Hello! My name is Celia, and welcome to my “All About Me” page.
I live in a village in Bedfordshire with my family, our two dogs—Jodie, a Springer Spaniel, Jessie, a Springerdor, and our three cats.
I have always loved dogs, although I wasn’t fortunate enough to grow up with one (my parents preferred cats!).
However, I was lucky enough to spend many school holidays on my uncle’s farm, where he worked as a shepherd.
Watching the Border Collies and New Zealand Huntaways work—their incredible capabilities, trainability, and skills—was truly awe-inspiring. That was when I knew I wanted to build a career working with dogs.
I officially started working with dogs in a professional capacity in 2007 at a boarding kennels. It was then that I decided to begin studying and attended Moulton College where I gained an NVQ Level 2 in Animal Care. This marked the beginning of a lasting commitment to understanding canine welfare, behaviour, and development.
Since then, I have continued to expand my knowledge through a variety of professional courses and qualifications.
I have built over 19 years of hands-on experience working with dogs in a wide range of settings, including boarding kennels, doggy day care, dog walking, and working alongside a breeder, where I also gained experience in canine midwifery.
In December 2022, I founded Canine Choices Dog Training, with the aim of helping dogs and their owners build strong, positive relationships using ethical, reward-based training methods. In June 2023 I proudly achieved my goal of becoming a qualified dog trainer with the Institute of Modern Dog Trainers (IMDT), passing my assessment with distinction.
TRAINING AND QUALIFICATIONS
Continuing my professional development I regularly attend workshops and courses.
I have an up to date Canine First Aid Certificate and am fully insured and DBS Checked.
I am a qualified Easy Peasy Puppy Instructor
(Click on the Logo for the EPPI course description)
I have certification for the following IMDT courses:
Easy Peasy Puppy Instructor
Canine Body Language
K9 First Aid
Perfect puppy
Happy Recallers
Loose Leaders
Aggression and Rehabilitation
Impulse Control
Separation Anxiety
Resource Guarding
Canine Adolescence
Breed and Predatory Motor Patterns
Noise Sensitivity and Phobias
Working with Stress and Trauma
Separation Anxiety and Related Disorders
Canine Cognitive Dysfunction
I am proud to be a member of The Dog Trainer School.
I am committed to being a force-free, kind, and ethical trainer, and I continually develop my skills through ongoing professional development, including in-person learning and online CPD courses.
I have also achieved Level 3 accredited qualifications in
Canine Care, Behaviour and Welfare.
Principles of Dog Training and behaviour.
The Open College Network (OCN) London
British College of Canine Studies certification in
Dog Law