Pawprints - My Story
Hi, my name is Karen, owner of Pawprints Dog Training and Pet Care Services, and Puppy School Crawley and Horsham.
From my earliest moments, I have always been passionate about animals, wildlife and the natural world around me. Growing up, my childhood was graced with all sorts of interesting pets, each with their own unique requirements and behaviours to be studied, enrichment ideas created and needs cared for. My own hamsters, finches, aquarium and pond fish, terrapins and stick insects all taught me very much, and although I wasn’t allowed them myself (my house was already resembling something of a small zoo), helping friends with their rabbits, cats and dogs and even ponies, widened my experiences further. If not ‘messing about with the animals again’, I would often be found outside tracking and studying the wildlife big and small and their fascinating ecosystems in the garden and woodland behind my home!
Since being slightly more grown up, I have only very briefly been without an animal in my life, and how empty that short time was! Knowing my passion for pets, many of our past and present furry, feathered or scaly family members have come to us as rescues or rehome, some as short term fosters, and others on a permanent basis. The menagerie has since at various times over the years included different species of finches, budgies, cockatiels, a green cheeked conure, button quails, chickens, bearded dragons, terrapins and musk turtles, tortoises, a royal python snake, axolotls, mice, rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, and of course our two very lovely dogs.
Our Westie, Indiana Jones, came to us from a local rescue centre, and I experienced first-hand the behavioural difficulties that can be encountered in fully mature adult dogs due to lack of adequate socialisation, habituation and basic training as a young puppy. Studying and carefully and empathetically working through these challenging issues with Indi inspired me to become a positive reinforcement-based dog trainer. Indi is now a happy well-rounded little old lad,
I am a qualified Puppy School Tutor, having completed the full Puppy School Tutor training course with Gwen Bailey, founder of Puppy School and renowned behaviourist. I have completed numerous training courses with the Institute of Modern Dog Trainers (IMDT), and am working on a Level 3 Diploma in Learning, Motivation and Reinforcement. I intend to apply for the IMDT membership assessment in due course. My first aid training for both humans and dogs is also kept up to date.
Having undergone personal assessment processes ensuring I meet their high standards, ethics and force and fear-free philosophy, I am proud to have been accepted both as a Registered Animal Training Instructor with the Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC) and also as a Member of the Pet Professional Network (PPN).
The ABTC is the regulatory body that represents animal trainers, training instructors and animal behaviour therapists to both the public and to legislative bodies. It sets and maintains the standards of knowledge and practical skills needed to be an animal trainer, training instructor or animal behaviour therapist, and it maintains the national registers of appropriately qualified animal trainers and animal behaviourists.
The PPN is the first international business support and educational platform for kind, ethical and trusted pet professionals. PPN are proud to work in collaboration with modern, world class training and behavioural institutes and associations.
I am of course fully insured, with Pet Business Insurance. So with a wealth of experience with a huge variety of pets, and being such an animal nerd, keen to keep on top of the latest scientific research and understanding of their needs, you can be confident your pet would be in safe hands with me at Pawprints!
