About Me

Hello, my name is Amy and I am the founder of Behind the Mind Canine Behaviour and Training, West Midlands UK.

I have lived with dogs my whole life and worked with them for over 16 years. My favourite times are spent with dogs, from walks on the beach, hunting in the woods, playing fetch and clicker training just about anything they want to learn. There is nothing more rewarding than teaching my loyal rescue something new. Her most recent accomplishment is picking up her bowl and bringing it to me on request, she is so clever. It warms my heart to see her play with her other four-legged friends at our local lake, she has come such a long way.  She is a Labrador (Molly) and I am so proud of her, she suffers with severe anxiety due to being a puppy farmed dog, prior to adoption. She is extremely intelligent and loves to learn, though I believe she teaches me more than I teach her.

Even as a young girl I cherished spending time with dogs. I adored my parents’ dogs and where most children would roll around and play with them I would teach them the basics and how to do tricks. I was amazed at the loyalty of these beautiful creatures and always knew I would one day work with them.

My journey into training canines started 14 years ago when I was employed by the UK’s largest dog charity, Dogs Trust. For several years I took on the training role and through hard work was promoted to a Dog Trainer at the Loughborough centre and then the Training and Behaviour Advisor at the Kenilworth centre. I have supported, trained and rehabilitated 1000’s of rescues at the rehoming centre and in foster homes. I’m very proud to say I have helped rehome so many of these gentle souls and my experience with a variety of different breeds and countless behavioural issues has been invaluable to me and my forever growing knowledge of Canine Behaviour.

Whilst with the Dogs Trust I ran training classes from puppies through to adults and organised and presented on canine body language and behaviour. Understanding a dog’s body language is key! Knowledge of this needs to be present in everyday training and socialising and I have helped many owners overcome their canine “problems” and to understand and focus on the effectiveness on positive reward-based theories.

Our goal is not just to train a dog, but to help them build a bond with you that lasts and become part of the family. You will learn to train them, understand them and communicate with them every day. As a Dog Trainer and Behaviourist, I thrive on helping people gain better relationships with their dogs and solving the most complex of behaviour problems. I am bringing all my previous knowledge and experience together with my passion for animals to succeed in my childhood dream in setting up a dog behaviour and training business. I have worked alongside some amazing trainers and behaviourists throughout my career and continue to study and learn to be at the forefront of my field.

Qualifications

CertHE in Companion Animal Welfare and Behavioural Rehabilitation -Bristol University

Diploma in Work Based Animal Care Level 3

NVQ Level 2 in Animal Care

National Award in Animal Management – Brooksby college

First Diploma in Animal Care – Brooksby College

Personal Development

I am a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) – Member No: 01345