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CB Dogs - Dog training and behaviour

About us

Meet CB Dogs

Our venue for classes

We are based in East Didsbury with our classes taking place just off Kingsway (A34) at a local Scout Hut (M20) close to Parrs Wood. This is within very easy reach of not only Didsbury, Northenden and Burnage but also most of Stockport (including the four Heatons (where I live!), Cheadle, Cheadle Hulme, Gatley, Reddish, Heald Green, Shaw Heath, Edgely, Bramhall) and is just a couple of junctions up the M60 from Chorlton, Sale, Stretford and most of South Manchester.

Our venue has heating and air con plus a large enclosed outdoor space meaning we can run our classes comfortably in almost all weather conditions. There is local parking and access from both Kingsway (by car) and Broadoak (on foot).

Head Trainer and Owner of CB Dogs

Hi i'm Clare and ive been training and running CB Dogs for over 10 years now. I have a degree in Animal Behaviour and am a full member of the APDT (association of Pet Dog Trainers) - see my listing with APDT here

It all started when, for my tenth birthday present, I got an 8 week old Labrador cross puppy named Sox. From that moment there was no going back! 

Fast forward 15 years to 2010 and I completed my BSc honours degree in Animal Behaviour at the University of Chester. After having worked in Dog Rescue for some years, I decided that I wanted to use all I had learned to help others better understand and bond with their own dogs, so I started up CB Dogs in 2011.

I make sure to attend regular seminars and courses including courses and content with the APDT, the IMDT, Absolute Dogs and School of Canine Science to name a few. This keeps me up to date with cutting edge scientific research into the field of dog training. I continue to learn and understand more everyday I am involved with dogs and truly believe the art of a good trainer lies within realising that this learning never stops.

I have two dogs myself, Alfie, a dopey 12 year old Black Lab and Harley-Quinn, a crazy 7 year old Staffie Mix. Alf and Harles give me constant opportunities to practice my training and regularly adapt it for new situations. They can be hard work at times but so very worth it!

Our trainers and class assistants

TRAINERS  - As well as our head trainer Clare Brewin who owns and runs CB Dogs, we also have a number of trainers that work with us during classes - you'll without a doubt meet at least some of them during your time training with us!

Hannah Burge 

Hannah is a Qualified 'Concept Trainer' with Absolute Dogs.  She completed our classes with her own dog Stanley (a lovely Golden Doodle) in 2019. She also runs 'Bark About' dog walking and has been teaching alongside Clare in CB Dogs classes since January 2020. Hannah also delivers 121 training as part of CB Dogs.

Zoe Hodkinson 

Zoe started with us in April 2021 and has a keen interested in everything dog related! Zoe has worked with dogs in a daycare situation in the past and is now building up as much experience and knowledge as possible to work towards a full time career working with dogs. Zoe is also a professional photographer and runs 'Pivot Media', alongside walking and sitting for Hannah's company Bark About.

Zaynab Bukhari 

Zaynab has been assisting in classes for over 5 years and has a degree in Animal Behaviour. Zaynab offers solo dog walking and house sitting in South Manchester through her company 'Dogs On Track'.

Volunteers

We also have a lovely little team of volunteers who help out in classes to gain more experience of working with dogs, currently we have Lovelyn, Kat and Liz.

Fran takes care of all the CB Dogs bookings. 

She'll email you with class details, get you all booked on and make sure you have all your welcome emails and links to get started.

(She's also happens to be Clare's mum, so you best be nice to her :P )

Follow us on Social Media!

We post class photos, updates and upcoming classes on our social media on a regular basis

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Come join us on Facebook

Once you sign up to classes we also have a Private Facebook Community space you can join where we answer questions and post content.

How We Train

The aim and mission of CB Dogs is to help you build the relationship between you and your dog or puppy. We use kind, fair and easy to understand training methods to create solid lines of communication between handler and dog.

We train using positive reinforcement, that is, we look for and encourage the behaviours we do want, and teach our dogs acceptable alternatives to the behaviours we don't want.

Positive reinforcement has been scientifically proven not only to speed up training but also to allow for a positive, thoroughly enjoyable interaction between handler and dog, meaning you and your dog look forward to each and every bit of training you undertake.

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A Note on Pack Theory, Dominance and being “The Pack Leader”

In recent years, much research has been done into dog behaviour and their relationships with humans.

The more we look into it, the more we are discovering the flaws and myths that lie behind Pack Theory and the Pack Leader Mentality.

Dogs are NOT just tame wolves, they are behaviourally incredibly different and have evolved over thousands of years to live peaceably with humans without having to continuously challenge humans for “Status”. They are only wolves in as much as we are chimpanzees.

Your dog is not striving to get one up on you and become the “Alpha dog”, he is simply learning about his world and discovering what works, to get the things he wants (e.g attention, food etc). If he learns that barking at you, jumping at you, stealing from you etc. work to get a reward, then these behaviours will become habit. If however he learns that these behaviours do not result in a reward, but calm behaviour does, these will become habit instead.

As your puppy’s teacher and carer it is your job to use patience, kindness and consistency to teach him what behaviours are rewarding, and what behaviours do not work to get what he wants.

Ditch the “Pack Leader” status and start showing your puppy that you are a kind, reliable, consistent teacher that does not need to use dominance and bullying to gain their respect!

“Basing one's interaction with their dog on dominance is harmful to the dog-human relationship and leads to further stress, anxiety and aggression from the dog, as well as fear and antipathy of the owner.”  http://www.apdt.co.uk

Where We Train

Come join us at our lovely heated/air conditioned venue in East Didsbury - on the border between Stockport and South Manchester. We have enclosed outdoor space as well as a large indoor training area very generously rented out to us by the lovely 306th Scout group. For full address and directions please get in contact.

Book early to ensure your place!!