PDTE 2017 Winter Newsletter

newsletter 

PET DOG TRAINERS OF EUROPE 

Winter 2017/18 

UK Conference 

Special Edition 

What’s inside: 

The Board for 2018 - Pg 4 

Alison Rowbotham our 

Honarary Member - Pg 5 

1 Winter 2017/18 - PDTE Newsletter 

IDTE UK 2016-17 - Pg 6 

Winter coats for dogs - Pg 8 

Country Corner Update - Pg 10 

PDTE Annual AGM 

& Conference 2017 - Pg 15 

New members... Pg 32

Editor’s Welcome 

Welcome to my first newsletter for the Pet Dog Trainers of 

Europe, this is such an exciting opportunity to share what has 

been happening over the last few months for us all, to 

introduce new members, country reps and also looking 

forward to next year which brings with it the 20th Anniversary 

of the PDTE! 

Presidents Report 

In Recognition 

On January 7th, the Mayor of Turid's 

community awarded her with the H.M 

King Harald V of Norway Medal of Merit, 

in recognition of all the work she 

tirelessly carries out for dogs. A full 

feature on this fabulous recognition will 

be in the next newsletter. 

When I started Turid’s education in 2016 little did I know what 

changes would take place in my own life with dogs, how much 

I was going to learn and how many new friends I would make 

from all over the world. 

I am now a Full Member which is such an honour, and of 

course Editor for this fabulous newsletter, so I am really 

looking forward to what 2018 will bring. 

If any of you have articles, or items you wish to put forward 

for the next issue please email me on 

pdteeditor@hotmail.com 

Now, get yourself a drink and settle down with your dogs to 

read what the PDTE members have been up to. 

Caroline 

Dear members, 

We are starting the exciting countdown for our 20th Annual Meeting, which will take place in Vienna, 

Austria on 28th - 30th September this year. 

In this edition... 

For the Pet Dog Trainers of Europe this will be a great 

event, and for me personally even more so, since I started 

the organization, and have been there every time from the 

very beginning. 

The PDTE has grown immensely, in many ways since then, 

and I hope it will continue to grow and become an important 

part of the dog events that will happen in the future. 

Much has happened in those twenty years. Technical things 

have made it easier to get in touch and communicate – the 

internet, mobile phones, skype, webinars - it has been an 

amazing development in that field. 

But there are signs of changes also in the dog world, as we 

know much more now about the brain, physiology, nutrition 

and much more. 

www.pdte.eu 

My wish is that you all grab all the opportunities you can to 

learn from these new findings. If your knowledge is from 5 

years back it is already outdated. 

Keep up with development! 

Take part in what the PDTE can offer you with webinars and 

seminars and talks, come to the AGMs and make use of the 

networking it can offer. And most of all: inspire each other 

to learn more and never stop learning. New things can only 

make you better, never the opposite! 

My best wishes to you all for a promising new year in the 

sign of our 20 year mark. 

Turid 

President PDTE 

P2 

Presidents Report 

P4 

The Board for 2018 

P5 

Honarary Member 

Alison Rowbotham 

P5 

New Full Members 

P6 

IDTE UK 2016 - 17 

P8 

Should your dog wear a 

coat in winter? 

P10 

Country Corner 

Update 

P15 

PDTE Annual Conference 

& AGM - UK 2017 

Friday Evening 

Conference Speakers 

Sunday BBQ Evening 

The Gala Dinner 

P31 


& AGM 2018 

P32 

New Members... 

P39 

Dates for your 2018 Diary 

P40 

In the April issue 


Winter 2017/18 - PDTE Newsletter 3

A Massive Honour 

By Alison Rowbotham our Honarary Member 

September 2017 at the AGM of the PDTE was a momentous time 

for me. As my mobility has decreased, travel to the AGMs abroad 

has become increasingly difficult, so to hear that it would be held 

in Durham was magical. 

So much has changed in the world of dog training since a group of 

us sat in the Green Dragon in Hardraw, Yorkshire, nineteen years 

ago. Turid was running a course for us, promoting her philosophy, 

which was new to many British dog owners. As ever, she was 

constantly having ideas and the idea that evening consisted of 

forming a group of like-minded dog people to promote her 

practices ...and these people would be from different countries. 

Turid already had ideas about who she would invite and the 

principles that they must employ living and working with dogs. So 

the seed was planted, probably written on a paper napkin! 

The Board for 2018 

The PDTE has always been close to my heart despite retiring from 

instructing and behaviour work. I shall always be proud of plucking 

up the courage to invite Turid to the UK, at the end of a week of 

chicken training in the USA, when I was a much quieter gal! 

Turid could keep you all amused for an evening with the antics 

that we got up to on our many road trips around the UK, so to 

know that the word has been spread all around the world now is 

hugely gratifying. The realisation of how far the PDTE has 

travelled brings a huge smile to my face. 

So to be given Honorary Membership of such a prestigious 

organisation, made up of such spectacular members is truly 

humbling but such a massive honour that it will take a while for 

that smile to fade. To say “Thank you”, really does not cover it. 

Turid Rugaas President Winkie Spiers Chairperson Karen Webb Secretary 

New Full 

Members 

Sonja Hoegen Treasurer Susanne Lautner Board Understudy Stephanie Rousseau Board Assistant 

Left: Mieke van den Boogaard NED 

Above: Caroline Lewis UK 

Top Right: Laura Aitken UK 

Bottom Right: Pauline Lanting NED 



‘I have followed Turid’s methods of working with dogs for years, but this 

education was even more than I can ever have expected it to have been.’ 

There is no stopping us now, there is also no going back to how 

things were because once you start to see dogs in the way that 

Turid does, it brings you into another world where you truly do 

respect and listen to what dogs are trying to show us. 

The 8th October 2017 was the final day of the education and was 

one of mixed emotions. Ecstatic we had passed and achieved so 

much, sad that we wouldn’t be seeing each other on a regular 

basis any more. But these types of friendships never go away, 

dogs have a habit of bringing people together don’t they. 

‘Can I do it again please – I loved it!’ 

We never stop learning, so any chance you have of becoming a 

student of Turids then please grab it. I started off on the course 

scared to death of her(!), but now just love her to bits. 

‘Life changing’ 

Would any of us recommend this education to anybody thinking 

of doing it….YES, go for it! 

IDTE UK 2016- 17 

Things will never be the 

same again... 

I think I can speak for everyone on that first day of the UK 

International Dog Trainers Education when I say that there were a 

few nerves in the room! 

The 29th April 2016 was a day I had been looking forward to from 

the first moment I knew Turid Rugaas was coming to the UK to 

teach her education programme. 

understanding correct movement, breed studies(!) and so, so 

much more. 

All of this has equipped each and every student to be more 

confident, able to work with their own dogs, provide consultations 

and classes, work in rescue, hold talks and basically share the 

passion and knowledge we have all gained over the education. 

‘I came here wanting to understand my own dogs better, now I am 

looking at working with dogs full time.’ 

‘I now feel able to work with people and be able to show a way to 

work with their dog that is full of honour and understanding.’ 

‘I’ve lost some so called friends because I’ve changed my way of 

thinking totally, but have gained a much bigger family instead.’ 

The Little Pet Biscuit Company supported the UK AGM and Conference by 

producing a hand made special order of their fabulous biscuits for us. These went 

in to each delegates bag for their pets to enjoy once they had all got home. 

We all arrived feeling nervous, unsure, some with and some 

without dogs, trying to settle in to where we would sit, start 

friendships, and appear calm...all at the same time! This was 

truly a big moment for us all and our dogs. 

I don’t think any of us truly realised just how big though, because 

it was 18 months of open sharing of many years of experience, 

knowledge and understanding of dogs by Turid that was 

inspirational and life changing. 

There isn’t the space to go in depth into what was covered in the 

18 months but important subjects such as calming signs, loose 

lead walking, enriched environments, consultations, teaching, 

social walks, stress, emotions, the importance of the right 

harnesses, hand signals, pee and sleep studies, writing leaflets, 

demonstrations, presentations, treat searches, the brain, 

The people behind The Little Pet Biscuit Company are 

committed to producing and supplying the highest quality 

nutritious treats that are handmade by themselves using only 

100% natural ingredients. 

* 

* There are no artificial colours or flavours 

* They are either low in fat or gluten, or completely gluten free 

Use only natural sweeteners and flavourings 

All breeds are catered for from puppies to oldies, and they 

don't forget the cats either. 

To have a look in more detail, or buy online go to: 

www.littlepetbiscuitcompany.co.uk 

and see if you can decide which your pets might like to eat first 



Should your dog wear a 

coat in winter? 

• Thin dogs - they do not have a protective layer of fat 

• All greyhounds - they are invariably very cold-sensitive 

• Old dogs - they no longer have a strong immune system, they 

are more sensitive to cold, and may already be burdened with 

health issues 

• Puppies - they cool down very quickly, and do not yet have a 

fully developed immune system. Puppies very often suffer from 

bladder infections 

• Sick dogs - their immune system is already burdened, any 

further weakening is taking on their substance. These include 

especially dogs with organic diseases, eg heart problems and 

kidney weaknesses. 

• Dogs with thyroid disease - they are particularly sensitive 

to cold 

• Dogs with musculoskeletal problems (spondylosis, HD, ED, etc.) 

• Generally cold-sensitive dogs – like with humans! 

• Fresh imported dogs from southern countries 

• Dogs fresh from the groomers. 

the water is removed from the body surface by heat conduction 

and cooled accordingly. 

Therefore the rule: the dog should be dressed as soon as people 

put on their winter jackets, but at the latest when wearing scarf 

and gloves. 

What makes a good suit? 

Unfortunately, there is a staggering number of nonsensical 

rubbish on the market. For example, the turtle shell: wadded at 

the top, at the bottom only a strap that protects neither heart nor 

shoulders. Or there are actually hooded jackets that simply pay 

homage to the childish scheme. 

Dogs are very sensitive about equipment. They quickly feel 

uncomfortable, so the suits must be functional and comfortable. 

A good suit... 

• adapts to body movements - the dog can move freely. Ideally, it 

fits like a second skin 

• covers the back, chest, neck and as many joints as possible 

and as much belly as possible 

• does not promote the development of moisture between the 

coat and the fabric 

• has a padded zipper (long hair!) 

• is light 

In former times only owner of small dogs have been attracted, but today also large dogs with high-end 

clothing are to be found in winter. Here are the most frequent questions on the subject: 

Dog coats - is not that just a fashion trend? 

Dog clothing is increasingly trendy, but not for fashion reasons. 

Through extensive research, we know much more about animal 

health. Cold has a negative effect on many (pre-) illnesses, and 

can make the dog sick or even sicker. Hypothermia is a serious 

emergency. 

But in the old days dogs did not need coats! 

In the past, dogs lived in kennels. They built a protective winter 

coat over the fall, which warmed them like a thick fur coat. Today, 

our dogs live in the house, where they spend at least 20 hours of 

24 hours at an average of 21 degrees Celsius. In the majority of 

such warm temperatures, an animal does not build up a winter 

coat in this sense. Although they experience a change of coat, 

the enormously warming undercoat is formed only to a very 

limited extent. 

This difference can most clearly be seen in dogs that are brought 

to us, for example, in winter from Eastern European animal 

welfare. Their coat is incredibly dense and grippy, and protects 

the dog like a thick wool sweater. 

Which dogs need a coat? 

• Short and thin coat dogs (Magyar Vizla, Dalmatian, Greyhound, 

English Pointer, German Boxer, Bloodhound, Beagle, Bull Terrier, 

Rhodesian Ridgeback, Doberman, French Bulldog, Whippet, 

Great Dane, Weimaraner, English and American Bulldog, etc.) 

• Dogs without an undercoat or no change of coat (all Poodles, 

all Bichons, Kerry Blue Terriers, Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers, 

Löwchen, Bedlington Terriers, Lhasa Apso, Shih Tzu, Yorkshire 

Terriers, Coton de Tulear, Lagotto Romagnolo, Portuguese and 

Spanish Water Dog, Papillon, etc.) 

• Small dogs (Chihuahua, all Bichons, Pug, French Bulldog, 

Miniature Spitz, Pekingese, Prague Rattler, Parson & Jack 

Russell Terrier, West Highland White Terrier, Japan Chin, All 

Dachshunds, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Cairn Terrier, Lhasa 

Apso, Yorkshire Terrier, Boston Terrier, etc.) 

But my dog does not shake or shiver! 

Trembling is not a sign of freezing. Trembling is a symptom of 

hypothermia. So, when a dog shakes, not only does it freeze, but 

it's already exposed to the cold for too long and / or too much. 

The tremor is caused by increased contraction of the muscles: 

the body tries to heat up again. Trembling is a signal to the brain: 

Attention, first stage of hypothermia! Off to the warmth! 

From what temperature should the dog be dressed? 

Not only cold is the problem, but also the wind. (The wind chill 

effect is caused by the convective removal of close-to-the-air and 

thus relatively warm air and the associated increase in the 

evaporation rate.) The energy required for the phase transition of 

• is noiseless / does not rustle with every movement. 

• is not smelly 

• is washable. 

Modern coats are therefore made of softshell - a material of high 

quality and high price. Winter sports wear softshell, because it is 

depending on the processing elastic, windproof, water repellent 

to a certain degree, cuddly, light and thin - ideal qualities for dog 

winter clothing. The harness can easily be fitted over it without 

any problems. 

Which brands are recommended? 

Only two big players (and hopefully countless small factories) 

make sensible clothes: Ruffwear and Hurtta. Ruffwear has the 

better models, Hurtta the better sizes. Pugs, French Bulldogs, 

Cairn Terriers and Co are in the limelight: they are extra short and 

extra wide, and only Wolters has some acceptable coats for them 

in their program. 

In fact, finding a good suit can be very difficult, and you should 

carefully make sure the dog is comfortable in his clothing. 

By Sonja Hoegen, dogcom, Germany 



Canada 

Helen Moore 

We are making gradual strides in the overall welfare of our 

dogs. The vets of British Columbia have come together, 

vowing not to perform tail docking or ear cropping for 

aesthetic reasons. The movement to end Breed Specific 

Legislation is very active in both Ontario and Quebec. The 

mayor of Montreal has brought in some very harsh 

legislation for the so-called “dangerous” breeds. Toronto 

banned the use of prong collars earlier this year, but then 

unfortunately reversed it after outcry from dog owners who 

insisted that it was a necessary training tool and way to 

manage larger dogs. Conversely, Rodney Habib, our 

Canadian Wonderboy, has a huge following and is educating 

the masses about nutrition and health. It’s fair to say that 

steps are being made both forwards and backwards. 

The canine community is hungry for up-to-date knowledge 

and scientific information. It is an opportune time to bring 

the teachings of Turid and the PDTE to Canada! 

Country Corner Update 

United Kingdom 

Laura Aitken 

A fabulous response from our Country Reps for this issue with lots of really interesting information. We 

have a special insight from The Netherlands, and the next issue will feature Spain. 

The Netherlands 

Rachael Draaisma 

On 17.5.17 state secretary Van Dam sent a letter to the 

Dutch government concerning animal welfare: 

A suggestion to make the Vet responsible for chipping, not 

the breeder and have persons formally assigned to chip to 

provide more insight on who chipped the dog and when. 

Also making it difficult for illegal dog traders. 

The public are to be informed that having a ‘high risk’ dog 

has it’s disadvantages. He wants to implement the rule in 

2018 that every owner of a ‘high risk dog’ or a cross has to 

go to a dog school to follow a set course. (Discussions are 

underway on what a good dog school is. And also, how they 

will handle the sudden increase in numbers). 

He is deeply concerned with the increase in severe dog bites. 

Extra money has been given to local authorities and police to 

ensure citizens can more easily file a complaint on a dog, 

even when there has been no incident. Local councils will be 

able to demand owners make the dogs wear muzzles, be on 

the leash when outside of the garden and not walk in certain 

area’s. eg near child play parks and schools. 

Van Dam states: Dogs are only euthanised when they form 

a real threat to humans and it is proven that re socialisation 

is not possible. He claims the “One strike out”. If a dog has 

caused a severe biting incident, he may be immediately 

euthanised. However, this is not the case when it is proved 

the dog has been bullied, and hurt etc. He will make 

guidelines for this difficult subject. And further develop the 

personality test for dogs. This test will also help to find a 

good match for more ‘difficult’ dogs. 

The secretary wants to adjust the law so that it is easier 

to have an owner of a dog legally convicted if he 

encouraged his dog to bite another dog. 

If a dog in the high risk category is considered dangerous 

or an annoyance. Local governments may implement 

stricter rules at an earlier stage. 

Dogs considered high risk: American Bulldog, American 

Pitbull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Boerboel, 

Bull Mastiff, Bull Terrier, Cane Corso, Dogo Argentino, 

Dogo Canario, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Tosa, Fila 

Brasileiro, Anatolische herder, Zuid-Russische Owcharka, 

Kaukasische Owcharka, Bully Kuta, Alano, Bandog Pitbull 

achtigen: alle kruisingen met een Pitbull: Pocket Bully, 

Micro Bully, Pocket Pitbull, Extreme Pocket Bully, Regular 

Bully, Regular Pitbull, xl en xxl Pitbull, xl en xxl Bully, 

Rednose Pitbull, Rednose bully 

Eight dogs were removed from this list, amongst them: The 

Boxer, Rottweiler, Dobbermann and Mastino Napoletano. 

At last all the countries that make up the UK have fallen in 

line with Northern Ireland where animal cruelty can get you 

a 5 year sentence and banned from owning animals for life. 

In the rest of the UK the sentence is currently only 12 

months in Scotland and 6 months in England/Wales, but 

that’s about to change. 

On the 4th September, Scotland’s First Minister Nicola 

Sturgeon announced that greater protection for animal 

cruelty was included in her Programme for Government and 

on the 29th September, Environment Secretary Michael 

Gove announced that laws concerning animal cruelty will 

be tightened in England and Wales. This mirrors concerns 

about dog fighting and wildlife crime. 

We still have to tackle electric shock devices because only 

Wales has banned them. 

The last two Greyhound tracks in London have closed. 

Campaigning against Greyhound racing is working. Chip, 

chip away… 



Australia 

Harriet Alexander 

Space! 

Dogs tend to have bigger backyards in Australia and plenty 

of options for new and interesting walks. The largeness of 

the country is also a challenge in terms of sharing 

information and reaching owners. 

Not always welcome… 

In London dogs are often welcome in pubs, cafés, shops, 

parks and on public transport. In Australia it’s a very 

different story. There are some movements to change this, 

a campaign called ‘Keep Australia Pet Friendly’ promoted 

by celebrity vet Dr Chris Brown. 

Equipment has a way to go 

In Melbourne seeing a well-fitting harness is pretty rare. 

Collars are the option of choice, and harnesses tend to 

restrict movement. There is lots of work to be done! 

Plenty of tasty options for dogs! 

In Melbourne there are numerous healthy pet food 

companies promoting raw feeding and natural products, 

including chews and treats. Kangaroo is often used as 

more environmentally friendly and sustainable. It’s also low 

in fat and high in protein. 

My aim at the moment is to build contacts around the 

country and find ways to bring the ethics of the PDTE to 

light. I look forward to sharing the results with you all! 

Slovenia 

Alja Willenpart 

smuggling and irresponsible breeding practices, these 

things don't seem to be declining. 

On a brighter note, interest in the PDTE way of thinking 

seems to be increasing. 

For now, the goal is to spread the word and knowledge 

among dog owners and professionals. We've organised 

several talks this year and plan to do even more in the 

future. 

USA 

Joann Rechtine 

There is a movement to take fear out of our vocabulary 

when we are talking about our pets. Dr. Marty Becker is 

spearheading a program called Fear Free – Taking the pet 

out of petrified. 

The “mission is to prevent and alleviate fear, anxiety, and 

stress in pets by inspiring and educating the people who 

care for them” 

Dr. Becker is a veterinarian who has worked to have better 

health for pets while ensuring that each pet and their 

human companion has a Fear Free veterinary visit each 

time. His commitment to this philosophy led to the 

development and implementation of the Fear Free 

certification program for veterinarians that started in March 

of 2016. 

Since that time over 14,000 people have enrolled and more 

than 5000 have completed the veterinary certification. 

There are over 1,500 veterinary practices in 21 countries 

enrolled in the program so far. And, it is thought that 25,000 

to 30,000 were enrolled by the end of 2017. 

Spain 

Nuria Janeiro 

She has had contact with some of the members and had 

one reunion with 7 members attending, offering a special 

price for members at their seminars and workshops. 

New laws in Spain: 

• All dogs taken out in the street must be on a leash 

(except specific areas like dog parks) – punishment 

500 Euro 

• You can take a dog on public transportation without a 

cage (train and metro) 

• Forbidden for pet shops to have the dogs in a glass 

enclosure to be viewed through the window 

• Shelters are obligated to inform potential adopters of any 

health conditions the dog has. 

• A law to ban killing of dogs in shelters in certain regions 

• Dogs can no longer be seized by the police and are no 

longer seen as objects in the eyes of the law 

• Catalonia has introduced a new set of laws with regards 

to the buying of dogs. 

Future plans: organising a Spanish reunion, and arranging a 

Dog Symposium with the IDTE students. 

http://consum.gencat.cat/temes_de_consum/animals_com 

panyia/index 

(http://consum.gencat.cat/temes_de_consum/animals_co 

mpanyia/index_es.html) 

New law in Austria: 

Austria 

Susi Lautner 

Now forbidden to offer dogs who look for a new home or 

from other country, on Facebook or other public medias. 

Choke collars are now forbidden! 

Italy 

Federica Iaccozzilli 

The laws for animal welfare are slowly but inexorably 

changing: we are experiencing more and more choke-chain 

and e-collar bans, laws against keeping dogs chained up in 

backyards or gardens and somewhat stricter laws about 

animal cruelty. This is a very important step, since we have 

never had very precise laws against animal abuse and the 

use of aversives for training. 

Old-style dog training is still an issue, but all the members 

– so far eight of us – are working hard to change things 

one step at a time. We are all constantly promoting the use 

of H harnesses, during classes and courses, and this is 

slowly showing as well, which makes us all really proud. 

We hope to add some new members soon, in order to have 

a greater impact on Italy’s dog training and behaviour 

panorama. 

Belgium 

Marina Gates Fleming 

Slovenia is a country with a large number of animal welfare 

organisations. However, there seems to be a bit of a 

confusion as to what ’welfare’ is. Regarding dogs 

unfortunately the majority of rescuers still believe that all 

dogs need is a home and all will be well. 

Many organisations illegaly import street dogs from abroad 

and adopt them out into inappropriate and inexperienced 

homes. Training methods used with these (and other) dogs 

are often harmful to say the least. 

There is a worrying lack of understanding of dogs' needs 

and behaviour among rescue groups and the general 

public. Despite recent laws put in place to prevent dog 

The Fear Free program has expanded to include pet 

owners and is getting ready to roll out a certification 

program for trainers & other pet professional providers. 

It is thought that the program has been so successful 

because the majority of pet health providers and owners 

really do want their clients to be as comfortable as 

possible during a veterinary visit. 

More information can be found at: 

https://fearfreepets.com/ 

Finland 

Helmi Pesonen 

Making plans for how to get more members in Finland, and 

making PDTE more known. Is currently doing some 

marketing, and looking at organising an event. 

A new Animal Protection Act is on the way, and Helmi will 

share the content affecting dogs and people as soon as it 

is a reality. 

The country’s animal welfare has been devolved to the 

regions who have already put in place certain laws 

regarding animal welfare in general (for instance banning 

fur farms Wallonia and Brussels, Flanders will follow suit by 

the end of the year). 

Wallonia 

Since 01/06/17 publicity for all animals will no longer be 

allowed except in specialised reviews and/or websites (e.g. 

“Closed Page” on Facebook for breeders). This is to 

combat the impulsive acquisition of animals. All reputable 

dog breeders are respecting this new law, whilst the dog 

merchants and others are finding ways to get around it. 



Ecollars - anti-bark, perimeter and/or training collars. On 

27/03/17 The The Walloon Animal Welfare Council stated 

that it cannot support the use of Ecollars and advised the 

Minister to prohibit use. There is opposition to this from 

industry and minority opinion of the College of Veterinary 

Medicine and the Veterinary Professional Union who state 

that as they are concerned about animal welfare, they feel 

there are cases where the balance between welfare and 

safety is in favour of the use of the Ecollar. They feel that a 

prohibition opens the door to clandestine and lesser quality 

Ecollars, and their use should be allowed under certain 

conditions or derogations to be specified. 

Brussels Region 

They have the same rule as Wallonia regarding publicity. 

They have created a working party to discuss creating “dog 

parks” where dogs are allowed off lead. 

Flanders 

They have a similar rule to Wallonia and Brussels Region 

regarding publicity - although encourage “occasional 

breeders” to sell their dog to “recognised breeders” who 

will then sell on the pups.The Region has created a very 

informative website with advice of what to expect when 

acquiring a dog. http://www.huisdierinfo.be/honden 

Czech Republic 

Martina Naceradska 

One more member, and are having regularly workshops and 

seminars. Martina herself has been giving speeches about 

animal protection, dog welfare, against puppy mills. 

She has been lecturing veterinary dentists on dental 

patients, zoopharmacognosy, use of herbs, and she cooperates 

with TV channels and has talked about canine and 

feline medicine and welfare. 

They have new animal protection law paragraphs: all dogs 

will have to be microchipped by 2020. Breeders have to 

register females if they have more than four. Fur farming 

will be illegal soon. 

Norway 

Lisbeth de Waard 

Lisbeth is regularly in contact with the members, promoting 

seminars and courses at her centre with a discount for 

PDTE members. 

PDTE event: Amber Batson has been invited for 2018. 

Trying to motivate members to write for the Newsletter, and 

future plan is to arrange a member meeting with Turid, date 

not decided yet. 

Switzerland 

Silvia Deimeke 

Sivia informed the Swiss members about the change 

of Country Rep. She hopes to arrange a meeting for 

Spring 2018. 

Hong Kong 

Eric Lee 

Eric and helper arranged a 2 day seminar with Dr. Conor 

Brady from Ireland about nutrition, with 60 participants, 

including 7 vets, from Taiwan and Hong Kong. 

They have invited Amber Batson for 2018. 

Denmark 

Hanne Truelsen 

We have an IDTE running with Turid Rugaas, started April 

2017. 

I have seminars once/twice a month with my vet partner 

Artemis.dk (Lise Rovsing. PDTE member) 

I promote PDTE at the seminars I have around in 

Copenhagen. We have social walks every 2nd Sunday 

around Copenhagen. 

Future plans are to invite Julia Robertson, Anne Lill Kvam 

and Karen Webb. 

Germany 

Steffi Binder 

Steffi is busy organising things in Germany in her new role 

as Country Rep, and will be announcing them soon. 


& AGM - UK 2017 

The 19th Pet Dog Trainers of Europe AGM and Conference, and the 

first to be held in the UK, got underway on the evening of Friday 

22nd with a lovely drinks reception sponsored by Butternut Box. 

All the hard work, effort and careful organising carried out by Karen 

and Alan Webb to ensure this weekend went without a hitch 

certainly paid off, they had started planning it before the Summer of 

2015 and every single thing was thought of, sourced, created and 

put into action with the most incredible attention to detail. 

The venue of Redworth Hall Hotel, south of Durham was fabulous 

and catered for everyone and proved to be a first class venue. The 

setting was magnificent and certainly leant itself to the gala dinner!! 

Delegates attended from 21 countries and the 

quality of speakers at the event was unsurpassed 

in terms of knowledge and experience. 

So let’s see how it all unfolded… 


© Redworth Hall Hotel, The Cairn Hotel Group 


I think I can speak for everyone who attended this evening, when I 

say that their love for dogs, and the compassion for the welfare 

and health of the dog came across loud and clear. This is not a 

company who just want to make food for dogs. This is a 

company that loves dogs so much they have invested a vast 

amount of time into research of what is best for our dogs. They 

realise that making sure your dog eats what is right for its 

individual requirements is vital, and will have a positive impact on 

their health. 

Conference Speakers 

Excerpts from the talks given by our Conference speakers. 

Butternut Box started full time in April 2016 and prides itself on 

all of the food being hand made in small batches to maintain 

quality, and is then delivered to your door anywhere in the UK 

frozen in insulated boxes for convenience. They are currently 

looking in to how to get their food delivered abroad. 

Important Tips for not becoming a problem owner 

l Never do to your dog what you would not want anyone to do 

to you!! 

l Dogs feel pain just as people do, and have feelings 

l Use good harnesses, so removing the pressure point from 

neck/throat 

l Reward the good, ignore the bad 

l A dog is a family member and not just for training. It needs to 

be with us and have choices 

David Nolan of Butternut Box with UK AGM Organiser Karen Webb 

l Forget the NO word 

Friday Evening 

Reception 

l Dogs are so sensitive, they know our feelings and this effects 

behaviour 

l Children with dogs, do not force the issue 

l Never force the dog to do anything 

The friday evening of the PDTE Conference started as the rest of 

the weekend continued…being all about the best and most ethical 

ways we can help our dogs. 

Raili Halme - Finland 

l Desensitise with patience 

l Always speak in a nice quiet voice 

l Don’t touch your dog unnecessarily 

It was sponsored by Butternut Box who make freshly cooked meals 

for dogs, that are also fit for human consumption as well! David 

Nolan, one of the co-founders of Butternut Box came up from 

London to talk about the company and the food that they produce. 

Eric Lee and Debbie Ngai (Hong Kong) 

The meals are developed by PhD level nutritionists and are great 

for sensitive stomachs too. They have found it has helped dogs 

who are picky eaters, overweight, who suffer from pancreatitis, 

IBS and/or diabetes. 

When you contact Butternut Box you will have a nutritional 

consultation which takes into account the age, weight, breed, 

body condition and activity level of your dog to help them create 

a truly tailor made meal plan. 

Another impressive code of ethics for Butternut Box is that for 

every new dog signed up, they donate a meal to a homeless or 

shelter dog. 

To contact them please visit www.butternutbox.com or their 

Facebook Page www.facebook.com/ButternutBox 

Raili opened the conference on Saturday morning with the very 

important subject: 

Problem Dog or Problem Owner? 

People perceive that a dog that makes a person’s life difficult is 

a problem dog. But, do we really have problem dogs, or dogs 

with problems? 

The dog is barking, it could be because of fear, excitement, giving 

a warning. So work with the root cause – the fear or emotion 

behind the bark. The dog is jumping up – dogs jump up because 

they want something. 

A problem owner is whoever makes the dogs life difficult. 

Demanding, controlling, over training, making things difficult, 

jerking the lead, forgetting that the dog is not a child etc. 

l What is fun for you is not always fun for your dog. 

l The dog is an omnivorous predator – fulfil these needs. They 

have a hunting need, chewing, sniffing, exploring, digging, 

tracking, searching, 

If you follow these tips you will have a good relationship, your 

dog will feel safe in your presence, and trust you. Your dog 

will want to be with you and learn easily because of reduced 

stress levels. 

Life will be nice and calm for everyone. 

This is a small insight into the huge topic that Raili went in to for 

everyone, but it gives you a good idea of what she showed us. 

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Grace Shen (USA), Julia Robertson (UK) and Concha Fuster (Spain) 

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Conference Speakers (continued) 

training methods, be what you are trying to get across to people, 

too many options confuse people 

Take some measurements 

* Keep an eye on Google analytics, Facebook, Twitter and 

Instagram * Pay and target your audience * Ask how they heard 

about you * Engage with your followers 

Create kickass content! 

Making Dogs Happy and Healthier 

in Shelters 

Nuria first started studying shelters in 2011 and was worried 

about the mental welfare of the dogs. 

Problems in some shelters 

l 

A lack of high quality standards 

l 

Overcrowding 

l 

Lack of time leading to bad organisation and management 

* You’ve only got seconds so keep it snappy * 40 characters for 

a Facebook post gets the most engagement * If you can say it 

without words, do so * Avoid jargon * Be fun and positive 

* Get your audience doing something/engaging in it * Don’t worry 

being perfect 

l 

Kennels so small they can hardly lie down 

l 

Puppies left alone 

l 

Nothing inside kennels and no mental stimulation 

l 

Volunteers only allowed to clean 

People/owners don’t always understand what we mean eg: 

calming signals, so use photographs/bullet points etc. to help 

them. 

l 

No physical activity and human attention 

l 

Not enough information on prospective dogs 

Harriet Alexander - Australia 

Being heard in an online world... 

how many of us get that right! 

How your brand communicates on line is very important, 

understand the challenge and make it work for you. 

2.8billion (37%) of the world is on social media. One million new 

users added every day. 

Facebook is still the leader – quarter of the world uses it, and six 

new people per second, then Instagram – preferred by under 35s 

and a platform to share pictures, LinkedIn, Twitter. 

Dogs are the most popular image looked for! 

Design your website to be accessible on a mobile phone. 

Get to know your audience 

* Who are they? * Who is missing? * Find new opportunities 

* Which messages work where? 

What are you selling? 

What are you trying to say - Dog behaviourist, lifestyle, dog 

Be impactful and make sure any videos are a maximum of 30 

seconds long. 

Content calendar 

* Become an ‘inspirational Ninja’ and leader * Share mindfully – 

give your audience direction * Use a quote from an article you 

want to share with people * Share because you are the expert 

Don’t feed the trolls 

They hang on social media – and love an argument that 

goes nowhere. 

People may not always like what you do. Don’t enter into an 

online ‘argument’. Some people just want to argue. 

l Say it once and leave it 

l When in doubt, ignore. 

Social Media 

l Be mindful of use – listen to the research 

l Social media is projection of what people want to be, not 

always what they are 

l But be mindful of what other people post. 

www.harrietanddogs.com 

l 

Inappropriate owners being given dogs they cannot look after 

l 

Dogs being returned multiple times prone to depression, 

frustration and distrust. 

Nuria wanted to assess stress levels in dogs so they organised 

tests in two shelters in Mexico, two in Spain, one in Cuba and one 

in Honduras. 

Enriched Environments 

She got the shelters to use enriched environments to help 

stimulate the brain, also improving the welfare of the dogs 

environment. 

Cuba did this three times a week outside the shelter, whilst 

Mexico used items recovered from the river bank to set theirs 

up. In Spain they put specific materials to one side and left for 

the dogs. 

Enriched Walks 

They first tried a large number of dogs walked together…. they 

now take one dog at a time out on a harness. 

Nuria also provided different types and sizes of bedding – 

cushions, blankets, gave the dogs toys and materials, played 

classical music, placed thick curtains/bamboo between cages 

Nuria Janerio - Spain 

Nuria wanted to demonstrate the impact on the dogs by making 

these changes so set up the following: 

Results of Measuring Stress in the Shelter Dogs 

Done by recording cortisol levels – hormonal, pulse rate, urine 

levels and body temperature. Mexico carried out checks in the 

dogs over two months. 

They measured urine levels morning and evening and length of 

pees of 39 dogs. The dogs were peeing up to 28% less than 

before the changes were made. 

Pulse rate check was done on 29 dogs resting and morning and 

afternoon. They reduced by 25%. 

There was a 92% increase in sleep when people stayed in the 

kennels with the dogs. 

Reduction in Vets Bills 

Nuria also found there was a decrease in skin problems, barking, 

fights and stomach problems. They also saw an increase in 

curiosity and activity. There has been an 11% reduction in vets 

bills through following this programme which is fabulous! 


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puppy * Types of exercise and activities * Frisbee and ball 

chasing * The human environment – slippery floors 

* Repetitiveness – walking too far 

Examining Anatomy – 

Harnesses vs Collar? 

Understanding how the dog’s body works and moves 

is an important part of making the decision about 

harnesses or collars. 

Julia Robertson - UK Galen Therapy 

Identifying Pain through Behaviour 

Galen Myotherapy is a specialist treatment for dogs with chronic 

muscular pain. They treat dogs giving choices, on the floor and in 

comfort. 

Look at the grace and elegance of a dogs movement. It is built 

for speed, slow and diverse movement. 

Dogs need to be able to walk, but the pace of the walk is usually 

dictated to by the person, not by the length of the dogs legs. Plus 

they can be encouraged to look up at us as they walk. 

Let’s not forget that the neck is the most precious thing they 

have, and then we put a collar on it. The shoulders are only held 

together by muscles, and they need to be able to move and 

stretch out to give the flexible ability and agility the dog is known 

for. 

From a survey of 8,000 dogs, the main reasons for problems are 

* Inappropriate puppy exercise * Treating the rescue dog like a 

A few signs of physical injuries: 

l Lack of tolerance towards people, other dogs, situations 

l Licking/chewing feet/tail chasing 

l Itching – motorbike kick: hot itchy spots all over the body, 

itchy chin, itching bottom, when being stroked 

l Presenting parts of the body for ‘itching’ is a clear sign there 

is a problem that needs alleviating 

l Know how your dog dumps! - with physical changes the 

posture can also change 

l Anal gland issues 

l Changes in appearance and shape 

l Neck/collar size becoming larger 

l How they stand – toe tipping on one leg? 

l Tail issues and wriggly rear 

l Reactive 

l Not happy being touched/groomed 

l Not playing so much/or exercising/rolling on their toys 

l An annoying cough that is persistent but irregular 

l Stretching excessively or not at all 

l Looking older. 

Changes in behaviour during sleep 

l Propping their neck on your lap/leg 

l Groaning when they lie down 

l Suddenly waking up looking distressed 

l Kicking their back leg out whilst in bed. 

If you would like your dog assessed, worked with or wish to study 

with Galen. Please go to their website for further information on 

how they can help you – it will be worth it 

www.caninetherapy.co.uk 

The Cervical Spine is very important – Atlas/Axis 

joints kept in place with ligaments, the Atlas carries 

the head, the Axis enables movement. Function and 

structure always go together. 

‘Sensitivity is a function, it means back off because 

it needs to function as well as possible’ 

The Tongue Bone is very important for movement 

and balance, as well as for drinking, eating, 

communication and vocalising. 

Parasympathetic nervous system/vagus nerve 

travels down to the gut, and comes in contact with 

heart, lungs etc. Ninety percent of the fibres in the 

vagus nerve are going up to the brain….so all 

messages pass through the neck. Walls of arteries 

are stronger than veins, but even light pressure on 

the neck will narrow veins. 

The Thyroid keeps the bodies functions in balance 

including emotional and mental wellbeing. Using a 

collar/choke chain may damage the thyroid. 

The trachea/windpipe/oesophagus should be round 

but can become part collapsed – toy breeds/bulldogs may be 

born with this. A collar/pulling on the lead can also cause this. It 

can only be rectified by surgery. 

The larynx is a small part of the tongue bone. Very sensitive due 

to the nerves and vocal chords. 

A proper fitting harness 

If it fits at the point of the sternum, the neck will be free. It needs 

to stay in place at the sternum otherwise you have the same 

problem as wearing a collar. It should not be tight and restrict 

movement or ribcage. 

The shoulders need to be able to swing. You don’t want a strap 

there to limit the movement and armpits must be free. 

Some harnesses sit on top of the shoulder joint so it is not free. 

Correction harnesses can be tight in the armpit so if the dog pulls, 

Els Vidts - Belgium Guest Speaker 

lead tightens and then tightens in the armpit. Other harnesses can 

have too much padding so limit shoulder movement. 

Head halters 

The strap can rub the eye and damage the cornea. The cervical 

area is effected and damaged, regularly causing fractures here. 

Effects skin and glands too. Can not be used without doing 

great harm. 

It is all about how we want to care for, and live with our dogs. 

Be the change you want to see 

Keep on sharing the information and get the message through. 

People will change because they see dogs on harnesses and 

long leads. 

Download brochures at www.freedogz.be 

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with seeing other dogs. Teach the owner to have the skills, and 

be calm in any situation. If the owner is stressed the dog will not 

be relaxed or able to cope. 

How to solve the problem? 

* Train the owner and dog alike * Fit a good, well fitting harness 

* Use a 3m lead * Have treats * Use a smacking sound 

* Fear – respect it * Frustration – we must satisfy the need/meet 

good dogs 

* Stress – reduce and respect * Learnt behaviour – train the 

owner first * Jerking on the lead – train the owner first * Problem 

owner – train the owner first * Pain – help 

Always start from a distance 

l Parallel walking with barriers, relaxed slowly moving 

l Walk in a Square shape – They walk slowly around, reduce 

distances but the dogs don’t have to meet 

Setting up a dog training business 

Stephanies own experience of setting up a dog business started 

in London in 2014. Her dog Alfie had severe separation anxiety 

and appeared to dislike other dogs, chewed door frames etc. She 

contacted Winkie and was amazed at how Alfie took to Winkie’s 

dog and was then ok with others on social walks 

‘Don’t wait until you feel you know it all to get started, 

or you will never start’ 

Building confidence 

Offering free consultations gives you confidence that you can 

deal with the problems. Shadowing other trainers, go to courses 

and talks, meet people more (and less) experienced. Start slowly, 

run alongside other work, to make sure you can pay bills! 

Start by visiting people in their own homes, not got the cost of a 

venue. 

Puppy classes 

Start slowly and build up. 

Sonja Hoegen - Germany 

All dogs are social, so what 

goes wrong? 

l Walk in an ‘O’ shape – distance is whatever the dogs are 

comfortable with 

l Stalking – the dog that is ok starts off first, followed by 

unsure dog. Always plan where you are going! 

Back to Social 

Social walks 

These can be difficult to sell to people: 

Market them as a package of a number of weeks at a time, 

structure them and plan, look at how best to market them and 

check locations. 

Stephanie Rousseau - Ireland 

solicitor/insurance company * Talk in person * Evaluate early on 

whether there is a valid claim 

Contributing Factors 

Frustration can develop into something hard to handle. It can be 

stopped from developing on one occasion, and then becomes a 

nightmare when allowed at another time because the 

stress/adrenalin is much higher. 

We need to acknowledge that some dogs are desperate to meet 

other dogs. Labradors are great, but intimidating through their 

over zealous enthusiasm. Setters, hounds, pointers are bred to be 

better around dogs. 

Dental problems cause pain and are most commonly overlooked 

with dogs. They sometimes live with it for years because they 

aren’t checked regularly, and only show pain in extreme 

situations. Go to a specialist dog dentist once a year. 

The owner creates a problem by jerking on the lead when they 

see another dog coming, causes pain and dog associates pain 

Sonja offered free training for a summer for dog/dog problems. 

She set one up like this: 

First meeting - through a fence off lead, saying hello carefully off 

lead allowing opportunity for sniffing. People always around to 

act as barriers etc. 

Second Meeting - started with the last success. Then introduced 

another dog...through the fence, passing a dog by using smacking 

sound, passing a larger strange dog with fence between 

Third Meeting - Without fence but on a lead 

Being social and OK 

Fourth Meeting – getting out of the secure area, gaining confidence 

5 weeks, 4 sessions 

http://www.dogcom.de 

Start up costs 

* Insurance * Website * Email address * Hall hire for classes * 

Flyers for advertising * beds for puppy classes * chews 

Places to Advertise - Vets, groomers, pet shops, dog friendly 

cafes, cafes in parks, libraries, supermarket notice boards 

Website 

* Biggest source of clients * Update it regularly, blogging is good 

* Embrace all the google stuff – maps, youtube etc. 

A lawyers’ tips for England and Wales 

Cover yourself for those just in case moments……. 

* Add a disclaimer and have it signed * Watch your wording when 

dealing with complaints 

* Evaluate whether it is a valid claim * Consider taking out 

insurance that covers legal fees 

* Never admit liability without speaking to your 

Lessons learnt the hard way 

Cover yourself emotionally. When passionate it is difficult to step 

away and it becomes all consuming. Learn to let go, you cannot 

save every dog. Commitment and time from the owner to change 

is important. 

Financial planning 

* Value yourself - price yourself in a respectable position in the 

market * People must pay for what they are getting 

* Packages work well * Ask for a deposit * Save receipts for your 

accounts 

Find kindred spirits – when other trainers in your area encourage 

people to put dogs in cages and use head halters, it helps to feel 

you’re not alone in your quest for a better world for dogs. 

www.stephsdogtraining.ie 

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Where do they sleep? - Anywhere, sometimes people 

accommodate them in their property. Also sleeping on cars, in 

railway stations, petrol stations etc. Largest period of time for 

sleeping is from 8am – 2pm, dogs more active at the beginning 

and end of the day. 

What do they eat? – Most things they can find. India has a 

problem with garbage disposal which is good for the dogs. Most 

of India is vegetarian so the dogs are also vegetarian. They hang 

around food stores/bakers etc. and convince people to feed 

them, which is a key survival skill. 

Sindhoor did not find a dog hunting, they scavenge nearly all the 

time. There are also streetie feeders and informal caretakers who 

buy food and regularly feed them. 

The informal caretakers also provide healthcare sometimes, and 

there is a huge dedicated rescue network. Generally the dogs are 

very hardy although they can get hurt sometimes. 

Social life 

Puppy Classes - What is Useful? 

If we are not teaching puppies sit, stay, roll over then what are we 

to teach them! 

Firstly, to run Puppy Classes 

l Registration Form and payment before start of course 

l Four puppies maximum on a 6 week class for no more than 

an hour 

l Puppies generally 10-12 weeks old at start of course 

l Must have a well fitting harness and long lead 

l All clients know what to expect before they turn up 

l Classes take place in a vets so puppies like going there 

l Puppies undergoing vaccination process when they come 

to class 

l Make time for questions at beginning/end of class 

l People need to know everything they go through is normal 

l No certificates...that creates pressure 

l All clients have free phone/email time. 

Sindhoor Pangal - India 

Lives of Streeties 

India is around 5000 years old. It is 15 times larger than the UK, 

has one billion people and is growing really fast so not always 

room for everyone. It is diverse! 

‘Streetie’ is a term of endearment for the street dogs. In cities, 

street dogs are becoming indoor dogs, they are protected by law 

– can not be killed or removed. Breeds are coming into India not 

seen there before, these integrate with their own native breeds. 

What do the Streeties do? 

Barking, begging, curled up, foraging, grooming, playing, resting, 

rolling, scratching, sitting, sleeping, sniffing. 

l 37% of dogs were on their feet 

l 23% moving 

l 14% were on their feet but not moving 

l 17% not on their feet 

l 46% were asleep. 

They are not in set groups or families. It is very fluid with a lot of 

movement between, the dynamics change on a daily basis. 

Regularly dogs get together in larger groups to do a tour of the 

area….studies are ongoing to establish why. 

They appear to make friends with anyone anywhere. It is not in a 

full on way etc., they are cautious, but curious of each other. 

Conflicts get resolved without aggression. They can argue over 

dogs in heat, food etc., but done in a low key manner that 

resolves quickly and easily. 

Most dogs have peaceful lives, good social skills with humans, 

dogs and other animals. Street dogs have a social ability with not 

so much human input, they don’t seem to have the common 

behavioural issues of pet dogs. The way we involve ourselves in 

their lives is a big factor. 

This project was crowd funded and Sindhoor is open for 

collaborations from anyone interested in progressing this further. 

Sindhoor is working with Galen. 

This is the beginning, studies are continuing to ensure results can 

be shared with everyone. 

www.bangalorehundeskole.com 

Enriched Environments 

Puppies come in to an enriched environment from beginning, 

items change weekly. The floor should be full of items, or in a box 

and the puppy must have access. Allow puppies to explore the 

objects and chews on the floor. Ask people every week if they are 

happy with what is on floor. 

Give People Homework 

Share experiences, what puppies have seen each week, clients to 

observe and be quiet, treat searches, interesting ways to feed the 

dog, read and understand the breed, care and grooming 

‘Never touch a dog harder than you would touch your eyeball’ 

Top 10 subjects clients request help with - * House Training 

* Walk on lead * Recall * Mouthing/biting * Jumping up * Over 

excitement * Separation Anxiety * Stress * Fear issues * Barking 

What will be covered - * Socialisation * Day to day routine 

* Handling skills * Sleep * Mental stimulation * Calming signals 

* Loose lead walking * Diet * Signs of fear and how we can help 

A day in the life of a puppy - * 16-20 hours sleep a day, and more 

when growing * They will grow 1-2kilos a week if larger dogs 

Winkie Spiers - UK 

* Have a variety of beds, and choices of places to sleep * They 

need companionship * Food – good quality * At around 18 

weeks dogs loose their teeth so dry kibble will hurt to eat * Water 

- always available * To feel safe * Mental stimulation * A range of 

things to chew, do and explore * Choices 

House Training - * Be calm without pressure * They like to 

wee/pooh away from their food * Use puppy pads by exit * Allow 

them to walk to toilet area * No toxic sprays 

Causes of Common Puppy Problems 

Hunger – Look at what suits the dog...not you! 

Getting over tired – Leave them alone to explore and sleep. 

Over stimulated – People can whizz puppies into a frenzy. 

www.winkiespiers.com 

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Turid Rugaas - Norway 

Growing Up... 

Growing up and developing into an adult is a big task for any dog. 

A puppy needs to feel safe, and have someone to look after them, 

they should never be scared. 

They need role models who can show them how to be when they 

grow up. We must be good role models too, but other dogs guide 

them best. 

The parent role model will provide them with safety and protect 

them, teach them essential skills like bite inhibition, let others 

keep what is theirs etc. 

Always plenty of water and quality food so they never get hungry, 

and can develop healthily. They must not have to defend their 

food from other dogs or people. 

They are social sleepers, and puppies can doze, and sleep 

anywhere but need social contact for safety and entering in to a 

deep sleep. Never disturb a sleeping dog – never allow children 

or others to do it either. Not enough sleep can show itself in their 

behaviour, illnesses etc. 

Eliminating 

It is important they can do this when they want to, not to be 

commanded. They get neuromuscular control from 8 ½ weeks. 

When this happens they start to control when and where they pee. 

Social Contact 

This is very necessary, get a dog sitter if you need to go out. When 

they get older a good daycare will be ok, or they go with you. 

Social contact with dogs is essential. They can play with puppies 

of their own age for no more than 5/10 minutes. Stay away from 

large groups and be aware big puppies may bully smaller ones, 

they don’t see consequences for their actions. Bullies learn to be 

bullies, and dogs can learn to be afraid. 

Plan it carefully: Introduce one dog at a time, have short play 

sessions, meet nice adult dogs, different sizes, ages and breeds. 

Avoid puppy classes that do obedience. And ensure any 

experience is no more than 30 minutes, otherwise it’s too much. 

Walks 

When they get old enough take them on calm social walks to 

learn how to be social and cope with the environment we live in. 

They can walk together on and off the lead and do treat searches. 

Mental Stimulation 

This create the ability to cope with life. Start as soon as the dog 

can see and hear – introduce one thing at a time, one quiet 

sound, smell, something to see, touch or taste and leave them 

free to explore by choice. 

Introduce something new everyday, letting them be curious and 

find out by themselves, with no treats or luring. Let them climb 

and explore. 

The only way to conquer fear is to have a choice of what to do. 

Then curiosity takes over and they work it out by learning what to 

do in a difficult situation. It is the only way to grow up selfconfident 

and being able to deal with life. 

Movement keeps joints healthy. Climbing, sniffing and stretching, 

in different territories, instead of walking in a straight line on a 

lead. We tend to walk far too fast so the dogs have to trot or run 

by our side. We need to walk very, very slowly. 

Sitting down and getting up takes a lot of power they do not have 

muscles for. It is hard on the skeleton, joints, and the back. 

Studies show that dogs do not sit much when given the choice. 

Avoid – chasing balls, sticks, frisbees – this causes stress, 

physical injuries, damage to teeth. Training such as 

obedience/perfect behaviour is not for puppies, it may come later 

if needed at all. 

Be Patient as they Grow Up 

Learning simple house rules and learning to walk nicely on a lead, 

accepting being handled is good. But one thing at a time, small 

children and puppies are not supposed to be well behaved 

straight away – we forget this. 

They need to grow up learning to be confident, social, curious and 

enjoy life with you. Let it explore and sniff, we must ensure they 

enjoy life...then we will relax and enjoy it too. Celebrate your dogs 

curiosity! 

www.turid-rugaas.no 

Their meaning of life – 

Nosework! 

Create a menu of different things you are 

able to do with and for your dog: 

l Surprise treat tree/treat search 

l Tracking 

l Visiting a variety of different places 

l Shopping malls after closing 

l Equestrian venues 

l IQ games 

l Surprise boxes 

...all ensures VARIETY! Even when they 

are ill they can still have exploration in 

their bed. 

Structure of a good doggy week 

They are polyphasic sleepers, we need to 

adjust the rhythm of the day and increase 

doggy time in the morning. So get up earlier 

to give dogs a better start to the day. 

Monday 

They will be tired after the weekend 

Morning – walk 20mins, treat search, 

scatter feed, search for toys 

Mid day – search, pee, tree treats 

Afternoon - garden 

Evening – short walk 

Tuesday 

Morning – 45 mins walking, treat searches 

Mid day – someone comes to visit, hide 

teddy 

Afternoon – go to different environment – 

petrol station 

Evening – short walk (10mins) 

Wednesday 

Morning – social walk with a friend/or 

treat search 

Mid day – teddy search in the garden 

Afternoon – prepare a track 200m, 1 hour 

old and then present it to dog 

Evening – short walk/search for toys 

Thursday 

Morning – Lost Retrieve 5-6 repetitions 

Mid day – treat tree 

Afternoon – enriched environment 

Evening – walk /scent discrimination 

Friday 

Morning – walk with friends 

Mid day - search for treats 

Afternoon – track 400m 1½ 

hour old trail 

Evening - walk and IQ game 

Saturday 

Breakfast together 

Track – demanding 

Rest 

Enriched Environment – friends 

garden 

Rest 

IQ games/find toys 

Sunday 

Family picnic 

Lost retrieve 

Pee and square search in the 

garden 

Toy lost retrieve 

Treat Tree 

Dog and owner hides, friend finds them 

then change 

This will be enough, judge by each 

individual dog 

Seasonal Variations – Winter and Autumn 

l When there is snow, you can bury things 

...dogs love it and may bury it deeper 

l Snow obstacles 

l Dress the dog appropriately 

l Protect the paws 

l Indoor games 

l Name toys. 

Summer 

l Hide treats in water/on water 

l Explore wetland..hide things for them – 

toys/treats/chews 

l Do they need a cooling jacket 

l Do activities morning/evening 

l Take water 

l Search for frozen treats. 

Puppy care 

l IQ games 

l Being together 

l Sausage trees 

l More frequent activities, but shorter 

and softer – not running 

l Always do it in a safe and known place 

l Don’t walk your puppy. 

Anne Lill Kvam - Norway 

Adolescent 

l No Planning 

l Tracking is good to make them 

concentrate for a while 

l May prefer wider games with more 

action/lost retrieve 

l Can not provide their own safety, don’t 

know what is best 

l Avoid throwing things 

l Tracking is calming 

l Less is more. 

Oldies/illness 

l Take them for a ride, they love this time 

to be with the owner 

l Humans must take initiative 

l If leave alone they will sleep, don’t let 

them sleep all day 

l Need to plan for things happening 

throughout the day 

l When they are ill adjust schedule to 

allow more time for rest and sleep. 

Multiple Dogs 

l Pick things they can do together, and 

then separate 

l Over time they learn to do lost/retrieve 

together and square search 

l Each dog has one thing to do alone. 

www.troll-hundeskole.no 




Four Important Areas 

Listening – developing and showing understanding 

Expressing – reducing defensiveness, being clear 

Planning & problem solving – working together to solve 

the problems 

Boundaries – limit setting to preserve the process 

Listening is the most foreign skill for us, but it is the most 

important skill to develop. When someone talks to you, we think 

of how to answer, instead use empathic listening. 

When in listening mode avoid: 

Asking questions, giving advice or suggestions, sharing your 

opinion or judging, reassuring, telling own stories, telling the 

person to shake it off 

‘I am passionate about sharing knowledge, I 

can’t do it all on my own so the more people that 

know, helps get the word out there. I have been 

passionate since the beginning of time!’ 

Monday Seminar 

Certain breeds are susceptible to disease – eg golden retrievers, 

setters. Maltese and Shetland sheepdog – high chance of 

thyroid. 

Thyroid is a master gland regulated by the pituitary and individual 

based on age, breed, weight, not on the fact it is a dog and 

should fit into a range of chart figures. 

Dogs do not have the same metabolism. Symptoms don’t show 

until 70% of thyroid tissue destroyed, it takes 12-18 months for 

the disease to get to that stage. 

‘Each person is one of a kind. In any training or 

intervention, we must never judge the client in front 

of us based on the past behaviours of others. 

Avoiding assumptions and focusing on the unique 

strengths and needs of each individual enhances 

collaboration and success’ – Risë vanFleet 

You see weight gain, recurring infections, subtle changes in 

behaviour, anxiety, cold intolerance, lethargy. Can become 

aggressive/submissive/ lie down/roll over and pee, phobias, skin 

and coat problems, muscle wastage, Pseudopregnancy, dry eye, 

loss of smell. If you have a dog breed predisposed to it, spaying 

early can effect development of hormones...never do that to a 

female. 

Cannot give thyroxine with meals because it can’t be absorbed. 

Dr Jean Dodds DVM - USA 

Dr Risë vanFleet Ph.D, RPT-S. CDBC – USA 

The Human Half of Dog Training 

If we are to influence the lives of animals we have to find a way of 

having an impact on people, this work is about human change 

too. So we have to be able to engage our clients in a way to 

create positive learning environments. 

Changing human behaviour is a complex process, even when 

motivated, people have trouble changing. Many factors can 

interfere – personality, history, prior experiences, family, trainerclient 

dynamics, attachment to animal – do they like it, how/why 

animal was acquired, belief systems about animals. 

We know it is hard to change things about ourselves, whether it is 

stress, habits or commitments etc. But made easier by sharing 

and realising others are in the same place. 

Humans have a need for control and predictability. Remember 

that controlling means they are anxious. So get people to work on 

something small to make progress - perhaps just watch the dog. 

Help your clients see that you truly understand them and their 

situation, this always helps change take place. 

It’s not our job to sort the entire situation, it is our job to come up 

with ways to help the owner take responsibility. A 50/50 split or 

less….not to take the entire situation on our shoulders. 

Boundaries - It’s not all about listening etc. Sometimes we need 

to say that is ‘not ok’ in a way that is firm but respectful. 

We can try to be really nice and helpful and clients keep pushing. 

We must look at our own role in this situation, there will be 

reasons why this is happening. There is nothing wrong in saying 

no I can’t do it, run the risk of burn out if not careful. 

The main problem in setting boundaries is that we are 

uncomfortable doing it. But if we remember to control the 

process NOT the people concerned that makes it easier. 

It is not all about boundaries 

It is not all about empathy 

...it is about the two together 

www.risevanfleet.com 

Give 1 hour before or 3 hours afterwards. Give am and pm 

because life of hormone is around 12 hours. 

No foods with gluten, calcium or soy when on thyroid medication. 

Low selenium effects the thyroid so has to be added. 

Update on Vaccine Issues 

Vaccinations work by simulating disease and the body produces 

antibodies to protect against it. 

Be wise and immunise, but immunise 

wisely...Dr Ron Shultz 

Same vaccine dose for dogs no matter what their size?! Mothers 

can be over vaccinated, so puppies have too much vaccine in 

their systems and make it ineffective. 

Do not vaccinate before animal comes on heat/during 

heat/pregnancy/when lactating. 

Titre tests DO NOT cost a fortune and are available for everyone. 

Titre stands for level of antibody in the blood of the dog tested. 

Need to know the numbers involved not just a yes/no response. 

Companies don’t need to show side effects of vaccines to get a 

licence. The licence does not require a vaccine protects more 

than 80% of dogs vaccinated. 

Canine Nutrigenics 

Nutrition is the most important and powerful reason for good and 

bad health, we can cure diseases through diet. 

Jean prefers an individual diet for the disease the animal is 

having, rather than feed commercial dog food. 

Functional Superfoods – DLPA can be bought as a capsule and is 

great for muscle/bone pain. It does not hide the reason for the 

pain. Give superfoods for 28 days and should see a difference 

Can reduce the cancer risk by 92% by eating green leafy veg 

There should be no thyroid/gullet included in raw diet, because it 

puts thyroid hormone into the dog. 

Walnuts are unsafe for pets because they sometimes have mould 

spores on them. Be mindful of all nuts. Coconut oil gives the 

brain a direct source of energy. 

www.hemopet.org 

Note: April issue covers an exclusive interview with 

Dr Jean Dodds 



Hogwarts Gala Dinner 

Pet Dog Trainers of Europe 

AGM & Conference 2018 

Vienna, Austria 28th - 30th September 2018 

The JUFA Hotel City Wien 

The 20th Anniversary AGM and Conference hosted by the 

Pet Dog Trainers of Europe is being held at the JUFA Hotel City 

Wien in Vienna. 

This promises to be another great weekend for all dog lovers and 

behaviourists with speakers already booked such as Turid 

Rugaas, Anne Lill Kvam, Winkie Spears, Sonja Hoegen, Nina 

Tschanhenz, Stephanie Rousseau and Eric Lee. The Guest 

Speaker is Dr. Iris Schoberl of Austria on the important subject of 

Stress coping in human-dog relationships. 

A BIG Thank you to Redworth Hall 

Hotel, and the Sponsors of The 2017 

PDTE AGM & Conference 

The AGM’s are such a great opportunity to learn what is currently 

happening in the dog world, network with other members and get 

to understand the importance of the Pet Dog Trainers of Europe 

in these ever changing times. Don’t forget it also goes towards 

your CPD. 

Full details of this event and the speakers will be in the March 

issue of the newsletter and available at www.pdtevienna2018.at 



New members... 

Alice Bronnum - Norway 

I was lucky to be born into a family of 

animal lovers. Especially my mum, she 

loves every living creature. I see striking 

resemblance between her and Crocodile 

Hunter Steve Ervin. I think we had as pets 

anything and everything you can catch 

outdoors. From bats, snakes, rats, 

hedgehogs....you name it. Than we had 

some ‘normal’ pets like guinea pigs, 

hamsters, fish, corella bird, cats and dogs. 

My mum has an equally affected sister, 

who was at that time married to a prison 

guard. He worked with and trained dogs 

professionally. Together with his friends, 

trained Rottweilers several times a week. 

They were to guard prisoners and prevent 

them from escaping, and seeking those 

who sometimes managed to escape. 

I was a small girl then but fascinated by 

their training. It was the old school 

training. The ‘dominant’ way but not so 

harsh as one can see currently. Those 

massive men with their massive dogs 

loved each other and I could see that 

relationship based on mutual respect and 

unconditional love. I guess I was 

‘infected’ and dogs became an important 

part of my life. 

My interest is mainly directed into two 

areas. Dogs nutrition and genetics/breed 

development. I currently study dogs 

nutrition to became a raw food nutrition 

specialist. Later on I would like to dive 

deeper into genetics and breeding. Me 

and one of my dogs worked as volunteers 

in pet therapy, (Canis therapy). My dog is 

an internationally certified therapy dog. 

(Pet Partners, earlier Delta Society) He is 

retired now so I am focusing on other 

areas where i could be of any use. 

I determined to work with dogs the rest of 

my life. They make me complete and give 

my life a meaning. They are and always 

will be my best friends. 

Amee de Bruiyn - Netherlands 

As a child I already knew it, I want to work 

with dogs! I always felt so much love and 

appreciation for them. They are honest, 

don't judge or blame and are always in 

the here and now. 

From the age of eight I walked 

neighbours dogs (I wasn't allowed a dog 

myself), I continued until I went to 

secondary education. I especially want to 

help dogs that were treated badly by their 

owners. That's what drives me, I want to 

take suffering away from them. 

I went to agricultural education, took an 

extra class for dog trainer in the third year 

and behaviour specialist in the fourth year. 

From 12 to 22 I had many different 

internships, volunteering and paid jobs at 

animal shelters, doggy daycares, pet 

shops, groomers and kennels. During all 

these years of experience, I saw traditional 

dog training (dominance, correction, 

punishment etc), or dog training with the 

use of rewards but to do obedience and 

activities like fly-ball and agility. 

These things didn't fit, I tried very hard to 

get better at practising them. At school 

and internships I was told this is the way 

to interact with and train dogs. I could not 

master or enjoy these methods and 

actions, so my conclusion was I'm no 

good as a dog trainer. At 24 I decided to 

find something else to do for a living. I 

tried many jobs and educations, none felt 

like the one for me. 

Three years later, I came in contact with a 

Natural Dog Trainer in Holland, educated 

 

by Turid Rugaas. I was relieved and 

blissful when I discovered there is a 

different way to train and interact with a 

dog, a way in which all I dislike from my 

past is not included. A method solely 

based on helping a dog build selfconfidence 

and balance, and improve its 

wealth and health. All is scientifically 

substantiated and proved. 

This is what feels good to me, this way of 

interacting with dogs is what I stand for, 

this fits me and I want to put all my time 

and effort in professionally helping as 

many dogs as possible, as good as I 

possibly can! I just finished my education 

to become Natural Dog Trainer and 

behaviour consultant at Calming Signs, 

the Netherlands. With my business 

“Stressless Dogs“ I deliver four main 

services: Behaviour therapy, puppy course, 

adult dog basic course and nose work 

course. I also have a private dog walking 

service. I recently started selfemployment. 

I still have so much to learn 

and discover. As an entrepreneur and as a 

Dog trainer / behaviour consultant as well. 

I determined to work with dogs the rest of 

my life. They make me complete and give 

my life a meaning. They are and always 

will be my best friends. 

Anette Gamst - Netherlands 

I am a woman in the middle of life. I’ve 

always had a deep love for animals and 

spent my childhood rescuing worms from 

puddles in the rain, saving lemmings and 

mice and taking care of them at home 

(not sure they saw it that way looking 

back on it) and avoiding stepping on ants 

in the forest. I spent a lot of time with my 

neighbour’s dogs. I had two cats and a 

variety of rodents growing up, but it 

wasn’t until I was an adult that I finally 

got my own dog. 

I didn’t know a lot about dogs, but 

fortunately enough, the puppy class I 

attended with her, was one where the 

training was nice and dog-friendly. This 

lay the foundation for the way I train and 

see dogs. Now I have my second dog, a 

golden retriever named Nova. With her 

my interest in dogs really grew, and I 

wanted to learn more to give her the best 

life possible and to be able to share 

knowledge with other dog owners. 

I started my dog trainer class in 2015 and 

finished in the spring of 2017. I also have 

attended different seminars and lectures. 

I love to go tracking with my dog, and am 

very interested in different ways of letting 

dogs use their nose. This is something I 

would like to explore more in the future. 

Bart van den Biggelaar - 

Netherlands 

I am 32 years old, and live with dogs half 

my life. Always had dogs at home and 

was always helping friends with their 

dogs if they had some small issues. Just 

because I love being around dogs. Since 

my dad raised his dogs pretty rough I was 

always looking for a better way to work 

with them. 

Most I learned and used in the past I 

learned from books and television, but 

always tried to find a way that was more 

like a coach than a “Boss”. But for the 

most part I was just living life, working a 

mindless job to pay my bills and enjoyed 

the long walks with my dogs when I 

could. I always thought about working 

with dogs, but never made it happen. One 

day we had two dogs, but because one 

was sick we searched for a new one. We 

found Jake, Jake was a 1 year old Pitbull 

and would go to the shelter if we didn’t 

take him. A bit underestimated and a lot 

of Cute Pupppy-eyes made it an easy 

choice and we took Jake in. 

Jake had problems with his thyroid gland 

and was a real eye-opener for me. Because 

of him I started searching for trainers 

who could help me, found the PDTE and 

changed my whole life. I needed to quit 

my Job for Jake and after I started my 

education I am finally gonna live my dream 

and start working with the best species 

earth knows...oh yeah and people! 

For now I’m working in an animal shelter 

working with the dogs, hope to finish my 

education and want to help dogs and 

their owners as behaviourist on consults. 

Also puppy classes and other more 

advanced exercises. I am still thinking 

about ways because I just started my 

dream, but there are plans to start my 

own animal rescue organisation for when 

disasters strike or something big happens 

and there are a lot afraid dogs or other 

animals. Like ”the Animal storm Squad”. 

Bettina Stemmier - Switzerland 

I studied psychology (and history and 

philosophy in side subjects) at the university 

of Zurich. I did several empirical research 

projects about human-dog-relationship and 

dogowner-society interactions. 

Beside the study I did three dog trainer 

educations (Certodog HIK-1, Dipl. 

Tierpsychologische Beraterin I.E.T., int. 

dogtrainer Rugaas) and ongoing 

seminars of course. As a hobby I always 

walked with dogs from other people 

before I could have my own dogs. 

I started doing agility 1997. I’m agility 

instructor in a club and I offer private 

training lessons for dogs with 

behavioural issues. 

Camilla Askevold Saersten – 

Norway 

I am a 37 year old woman who is married 

and has 3 children. I have a Masters degree 

in pedagogy and I am currently working 

with a master’s degree in social work. I also 

work with doctoral thesis which will focus 

on therapy and pedagogy. I have been 

active with dogs for around 20 years. 

Previously I have run German Shepherd 

dogs, but this has changed along the way. I 

started at Turid Rugaas international dog 

trainer school in 2008 and found a 

community of like-minded people. 

I have worked extensively on various issues 

over the years, but want to highlight in this 

introduction that I have worked with dogs 

that have been particularly abused by their 

previous owners. 



New members (continued 1) 

Cecilie Magnus Campbell - 

Norway 

I am a 50 year old woman, married with 

two children (aged 16 and 18). Grew up 

with two dogs (Doberman, one female 

and one male), and since then I have had 

the pleasure of living with a cocker 

spaniel, golden retriever, a mix of 

Norwegian buhund/Welsh Corgie and 

alkhound, and our last dog was a 

Chihuahua. We are currently in the 

process of buying a Chihuahua puppy. 

My interest in dogs has always been very 

strong and for many years I wanted to 

become a veterinarian. Instead I ended up 

with a bachelor in management, and an 

International Master in Business 

Administration. However, my interest in 

dogs and their well being has remained 

strong, and in 2015 I started my education 

at Troll Hundeskole in Kongsberg (Anne 

Lill Kvam), and received my certificate as 

a dog trainer in March 2017. 

I would like to work with behavioural 

issues and plan to set up a business 

(sole proprietorship) as soon as possible. 

I have also started a blog where I am 

writing about behaviour, needs, the dogs 

attenuating signals etc. You may view my 

blog at https://gladhundblogg.no 

Chantal Kroeze-van der Ree - 

Netherlands 

I live in a small town in The Netherlands 

with my husband and our 11 year old dog, 

Xavi, who we adopted when he was 6 

years old. Growing up I’ve never had the 

pleasure of living with a dog, which 

makes Xavi my first canine companion. 

Up until a year before Xavi came into our 

lives, I was working as a Social Worker, 

but, although meaningful and thankful, I 

found the work to be really exhausting 

and frankly not satisfying enough. That’s 

when I realized my true passion lies in 

working with dogs. And so began the 

search for the right education. 

After some trial and error I landed with a 

dog school that truly set me on the path 

I’m currently on, when it comes to how to 

properly treat a dog and work/live with 

dogs. It is here that I got my degree as a 

dog therapist and where I got most of my 

field experience with tracking, social 

walks and other fun activities like scent 

discrimination. In the future I would love 

to further my education in different 

kinds of fun activities, (methods of 

working on) behavioral problems and 

balance & coordination. 

However, I think my largest continuous 

source of learning is Xavi, I can’t even 

begin to describe the numerous things he 

taught me through our years together and 

will continue to teach me. He reminds me 

every day that I really have a passion for 

dogs and that I can’t imagine anything 

else than working with dogs. 

David Oliver – Spain 

My name is David Oliver and I have spent 

 

an important part of my life dedicated to 

working with animals, as I believe they 

are honest and they offer their love 

unconditionally. This has helped me grow 

as a person, acquire greater knowledge 

with time, and become a dog trainer with 

the aim of transmitting my knowledge to 

people who need it. I currently live with 

three dogs, a Golden Retriever, a 

Husky/German Shepherd mix and a 

Catalan Shepherd mix. 

With them, I have learnt a lot about 

communication and training, after all they 

are my inspiration for becoming a better 

dog trainer. Each dog has its’ own 

personality and I have had to learn how 

best to deal with each of them differently. 

With these dogs I have learnt, that the 

best way to work with them is through 

play. I am not a person who enjoys 

being tough or authoritative, so I have 

had to learn that, through play, you can 

also discipline. 

I am qualified as an Animal 

Communicator with Olga Porqueras 2010, 

Dog Trainer Course (Discan) 2011, PNL 

(centro civico Fort Pienc) 2012, Assisted 

Therapy with Animals Course (Aetana) 

2013, First Aid for Dogs in the Mountain 

(J. Martinez. Vet. Pirena) 2014, Natural 

Feeding and Homemade Remedies 

(Angie Domhan) 2014, Tracking Course 

(Enric) 2014, AMC-lider 1 Certificate 

(Marcos Ibanez) 2015, Professional Reiki 

Therapist Course Levels 1, 2 and 3 2016. 

Denise Vrolijk - Netherlands 

I’m living with my four dogs and friend 

Chris in the city of The Hague. When I 

was a little girl, I couldn’t be more happy 

when my father brought a little black 

stray dog home from work. Nera lived 

with us for more than 14 years. I liked to 

walk her, take care of her, be together and 

when I was sad, Nera was always there. 

Lots of years passed living without a dog, 

due to work and living circumstances. Six 

years ago I adopted my first foreign stray 

dog Tara (mix German-Belgian Shepherd, 

Afghan Hound, Vizsla). Today she lives 

together with our other foreign stray dogs 

Cloë (mix German Shepherd, Ibizan 

Hound, Rat Terrier), Mika (mix German 

Shepherd, Rottweiler, Beauceron, Husky) 

and Simba (mix German Shepherd, 

Mastin, Ridgeback, Saluki). 

They all had their difficulties learning to 

cope with their new lives (afraid of traffic, 

people, other dogs, loud noises, men, 

kids), but we gave them the time they 

needed to get more confident. Although 

we had some help from a therapist with 

Cloë, I wanted to learn more about the 

body language and behaviour of my own 

dogs. In 2016, I successfully completed 

the National Dog Trainer Education 

(NDTE) at Calming Signs, The 

Netherlands, with a quartet game, book 

and presentation about the enriched life 

of City Dogs. 

I’d like to help dog owners having 

difficulties managing the day-to-day city 

life together with their dogs. As a private 

coach and behavioural consultant, I’d like 

to open the eyes of dog owners to a more 

natural, respectful and joyful way of living 

together. Under the title Dog Livity, which 

refers to the spiritual concept of 

Rastafar-I: a natural, loving way of living 

together with mutual respect 

Diana Bowmans - Netherlands 

From a child on I have been fond of 

animals. I have had mice, birds, cats, 

dogs, sheep and horses. I have had three 

dogs at the same time and on this 

moment I have one dog who comes from 

a shelter. Dogs with us are part of the 

household. 

A few years ago I started as a volunteer 

at the shelter, going out and spending 

time with the dogs that stayed there. I 

walk there with all the dogs, so I have 

experience with all kind of dogs. Because 

the dogs experience a lot of stress due to 

their history and the circumstances in the 

shelter, I wanted to know more about dog 

behaviour so that I could meet better the 

demands of the dogs. So I followed and 

passed the course Natural Dog Trainer at 

Calming Signs (Nelis Verhoeven) in 

Koningslust in the Netherlands. In the 

meantime I also started to take dogs (the 

ones that were staying there already a 

considerable time and were not adopted 

because of the issues they had) from the 

shelter temporary to my home to help 

them to cope with the issues they had, so 

that they became more suitable for 

adoption. The dogs stayed at my home 

until they were adopted. 

I also started as a volunteer at Dierenhulp 

zonder grenzen, an organisation that 

arranges the adoption in the Netherlands 

of dogs in shelters abroad. I visit the 

people interested in adoption in advance 

to advise about their suitability for 

adoption and after adoption to see how 

things go. After I finished the education 

at calming signs I also started as a 

behaviourist for the organisation and now 

advise the people in case they meet 

problems in the interaction with the dog 

they adopted. 

Ines Jiménez Álvarez - Spain 

Since I can remember there was always a 

dog at home. My father adored animals, 

we used to read lots of books about 

animals and their behaviour. 

One of our dogs, a powerful German 

shepherd started to display aggressive, 

protective and hyperactivity behaviours. It 

was the eighties, and techniques used by 

trainers seemed to me unfair and cruel. I 

refused that horrible kind of “professional 

hep” and tried to work other ways. 

Despite my limitations his behaviour 

improved dramatically. 

As I was interested in the field of animal 

behaviour I studied Psychology at the 

University, studying animal learning and 

ethology. The labour market drove me to 

the field of equal opportunities, 

education, training and employment in 

the frame of European Programs 

developed by the government of my 

region in Spain, Asturias. 

As I never gave up the canine world I 

started to increase my knowledge of 

positive dog training and I became an 

enthusiast of it. 

In my region, Asturias, dog training was 

based on the dominance and other old 

theories. The impact of this fact was 

evident in owners and dogs; that made 

me feel like it was necessary to do 

something to change this sad situation. 




Katja Werner - Germany 

Ever since childhood, animals have 

played a major role in my everyday life. 

Always dogs are a member of my family. 

Some years ago I searched for a 

responsible care for my dog and find the 

QimmiQ Lodge and Manja Leißner. The 

handling and the work with the dogs 

there is unique. Immediately I felt my dog 

lifted up well there. The idea of being a 

dog trainer has been haunted by my head 

for some time. When Manja Leißner 

asked me whether I could imagine 

becoming a coach and becoming part of 

their team, I was deeply concerned with 

the idea. After careful consideration, I 

decided to start a training course for dog 

trainer with Turid Rugaas and Manja 

Leißner in 2014. I was able to 

successfully complete this training in 

December 2015. 

Since November 2015 I work with dogs 

and their owners. My main focus is on 

the care of dogs in larger groups as well 

as the natural utilization of dogs by nose 

work. I oversee the QimmiQ Walker at 

QimmiQ Lodge. The dogs are cognitv and 

mentally encouraged in larger groups. 

The dogs we care for make friendships 

through shared experiences on the walks. 

Kirsty Grant – UK 

One of my earliest memories is of being 

in the garden in a big silver cross pram 

and seeing the triangular furry ears of my 

canine guardians. Everything always 

came back to dogs. Through the years of 

walking, training, rescue, obedience, 

showing, kennels, grooming. At the 

moment, I feel I have now come full circle 

and would just like to sit in the sun 

enjoying their company. 

I am developing a course for my local 

adult education college teaching the 

basics of canine communication. I am 

aiming this primarily at people who are 

fearful of dogs, have had bad 

experiences, postal workers and delivery 

personnel and first-time dog owners. It 

will be taught through videos and stills 

and observation. The focus being on bite 

prevention. The DDA puts a lot of dogs in 

extreme danger from misunderstanding, 

and I am particularly keen to do all I can 

to redress that balance. 

Leticia Sanchez-Moral - Spain 

After living in the UK for 20 years I come 

back to Spain my native county with my 

two border terriers. We had attended many 

 

puppy and advance training classes while 

living in England but they proved too little 

when we adopted an abandoned hunting 

dog in Spain. This made me consider to 

take my training that step further and I 

am now qualified as a dog trainer by the 

Principality of Asturias in Spain. 

Lindsey Zwart - Netherlands 

I’m 21 years old. I grew up living with 2 

small dogs. At this moment I’m living 

together with my girlfriend, 2 dogs, 7 rats, 

4 guinea pigs, 3 hedgehogs and 3 horses. 

We are true animal lovers. When I was 14 

years old I became a volunteer at a 

nearby animal shelter. I’ve worked there 

for almost 4 years. 

Looking back at that time I’ve learned a 

lot how not to treat dogs. This is also the 

reason why I stopped working there. I’ve 

also worked at a small animal pension. 

Because it was small business we could 

pay lots of attention at the dogs to make 

sure each individual got the attention 

they needed (as far as possible) In 2014 I 

started my own website www.hhin.nl I 

help people in finding a new and suited 

home for their dogs without going to a 

shelter first. Later on I would like to 

expand my website with a webshop and I 

would like working together with other 

dog behaviourist. 

I’m studying to become a Natural dog 

trainer at Calming Signs at this moment. 

And of course, I hope I will succeed. 

Maria Nerem Noto - Norway 

I am 26 years old. The first word I ever 

spoke was dog, and I stayed focused on 

the dogs for presumably the rest of my 

life. I got my first dog when I was 10, I 

spent years saving all my money, and got 

a lovely little pug. I have since had a few 

dogs in and out of my life, my father 

always had big dogs, and I turned to that 

myself when I got older. 

I have a weakness for mastiffs and 

molosser types. I always felt like I knew 

so much about dogs, that is, until I 

started studying with Anne Lill Kvam. I 

realized I know nothing. But I really want 

to learn. After now completing her 

course, I feel rather helpless in the big 

world of do's and don'ts in the dog world. 

But I am eager to expand my knowledge 

further and spend my life working with, 

and for dogs. 

Marieke van Berkel - Netherlands 

Hello everyone, together with my two 

dogs I live in Voorhout, the Netherlands. 

Currently, I’m following the Natural Dog 

Trainer Education at Calming Signs to 

become a dog trainer and – behaviourist. 

My day job is working as a psychiatric 

nurse and I’ve been enjoying that job for 

the past 5 years. I’m also a small-time 

dog breeder, raising a litter once a year. 

Both my dogs are female and their breed 

is an Australian Labradoodle. Amazing 

dogs! Such a sweet nature and very 

social. My goal in breeding is to raise 

stable puppies who have enjoyed an 

enriched environment and have had the 

opportunity to grow up in a safe, stable 

home without exposure to much stress. I 

also feel it’s my job to prepare their new 

owners to give their new family member 

the best life possible and I educate them 

on calming signals and the right way of 

raising them. 

I’ve only recently started my own 

business in dog training, called Op 

Hondse Wijze which basically means ‘A 

Dogs Way’. And that’s exactly my goal 

with this business. I want to teach my 

clients to treat their dogs ‘the dogs’ way’ 

by learning about their body language, 

respecting their boundaries and 

understanding their natural behaviour. 

Marijke Snip - Netherlands 

My name is Marijke and I live in the 

Netherlands. My partner and I wanted a 

dog for some time, but couldn’t because it 

was not a good combination with our jobs. 

This changed in 2013. We both knew we 

wanted a dog that needed a new home. 

We met Yara, a 6 month old Staffordshire 

Terrier mix and took her home. We came 

to realise that we had a lot to learn. 

I started with looking for a good dog 

school because I thought that was the 

place to learn everything about our dog. 

Despite there were no corrections and it 

was reward based training it was not 

what I was looking for. I wanted to learn 

about the body language and their needs 

and not teaching my dog some tricks. 

After trying a few different dog schools 

but no success in finding what I was 

looking for, I tried to get the information 

online. That’s when I learnt about Turid 

Rugaas and the PDTE. 

In 2016 I heard that Astrid Verkuyl and 

Pauling Lanting started the education 

‘Welzijn samen met de hond’ and I applied. 

At first only to be a better owner for my 

own dog, but over time I realised I wanted 

to try and help other dogs and owners. 

Natalia Bystrova - Latvia 

I was born in Moscow, Russia, graduated 

from Moscow State University (Faculty of 

public administration), met my husband 

Kirill there, who is a geographer. Thanks 

to his influence and the fact I have never 

really liked public administration, I 

decided to work at WWF-Russia after 

graduation as Director’s assistant. 

Meanwhile we adopted a cat (found him 

at Moscow underground) and 2 years 

later we adopted a dog from a shelter. 

That’s when our new life have begun. We 

had no intentions to adopt a ‘difficult’ 

puppy or some ‘unwanted’ dog with 

behaviour problems. We already 

volunteered in Moscow shelters for half a 

year, and we picked just one of nine other 

5-month-old puppies, who were born on 

the street and rescued to this shelter. 

This puppy was most affectionate and 

picked us himself, so we actually had no 




choice. But when we brought him home it 

turned out that he was completely 

unsocialised and he pee’d and pooped 

due to extreme stress the moment he 

saw anyone except for me or my 

husband. The city terrified him so much 

that we couldn’t get into elevator for 

weeks - he pee’d the second he left the 

apartment and stood frozen not able to 

move. Of course the outside world was 

like burning hell to him. It was a real 

nightmare and I never imagined a life with 

a dog can turn out this way. But... now 

our lovely BJ is 6.5 years old and he is an 

absolutely perfect dog. Not just a dog, he 

is one of the most interesting and loving 

persons I’ve ever met. He is absolutely 

amazing and much more then just a 

companion dog. 

When he turned 9 month old we moved 

away from the crazy city, because it was 

impossible for him to live in such an 

environment. We moved far away from 

Moscow, to a lovely calm green 

neighbourhood in Latvia! We were 

dreaming about moving to Europe for 

couple of years already, but BJ was the 

strongest motivation to do it as soon as 

possible. He inspired our family to make 

a huge change, and now we live in a little 

house in the woods and it is still 30 min 

from Riga and the airport. Isn’t he a 

magician?! Four years later we adopted 

our second dog, her name is Dharma and 

she is a real buddhist. 

Raul Hueso Miguel – Spain 

Hello, I am a person who during my 

childhood did not have any dogs, yes 

other animals, but I had very good 

experiences with dogs, thanks to my 

father who had a very natural way of 

relating to them, even with dogs that 

other people avoided approaching. 

Last years I have been living with dogs, 

currently with two labrador retrievers, 

which I work in animal assisted 

interventions, always looking for them to 

do so by maintaining their natural 

behaviours and ensuring their welfare. I 

am also a dog trainer and help many 

families improve their relationship with 

their dogs, teaching humans to 

understand dogs so they can be dogs. 

My training is very extensive, especially in 

the last 5 years, with 200 hours of canine 

education, 250 hours on animal assisted 

interventions and 150 hours on animal 

behaviour and welfare (University of 

Edinburgh and University of Melbourne). 

Among the speakers I have had are Turid 

Rugaas, Karen Pryor, Kay Laurence, Santi 

Vidal, Terry Ryan, Hotsche Luik, Nicolas 

Planterose, Claudia Fugazza and Sara 

Tagliati and all participants in the annual 

meeting PDTE 2016 in Barcelona, where I 

presented the study What do we know 

about dogs? winning the poster contest. 

We are currently conducting a study on 

animal welfare of animal assisted 

interventions, based on observation of 

behaviour and stress signals, analysing 

the factors that influence the increase of 

these stress signals, to improve working 

protocols. A study that we want to 

publish soon. 

I like to do workshops about dogs for all 

audiences, from children to adults. 

Turid Dyvesveen Sunde - Norway 

I have had eight newfies and two litters. 

Now I have just one newfie bitch. I got my 

first dog in 1998. I then knew very little 

about dogs, but have had a great love of 

 

them through my whole life. 

Because of lack of knowledge, we did 

many wrong things to our first dog, and 

that led us to seek help. I found a dog 

trainer who had taken the education at 

Hagen Hundetrenerskole. I quickly saw 

that Turid Rugaas’s way, gave great 

response in our heart. I then contacted 

Turid and after a while, I also attended 

Hagan Hundetrenerskole. 

During the 1.5 years there, I was an 

assistant and after a while, co-trainer for 

Anne Lill Kvam. Through the years 

afterwards, I have attended many courses 

with Turid and Anne Lill. Together with 

other dog owners, I started and arranged 

very successful evening courses for dog 

owners over many years. We have had 

Turid, Anne Lill and other Norwegian and 

Swedish speakers to give lectures. 

I work mostly with dogs who need help 

with fear and insecurity. I work one by 

one, and also arrange groups for relaxing, 

some tracking, and to be dogs together 

with other dogs. In other words, helping 

the owners to understand what is most 

important for a dogs life. 

Ulf and I also from time to time, take in 

dogs who need a home for a little while - 

hours, days and weeks. These dogs live 

together with our own dog(s) and us in 

the house as house members. My 

greatest interest is to help the dogs have a 

good life without too much stress and too 

much ‘do this and that’.I make enriched 

environments and let the dogs be free to 

explore and develop their self-confidence. 

Dates for your 

2018 Diary... 

MARCH 

3-4 

Dog Symposium 

Quality Hotel Olavsgaard, 

Near Oslo, Norway 

www.dogsymposium.no 

MAY 

25 

International Dog 

Trainer Education 

Starting May 25th 2018 with 

Turid Rugaas (Spain) 

Canidos, Argenona, Spain 

Email: info@canidos.es 

STARTING 

OCTOBER 

26-27-28 

Nosework Education 

Holland 2018 

By Anne Lill Kam 

Three units starting October. 

Venue: Koningslust 

www.calmingsigns.nl 

© Noel Lopez 

FEBRUARY 

1-4 

Canine Exercise 

Physiology 

with Julia Robertson 

Galen Therapy Centre 

St Petersbury, Florida, USA 


MARCH 

2018 

International Dog 

Trainer Education 

Starting March 2018 with 

Turid Rugaas (USA) 

Asheville, North Carolina, 

USA 

SEPTEMBER 

28-30 

PDTE 

20th Anniversary 

AGM & Conference 

JUFA Hotel City Wien, 

Vienna, Austria 

www.pdtevienna2018.at 

NOVEMBER 

3-4 

Dog Symposium 

The Netherlands 

www.dogsymposium.nl 

38 Winter 2017/18 - PDTE Newsletter Winter 2017/18 - PDTE Newsletter 39

in the April issue... 

An exclusive interview 

between Turid Rugaas 

and Dr Jean Dodds 

An insight from The 

Symposium in Oslo 

© Yamon Figurs 

Skin Problems and 

Allergies 

An IDTE Update from 

around the world 

© Gerd Altmann 

Rescue Shelters 

implementing changes 

from around the world, 

Nuria Janeiro 

Preparing your dog for 

the summer months 

What to expect from 

the 20th AGM and 

Conference in Vienna 

and much more... 

Note: If you have anything to 

contribute for this issue 

please email it to 

pdteeditor@hotmail.com

PDTE 2017 Winter Newsletter

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