Hello and welcome to our site.My name is Henry Fitzsimons and I have been training dogs since my early teens,originally with my uncle and aunt at their kennel in Watford.

Since then I have travelled too the USA and Germany many times learning different techniques and methods which help in providing a good relationship between dog and owner. I finished top of my class in the US having achieved 100% in my final exam and receiving the rare k9 badge.

In Germany I trained with German police dog handlers and also top schutzhund trainer Bernhard Flinks.We believe that a happy dog learns fast and in order to make training enjoyable for both the dog and handler, the reinforcements used must be positive, rewarding and motivational to the individual dog.

Every dog is different and it is our responsibility to provide each owner with the tools and instruction to experience the same results in the home environment. We have a purpose built 15 dog kennel here with underfloor heating and background music in each kennel,we find the music/talk programmes help in the settling in of newly arrived dogs.

We are recommended by vets, dog wardens, dog shelters and of course by previous customers most of whom we now class as friends.  

 

  

There seems to be a spate of people calling themselves dog trainers popping up everywhere, most of these have FETAC qualifications. I personally know a couple of people who have attended a FETAC certified course who told me that the quality of student who gain this so called qualification is so poor that they do not now even admit to having the qualification themselves!! They told me of students who passed the course, got the certificate at the end of it and who cannot even teach a dog to sit!! Now for me this is very worrying. There are dozens spewed out of this course each year who pass (no great feat) who then go on to advertise themselves as certified dog trainers. Most will get a clients dog, and be unable to teach it anything this will cause the owner to believe

 

1.    All dog trainers are the same…WE ARE NOT!

2.    Their dog is untrainable………THEY ARE NOT!

 

I use to run a dog trainers school not long ago in which I trained people from all over the world, most who now run successful dog kennels. The difference is the students I took on had to sit a thorough written and practical test gaining a minimum of 92% before I allowed them onto my course! They also had to have been working with dogs for many years (not just owning dogs, but working with them) and show a true aptitude and understanding of canines!

For this reason i ask you to ensure that you have asked the trainer on the phone where they were trained? Who by? What experience they have and also ask for checkable references...as many as you can get.

As for the dog websites and forums etc have a read of them all and make your own mind up as to who is more likely to be able to help you with your dogs training, a full time dog trainer who has trained dogs all his life, has been on many courses always finishing top of his class, someone who has trained and still does train with the German police every year and who is recommended by dog wardens, vets, dog shelters and people who have first hand experience of us here, our customers. Or someone who has never been to my kennels, never seen me training dogs or because they believe they can train their own dog are now a dog trainer and can give advice to whoever wants to listen? 

All i ask is that you take a  look at my references and make your own mind up.

Remember,

A bad trainer can quickly ruin a dog!!

So please do your homework before sending your dog away to be trained or kennelled, and when you get to the place if you are not happy then do not leave your dog there! Dogs should freely run up to the owner/trainer without hesitation, if they do not then it would not be a place i would leave my dog. 

Read up on all you can!

     

     All dogs must have upto date certificates of vaccinations.

These must be produced.