We believe, like our human relationships, all relationships with dogs should include communication, trust and mutual respect.
We help you to set out clear consistent boundaries, fair expectations, to avoid conflict and misunderstanding and to learn practical skills you can apply to everyday life with your dog.
We use positive methods that are based on the latest science, neuroscience, biology, behaviour analysis and philosophy. We help you to better understand your dogs behaviour to enhance life together in a positive way.
We offer training skills that fit within the concept of obedience, but come from a calm communicative approach that promotes agency and autonomy, rather than force and control.
We know dogs can think for themselves and encourage owners to facilitate this through appropriate guidance and choice making to enable learning, whilst being safe and calmly behaved.
We believe all education should be fun and accessible for all ages and learning styles.
C.C.B (Certified Canine Behaviourist) Intodogs
C.A.T (Certified Animal Trainer) ICAN
C.D.T (Certified Dog Trainer) IMDT
Lucy has been professionally working with dogs and their families for more than a decade. Her interests in understanding behaviour first began in her earlier career, working with children and young adults with learning difficulties and disabilities. Learning different ways to communicate, to build trust and a deeper understanding of another’s experience is a core part of who Lucy is. In 2007 Lucy’s heart was stolen by a rescue lurcher named Tiggy. In an attempt to help Tiggy with her behaviour challenges, Lucy began to pursue an education in Canine behaviour, psychology and physiology. In 2010 Lucy began her own business of Dog walking and Care, progressing to group class teaching and 121 behaviour support and training. Over the last 12 years Lucy has gained a broad range of knowledge and experience in many areas of dog behaviour, training and education. She has worked both abroad and in the UK with 1000’s of dogs and their families, of varying ages, breeds and backgrounds. Lucy is passionate about guiding people to observe and understand their dogs, build trusting relationships and learn mutually beneficial ways to communicate. She believes that behaviour is fundamentally an expression of how the dog is feeling, both emotionally and physically. If we ask the question “why?” we can begin to unpick the roots of what may be causing the behaviour.
In more recent years, Lucy’s practice has included a more in depth look at Ethology, plus understanding of Nutrition and physical health and their impact on the brain and behaviour of the individual. Working closely with Veterinary and Physiotherapy professionals, Lucy aims to offer a “whole dog” approach to supporting any dog and their family through challenging times.
Lucy is a fully certified member of the IMDT (Institute of Modern Dog Trainers) and a Fully Certified Canine Behaviourist with INTODOGS. Lucy continues to study and learn for her ongoing Professional Development.
If she had to choose, Lucy’s doggy soft spot are Collies and Lurchers, but hasn’t met a dog yet that she does fall in love with.
Howard began his career in dog training in 2016 after adopting a Romanian rescue dog Lola. Although having experience with dogs throughout his life, the challenges presented in supporting and living with a very tricky rescue case gave Howard the motivation and drive to formally study and train in dog training and behaviour. He is passionate about truly understanding dogs and building a strong foundation of secure, safe and trusting relationships as an essential building block to long term happiness and success, for both owners and dogs.
His reading and study have branched well beyond the standard “operant conditioning” models and now draws knowledge and insight from such fields as canine physiology, neuroscience, ethology, nutrition, AI research, learning theory, genetics and more.
Gaining experience early on with 1 to 1 dog walking with behaviour case clients and adolescent dogs gave Howard valuable experience in hands on handling and training. He has since continued his learning with several courses of study with some of the foremost Behaviourists and Trainers in the UK and overseas. He has run puppy and dog training classes and 1 to 1 training sessions full time for the last 3 years.
Prior to his career with dogs, Howard was an International Guide and Instructor for various mountain sports such as mountain biking, climbing, white water kayaking and canoeing. He has led, taught and managed diverse groups all over the world and has been teaching and instructing in many disciplines since 2004.
Currently, Howard specialises in puppy and adolescent development and training, making real progress with challenging behaviour cases and care and management for dogs in their golden years.
His personal interests with dogs are traditional herding skills, scent work and tracking.
In his own words….
“ Living with dogs is fundamentally a partnership. The most natural thing in the world is for your dog to come when called, walk with you and accompany you, to settle with you at the end of the day. The real magic comes when we realise this teamwork comes not from “training” but from simple communication, trust and understanding between dog and human. We have a responsibility to our dogs welfare and well-being and seeing the partnership flourish and grow is immensely rewarding. I genuinely have the best job in the world!”
As a full accredited member of The Association of INTODogs (www.intodogs.org) and the IMDT (www.imdt.uk.com) I am able to display this symbol. Please check out the charter website to see what assurances this symbol brings www.ukdogcharter.org