Hi, I'm Alex.
I'm a Certified Separation Anxiety Behaviour Consultant and dog trainer with more than 10 years of professional experience helping dogs and their people navigate life together.
Over the years, I've helped more than 1,000 puppies and dogs overcome behavioural challenges, build confidence and develop the skills they need to thrive in our human world.
Today, I work with clients worldwide, supporting dogs struggling with separation anxiety, fear, reactivity, resource guarding, excessive barking and other behaviour concerns through kind, science-based training.
But my journey into dog behaviour didn't start with qualifications. My own dog, Wolfgang, is the reason I became a separation anxiety specialist.
After moving countries, a dog who had previously been perfectly comfortable being left home alone suddenly began to struggle. I experienced first-hand what so many of my clients describe: guilt, frustration, constant planning. The feeling that your world becomes smaller and smaller because your dog can't cope being left alone.
So I immersed myself in learning everything I could about separation anxiety, and eventually becoming certified with world renowned separation specialist, Julie Naismith.
Today, helping dogs overcome separation anxiety is one of the biggest parts of my work and something I am deeply passionate about.
My approach
Everything I do is built around one simple principle: behaviour is communication.
Rather than asking, "How do we stop this behaviour?", I ask: "Why is this behaviour happening in the first place?"
Physical health, emotional wellbeing, sleep, stress levels, environment, learning history and genetics can all influence how a dog feels and behaves. That's why I take a holistic approach to every case.
My goal isn't to create perfectly obedient dogs. My goal is to help dogs feel safe, understood and confident navigating the world around them.
I believe training should be:
Kind and evidence-based
Focused on trust and communication
Tailored to the individual dog
Built around choice and agency
Designed to improve emotional wellbeing, not suppress emotions
Because when dogs feel safe, learning becomes much easier.
By the numbers
More than 10 years working professionally with dogs
More than 1,000 puppies and dogs helped
Clients across the UK, Europe, North America and beyond
Certified Separation Anxiety Behaviour Consultant
Award-winning dog trainer
Specialist focus on separation anxiety and behaviour support
Qualifications & Professional Development
I am committed to ongoing education and regularly study with some of the leading professionals in the fields of dog behaviour, separation anxiety and positive reinforcement training.
My qualifications and professional development include:
Certified Separation Anxiety Behaviour Consultant - CSAP-BC
Clever Dog Company Method Licensed Trainer
Sarah Whitehead Think Dog Practical & Certificate Courses
Sarah Whitehead Learn To Talk Dog
IMDTB Working with Noise Sensitivity and Phobias
Fenzi Academy/ Amy Cook, PHD How To Treat Noise Phobia in Dogs
IMDTB Separation Anxiety & Related Disorders
IMDTB Behaviour Consultations & Follow Up
IAABC Resolving Resource Guarding
Dr. Susan G. Friedman “Errorless Learning”
Amber Batson “Abnormal Behaviour in the Dog”
Kathy Sdao “How To Transform a Trigger Into a Cue”
Sarah Fisher “Introduction to Animal Centred Education”
IMDT Perfect Puppy
IMDT Career As A Dog Trainer
Linda P. Case “Dog Nutrition” (SW Inner Circle Conference)
Duke University/ Dr Hare’s “Dog Emotion and Cognition”
Grisha Stewart “Small Dogs Rule”
WOOF! 2019 - The Animal Behaviour & Training Conference (multiple speakers in the field of ABA and Behaviour Consulting including Chirag Patel, Kay Laurence, Dr. Marty Becker, Nancy Tucker, Sarah Fisher and more)
I believe learning never stops, and staying up to date with the latest science allows me to provide the best possible support to the dogs and families I work with.
