Lucy Bennett, MSc BSc (Hons)
I've always been passionate about animals which led me to a career in training and behaviour. As an animal professional I'm committed to improving relationships between people and animals to bring them more happiness. Read more about my research and qualifications here. As a provisional member of the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors (APBC) and candidate member of the Fellowship of Animal Behaviour Clinicians (FABC) I’m committed to high quality service and work closely with your veterinary professional. My methods are ethical and based on the latest science of animal training to promote the physical and emotional wellbeing of pets.
The inspiration to study canine psychology came from my first dog, Rex, who had severe behavioural problems that traditional training methods could not solve. Looking further than the popular books available on dog training I discovered kind, effective scientific-methods of teaching. In this way, Rex taught me to be a smart teacher. The second dog I re-homed from a farm also came with challenges, although very different to the first. Moby taught me to be sensitive and grateful in my training. The third fur-boy in the household is a pedigree cat, Samson, who came from a wonderful breeder, carefully selected for the quality of her kittens. He has been a delight from the first day and has shown me and my dogs how marvelous life is with a balanced animal. Rex passed away in 2016 and it's hard to express the pain of that loss. Viv joined our family and is my first bitch. She has brought joy to the house with her exuberance and athleticism but has her own challenges including resource guarding, fear of touch and lack of appetite. Jaxx is the latest addition and arrived with me through work I was carrying out alongside social services. His behaviour was quite dreadful and euthanasia appeared to be the only solution. However, with an appropriate environment, medical care, etc, he is coming out of his shell and enjoying life at nearly 11 years old. He’s my first toy breed and the first dog I’ve brought into my home as a senior. We are making great progress together which you can follow on my blog and social media. If you're getting a new addition to your home, young or old, from a breeder or rescue, I have the knowledge and experience to help you get the best start.
Having studied dogs for years, I turned my attention to a wider audience by taking a degree in Animal Behaviour which I completed with first class results. I also won a research prize for teaching mice as part of a learning study. Along the way guinea-pigs have been taught to play a toy-piano, a cockerel to choose colours, a fish to swim hoops...and more. If you're looking for a teacher who can read and communicate effectively with you and your animal, you've come to the right place.
