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About Us

At Sheila Harper Canine Education we offer a unique approach to learning about and working with dogs, with an aim that has always been to provide quality education for all. Each dog is an individual and is at the centre of any work we do. Through looking at the root cause of behaviour and training problems we aim to promote an holistic approach, including kind dog training, understanding of canine behaviour and language as well as humane methods of handling and consideration of the part played in body and mind by stress, nutrition and health issues. We offer a range of courses including weekends and week-long holidays as well as a year-long part time practical and theoretical International Dog Trainers’ School with a behavioural emphasis.

Our Course Tutors

Resident lecturer
Sheila Harper

Sheila Harper works professionally as a full-time lecturer, teacher, trainer and counsellor, travelling world-wide to spread her knowledge and understanding of dogs. She has a BA and B.Ed, and has been a teacher for over 20 years. She is an associate of Turid Rugaas, and is an honorary member of the Pet Dog Trainers of Europe (PDTE).

Guest speakers
Turid Rugaas (Norway)

Turid is one of the world’s leading experts on dog behaviour. She is an ever-popular speaker who has made a huge impact throughout the world with her insight into canine communication and understanding of dog behaviour. She is the author of three books on communication and behaviour, with “On Talking Terms With Dogs: Calming Signals” becoming a world-wide best seller. Turid is in high demand and spends much of her time travelling in order to spread her message.

Sally Askew

Sally has worked tirelessly to improve the lot of dogs. With interests in complementary therapies, health and behaviour she has a whole toolbox to draw on, along with a real empathy for dogs. Sally is a qualified teacher and trainer of people and dogs. She is a qualified Bowen Technique Practitioner for humans and dogs and a member of the Guild of Essential Oil Therapists for Animals. She is a human nutritionist and holds a qualification in small animal nutrition. Sally offers an holistic approach to living with dogs.
Sally continues to work alongside us as a more permanent part of the lecturing team for our International Dog Behaviour and Training School, primarily giving extra input into the areas of health and nutrition.

James French

James is a Reiki master whose principal work is to apply Reiki healing to animals and humans and exploring the depth of the relationship between the two. He also specialises in communicating with animals using a language of feelings rather than words. He works together with his partner Shelley Slingo sharing their common goal to help people and animals in whatever means they can.

Christina Sondermann (Germany)

Christina has been working with ideas on how to provide for and fulfil dogs’ needs for many years now. She is involved with dog friendly, stress free training methods and creating a harmonious relationship between dogs and their owners with her internet project www.fun-with-dogs.com. She also works as an author for a dog magazine and her book entitled ‘Playtime For Your Dog’ has become a best seller.

Gerd Köhler (Germany)

Gerd Köhler has been involved with human communication for many years. His cats and dogs have taught him to read even subtle body signals enabling him to understand human body language more clearly. Gerd currently lives in Germany working in animal shelters and dog clubs where he trains people to communicate with dogs. Gerd also works as an animal photographer where his love of all creatures is very much apparent. Gerd has completed the IDTS in Germany with Sheila Harper and is a member of the PDTE. He uses dog friendly and stress free training methods.

Anne-Lill Kvam (Norway)

Anne-Lill runs her own dog training school in Norway, situated on a wooded farm. She is in high demand throughout Europe and Japan as a stimulating speaker. Not only has she trained dogs in search and rescue, but she also spent two and a half years in Angola training dogs to detect land mines. Her main interest is teaching Nosework.

Minna Vadsager (Denmark)

Minna specialises in Geocaching with dogs, a fun activity that is hugely popular throughout Europe. Geocaching is a modern take on treasure hunting using GPS devices to pin point locations and then working with a dog to find the hidden treasure. Geocaching is still in its infancy in the UK, but Minna is confident that its popularity will increase as more people find out about it and experience how much fun can be had not only for themselves but also for their dogs.

Sandra Lockwood

Sandra runs the pioneering Millstream Animal Shelter in Manchester. She is committed to providing the best possible experience for the animals in her care and works tirelessly to educate people on how to successfully rehabilitate animals and help them become happy family members. Sandra completed the IDTS with Sheila in 2000 – 2002, taking her newly gained knowledge on stress reduction and environmental enrichment back to the animal shelter. Subsequently making sweeping changes throughout Millstream, she has created an environment that provides the best possible psychological and physical care that is unrivalled even by the best-known and most highly-funded rescue kennels world-wide.

Team Members

Yvonne Tudor

I am one of the newest members of the team and can truly say that I didn’t realise how much my life would change as a result of meeting Sheila. Not only am I working full time doing something that I love but I am developing a deeper understanding of dogs than I could have ever possibly imagined.
I look after the administration side of the business and so will probably be the first person that most of you speak to. I always look forward to welcoming new customers to our courses and classes and it is really rewarding to see the progress that people make and how they develop their relationships with their dogs.
I am currently studying on the IDTS and am very interested in the nutrition and holistic therapy side.

Carol Northcott

At 61 I am probably the oldest “New Kid on the Block”, having just moved into the area to become a proper member of the team!

I have shared my life with dogs of different descriptions for 30+ years but my present girl, Solo (an all black German Shepherd), has probably been the most challenging.

Although I was brought up with traditional methods of training, I was always uncomfortable with the methods used and felt there had to be a better way. I met Sheila in 2004 at a course she was hosting; attended two more courses and was hooked! I did the IDTS course in 2005 and have acted as a mentor to IDTS students for the past two years. That first meeting in August 2004 started me on a fascinating and exciting journey which has totally changed my life and my relationship with my dog.

I have no particular specialisms – except with a washing up mop and tea towel – but I am a good listener and having had difficulties with my own lass (which we are still working on), I can empathise with both dog and owner when challenges occur.

At this stage whilst settling in to my new home, I am going to be very much a “backroom boy” but I’m looking forward to meeting lots of new people and their lovely dogs and helping them both explore a better partnership.

Marilyn Aspinall

Even before Tanna, (a street stray with more than her fair share of phobias and neuroses), joined our family, my time as an instructor at a conventional obedience training club had alerted me to the fact that one size does not fit all where dogs are concerned.

Investigating other approaches and methods, I met Sheila Harper and was introduced to the work of Turid Rugaas. Learning about the canine communication system of Calming Signals an the impact of stress on behaviour encouraged me to leave the training club and, with a like minded friend set up Dogwise in 1998. For six years we ran classes and seminars reflecting the work taught by Sheila and Turid.

In 2000, I took part in Sheila’s inaugural International Dog Trainers’ School to further my knowledge and have attended many of the weekend courses run by Sheila since then.

For the past three years, I have been assisting at Sheila’s classes, where I have continued to learn from the best teachers of all – the dogs.

My current canine family consists of Josey, a ten year old mongrel bitch, who, from puppy hood, has found this human world to be a very tough place for a dog. In 2003 we were joined by Angus, than around nine years of age. He is a “graduate” of Millstream Animal Shelter, a rescue group practising the principles you will learn at Sheila Harper Ltd. Angus has gone from being a dog rejected for his anti-social behaviour, to a valued member of Sheila’s team, where he helps younger dogs learn good canine manners.

Apart from working with dogs and at my sons’s motorbike business, I spend a lot of time growing things, in particular, hardy fuchsias. It has been a challenge to create a garden which both satisfies my horticultural ambitions and provides a safe place full of interest for dogs, but Josey and Angus seem happy with the result.

Susan Beattie

I started as a volunteer member of the team at the beginning of 2007 when I started my IDTS.

Originally from Manchester and with a working background in book keeping, I never thought my life would change so dramatically when my husband Mick and I along with our black Labrador cross, Jasper moved to Staffordshire in October 20025 to live on our narrow boat Zeppelin.

I first met Sheila Harper in mid 2005 at our local village hall when she was giving a talk on her approach to behaviour and training problems in dogs. I was so impressed by this form of teaching that when we acquired Zed, an eight week old Golden retriever, back in July 2005, I immediately enrolled him into Sheila’s puppy classes. Since then my interest in dogs (we acquired another Golden Retriever “Jay”) and their welfare has become a major part of my life, so much so that I am having a career change.
I have just qualified as a human Bowen Therapist and hope to qualify as a Canine Bowen Therapist in 2008.

Winny Boerman

I am currently the only dutch member of the team. Although I still live in Holland I visit England for long periods to continue with my canine education and to offer help to other dog owners where I can.
My first contact with dogs goes back a long time. From an early age I walked other people’s dogs almost every day until I had my own dog in 1988. This dog happened to be Dave, a three month old puppy and a crossbreed who was in a very poor condition.
At that time I was working in a rescue shelter, and immediately he was brought in I was determined to help him. I provided him with a safe and secure environment, and did nothing to train him besides house training. As a result, he eventually he grew up to a stable and well-socialised dog. He was allowed to be a dog with nothing to spoil him, and I enjoyed being his companion for 15 years.
After Dave I walked into a so-called “problem dog”.. He was given the label of being an “aggressive and dominant” dog with a bite history and no tolerance towards people, dogs or anything else. However, Perry was the same dog who led me in my quest to search for education about dogs and their behaviour.
I had my own list of requirements that I wanted to find in a course. I was looking for something that was different from the standard courses in its approach towards dogs and in its “philosophy”.
My search culminated in finding Sheila Harper’s International Dog Trainers’ School – a course that seemed as if it could possibly fulfil my needs at that time.

Before long I had realised how little I knew when I found myself following the course in Holland in 2006. It turned out that this course taught me about so much more than dogs. It taught me also about life; my own life and how it reflects on and influences dogs. Now, as one of the team members I have the opportunity to continue my learning about dogs and their behaviour, as well as their behaviour in relation to owners. This learning is one where a gentle approach, understanding and mutual respect are the key words for a better relationship with the dog. It is the kind of learning where the only tools used are tools to give a dog the opportunity to develop his life skills or to help him to relearn them and use them again. These are the natural life skills that some dogs have lost somewhere in their life for various reasons…..and giving back these life skills is the biggest challenge and reward that I can think of.

Carol Ilic

As with other members of the team I found my interest in dog behaviour through a need to understand a particularly problematic dog. Until that time, dogs had always been there, part of the family and just seemed to 'fit in'.
For 15 years I was involved in non competitive Obedience training with several dogs passing the Gold G.C.A.
I have worked with Dogs Trust as a volunteer Socialiser, Kennel Assistant and Training and Behaviour Advisor. During my time with Dogs Trust I attended many courses and seminars including a year long Canine Behaviour course with The Natural Animal Centre.
Since leaving Dogs Trust I have become a Trustee at Border Collie Trust GB, also helping owners with behaviour problems.
I completed the I.D.T.S in 2006 during which time I was invited to become a member of the team. I am now involved with Sheila's Training classes and Behaviour consultations. I also run my own Re-hab and confidence building support group in Shropshire.
Though my first interest is in the health and welfare of rescue dogs and after-care once re-homed, I realise there is much unintentional pain and suffering throughout the dog world due to a lack of ethical owner education.
At home we have three collies, one of which is blind.