Transform Your
Dog's Behaviour
with Positive
Reinforcement
TESTIMONIALS
“My 6-month-old GSD, Tye, has just completed his last puppy class tonight. He loved meeting the other pups and everyone was so lovely. Huge thanks to Bren for teaching us new skills that we’ll keep practising.” — Caroline Devine
“Bren was friendly and extremely helpful in our efforts to train a ball of fluff (Cavadoodle). She gave us clear instructions, lots of demonstrations on the ‘how-to’, and encouraged us to practise everything from sit, heel and leave to bed, settle and the ‘1-2-3’ game. She even helped us prepare Maisy for trick-or-treaters and gave brilliant suggestions for coping with fireworks. She clearly loves the dogs—and she’s pretty good with their owners too!” — Sally Webb
“My 6-month-old puppy, Blue, absolutely loved the puppy school sessions! Bren was fantastic, and I learned a lot of training techniques that we still practise every day. Blue also goes to Bren for grooming—she is so patient with him (he’s not a fan of scissors or clippers!) and she truly cares about his welfare throughout the whole groom.” — Helen Vishal Gordon
“We’ve just completed the 6-week puppy class with our now 19-week-old Whippet, Reggie. We all enjoyed it—it’s been a long time since we trained a puppy, so it was great for all of us to refresh. Reggie grew in confidence week by week and learned so much that we’ll continue to use throughout his life. Bren was fantastic and clearly knows her stuff. I know Reggie will miss the little friends he’s made. 10/10 puppy class!” — Elizabeth English
The Gradual Grooming Programme
While the grooming industry often promotes itself as offering a “spa day for dogs,” the reality is that many dogs find the experience highly stressful. Unlike humans, dogs do not understand the concept of a haircut or the importance of grooming for their health and wellbeing.
Some dogs may tolerate grooming procedures, but others may perceive them as threatening, responding with fear-driven behaviours such as fleeing, thrashing, or attempting to bite the groomer or equipment. These reactions not only increase stress for the dog but also create a potentially hazardous environment for both the dog and the groomer. In many cases, this leads to the dog being referred for a sedated groom at a veterinary clinic. While sedation can be necessary in urgent cases—particularly when a dog is severely matted and cannot wait for behavioural intervention—it is not a sustainable or long-term solution.
Drawing on my background in both grooming and canine behaviour, I developed the Gradual Grooming Programme—a structured, compassionate approach designed to help dogs build confidence and comfort with grooming over time. Sessions last 30 to 45 minutes and are conducted at your dog’s pace, using positive reinforcement techniques to break the grooming process into manageable, stress-free steps. This method fosters predictability, choice, and trust between dog and handler.
This service is available at my home-based grooming salon in Guidepost, Northumberland. I also offer online training for clients who are unable to travel or who may opt to groom their dog themselves, as well as for professional groomers seeking to integrate this method into their own practice.
