Wigston Magna Dog Club's Trainers

Association of Pet Dog Trainers

The Association was formed in 1995 to offer pet owners a guarantee of quality when looking for training. All members have been assessed according to a strict no choke-chain policy. It is no longer necessary, or acceptable to use harsh methods in training, and the use of gentle, motivational methods are as successful as they are enjoyable to use.
All trainers use slightly different techniques when teaching pet owners to train their own dogs, but all APDT members use methods that are kind, fair and effective.

Joan Cattell APDT No.317

Phone: 0116 288 8019

I first came to Wigston Magna Dog Training Club over 25 yrs ago to train my pet dog Meg. She gained a 2nd place on her course and followed on with the advanced class. It wasn't long before I got hooked and started assisting with the classes.

I joined the APDT because I like their way of training, kind, fair and effective.

I now own two Border Collies Midge and Gyp. Midge (before her retirement) was a Pets As Therapy Dog and a Blue Cross Educator dog. Gyp has also followed in Midges footsteps and is also a Pets As Therapy Dog and a Blue Cross Educator. She has given up her Show career and now tries her paws at Obedience.

When you have Border Collies you just lead a busy life!

Joan is also a Pets As Therapy ,Blue Cross and K.C Bronze Award Assessor

Lynn Prince APDT No 938

Phone: 0116 221 0279 or 07967 217 001

Lynn has 2 boxers Gypsy and Rolly. Gypsy has been with her since 2002 and Rolly as an addolesent 2 year old in 2004. Lynn has been with the club since enrolling Gypsy on course she became hocked and became an assistant to the other trainers.Back in 2003 she attended a course run by the British institute of professional dog trainers.

Then in 2004/5 successfully completing a C.O.A.P.E foundation course gaining 12 credits in canine behaviour following the success of the first course Lynn completed a 2nd course at intermediate level again achieving 12 credits also run by C.O.A.P.E (centre of applied pet ethology) and accredited by the National open college network.

In April 2006 she was accessed and has been accepted as a member of the A.P.D.T (Association of pet dog trainers) 2010 Lynn became an accessor for the Kennel Club good citizen award scheme .

Irene Scott APDT No 939

Phone: 0116 288 6019

Irene has been a pet dog trainer for about 30 years and is the longest serving member of the Wigston Magna Dog Training Club.

She now has one dog, brought as a six week old puppy, Sunny a 3 year old Golden Retriever.

Irene is an examiner for the Kennel Club Good Citizen Scheme and is a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers

Liz Spencer – Assistant Trainer

Phone: 0116 288 5515

A former teacher, Liz has been a member of the club since 1995. It was then that she joined with a black Labrador puppy, Bramble, who was quite a handful! She persevered with Bramble's training and successfully completed the Gold Good Citizen Award in 2003. Meanwhile Liz had been helping with training classes and became more permanently involved with the Thursday Beginners Courses in April 2004. Her next dog, Jasmine is a Whippet. She began training in 2005 with the Puppy Foundation Assessment and successfully completed the Gold Good Citizen Award in Jan.2010. The latest addition to the household is Poppy, another Whippet. She has just completed the Puppy Foundation Assessment and will take part in a beginners course later this year.

Laura Hackett – Assistant Trainer

Laura joined the club as an assistant trainer back in January 2005, starting with the puppies and moving to the beginners courses. For the last several years, she has also been on the rota for taking an improvers class. When she isn't doing the training, she regularly handles a friend's flatcoated retriever, Oliver, as she is currently without a dog of her own.

Laura gets plenty of exposure to a variety of dogs, however, as she is a professional dog walker. She regularly walks 15 dogs (not all at once!), ranging from a chihuahua to an akita.

She has also successfully completed the COAPE Man Meets Dog course.

Vicky Lee – Assistant Trainer

Vicky has had dogs at home all her life. She first came to the club in 2002 to train her dog Ellie. She and Ellie achieved all 4 of the Kennel Club Good Citizen awards from the puppy award up to the Gold. She has also achieved the Bronze and Silver awards with her terrier, Mollie.

Vicky currently has three dogs of her own at home, Jack, Tilly and Molly (a different Molly to the one above). Jack is a working cocker spaniel who has gained his Bronze award with Vicky and will hopefully be taking the Silver and Gold awards in due course. Tilly is a parson russell terrier cross patterdale terrier and is completely bonkers but has passed the Bronze award. Vicky hopes she can get Tilly through the Silver and Gold awards in time. And Molly is also a working cocker spaniel and is actually Jack's mum, who came to Vicky as a rehomed 4 year old dog in 2011.

Vicky is a puppy walker for Guide Dogs and is currently walking her 3rd pup "Fran". This involves having the pup to live with her for the first year of its life from 6 weeks old and doing all the basic training and socialisation to prepare the pups for their working life ahead. Both Vicky's first two pups have completed their trianing and are now fully qualified Guide Dogs.

Vicky also runs her own home from home puppy day care business where she cares for puppies and some adult dogs on a daily basis.

Vicky has been assisting with training at the club since 2008.

Association of Pet Dog Trainers

You can learn more about the Association of Pet Dog Trainers at: