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Trainer Profiles
Marie Louise Holt
I have worked as head veterinary nurse in a small animal practice since 1992. I have worked at an obedience training club since 2002 progressing from helper to trainer, when I left to open my own training club with Bev in 2010. I run my own gundog training group where we train HPR gundogs to all levels.
I have grown up around many animals and owned five dogs over the years. My first was a Rottweiler bitch, she taught me a lot about dogs, she was lovely, calm and very gentle natured but we lost her at the young age of 8 years. I now own Kira, a Hungarian Vizsla who was born in 2001. She has had a few problems throughout her life but we did compete in obedience and agility with her. She is now retired and is a very happy pet dog. I also own three Weimaraners. Bronte was born in 2002. I used to work her in competitive obedience until she introduced me to the world of gundog work. She is also retired now but still enjoys picking up through the season on our local shoot. Moss was born in 2007. She is my working and gundog working test competitive bitch, achieving some good awards. Moss is the foundation bitch for my own breed line Meinweg, having her first litter in Jan 2011. We kept a bitch out of the litter and named her Fen. We have big plans for the show ring and also the working side so watch this space.
I own my own affix and have held the name Meinweg since 2008 and I'm registered with the kennel club as an accredited breeder. I am currently applying for my Kennel Club Accredited Trainers Certificate and hope to be enrolled as a member very soon. I do many canine behaviour and training courses through my veterinary nursing continued professional development and I'm a registered animal bereavement counsellor with the Animal Care College. I am involved in all areas of canine training and have been for many years. I am currently doing a diploma in canine behaviour and I hold behaviour consultations, for non-aggressive cases, at the veterinary practice where I work.
Bev Smith
My family have owned dogs all my life so I spent my childhood playing with my best friend ‘Shandy’, who was a rescue dog. On numerous occasions he managed to slip out of the house and find me at school! At this time I also used to walk an Afghan Hound belonging to a couple up the road. After Shandy we had two more wonderful rescue dogs ‘Barney’ and ‘Ben’. It was Ben that introduced me to dog training classes way back in 1988. We worked our way through the various classes available and I attended several obedience competitions and obedience demonstrations with both Ben and Barney.
My current dogs are two Weimaraners, ‘Lani' who was born in Feb 2001 and 'Lexi' born in Jan 2011, Lani is a great dog even though she has been very head strong and wilful and certainly provided me with a challenge. I have trained her to Kennel Club Good Citizen Gold Award standard. Lexi is proving to have a lot of character too and certainly keeps us entertained, I am training Lexi for gundog work and have so far competed in some working tests.
I have over 20 years experience in teaching dog training. In 1989 I was asked to start helping in the beginners obedience class at the club I attended, from this I progressed to Assistant Trainer and then to Trainer in 1998. Over the years I have attended many dog training instructor courses and seminars held by people such as John Rogerson, Roy Hunter, John Uncle, Sheila Bailey, Liz Kershaw and Gail Fisher. This has given me a broad experience of the various training methods and views available.
I am currently applying to become a Kennel Club Accredited Instructor and will hopefully soon be enrolled on this scheme as a member.
Helper Profiles
Wayne Holt
I am married to Marie. I have grown up with dogs around me, but they were all my parents’ dogs. When I first met Marie she owned a Rottweiler called Shantie, it wasn’t till she passed away that we owned our first dog together called Kira. I thought this would be it, but how far from the truth that was. I now share my life with four dogs and one rabbit and I’m sure there is more in store if I let Marie get her own way.
Marie has always worked with animals and I too have the same enjoyment for them but I always seem to get the rough end, general dogs body at the training club, or dummy thrower at the gundog training group, as well as make the tea, take photo’s fetch and carry whatever they want, whenever they want it! But I do enjoy watching the dogs improve.
I am a keen photographer; I enjoy taking animal shots especially action shots so going with Marie whilst she is instructing or working our dogs gives me the opportunity to catch that perfect shot!
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