Gelert Behaviour Training was set up by myself, Morag Sutherland, in 2004 in Buckinghamshire before moving to Worcestershire in 2012, where I met Liz Lannie, another Veterinary Nurse. We soon discovered a common interest in behaviour and training (and share a similar daft sense of humour!) and I invited Liz to work under the Gelert name too.
I see myself as firstly an “interpreter” for the pet I am asked to help and teacher for the humans involved. I am a Registered Veterinary Nurse, (important as often there are health issues involved in animals’ behaviour) and have been a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (UK) since 2003 and an assessor for prospective new members since 2016. I am thrilled to have been accepted as a member of the Association of INTO Dogs in May 2019 as the ethos of this organisation so closely matches my own.
In 2017, I was asked to be an Authorised Trainer for the RDUK Facebook group, supporting guardians of reactive dogs and I’m lucky to work with some fantastic colleagues there. I am very proud to be an Approved Trainer for the wonderful charity Dogs Helping Kids, and for DogAID and to be a trustee of the Bedlington Terrier Rescue Foundation .
APDT (UK) and the Association of INTO Dogs members are obliged to undertake regular continuing professional development in order to remain a member, which means we are working with good knowledge of current research, practical skills and equipment. That said, my main teachers are my own three dogs !
I have a special interest in nutrition for dogs and horses, particularly in how it affects their behaviour.
Liz is also a Registered Veterinary Nurse. She has a degree in psychology, a postgraduate diploma in Companion Animal Behaviour Counselling and is also an APDT(UK) member. Liz has recently been accepted for membership of INTODogs.
Liz has worked for many years in rescue centres in a variety of capacities, and brings this expertise, understanding and compassion to her clients today.
She has a young family as well as many animals (dogs, cats, birds, reptiles and rabbits !) and so currently acts as a consultant for Gelert.
We spend many hours discussing recent CPD, exchanging information we have read or gained from colleagues and practising on our own pets!
Our name comes from an old Welsh tale of a prince and his favourite hunting dog. The prince missed his dog on a hunt and arrived home to find the dog with his baby son’s cot upside down, covered in blood. He killed the dog, thinking he killed the baby, then discovered the baby safe and the dead body of a wolf nearby. We feel this represents how our dogs are so often misunderstood and fits our goal to increase understanding of our pets’ behaviour and needs.
As we have worked more with other species, the same misunderstandings apply and result in difficulties in the relationship between pet and owner. Often, simply explaining WHY your pet is doing something helps enormously!
