WORKSHOPS

I help people with puppies and dogs of all ages and run various classes, workshops, one-to-one training and behaviour support. I do this using only kind & ethical methods, my primary aim being educating owners to understand their dogs better. I believe this is the key to helping.

‍I offer:‍

‍🐾Workshops and classes at Martham Paw Ground.
🐾 Puppy Pre-School sessions at Rackheath Vets
🐾 Puppy socialisation sessions in Hoveton
🐾 Puppy School classes in Hoveton / Wroxham and Barford / Hethersett
🐾 Adolescent classes in Hoveton
🐾 Workshops such as scent work and recall in Hoveton
🐾 One-to-one training at your home
🐾 Behaviour support under veterinary consent, addressing deeper-rooted emotional issues‍
‍
My Background

My small business was born in 2017 but I’ve worked with dogs professionally for over 20 years now. Although I was raised from a young age with dogs (we had a labrador and a great dane) my behaviour journey really started when I was around 14 and we got a puppy. We researched the breed and had chosen the perfect type of dog for our lifestyle, but I now know that our puppy was not from a responsible breeder, we did not socialise him appropriately and our training methods were questionable. We gave him the best quality of life we could based on the knowledge we had at the time; but he had health and behaviour problems.

This was a time before we had the internet; so I did all of my research using library books, but these were outdated and contained harmful information, so as an alternative, we took some advice at young puppy sessions but this information was also poor. After my studies, I instantly knew that dog training was a career path I wanted to pursue. I realised that almost all of the things that I had seen be done to dogs, or been taught about dogs; was not okay.

I was hooked on dog behaviour and determined to learn. Once I graduated I was lucky enough to be accepted into an Assistance Dog Charity. I stayed for a decade with various roles; the Welfare department where I learned heaps about social behaviour and health, the rescue department where I had the opportunity to work on behaviour and training problems, the puppy department where I learned more about puppy development and had hands-on socialisation experience with litters, and then I became an advanced trainer, teaching the dogs the final stage of their training. Alongside this, I was also part of the display team with my demonstration dog Scout. It was an incredibly rewarding experience and one I’ll never forget; the charity is so progressive in it’s methods and I learned a lot through my experience there.

As a member of the APBC, ABTC and Puppy School I am required to complete CPD each year to update my knowledge so each year I complete courses, seminars, self study and mentoring in excess of 100 hours. I absolutely love learning about dog behaviour; the more I learn, the more I realise I don’t know! Being a member of the APBC also means that I take on a few cases each month to provide behaviour support. Behaviour support is an in-depth holistic approach and only available under veterinary consent due to the strong link between health & behaviour.

‍My Experience‍

‍🐾 Animal Management Diploma at Easton College in 2001
🐾 Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Behaviour Science at the University of Lincoln.
🐾 Volunteering in a veterinary practice, boarding kennels and a rescue.
🐾 Qualified Puppy School Tutor which is part of Gwen Bailey's team, who is a renowned author, behaviourist, and previous Chairman of the APBC. Puppy School is the biggest organisation of it’s kind that are specialists in young puppies, we have over 150 members and a wealth of knowledge that we share between us.
🐾 Running a veterinary practice's puppy sessions, helping to build their confidence
🐾 Provisional Member of the ABTC
🐾 'Taking the Grr' approved professional at the behaviourist level‍‍

‍How I Can Help
‍
‍My business has gone from strength to strength and I love what I do, but my main passion is getting puppies off to the best start. My Puppy School classes are accredited by the Animal Behaviour and Training Council, which is an honour, and I am regularly assessed to ensure I meet high standards. Puppies require specialist knowledge; they are not just small dogs or a ‘blank canvas’; their brain is different and their needs change constantly as they grow and develop. It’s a huge responsibility to provide education for puppies and owners.

More recently I became a "Taking the Grr" approved professional at behaviourist level, teaching dogs to trust and participate with handling and grooming is so important, I have some exciting things in the pipeline for helping owners prepare your dogs for handling, vet visits and grooming. I also started a collaboration with Rackheath Vets to run “Puppy Pre-School” sessions which are a huge success and gives puppies the best start before they are fully vaccinated.

‍Dog Training at Martham Paw Ground

Finally, of course, I am now collaborating with Martham Paw Ground which I am hugely excited about!My plans at the Paw Ground will develop organically. I want to further support owners so that they can achieve their dog training goals in a safe, outdoor environment and these fields are giving me an amazing opportunity to develop all sorts of ideas for classes and workshops. I want there to be something for dogs of all ages and abilities.Training should be enjoyable for everyone and I ensure my classes are a safe place for both dogs and people to learn, a relaxed environment where you can ask questions, and where you can laugh if things don’t quite go to plan.

I hope to see you at one of my classes in the future!