You learned how to train dogs. Now what?
…. The Mindful Dog Trainer Mentorship, that’s what.
Every other caring profession has this.
Social workers have supervision. Counsellors have supervision. Nurses have supervision.
Dog trainers have... nothing. Until now.
You qualified to train dogs
Nobody taught you how to become the professional you wanted to be.
You’ve taken the courses, got the certificates, and now you’re out in the wild flying solo and possibly second guessing everything.
You know how to train dogs, but nobody ever taught you how to build a business that sustains you
You replay consultations on the drive home wondering whether you did enough.
You compare yourself to other trainers and quietly wonder if everyone else knows something you don't (they don't).
You've realised that dog training is as much about people as it is about dogs—and nobody really taught you that part.
Your discovery calls have accidentally become free consultations.
You're working harder than ever but still wondering where all your time has gone
You wish you had trusted peers you could ask the questions you don't feel comfortable asking anywhere else
When are you going to have an ACTUAL day off (not an admin day)
You know another qualification isn't the answer... but you're not sure what is.
You're far more capable than you give yourself credit for—but nobody has helped you see that yet.
Yup. You've entered the business and people side of dog training—and that's exactly where The Mindful Dog Trainer begins.
Dog training is a people business
I know you probably decided to become a dog trainer after a special dog changed your life or because you desperately wanted to spend every day working with dogs.
But somewhere along the way you discovered that dog training is just as much about people as it is about dogs.
And I'm not just referring to your clients – but you as well. If you're not taking care of yourself, or learning how to navigate the business and people side of dog training, everything can start to feel chaotic, uncertain, and like you're flying by the seat of your pants. Every. Single. Day.
You replay consultations. You second guess yourself. You overthink client messages. You wonder if everyone else has it all figured out.
…And that is an open invitation for imposter syndrome, over-delivering, people pleasing and self-doubt to come sailing in and take the wheel.
It’s also a business….
It’s beyond unfair that you can invest an enormous amount of time and money learning to train dogs and still not feel competent when it comes to running your business.
But that’s the reality most new and even established dog trainers face.
Because while all your training taught you how to understand dogs and how to adapt to the dog in front of you… it didn’t teach you how to teach people. And it didn’t teach you how to set up processes and systems that make your business easy to run.
Here's what one MDT mentee had to say about the programme
A Mindful Dog Trainer has PMT
PMT isn't just for dogs. Now, before anyone panics, this isn't that kind of PMT… although if your brain went there first, you'll probably fit in very well inside The Mindful Dog Trainer Mentorship. 😄
In this instance, PMT stands for Prevent. Manage. Train.
It's probably something you're already doing with dogs.
You don't jump straight into training. First you:
Prevent rehearsal of unwanted patterns.
Manage the environment and support emotional regulation.
Slow things down enough to understand the individual in front of you.
Only then do you move into the training element.
But how often do you apply that same thinking to yourself?
When something isn't working in your business, do you stop to ask what's driving it? Do you look at what's getting in the way, support yourself through it, and make changes to the environment before expecting yourself to simply "do better"?
Or do you push full steam ahead, add another course, work longer hours, and beat yourself up when it still feels overwhelming?
emotionally overloaded
hypervigilant
burnt out
perfectionistic
constantly comparing yourself to others
afraid of getting things wrong or asking for help
carrying immense responsibility
constantly trying to people please
You can’t expect yourself to function flawlessly. It’s unrealistic and unfair on yourself….
The Mindful Dog Trainer isn't just about building a business that functions well. It's about changing the way you think, work and treat yourself—because those things shape every client, every consultation and every decision you make.
The trainers who joined The Mindful Dog Trainer didn't need another dog training course. They needed somewhere to think, reflect, ask difficult questions, and become the professional they already had the potential to be.
TESTIMONIALS
This is what happens when trainers have space to think, reflect and grow.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"The programme wasn't just about dog training. It challenged the way I think, helped me develop greater confidence in my own abilities, and gave me the space to reflect on where I wanted my business to go."
Since starting the programme I've gone full-time, developed new training programmes and grown in confidence as both a trainer and business owner.
Andy Garner
"You're changing lives"
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"One of the best courses I've ever done. Made friends for life and have tools that have changed my life forever."
Kate Gallagher
"Genuine impact"
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"What an incredibly enlightening journey it's been. Such an incredibly supportive cohort... There is no better place to be."
Marcia Tidbury
"six clients on my waiting list "
"One of the best courses I've ever done "
"Changing my life"
"An investment in yourself"
Sign up today for £1600 or 6 monthly payments of £287
Taking care of you isn’t a luxury, it’s essential
Every other caring profession has this. Social workers have supervision. Counsellors have supervision. Therapists have supervision. It's considered so fundamental to safe, ethical practice that it's built into the structure of the profession itself.
Dog trainers have a Facebook group and a hope that it'll all click eventually. The Mindful Dog Trainer exists because that gap is not acceptable.
You don’t need another course. You need support. Reflection. Integration. Permission to pause. Space to process. Guidance to help organising your scattered thoughts. A calmer nervous system. And someone who understands the emotional weight of this work.
How The Mindful Dog Trainer Mentorship changes things
Using my PMT method, you’ll uncover what’s hiding beneath the surface of your struggles and you’ll be held while we work through them together.
One mentee went from giving away 90-minute free consultations to running 15-minute discovery calls – and achieved a 100% conversion rate on new enquiries, without ever having to discuss pricing in a way that made her uncomfortable.
One mentee stopped cancelling family days out and finally started taking regular days off (without sneaking in admin or answering work messages while her family rolled their eyes).
One mentee found the confidence to say no to work that she didn’t enjoy doing and went all in on her passion - and immediately started booking in online clients from around the world.
One mentee went from agonising over writing messages to clients, over-apologising and over-explaining, to sending a single calm text and feeling no guilt whatsoever.
One mentee described the programme as "an investment in myself as much as my business" after developing greater confidence, learning to trust their own judgement, and gaining clarity about the direction they wanted their business to take.
One mentee went from packing in six different exercises after every session to offering one - and found her clients actually did the work, came back, and made progress.
One mentee went from seeing marketing as something that made her feel sick, to making short, unscripted videos about what genuinely excited her - and attracting exactly the clients she wanted without a sleazy strategy in sight.
One mentee left employed work to become a full-time dog trainer, developed new programmes, refined the way they worked with clients, and grew in confidence as both a trainer and business owner.
One mentee went from qualifying as a dog trainer and having nobody to ask ‘what on earth goes in a client report?’ to having five peers with different specialties who she could call, refer to, and learn from for the rest of her career.
All mentees went from constantly comparing themselves to other trainers to trusting their own judgement and recognising the unique strengths they bring to the profession.
How does The Mindful Dog Trainer Mentorship work?
This is a 6 month blended small group programme where you’ll join up to 15 other like-minded dog trainers. You’ll finish the programme with the tools, the community, and the self-awareness to keep growing without scrabbling around feeling lost and alone.
Reflective Supervision & Mentoring Sessions (3 × 2 hours per month)
You have three live mentoring sessions a month with Laura which take place on Tuesday evenings at 6.30pm (UK time) on zoom and last for 2 hours - giving you ample time to get personalised support. These are just as valuable if you haven’t had time to do any of the recorded lessons or exercises - mentees have said these are one of the most valuable parts of the programme by a country mile.
Peer-to-Peer Support Group (1 x 2 hours per month)
This is not a hierarchical community where I lead and you follow. The connections and relationships you build with your peers during the programme is a vital element. That’s why you have one monthly peer only call so you can speak openly together and share your experiences without censorship. This is designed to encourage collaboration, reflection, and long-term support networks beyond the programme itself.
Snackable Learning & Reflections
You get access to bite-sized lessons, resources, handouts, webinars, and audio training you can listen to on the go. Everything is broken down into manageable modules so you can dip in and out at your own pace.
Some resources are intentionally short and easy to absorb when your brain feels full, while others allow for deeper exploration and reflection when you have the capacity for it.
It’s not essential to consume it all - in the Mindful Dog Trainer, you’re never ahead or behind. The live mentoring sessions help you reflect on and integrate the learning into your real-life practice, so you simply take what you need, when you need it.
Confidential Space
All sessions are unrecorded, creating a sense of safety where you can show up as you are - ask the questions you’re scared to ask elsewhere, voice your wobbles, and explore your practice without fear of judgment.
Reflection & Consolidation Weeks
Dedicated pauses built into each month, giving you time to process, integrate, and breathe before moving forward. These quiet moments are where confidence takes root and learning becomes part of who you are.
Become a Mindful Dog Trainer Graduate
The Mindful Dog Trainer isn't simply a course you complete. It's an opportunity to develop into a more thoughtful, ethical and reflective practitioner.
On successful completion of the programme, you'll receive your Mindful Dog Trainer Graduate digital badge in recognition of your commitment to reflective practice throughout the programme.
You're welcome to display your badge on your website, social media, email signature and marketing materials, celebrating your commitment to ongoing learning and thoughtful, ethical practice.
How much is it?
Starts on: 1st September 2026
Reflective Supervision sessions held weekly on: Tuesdays at 6.30pm (UK time)
£1600 for six months - you can pay in full or spread the cost with 6 Monthly Payments of £287.
That works out at less than £70 a week.
For context: one extra client booking per month for six months covers it entirely. Most mentees find they're converting enquiries more effectively within weeks.
But more to the point - you've probably already spent more than this on courses that taught you more things without making you feel any more ready. This is different. This is the bit that makes everything else click.
Because with the space and support to embed the learning you’ve already done into your practice you’ll finally feel consciously competent and confident. And that feels a lot better than constantly consuming more information in the hope that feeling capable and confident will show up eventually.
Who this is (and isn’t) for
This is for you if:
You're qualified and working, but the business side still feels like a mystery you're winging every day.
You care deeply about ethical practice but feel quietly exhausted carrying it all alone.
You keep buying courses hoping the next one will make you feel ready - and it never quite does.
You want to do this work in a way that's sustainable for you, not just functional for your clients.
You crave a small, honest community of people who actually get what this job is like.
You second guess yourself after consults, replay conversations in your head, or worry about getting things wrong.
This is NOT for you if:
You want quick fixes or magic bullet methods.
You prefer coercive, dominance based training.
You don’t want to make changes to the way you work or reflect on what’s not serving you.
You can’t make the live calls on Tuesday evenings at 6.30pm (UK time).
MeeT your mentor
Laura Mars
I’m a force-free, dog trainer and mentor with 20 years prior experience within social work, adult learning, workforce development, mentoring, and professional supervision roles.
I still run a dog training business myself so I’m still firmly entrenched in the day to day realities of working with dogs and their people - and that matters because it means I’m not years removed from what you experience every day.
I have also spent the past four years, mentoring both aspiring and qualified dog trainers, helping them grow in confidence and develop their practice through reflection, compassion and skills development.
I believe dog training has never just been about dogs.
It’s about relationships. Stress. Learning. Communication. Attachment. Emotional regulation. Confidence. Pressure. Expectations. The stories people carry about themselves and their dogs.
And often, underneath it all, a deep desire to simply feel understood.
For years within the dog world, we’ve spoken about ’the human end of the lead’ in relation to guardians and clients. But increasingly, I found myself asking another question....
Who is looking after the trainer?
Because this is caring work. Dog trainers are often holding frightened owners, overwhelmed families, emotionally dysregulated dogs, ethical dilemmas, conflict, uncertainty, and enormous pressure to always have the ‘right’ answer.
And yet many trainers are trying to carry all of that alone.
I hold a BA(Hons) in Social Work and completed postgraduate professional development at Masters level in areas including critical supervision, risk and decision-making, and developing reflective practitioners.
I also completed PEPS 2 (Practice Educator Professional Standards Stage 2) alongside my Practice Teacher Award, qualifying me to independently supervise, mentor, teach, and assess developing professionals within complex practice environments.
It’s this background that profoundly shapes the way I work today and it’s the backbone of everything you access inside The Mindful Dog Trainer.
Because whilst the dog world often focuses heavily on techniques and outcomes, my experience taught me something deeper:
People do not learn well when they feel overwhelmed, ashamed, frightened, dysregulated, or constantly afraid of getting things wrong.
That’s why The Mindful Dog Trainer exists. To care for the people doing caring work so they’re able to treat themselves as well as they treat dogs.
What's in the mentorship syllabus?
Exclusive Core Module
Burnout: Managing Your Nervous System Before It Manages You
with Dr Claire Plumbly — Clinical Psychologist & Author
A deeply supportive module exploring how to recognise early signs of burnout, regulate your nervous system, and maintain emotional balance in your work with dogs and people.
Because lasting confidence depends on caring for the person behind the practice.
Guest Experts Supporting Your Growth
Carefully chosen leaders who share our values
✔ Rikki Sullivan - The Canine Copywriter
Mastering Your Messaging
Exploring ethical marketing, audience insight and authentic messaging, helping trainers move beyond surface-level pain points to truly understand and connect with the people they want to support.
✔ Victoria Clark Higgs - The Pet Accountant
Sustainable finances, charging with confidence
Helping trainers build a financially sustainable business by valuing their expertise, charging with confidence, and understanding the true value of the support they provide.
✔ Niki French
Supporting Guardians Who Find Walks Difficult
How trainers can compassionately support overwhelmed guardians with dogs who struggle on walks - through reflection, observation, nervous system awareness, and practical real-world strategies.
✔ Additional Guest Experts
Specialist Knowledge, Shared Values
From behaviour, welfare, communication, and ethical business, each guest brings real-world experience designed to deepen - not overwhelm - your learning.
Why These Guest Sessions Matter
Your confidence isn’t built from information alone.
It grows through:
✔️ Learning with ethical, trusted professionals
✔️ Seeing concepts applied to real cases
✔️ Expanding your understanding gently, with support
✔️ Bridging the gap between theory and lived, practical skill
These sessions enrich your learning, deepen your confidence, and help you feel supported from every angle — dog, human, and self.
Starts on: 1st September 2026
Reflective Supervision sessions held weekly on: Tuesday evenings at 6.30pm (UK time)
Bonuses:
Understand how trauma and adversity can shape behaviour, emotions, and learning in dogs.
Support guardians with empathy, curiosity, and compassion to build safety, trust, and lasting change.
Develop reflective, sustainable practice by understanding your own responses, recognising stress and triggers, and creating the support systems that help you thrive as a trainer
Build lasting confidence by turning knowledge into real-world practice.
Stop second-guessing yourself and thrive ethically and sustainably through deeper self-awareness and professional clarity.
Bridge the gap between learning and doing through guided reflection and integration.
Reduce second-guessing and make decisions with greater clarity and confidence.
I share my trusted systems, structures and frameworks to help you become confident in your own practice.
Work more sustainably by reducing overwhelm, hidden labour, and decision fatigue.
STILL NOT SURE?
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Do I need to be newly qualified to join?
No. The current cohort includes trainers at very different stages - some just starting out, some two or three years in and burning out without quite knowing why. It’s not about how long you've been doing this, it’s about supporting you properly whatever stage in your journey you’re in.
Q. What if I can't keep up with the content?
There is no keeping up. The programme is designed around the reality that you are busy and your brain has limits and some weeks are harder than others. Mentees have transformed their practice having barely touched the recorded material. You take what you need.
Q. Is this going to be too soft and not practical enough?
The programme covers discovery calls, client communication, session structure, pricing, boundaries, and marketing. It also covers why you reply to messages at midnight and feel guilty cancelling on a client when you're ill. These things are connected. The practical changes tend to arrive faster when the other stuff is also being addressed.
Q. Why is the cohort so small?
Because a group of 15 people who know each other well is a fundamentally different thing from a group of 150 people who don't. One of them becomes a community that lasts beyond the programme. The other is a course.
Q. I haven't got time for another course. Is this going to add to my overwhelm?
This programme is specifically designed around the reality that you're already stretched. The learning is flexible and self-paced. The live sessions are two hours on Tuesday evenings. There are built-in consolidation weeks so youhave time to reflect and process what we’ve covered. More than one mentee joined feeling like they didn't have time - and found that the programme actually gave them time back by helping them stop losing hours of invisible time every week.
Q. Can I do this if I can't always make the Tuesday sessions?
The live sessions are where a lot of the magic happens - mentees consistently say they're the most valuable part of the programme. That said, life happens. Occasionally missing a session won't derail you. If you know Tuesdays at 6.30pm are regularly impossible for you, it's worth speaking to me so we can see if there’s a way to adapt your schedule.
Do you have more questions? Contact me for a chat
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