About Positive Paws

Positive Paws Dog Training was formed in 2006 by Shona Nolan and Selena Watson to enable us to offer more to our clients. We both share a strong passion for training dogs and their owners using Positive Reinforcement Training so that they can live in harmony together.

Originally, we started on our own by running puppy classes for a local vet clinic, Shona back in 1998 and Selena in 2001. We were also working together as veterinary nurses when we realised that we wanted to take our training to another level. After starting Positive Paws together, we have since expanded to also run puppy classes for other local vet clinics and also run classes for adolescent pups and adult dogs at both Beginner level and an Intermediate Level. We also do private one-on-one lessons for clients in the comfort of their own home environment. Here we can help owners and their dogs that may not be able to attend a group class or has a specific problem they need help with.

We pride ourselves on being able to offer our clients up-to-date dog training methods in a fun and friendly atmosphere. We continue to educate ourselves by being members of and sharing the beliefs of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia, attending regular training courses, seminars and conferences each year, and reading and learning anything new about positive dog training as well as depending on the tried and true methods of all the best positive trainers. We attend at least 2 - 3 conferences/seminars each year and read 3 - 4 new books each year so that we can remain at the cutting edge of Modern Positive Dog Training.

World renowned trainers we have learned from and are inspired by include:

Dr Ian Dunbar

Patricia McConnell

Nicole Wilde

Sarah Kalnajs

Pat Miller

Pamela Reid

Kay Laurence

Dr Kersti Seksel

Roger Abrantes

Ray Coppinger

Ken Ramirez

Karen Pryor

Peta Clarke

Casey Lomonaco

Dr Sophia Yin

We are looking to enroll into the Karen Pryor Academy in the USA to become KPA certified trainers either in 2012 or 2013.

Here's a little info about us so you can get to know us better...

Shona

Lives in Ruse with her husband and daughter Hannah, Rogue the boxer and their four cats. Rogue is a regular at the scene at Shona's training classes.

Shona has always had a passion for puppy training and is enjoying now being able to offer owners a range of training levels to improve their skills. She is passionate about learning as much as she can about dog training and behaviour and in spreading the word about positive dog training and how to understand dogs better so that they may live a fuller and happier life with their humans, and vice versa.

Selena

Selena lives in Couridjah with her husband and their 2 gorgeous kids Jake & Bree and their little menagerie of Ralph the Jack Russell, Katie the Cairn Terrier, Mazy the Kelpie, Gracie the Mini Poodle, Teddy the pony and Monty the cow. As you could imagine, she has a lovely little acreage property to provide for all her critters, which we now make good use of as training grounds for some of our Beginners and Intermediate level classes!

Selena has a long and successful history of show jumping horses but has put that aside to raise her family and focus on her passion of dog training and promoting positive training methods and raising better dogs and owners. She is now able to provide her expertise for clients in her home town area of Wollondilly by running her Beginners classes from her property in a wonderfully set up fully fenced area.