Meet the Instructors
DIG IT DOGS has 16 instructors in total.. we teach between 4-8 classes from Monday to Thursday and weekend classes throughout the year! We are kept very busy but here are some profiles of our TRAINING TEAM!
Tuesday Agility
Tuesday Agility 5pm to 6pm - Rachel Flentje MSc, BSc Hons
I have been surrounded by animals all my life and have been lucky enough to develop a career working with them. After leaving school I went to Reaseheath and completed a first and national diploma in animal care and then went on to complete a degree in animal behaviour and welfare. During this time I worked at Windyway Animal Sanctuary, where I gained practical skill working with dogs, cats and horses.
In 2006 I was kindly sponsored by one of my past lecturers to complete an MSc in research methods. In return I conducted some research for her as part of my dissertation on horse personality. I have now been lucky enough to find a job working at an equine research centre, where I am currently conducting systematic reviews on the health and training of these animals.
In my spare time I obviously enjoy (addicted to!) agility and started competing last year with Poppy a collie x, who loves it. I also attend obedience classes and more recently heel work to music classes.
Tuesday Agility 6pm to 10pm Jenna Ellison
Jenna is an experienced agility instructor competing her young border Collie Meisha for the first time this year. She has experience running many different breeds of dog including lurchers and lowcheins! She is a qualified Kennel Club and UKA judge.
Recently qualified for Crufts at YKC level, team agility and ABC. I have been teaching for 7 years many of my current pupils have reached grade 7. I have also done the agility club instructors course, judged finals and qualifiers.
Wednesday Agility 5pm to 6pm
Sarah Gold
My family always kept dogs and had a collie cross and cocker spaniel, Crystal and Sonny when I was brought into the world; I have never known what it is like to be without a canine companion. I started riding lessons at 4 years old and was bought my first pony at 7, a 12.2hh called Van Dyke, my last horse who is now 24 years old is a chestnut mare named Tosca.
Since retiring my horse and giving up riding I started to focus my attention on dogs, I recently undertook a Basic Dog Training Method course through Reaseheath College and hope to do some further training in the future. I already owned a resue Staffy, a handsome and loving boy Sam when I took an interest in agility, but Sam just crashed and burned! By pure luck when i visited the RSPCA for a companion for him there was a beautiful young collie, Pippa, who immediately came home with me and who is now progressing well in the discipline. She is currently leading in the Begin to Win league, we are competing at Alsager in the Tailwaggers winter league and shall be entering whatever else comes along too.
I started a fun agility class with Sarah Hursthouse, to who I am very grateful for giving us a good start, and now train not only at Dig It but with Clever Dog College alongside their grade 7 dogs so it's a constant challenge, but has given me the knowledge, understanding and confidence to teach my beginners class, all of whom are doing really well.
As well as my part-time job I walk dogs in the afternoons for Hayley of Doggy Day Care, at present I only have 4 to do (as well as my 2) but there's always room for one more!
Wednesday Agility 6pm to 8pm
Lisa Evans
Wednesday Agility 9pm to 10pm
Sarah Mclean MSc Hons, BSc Hons
Having been around animals all my life and being born into a household with a Doberman who was 6 months older than myself, and then Manchester Terriers, I knew when I bought a place of my own I would feel empty, I think I lasted 4 months before I went to look at a litter of pups, this is when I fell in love with a tiny tiny dog the size of a hampster!! who I called Kita. Kita is 3/4 Chihuahua and 1/4 JRT. I decided I wanted a companion for Kita so I then found a litter of JRT X Chihuahuas for sale near where I live, there were only 2 left so I came home with them both!! and my parents had one. I kept the Tri coloured who I have named Belle. I started Agility training with them both at the end of 2009 which is when I became a member of Dig It, I have never looked back, and its fair to say we are addicted.... Kita entered her first KC show in August 2010, and managed to win into Grade 7 in September 2011, also obtaining her AWGold, she is so into agility it is untrue, she lets me know this every time we get on the start line as she howls in my ears!! She is a very stubborn and strong willed little dog, and agility has done her the world of good.
Belle on the other hand was attacked badly at the age of 6 months, and generally lacks confidence with anything anyway, getting her to even do 1 jump at the start was tough, and if there was another dog around she would sit in a corner panting and shaking. We have taken it very slowly and with patience we are now able to attend classes with other dogs. We started to compete at the start of summer 2011. Suprisingly she won from grade 3 into grade 4 so there is hope to all those people out there with dogs who start off nervous. Training 2 very different dogs has really helped in me becoming a better dog trainer all round. I have had so much help from the other Dig It instructors with my 2, I felt I wanted to put something back into the club, and so I decided to teach at the club, I am loving every minute of it and love watching new dogs progress.
I work Full time doing shift work as a Biomedical Scientist at Leighton Hospital, but I think id rather be training dogs all day!! I hope you all become as addicted as we all are, and most importantly I hope you and your dogs have fun.
Wednesday Agility 8pm to 9pm
Vicky Robinson
I came to DIG IT DOGS in 2008 with a view to gaining experience working with dogs and how to train dogs using positive methods. I started off watching classes and helping out with the Weave training exercises which ensure the dogs have independent weaves from the start of their training... with a little extra help from me! I already have teaching experience through horse riding where I have taught beginners to more advanced riders, and also through dancing which I studied for A level. I spent a week in Germany teaching dance to young German children which I loved as I really enjoy seeing people progress...and now I’m on to Agility!! I have also taught the Good Citizen Obedience award at Bronze level on the odd occasion when Lydia has needed an instructor! I have always loved being around dogs and I have done quite a bit of training with my Auntie's border collie Jaz and we have competed successfully at the begin to win competitions coming in the top 3 over the course of the season :( He is great with other dogs and he's so funny! He has had a break from agility for a while due to him reaching his mature years now (can’t believe he’s 11!) But my auntie has a new addition to the family a collie called Bryn who is just over 1 now so hoping to get started on him soon! :)
I spend a lot of time with my horse Dece who I regularly compete at dressage, showjumping and am hoping to do some eventing next year. I have also just started training for my level 2 qualification in becoming a teaching assistant in schools. I just love teaching!! I have really enjoyed watching my class develop over the last couple of years and I’m really excited for what they can achieve in the future.
Thursday and Weekend Foundation Agility Classes - Claire Powell BSc(Hons)
I have had a love of animals from an early age, although it took sometime before I got my parents to agree to having a dog. After my GCSEs I started to volunteer at Blackpool RSPCA kennels and soon found myself working with the problem German Shepherds, although my first dog was a Sheltie cross I insisted we adopted to save him from a pts situation. He was extremely kennel stressed but turned out to be a delight to own.
From then I knew I was destined for a career with animals. So I decided to go to University and managed to attend 3 universities to gain my HND and BSc. Starting at Reaseheath College and then a second year at Chester University college doing a HND in Animal Behaviour and Welfare, then I choose to complete my degree at Harper Adams University so I could concentrate on the agricultural side of things and gained a BSc(hons) in Animal Health, Management and Welfare. But my learning hasn’t stopped there I am continually topping up my knowledge and attending more courses as and when they come up. This includes various one day courses back at Reaseheath as well as Canine Nutrition and Dog Training theory as well as Attending Kim Hunt’s training for trainers courses. In 2010 I became a level 2 qualified UKA Judge meaning I can judge all classes at UKA shows including the games.
My own youngest terrier Cooper is quite a character at the club and trains in no less than 4 disciplines (Agility, Flyball, obedience and ringcraft) hence why I end up at the club so much! He shot up the ranks over 2010 getting from grade 1 to one win off grade 5 at Kennel Club and up to Champion Level at UKA. We currently race with Allstars flyball team and are not far off gaining his Intermediate flyball dog award. He also does very well in the show ring despite not being a pedigree as we are members of the Crossbreed and Mongrel club and I also try my hand at Adult handling classes, which we managed to qualify for the championship finals three years running now. I have made many mistakes training him but have been working hard on putting it right with guidance from Lydia. This is actually why I teach the foundation agility courses so that others can learn from my mistakes and not make them themselves with their own dogs. I am very passionate about teaching foundation now and cannot stress enough how important it is.
My day is working as a farm assurance assessor visiting farms all over the North West of England and North Wales. For 2011 I will also be a qualified Reiki Practitioner and be treating dogs and other animals in their own homes. I hope to soon complete a dog psychology course and become a dog behaviourist and am working towards APDT qualifications.
On top of all this I foster dogs for a charity called Oldies Club who rehome dogs over 7 years old and only used foster homes so none of their dogs ever go into kennels which is a marvellous thing for these older ladies and gents. They will often be seen at the club too even if it only for a social. Although it is surprising how little training a lot of the dogs have had even at their age, so I work hard rehabilitating them before sending them off to start their new lives. Two of my fosters do now live in Sandbach so it’s nice to be able to keep in touch with them. One foster dog, Trixie, keeps in touch daily as I ended up adopting her myself.
OBEDIENCE CLASSES
Obedience Coordinator and lead Instructor.
Sam Redmond DipCAPBT(COAPE)NOCN
Like most trainers I have always had a love of animals and as a child had a menagerie of animals including dogs, cats, guinea pigs, birds, horses, fish and a turtle.
For my early adult life I worked in investments, a job I hated but I always said I wanted to do something with animals. In 1992 my husband I obtained 2 Labrador/collie crosses-litter brothers we called Scooby and Scrappy. Needless to say this did not work out and eventually we had to re home one of the them. We kept Scrappy a timid under-confident dog who did not know how to play because Scooby would not let him. Scooby had to go because he was too unpredictable around our then toddler daughter.
It was during this time that I began looking at why we had had a problem. Training classes at that time were harsh old school, choke chain and smack your dog and I didn’t see a need for it. I got more and more interested and once my girls were older I enrolled on a “ThinkDog” home study course at COAPE under the tutorage of the wonderful Sarah Whitehead. I progressed on to study for an intensive year the Advanced Diploma in Pet Behaviour exploring behaviour, the dogs brain, nutrition and neuro-pharmacology. I was very fortunate that my tutors at that time were Peter Neville, Val Strong and Robert Falconer Taylor all very respected figures in the animal science/canine behaviour world. My 2 mentor figures are wonderful ladies both running hugely successful practices and one of them is a renowned authority on the wolves at Yellowstone.
In 2009 I was appointed as a trainer for DOGAID- training pet dogs to assist their disabled owners. We currently train both hearing and manual support dogs.
I have also done some preliminary Gun Dog work, write the occasional article for Dogs Today magazine about my Behaviour cases and am currently studying to upgrade my Diploma to a Level 4.
Our much loved Labrador Scrappy died in September 2010 aged 13 leaving us all devastated. I am now the proud owner of a wonderful 16 month old Northern Inuit Dog. I wanted a challenge and boy did I get one. She has been hard work and her training was intensive but Koda has emerged from her puppyhood as a laid back, very happy and relatively biddable girl.
She is training up as an assistance dog (just for fun) and has her own blog:- taleofanortherninuitdog.blogspot.com
Half way through 2011 Lydia asked me to take over the Obedience Department and it has been so rewarding to watch it grow to what is now, offering such a wide range of activities for dogs and owners. In Feb 2012 a Behaviour team was established so we can now offer specialist help and rehabilitation where needed.
For the future I have many ambitions: This year I would like to get my APDT status or do the KCAI and do much more studying of these wonderful creatures. In future I would like to learn to train seizure alert dogs, mush sled dogs and do some Search and Rescue work with Koda.
Gwynneth Williams
Gwynneth is a very experienced trainer and teaches Competitive Obedience classes and the Heelwork to Music classes. She has two lovely dogs... Deacon Blue a very highly driven blue merle border collie who competes in Obedience competitions and Alfie a Pyrenean Sheepdog who competes in Obedience and Agility shows! She's also a qualified championship obedience judge.
Assistants in the Obedience and Puppy classes are:
Dena Swift
Instructor for the Tuesday evening puppy classes. Her own dog is called Magic, a show cocker spaniel!
It is so rewarding to be working at Digit with such a great team of dog experts. I too came into dog training through initially having horses and completing my British Horse Society exams, but then I became a dog owner and was hooked. In the last 12 years, I have discovered the ups and downs of dog training for myself, but having done all the Kennel Club Good Citizen Scheme Awards and some other activities, my specialist interest is Working Trials, great sport for all breeds of dog combining obedience, agility and nosework, all off lead and in all weathers, so the handlers have to be a hardy breed too. I am an active member of the North West Working Trials Association and have the good fortune to own a working cocker spaniel called Magic, who has won the North West Nosework Championship amongst his other achievements. Therefore it follows that I have a particular interest in training dogs for scent and tracking work and for working gundog breeds. I have trained with the International Animal Behavioural Centre and fortunate to have an excellent mentor in Angela White KCAI BehA, CDA, ObA. I am a student of the Kennel Club Accreditation Scheme (this sets best standards of practice for instructors through on-going training). Along with more training courses for me this year, I shall look forward to helping more owners have the fulfilling relationship with their dog which they should enjoy for life.
Kathy Beresford
I started my dog training days in the show world purely by chance when 12 years ago my husband and I put our names down, waited patiently and eventually brought home our first Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, Molly. We got her as a carefully chosen “pet” rather than a “show dog” but as she had such a great pedigree and the breeders were so supportive, we decided to “have a go” - never dreaming where it would lead . . . All the way to CRUFTS.
A few years later brought home Molly’s niece Lulu, now five years old, who among others prizes won Best Puppy in Breed at a Championship Show to also qualify for Crufts. Wayne and I are also proud to represent Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Breed at Discover Dogs at Crufts each year and enjoy supporting the Breed Owners Club as Area Representatives taking part in Grooming workshops, pre-owner visits, family fund days and fund raising.
I have been teaching at Dig It for the last few years and have hands on experience in all Good Citizen Awards (Bronze and Silver and Gold) and now Lulu is beginning her career in agility.
I have qualifications in Dog Training Theory and Canine Psychology and Behaviour along with completing numerous seminars and workshops including Tellington Touch to try and satisfy my unquenchable thirst for more knowledge to make the most of our canine partners.
Owning Molly and Lulu has brought alive my passion for dogs and the fantastic bond that can be created between handler and dog, communication that brings out the best in your best friend.
I hope to share my knowledge and experience to help others to bring out the best from their canine buddies, and of course, have some fun along the way - they’re not “just dogs” you know.
Sarah Hursthouse
Sarah teaches the Monday evening puppy classes.
I am a qualified Canine Behaviour Consultant, with many years experience of working with dogs of all shapes and sizes! I am, what they call nowadays, a "positive" dog trainer. That is, I like to find ways to reward a dog for something I want him to do, rather than punish him for something he probably hasn't been taught how to do properly in the first place!
I have a University degree, an Advanced Diploma in Canine Psychology, I am a Gold standard Approved Instructor with the Academy of Dog Training and Behaviour and have listed status with The Kennel Club.
I have been working with dogs for over 12 years now and prior to that, I have years of experience in breeding and showing, as a former Dog Handling Champion. I am also a qualified Dog Groomer. I have 3 Border Collies of my own and enjoy competing in Flyball with the Carry Ons Flyball team. In 2012, I hope to compete with all 3 of my dogs in the British and European Championships.
Sharon Kynaston
I have had dogs as far back as I can remember and I have always been interested in how they learn and understand their environment. As a youngster I attended various training clubs and always enjoyed training within the class and also outside. I would spend hours with my dog and felt a great deal happiness when we attended competitions and achieved a rosette, my dog loved being with me and we had a great relationship. I built up my general knowledge of dog training through my early years by applying what I had been taught at the training classes and having a go,some things worked, other things didn't work so well. I noticed there was a lot of variance of training methods within different training clubs and I was looking for something that would suit my male German Shepherd (Judd) as he had a very high drive.
After investigating on the internet I came across the Schutzhund Association, this organisation is most suited to the working/guarding breeds, it sounded more suitable for Judd as there were three main activities that would keep his mind stimulated. Obedience, protection and tracking. He really excelled in each one and enjoyed it, he couldn't wait to get on the field. I was a member of the Schutzhund club for around 8 years and built up my knowledge even further in each of these three area's.
After spending so much time training dogs in a practical way I wanted to learn the theory behind it which drove me to completing various courses.
I hold a diploma in Advanced Animal Behaviour. I have completed a dog training theory course at Reaseheath College, and I will be starting the second year of my degree in Canine Behaviour and Training at Bishop Burton College this year.
I also help out at a local kennels near my home with feeding and walking the dogs, its great to sometimes get a little me time!
My thirst for knowledge never wains, I hope to pass and qualify as a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) this year, and carry on learning about these wonderful creatures.
Club Chair
Lydia Critchlow BSc Hons
The driving force behind the Club….. I have been around animals and dogs all my life. Living on a hill farm in the Peak District and having first hand experience of the skills required of working sheep dogs in the cold winters has made me truly appreciate the value dogs have. During school, I worked with various equine and small animal veterinary practices, which has provided me with the hands-on knowledge and experience to widen my knowledge of all animals ranging from cattle, sheep, rabbits, horses, guinea pigs and of course dogs.
In 2005 I graduated from Harper Adams University with a Bsc (Hons) Animal Health degree. The degree examines in detail the biology of animals and disease and outlines the scientific principles and applications of animal health and welfare.
I am also qualified as a Mctimoney Animal Manipulator with a Masters Degree verified by the University of Wales.www.mctimoney-chiropractic.org Like people, animals suffer from back, neck, pelvic and musculoskeletal problems and, like us, they can benefit from McTimoney manipulation. For my “MSc Thesis” I looked at “The effects of tactile stimulation of the fore and hind limb kinematics of agility dogs during a jump sequence.” In 2011 I began shadowing and working with David Prydie from PhysioVet. This dedicated rehabilitation and physiotherapy clinic is run by a veterinary surgeon working in conjunction with a qualified animal physiotherapist. Wework to support the vet in practice and offer a range of treatments that enhance the work already done, from post op. therapy to the chronic arthritic patient to weight management and fitness. In practice we see many agility dogs and hope to help and prevent injuries before they occur!
Alongside agility training I am a qualified Equine Sports Massage Therapist, obtaining the Equine Body Worker (EBW) certification from Equinenergy in 2007. This popular, effective therapy can be used separately or alongside McTimoney Animal Manipulation.www.equinenergy.com
I became a member of the APDT, Association of Pet Dog Trainers in 2007, membership number 01001. The Association of Pet Dog Trainers was founded in 1995 by John Fisher to offer pet dog owners a guarantee of quality when looking for a puppy and dog training class in their area.
The (KCAI) Kennel Club’s Accreditation Scheme for Instructors in Dog Training and Canine Behaviour is a course I am continuing to work towards accreditation. This is a membership scheme designed to set the standard for quality of advice, and by networking with its members, provide the best service possible for dog owners and dog training enthusiasts.
In 2010 I took the UKA Judges Course and I am now qualified to judge at UKA shows!
The dogs that I own include Treacle, a Patterdale x Jack Russell Terrier, ‘Red’ a very lovable red and white Border Collie currently at grade 4, my ‘special’ member of the family is a rescue Australian Kelpie called 'Teak' who takes more to competition Obedience than agility at the moment and my latest addition is the cutest Working Cocker Spaniel called ‘Freddie!’ He has yet to learn everything and is more of a foot warmer than serious competitor....
I am also a dog walker during the day and enjoy working with Hayley from Doggie Day Care walking between 5 to 10 dogs per day!