This year marks 15 years of Heath’s Personal Dog Training. When people ask how I ended up doing this for a living, the answer is never a neat one-liner. It’s a mix of learning, dogs, humans, mistakes, and the slow (sometimes frustrating) reality that real change is rarely about “training harder”.
If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing all the “right” things and it still isn’t clicking, you’re not alone. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned over the years is that progress usually comes from understanding the why behind behaviour, then making small changes that fit real life, consistently.
I didn’t choose dog training, it chose me
Before dog training, I was a teacher. What I loved most about that work was helping people understand, not just telling them what to do. I was looking into primary school teaching when a role with Guide Dogs came up. I’d grown up with dogs, so I applied, got the job, and that was it.
I spent two years in intensive internal training, and it completely shaped how I think about behaviour, learning, and welfare. I loved it so much that I started Heath’s Personal Dog Training alongside my role, simply to share those skills with everyday pet dog owners.
Puppies became a natural focus, and that later led me into Guide Dogs’ puppy development work, where I now support and manage volunteers across Essex and Hertfordshire, helping raise puppies that will go on to become future guide dogs.
What fifteen years really teaches you
Courses and qualifications matter, but experience teaches you different lessons.
In the early days, I made mistakes. Everyone does. Over time, experience taught me not to avoid problems, but to lean into them. That’s where learning actually happens, for dogs and for people.
That mindset is also why I wrote When Dog Training Goes Wrong — because “getting it wrong” is often the moment you finally discover what your dog actually needs, and what you need to change.
Fifteen years in, confidence doesn’t come from having all the answers. It comes from knowing how to observe, adapt, and support both ends of the lead.
Why I work with puppies and first-time owners
Most of my work is with puppies and first-time dog owners. Getting the early stages right has a huge impact on later life.
Many of the issues people struggle with later on, such as reactivity or separation difficulties, don’t come out of nowhere. They’re often the result of unmet needs, stress, or a lack of understanding early on.
A balanced, fulfilled dog is easier to live with. Prevention really is better than cure.
Behaviour gets easier when needs are met
One of the biggest shifts I’ve seen over the years is how much behaviour improves when a dog’s needs are properly met.
That means enough sleep. Good health and appropriate nutrition. Opportunities to express natural behaviours like sniffing, chewing, licking, digging, and retrieving.
When these foundations are in place, training becomes easier. In some cases, it becomes almost unnecessary, because the dog is no longer struggling.
If you want a really credible UK perspective on training approaches, Dogs Trust have a helpful overview of reward-based methods. Read it here.
Why training classes don’t fix everything
I get a lot of enquiries about loose lead walking, recall, barking, and similar challenges. Often the question is, “Can I bring my dog to a class?”
Classes can be brilliant, but they aren’t a magic fix. If a dog is already finding something difficult, adding more dogs, people, and distractions into the mix can make things harder, not easier.
In many cases, once owners adjust routines at home and change how they interact with their dog day to day, behaviour improves before we even think about formal training.
This is why I find consultations, especially phone consultations, so effective. Behaviour is rarely about training harder. It’s usually about lifestyle, environment, and understanding.
What to look for in a dog trainer
If you’re looking for professional support, welfare should always come first.
Look for trainers who use welfare-led methods, avoid aversive tools, and commit to ongoing learning. Being registered with professional bodies such as the APDT or ABTC matters, because members are expected to work within an ethical framework.
Be cautious of anyone offering quick fixes. Real change takes understanding, consistency, and time.
The simplest advice I can give
If I could give every dog owner just two pieces of advice, they would be these:
- Prevent undesirable behaviour.
- Reinforce desirable behaviour.
If owners did just those two things consistently, without even saying a word, they would see positive changes.
Looking ahead
Over the next few years, I’d love to spend more time supporting reactive dogs. Too often, these dogs are punished for reacting, rather than helped to feel safe.
Right now, my main focus remains prevention, helping puppies and their owners build strong foundations so those problems don’t arise in the first place.
If you’d like support
If this way of thinking resonates, you’re probably exactly the kind of person I love working with. The best place to start is here: Dog training services in Essex & Hertfordshire.
Fifteen years on
I’m incredibly lucky to share my life with Bear, who’s nearly ten now, and Blue, who’s five. They’ve taught me more than any course ever could.
Fifteen years on, I still love what I do. I still love learning, I still love helping people, and I still care deeply about how dogs are treated.
If any of that resonates, you’re probably exactly the kind of person I love working with.