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Instructors
At present there are no formal training or qualification required to become a dog club instructor. There are however many courses offered and organizations to join to help the would be instructor. One is The Kennel Club Accreditation Scheme for Instructors in Dog Training and Behaviour. the scheme launched in 2001 aims to establish a national register of qualified instructors, the scheme offers personal ‘accreditation’ by written, oral and practical assessment. There is no 'fast track' way of gaining Accreditation with 2 to 3 years being the average time between joining and assessment.
From courses and books a ‘tool box’ for training and behaviour methods, ideas and problem solving can be gained which is always useful but in my opinion the vital quality to have is ‘hands on’ experience. The ideal class instructor being the person who not only can train his or her own dog successfully but also has the ability to teach and help others to do the same.
Our Main Team of Instructors are -
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Alan Cole
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Tracey Usher
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Jan Burrell
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Pat Wells
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Alan – is an Accredited member of The Kennel Club Scheme for Instructors in Dog Training and Behaviour. Member of the British Institute of Professional Dog Trainers and the National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors. He has been involved in dog training and training clubs for the last 42 years. Over those years he has attended over 80 Courses on training, instructing and behaviour. Many of these were with former Met/Police Dog Trainer/Instructor Roy Hunter first as a Course member and later helping to run and plan Courses. He also attended 4 five-day Courses and ran his own 5-day Courses for five years in the Yorkshire Dales – and completed the Animal First Aid Training Course. Special area of interest: GSD care, training and behaviour management.
Tracey – has been Instructing for 11 years. She has attended Courses on Training, Instructing and Behaviour including 3 five-day Courses. She is an experienced 'hands on' horse and dog person and knowledgeable trainer. Tracey has completed an Animal First Aid Training Course and is a non-accredited member of The Kennel Club Accreditation Scheme for Instructors in Dog Training and Behaviour. Special area of interest: Puppy & GSD Training.
Jan - has been Instructing for 12 years. She has attended Courses on Training, Instructing and Behaviour including 4 five-day Courses. She is interested in all areas and methods of training and is a very knowledgeable companion dog trainer. Jan has also completed an Animal First Aid Training Course and is a non-accredited member of The Kennel Club Accreditation Scheme for Instructors in Dog Training and Behaviour. Special area of interest: Puppy & Advance Training.
Pat – has been with us for 14 years and instructing for the last 10. She is interested in all areas of training including obedience, agility, tracking, fun & games. She is an outstanding trainer and compassionate dog person. She has completed an Animal First Aid Training Course and is a non-accredited member of The Kennel Club Accreditation Scheme for Instructors in Dog Training and Behaviour. Special area of interest: Obedience, Agility, Practical Training.
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Nat Wells
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Anita Crundall
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Vickie Arkesden
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Mick Yallop
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Martin Gowler
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Nat – Who this year gained a First Class Honous Degree in Animal Behaviour started dog training at 10 years old - Now 21 is a very experienced trainer and able instructor. Nat is often available for one to one help with obedience and agility at weekend sessions. Special area of interest: Obedience, Agility & Behaviour
Anita - Joined us in 2008-Having an BSC (hons) in Animal Behaviour from ARU, she has also completed a Cambridge Institute of Dog Behaviour Training (CIDBT) course in basic care and behaviour and is a APDT (01061) member. Having always been interested in dog behaviour and training she has owned and trained dogs from an early age. She currently just has one dog; a 2year old black Labrador called Skiba. Special area of interest: Behaviour Problems & management.
Vickie – started training dogs in her teens and after attending college and completing a Course in Animal Care, she joined and became a trainer with Hearing Dogs. She has completed an Animal First Aid Training Course, is a COAPE Puppy Class Instructor, running early socialisation classes for nearly 3 years at Hughes-Parry Veterinary Clinic and is a non-accredited member of The Kennel Club Accreditation Scheme for Instructors in Dog Training and Behaviour.
Special area of interest: Puppy & Companion Obedience.
Mick – is one of the original instructors of the group. He has attended around 20 Courses held by Roy Hunter (former Met/Police Dog Instructor) first as a Course member and later helping to run Courses Mick has also completed the Animal First Aid Training Course. Special area of interest: Labradors & training the basic control exercises.
Martin - Is the lastest member of the team joining us in 2009. He took up training through necessity in 1995
when he gave a home to his first rescue dog Bella, with all the baggage that they can
sometimes come with. A second dog Tetley followed a year later.
The opportunity to
become an Instructor at The Dog Club St Ives came in 1998. His main
motivation was to help pass on to others what he had learned, in the hope that it
would help their dogs to never need to become rescue statistics. He is a Grade1 British Institute of Professional Dog Trainers Instructor gaining this in 1999. He has also attended a Training
Through Play & Games Course with Dr Ian Dunbar and a Basic Animal First Aid
Course. Weeknights he Instructs at ND's K9 Academy in St Ives. Special area of interest: Care,Training & understanding the rescue dog.
And our 'On Call Team' who help out doing all kinds of jobs when needed are -
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Carol Hooper
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Jacky Scott
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Carol - with her husband Alan have given home to 6 Border Collies over the years all from rescue centres. Carol has 18 years 'hands on' experience of training and has attended 2 five-day training Courses plus the Animal (Dogs) First Aid Training Course. Carol is not only our 'standby' instructor but together with her husband give a lot of help at training sessions. Special area of interest: Care & Training of the rescue dog.
Jacky - not one of the instructors - but an important member of the team, welcoming new members, sorting admin things out and help to make sure things run smoothly.
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Courses Attended
The 5-day 'Canine Conventions' Courses attended by Jan, Tracey, Carol, and others from all over the UK held in the Yorkshire Dales for 8 years included speakers, instructors and trainers from HM Customs & Excise – HM Prison Dog Training Centre – Thames Valley Police Dog Section – Hearing Dogs – Dog Trust – Blue Cross – Search & Rescue.
Alison Rowbotham of the APBC – John McNeil of the BIPDT
Lectures covered areas such as Calming Signals – Shaping – Clicker Training – Instructing – Training & Behaviour problems.
Practical Sessions included training methods and approaches of teaching informal basic obedience in puppy classes through to exercises taught in advance classes. Also covered were Agility - Tracking - Search & Find.

Canine Convention held in the Yorkshire Dales
Graphic from www.cybergifs.com/dogs & www.fuzzyfaces.com
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