Residential Dog Training

Your dog will stay with me as if my own, in my secluded countryside cottage, surrounded by open farmland and peaceful walking tracks. This setup is especially powerful for stressed, reactive or anxious dogs, it gives them the chance to reset their nervous system, settle into a healthy routine, and lay the foundations for lasting behavioural change.

An e-collar (short for electronic collar) is a remote training tool that lets us communicate with your dog when the lead is off. It does not work by shocking the dog, but by stimulating the muscle, making it twitch and almost tickle, the e-collars I use are using the same technology as those ab-toning machines people wear under their clothes.

I use the e-collar for safe, reliable off-lead freedom, especially for recall in open spaces. Not every dog has to use one, but if your goal is off-lead control or you have a dog with ingrained habits, reactivity, or poor recall, it’s often the best and kindest tool for the job.
If your dog isn’t ready for it, we’ll go a different route. I’ll always tailor the training to your dog.

Quick 2-week bootcamps that offer 10 different things often rely on harsh, punishment-based methods to force fast results.

I want your dog to be motivated, confident, and responsive because they understand what’s being asked, not because they’re scared of getting punished.

It takes hundreds of clear repetitions for a behaviour to become reliable, especially in real-world settings. My programs allow time to build solid foundations and reduce stress in order behaviours to stick for life.

Technically yes, but I don’t recommend it. Visits during training can confuse your dog and cause emotional setbacks. When they see you, they often assume they’re going home, which can create frustration, anxiety, or stress once you leave again.

My dogs are an essential part of the Naughty Dog system. Without them, I wouldn’t be able to offer the results I do. Dogs learn best from other dogs and mine play a key role in the process.

They’re used as calm, neutral distractions before we head out into the real world, helping to proof behaviours safely. For behavioural cases, like fear, frustration, or reactivity, being immersed in a balanced pack is one of the most powerful tools for lasting change.

I use a balanced training approach using all four quadrants of the operant learning theory. That means I use both reinforcement and fair corrections, depending on the stage of training and the dog’s understanding.

All behaviours are taught first through positive reinforcement — using food, toys, praise, leash pressure, and clear guidance. Once the dog understands what’s expected, we introduce fair consequences to build reliability, especially around distractions or in real-life situations.

Corrections are always conditioned and fair, they might be:
• A leash pop the dog understands
• A verbal correction (“ah-ah” or “no”)
• E-collar stimulation the dog has been taught to respond to
• Or even something like removing freedom, toys, or social access

Punishment doesn’t mean pain. It simply means reducing unwanted behaviour and that can be done calmly, clearly, and without shouting, intimidation, or fear.

I do not use outdated methods like:
• Shaking bottles of rocks
• Water sprays or citronella collars
• Hitting, shouting, or intimidating dogs

The aim is always clarity and confidence, not confusion. Dogs thrive when they understand what earns reward and what results in consequence. That’s how you get happy, obedient dogs who trust their handler and know exactly what’s expected of them.

While I’m not formally certified yet, I’ve studied extensively through online mentorships, dog behaviour books, podcasts, and subscription platforms like Patreon, where top-level trainers share in-depth training content. I invest in my education every single day but my real learning has come from hands-on work.

I’ve been a full-time dog trainer for five years now. I started out working for a training company, where I gained experience with board-and-train dogs from day one. About six months in, I branched out on my own and have been running my own residential programs ever since.

Since then, I’ve worked with well over 200 dogs, from anxious rescues and reactive cases to high-drive working breeds and everyday family pets.