About Train with Lorraine

​​Hi, I am Lorraine Smith, MSc.
I have had German Shepherds for nearly 30 years and have learned
so much with each one. Health issues and emotional difficulties with
one of these prompted me to embark on an education path to better understand how our dogs learn, and culminated in an MSc Clinical Animal Behaviour awarded by the University of Lincoln.

I have worked professionally with dogs since 2015 starting at Dogs Trust and Blue Cross rehoming centres.  More recently, I have been a Puppy Training Instructor for a leading assistance dog charity.

I continue to update my knowledge on an ongoing basis (see below for details), as required by my membership of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, (UK), MAPDT 01451,​ and listed as a Registered Animal Training Instructor with ABTC and Canine Training Professional with The Pet Professional Guild British Isles (56295566)
I do not use methods or equipment designed to inflict physical pain, discomfort, fear or intimidation.

My animal family

Professional memberships

I am an assessed member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (UK) MADPT 01451 which allows me to be registered as an Animal Training Instructor with ABTC (ABTC-ATI) and of the Pet Professional Guild (membership number 56295566).  Both memberships require the completion of continuing professional development (see below for details), to ensure that my skills continue to be up-to-date and force free.

                                      

Recent CPD undertaken:

2022
Trauma in animals conference (2 days)
Rachel Bean, 'Online Canine First Aid and Wellbeing Course'
Kim Brophy. 'Applied Ethology Webinar Series' 
​
2021
Eryn Godfrey-Martin, 'Trainers Four-Week Beginner Course'
Sue Kewley, 'Happy Shepherd Pro' 
Eryn Godfrey-Martin & Rach Birt, 'Four-Week Nose to Toes Alchemy Trainer Course'
National Association Of Canine Scent Work’s Education Division, with Simon Gadbois, 'Motivation, Behaviour and the Brain'         
Dog behaviour conference online (2 days)
Andrew Hale, 'Part 1 - Beyond the Operant – Stepping into the Dog’s Behavioural Experience'
Kathy Murphy, 'Part 2 - Beyond the Operant – Stepping into the Dog’s Behavioural Experience'
Sarah Heath, 'To Neuter or Not to Neuter? – That is the Question!'
Alexandra Horowitz, 'Following the Dog into a World of Smell'
Amber Batson, 'Puppy Power' online workshops (6 days)
Amber Batson, 'Mind the gap - Exploring the links between body, brain and behaviour in the dog'
Simon Gadbois – Geek Week 'Modern Theories of Motivation, How They Can Influence Current Thinking and Practices in Animal Learning' 
​
2020
Dog behaviour conference (2 days)
Coronavirus (COVID-19): Guidelines for Canine Training Instructors and Behaviourists  
Dr Jessica Hekman, 'The biology of socialisation – biology of how socialisation works in the brain' 
Sarah Heath, "Leaving lockdown – how will our pets respond?" 
Danielle Beck, 'Cognitive bias and Fad susceptibility'
Chirag Patel, 'Dealing with difficult people' 
29th International Society for Anthrozoology Annual Conference 
PTDE Online Summit 2020
Sue Sternberg, 'Assess-A-Pet Protocols & Ethogram of subtle Resource Guarding Behaviors', Sue Sternberg, 'Low Resource Guarding Thresholds in the Home & in the Community', Trish King, 'Resource Guarding Management & Behavior Modification' 
Chris Pachel, 'K9 Nose work education' 
Sue McCabe, Castration in Dogs - A guide for behaviour practitioners'

2019
APBC Annual Conference, 'Helping people to help animals'
Kirsten Dillon, 'Training a Mental Health Assistance Dog'  (Workshop)
Craig Ogilvie, 'Communication, Arousal and Problematic Behaviours' (Workshop) 
ACTION Conference: Welfare implications of unethical breeding and psychological trauma in dogs (3 days)
Amber Batson, 'Aggression in dogs' –  (6 day workshop)
Amber Batson, 'Cavorting Canines, Effects of exercise on the dog'
Chirag Patel Practical Puppy Instructor's Refresher course (3 days), 'Progressing puppy training for adolescents, troubleshooting classroom issues, including Free Work' (Sarah Fisher)
Trevor Cooper, 'Doglaw Live  – Part one & two'

2018
Puppy Conference (3 days) - Kathryn Lord, 'Puppy development', Linda Case, 'Puppy diets', Helen Zulch, 'Life Skills for puppies', Sian Ryan, 'Creative Puppy Classes', Leslie McDevitt, 'Control Unleashed', Ann Harmes, 'Puppy Fitness', Susan McKeon, 'How to Market Puppy classes', Kirsten Dillon, 'Assistance dogs', Kimberley Cox, 'Medical Detection Dogs', Helen Phillips, 'Puppy gundogs', Diane Martin, 'Puppy Obedience', Rachel Casey, 'Generation Pup', Daniel Mills, 'Emotional basis of puppy behaviour problems', Sian Ryan, 'Puppies and impulsivity', Gemma Abbott, 'Puppy & child dynamics'.
Puppy Power (2 days) - Sarah Fisher, 'Getting in TTouch with our puppies',  Kay Attwood, 'Platform training for puppies', Chirag Patel, 'Rethinking puppy classes', Pam Mackinnon, 'Scentwork right from the start'.

2017
Jane Killion, 'Puppy Culture' (2 days)
Woof!  European Training and Behaviour Conference (4 days)
Chirag Patel, 'Understanding, managing and modifying problem behaviours'
Kay Atwood, 'Cognitive Skills workshop'
APBC Annual Conference - Pat Tagg, 'Tracking'
Ken Ramirez, 'New directions in training', 'Concept training'
National Dog Bite Prevention & Behaviour Conference (2 days)
University of Lincoln - Life Skills for Puppies trainers’ training (6 days)
Chirag Patel – Practical Puppy Instructors Course (7 days)
Karen Overall, 'Veterinary behaviour clinic and seminar'
IMPACT Working Dogs Conference (2 days)

2016
Susan Friedman, 'Living and Learning with Animals' (3 days)
Muriel Brasseur - Interactive canine behaviour course and training clinics, 'Separation anxiety', 'Fear and aggression', 'Abnormal Repetitive Behaviours' (8 days)
Simon Gadbois, 'Modern dog training and science: Are we doing it right?  Common misconceptions and pitfalls ', 'The Science of scent detection'
Pat Tagg, 'Stuff that gets your dog going: How to handle your way around it'
National Dog Bite Prevention & Behaviour Conference (2 days)
Chirag Patel – Practical Puppy Instructors Course (5 days)
Adam Miklosi, 'Canine Emotions and Cognition'
Ken Ramirez, 'Aggression', 'Games trainers play', 'Behaviour chains', 'Husbandry training'
Sarah Cochrane, MRCVS, 'Anatomy & physiology of the dog'
Clare Hemmings, 'Canine First Aid'
Chirag Patel, 'Expanding your force-free training kit', 'Training adolescent dogs in practice'
IMDT, 'Canine nutrition with Nick Thompson'
Sarah Whitehead, 'Think Dog practical handling course' (2 days)
IMPACT Working Dogs Conference (2 days)
Trevor Cooper – Dog Law

2015
APDT, UK - Residential Dog Training Instructor’s Course (5 days)
Sarah Fisher and Marie Miller, ‘Cool to Be Kind’ workshops, Tellington TTouch methods and training games for professionals working with dogs
Chirag Patel, ‘Practical Training Skills Workshops for Dog Trainers and Behaviourists’ (Levels 1-3) (AKA Chicken Camp) (6 days)
Sarah Whitehead, ‘The Secrets of Dog-Dog Communication – Canine Body Language’
Grisha Stewart, 'Behaviour Adjustment Training (2.0)' (2 days)
Clive Wynne, 'Applied Canine Behavioural Science', 'Dog Cognition and the Changes from Wolf to Dog'
Karen L Overall, 'The Molecular Basis of Learning, Epigenetic Effects on Neurodevelopment', 'Genetic Contributions and Bases of Behaviour Issues', 'Effect of Neutering on Cancer and Behaviour'