Hello!  My name is Bren Axon.

 

I’ve always been mad about animals, with a special passion for dogs and horses since a child.  Every birthday or Christmas  I would, without fail ask for a puppy.  Sadly, a puppy never materialised.    Instead we had cats, and though they were,  in my eyes then, a mere substitute for a puppy, I still adored them. I was also horse mad as so many little girls are, and had lessons at a local riding school. 

 

When I was about 10 or 11 years old I decided, as I didn't have a dog of my own, to become the neighbourhood dog walker.  There was Sally, (always my favourite) the dreadfully obese yellow Lab who lived down the street, who could spot a dropped item of food from a good 100 yards.  Shane, the young, extremely large, exuberant Lab who lived opposite. He probably weighed the same as me at that time, and quite literally used to drag me the two miles to the park and back.  There was also Rudy, a female Airedale who was owned by the couple who ran our local post office and whose best pals were a couple of squirrel monkeys, kept as pets by the owners.   They all became “my dogs” in the absence of my own and I have very happy memories of the hours I spent walking (or being dragged around) the neighbourhood and taking them to our local parks.

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It was not until after I had married and was into my early thirties that my husband and I moved out of London to a house with a garden and jobs close to home, which meant we were able to have a dog.  She was a black German Shepherd puppy called Miss Piggy.  

 

I recall my husband saying (before we were married) when I first broached the subject of having a dog, that he "certainly never wanted a dog, nor was he ever going to".  It suffices to say my determination was such that we have in fact always had two dogs in our home.  I work on the philosophy that you might as well have two dogs if you are going to have one, so Mr. Faro, a 22 month rehomed German Shepherd from the same breeder joined us when Miss Piggy was 11 months. For the last 24 years, our breed of choice has been a giant breed, the Leonberger. However, we must not forget our beloved black Lab, Bruno who was an RSPCA rescue and who was the most wonderful boy.

 

I spent most of my working life in lawyers’ offices in London and later, after we moved, South West England. I volunteered with the RSPCA for many years with experience of the day to day running of a busy branch which included the rehoming of dogs and cats in our care. I also served the RSPCA as a member of the South West Regional Board during my time with them which I regarded as an honour.

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I became a Magistrate too, presiding in the Criminal and Family Courts which was a humbling and life changing experience for me.   

 

I have a long history of volunteering not just with animal related charities but also human centred ones. I’ve a counselling qualification and for several years back in the UK I volunteered for a national organisation which helps people who are suicidal and despairing. I also volunteered with Victim Support.  Once we arrived  in Canada, I looked for volunteer opportunities here.   I believe that all I’ve experienced in my working life, along with volunteering with animals and people has given me valuable skills which I now bring to my current occupation.

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In 2006 we emigrated to Canada.  Moving enabled me to pursue a lifelong dream, which was to work with animals and become a certified dog trainer.  I started boarding dogs in our home in  2008 which I continued until mid 2020.  I began pursuing my quest to become a dog trainer way back in 2007 by taking a two week course for trainers in Washington State, run by Terry Ryan.  Later, in 2008 I attended a 3 day seminar in Vancouver given by Dr. Ian Dunbar which  really gave me the impetus to get on with the process of learning to be a trainer. I graduated with Honours from the Animal Behaviour College in 2010.

 

I am a professional member of the Pet Professional Guild, a well-known international organisation that promotes positive and humane methods of dog training and handling. I am also a member of the Pet Professional Network, an organisation supporting force free pet professionals around the world to help them improve and grow their businesses.  Both organisations have a strict code of ethics and I am regarded as a member in good standing in both organisations.

 

I am constantly updating my knowledge about dogs and their behaviour by attending seminars, workshops, webinars and taking on-line courses in order to further my education in the force free training  of our canine companions and offer my clients the best service that I can.  However as trainers, we never stop learning and every new dog we meet teaches us something. 

 

Until late February 2024,  my husband and I shared our lives with two Leonbergers, Juno and Arik.  Sadly, our beloved Juno who had almost reached her 11th birthday, which is pretty elderly for her breed, passed away on 24th February.  We have been devastated by the loss of our wonderful, sweet, gentle girl who was my world and my heart dog. Arik is now 3.5yrs old.   The name "Arik" is an old Norse name, and means "Leader" or "Noble One". He’s a very intelligent boy and has certainly been challenging.  However, that’s good for a trainer, because as I said above, every dog teaches us something new and Arik is no exception.

 

My training services are based in Brentwood Bay, Victoria BC and I serve an area which covers a 25 minute drive from my home.