Becky
Dog Trainer, Dog Walker, Scent Detection Instructor
Becky is co-founder of The Don Dog Company and the first point of contact
for clients. Her relaxed, friendly approach ensures clients feel welcome and she is proud to provide a safe and encouraging training environment, ensuring that egos stay off the training field and allowing both dogs and owners to thrive.
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As a trainer, Becky is passionate about laying strong foundations for young dogs, ensuring they grow into well-adjusted and obedient companions.
Her love of working dogs and the philosophy that every dog needs a job has propelled her to achieve a Level 2 General Purpose (GP) dog handling qualification and UK Sniffer Dogs Instructor status, demonstrating her commitment to specialized training roles.
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Becky previously worked as an Early Years practitioner, which is testament to her deep-seated love of learning and education. Patience, communication and observation skills, were all crucial to effective learning and skills which
she transfers to her roles within The Don Dog Company.
​Becky regularly attends workshops & seminars led by leading experts in dog behaviour and training. Moreover, she dedicates time to researching, studying and continuing to add new qualifications and certifications to her name. She firmly believes in the importance of integrating both theoretical and practical knowledge to enhance her skills and expertise and continue to grow as a professional in the canine industry.
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Beyond her dog training and walking services, Becky is dedicated to building a supportive community of dog lovers and prides herself on bringing like minded dog owners together in order to enhance the training experience, provide a network of support and make their dog training journey's less lonesome.
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Outside of her professional life, Becky is a busy mom to two teenage children
and five dogs who are trained in various domains. At the end of a long week, she enjoys unwinding with a gin and tonic, Netflix, and usually a dog curled up by her feet, relishing the simple pleasures of life.
UK Sniffer Dogs Instructor
​NASDU Level 2 GP Security Dog Handler
Canine First Aid Trained including CPR & Paw & Pad Injuries
DBS Checked
Studied OFQUAL Level 3 - Canine Care, Behaviour & Welfare
Studies Level 4 - Advanced Canine Behaviour Diploma
Certified with Coast K9 Fertility - Fertility, Cytology & Ultrasound Scanning
Gareth
Operational Dog Handler, Dog Trainer, Dog Walker​
Gareth is co-founder of The Don Dog Company, where he plays a pivotal role as an operational dog handler. His expertise extends to working with General Purpose (GP) dogs and those in training for drug detection and pyrotechnics. With a background as an ex-Police officer, Gareth brings a wealth of knowledge and a disciplined approach to his work with dogs.
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When Gareth isn't engaged in tasks with dogs, he dedicates his time to helping clients and their dogs through various training sessions. He is actively involved in neutrality & obedience classes, scent detection classes, and personalized 1:1 sessions. His philosophy centres around the belief that giving a dog a job is crucial to its well-being and that fostering a positive relationship between dog and handler is essential.
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Gareth's hands-on experience with large protection breeds often sees him in control at the end of the lead. However, to enrich his understanding, he felt it important to spend time at a Decoy camp, where he donned the bite suit and learned first-hand to read canine behaviours and drives, master catch mechanics, and effectively harness aggression. His training encompasses scenario training, safety, and bite development, all of which he finds incredibly fulfilling.
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Gareth's qualifications cover all aspects of safety, well-being, first aid, and training. His approachable, friendly, and straightforward demeanour makes him an invaluable part of The Don Dog Company. His practical skills and comprehensive knowledge ensure that he connects well with dogs of all breeds, sizes, and temperaments. The dogs, in turn, show their affection and trust in him, making training sessions productive and enjoyable.
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Outside of work, Gareth, is alongside Becky parenting their two teenage children and often the family taxi. He is kept busy with house renovations, looking after the family's five dogs and if time permits enjoys active pursuits with the children like rock climbing, swimming or sailing.​
NASDU Level 2 GP Security Dog Handler
NASDU Level 3 Drug Detection Dog Handler
Canine First Aid / CPR Trained
SIA Licenced (Security Industry Authority)
DBS Checked
Ex Police
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Gareth & Becky are the dynamic husband & wife duo behind The Don Dog Company.
Their facility is not just a business; it's a labour of love, fueled by passion, dedication, and determination.
Building a successful business is never easy, and Becky and Gareth have faced their fair share of challenges, however, their true grit and determination have seen them through.
Their story is a testament to what can be achieved when you combine a love for animals with a commitment to quality and innovation. For those seeking a place where their dogs can flourish, The Don Dog Company is the place to be.
Our Story
Established in 2020, during a global pandemic, we decided to do something crazy and start a new business, focused around our passion for dogs. Our story, however, began a long time before that... having grown up with German Shepherds and personally owning them for over twenty years, we had trained many dogs and visited many trainers all over the UK and in particular, to help with our newest addition at the time, a working, Czech line German Shepherd. His needs were beyond what we had experienced before and his reactivity led to many people questioning why we still had him. Whilst many would have given up on him and trainers weren't helping us achieve any results, we decided to dive head first into training & behaviour, learn how to help him and effectively, we changed our lives to enable us to keep him. Now, he is an experienced level 2 certified NASDU GP dog, who loves his work patrolling and protecting people, property and high value assets for a wide variety of clients, including high profile celebrities. He is trained in advanced control, protection and search. However, when he isn't working, he is usually partaking in his favourite past time of a game of fetch with our children or enjoying long walks in the beautiful Staffordshire countryside. He has a well trained on / off switch, enabling him to remain neutral in situations when we require him to be nothing more than a family dog. ​Since our early days, we have trained and certified another of our German Shepherds, as a level 2 GP Security dog and continued our education with Level 2 & 3 dog handling qualifications for both GP Security and drug detection dog handling with our latest addition and drug detection dog in training, Willow the Labrador. Besides, our passion for working dogs, we've since added two rescue dogs to our pack, a Belgian Malinois and a Belgian Malinois / GSD mix who we train in scent work and obedience and hope to get on the trial field with later this year. Despite, the struggle to set up a new business during a global pandemic, with hard work and determination, our third year was by far the most exciting as we opened our very own exercise and training facility in our home village of Kinver. We re-structured our services, which covered walking, training & secure field hire. Our promise to you is to always remain a student; we have a thirst for knowledge, which sees us continuing our professional development in all aspects of canine care, behaviour and welfare, training, scent detection, first aid and working dog handler qualifications. We want to be able to pass that knowledge on to dog owners and help them see results with their own dogs. Our aim is to offer something for every dog at our facility, whether it be obedience, scent work, behaviour modification, sport dog training or simply a secure environment for off-lead fun! Passion, integrity and dedication are most definitely the driving force behind The Don Dog Company!​