Meet Penny Hoare and her team
Hi I am Penny Hoare and I have been training dogs for 30 years. I have worked German Shepherds in Obedience, shown and bred Whippets and Labradors and, most recently, I work my team of Spaniels. I have a diploma in Companion Animal Behaviour and Training (COAPE NOCN) but my knowledge is regularly expanded upon by attending seminars and workshops, keeping in touch with the latest scientific finds and theorys of learning. Originally with a background in retail management, I consider myself not only skilled with dogs but I enjoy meeting and communicating with their owners too.
I worked a team of stooge dogs who helped me to help countless dogs to adjust to their environments and the challenges surrounding them. As behavioural advisor to Exeter and Cornwall RSPCA I worked with welfare cases for many years .
More recently ( 15 years) my rescued spaniels have led me to work increasingly with the gundog breeds using science based knowledge to assist owners to work with these hunting dogs without use of punishment led training.
I work on local small shoots with Basil and have a new pup in training. We also participate in the Gundog Club Graded Awards scheme for which I am an assessor and instructor.
I feel it is important to show by example what can be achieved with our pet and working dogs with kind methods of training, having fun and enjoying our dogs doing what comes naturally to them is paramount above awards and titles.
and past but never forgotten members!
Meet Alison
I began training my pointers with Penny 9 or 10 years ago when it became clear that obedience classes indoors were not fun for any of us especially my rescue boy, Binks, now 13 years old.
Penny supported me with my ‘lean, mean, running machine’, there was frustration and tears, but through it all I learned much of this breed and became very involved in rescue and fostering.
Around 5 years ago Penny needed someone to take on working her lovely spaniel team in behaviour sessions and to support her in group sessions, it has been amazing and I have learned so much from all I have come into contact with, Penny and her team and the clients and their dogs.
My role still involves supporting in the gun dog groups but I am also taking one to one training sessions for young dogs and puppies.
I continue to train my own team with Penny, attending workshops, one to ones and HPR group training. I also attend seminars and read to continue furthering my knowledge of positive training.
Meet Debbie
My name is Debbie and I have the privilege of owning a very intelligent, loving and ‘testing’ German Shorthaired Pointer called Kurt. My husband and I previously had a GSP called Max, so when we retired we thought we would get another Pointer as we knew what it entailed and Max had been such a lovely dog.
RIP Dougie Dec 2007 –September 2020
On the 19th March 2008 Dougie came into our lives. Adopted from the RSPCA at 12 weeks of age. He was a robust pup built like a breeze block!! Described as a Springer Spaniel we always maintained he had Sussex in him.
It was clear from the start this chap was going to be a very big character and have a marked effect on our lives and on my business . He came into the home with 7 established dogs including a big GSD who didn’t take kindly to the new addition. Dougie soon sussed him out. He kept his head down and his nose clean and stayed out of trouble.
At home he was a challenge initially. His recall was not good. The first time off lead he disappeared over the horizon only to reappear again 5 minutes later with a big grin on his face. We lost him on Exmoor once. So time was spent on a long line until he began to stick around. From that point on he as our shadow. Loving nothing better than hunting in the rough ground oh and digging.
It was Dougie who sent me down the path of more complex and in depth Gundog training and was the start of our highly successful format for Fun Gundog training. He did work on a shoot for a season but sadly he became gunshy so he would wait at home and tell Basil or Winnie off when they returned instead.
He learnt to work alongside members of my human team using his skills to help us in our work with reactive dogs. . He went on to be the most amazing stooge dog I have ever had the pleasure of working with. At the time I was advisory behaviourist for Exeter and Cornwall RSPCA. Dougie helped endless streams of stressed traumatised and worried dogs over that time. He taught me so much.
Every one fell in love with Dougie. All our children fell for his woeful face asking for a cuddle. He had a habit of sitting on your feet just to make sure he was not forgotten. He had accepted grandchildren into the fold .He allowed visiting dogs to stay without any nonsense but they all knew not to mess with Dougie. In his latter years he became more belligerent at home but we all forgave him.
Most importantly he was a very loyal companion dog for myself and for Mark. He accompanied us on numerous holidays and always wanted to be with us. He came to work with me daily, sharing his space with whichever waif and stray had joined the team. He was Ronnies duvet and Winnies best friend.
All our animals are special but Dougie was one who will leave a gaping hole in our lives despite having 4 eager companions still following us round.
He had been slowing down . I retired him from stooge work about a year ago. He didn’t suffer I hope too much as the end came suddenly upon us and a need to make that awful decision. It was the last thing we could do for this wonderful dog.
Sleep tight darling boy.