Welcome to Have a Good Dog. Have a Good Dog has a fantastic team of caring trainers who deliver training classes and seminars and are on hand to help you. We offer training courses, private lessons, seminars, and behaviour consultations across the North East of England.
I am Vicky, the owner of Have a Good Dog, and I thought I would tell you a little about me. I have lived with dogs pretty much all my life. They have always been a motley crew of mixed breeds of varying sizes, and I have learned something different from each one of them.
First and foremost, they have been my pets and best friends, and I have loved each of them dearly. I have also had other favourite pets, Guinea Pigs, Rabbits, Canaries, Fish and…Rats. Rats are awesome!
I have not always been an animal behaviourist, though, and over the years, I have worked in marketing, sales, the civil service, a well-known local open-air museum, and as a makeup artist (a long time ago!). Animals have always been my passion, and I originally became interested in dog behaviour because I wanted to learn more about why dogs do what they do, and I am still learning to this day.
Over the years, I have developed my skills and expanded my knowledge, so check out my qualifications below.
Fully qualified:
Why is being fully qualified important? Well, anyone can set up as a dog trainer or dog behaviourist – even those who have never lived with a dog or have limited knowledge of dog behaviour. This is because the industry is not regulated.
The good news is that there is progress being made in working towards having the animal training and behaviour industry regulated, and the Animal Behaviour and Training Council, with the support of the veterinary profession and the major animal welfare charities, is working towards those working in the industry to be assessed against rigorous standards.
I hold a BSc (Hons) in Canine Behaviour and Training and an MSc in Applied Animal Behaviour & Welfare (Dist) at Newcastle University.
Organisations:
- Full member – Association of Pet Dog Trainers (MAPDT 0849)
- Full member – Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors
- Registered Clinical Animal Behaviourist (Animal Behaviour and Training Council)
- Registered Animal Training Instructor (Animal Behaviour and Training Council)
I am a full member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers UK, a voluntary organisation established to improve the welfare of dogs and the handling skills of owners through the promotion of training skills and techniques based on up-to-date research methods that apply the principles of kindness, fairness, and effectiveness, and in keeping with modern learning theory.
I am also a full member of the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors, an international network of experienced and qualified pet behaviour counsellors working on referrals from veterinary surgeons to treat pet behaviour problems.
I am a registered animal training instructor with the Animal Behaviour and Training Council and one of over 70 fully trained instructors with Dog A.I.D. based in the UK. Dog A.I.D. recruit professional dog trainers with a history of practical experience backed by theory-based knowledge gained at reputable courses.
I am also an assessor for Wag & Company. A registered charity enabling visiting dog teams to build meaningful new friendships with older dog lovers across the North East of England.
Experience
I have trained people to train their dogs professionally for the past seventeen years and have a wealth of experience with a wide range of dog breeds and problems.
