Gemma Fisher, Dog Training & Behaviour Specialist

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Gemma Fisher, Dog Training & Behaviour Specialist

Border Collie training & behaviour specialist 🐶 In person 121’s 🇬🇧 & Online Courses available 🌎 I guess you’d say she's a bit of a fan of the breed!

Gemma Fisher is a renowned international trainer who specialises in Border Collies. She has belonged to 7 amazing collies, bred 17 talented collie puppies over two litters, and fostered 3 troubled collies before finding them their forever homes. Not to mention how many collies and their owners she's helped throughout her many years as a dog trainer. Border Collies and their crosses can be amazing

dogs. But they can also be really hard work too! That’s why she helps collie owners how to teach their dog a brilliant recall so they can enjoy walking anywhere without the worry of them overreacting to joggers/ cyclists or other dogs. She started as most people do, in a village hall learning traditional obedience skills. But she found her energy and enthusiasm was better suited to the sport of agility, and there a love affair was born. A life-long learner, Gemma has a wealth of knowledge to share about all things dog-related. She realised early on in her dog training journey that thinking outside the box and learning from other dog sports could only be a good thing. As far as she's concerned, there is no such thing as one size fits all. She works with the dog in front of her, each as unique as the people that bring them to see her. She shares her life with Border Collies, plus one somewhat unorthodox Working Cocker Spaniel. The Border Collies share her love of work and learning. The Cocker reminds her that life should never be taken too seriously. Gemma is a passionate and enthusiastic speaker who brings lots of energy to her workshops and seminars. She is only interested in shaping dog and human behaviour using kind, positive reinforcement based methods. It is her fervent belief that all creatures are capable of great things - if only they can brought to realise it. Helping people and dogs realise that is her definition of a successful seminar. She has a passion for helping dog lovers build better relationships with their dogs so that they can enjoy every moment with them. You will find her online training courses & workshops full to the brim with useful information and ideas to help you solve any dog training problem. Learn more at her website -->>

www.gemmafisher.com

11/11/2025

What a week inside Collie Culture Club looks like… 💛

This past week I’ve heard from members who:

✨ Joined their first Q&A and filled a whole notebook
✨ Finally cracked a training exercise and watched their dog light up
✨ Are rebuilding a bond with a collie who once felt like “an absolute nightmare”
✨ Took two dogs with very different struggles and saw both make progress
✨ Noticed their nervous dog relax after months of consistency
✨ Found courage to work through teenage chaos (we’ve all been there!)
✨ Are travelling on ferries, exploring new places, and feeling confident enough to enjoy adventures again

And my favourite line of the week:

“Thank you so much for the Collie ‘isn’t a nightmare’ club.” 🤪

If you’re working hard behind the scenes with your collie…
If you want structure, calm, clarity and a plan that actually feels doable…
If you want a community full of people who GET IT…

Then Collie Culture Club might be exactly where you need to be.

Because it isn’t about being perfect.

It’s small wins, tiny shifts, and big lightbulb moments - shared together. 💛

👉 The Club is currently closed, but you can join the waitlist here:

https://signup.gemmafisher.com/collie-culture-club-waitlist/

10/11/2025

✨ A little fireworks myth-busting because the comments in my local community group this week have been... well let's just say somewhat inaccurate 😅 ✨

I didn’t reply there but here on my page I can explain why comments like:

“It’s how they’re raised!”
“My puppy was fine!”
“Just get them used to loud noises!”

…are based on very limited experience, not facts.

Here’s the truth 👇

✅ 1. Noise sensitivity is HIGHLY genetic.

Many breeds - especially Collies - inherit noise struggles.
Saying “mine is fine so yours should be too” ignores basic biology.

✅ 2. Fireworks exposure is NOT training.

Proper sound training = slow, controlled, low-volume, positive.
Fireworks = unpredictable, high-intensity, uncontrollable.
Flooding a puppy with real fireworks can cause fear, not fix it.

✅ 3. Puppies often cope… until adolescence.

Fear periods are normal.
A dog who was “fine at 4 months” can suddenly become noise sensitive later - incredibly common and scientifically normal.

✅ 4. A quiet home doesn’t create a “fragile dog.”

Noise reactivity is about genetics, nervous system sensitivity, stress load and health - not how loud your living room is.

✅ 5. Fireworks can cause real welfare issues.

Research links them to panic, bolting, injuries, digestive upset, long-term anxiety and heightened cortisol for hours.

This is not “cotton wool.” It’s care.

If your dog struggles, you are NOT alone.

Here are my Top 7 Tips for a Collie-Safe Fireworks Night 👇
💥 https://www.gemmafisher.com/top-7-tips-for-a-collie-safe-fireworks-night/

08/11/2025

Fun social adventure class in the sun this morning ☀️

What have you and your collie been up to this fine day?

07/11/2025

✨ New Collie Conversations episode is live! ✨

Ever wondered why your Collie does something before you’ve even realised you’re about to do it?

Or why they bark for treats… or struggle when you stop to chat… or suddenly lose all sense of loose lead walking on an adventure walk?

This week I’m teaching one of my favourite ways to understand Collie behaviour:

👉 The Dot-to-Dot Method

Once you start seeing your Collie’s choices as a series of “connected dots,” everything begins to make sense - and training gets so much easier.

🎧 Watch/listen here:

Facebook group: https://bit.ly/3Mn3GtC

YouTube: https://youtu.be/7W6YgeIfkYM?si=Kd8f6na4cdylhwJd

Podcasts (Apple/Spotify): https://collieconversations.gemmafisher.com/

06/11/2025

Thursday night can only mean one thing..

It’s agility time! 🥳

05/11/2025

🎆 Bonfire Night Tonight! 🎇

Ahhh… if only it was just one night, right?!

Before I share what we’re doing here, I want to say something really important - something I’ve learned from years of supporting sensitive collies through fireworks season:

If your dog comes to you for comfort tonight, please don’t worry about giving it.

There’s a persistent myth that offering reassurance “reinforces fear,” but that’s not how emotions work.

You can reinforce behaviour - you can't reinforce emotion in the same way.

If fear is reduced, the behaviours attached to it reduce too.

So if your dog needs closeness, touch, or a cuddle, you’re not making it worse… you’re showing them they’re safe. And that matters.

For the past couple of weeks we’ve been keeping our collies as calm and happy as possible, and I thought I’d reshare some of the best, tried-and-tested ideas I’ve gathered over the years:

👉 Top 7 Tips for a Collie-Safe Fireworks Night

https://www.gemmafisher.com/top-7-tips-for-a-collie-safe-fireworks-night/

And here’s what really works in our house (I need to add these to the blog post!):

✅ Taiko drums on YouTube + white noise on Alexa in the conservatory
✅ White noise on Alexa in the living room + loud TV
✅ White noise on Alexa in the kitchen

The dogs hang out with us in the living room with the “sound buffers” on either side. It creates a little cocoon of calm.

Tonight I accidentally worked later than planned and when I walked into the house (in the dark – of course!) the fireworks had already started around 5pm. Poor Moss was really distressed 😞

Cue Mummy to the rescue!

Sound on, quick training session with hotdogs, favourite chews, and a small meal with chamomile… and everyone is feeling a lot more relaxed.

The layered sound really does help - and I know it’s working when all the dogs are settled on their beds, breathing quietly, completely at ease.

Happy dogs = happy mummy 💛

If you’ve got any fireworks-night tips I’ve missed, especially ones that help your sound-sensitive collies, pop them in the comments.

Let’s help each other get through the season 🐾✨

04/11/2025

Dog chew suppliers - let’s update the ultimate Collie Culture list! 🤩🦴

This popped up in my memories today and I thought… YES, we absolutely need a 2025 version.

Our collies love a good chew (and let’s be honest, so do we when it buys us 10 minutes of peace 😅), so let’s help each other out:

👇 Drop your favourite dog-chew suppliers in the comments!

Natural chews, subscription boxes, single-protein options, UK small businesses - whatever you love, share it!

I’ll round them up into a master list for everyone 🙌

04/11/2025

Nice message to start the day on 🙌🏻

03/11/2025

🐾 The 2-Meter Secret to a Quieter Collie Walk 🐾

As the evenings draw in, you might notice your Collie feeling a little tense on walks - more pulling, more scanning, more “what was that?!” moments.

It’s not just you (and it’s definitely not random).

Rain, wind, darkness, fireworks… all the things that make us feel cosy indoors can make our dogs feel on edge out on walks.

Collies in particular pick up every tiny sound and shift in the environment - rain hitting the pavement, static in the air, distant bangs - and that tension travels right down the lead.

So here’s a tiny tweak that can make tonight’s walk feel calmer 👇

🎯 Use a slightly longer lead (around 2–2.5m) and keep a soft bend in the line.

It gives your Collie space to breathe beside you and lets you carry calm instead of tension.

If you use a two-point harness, clip both front and back rings - it’ll help with connection and control around distractions.

You’ll be amazed how different your walk feels when there’s a little more space, a little less pressure, and a lot more connection.

💡 For extra help with winter walk struggles, check out these blog posts:

👉 Is Your Dog Pulling Your Shoulder Out of Your Socket?
👉 What to do when your dog hates their harness
👉 Top 7 tips for a Collie-Safe Fireworks Night
👉 Vlog: Ball Flingers - Love ’em or Hate ’em?

Give it a try on your next walk and let me know how it feels - calmer, lighter, or maybe even joyful again? 💛

02/11/2025

Let’s Take a Breath 🌿✨

We’ve made it through Halloween 👻 and probably a fair few early fireworks too 🎆

Whether your collie sailed through or found it all a bit much… today’s a good day to take a breath and notice what happened - without judgement.

✨ Maybe they surprised you with their calm.
✨ Maybe you spotted some struggles you didn’t realise were there.
✨ Maybe it felt messy - and that’s okay too.

These moments aren’t about perfection. They give us valuable clues about how our dogs experience the world - and what they might need next.

🐾 Calm doesn’t come from big overnight fixes.

It comes from small, intentional steps over time.

👉 I’d love to hear how your collie did this week.

Share a win, a wobble, or both in the comments - your story might help someone else feel less alone 💛

📲 And if this week highlighted something you’d like tailored help with - barking, reactivity, car chasing, or just feeling calmer on walks - you can book a free Discovery Call here:

https://tidycal.com/gemma3/enquiry-call20250218164034

Here’s to a calmer week ahead for you and your collie 🐶🌿

01/11/2025

If Last Night Was Hard… You’re Not Alone 💛

If Halloween felt a little chaotic for your collie - the door knocking, the costumes, the unfamiliar noises - I want to remind you:

✨ You’re not failing.
✨ You’re not behind.
✨ And you’re definitely not alone.

For many collies, these moments don’t just reveal “training gaps.”

They highlight how sensitive, intelligent, and instinctive these dogs truly are.

And when that instinct kicks in, it’s not about disobedience - it’s about how they feel.

If last night showed you where your dog struggles, that’s not a setback.

That’s really valuable information.

👉 It’s the starting point for change.

With the right plan, and the right support, those big feelings can become calm, confident choices instead.

📲 If you’d like tailored help to make that happen, book a free Discovery Call here:
https://tidycal.com/gemma3/enquiry-call20250218164034

Your collie doesn’t need you to do this perfectly.

They just need you to take the next step 🐾✨

31/10/2025

🎃 Your Dog Doesn’t Need You to Be Perfect Tonight 🕯👻

If your collie struggles with Halloween - the door knocking, the costumes, the unpredictable noise - I want to remind you of something important:

👉 Your dog doesn’t need you to be perfect.
👉 They just need you to be prepared enough.

For years, I thought I had to get it all right… the perfect safe space, perfect routine, perfect soundproofing.
But the truth is: it’s the small, steady steps that make the biggest difference. ✨

🐾 A calm, predictable safe space
🕯 Calmer walks earlier in the day
👂 Your dog borrowing your calm energy

Even if it’s not flawless, what you do tonight matters.

✔️ Keep your dog away from the front door before answering.
🍬 Pair every knock with tiny treats in their safe room.
🛑 And if your dog is really sensitive, it’s ok to shut the front of the house down completely and skip trick-or-treating this year.

🎃 Halloween tips: gemmafisher.com/top-7-tips-for-a-collie-safe-halloween

🎆 Fireworks tips: gemmafisher.com/top-7-tips-for-a-collie-safe-fireworks-night

✨ Calm doesn’t come from perfection - it comes from connection.

👇 If you’ve already put something in place to make the night calmer for your dog, tell me what you’ve done. Your idea might help someone else 🐶

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http://www.gemmafisher.com/

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Gemma Fisher is a renowned international dog trainer with over 20 years of experience with many different breeds. She started as most people do, in a village hall learning traditional obedience skills. But she found her energy and enthusiasm was better suited to the sport of agility, and there a love affair was born.

A life-long learner, Gemma has a wealth of knowledge to share about all things dog-related. She realised early on in her dog training journey that thinking outside the box and learning from other dog sports could only be a good thing. As far as she's concerned, there is no such thing as one size fits all. She works with the dog in front of her, each as unique as the people that bring them to see her.

She shares her life with Border Collies, plus one somewhat unorthodox Working Cocker Spaniel. The Border Collies share her love of work and learning. The Cocker reminds her that life should never be taken too seriously.

Gemma is a passionate and enthusiastic speaker who brings lots of energy to her workshops and seminars. She is only interested in shaping dog and human behaviour using kind, positive reinforcement based methods. It is her fervent belief that all creatures are capable of great things - if only they can brought to realise it. Helping people and dogs realise that is her definition of a successful seminar. Join her FREE training group to keep in touch and pick up lots of inspiring tips and tricks: https://www.facebook.com/groups/fisherfix/ She has a passion for helping dog lovers build better relationships with their dogs so that they can enjoy every moment with them.