Learning About Dogs

Learning About Dogs started as a “proper” business in 2000. Although learning about dogs was my main aim for the previous 25 years, registering the company crystallised us into a strong organisation recognised around the world.

I have run classes for many years, dating from 1978 with Cippenham Dog Training Club, and graduated through School for Dogs around the country to Learning About Dogs around the world.

Our unique perspective is the three fold mixture of education, experience and pioneering training methods run in our wonderful centre, the Wagmore Barn.

This means we have the knowledge to apply the training theories to our own dogs and transfer the best of that experience to teaching others.

Our business covers book and video publishing, predominantly from my own fingers, but currently drawing in other skilled trainers of the same viewpoint, the magazine, conferences and seminars, practical hands-on workshops and the accreditation of trainers and teachers.

Kay Laurence

My life with dogs began in 1973 with a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. "You'd better take that to training class" was my father's first remark, initiating a career in dogs and training. Cavaliers became Gordon Setters and Border Collies arrived to organise the household, rearing more than 24 litters of all three breeds under the GenAbacab kennel name, with the collies now spanning 9 generations.

From a career at Heathrow Airport to a Welsh hill sheep farm and then into Adult Education the dogs have continued the unbreakable thread. Competitions in the early 70s were limited in choice with Obedience providing the easiest access with some Working Trials to extend the horizons. Sheep farming developed a deep understanding of the evolved instincts of Border Collies and Search and Rescue with the Gordon Setters built respect for their hunting skills and desire to bounce on casualties.

The 90s saw the evolving new sport of Heelwork to Music and Freestyle. Kay began the new organisation Paws N Music and spent many happy moments partnering Mary Ray in pairs competitions and creating new moves and ideas.

Success in these sports together with 30 years running classes in pet, sports and working training has been crystallised with post graduate qualifications in teaching and course design.

Kay has designed and taught several new college courses covering many aspects of dogs: training, behaviour, psychology, history, care and welfare as well as courses for Teaching People Teaching Dogs.

She is a regular presenter at the Karen Pryor Expos, held throughout year across the USA.

Enthusiasm for training is equally shared between Mabel (she of the video fame, and now 10 years old), her son Kent, Collies: Quiz, Speck, Dottie and new addition Flink.

In April 2007 Kay is enjoyed the experience of expressing her opinion as “Judge Kay” in the BBC2 TV “The Underdogs Show”.

Kay Laurence is "one of the world's top clicker trainers" (Karen Pryor)

“The Learning About Dogs exciting course of books and videos brings you her unique combination of talents. With her gift for understanding dogs and her experience of teaching readers find the course inspiring and easy to follow. Kay leads the way in developing practical techniques that will leave you with a great sense of personal achievement.”

“Her weekend and world wide workshops have significant impact on every attendee and contribute to changing the world of dog training. “

"Your workshop with Springwood Dog Training Club left me so excited and enthused. Thank you so much, it was a fabulous weekend. I've never before left a workshop with such a feeling of confidence and joy." thank you - Ann Gemmell and Quiz, New South Wales, Australia.

"I've met a lot of the people who attended your course, and they are all greatly impressed by your skills and knowledge, and by the enormous potential of clicker in training and communicating with dogs. I really think it was the best course I ever attended." Alexa Capra and Kes, Alessandria, Italy.

Helen Phillips

A professional gundog trainer with a successful team of home bred Vislas working through the Winter in the field. She also teaches on the Warwickshire College course in Canine Behaviour Education and Training and has achieved the award with Distinction, and is a qualified Teacher in Adult Education.

Helen teaches on the Clicker Trainers courses, the Teaching People Teaching Dogs course and the specialised Gundog Training course. She is also the organiser of the Clicker Challengers and written the Learning About Dogs book: Clicker Gundog.

Amy Shaler

Besides running the Learning About Dogs office, taking classes at weekends and evenings Amy finds time to train her new young collie Elf, and Ludo, a WHITE boxer, whose purpose is to keep her feet on the ground. Boxers teach you humility, which Amy transfers to her unique compassion for people who have the challenge of training a dog “with attitude”. Her passion is for teaching the everyday lifeskills, and teaching dogs how to manage themselves, and not the rest of the house!

From Kay: I first met Amy on the National Diploma in Animal Care - in 2001. Her enthusiasm and dog sense was very evident and she soon became my right hand “carer” when I travel. The testament to her affection for my dogs is the humbling experience I suffer when subtly trying to pack when I am going abroad. Mabel begins to sulk on sight of the case which I pack over several days in an attempt to avoid the association. When at 7 years old, she decided a gear lever was superfluous in a Volvo and I drove to the airport (90 miles) with only 2 gears. Amy arrives, and all is forgiven. From that moment on I can leave and never come back - all eyes are only for Amy - and that’s a lot of eyes in this household!

Lynda Edmondson

Lynda is a regular trainer on the Clicker Trainer courses and her passion: heelwork to music. Her infectious enthusiasm and easy teaching style ensure all participants enjoy a Wag more experience ... even the dogs!

She shares her training with Buzz (Border Collie), Ricoh (Belgian Shepherd), and new addition Pidj. Pictured here on her last visit to Crufts.

Lesley Brocklehurst

Lesley enjoys training with her Collie Twist and Flatcoat Jester who both graced the first Heelwork to Music and Freestyle competition at Crufts 2006, (and won first place in HTM). Lesley is regularly at WagMore, sharing her enthusiasm for training and enjoying her new addition Alaska.

Allyson Tohmé

Although Allyson had a feral pet dog when living in the Middle East her first foray into serious training came with the acquisition of her first Weimaraner in 1990. Told that "You will never do anything with one of those" by her local dog club she set about finding something that they would both enjoy and stumbled into Working Trials.

The breed and this discipline has been her passion for 15 years. She has also competed successfully in Schutzhund, agility, gundog working tests, breed showing as well as being a KC approved Good Citizen Test Examiner, Working Trial Judge and participating in the Pets As Therapy scheme (not to mention K9 Multisports) .

Working a "minority breed" has ensured that Allyson possesses a well developed sense of humour which has proved invaluable on more than one occasion and particularly so with her latest acquisition, (another German) a GSD.

Allyson runs the tracking workshops, and has won a Ticket with Twiggy (Championship Working Trials Certificate) in TD at Essex in 2005.