Jo and Claire Denyer tackle one of the most common worries handlers carry quietly: the belief that a dog needs to behave better before it is ready to see a trainer. They cover why the opposite is true, what so-called difficult behaviour is often really communicating, and how the most challenging dogs frequently become the dogs of a lifetime.

In this episode

• Why your trainer needs to see your dog at his cheekiest, not his best behaved
• The warning moment most handlers miss in the seconds before their dog disappears after a scent
• Why difficult young dogs so often mature into the hardest working, most rewarding dogs
• How watching other dogs at group classes and charity tests fast tracks your own handling
• What displacement behaviours like scent marking and cushion humping actually mean
• Claire's recent case of a golden retriever whose recall problem was nothing like it looked

About Claire Denyer

Claire Denyer is an LWDG Group Expert and professional dog trainer who works with handlers and their dogs every week, from group classes and one-to-one sessions through to behaviour cases referred by local vets. She brings a rare mix of straight talking and genuine compassion, and her whole approach is built on helping the handler, not just the dog.

Thanks for being here. If this episode gave you something, a laugh, a lightbulb, or just the feeling that someone gets it, that's exactly why we make it.

💬 Got something to say? A question, a story, a dog that's just done something unhinged? Come and find us on socials or over at the website. We genuinely want to hear from you.

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🎓 Ready to go further? The LWDG Society is where the real work happens. Expert-led courses, a community of women who actually get it, and training that makes sense for the dog in front of you.

📱 Come and find us:Website: ladiesworkingdoggroup.com Facebook: Ladies Working Dog Group Instagram: @ladiesworkingdogs

✨ Every session. Every stumble. Every breakthrough. It all counts. You're not just training a dog. You're building something. Keep going. We see you. 💛