About Us
Love what you do & you will never work a day in your life!
My favourite thing I say to each client is "Welcome to the DOPE Pack!" and I mean it! For nearly 5 years as a professional dog trainer it has been my pleasure to work with some of the finest dog owners in the UK. I started my dog training business part time in late 2019; becoming DOPE in 2020.
I have 20+ years experience around dogs; 10 of those in dog handling and nearly 7 as a professional trainer - but I train every single day; spending lots of time with my own dog; Roscoe. Many of you will know and have met Roscoe - he's turned in to a local celebrity! But in reality, he's my best mate!
The Road to D.O.P.E
All good tales start with a catalyst; a moment that sparks a chain that becomes the winding path we tread; DOPE started this way. Back in 2015 I moved to Macclesfield; working as a chef - but then I was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder... so I obviously bought a dog!
I had longed for a dog, but long hours in the hospitality industry didn't really afford the time to train a dog - now I had that chance; it might even help me with my condition! So off I went in search of a shepherd dog; knowing the German Shepherd well (from my youth amongst family breeders) - I made the brave (crazy) decision to get a Belgian Shepherd (Malinois). Well that was the catalyst; I was well out of my depth!
My new puppy wouldn't stop biting or chewing things, or just sit still! What would I do?
Training. That's just what I did! I watched videos, read books, studied animal behaviours; read about the psychology of habits and developmental behaviours. I consumed as much as I could! I even went to puppy classes, which was a total waste of time; tried dog training courses; but in the end it was by constantly testing ideas and trying new methods that helped most!
You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs, as they say!
