My name is April and I am a reward based, force-free dog trainer. I strongly believe all dog training should be fun and positive and focused on developing the relationship between you and your dog. If you are both not enjoying it, then something needs to change. All my training is based on developing vital skills and building confidence for both you and your dog in a friendly, fun way. 

I currently have 3 dogs of my own. A Jack Russell Terrier called Winnie, a Working Labrador called Incy and a Dalmatian called Buzz. 
 Previously I owned Indi the English Springer Spaniel. He was highly fearful of people and other dogs, which in turn caused him to be reactive. I was only 14 years old at the time so had no idea what I was doing! At the time I struggled to find anyone that could help me. I ended up contacting behaviourists in Wales and Bristol that were so lovely and sympathetic to my situation. They gave me amazing advice and changed the way I thought about dog training. Because of them, and Indi, I got to follow my dreams and work with dogs full time. 
I have a lot of experience with reactivity and rescue dogs. I worked in rescue kennels for 4 years and learnt so much during that time. It was a challenging job but I gained so much experience from it. 
You will never hear me use the word ‘dominance’ or ‘pack’. The dominance theory has long been disproved. Dogs live in family groups, there is no struggle for pack leader or dominance. We do not need to use fear or intimidation in dog training or behaviour. More often than not, it makes things a lot worse. All my training is based on the latest science and I am always doing my utmost to keep up to date with the latest developments. 
I have a 1st class degree in animal science. As part of my degree I studied obsessive repetitive behaviour in red squirrels and presented my findings to the zoo itself. After my degree I went on to work in rescue kennels with one of the biggest dog rescue organisations in the UK. They do a number of their own training courses which I completed. This involved filming myself training various kennel dogs and then sending it up to head office behaviourists for assessment to then be certified. I am currently working towards being an accredited behaviourist with IMDT. This involves completing a case study to show I am at the required level. I hope to have completed this by the end of the year (I had to take a brief pause due to the birth of my 2nd child).  
I am a fully certified and approved SA (separation anxiety) Pro Trainer having completed Julie Naismith's (author of 'be right back' and leader in the field) course. I am always updating my CPD, as part of that I went down to Devon and got to train chickens, meerkats, porcupines and farm animals at Devon College. I also hold a full current Level 3 qualification in dog first aid. 
I very much believe that how our dogs feel on the inside impacts how they feel on the outside. I work alongside vets to make sure we are covering all bases and doing the best for each dog I work with. There is a huge link between pain and behaviour, so I will always recommend getting in touch with your vet for behaviour cases or if I see any signs that the dog may be in pain. I am a CAM (canine arthritis management) advocate level 1, any one who does have a dog that suffers from arthritis I will always recommend to check out CAM. They are amazing and trying to change the perception that arthritis is just an old-dog disease when actually it effects a lot of young dogs too. Old-age is not a disease!

I am always happy to chat so if you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact me.