and a warm welcome to the Meadow Dogs website.

Our website aims to give you an introduction to the range of services we offer and an opportunity to learn more about Meadow Dogs and what we can offer you and your canine companion.

A Personal Introduction from Robert Haynes

Welcome to the world of dog ownership. For some of you this may be your first encounter with a canine friend and to others, an addition of a new puppy has just arrived to enrich your life once again.

Already you have made some positive decisions. Firstly you have selected your choice of puppy, along with the necessary homing plans and the choice of your veterinary surgeon to whom you have entrusted its care. Finally, you are now embarking on a road towards that cherished relationship between dog and owner that will last you for a very long time.

So what now are the additional needs for your dog?

What should we feed our dog, should we take out a Pet Care Plan, which lead and collar and how many toys? All of these are natural questions that one should ask of themselves, but how many owners have considered the future training/development needs of their dog?

Here at Meadow Dogs we recognise those needs. We believe that investment today will enhance the dogs' future and this is why we are now able to offer and provide you and your dog with a whole range of Canine Educational Training Programmes. All of our classes are accredited in support of the Kennel Club Good Dog Citizens Award Scheme. In addition to basic obedience classes we have a programme for advanced obedience levels and a Membership Agility Training Club.

Of course, not every dog has been fortunate enough to receive the best start to life and many of our clients through the good work of charities such as Dogs Trust, have taken dog ownership with the re-homing of a slightly older dog. We do not exclude any dog and all dogs are eligible to enter our training programmes. We also recognise that along the way your dog may meet some barriers to learning, which in itself may bring some additional problems. As an External Consultant to Dogs Trust Rehoming Centre, Canterbury, I have often worked with the rescue dog that has behavioural problems. We can modify many behavioural problems using patience, perseverance, sympathy and understanding.

The average life expectancy of a dog is approximately 10 years of age. Training Investment measured over its life span can be as little as 4p a week. It is a sad fact that many dogs are simply not educated from a puppy. Here at Meadow Dogs it is our experience that dogs that have entered training have benefited and become a well behaved, tolerant and biddable dog. The Canine world is very different from our own. The dog cannot reason through any thought process, but learns through instincts, acquired behaviour, conditioning, repetition, sympathy, understanding and reward.

In whatever choice of canine friend you make, I hope you get the same pleasure as I have in the last 30 years.

Trained to perfection with kindness and affection.

We hope you find the information on our website useful and if we can be of any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact us.