Listed below are some of the most common questions I receive about Mindful Paws. If you have any further queries, or would like to learn more about my positive dog training services, please use the contact page.
Getting Started With Mindful Paws
Mindful Paws can help with a huge variety of behavioural issues your dog might be displaying. This includes complex behavioural problems, such as reactivity and resource guarding, to common puppy struggles such as hyperactivity and toilet training. Get in touch today to book a free 15-minute discovery call and find out how my positive training methods can help your dog.
After contacting Mindful Paws (use the contact page to get in touch,) I’ll email a link to schedule a discovery call at a time of your choosing. During the 15-minute call, we’ll discuss your dog’s issues, how Mindful Paws training works, and the service options that might work best for your dog. You can also ask any questions you like about my training process or services.
To book a session, please get in touch using my contact page or any of the forms on the website. I’ll get back to you within 24 working hours with the next steps. I look forward to working with you!
In-person Mindful Paws Dog Training is currently available in Surrey and the surrounding areas. Training takes place in your home, and I can travel to towns such as: Farnham, Guildford, Godalming, Woking, Ash/Ash Vale, Farnborough, Aldershot, Bracknell, Church Crookham, Camberley and nearby towns.
I also offer online video sessions for dog guardians not in my training area.
Please Note: If you live more than 15 miles from Farnham there will be an additional charge of £0.60 per mile.
I’m an accredited member of the IMDT (Institute of Modern Dog Trainers) with over ten years of experience training thousands of dogs.
I’m also a Certified Separation Anxiety Pro Behaviour Consultant, qualified trainer with Assistance Dogs UK, and a specialist in rescue dogs, having helped train and rehome hundreds of dogs in a major UK rescue centre. Before starting Mindful Paws, I also worked as a trainer for Guide Dogs.
Please click here to learn more about my experience and qualifications.
Yes, I offer one-to-one online training sessions to clients outside my training area. Many behavioural issues can be tackled just as effectively with online training, although there are some exceptions (such as reactivity and resource guarding.) Take a look at my online dog training page for more full details.
Training Ethos
Absolutely! All dogs are suitable for Mindful Paws training, including rescue dogs, puppies, senior dogs, dogs with reactivity issues, and large breeds. If you have questions about how training your dog with Mindful Paws would work, feel free to get in touch via the contact page.
Puppies are never too young to start positive, force-free training! Whether you’ve just brought home your puppy, or have had them for a few months and want to work on specific issues, Mindful Paws is here to help.
Mindful Paws Dog Training only uses positive and force-free techniques. These ethical methods ensure you maintain a wonderful bond with your dog, while overcoming their behavioural issues. I never use or recommend training methods that rely on fear or pain.
Positive training focuses on letting the dog know when they get something right rather than correcting them when they get it wrong. For example, if Fido sits nicely when greeting someone, he gets something good, like a tasty treat.
Your dog will never be forced to do anything against their will, but learns to cooperate with you through choice. This method not only teaches your dog to make the right decisions (behaviour that gets rewarded, gets repeated!) but also strengthens trust and focus.
Having a dog can be an emotional rollercoaster. We all adore our dogs, they are part of our family and we want the best for them. However, when you are dealing with an ongoing behavioural problem it can feel upsetting, frustrating and even isolating. Get in touch to see how Mindful Paws can help you and your dog get back on track.
In short, the answer is “no!”
You might sometimes feel that your dog is a lost cause and nothing is going to make them behave in the way that you would like. It is true that some dogs are easier to train than others due to genetics, personality and previous learning experiences – but no dog is untrainable! A big part of dog training is ensuring you manage your dog and their environment to prevent them from practising unwanted behaviours.
Mindful Paws will help you overcome the difficulties you are experiencing with your dog, while empowering you to understand why these behaviours are occurring.
One-to-one training with Mindful Paws is tailored to your dog’s unique needs and personality, making it more effective for specific behavioural challenges. While classes can be wonderful for socialisation or learning common cues (such as sit and stay,) they are less suitable for overcoming behavioural issues.
Training Sessions And What to Expect
Most training sessions take place at the client’s home. This is so we can discuss your dog in detail and train new behaviours without distractions. If there are behaviours to work on outside, such as reactivity or poor recall, we can also incorporate local walks into our sessions when your dog is ready.
My working training hours are Monday-Friday 9am – 6:00pm. I don’t currently run client sessions at the weekend.
Absolutely! It’s important that everyone in the household is consistent with your dog’s training and care, so all family members can be involved in the training sessions.
As much as I would love to resolve every training issue in a single session, this isn’t a realistic claim – although improvements can often happen quicker than you might expect. Changing dog behaviour takes time and consistency, so your dog’s results depend on the severity of the behaviour, how long the dog has been practising it, and your commitment to your dog’s progress.
For some dogs, the training process can be a few weeks, while others need months to show improvements. This is why my goal is to teach clients the tools to become an expert in their own dog’s behaviour, so they can continue training and management outside of one-to-one sessions.
Medical and behavioural issues are closely linked. If your dog has an underlying medical condition or injury this could be causing or exacerbating challenging behaviours. After all, we don’t feel at our best when we’re ill or in pain. To be fair to your dog, I may ask that you see a vet before any training or assessments take place.
Other Common Questions
Most clients prefer to pay via bank transfer, which is free of additional fees. If you’d like to pay by debit or credit card, I can accommodate this, but a small processing fee (usually 1.5% + £0.20) will be added to cover the transaction cost.
Yes, I offer a range of packages that include multiple sessions, ongoing support, and other benefits depending on your dog’s requirements. Take a look at my dog training, puppy training, or rescue dog training pages for more information about packages. You can also get in touch to book a free discovery call and I’ll happily explain the various options for your dog’s training.
