Lead and Listen

My name is Silke, and I reside in Bramley, Surrey, with my husband and our three beloved dogs, Hollie, Aska, and Woody. Animals have always held a special place in my heart, and my journey in dog training began with my first dog, Sandy, a longhaired Dachshund, who left me with cherished memories. As the owner and head gundog trainer at Lead & Listen, I am passionate about helping dogs reach their full potential. From my teenage years, when my dad took me to a local dachshund training club, I became fascinated with formal training for working breeds and participating in breed classes. When my children grew older, we welcomed our first family dog, Bramble, a Labrador Retriever, who became the perfect companion. And then came Hollie, a Labrador Retriever, who joined our family as a puppy when Bramble turned ten. Hollie has taken me on an incredible journey, delving into different dog activities and sports. Around six years ago, we embarked on our gundog training journey, which has brought me immense joy ever since. Working with Hollie as part of the picking-up team during the shooting season has been a true privilege. Aska, another member of our pack, thrives in hoopers activities, while Woody, our German Wirehaired Pointer, has extended my gundog training experience to include deer tracks. Over the years, I have achieved the Gundog Club graded training scheme levels G1 to G5 with Hollie and G3 with Aska. This year, I am focused on attaining G3 with Woody and have also ventured into KC Working Tests with Hollie and hoopers competitions with Aska. My journey in dog training started with puppy classes for Bramble, where I quickly realized that training is like peeling an onion, with new layers emerging as we progress in skills and deepen the human-dog partnership. Motivated by a desire to understand how dogs learn, I expanded my knowledge through books, training classes, workshops, and webinars. Undertaking the Gundog Training Academy Handlers and Teachers Courses was a pivotal moment that set me on the path to a career change into dog training. Today, I am a certified trainer with the Dog Training College and a level 1 Hoopers instructor with Canine Hoopers UK, actively working towards accreditation with the GTA. I feel incredibly fortunate to have transformed my hobby into a fulfilling career that allows me to pursue my passion every single day. I firmly believe that training should be enjoyable for both dogs and people and that positive, reward-based methods yield the best results, fostering a strong and positive person-dog relationship. I am excited to be a part of your journey, guiding and training your dogs to the highest standards. Together, we will build a positive connection, trust, knowledge, and skills to help you achieve your unique goals. Looking forward to embarking on this transformative journey with you!

Personalised One-on-One Gundog Training

Our experienced trainers provide individualised attention, catering to your unique needs and addressing specific training challenges. Whether you require assistance with particular behaviours or your dog prefers a more private setting, our one-to-one sessions are designed to achieve optimal results.

Engaging Gundog Training Group Classes

Join our comprehensive group classes, where we equip your dogs with the essential skills to become obedient, joyful, and successful pet gundogs. In addition to fostering obedience, our group training sessions offer ample opportunities for your furry friends to express their instincts, such as hunting, chasing, and retrieving. This approach minimises the development of problem behaviours both at home and during walks.

Gundog Training Workshops

Our workshops cater to those seeking a focused approach to everyday skills like recall or loose lead walking and those interested in refining specific gundog topics such as steadiness or delivery to hand. Gundog training workshops are also designed for flexibility for individuals unable to commit to regular weekly classes while offering valuable training opportunities.

Tailored Gundog Puppy Training

We prioritise individual attention by maintaining small group sizes, ensuring an ideal instructor-to-student ratio during puppy classes. Conducted in a private and securely fenced field located in West End, our classes are immersed in natural distractions, providing a head start for mastering exercises in class and real-world scenarios.