The Noble Hound

About Jane

Jane is a certified professional dog trainer, living in Victoria, BC. She offers classes for puppies and family dogs as well as intermediate level obedience at two local recreation centres. Private lessons are also available, including helping people get started with a brand new puppy before they come to class. She started The Noble Hound in 2002 and uses proven reward-based methods of training and behaviour modification.

Jane’s own dogs, Rhodesian ridgebacks, are known as a versatile breed and Jane has experienced many different activities with them. She has competed with her dogs in Obedience, RallyO, Agility and straight racing and more recently is having fun with tracking and herding. Her dogs have earned their obedience and rally titles as well as their CGN (Canine Good Neighbour) and are also registered pet therapy dogs.
 
One of her favourite activities, however, remains going for long walks with her dogs. She believes that it is essential dogs get sufficient exercise and mental stimulation to prevent many of the behaviour problems that arise out of an excess of energy or boredom. She believes in promoting responsible dog ownership through education and training.

  Jane is certified by the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers www.ccpdt.org which is recognised internationally for testing and certification of dog trainers. She continues her education by regularly attending seminars and in recent years has attended those given by Suzanne Clothier, Dr Ian Dunbar, Jean Donaldson, Turid Rugaas, Terry Ryan, Steve White, Ken Ramirez, Michele Pouliot, Kay Laurence, Emma Parsons and Nicole Wilde.

My dog, Spring, was an almost two year old rescue dog when I enrolled in Jane's Family Dog obedience class.  My girl was skittish, terrified of her own shadow and completely lacking in self confidence when we started our class.  We continued our training in Jane's Step Beyond classes and Spring blossomed.  Jane's classes were fun and positive and it was so rewarding to see Spring's confidence and ability grow in leaps and bounds.  At one of the classes, Jane talked about dogs working as therapy pets and distributed pamphlets explaining how the dogs might qualify.  I did not even bother to take the pamphlet as I thought there was no way that Spring would qualify, given her nervousness and insecurity. 

The following year I continued to work on Spring's training at home and we ventured into agility.  I came to realize that, equally as important as the skills Jane taught our dogs, was the skills she taught us humans to understand more clearly our dog's behaviour and learning patterns.  Jane gave me the confidence to instill confidence in my girl, and we have both benefited enormously. 

Last month, Spring qualified as a therapy pet. I could not be more proud of how far she has come in two years.  We now go to a senior's residence once a week and Spring gives gentle comfort and cheer to many of the residents.  The look of delight on their faces when Spring gives their hand a nose kiss is the best possible reward.  Spring is unfazed by vacuum cleaning in the halls, wheelchairs in the corridors, or even riding in the elevator - all of which would have terrified her two years ago.  Spring and I are hugely grateful to Jane for her skill, experience and sensitivity in giving us the tools to be able to achieve what we have accomplished so far, and will continue to build on.

Penny and Spring (Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever)