Dogs Matter

11/10/2025

I am a firm believer in having good hobbies, I love meeting people and hearing all about the bonkers exploits that they get up to in the pursuit of theirs, even if it's a non dog hobby 😉🤭😆

So partly because I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone and partly with the idea of giving Pie a hobby away from her main career, we went to SWATs Rally show today.

Pie was super, I may have let the side down in our first round 🫣 ... but she still came home with two good results, we learnt a lot, we had a lovely day out together, what could be better!

So now I have to ask what are your hobbies? Does your dog have a main career sport and a hobby activity?
I'd love to hear about all the bonkers things that people do!

31/08/2025

We had a lovely party with happy dogs and people and some funny Party games - human scentwork is HARD, which makes us appreciate our dogs even more.
Thank you, everyone, for coming, but special thanks to Gillian for organising! 🤩

28/08/2025

Much fun was had at yesterday's Scent club 🐶🐾 so much that I forgot to take photos 🤦‍♀️ but look at these superstars !

26/08/2025

Road trip!!!

In 2026 the Positive Gundog conference is going to SCOTLAND I'll be there presenting a couple of workshops, looking forward to it and a trip up north.
A really good value event, and a real positive bost for the training year.

Hopefully see some of you there 🙂

Professional Dog Training Services

25/08/2025

Did you know that Dogs Matter was 10 this year!

We are going to have a party on Saturday and anyone who has trained with us is welcome to join. Email for details [email protected] it would be so lovely to see you!

10 years of meeting lovely dogs and people, fun and learning!

We set up the company because I truly believe dogs matter so much, they make such a huge and positive difference to our lives.

Thank you to everyone we have met over the years, human and canine! and here is to the next 10! 🥳🤩🥳🤩

22/08/2025

*ONE SPACE LEFT*

The next sheep course is now ready to book!
This is a SUPER popular course - one I’m incredibly proud of. It’s real-life work, focused on how to live in the real world, with real distractions, using only kind training methods.

People say it’s not possible… and I say: hold my beer.

If you have any questions, please email: [email protected]

Being able to walk in the countryside with my dogs is one of my greatest pleasures. Understanding how we ensure not only our dogs are safe, but also the people and animals we share our spaces with, is a true passion of mine.

I’ve recently read some posts on social media bashing positive training - well we definitely shouldn’t believe everything we read! I just want to reassure you: I am absolutely not naive to the challenges of walking a dog in the wild. And I’m certainly not naive about different training methods.

I choose to train using relationship-based, positive methods - not just because they align with my ethics, but because I KNOW they work.

This course is what I would describe as a relationship reset, great for anyone really needing to review and develop their relationship with their dog, building a positive and cooperative one, full of trust and fun.

Booking link here:

https://bookwhen.com/dogsmatter/e/ev-sv34-20251005100000

Cute picture of our assistants here 😆:

08/08/2025

I don't post Random stuff very often because... well because.
But this, this is such a gorgeous quote 🧡
https://www.facebook.com/100076333802140/posts/774519055102548/

I just saw a post of a woman who lost her dog and she posted a quote, “Even though you didn’t make it to the end of my story, I’ll always have the corner folded down on your page as it was one of my favorites.”

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

04/08/2025

There is now the option to buy the videos from the Positive Gundog Training Conference
I did two workshops, one on Multiple marker systems and the other on working in tricky environments - where I was giving an overview of how I prepare my dogs to train in different environments, some of which may be very tricky! - all using positive relationship based training.
https://www.dogsrdogs.co.uk/online-shop/pgtc-2025-videos/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIy9X_SMzOk

🎬 The Positive Gundog Training Conference 2025 Videos Are Here! 🐾Missed the Positive Gundog Training Conference or want to revisit your favourite sessions?...

04/08/2025

At the weekend Pie and I attended a Detection Dog Trials organised by the ever proficient Jo from Paws4Teaching
Pie had a great time! She loves her sniffing hobby.
We were at Yeovil Railway centre, which was a super venue! and I think it is so fantastic that we have the opportunity to work in these environments, it is great for the dogs and for us.

So why do I do things like this with my dog, well mostly its so Pie and I can have some fun together, solving challenges and being in the moment together. She was as ever utterly committed to this mission, and we even got a rosette or two.

Thank you Jo (and Jo D!) for facilitating our fun!

07/07/2025

Space filled.

I have a rare cancellation space for the otherwise fully booked Beginners Scentwork workshop on the 16th July.

Feel free to email if you fancy the space! It is going to be a lovely session in a beautiful space.

Info can be found here:

https://bookwhen.com/dogsmatter/e/ev-s6xj-20250716130000

04/07/2025

Hello and Welcome 👋
I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself properly as the face behind Dogs Matter. Many of you who follow this page already know me, but for those who don’t..... Hi, I’m Gwen, and I’d love to share a bit more about who I am and what I believe in.

Celebrating nearly 30 Years in Dog Sports

I've been involved in dog sports for nearly 30 years - starting in competitive obedience and expanding into Agility, Scentwork, Gundog training, Herding, and Breed showing. Each discipline has taught me something unique and deepened my respect for the incredible versatility of our canine companions.

My true passion lies in high-quality, ethical dog training. I believe wholeheartedly in the extraordinary bond between humans and dogs - a relationship that brings so much joy, meaning, and connection to our lives (part of the inspiration for our business name). I think we owe them nothing less than our respect and thoughtfulness in how we train and live with them.

My current competition partner is Pie, a six-year-old Australian Cattle Dog. She’s a Show Champion, Grade 7 agility competitor, and holds her Working Gundog Certificate. She’s also had fantastic success in Detection dog trials. Most importantly, she’s a much-loved member of our family and my favourite (don't tell the others!) adventure partner.

At Dogs Matter, my approach is always dog-centered, kind, and evidence-based. I’m committed to helping people build lasting, joyful relationships with their dog - whether that’s through sport, training, or simply everyday life. My workshops aim to leave you with both practical tools and meaningful reflections, and above all, to help you find the joy in your training.

A quick note…
If you’ve messaged me and I’ve been slow to reply—please know it’s never because I don’t care. I’m genuinely passionate about supporting people and their dogs, but I’m also a mum to two young children, several wild dogs, and a host of needy sheep - balancing family life with training means the admin side doesn’t always keep up (rarely keeps up!).
I really appreciate your patience and understanding—it means a lot.

04/07/2025

By popular demand we now have a monthly - New learners Scentwork club, this is suitable to anyone who has dabbled but also teams completely new to scentwork.

Starting at the end of August.

https://bookwhen.com/dogsmatter/e/ev-shcu-20250827130000

Feel free to email me for more details [email protected]