Frequently asked questions

You can join in week two if there is space. After that it's best to wait for the next course. If you miss a class partway through, there's no way to make it up on another course running the same weekend, since it will be at a different level: you have the weeks you paid for on your own course.

Two dogs from the same home can both come, but it isn't recommended: they tend to watch each other rather than you, so neither learns as well. Each dog needs its own handler, and Gaynor's advice is to put them on separate courses rather than bring them into the same one; if they're different ages, one option is for each partner to take one dog to a different course, swapping over. There's no discount for a second dog: it's the same price per dog.

Yes, couples are very welcome, and it's often best for one person to handle the dog each week while the other watches and helps out with practice at home. Children join in fully at Puppy Socialisation; in the obedience courses they sit and watch rather than handle, though from about twelve years old they can take a turn handling the dog.

No, your dog does not need to be neutered to attend. If your bitch comes into season during a course, she can't attend for three weeks, so Gaynor moves her onto the next course and credits any classes you didn't use.

It depends on your dog's age: Puppy Socialisation is for pups up to 6 months, Junior for young dogs 6 to 12 months, and Bronze for dogs 12 months and over. Going up a little early is possible if Gaynor agrees it. Ring her for a quick chat about your dog first. Skipping Junior because you have already done classes elsewhere is possible too, though her usual recommendation is Junior then Bronze, since age tends to matter more than a previous class at that stage. Either way, a short phone conversation is how she decides.

Group courses are for everyday obedience and manners: lead walking, recall, sit and down, stays, taught step by step over six weeks. A one to one is a bespoke session on whatever you are finding difficult: it suits owners who can't commit to a weekly class, want to get further than a class will take them, or whose dog's temperament doesn't suit a class, and it can also be used just to assess your dog and recommend the right course. A behaviour consultation is for a problem rather than a training gap: aggression towards dogs or people, or anything about your dog's behaviour that worries you day to day. If you are not sure which, tell Gaynor a little about your dog when you get in touch and she will say where to start.

Rescue and rehomed dogs are welcome and can start whenever you like. Some owners prefer to wait a couple of weeks to let the dog settle in first, which is fine too. It is never too old to come to Bronze, whatever your dog's age. Most dogs coming back to training, or starting for the first time as an adult, join Bronze; if your dog has kept up a higher standard already, Gaynor may place it higher after a chat. If your dog is showing aggression or is very difficult to handle on the lead, she will want to see you for a behaviour consultation first.

Often yes, but Gaynor needs to see you for a behaviour consultation first, so she can assess whether class is suitable. If your dog's reactivity is controllable, it can come to the group course but stays on the lead rather than off-lead play: it watches from outside while other dogs run free, then rejoins on the lead for the more structured work. That first consultation is what decides the safest way in.

Yes, this is something Gaynor deals with all the time. Over-excited, friendly dogs are usually let off the lead first to run off some energy, and then brought back to work at their own level once they can concentrate. It is a normal part of class, not a reason to stay away.

Not as standalone classes: agility is taught as part of Silver and Gold (sometimes Bronze) for dogs over twelve months, worked into the obedience course rather than run on its own. Gaynor does not offer gundog training or CaniCross. Protection work and the five-week residential obedience course are run separately by A1K9 Protection, not by Gaynor. See a1k9.co.uk.

It depends on your puppy's age. A young puppy can simply come along to class as normal. Once a puppy is around six months or older, ring Gaynor first for a chat about how your puppy is getting on, so she can judge the best way in. If your puppy turns six months partway through a course you are already on, just keep going. There's no need to stop.

Yes, if your dog is already at the right obedience level. Gaynor judges that with a conversation, asking what your dog can already do, rather than a formal assessment.

Each week you learn something new, and in week six Gaynor reviews everything from the course. Get it all right and you earn that course's rosette; not quite, and you get an "achievement" rosette instead. You can still move up, and pick up the full rosette once you've got it on the next course. Coming back after a gap of months or years, most dogs restart on Bronze, but if you have kept up the training you can start at a higher level.

Many owners feel they have let their dog down after trying umpteen different things they've read about or seen on television, and conclude that the problem must be them. A behavioural problem is a sign that the relationship between you and your dog is out of balance, and it will not get better on its own: seeking help while it is still in the early stages saves a great deal of heartache and worry. Gaynor works with all breeds of dogs and will deal with any dog no matter how serious the problem, and dogs have a far greater ability to change than people do.

No. You can come straight to Gaynor without a referral. A vet referral is only needed if you want to claim the consultation on your pet insurance: that route involves a longer consultation and a full written report, and costs more up front before your insurer reimburses you. Gaynor is a canine behaviour practitioner with the Canine and Feline Behaviour Association, which is approved by most pet insurance companies.

Yes, both dogs need to come: it sometimes takes a little longer to work with two, but that's fine. There's no extra charge for the second dog, and they don't need to book separately.

Above all, don't get into a confrontation with your dog: for example, forcing something back out of its mouth. If there's a problem, wait for Gaynor to see you and show you how to handle it safely, rather than trying to sort it yourself in the meantime. Consultations are normally booked about a week ahead, so it shouldn't be a long wait.

Yes, preparing a dog for a new baby, separation anxiety, noise and firework fear, and car anxiety are all behaviour work Gaynor takes on. If you're expecting, it's best to get in touch about two months ahead of the due date. For the others, ring for a chat about exactly what's happening and she'll advise the best way in.