Course Details
High arousal is often blamed for performance problems, but excitement is rarely the whole story. Many dogs are navigating a complex mix of drive, anticipation, frustration, pressure, and uncertainty.
In this presentation, we will look at the journey of my young working cocker spaniel, Atom, exploring how reward-specific markers, listening skills, impulse control, confidence building, and reinforcement clarity can help dogs remain thoughtful and responsive when emotions run high.
Through practical examples from both gundog and obedience training, I will demonstrate how foundational exercises can be transformed into functional skills for the real world.
About the Instructor:
Jane Ardern BSc (Hons) Dip.CABT RKCAI (Working Gundogs) is an award-winning UK dog trainer, behaviourist, author, and speaker specialising in working and performance dogs. Named The Kennel Club Dog Trainer of the Year in 2016, Jane is known for combining academic knowledge with extensive real-world experience training high-drive gundogs.
After graduating with honours in Canine Behaviour and Training from the University of Hull, Jane went on to teach at university level, lecture for COAPE, and develop educational programmes for both dog owners and professionals. She is the owner of WaggaWuffins Canine College, creator of Smart Pup, and has presented seminars and workshops throughout the UK and internationally online.
A passionate advocate of ethical, reward-based training, Jane specialises in helping handlers navigate challenges relating to arousal, excitement, drive, and predatory behaviour. She shares her home with 8 working cocker spaniels, who continue to be both her greatest teachers and most enthusiastic training partners.
