About Penny

Hello and thanks for visiting the Norfolk & Suffolk Dog School website. Here's a little bit of information about me, my experience and my dog training philosophy.

Having been a trainer for over 30 years I previously lived and worked in Nottinghamshire where I ran 10 very successful classes a week which incorporated The Good Citizen Scheme for all levels, ages and breeds. I also organised an advanced demonstration team (The Wagging Tails Team) who supported charity events in conjunction with the local dog control team, vets, and rescue centres in order to promote responsible dog ownership and to show how dogs and owners can work together to achieve a happy relationship. In 2009 I relocated to Lowestoft in Suffolk and I can now offer my classes and 1 to 1 home visits.

My philosophy includes the Kennel Club statement that "A well trained dog is a happy dog" but I also believe that a well trained dog is a SAFE dog and that we should teach our dogs the language of training in order to keep them both safe and happy. I think that a so called naughty or bad dog is usually just a confused one who needs encouraging to adopt a better standard of behaviour. Without correct training confusion builds up and gets worse causing behaviour to be socially unacceptable or even dangerous. I have studied and can effectively use Turid Rugaas' canine communication methods which play a huge part in the understanding of what our dog is trying to communicate to us.

Training is positve, reward based and behavior shaping.

As well as training I have competed very successfully in competitive obedience and the breed show ring. In 2010 I was honoured to judge Schipperkes at Crufts. I also teach the more fun events of heelwork to music and the new sport of rally dog.

I was also a trainer for the charity Dog AID (assistance in disability) from 2008 - 2011. Unlike most assistance dog charities Dog AID train the pet dogs of owners who need help with such tasks as opening a pedal bin, opening and closing doors, removing washing from a machine and picking up dropped articles or a telephone and then handing it to the owner. The list of tasks in which a dog can assist it's disabled owner is quite extensive.

The Norfolk & Suffolk Dog School is Kennel Club registered and has listed status. I'm also a qualified Kennel Club Good Citizen Dog Scheme examiner and championship show judge.

This is "Pigsy" Penny's black and white working sheep dog. He passed his Good Citizen Gold award at just 7 months old and he's excellent at tricks including spinning, weaving, putting his toys away and waving etc. Pigsy also enjoys the excersises in the sport of Rally Dog.