Dog Handler Training

I grew up with dogs in the family all my life and spent hours training the family dog Meg, a border collie when I was a teenager. I finally got my first dog; a German Shorthaired Pointer named Boots in 2011. Boots was a high prey dog who was a very bouncy puppy and had a huge desire to hunt most things. He was a very challenging first dog but my determination and dedication paid off and it was my success with him that inspired me to want to help others.

I trained with the Institute of Modern Dog Trainers (IMDT) and became a full member of their association in 2013. I have certificates in:

Canine Behaviour
Fear and Aggression
Canine Body Language
Practical Instructor Training


Only positive reinforcement is used, usually in the way of food, toys and play. I break every behavior down to an achievable level and then build upon the successes and increase the difficulty until I get the desired result.

Each and every dog will learn at a different pace and so I will be constantly assessing progress and tweaking the training techniques appropriately.

I never teach you to punish your dog if he does not achieve the desired goal. The reason the dog doesn't succeed is almost always because it hasn’t been trained or reinforced properly. If a dog makes a mistake or a bad choice all that will happen is that he wont get a reward. No shouting or scolding will be seen in my training sessions. I do not allow the use of choke collars or slip leads as these can cause discomfort to the dog. I prefer dogs to be wearing a harness for all training activities, especially puppies, to avoid any unnecessary jolts to the neck.

My classes are very informal and most importantly FUN! I wont march you around a village hall in military style. I provide natural experiences and distractions and build upon these as you progress.

I encourage regular feedback and questions and no question is ever considered silly.