Meet the Team

Instructor and Behaviourist
Jane Ardern BSc (Hons) Dip. CABT, CAP2, KCAI (WG)

Jane is a qualified behaviourist and trainer with over 20 years experience training professionally and handling her own dogs in a variety of disciplines from breed showing to working gundogs in the field. Jane has 7 working cocker spaniels of her own and breeds them under the Riverirk Affix. Jane is known internationally as a specialist in spaniels, but is experienced in all breeds, having owned several different breeds over the years; Leonbergers, St Bernard x Rottweiler, Polish Lowland Sheepdog and Lancashire Heeler.
Jane’s passion is positive reinforcement dog training, helping people with working breeds in pet homes, gundog training and dog to dog reactivity.
 
Jane has an extensive list of canine related qualifications including a BSc (Hons) in Canine Behaviour and Training from Hull University, the COAPE Advanced Award in Practical Behaviour Therapy and the COAPE Advanced Diploma in Companion Animal Behaviour and Training. Jane has completed the Kennel Club J Regs Seminar and Assessment for Spaniel Field Trials, Clicker Trainer Competancy Assessments, as well as hours and hours of continuing professional development.
Jane has lectured at University in Canine Behaviour and had recognised teacher status in Canine related subjects to Level 6 with Hull University during this time. Jane also delivered COAPE’s Level 5 practical weekends on their OfQual Regulated Behaviour Course for 3 years.
 
Understanding the importance of teaching people in her role Jane went on to study a City and Guilds Award in Education and Training, Emotional Intelligence Coaching and Mindful Coaching.
 
Jane loves working and training her own dogs and has achieved awards in practical handling ranging from making up her imported Polish Lowland Sheepdog to a UK Kennel Club Show Champion, Kennel Club Good Citizen awards to Gold Level with several dogs of different breeds, The Gundog Club Field Test Awards with several dogs and the Kennel Club Working Gundog Certificate on Game, being the first to achieve this with a clicker trained working cocker spaniel.

In March 2016 Jane was awarded Kennel Club Dog Trainer of the Year at Crufts.
 
Jane has spoken and presented internationally including the UK Kennel Club, The Association of Pet Dog Trainers, The Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors, The Canine Behaviour and Training Society, The Positive Gundog Conference, The Fenzi Dog Academy, The Lemonade Conference, The Pet Professional Guild and was the after dinner speaker at the Kathy Sdao Conference when she visited the UK.

Jane Ardern BSc (Hons) Dip. CABT, CAP2, KCAI (WG)
Kennel Club Accreditied Instructor (Working Gundogs) Member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) 
Animal Behaviour and Training Council Registered Animal Trainer (ABTC)
Member of the COAPE Association of Pet Behaviourists and Trainers 
International Companion Animal Network Accredited Animal Behaviourist (ICAN)
The Gundog Club Accredited Instructor and Assessor
 

Jane is a trainer for Dog AID (Assistance in Disability) and made up the first and only German Shorthaired Pointer to full UK Assistance Dog Status.
 
Jane is the author of the book Mission Control – How to Train the High Drive Dog, Published by Performance Dog UK available in both English and German and selling all over the world.

Professional Memberships
Kennel Club Accredited Instructor in Working Gundogs
The Gundog Club Accredited Instructor and Assessor
A Full Member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT UK) Membership no. 1058
A Registered Animal Training Instructor with the Animal Behaviour Training and Council (ABTC)
Member of the COAPE Association of Pet Behaviourists and Trainers 
International Companion Animal Network Accredited Animal Behaviourist (ICAN)

 

Centre Manager
Barbara Lowe #ourbarbs
 

When you contact us you will speak to Barbara, she is Jane’s mum and came along to support her in the first training class ever at Bury Parish Church Hall in 2004…………. and is still here. Although she is not a ‘qualified’ trainer she has many years dog training experience and has attended many events and seminars with Jane and even put some of Jane’s dogs through the Kennel Club Good Citizen Awards.
Barbara does all the calls and bookings and assists in the classes.





 

Instructor
Louise Marshall Cert. TPTD

Louise comes to us from a dog-breeding family; her grandfather bred Toy Poodles for nearly 30 years between the 1960s and 1980s and her mum has now been breeding Maltese dogs for around 30 years, preserving one of the oldest lines in the UK. Louise also helped her mum with the import of the first Russian Tsvetnaya Bolonka dog into the country more than 10 years ago and gaining recognition for the breed in Ireland.
The mother of Louise's current dog, an American Akita, gained her Kennel Club Good Citizen Award Gold certificate and was a registered Therapy Dog who loved nothing better than getting out to meet people and bring a smile in exchange for 'sweeties'.

Louise's current dog, Koji, the last in a line of bitches who have been with the family for around 20 years, is a sensitive soul. Because of this, Louise's training skills have had to become much more nuanced and Koji has helped her become a more observant, critically-thinking trainer. Koji has achieved her Kennel Club Good Citizen Award Bronze certificate along with her APDT Good Companion Stage One and Two in 2022 after returning to the UK from a stint abroad.
 

Louise assisted with classes here at Waggawuffins before moving to the UAE in 2016 with her dogs. She flew back to us monthly for our penultimate NOCN Instructor Course in 2019 which she passed with Distinction - a feat she is incredibly proud of as she has had no formal education beyond that at high school. Louise moved back to the UK in 2020 to retire her dog Koji in a more amenable climate as she is now middle-aged and arthritic and has been back working with us since then. Louise has a great natural ability to work with those breeds often labeled as stubborn or hard to motivate, using a kind and positive approach.
 
With a special love of 'big hairy breeds', Louise hopes that one day, the long-coated Akita will gain the KC recognition which she thinks that they deserve and come rain or shine Louise can be found walking Koji off the beaten track around Kirklees Valley Nature Reserve - she is definitely not 'stay on the path' kind of dog.

Louise is a Deaf Dog Advocate and holds a current certificate in Canine First-Aid