Instructors
Fiona
Chief Training Instructor
Fiona originally taught PE in a school in Manchester, before changing career to become a professional classical singer and choral conductor. Although she still teaches, she has swapped her hockey stick and swimming pool for her music and concert platform!
Alongside her professional career, she has continued to study gaining her Kennel Club Good Citizen Dog Scheme, Gold examiner Award, so she can now both teach and examine up to the Gold Award. She has enjoyed many dog obedience, agility and Heelwork to Music residential courses, particularly with Mary Ray, a multiple Crufts Obedience Champion and pioneer of Heelwork to Music and Cathy Bates, Crufts Heelwork to Music Finalist.
Always a true lover of dogs, Fiona is great believer in persistence and consistency in training, but most of all having fun with your dog. She currently owns 3 border collies and has taken part in agility, obedience and heelwork to music competitions.
Fiona is very excited about the prospect of working with a wonderful team of fellow dog lovers, in a new dog club, offering basic obedience and a whole lot more, to the dogs of our parks!!
Jean
Instructor
To be the shared owner of a Kennel Club Gold Good Citizen award with my now 7 year old Cockapoo Flossy makes me very happy and exceptionally proud.
When Flossy came to join us as a boisterous 9 week old puppy I decided I wanted what would be a new experience of "training her properly". What I quickly learned was that alongside that training - when she was happy we were all happy and that little bit of knowledge has greatly shaped how I go about my training today.
I love combining courses like The Trust technique, Tellington TTouch and Animal Emotions along with the necessary practical courses we need.
Our mantra has always been 'If it's not fun we're not doing it right' and having a few more tricks in the bag has meant that on the days when it's been too much for Flossy physically, because of her Chronic Pancreatitis, there's always some interaction we can have.
We know it's so much easier to 'train' our dogs when they're feeling safe, secure and happy so 'where there's play there's a way' and there's definitely a way to bring it all together for us all to enjoy the process!
Debbie
Instructor
For many years I taught people to look after, train and ride horses as a job. It was a hobby I got paid for. I also trained and assessed apprenticeships in horsecare and riding. This was really good preparation for teaching people to train dogs, but with smaller animals! What a lovely way to spend my time. To help me, I've attended workshops on topics such as focus and connection, cognitive skills (problem solving) and working with reactive dogs,
Over the years we've had 8 Golden Retrievers, of which I've trained 4. Isla (in the photo), was a rescue who had never been off her lead and was very reactive to other dogs, lunging and barking at them. She was 20 months when we got her and eventually she achieved her Kennel Club Good Citizens Gold Award. The reactivity never disappeared, but we learned how to control that urge. Isla is no longer with us, but Roger has joined our family as our 8th Golden Retriever, arriving at 14 months of age, and with a whole new set of problems. He's just over 2 now and life is very slowly becoming a little easier for all of us. Having fun when training is playing a big part in helping him to learn how to focus on us and ignore the outside world - just a little!
​
What a good job my philosophy is to never give up on the difficult dogs because they will teach you so much.
​
​
Kim
Instructor
I am an experienced and enthusiastic dog trainer and owner. I’m passionate about our canine friends and have been actively involved, first as an owner and, since 2002, as a volunteer dog trainer.
As part of this role, I have attended numerous workshops and seminars’ that have covered a broad range of topics:
Focus and connection; Multiple dog households; Reactivity; Positive reinforcement; Pet obedience (kennel club standard); First Aid
My aim is to offer a friendly, fun, safe place to train your dogs, using positive techniques that will benefit your dogs to become good citizens in our society.
Pam
Instructor
​
Having had Labradors almost all my adult life, some 14 years ago we brought our first Border Terrier into our home. Little did I know she would change my life completely. I quickly realised that training a ‘Terrier’ was so different to training Labradors and that intrigued me, I wanted to learn more, in particular the different breed characteristics, how they learn and to understand their needs more.
Since 2011 I have studied animal behaviour and attended various training courses. During my studies I gained the Kennel Club Citizen Dog Scheme, Bronze and Silver Examiner Awards. Since 2014 I have been a volunteer instructor at a couple of training schools.
During this time I have also regularly taken part in Flyball competitively with my two Border Terriers and on a number of occasions taken part in the British Championships.
I believe that training should be fun and a positive experience for both the handler and the puppy. As an instructor it is rewarding to witness the bond grow between handler and puppy and to watch a shy introvert puppy transform into a happy, confident, well rounded adult dog.
I am now just starting a new journey with my latest addition to the pack, another Border Terrier called Audrey. I can’t wait………
Liz
Trainee Instructor
I’m Liz and I started volunteering with Perfect Paws in the Park to learn more about dog training and how I could support my pet care clients and I was instantly hooked.
It has been both interesting and rewarding to see how the trainers have helped the pups, dogs, handlers and each other learn and grow. I’ve particularly loved the breakthrough moments where a dog and handler crack something they’ve found a challenge – the shared joy and bond between both parties is a joy to behold.
I am very happy to have been asked to continue with Perfect Paws in the Park as a trainee trainer and look forward to more breakthrough moments to come
Rachel
Trainee Instructor
I have worked in catering since leaving college, working up to my current position as assistant catering manager.
I grew up surrounded by dogs and at the age of 8 we got a rescue dog, named Sandy, who became my best friend for the next 15 years, it was an experience I hoped my own children could have too. Unfortunately my husband had a fear of dogs, so it wasn't until Reggie came along, 3 ½ years ago who I'm glad to say won all our hearts ( especially my husbands). We had an unsettled start, though, with a very anxious pup on our hands and I knew we needed help. So we came along to PPPs adolescent classes, and to say our first class was a disaster would be an understatement. But with some perseverance and work at home, the difference over those 1st 8 weeks was huge and we were hooked. Reggie finally got his Kennel Club Good Citizens Gold Award in the summer and I couldn’t be more proud.
I am currently training to become a trainer myself and I hope to be able to pass on my enthusiasm for training and the relationship that develops between owners and dogs. Now I get to help other people and their dogs learn new skills for life and see the changes in their dogs over the weeks.
​
Vivienne
Vivienne has now retired, but will return to be part of a class with her own 2 rescue Border Collies - and possibly a stand in trainer when necessary!