with my best friend (husband), horses , bees, some chickens…and DOGS !
My dogs
Sensory Garden ‘Sneupen bij Willem’, that’s my own garden of which I am very proud of. The word ‘Sneupen’ means in Frisian language: leisurely wandering, freely sniffing, strolling, foraging, tracking, and sniffing.
And Willem? Willem is my heart dog, a beautiful male Rottweiler.
Nine years (2015) ago Willem came into our lives as a puppy. He was a rather tiny, a somewhat insecure and shy little guy. Many things scared him and he was somewhat fearful, sceptical. The looks of a Rottweiler, but a real gentleman in behaviour. A dog who needed to be guided and understood.
In addition to puppy clicker training, ‘Hersenwerk voor honden’ (brain games for dogs), turned out to be a golden opportunity for Willem! It did him a lot of good. When he was about six months old, we were introduced to mantrailing and to scent detection .
It was like a whole new world opened up for us; the world of the dog’s nose and how the use of senses for a dog impacts its wellbeing. Sniffing and working with his nose gave him so much satisfaction and confidence. It was just wonderful to see.
After a lengthy sequence of courses, seminars and other forms of tuition ( * see below) , I was confident enough to open my own sensory garden, four years ago, where I have welcomed many dogs and their owners since.
My curiosity took me in the direction of adopting senior rescue dogs and to ‘observation skills’, a technique which immediately applies to dogs visiting my Sensory Garden.
My goals for my Sensory Garden are to:
- allow as many dogs as possible to experience the power of garden
- teach as many owners as possible to learn to observe their dog
- generate as much funding as possible for animal wellfare charities
- learn as much as possible about ‘Senory Enrichment & Wellness’
Sneupen bij Willem is part of the ‘Snuffeltuinen Initiatief’: the Dutch Sensory Garden Initiative.
What is the Snuffeltuinen Initiatief?
The ‘Snuffeltuinen Initiatief’ is a Dutch collaborative well-being project for dogs by various dog lovers. By dog lovers, we mean people who want to share the sniffing garden experience by opening their garden and time to other dogs. All on voluntary basis and without any commercial gain.
In the recent years, the initiative has really become a household name. More and more dog professionals and dog owners truly see the importance and benefits of ‘Sensory Wellness’: many more gardens are being visited, dog schools are setting up a Sensory Garden, behavior therapists are referring clients to Sensory Gardens, companies are giving lectures/webinars about our Sensory Gardens concept and are promoting it.
We, Birgitta and myself, are being contacted by dog professionels, universities etc.. around the world asking us for help and advice.
YEAH, Sensory Enrichment and Sensory Wellness are here to stay !
Who is Birgitta?
Birgitta Geerlings-Wensveen is the founder and director of this magnificent Dutch initiative. She started it in 2017 as a final project for the Dog Trainer and Behavior Specialist course at Calming Signs
Since a couple of year I have the honour tob e the the co-director of the ‘Snuffeltuinen Initiatief’.Sensory Garden 4 Dogs is the English twin of Dutch Initiative, which is run by Laura Dobb (director of the Slow Dog Movement.org), Birgitta and myself
My Sensory Garden
How wonderful is it to see your dog freely and undisturbed using its nose and other senses in a safe, enclosed environment?
To see your dog go on a nose adventure in a rural setting while you enjoy the peace and quiet, a cup of tea and a good conversation?
A mini-vacation, a wellness moment for both dog and owner, that is the Sensory Garden.
A place where the dog can truly relax, be itself, and do what it is good at: using its senses.
Where you, as the owner, can see your dog completely free and discover who your dog really is.
All that sniffing and sneuping meets an important need of a dog, good for its well-being and behavior.
And the visit to the Sensory Garden is not only a pleasant moment but is also a real investment. It adds to building a relationship, a real bond between you and your dog.
That is the power of the Sensory Garden!
A visit to Sneupen bij Willem is free, but visitors can donate for the use of my garden. All donations that I receive will be fully donated to local charities for animal welfare (see info on my website).
My CV
I believe that, in addition to practical experience, you should always continue to expand your theoretical knowledge through further education. In recent years, I have done this through the following training sessions, courses, webinars, and educational programs (or I am currently engaged in them) :
| 2016 | De uitvallende hond | Webinar | Monique Bladder |
| 2017 | BAT | Online cursus | Monique Bladder |
| Stop je hond met blaffen | Online cursus | Monique Bladder | |
| Wandelen zonder trekken | Workshop | Hondenmaatje | |
| 2018 | Kalmeringssignalen | Lezing | Hondenmaatje |
| Trainen met werkhonden | Cursus | Hondenmaatje | |
| 2019 | Vuurwerkangst | Online training | Monique Bladder |
| 2020 | Blaffen naar visite | Online training | Monique Bladder |
| Stress reductie | Online training | Monique Bladder | |
| Hersenwerk voor honden basis | Online training | Hersenwerk voor Honden | |
| Hersenwerk voor honden in 7 stappen | Online training | Hersenwerk voor Honden | |
| Hersenwerk InZicht | Online Training | Hersenwerk voor Honden | |
| Lezing Buitenlandse Hond | Webinar | Suze Steenbergen | |
| Goed op weg met je Buitenlandse hond | Online training | Nina van Tilbeurgh | |
| 2021 | Eerste weken met adoptiehond uit buitenland | Webinar | Zwerfhondenschool |
| Workshop snuffeltuin maken | Online | Snuffeltuinen Initiatief | |
| De neus van de hond | Webinar | ARGOS | |
| Hondentaal | Webinar | ARGOS | |
| Begrijp je uitvallende hond | Webinar | Zwerfhondenschool | |
| Vuurwerkangst | Webinar | Zwerfhondenschool | |
| Stress en spanning bij honden | Webinar | ARGOS | |
| 2022 | De geholpen hond | Webinar | ARGOS |
| Alleen thuis zijn | Webinar | ARGOS | |
| Najagen | Webinar | ARGOS | |
| Angst voor geluiden | Webinar | ARGOS | |
| Specialist Buitenlandse Hond | Opleiding | Buitenlandse Hond InZicht (diploma 2023) | |
| K9 Neuswerk / detectie | Online training | Dog Advice | |
| 2023 | Belonen gewenst gedrag | Webinar | Henriette Jordens |
| Out of control dog summit 2023 | Webinars | Kelly & Ian Dunbar Academy | |
| Blaffen in de tuin | Webinar | Zwerfhondenschool, Michel Berendsen | |
| Uitvalgedrag begrijpen | Masterclass | Stressless Dogs | |
| Vuurwerkangst bij honden | Masterclass | Amazing Animal Minds, Else Verbeek | |
| Kudde beschermingshonden Drenthe | Info avond, Doldersum | Cat van Urk | |
| Stressless wandelen | Masterclass | Stressless Dogs | |
| Onderzoek hondenhormonen | Webinar | Dog Knows | |
| Canine Arthritis Management advocate, level 1 | Full course | CAM Education UK | |
| Is my dog in pain? | Cursus | CAM Education UK | |
| Preparing for your dog’s cruciate repair surgery | Cursus | CAM Education UK | |
| Building your dog’s confidence | Starter Cursus | Victoria Stillwell Academy | |
| An Evidence-Based Assessment of Sound Products for Dogs | Webinar | Behavior Vets | |
| Leer communiceren met je hond | Online evenement | Stressless Dogs | |
| How do you speak to a deaf dog? | Presentatie | Behaviour Vets | |
| Knettergoed communiceren met kinderen | Webinar | Dierbare Ontmoetingen | |
| Stress en probleemgedrag bij honden | Masterclass | Amazing Animal Minds, Else Verbeek | |
| 2024 | Voedsel Allergie en intolerantie | Lesdag online | Lotte’s Logica, voedingsadvies en educatie voor mens en dier |
| Emotions, learning and animal training | Training series | ILLIS, Karolina Westlund | |
| Canine Nutrition – raw feeding | Masterclass | Dr Conor Brady | |
| The Neurobiology of Trauma in Dogs with Daniel Shaw | Webinar | Grisha Stewart Academy | |
| Sniff to safety | Webinar | Jack Fenton | |
| Animal emotions 2024 | Full course | ILLIS, Karolina Westlund | |
| Sterke spieren en voeding | Webinar | De Groene Os | |
| KIENO (Kindness Is Essential, Not Optional!) Dog Behaviour Conference 2024 | Webinars | Paws up dogs, Dr Holy Tett | |
| Understanding dog aggression | Webinar | Michael Shikashio | |
| Emergency defensive dog handling | Webinar | Michael Shikashio | |
| Beweging en coördinatie bij honden | Lesdag, Wilhelminaoord | Marcel Nijland | |
| Out of control dog summit 2024 | Webinars | Kelly & Ian Dunbar Academy | |
| Dog Enrichment Summit 2024 | Webinars | Barb Buchmayer | |
| De senior hond – voeding | Lesdag online | Lotte’s Logica, voedingsadvies en educatie voor mens en dier | |
| Exploring Advanced Animal Training Concepts | Masterclass | ILLIS, Karolina Westlund | |
| Back to basics | Webinars | Nordic Education Centre | |
| Decoding your canine | Webinars | Ness Jones | |
| Senior Dog Care Summit 2.0 | Webinars | Dr. Ava Frick | |
| Observatie van gangwerk | Lesdag, Wilhelminaoord | Marcel Nijland | |
| Observation Skills – part 1 | Full course | Suzanne Clothier | |
| Giardia and behaviour | Webinar | Dr Amber Batson – APBC | |
| Sniffing is lifesaving for dogs | Webinar | Laura Donaldson | |
| Gebitsgezondheid | Webinar | BelloBox, Evelien Groeneveld | |
| Stress management bij honden voor honden professionals | Masterclass | Amazing Animal Minds, Else verbeek en Daniella de Coster | |
| ACE and freework techniques with Sarah Fisher | Webinar | Sarah Fisher | |
| Less Stress, More Joy: 5-Sense Solutions for Fear Free Animal Care | Webinar | Dr M. Becker | |
| Does Your Dog Suffer From Trauma | Webinar | Soul touched by dogs, Anke Herrmann | |
| 2025 | Vraag maar raak: gezondheid en voeding van honden | Online vragen avond | Lotte Botter & Ingrid Smolders |
| Enrichment Summit 2025, Barb Buchmayer | Webinars. Sensory Garden, Sensory Enrichment and Wellness | Gast spreker / Guest speaker Thirza | |
| De kunst van afscheid nemen / The art of saying goodbye | Pilot | Marleen van Baal InZicht | |
| The Elemental Questions series: HELLO? | Course + webinar | Suzanne Clothier | |
| The Elemental Questions series: WHO ARE YOU? | Course + webinar | Suzanne Clothier | |
| The Elemental Questions series: HOW IS THIS FOR YOU? | Course + webinar | Suzanne Clothier | |
| The Elemental Questions series: CAN YOU? | Course + webinar | Suzanne Clothier | |
| The Elemental Questions series: MAY I? | Course + webinar | Suzanne Clothier | |
| The Elemental Questions series: CAN WE? | Course + webinar | Suzanne Clothier | |
| Emotions, learning and animal training | Mini-course | Karolina Westlund | |
| Winterklaar zichtbaar | Masterclass | Jori van Zon, Paula Brummelkamp, Rimke de Groot | |
| Dog Anxiety Summit 2025 | Webinars | Pet Summits | |
| Your puppy blue print Summit | Webinars | Kelly Fahey | |
| Chronic Pain Symposium | Webinars | Canine Arthritis Management | |
| De Connectie methode | Webinar | Geert de Bolster | |
| Allergy Summit 2025 | Webinars | PetSummits.com | |
| Speak dog seminars | Webinars | Nordic Dog Trainer | |
| Love in action! | Summit | Marylin Mele | |
| Be the Dog: Caring for Your Most Important Training Tool | Webinar | Suzanne Clothier | |
| De invloed van voeding op weerstand en ziekte en parasieten | Interactieve lezing | Lotte Botter |
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