About Gill

Speaking Spaniel personalised puppy & dog training programmes. one to one training sessions and packages to help families understand their spaniel's natural hunting instincts, drives motivators and reinforcements.

Speaking Spaniel -  (Formerly Allsorts Dog Training) operating in Hampshire since 2016. Gill Gallagher is the trainer who qualified with the Institute of Modern Dog Trainers & an approved trainer for the Dog Training College following their methods, ethics & code of conduct & completing the continued professional development requirements. Gills style of coaching understands the individual learning styles of the humans & their dogs also incorporating choice based methods, initially focusing on the relationships rather than traditional obedience.

In January 2023 Gill completed and passed the amazing Kim Brophey's L.E.G.S.® Applied Ethology Family Dog Mediation® Professional Course and I am now a Certified Family Dog Mediator.

As an advocate for gentle and rewarding methods of training Gill & Speaking Spaniel do not use or condone the use electronic collars, prong collars or other pain emitting equipment or the use any force physically or verbally towards dogs. Any other equipment used must not tighten or cause your dog discomfort.

Gill believes that your dog is a family member and so should be treated as such, so not causing them pain or distress is essential but the well-being of you & your dog is the basis of everything you do. Therefore she incorporates choice based methods & shared activities that build your relationship, connection and two-way communication with your puppy or dog.

Choice based dog training methods involve catching any actions and behaviours that you like in your dog and would like them to repeat in similar situations and marking them with rewards your dog finds motivating. Rather than manipulating the situation or your dog so they perform the action or behaviour in a way that may not be natural, comfortable or in your dog's mind useful or appropriate for them.

So to have your best life with your dog she wants to help and support you to learn through coaching to:

• Understand their dog's (whatever the breed or breed mix) natural instincts, drive,, motivation & reinforcement.
• Communicate what it is we want or don't want from their dog without nagging, prompting. telling off or punishing.  
• Understand what their dog is communicating to you so they can begin to know what their dog is doing and why.
• Ensure the training is FUN and appropriate for the dog and human alike. so the content & timing of the training needs to work for both parties.

During programmes Gill works individually with the families and their dogs to ensure the experience is fun, fulfilling & rewarding for all parties including herself.

The programmes are not exclusively for spaniels and can be adapted for spaniel cross breeds Labradors & retrievers, pointers and hunt point & retrieve (HPR) dogs. II you would like to discuss whether a programme would suit your dog contact Gill via the contact us page.