Gwen Johnson
With over 30 years of experience in dog sports, my journey has taken me through a wide range of disciplines—including competitive obedience, agility, scentwork, gundog training, herding, and breed showing. Each has shaped my approach and deepened my understanding of what it means to work in true partnership with a dog.
My passion is ethical, high-quality dog training that honours the incredible bond between humans and dogs. I believe this relationship has the power to transform lives—and that we, in turn, owe our dogs respect, clarity, and kindness in everything we do.
My current competition dog, Pie, is a six-year-old Australian Cattle Dog. She’s a Show Champion, Grade 7 agility dog, and holds a Kennel Club Working Gundog Certificate on Dummies. Pie has also excelled in detection dog trials, earning top placements at a national level. Beyond the titles, she’s a treasured family member and a loyal adventure companion.
Whether I’m teaching a workshop, offering one-on-one coaching, or competing, my goal is always the same: to inspire thoughtful training and help others find real joy in working with their dogs.
Workshop 1 – Balancing Drive To Create A Thoughtful Working Dog
In this workshop, we’ll explore the systems I use to help dogs stay thoughtful and focused—even in high-intensity, exciting environments.
It’s essential that working dogs remain calm, yet alert and ready for action. While it’s ideal for them to stay composed, the reality is that there will be moments of high arousal and excitement as they anticipate engaging work.
We will look at strategies to help keep dogs on the focused side of that excitement, preventing them from feeling frustration, and becoming frantic.
6 handler places available
Workshop 2 – Having Fun With Heelwork!
There’s nothing better than the feeling that joyful, connected heelwork brings.
In this session, we’ll explore strategies to build technically skilled, enthusiastic heelwork—so that both you and your dog clearly understand the task and truly enjoy doing it together.
6 handler places available