About Me

Photo credit: Photography New Forest 

Hi, I'm Hayley and I am the owner of Companion Coach. 

My passion for dogs started at a young age. I remember at the age of 5 I was obsessed with everything dalmatians because of the film 101 dalmatians. I had dalmatian print clothes, jewellery, bags, soft toys and more! I begged my parents for a dog for years but the answer was always 'they are hard work and we don't have time for one'. I hated this answer at the time and would argue that they were wrong but in fact... they were 100% right!

Fast forward a few years and we found a stray dog on our way home from the swimming pool one night. He was a scruffy wet little thing with no collar and no owners in sight. We scoped him up and took him back and forth to the vets and home trying to nurse him back to health but unfortunately we lost the battle after 2 weeks. Jack is where is all started for our family as my mum said the day after he passed: 'doesn't the house feel quiet now?'

Since Jack we have had a number of incredible rescue dogs come in and out of our lives, each with their unique personalities and needs:

Jed the Collie X German Shepherd - The skate boarding legend, high energy pup!

Jaydee the Collie X German Shepherd - The ultimate companion, listening to your worries for hours

Kara the German Shepherd - The allergic to everything, cuddly mummy's girl

Bestie the Rough Collie - The nervous nelly with big brains

Mindy the German Shepherd - The reactive rover who shouts on lead but would lick you to death

And now Kobe the Rottweiler X Collie X German Shepherd aka 'Kobe Dog' 'Puppy Boy' 'Kobe Kobes'

Kobe and I do everything together from going to work at Berkshire College of Agriculture (I lecture and he assists practical lessons), being a stooge for clients, performing dog parkour, being part of my scentwork and Rally obedience team and of course walks in our beautiful woodland.

All of these dogs have brought me to this point. Jed started me on a journey of looking at animal careers when I was sure I wanted to be a vet and helped me to focus on my Science at school. Jaydee then came along and showed me to joys of training and companionship which led me to an Animal Management Diploma at college. Bestie and Mindy took me through an incredible journey of learning about dog behaviour, emotions and the potential to improve a dogs life through training whilst I studied the deep science of it all at university, BSc (Hons) in Applied Animal Behaviour. 

Now I have been thoroughly enjoying working with dogs and their owners for 8 years! Changing the lives of the dogs and their owners is the best job in the world but we must not forget the big responsibility we have as trainers. We can be the difference between making or breaking a nervous dog, building or destroying the relationship between a dog and their owner, sometimes even the difference between making a furry family member or a dog needing rehoming. I have continued to study the latest science, attend CPD conferences, webinars and training events to make sure I am giving the best advice to my clients that will give them the result they need.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us.

What do my logos mean? 

BSc (Hons) Degree

By holding an honours degree in Applied Animal Behaviour and continuously attending events for professional development, I have extensive academic knowledge which enables me to apply the most up to date training methods which are supported by science.

Puppy School Tutor

I have been a qualified puppy school tutor since 2016. This accreditation has allowed me to run puppy school classes and become a puppy training specialist. This means I am able to support you with all your puppy training needs to ensure your puppy gets the best start in life. 

Member of APDT

To be accredited by the APDT as a dog trainer I had to undergo a stringent application and testing process to prove my knowledge and practical dog training skills. This membership affirms the quality that you will receive from the Companion Coach services.

Membership number: 01447

Registered Animal Training Instructor (ATI)

I am very proud to also be a member of the ABTC, a register for professional animal training instructors. To maintain membership I must evidence my continued professional development and learning which ensures that I am providing my clients with high quality and up to date information in the the field of animal training. 

Lecturer in Animal Studies

I lecture in animal management at the Berkshire College of Agriculture delivering subjects including animal behaviour and training, animal nutrition and animal biology and health. I thoroughly enjoy teaching the next generation of animal carers and trainers and I strive to support the future of animal care so it can continue to improve and develop to give animals a better life.

Synchronised Swimming Coach

I have been a fully qualified Synchronised Swimming Coach since 2011. Coaching has always been my passion and this role has allowed me to coach and inspire 100s of children over the years. My coaching role is what inspired the company name, Companion Coach, as I use the same skills when supporting and inspiring my clients.

Part of the Charter's Signatory Organisation

The APDT is a signatory organisation under the Dog Behaviour and Training Charter which assures the public that its professionals follow a strict code of conduct, ethics and methodology which puts the dogs welfare paramount.

Approved centre for Pet First Aid

We are a registered centre with pro trainings meaning that companion coach can delivered fully accredited pet first aid courses for pet owners and professionals.

Fully Insured

Companion coach are fully insured for all the services we deliver so you can rest assured when booking a service from us that you and your dog will be fully protected.