THE STAFF
Jenny with some of her crew
JENNY LEGG
Jenny is the Principal of the club; a fantastic reality dog trainer, she has owned and bred, predominantly gundogs, for more than forty years. A Kennel Club Member, she is currently studying for Instructor Accreditation in Gundogs, Companion Dogs and Behaviour, as well as studying for a Diploma in Behavioural Science, and a qualification in canine communication with the Dog Training College.
Over the years she has rescued three dogs with behavioural issues, worked spaniels and retrievers in the shooting field, shown to Best of Breed standard at Open shows and worked her dogs to Silver Good Citizen level. She can frequently be found judging local dog shows and raising money for charities.
She currently owns six dogs, her Flatcoat has shown to Best Puppy and Junior levels. If you have a problem, Jenny with all her experience will sort you out.
Judith & Cassy
JUDITH BRYDEN
Judith has had a variety of dogs since she was young, including older rescue dogs and puppies. Fourteen years ago, following retirement from teaching, she became involved with dog training.
Her philosophy is that training should be fun, using science-based methods to train with kindness. Dogs, she believes, need mental stimulation, as well as physical exercise. An ardent advocate of Clicker training, she has found it particularly useful for working with nervous dogs and to hone specific skills, easing communication between dog guardians and their dogs.
She has trained dogs to competition level in Agility and Obedience, as well as achieving the Gold Good Citizens award. She particularly enjoys working with young handlers and organising the Kennel Club’s Good Citizens Award Scheme for ARDPT.
In 2015 she passed the Association of Pet Dog Trainer’s (APDT) Instructor’s Foundation Course and was then invited to attend the APDT’s Part Three, extending her knowledge of how to progress dogs’ learning. In addition, she has studied with the Institute of Modern Dog Trainers (IMDT), Victoria Stillwell’s Academy and the UK Sniffer Dogs.
In 2020 she became an accredited Canine Body Language specialist with The Dog Training College as well as participating in an International Dog Trainers’ Winter Summit. During 2021, Judith passed the School of Canine Science’s Puppy Lab and in December, she received a Certificate of Attendance after taking part in the Allwinds Dog First Aid course.
In order to continue her professional development, she is working towards the Kennel Club Accredited Instructors Award in Companion Dogs and in 2021 embarked on a three-year behavioural course also with the School of Canine Science (SOCS).
Puppies, adolescent dogs and the Good Citizens Awards are the focus of Judith’s teaching in the club.
Lyn and the boys
LYN SMITH
Lyn grew up with pet dogs in her family home and went on to own dogs, predominantly Golden Retrievers, with her husband throughout her married life. In 2016 Lyn enrolled at ARDPT with Storm, a new puppy, who went on to gain his Bronze & Silver Good Citizens Awards. As well as really enjoying the formal training, Lyn was persuaded to try showing, which was a whole new experience in the dog world. In 2018 Woody, an English Springer Spaniel, unexpectedly came into the Smith household and Gun Dog Training became a passion of Lyn’s with learning & training continuing to this day. In 2022, Woody gained his Bronze Good Citizen Award, and is now working towards the Silver Award.
Lyn has helped clients who have mobility problems with their puppies & dogs & says it’s a pleasure to be able to assist their ongoing learning in becoming a well-behaved companion.
Due to the restrictions that have been placed on us in 2020/21 the weekly indoor ARDPT classes were suspended so Lyn invited the clients & puppies to attend classes in her paddock where social distancing could be properly adhered to. This was especially important for new puppies to experience outdoor sights, sounds & instruction. The Sunday outdoor training group didn’t miss out as they also came to the farm for ongoing lessons and enjoyed cooling off in the pond which was wonderful, especially on a hot day.
Lyn never imagined how much she would learn from the experienced trainers at ARDPT but feels there is always something new to learn & that dog training is an ongoing journey which she so enjoys. She is committed to such an important cause that helps the wellbeing of our pets.
Seminars attended:-
26/1/2019. Body Language & Play Behaviour, Caroline Wilkinson.
10/11/2019. Reactive Rascals, Leanne McWade.
11/1/2020. Cognitive Skills/Anticipatory Behaviour, Kay Attwood.
23/1/2020. Gun Dog Game, Jules Morgan.
In December 2021, Lyn received a Certificate of Attendance after taking part in the Allwinds Dog First Aid course.
Keryn and her beagles
KERYN COLLINS
Keryn has lived with dogs for most of her life, and for a large portion of that time they were rescued dogs. They included a mixture of breeds, from retired hunting beagles (one being deaf), mixed breeds or mongrels, to terriers of various descriptions, including a deaf bull terrier and a blind Jack Russell terrier. As a teenager she owned a border collie, and now her dog team includes a Labrador and a terrier.
Following the adoption of a terrier born with a deformed hip who later developed some behavioural problems, Keryn attended Kingston Maurward College in 2009 and 2010 to study canine psychology, passing the Advanced level as well as an introduction to dog training instruction course. Since then, she has been satisfying a thirst for knowledge by attending various seminars and workshops, including numerous webinars during the pandemic.
Courses studied with the Dog Training College led to Keryn’s accreditation as a Canine Behaviour Specialist in 2020 and a Puppy Training Specialist in January 2021. In 2021 she passed an Institute of Modern Dog Trainers course on Learning, Motivation and Reinforcement. She is a Student Member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, having passed both their Foundation and Part 2 courses. Keryn is also a member of the Kennel Club Accredited Instructor scheme, working towards accreditation.
Although her dogs are primarily companions, she has also tried out various scenting activities with them, such as tracking and Talking Dogs Scentwork (based on customs dogs’ training), as well as an introduction to Hoopers. She enjoys Rally Obedience, and has competed her dogs, including virtually during lockdown. In 2022, an online competition resulted in a score graded Excellent. Because one of her dogs has some reactivity issues, and the other has digestive problems, she is learning more about these, too.
