Our Instructors
Ann
I joined the Good Companion Dog Training Club in 2007 with my rescue Shepherd Gwen. I now have two dogs, Mia (Cavapoo) and Polli (Golden Doodle). I have thoroughly enjoyed helping at the club as an assistant with a variety of classes for over seven years and at present I am helping Michelle on a Tuesday evening with her very popular Scent classes.
Chris
I am a joint founder of Good Companion Dog Training Club. Qualified BIPDT, APDT, PDTI and a diploma in canine psychology. I attend regular courses and pride myself on keeping up to date on different fields of canine behaviour, training skills and care. I have the utmost pleasure in owning and training many breeds over a 40 year span. I am also qualified to judge Bronze, Silver and Gold in the recognised Kennel Club Good Citizens Awards. At present, I have two Bearded Collie dogs, Ollie and Tir
Doe
I have been a member of GCDT club since September 2021. I have three dogs, two Collie crosses who have gained their Kennel Club Good Citizen Bronze, Silver and Gold awards and one Collie puppy starting her journey. I assist with many of the workshops and classes which I thoroughly enjoy. I am a qualified dog Parkour instructor and also a level two assessor
Gill
I am a joint founder of the Good Companion Dog Training Club. I am a qualified instructor with the APDT, the PDTI, and have an Honours Certificate with the BIPDT. I am also qualified with the Kennel Club to judge their Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards. I have enjoyed many different dog training activities with my previous dogs and now with my latest dog Celyn a Lab/collie. I also enjoy teaching Celyn new exercises. Teaching me new ideas so I never stop learning.
Jane
I’ve had the joy of owning dogs of various breeds for over 45 years and for the past 17 years I’ve taken a deeper interest in training. Throughout this time, I’ve enjoyed a wide range of activities that have strengthened the bond between me and my dogs. Three of them have proudly achieved the Kennel Club Good Citizen Gold Award, and I’ve also supported friends in helping their dogs earn their Silver Awards. In 2023, I began volunteering with Good Companion Dog Training club, where I continue to share my knowledge and enthusiasm for training, helping others build rewarding relationships with their dogs.
Jo
I’ve been assisting with dog training at Good Companion since January 2025. I am certified in pet first aid and run my own dog walking and home boarding business here in Prestatyn which I set up in 2019/ I have 3 grown up children and one fur baby called Buddy who is my gorgeous Cockerpoo. He is my world, the kids say he’s my favourite child and I always say yes, he is! Dogs are so loyal and eager to please. It’s us humans that complicate things! I can’t wait to meet you and your canine companions on your training journey.
Liz
I am a qualified APDT instructor and have been instructing at Good companion Dog Training Club since 1995. With a strong commitment to ongoing professional development, I regularly attend courses to ensure my knowledge remains current and my teaching reflects the latest in canine training science. I share my life with three wonderful Border Collies, Seren, Morgan and Hari – each with their own unique personality and training journey. Seren, now retired, has twice represented Wales at Crufts in the Inter Regional Obedience Competition. Morgan has competed at Crufts four years in a row as part of Team Wales and recently earned his Obedience Warrant, marking his success at the highest level of competition. Hari is the youngest and has just begun his competitive obedience career.
Training each of my dogs has required a tailored approach and this philosophy of personalised, dog-centred instruction is at the heart of the classes I teach. I believe that understanding and adapting to each dog’s temperament is key to building a strong, respectful partnership – and I strive to help the handlers and their dogs in the classes to achieve just that.
Liz
I am a qualified APDT instructor and have been instructing at Good companion Dog Training Club since 1995. With a strong commitment to ongoing professional development, I regularly attend courses to ensure my knowledge remains current and my teaching reflects the latest in canine training science. I share my life with three wonderful Border Collies, Seren, Morgan and Hari – each with their own unique personality and training journey. Seren, now retired, has twice represented Wales at Crufts in the Inter Regional Obedience Competition. Morgan has competed at Crufts four years in a row as part of Team Wales and recently earned his Obedience Warrant, marking his success at the highest level of competition. Hari is the youngest and has just begun his competitive obedience career.
Training each of my dogs has required a tailored approach and this philosophy of personalised, dog-centred instruction is at the heart of the classes I teach. I believe that understanding and adapting to each dog’s temperament is key to building a strong, respectful partnership – and I strive to help the handlers and their dogs in the classes to achieve just that.
Lynne
Dogs have been a part of my life since early childhood, shaping both my personal journey and my enduring passion for the companionship of dogs. I have been a member of the Good Companion Dog Training Club since 2019, where I contribute to the club’s mission of promoting responsible, positive dog training. My Golden Retriever, Bentley, currently trains in the Advanced Class and has successfully achieved the Kennel Club Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards. But, it is my relationship with him that I treasure the most. In addition to his accomplishments, Bentley also serves as a qualified Cariad Pet Therapy dog, and we regularly visit local schools to provide emotional support to children and staff. Mitzie, my 14 year old black Labrador, is equally devoted to her work. She excels in scent detection and recently passed her Inspector test. I also have Teddie, he’s a one year old Golden Retriever who is a typical boisterous young dog!
In my role at the club, I have both assisted and taught classes and take great satisfaction in supporting fellow members to develop their relationship with their dogs. The process of learning alongside my own dogs continues to be a deeply rewarding experience. As part of my ongoing CPD, I continue to develop my training skills in close collaboration with another trainer and our two young dogs. These sessions give us valuable time to explore new and innovative training approaches; trial ideas in a supportive setting and bring fresh techniques back to our classes. In these sessions we don’t rush learning, instead we focus on building a cooperative and trusting relationship with our two dogs - skills that allow our dogs to thrive.
It’s been a creative partnership that helps to keep our practice evolving and ensures we’re always learning - just like the dogs we train.
Michelle
I have been a member of the Good Companion Training Club since 2015. I am a qualified instructor with the Pet Dog Training Instructors (PDTI) and I gained my advanced qualification in 2023. I’m a kennel club assessor for the Good Citizen scheme in Bronze, Silver and Gold My passion lies in scent work. I became a certified instructor in 2022, when I gained my City & Guilds award with the College of Scent Dogs. I was proud to be invited to become a College ambassador in 2023. I share my life with four Standard Poodles, and together they enjoy scent work, obedience and hoopers. Drawing inspiration from life with my four Standard Poodles, I use force-free, science-backed methods to celebrate each dog’s unique strengths. Training should be as individual as your dog’s nose print, so I always celebrate those small wins. From beginners’ scent classes to advanced scent work, training it becomes a collaborative partnership, fostering curiosity and ensuring each team progresses at its own pace. I believe every dog carries untapped potential—especially in their nose. By blending positive-reinforcement techniques with scent-work challenges, I guide dogs and handlers to build confidence, sharpen focus and forge an unbreakable bond. From curious beginners to seasoned sniffers, my classes are designed to support every stage of their training journeys.
Tracy
I first joined Good Companion Dog Training Club in 2009 with my Labrador Harley. Over the years, my passion for training has deepened, and I am currently working with Lincoln my 7 year old Labrador. Together, we’ve proudly achieved our Bronze, Silver and Gold Good Citizen Awards and now train together in the Advanced class.
For the past few years, I’ve also served as an assistant and also teaching classes and working alongside other members of the training team. I thoroughly enjoy the collaborative spirit of the club and the opportunity to support owners and their dogs to progress. Every session brings something new and I find great pleasure in being part of each team’s journey. In particular, I enjoy teaching in our Kennel Club Silver and Gold classes. I find it is incredibly rewarding to support owners as they deepen their bond with their dogs and work towards those higher-level awards. Alongside that, I’m currently starting my training partnership with my lively 12-month-old spaniel who’s keeping me on my toes! She’s working through her Good Citizen awards and absolutely thriving in Michelle’s amazing scentwork classes.
As part of my ongoing CPD, I also train weekly with one of our other club trainers and, between us, we’re navigating the challenges of two young dogs. It’s a great mix of mutual support, shared learning and plenty of laughter. These sessions give us collaborative time to trial the latest in dog training ideas which we can take back to club. And Lincoln, my older dog, is now 7 - a steady presence who reminds me how far we’ve come.
Wenna
I joined Good Companion DTC in 2002, having spent the previous 20 years in the showing world where I owned, showed, bred and judged at Championship level – including at Crufts. My main breed at that time was Norwegian Buhunds and I was lucky enough to have owned and/or bred 10 Champions. I’ve owned a wide variety of breeds from Working Sheepdog to Welsh Terrier, from Akita to German Shepherd Dog. My current dog is Venn, a 5 years old GSD who has gained his Bronze, Silver & Gold KC Good Citizen awards and who has led me into a wide variety of dog activities including Tracking and Man Trailing which, in turn, have led me to an interest in canine body language, behaviour and cognition. Man Trailing has taught me so much about reading the dog in front of me and and how to increase his confidence by allowing him to make decisions on his own.
In recent years I’ve attended numerous workshops, seminars and courses on various canine subjects – Dog Law, Over Reactive Dogs, Decoding Dog Behaviour, Body Language, Behaviour and Restraint of “Aggressive Dogs”, Scent & Man Trailing Theory and I also recently gained a Merit in a Level 4 Diploma in Canine Behaviour. Understanding more about dog behaviour and their hardwired instincts is intrinsic to shaping training for each dog as an individual.
My main interest lies in the many different breeds we see at training, the different ways in which they learn and how they go about problem solving the tasks we set them. The more we know about our dogs, the more we realise how little we know about our dogs!