About Abby

Hi, I’m Abby, the trainer behind Abby’s Dog Training School. I offer force-free, reward-based training for dogs and their people across North Bury and Bolton.

I believe training should help you understand your dog, build skills for everyday life and enjoy spending time together. Every dog is different, so I take the time to understand what will work for you both.

I grew up on a working farm surrounded by animals, including Shire horses, cattle, sheep, dogs and cats. That early experience shaped my love of working with animals and led me to study Equine Business Management at Hartpury University.

After university, I worked with dogs and continued learning about canine behaviour and training. I started Abby’s Animal Services in 2022, initially working in dog walking and care. Over time, training became the part of the work I felt most drawn to.

My own experience with Jesse, my Border Collie, helped me understand how challenging life can feel when a dog is struggling. It strengthened my interest in behaviour and in finding supportive, practical ways to help dogs feel more comfortable.

That journey led me to focus the business on dog training, where I can help owners understand their dogs and work towards meaningful goals together.

My training approach is informed by the science of how dogs learn and by a strong commitment to their welfare. I use rewards, clear guidance and thoughtful training setups to help dogs understand what we’re asking and feel confident trying.

I look at the whole dog: what they’re feeling, what they find difficult and what helps them succeed. By breaking skills into manageable steps, giving dogs choice where we can and rewarding behaviours we’d like to see more often, we can build learning without relying on fear, pain or intimidation.

The aim is more than teaching a behaviour. It’s to help dogs feel safer, more confident and better able to succeed in the situations they face every day.

Dogs have their own personalities, experiences, needs and ways of learning. I take time to understand what matters to you and what your dog is finding difficult, then adapt the training to suit you both.

We’ll build skills in manageable steps, using rewards and support that work for your dog. That helps create a learning experience where they can feel safe, take part and grow in confidence.

Training needs to make sense in the situations you and your dog actually face. Where it’s suitable, we’ll practise in real-life settings and introduce everyday distractions carefully, at a level your dog can manage.

I’ll help set up each session to give your dog a good chance of success. We can adjust the distance, difficulty or surroundings, then build things up gradually as your dog becomes more comfortable and confident. The aim is to help skills carry over into the real world, not just work in one quiet training space.

I’m committed to continuing my education so I can offer thoughtful, well-informed support to the dogs and people I work with.

• IMDT-qualified dog trainer 
• IMDT Easy Peasy Puppy Instructor
• Level 3 certificates in Learning, Motivation and Reinforcement, and Principles of Dog Training and Behaviour
• More than 30 IMDT courses completed, covering topics from canine body language to resource guarding
• The Dog Trainer School Reactivity training, Levels 1 and 2
• Nanci Creedon’s Professional Reactivity Specialist programme
• Member of The Dog Trainer School 
• Member of Kids Around Dogs
• Currently working towards my Scurry Dog Instructor Certificate

I was Highly Commended at the Animal Star Awards and a finalist in the Women in Business Awards.