Let’s be honest — the dog training world can get weirdly political. People want to know what kind of trainer you are: Are you force-free? R+ only? Balanced?
And for some, what “camp” you’re in really matters.
If that’s you, that’s okay — we all have our preferences. But here’s the truth:
I don’t subscribe to a label. I don’t train to follow a philosophy. I train to help the dog in front of me — with whatever approach they actually need.
Transparency From the Start
If you’re already one of my clients, you’ve seen me walk dogs on everything from harnesses to flat collars, slip leads, prong collars, and yes, even e-collars. My own dog, Chilli, wears an e-collar, and I’ve always been open about that and often speak about it on social media.
But here’s the thing: just because I use a tool with my dog doesn’t mean I’ll use it with yours.
I’ll always work with what’s best for your dog, not mine. No pressure, no agenda. My job is to support you, not sell you something you don’t need.
Some People Really Do Care What Camp You’re In
I’ve always been transparent. When dogs join me for walks, I’ve never had someone ask what “method” I use at a meet and greet. Maybe they assume. Maybe they don’t check my website or scroll my social media. Or maybe they just trust that I’ll treat their dog well — which I do.
What I always say is simple:
• We always have treats to hand to reward good behaviour.
• I’ll replicate what you already do with your dog.
• Harness, collar, slip lead — I use whatever you’ve left out at the door.
That said, I once had a client cancel services after seeing a post of Chilli wearing an e-collar. They told me they only support force-free businesses. And hey — that’s absolutely their right. We all get to choose what feels right for us.
But it reminded me why it’s so important to be crystal clear. This blog isn’t here to change minds. It’s here so you know where I stand, and a little more insight to how I work.
How I Got Here
I’ve never been someone who forms strong opinions about things I don’t understand.
So early on, tools like prong collars, e-collars, even slip leads — I didn’t really have an opinion. I’d seen the negative posts floating around online, but I hadn’t used them. I hadn’t researched them. I hadn’t needed to. And honestly, I didn’t plan to.
Then I started this business.
And I realised that doing right by dogs, really supporting them, meant learning about everything.
Even if I never planned to use a tool, I needed to understand it properly. Because you can’t help dogs (or guide owners) from a place of ignorance.
So I read. I watched. I listened. I spoke to skilled trainers using tools in ethical, structured, thoughtful ways. And I saw dogs improve. I saw stress go down, not up.
And that’s when it clicked:
The tools themselves aren’t the problem.
It’s how people misuse them.
It’s how people don’t understand them.
It’s how people have formed an opinion based on fear, not facts.
Some people hold strong views about tools without ever having picked one up, or even tried one on themselves.
Yes, I’ve tried an e-collar and prong collar on myself. Of course I have. Because as a bare minimum I should know what it feels like before drawing conclusions.
And funnily enough, I’ve even had clients ask to feel an e-collar out of curiosity, and I’m always happy to show them. No pressure. No dog involved. Just transparency.
What I Don’t Do: The Old-School Aversive Stuff
I want to also be clear about what I won’t do. I don’t use extreme or severe training methods. No yelling, no hitting, no ‘alpha rolls’ or physical dominance techniques and I definitely don’t believe in shutting dogs down by breaking their spirit or making them fearful.
That kind of old-school “dominance” training isn’t just ineffective, it can damage the dog’s wellbeing and your relationship with them.
My approach is built on respect, clarity, and kindness.
Even when I use tools, it’s always with purpose: thoughtfully introduced, ethically applied, and never to intimidate or harm.
The Dog That Changed Everything
There was a dog early on in my career who had a bite history on multiple people, including me. He was close to being put to sleep. His owners were devastated and out of options. They had already worked with several ‘positive-only’ trainers, but nothing had helped.
As a last resort, they brought in a highly regarded trainer who took a more structured approach, including introducing tools. With the right guidance, the dog’s behaviour began to shift. And because I was still walking him, I committed to learning how to use those tools properly, ethically, and calmly. He started coming on group walks, became more social, more relaxed. It changed his life — and mine.
Three years later, he’s still walking with me. He’s thriving.
And that was a turning point for me. And why I’ll never rule out a tool, if it’s what a dog genuinely needs.
Sometimes, the right training plan doesn’t just improve a dog’s life, it saves it.
Training Chilli
In 2023, I brought home Chilli with the goal of raising her as my demo dog. Calm, reliable and neutral in my training and walking work.
I fully e-collar trained her, working closely with trainers I trust. Not to just “use a tool,” but to deeply understand the mechanics, the timing, the communication and how she felt through it all.
She’s confident, happy, cheeky, and curious. She’s not ‘shut down’. She’s not fearful.
And if you’ve met her, you know exactly what I mean!
That training experience gave me a deeper understanding of how to help dogs and their humans. Using tools if they’re right, and only if they’re right.
Yes, Positive-Only Can Work — I Taught It!
Before I ever touched a tool, I taught positive-only puppy classes, and I still believe in everything I taught there. When you’re working with young, clean-slate dogs, positive reinforcement is powerful. It shapes behaviour, builds confidence, and strengthens the bond beautifully.
But not all dogs come to us as blank slates.
Some have trauma, frustration, dangerous behaviours, or years of rehearsed bad habits. Others are just intense personalities with no off switch and big feelings.
In those cases, communication has to be clearer. Boundaries have to be firmer. And I’d never choose to medicate or put a dog to sleep before exploring every fair, structured training option available.
A Positive-Only Win That Still Sticks With Me
A few years ago, I worked with a rescue dog who was incredibly nervous. Her owner wanted her to join group walks to help build her confidence, but she struggled. She barked at people, dogs, horses, bikes, anything that moved.
She wasn’t displaying true aggression. Her responses were fear-based. A dog who’d had a tough start in life and didn’t know the appropriate way to respond to the things that scared her.
We focused on confidence building, advocating for her space, and helping her feel safe. I did it all with treats. No tools, no corrections, just patience and consistency.
She wore a harness then, and she wears a harness now.
What she needed was confidence.
What she needed was clarity, predictability, and someone to help her feel safe.
It wasn’t about correcting behaviour, it was about showing her she didn’t need to be scared, and that acting calm would earn her something positive.
We celebrated every win. If she saw a bike and didn’t react? Jackpot. If she looked at a horse and stayed relaxed? Praise and a treat. Slowly her reactions softened and her world got a little less scary. She made it onto group walks, and she thrived.
For that dog, positive only wasn’t a limitation. It was the exact right path.
I Train What Works, Not What’s Popular
This isn’t about shortcuts. It’s not about dominance.
It’s about structure, clarity, and teaching the dog how to make better choices in a way they actually understand.
Sometimes that’s with a tool, thoughtfully introduced.
Sometimes it’s with a handful of chicken and a tug toy.
The dog decides. Not the label.
To Sum It Up
So, what kind of trainer am I?
I’m the kind who listens. Who adapts. Who won’t pretend a single method works for every dog, every time.
If your current method is working, that’s amazing. Truly. Keep going.
But if you’re stuck, overwhelmed, or just curious, I’m here. With no pressure, no preaching, and no judgment. Just honest advice, a packed set of strategies, and real support.
I care deeply about getting it right for your dog and your life. That means keeping my options open, my mind flexible, and my work honest.
Because labels don’t train dogs.
People do.
And I train the dog in front of me.
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