About PupStart Border Collie Training

WHY WORK WITH ME? 

I'm currently the only ABTC-registered Clinical Animal Behaviourist and Animal Training Instructor specialising in border collies.

The ABTC (Animal Behaviour & Training Council) is a non-profit organisation that is working hard to ensure that anyone that calls themselves a clinical animal behaviourist has the qualifications and experience to be able to work with owners in a professional, ethical and approachable manner.  You can rest assured that they will use science-based training that has been proven to get results.  The industry is currently unregulated, and anyone can call themselves a trainer or behaviourist, even if they have no qualifications at all.  Finding a behaviourist or trainer from the ABTC website will ensure that you are working with someone who will be able to help you and your dog.

There's so much conflicting advice available online about how to train your collie and deal with behaviour problems, so it's difficult to know what advice is good and what could make your dog's behaviour worse. As an ABTC-registered  Clinical Animal Behaviourist and Animal Training Instructor, I'll work through a process with you that will give you the confidence to work on your collie's training and behaviour plan, knowing that it's the best option for you and your dog in your unique circumstances.

It's an investment in your future together!

Training & behaviour advice from Rachel Rodgers

I'm a fully qualified Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CAB), and an Animal Training Instructor (ATI) registered with the ABTC (Animal Behaviour and Training Council) and a full member of the APBC (Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors).

I have been raising and working with border collies since 1994. Together with my dogs over the years, I have trained in:

Obedience
Agility & Flyball
Sheepdog training

My four collies, Gael, Esther, Flo and Ozzy, and my flock of 14 pet sheep are all part of the family.  We live near Spalding, Lincolnshire.

 

  • QUALIFICATIONS
    • I'm an ABTC Registered Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CAB)
    • I'm a full member of the APBC (Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors)
    • I've completed an MSc in Clinical Animal Behaviour with distinction
    • I'm a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (KPA CTP)

    These are among the best training and behaviour qualifications available.

  • EXPERIENCE

    I have been training collies since I was very young, and have worked or volunteered in rescue, working with dogs to improve their lives while they wait for their forever homes.

    I'm also a qualified teacher, and as so much about dog training involves training the owners how to train their dogs, this means that I can deliver information in a way that you can use and understand.

    I have worked with all breeds, but collies are where my heart lies!

  • DOING IT RIGHT

    I'm relaxed, conscientious and approachable.  I'm not judgemental and I'll use my knowledge and experience to work with you to create a behaviour and training plan to help you and your collie achieve your goals.

    I use kind, gentle methods of training based on sound scientific theory - I'll help you to build a wonderful relationship with your dog.

    My methods are fun and effective, involving treats, play and movement to keep dogs interested, engaged and happy.

Rachel Rodgers, The Collie Consultant

WHAT DOES WORKING WITH ME LOOK LIKE?

Step 1:

Get in touch, ideally via email or my contact form - phone signal here is not great.  Let me know your email address, telephone number and your location, as well as a brief description of why you need help.  I'll contact you to find out more about the sort of help you need.

Step 2:

I will ask you to fill out one of my training or behaviour forms that will give me further information about your dog and the issues that you've been having.  My memory isn't great and when I'm working with lots of dogs, I need to be able to refer back to each dog's behaviour or training form.

Step 3:

If you need help for a behaviour problem, I will need vet referral.  This just means sending a link to my vet referral page to your vet and asking if your can be referred to me for behaviour help.  Most vets are used to this request for referral to specialist practitioners and it won't be an issue.

Step 4:

Once I receive your form plus the vet referral (if needed), I'll be in touch to arrange the consultation or first training session at a mutually convenient time.  I'll also ask for any videos of your dog that you can send over, not necessarily of the problem behaviour, but just of your dog at home, on walks, playing with the family, mooching round the garden etc, so I can get a feel for their behaviour and personality.  And I'll send over an invoice which needs paying the by the day before your first session.  If you need to pay over several months, this can be agreed.

Step 5:

If you have opted for a behaviour consultation, I will send over the behaviour report and training plan within a week of the consultation and arrange the first follow up.  You'll be able to contact me by email or WhatsApp at any time for help, and I'll respond as quickly as I can.  If you are working with me remotely, videos of your training will be required to ensure that I'm able to help you.

If you opted for a training session or package, I will send over a summary of the conversation and any training guides mentioned in the sessions.

Step 6:

Medical conditions or some problem behaviours can take longer than the behaviour support period to resolve.  In these cases, you can opt for an extra 3 months of support at a fraction of the cost of the main consultation package (usually £150).

Read my terms & conditions here.

ABTC Clinical Animal Behaviourist