About Beverley Courtney
It was having to learn the techniques to make a Brilliant Family Dog with my own busy household of multiple dogs, cats, sheep, goats, hens, and children that set me on the road to helping others do the same.
I learnt early on that forcing someone to do something only resulted in grudging compliance at best; whereas getting them to participate and enjoy the process turned them into eager and fast learners. This applied equally to the dogs, the goats - and the children! The sheep and the cats not so much.
My qualifications range from the understanding of learning theory to specialist work for fearful, anxious, and growly dogs, all using only force-free methods.
I hugely enjoyed competing with my dogs, qualifying many of them at various levels of Obedience, Agility, and Working Trials. I made up a Working Trials Champion and also a Trick Dog Champion.
Acquiring an anxious, growly dog of my own ensured that I learnt and understood the process of assimilating the dog into our world in a way which builds her confidence, and this allows others to benefit from my own trials and successes.
I’ve done the necessary studying for these certifications: for rehab of anxious and fearful “aggressive” dogs, early puppy development, andthe practical applications of learning theory. I am continually studying this endlessly amazing and rewarding subject!
My work revolves around puppies, new rescue dogs, growly dogs - and, of course, dog owners.
There are many people more gifted than I who can train animals to do astonishing things. My gift lies in being able to convey my knowledge to the dog’s caregiver in a way which has them saying, “It’s so obvious when you put it like that!”
Dogs are individuals and so are their owners, so creativity and imagination are often needed to solve a problem. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to training - as you’ll see when you read the articles. And remaining approachable and friendly allows me to hear about people’s doggy difficulties from all over the world - and do my best to help them turn things around.
A lot of my learning has come through the Puppy Classes, Puppy Walks, and Starter Classes I taught at Good for Dogs! in Worcestershire - the Heart of England. These dog-owners were not looking for competition-standard training; they just wanted a Brilliant Family Dog they could take anywhere.
Working with many thousands of real dogs and their real owners keeps me humble - and resourceful! It’s no good being brilliant at training dogs if you can’t convey this enthusiasm and knowledge to the person the dog has to live with.
So I’m grateful for everything my students - and their dogs - have taught me about how they learn best.
Books!
A lot of this learning has now been put into a series of books of Essential Skills for a Brilliant Family Dog, available direct from the author as well as bookstores and libraries. In these books I take you by the hand and I don’t let go till you’ve firmly grasped the concepts, followed the lessons, had your questions answered - and transformed your family dog!
Calm Down! Step-by-Step to a Calm, Relaxed, and Brilliant Family Dog
Leave it! How to teach Amazing Impulse Control to your Brilliant Family Dog
Let’s Go! Enjoy Companionable Walks with your Brilliant Family Dog
Here Boy! Step-by-Step to a Stunning Recall from your Brilliant Family Dog
Available in the Kindle Store of your local Amazon, as audiobooks at Amazon and Audible and direct from the Author, and in paperback from Amazon and any good bookshop. You'll find them all here!
The series of Essential Skills for your Growly but Brilliant Family Dog is also available, in e-book and paperback, there’s Fetch It! to teach a super retrieve, as well as New Puppy! for those of you about to embark on this important journey.
Fancy a fiction read? Check out my novels Keeping Tabs and Seeking Clarity which include dogs, as well as people facing upheaval in their lives - and breaking through!
And if you love cozy mysteries with dogs (who wouldn’t?!) check out these fun books and be sure to pick up your free copy here.
Courses!
Brilliant Family Dog is also known for its comprehensive online courses - both free and premium courses. You can find the free ones here and the premium courses can all be found here. And don’t miss out on the free Masterclass and Workshop! Go and check them out and find why students like to work their way through all the courses.
Personal coaching
All this working with students, both on- and off-line, has encouraged me to become certified as a coach. So whatever you are going through - dog-related or not! - if you like my approach and my style, you may want to find what I can do for you through 1-1 sessions. This is where you can find out more.
“Thank you again for your help and coaching, it’s made a huge difference to my life.” MM
And finally, Drawings!
Head over to www.beverleycourtney.com/drawings for portraits of dogs, cats, and others!
All the photos on this site are of “real” dogs
There are lots of pictures of my own four dogs, there are photos taken on my class Puppy Walks, and there are some beautiful pictures sent in by readers.
You won’t find any stock photos here. So if some of them look more like snapshots than the usual glossy internet images . . . that’s because many of them are snapshots! Of real dogs, doing real things.
Beverley and some of her dogs
Beverley Courtney
BA(Hons) • CPC • ELI-MP • CBATI-KSA • CAP2 • MAPDT • ABTC (Registered Animal Trainer) • UKCPS Silver
