When people ask who taught me to become a dog trainer, they’re usually expecting a list of qualifications, courses and well-known names.
The truth is…
Some of my greatest teachers have never stood in front of a classroom.
Some walked on four legs.
Some taught me through kindness.
Some through frustration.
Some by making me laugh.
Some by making me cry.
Every one of them changed the way I think about dogs, people and learning.
Without them…
There would be no National Dog Training Academy.
The dog who showed me just how much dogs can change people’s lives.
Long before The NDTA existed, I worked with people recovering from stroke.
Many had lost their speech.
Some had lost their confidence.
Others simply felt isolated.
Suzy, our family dog, regularly visited nursing homes and joined us at stroke support groups.
Watching people’s faces light up when she walked into the room was something I’ll never forget.
She wasn’t doing tricks.
She wasn’t “working.”
She was simply being a dog.
That was the first time I really understood that dogs don’t just change lives through training.
Sometimes they change lives simply by being there.
Lesson learnt: Dogs don’t just teach us. They help us heal.
The teacher who reminded me that humour can get us through almost anything.
Dan lived with Huntington’s disease.
Living alongside him taught me more about resilience, patience and finding laughter in difficult situations than any training course ever could.
Life isn’t always tidy.
Neither are dogs.
Sometimes you simply have to smile, adapt and keep going.
Dan left a mark on everyone who knew him.
He certainly left one on me.
Lesson learnt: Never underestimate the power of humour.
The dog who accidentally started a business.
When Doris came into my life, she was a rescue Great Dane who was deaf and partially sighted.
At first, I wondered whether I’d ever be able to let her off the lead.
How could I possibly keep her safe if she couldn’t hear me?
Then something unbelievable happened.
Within 24 hours of arriving, Doris was off lead in the New Forest.
Not because I’d taught her a perfect recall.
Not because I’d found some clever training trick.
Because we’d built trust, even in that short space of time.
She trusted me to keep her safe.
And I trusted her not to wander.
Doris completely changed the way I thought about training.
She showed me that dogs don’t learn simply because they can hear our voices.
They learn because they feel safe, they understand us and they trust us.
That’s a lesson I’ve carried with me ever since.
What Doris taught me:
❤️ Trust comes before training.
The giant puppy who reminded me that experience doesn’t make you perfect.
Proof that every puppy still has something new to teach me.
And finally…
People often ask me where my ideas come from.
The answer is simple.
Not books.
Not qualifications.
Not certificates hanging on the wall.
They come from people.
They come from dogs.
And they come from being curious enough to keep asking,
“What can this dog teach me today?”
Because learning never stops.
And neither should we.
The answer is…
Absolutely not.
Dogs are constantly teaching me something new.
So are their owners.
I’m always looking for better ways to explain things, make learning more enjoyable and help people understand their dogs.
I still attend courses, workshops and seminars, as do my team.
I still love watching talented dog trainers at work.
Not because I want to copy them.
Because every good trainer has something to teach.
One of my favourite teachers doesn’t even train dogs.
He trains horses.
Watching my carriage driving instructor work with his horses has reminded me that good training isn’t really about dogs or horses at all.
It’s about trust.
Clear communication.
Good timing.
Patience.
And understanding the learner standing in front of you.
Those lessons don’t belong to one species.
They belong to anyone who wants to become a better teacher.
So, if you ever see me standing quietly watching another trainer, another horseman or another instructor…
Don’t assume I’m taking a break.
I’m probably learning.
Because the day I think I know it all…
Is probably the day I should stop teaching.
Sandra ..
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