ABOUT
LOVE YOUR PAWS
A Unique Approach to Dog Training
I’m Vicki, and I started Love Your Paws because I wanted something different for dogs and their humans.
Something thoughtful.
Something kind.
Something rooted in trust, understanding, and real connection.
I’m not here to tell you how to ‘fix’ your dog. I’m here to help you understand them. Because when we understand our dogs better, life with them gets a whole lot easier, gentler, and more joyful.
I believe in training that feels good for everyone involved. No harsh handling. No quick fixes. Just a calm, honest approach that puts your dog’s perspective at the centre of everything.
This isn’t about ticking boxes. It’s about building a lifelong partnership with your dog — and I’d love to help you do just that.
More Than Training—A Community
At Love Your Paws, we believe in community, compassion, and understanding. More than just a place for training, we are a support network where dog guardians find guidance, friendship, and a deeper appreciation for their dogs as sentient beings. Through interactive learning, pick-and-mix classes, and a focus on real-life skills, we help owners feel confident and capable in their training journey.
MEET THE DOGS WHO SHAPED LOVE YOUR PAWS
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Every part of our approach has been influenced by the dogs in my life. Ness, Sam, and Lochy each played a role in shaping the way I train and support owners today.
The one who started it all. Ness was a soul dog, one of those once-in-a-lifetime connections. She taught me that training is about listening as much as teaching. Her calm confidence, her deep understanding, and our unshakable bond made me realise how much more there is to dog training than just learning cues.
NESS
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SAM
My biggest challenge, my biggest teacher. Sam struggles with the world, and for him, training isn’t about ‘fixing’ behaviours—it’s about helping him feel safe and understood. We’ve done extensive scent work and tracking together, which has helped build his confidence. In fact, tracking people is the one time he feels confident enough to choose to walk up to someone. He’s taught me that training is about meeting dogs where they are and giving them the support they need to thrive.
LOCHY
Full of life, confidence, and curiosity. Lochy reminds me why thoughtful training matters from the start. She approaches the world with enthusiasm and joy, and by working with her instincts, rather than against them, we’ve built a strong relationship based on trust. She’s proof that when we understand and support our dogs in a way that makes sense to them, they flourish.
Here’s where I’ve come from — and what I bring to the table
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Dog training is an unregulated industry. Anyone can call themselves a trainer, and there’s no single pathway or agreed set of standards we’re all held to. That means it’s up to each of us to carve out our own route and choose how we want to learn, grow, and show up for the dogs and people we work with.
Every course I’ve taken, every workshop I’ve attended, and every organisation I’ve aligned myself with has been a conscious decision. I’ve always chosen to learn from people and places that reflect my own values: kindness, respect, emotional safety, and deep understanding.
Over the years, I’ve been a member of various professional bodies. Right now, I choose to be a member of just one: the International Institute for Canine Ethics. They treat both people and dogs with care and integrity — and their ethos aligns fully with mine. That membership offers an external reference point for the standards I hold myself to.
I don’t believe in collecting certificates for the sake of it. If a course or qualification doesn’t add value to my clients or help me grow as a trainer, I’m not interested. But I do believe in lifelong learning, and I’m proud of the experience I bring — both from formal study and from years of working with dogs and their humans.
Alongside my dog training work, I also hold a BA (Hons) in Social Work and I’m a qualified life coach. That background helps shape the way I support people as well as dogs — and it underpins my belief that relationships, not rules, are what matter most.
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Here’s a list of some of the courses, accreditations, and professional development I’ve completed so far…
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Oct 17 The Institute of Modern Dog Trainers 2 Day Career as a Dog Trainer
Oct 17 The Institute of Modern Dog Trainers 4 Day Practical Course
Oct 17 The Institute of Modern Dog Trainers Membership Assessment - passed Nov 17 Merit
Jan 18 OCN Principles of Dog Training & Behaviour L3
Feb 18 The Institute of Modern Dog Trainers L3 Methodology – Working with & Understanding Canine Behaviour
Oct 18 The School of Canine Science The Puppy Lab
May 19 IMDT Advanced Training & Behaviour
Aug 19 The School of Canine Science 30 Days of Canine Science
Nov 20 The School of Canine Science Scent for Six Oct 20
Mar 20 Pet Professional Network. Platinum Programme
Mar 20 Canine Principles Dog Trainer Business Booster
April 20 Canine Principles Canine Anatomy & Physiology Accredited Certificate
Oct 20 The Institute of Modern Dog Trainers Pain & Behaviour
June 21 Puppy Power for Professionals - Amber Batson
Feb 21 Bronze Instructor Course - UK Sniffer Dogs - Passed
Mar 21 Separation Anxiety Pro - Julie Naismith - Passed
May 22 Silver Instructor Course - UK Sniffer Dogs - Passed
May 22 Canine Hoopers World - L1 Instructor - Passed
May 22 L.E.G.S. Applied Ethology Family Dog Mediator - Training Division
Oct 23 Teaching Scentwork - Sally Gutteridge
Dec 23 The Institute of Modern Dog Trainers Pet Gundog
Ongoing - The School of Canine Science Behaviour Bible
Ongoing - Canine Principles L5 Canine Behaviour Management
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