About Us
We are a community of dog professionals dedicated to assisting you in creating more harmonious relationships with your dogs. We aim to promote wellbeing by taking a holistic approach. We also encourage all our clients into a variety of fun dog sports that we offer from scent training to agility because we believe in giving a dog a job!
The training methods we use are fun, ethical and reward-based.
Meet the team:
Kate Harper BSc (Hons) - Head Trainer/Behaviourist and Founder
Kate is an experienced behaviourist and dog trainer with over 20 years experience. While still seeing a small number of puppies and behaviour cases she now specialises in teaching the dog sports Tracking, Mantrailing, Scent Detection and Gundog training to pet dogs. She is a Head Instructor for UK Sniffer Dogs teaching their courses to her own clients as well as assisting in the teaching and development of their new instructors.
She also enjoys teaching dog training classes within prison-based dog training programmes designed to promote positive behavioural change and engagement in education.
Kate is a trainer for Dogs For Autism who are the first UK charity to specialise in providing assistance dogs to autistic partners of all ages at no cost to the family.
Kate has many years of hands on experience working with dogs of all shapes, sizes and temperaments. She has handled, trained and assessed a wide range of dogs for national charities, dog wardens and private clients. She has also worked with dogs detained under the Dangerous Dogs Act. She has studied FdSc Applied Animal Behavioural Science and Welfare and has a BSc (Hons) in Animal Science degree from Writtle University College.
Sam Vickers IMDT - Dog Trainer
Sam is a full member of the IMDT (Institute of Modern Dog Trainers) and an approved instructor with the DTC (Dog Training College), as well as holding an Open College Network Accredited Certification ‘Principles of Dog Training and Behaviour', level 3 and a level 4 Canine Coaching Diploma.
She’s studied dog law, first aid, dog-dog aggression, dog-human aggression, impulse control, resource guarding, separation anxiety, interactive play, T Touch, scentwork and canine body language. She has a particular passion for anxious and nervous dogs and supporting their owners and she brings her own unique brand of fun and humour to classes.
She currently shares her home (and heart) with Teddy, a rescue Chiweenie with wonky ears & Gizmo, a Shih Tzu cross who lives for cuddles and training, but has previously owned a show GSD, Yorkshire Terrier & Rough Collie cross, as well as fostered other dogs.
Jill Steif - Teaching Assistant
Jill has recently made a career change and is in training to be a dog trainer with the IMDT.
Jill started off as one of our clients with her beautiful German Shepherd Nelson who is a fantastic Mantrailing dog as well as completing all our scent detection programmes. Nelson was a reactive dog which took her down a rabbit hole wishing to learn more about dog behaviour as she saw how beneficial the training was for him.
She has studied practical instructors courses in puppy training as a specialism, working with and training rescue dogs plus the IMDT Practical Instructors Course. Jill is a qualified Canine Hoopers World Instructor and is enjoying teaching some of our Friday Hoopers classes. Jill is passionate about bringing fun into dog training and it shows with her 3 wonderful rescue dogs.
Anne-Marthe Brautaset BSc (Hons) - Animal Nutrition Consultant
Anne-Marthe has been passionate about canine and feline nutrition her whole life and holds a BSc (Hons) degree in Animal Science from Writtle University College.
She currently works as a manager for a veterinary pharmaceutical company and has considerable industry experience in nutrition having worked to train vets and nurses on the the topic at practices all over Norway.
Anne-Marthe is also interested in the behaviour and welfare of wolves. She has undertaken research projects studying the behaviour of captive wolves in relation to enclosure design and social groups in Norway.
Anne-Marthe offers one to one nutrition consultancy to clients all over the world through Zoom video calls. She offers comprehensive, tailored advice to ensure that your dog or cat receive the best possible nutrition.
She is based in Oslo and owns two beautiful Ragdoll cats Romeo and Casanova.