Individual support for you and your dog, based on what you actually need help with

Living with a dog isn't always easy. Sometimes the things you imagined enjoying together, relaxed walks, visitors to the house, trips out or simply being able to get your dog's attention can become difficult or stressful.

But things can get easier.

Working 1:1 gives us the opportunity to understand what's happening for your individual dog and put together a realistic plan that works for both of you.

Together, we'll break things down into manageable steps, giving you practical things to work on and helping you feel more confident about what to do.

I work in Chesterfield, Matlock, Bakewell and surrounding areas, as well as via Zoom with weekday, evening and weekend sessions available.

You might be struggling with:

• pulling on the lead
• recall
• jumping up
• barking or lunging
• reactivity around other dogs or people
• over-excitement or difficulty settling
• visitors or deliveries
• noise sensitivity
• puppy training
• or something else that's making life with your dog harder than you'd like it to be

You don't need to know exactly what kind of training you need before you get in touch. That's something we can work out together.

How does it work?

Got a new puppy?

For puppy 1:1s I'll come to your home for your first session.

With a new puppy, it's useful for me to meet you both in your own environment from the start. We can talk through how things are going, answer your questions and work practically on the things that matter to you whether that's settling in, biting, toilet training, sleep, jumping up, lead skills, recall or simply getting your relationship off to a good start.

Puppy 1:1 session – £70

For other training and behaviour challenges

We'll usually start with a 60-minute Zoom consultation – £50.

This gives us time to talk properly about what's happening without the distraction of trying to train your dog at the same time.

I'll take a detailed history and find out more about your dog, their behaviour, lifestyle and routines, what's currently difficult and what you'd like life together to look like.

It also gives me the opportunity to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of what might be contributing to the behaviour.

From there, I can begin to put together a plan for you and your dog and decide what our practical training should focus on.

I know it can feel important and reassuring to have someone actually meet your dog too. The Zoom isn't intended to replace seeing your dog where that would be useful. It means that when we do meet, I already have a good understanding of what's been happening and we can spend more of our time observing your dog and working practically together.

You'll usually have some things you can start working on straight away after our Zoom, before we meet for a practical session.

Practical 1:1 sessions – £70

After our initial consultation, practical sessions can take place at your home or outdoors, depending on what we're working on and your dog's current skill level.

This gives me the opportunity to meet your dog, see what's happening in real life and work alongside you. What I see may add to or change our initial plan — dogs don't always behave exactly as we expect them to, and that's useful information too!

If you're struggling on walks, we can work together on a real walk. If the difficulty happens at home, we can work there. If your dog struggles around other dogs, we'll choose an appropriate environment where we can practise at a level your dog can manage.

We may not do this straight away. Sometimes we need to spend the first session or two building some useful skills and making sure both you and your dog are ready before we take the training into a more challenging environment. Taking a little time to put those foundations in place can make the real-life practice much more useful when we get there.

I'll show you practical things you can do and we'll practise them together.

The aim isn't just for things to work while I'm there. I want you to understand what to do, why you're doing it and how to continue practising when I'm not there, so that you feel increasingly confident supporting your own dog.

We'll meet your dog where they're at and build from there.

How many sessions will I need?

There isn't a set number.

Some people may only need the initial consultation and one practical session to get them heading in the right direction. Others choose to have further sessions as their dog progresses or as different challenges come up.

For more established or complex difficulties, particularly reactivity, progress often happens gradually through practice and lots of small successful experiences.

Rather than asking you to commit to a package, sessions are booked one at a time. At the end of each session we'll talk about what to work on next and whether another 1:1 would be useful.

There's no pressure to achieve a particular result within a certain number of sessions.

Between sessions

You'll leave each session with practical things to work on rather than a huge list of things you suddenly need to change.

Where useful, I'll also provide relevant training information or resources to help you continue practising.

If your dog finds being around other dogs difficult, you may also be able to join one of my Calm & Connected Supported Group Walks.

These are small, carefully managed sessions where you can practise around other dogs at a distance that works for yours, with support and guidance along the way. They can be a useful way of getting real-life practice without needing to book a full 1:1 every time.

Realistic expectations

There are no guarantees when it comes to changing behaviour. Dogs are individuals and progress can depend on lots of things, including the behaviour itself, how long it has been happening, your dog's previous experiences and opportunities to practise between sessions.

The aim is to help you understand your dog better, give you practical skills that make a difference and help both of you feel more confident navigating everyday life together.

Prices

Initial Zoom consultation – £50
60 minutes

Practical 1:1 session – £70
At your home or outdoors, depending on what we're working on.

Chesterfield, Matlock, Bakewell and surrounding areas.

Not sure whether a 1:1, group class or supported walk would suit you and your dog best?

Please get in touch and I'll be happy to help you decide where to start.