My name is Julie Sheppard,  I am a trainer who understands the emotions linked to your dog’s behaviour. I specialise in 1-2-1 training and small group classes in Paignton, South Devon. My approach to training is relaxed, friendly, fun, and completely force-free. I offer advice, support, and progressive training plans to create a partnership between you and your dog promoting trust and increasing your bond.

We expect a lot from our dogs in terms of ‘acceptable’ behaviour, but they need help and support from us to learn how we would like them to behave and sometimes they also just need the opportunity to be a dog.

Force-Free or Rewards Based training is a very effective way to train your dog.  It is founded in behavioural science making it easier for your dog to learn and remember by using what your dog likes (rewards) and repetition. Force-Free trainers do not believe in the use of harsh corrections or harmful equipment for training your dog.

Training force-free has the following benefits:

• It builds trust between the dog and his human family
• It helps the dog to live happily with humans
• It reduces stress allowing the dog to be confident, calm and feel safe
• Dogs enjoy the training and want to do it so they learn faster
• The behaviours we teach become automatic (e.g., recall, walking at heel, sitting)