Shortly after this she started dog walking locally and minding dogs, but she knew she wanted to learn more, so she embarked on studying for her future career as a dog groomer, gaining a distinction in her exams and carrying out continuous professional development with some of Ireland and the UK’s top groomers. It was while working as a groomer that her interest in dog behaviour continued. Seeing a number of dogs coming to her that were nervous, tense and anxious made her want to help them and their owners and that’s how her dog training journey started.
She first became qualified with KAD ( kids around dogs ) a UK-based organisation of trainers and behaviourists that helps families and dogs live together happily and harmoniously. If you are expecting a new child into the family and have a dog, or are welcoming a dog into the family and have children already KAD trainers like Tanya can help you with practical training tips and management plans, long before you even get the dog or introduce the new baby/child. It covers things a new parent might not think of like managing everyone in the car, on walks, the noise a baby makes, and how a dog will react to a baby in your arms right up to the toddler and teenage years when play dates and sleepovers are happening. Tanya is also qualified to help children and teens with fears and phobias around dogs with a carefully thought-out accredited course.
Tanya then qualified as an IMDT trainer whose ethos is a force-free and scientific evidence-based method. Tanya offers 1-2-1 bespoke packages to owners on all subjects of dog training from the basics to more complex issues. She is also a canine enrichment expert.
Tanya is also a member of and follows various organisations promoting kindness in dog training and grooming and those that promote ethical sourcing of dogs, away from puppy farms.
Children’s Workshops
Tanya runs workshops in primary schools for children and organisations showing young children safe approaches around dogs, teaches them canine body language ( letting the kids become super “ doggy detectives”) finds out dogs’ secret codes and their messages to us with their body language “ the workshops also teach children empathy around dogs and stay safe practices as well as learning about dogs role in society.
She is also a rescue dog home checker.
Tanya is a strong believer in continuous professional development and gaining recognised qualifications, her studies around dogs are ongoing. She believes everyone should ask their future trainer what methodology they use to train and what qualifications they obtained to train them.
