Okami's Legacy

No Charge, Reduced Fee Services, and Support

Following the loss of Okami, I decided to offer reduced charge training consultations around my other client commitments and voluntary work in his memory. The service would be exactly the same format and support as on my training pages and tailored for you and your dog. Okami brought a lot of smiles and happiness to the local area, and he is daily inspiration working with dogs. He helped the community with his warmth and I would like his memory to continue helping others.

Your circumstances for seeking training support for your dog will remain private and my services will be exactly the same, as for all my clients. You may require training tasks or adapting training as a person of disability for example, financial difficulty or changes, yet would still like training support or enrichment for your canine family member. I understand that often our lives change and I wish to offer my time as trainer to help you as needed. This could also mean other needs, such as dog food or other forms of care too. I liaise with community projects and groups that also offer other forms of care needs.

Depending what your needs require, will reflect when and how I can help you as I take on limited 1-2-1 clients, so that my focus is on them and their dogs. I do not offer quick fast sessions, but tailored care packages, and always there for clients to contact me in the future, should they need further support and advice. I like to think about training as a partnership between you and your dog, where I teach you how to use training for communication, but your partnerships success comes down to your practice.

Okami also supported me and my changing needs with a chronic condition and different disabilities. This included alerts at home, deep pressure therapy and balance assistance. But most importantly he was my best friend and companion that built our fun partnership together.

If you would like more information or discuss your needs please email me and quote 'Okami's Legacy'.

Please visit the CONTACT PAGE.

Student Experiences and School Visits

Prior to the pandemic, I had offered 121 training experiences for school and college students that were under 18. I have been lucky to work with a few local schools and a SEN based school with wonderful students, teachers, and their assistants who came to our sessions.

Due to the young people being under 18, I could not have them work with me as work experience/shadowing in dog training due to insurance and liability, which is why many organisations such as Dogs Trust do not take people under 18 too. As my late dog Okami being an assessed and registered PAT dog, my students were able to work with him, learning how to train by reward-based methods and using learning theory. Sadly, since losing him and just opening up this student experience again, he is still very much missed by me.

However, Yuna, thanks to demoing beautifully and, more importantly, enjoyably in my classes, I have been able to work with her in demoing to students. This she has very much enjoyed, and last week, she again demonstrated how we use shaping to teach new behaviours. Because Yuna and I regularly use shaping in our training, she loves offering behaviours, making her own choices, and working out what behaviour is our goal.

I hope my lovely students who visit me take away most importantly, that training is most fun when the partnership between us and our dogs is built on trust and communication. And how happy Yuna is as soon as I pick up my clicker and treat bag belt.

I will be offering more opportunities and tailored experiences for students and am happy for schools and parents again to contact me. My focus is teaching young people kind, fun, and reward-based methods to train animals. From husbandry and cooperative care to tricks and safety cues.

My students receive a booklet I regularly update about how we train, why, puppy development, and more, plus a little pack. I would love to see more young people see the value in our industry, how we work, and how the love of animals, care, and welfare has so many career avenues.

Please email me at wolfandwhippet@gmail.com if you would like to organise a call or a remote Zoom session for more information.

Shadowing Experience and Mentoring for Student Dog Trainers

I have been working professionally as a full time certified dog trainer for 7 years now following extensive study, practical instructor courses, sports instructor courses and yearly continual professional development. This has been a professional journey that continues with learning and collaboration with colleagues. While I studied to become a certified dog trainer, I built a successful pet care service with Fran, giving us various handling, management and planning skills. On top of this we also worked voluntarily with various rescues, which I continue to do, this has been invaluable in safety handling, risk assessment, introducing dogs and much more.

During my dog training study and prior to practical assessment I was very lucky to benefit from incredible local area dog professionals, behaviourists and trainers that allowed me to observe, shadow and discuss training and behaviour with. Likewise, the support of INTODogs and my fellow colleagues of the organisation I am certified with. They were pivotal in my success and completion of assessments, and invaluable on my learning journey. Hence, I want to offer the same opportunity to student dog trainers, student veterinary professionals, rescue staff and volunteers and fellow dog professionals that are learning new skills.

This mentoring and experience opportunity is open to everyone over 18, and can be adapted for all learning and disability needs. Offering observing in classes, joining me for 121's with client permission, zoom sessions to coach you through learning theory application and mechanics in dog training, practising training with my dogs, support through your certification to become a trainer, looking at running a training business, how we create risk assessments, insurance policy covers, navigating the dog industry and its lack of regulation, and any other support you may feel you need on your path to becoming a dog professional. Maybe you just need a chat.

Please email me at wolfandwhippet@gmail.com if you would like to organise an informal call or a remote Zoom session for more information.