Why pick me as your trainer?
I love dogs and I like helping people with their dogs. I don't think the saying 'there are no bad dogs, just bad owners' is true. Some care givers with the best of intentions can find themselves a bit lost - like when they come home to find their beloved Rover has eaten the sofa - it happens!
I see myself as the conduit between dog and human,
I am here to help you understand each other.
I have spent my life studying the behaviour of animals. I grew up around working dogs and have had championship gun dog trial winners in my family, so you could say it's in my DNA. I was never happier as a child than when cleaning out the dog pen, although I am not sure the dogs were impressed by my grooming skills, there were a few dodgy haircuts! This is me in the 1980's with our gun dog 'Shot'. Yes, his name was 'Shot the Dog'. As an adult I spent time in Africa studying primates and rhinos.
I have a PhD in animal behaviour, a degree in Zoology and I am a professional member of the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. I was keen to get a recognised industry standard dog behaviour qualification so I decided to study with the Institute of Modern Dog Trainers and am now one of their qualified trainers.
I am also training to become one of their registered behaviourists. What I like is that the IMDT uses proven, ethical and up to date science based teaching methods which fits in with my nerdy science background and my own ethos of fear-free training.
Qualifications and continuing professional development courses:
* PhD in Animal Behaviour
* B.Sc. Zoology
* B.Sc. Management Science
* Qualified dog trainer (IMDT)
* Institute of Modern Dog Trainers (IMDT) & Behaviourist courses:-
- 3 day Easy Peasy Puppy Instructor
- Canine Adolescence
- The exercises: Foundation to Advanced
- 1 day Perfect Puppy course
- 4 day Practical Instructors course
- 2 day Career as a dog trainer
- The Consultation And Follow-Up Report
- Aggression & Rehabilitation
- Separation Anxiety
- Resource Guarding
* Victoria Stillwell Academy
- Dog Behaviour Conference
