Helping you build positive relationships from the Very beginning!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Consistent 5 Star Reviews from Happy Puppy Parents

Professional Dog Trainer in East Sussex & Surrey

Why choose My Complex Canine?

Fully supported progressive puppy learner journey's for your family to follow, from before you pick your puppy up, to adolescence and beyond, with both private puppy training and group puppy training courses.

Our Qualifications and Accreditations

Choose Your Puppy Pathway

Choose Where To Start

Choose between private puppy training or group Puppy School puppy training classes.

Need help with your decision? See the flow chart below.

Turn Up and Practice

Commit to consistent practice and implementation of the training techniques.

Choose Your Next Step

Flexibility to switch your next level of support, between classes and 1:1s.

Which Pathway is Best for Your Family?

Which Pathway is Best for Your Family? Pointers to consider if you're not sure if group, or private training is the right option for you.

Key Benefits of 1:1 Puppy Training

  • Training tailored to what you need to be working on with your individual puppy.

  • Flexibility on exactly what needs to be worked on, in what order, and when.

  • Building a working relationship with your trainer that provides accountability to your progress.

  • Stay on track with achieving your goals due to regular contact and progression points.

  • My time and knowledge dedicated to your puppy and mastering your training skills

  • More opportunity for greater knowledge exchange, problem solving and questions.

Key Benefits of Group Classes

  • Build a network of local puppy parents

  • Gain exposure to diverse training questions and solutions

  • Feel supported and understand you're not alone in your struggles

  • Learn in a safe, non-judgmental environment

  • Enjoy the humour and camaraderie of shared puppy experiences

  • Benefit from structured, progressive training methods

Puppy Starter Arrival Preparation

Before you even pick up your puppy get set up with accurate, science-based knowledge to help you to settle your puppy into their new life.

1:1 Training

(In-Person Session Availability Monday Daytimes)

Group Classes

(Mondays Hartfield/ Thursdays Lingfield & Uckfield)

1:1 Puppy Foundations

(From £188)

Fully supportive, covering foundational life skills that puppies need, delivered in your home environment and tailored to your own situation and puppy.

Puppy School Group Training

£150 (6 week course)

Help your puppy develop essential life skills and good behaviour from an early age. Small class sizes, reward-based, ethical methods, offering a positive learning experience for both you and your puppy.

1:1 Puppy Advanced

(From £188)

Fully supportive follow-on for families that would like to progress to advanced puppy or happy handling on a 1:1 basis .

Happy Handling Group Training

£150 (6 week course)

Helping you to grow your puppies confidence with husbandry procedures such as grooming, wearing equipment, veterinary procedures and more.

Additional Support for 1:1 Clients

Puppy Coach - This is an ‘on the go’ coaching session only available to clients, which allows you to put in place the skills you have learnt and build your confidence out and about.

Additional Support for Class Attendees

Affordable 1:1 Ask the Expert - online video session to provide support for any at home problems you are having with your puppy.

My Complex Canine Membership [In Development]

Access to online bite-sized courses, discounts for in-person workshops and new services and opportunity to be part of a supportive member community.

Want to Access my FREE Puppy Play Biting Challenge for Families?

You will be added to my newsletter list, but can easily unsubscribe at any time.

Upcoming Puppy Training Classes

Puppies MUST be fully vaccinated to attend Puppy School

A course runs weekly (unless specified) for 6 weeks and is £152 (including booking fee)

If you have any question about our classes please see the puppy training page.

Puppy School Group Training

Help your puppy develop essential life skills and good behaviour from an early age up to 20 weeks on the first day of the class. Small class sizes, individual coaching and reward-based, ethical methods to ensure a positive learning experience for both you and your puppy.

Upcoming Starting Dates:

Lingfield 18:00 24 Jul

Hartfield 18 August 16:30 (break wk 25 Aug & 15 Sept)

Lingfield 17:00 11 Sept

Uckfield 11 Sept 10:00

Hartfield 13 Oct 16:30

Uckfield 23 Oct 10:00

Puppy School Group Training

Help your puppy develop essential life skills and good behaviour from an early age up to 20 weeks on the first day of the class. Small class sizes, individual coaching and reward-based, ethical methods to ensure a positive learning experience for both you and your puppy.

Upcoming Starting Dates:

Lingfield 18:00 24 Jul

Hartfield 18 August 16:30 (break wk 25 Aug & 15 Sept)

Lingfield 17:00 11 Sept

Uckfield 11 Sept 10:00

Hartfield 13 Oct 16:30

Uckfield 23 Oct 10:00

Happy Handling Group Training

Helping you to grow your puppies confidence with husbandry procedures such as grooming, wearing equipment, veterinary procedures and more.

Upcoming Starting Dates:

Happy Handling Group Training

Helping you to grow your puppies confidence with husbandry procedures such as grooming, wearing equipment, veterinary procedures and more.

Upcoming Starting Dates:

Short Targeted Workshops

Short session workshops targeting specific training challenges like recall, calmness and focus in addition to fun 'intro to..' sessions.

Upcoming Starting Dates:

Youth Club Group Training

Follow-on course, for puppies that have already completed positive reward-based foundation training and are looking to progress.

Upcoming Starting Dates:

Puppy School Lingfield, Hartfield and Uckfield

Puppy School is founded by APBC registered behaviourist and author Gwen Bailey. Classes are for puppies under 20 weeks at the start of the course, we have this age limit to create a safe environment for young puppies, so they can learn and grow in confidence. We encourage you to bring your puppy to classes as soon as your puppy is vaccinated and your vet has confirmed it is safe for them to mix with others. All Puppy School courses are run weekly (unless breaks weeks are listed) over 6 weeks, with each class lasting 1 hour. Our classes progress gradually, building on your puppy's understanding and reliability. Class sizes are kept small (5-6 puppies) to ensure that I can provide some individual guidance to all families attending.

Times & Locations

Puppy School Lingfield - Thursday 17:00

Puppy School Hartfield - Monday 16:30

Puppy School Uckfield - Thursday 10:00

The course curriculum covers settling calmly on a bed, puppy play biting and appropriate toy play, handling (grooming, husbandry procedures), loose lead walking, accepting people near food and chews, basic positions and stay, recall and learning how to greet people and other dogs appropriately. We are family friendly and love having young people attend under the supervision of an adult. I use reward-based, ethical methods to ensure a positive learning experience for both you and your puppy. My Complex Canine's goal is to give puppies the best start in life, helping them become well-behaved dogs that remain with the same family for life.

When you book onto one of our Puppy School courses you will be sent a Puppy School Manual which will help you get started on the right path straight away as well as providing you check points after each classes to keep you on track. You will also get access to a private area of the Puppy School website called The Puppy Club which week-by-week guidance, video reminders of the class exercises and articles written by experts based on scientific evidence covering all kinds of puppy issues. Additionally you will leave at the end of the 6 week course with a puppy certificate and rosette!

1:1 Puppy Behaviour Training with My Complex Canine

My Complex Canine’s 1:1 puppy journey provides you with a fully supportive pathway from when you make the decision you are getting a puppy, through their first year and beyond. As a new puppy parent you can begin with the Puppy Starter arrival call to get all the expert tips on how to settle your puppy in, and get started on the right path.

Following this you can be fully supported on a 1:1 basis with programs that are designed to offer you a fully supportive experience, as you learn to become your puppy’s expert! Including concise easy to implement training goals, visual reminders and access to support in-between training sessions, to help keep you moving in the right direction. 1:1 training is perfect for any puppy issue, general recall issues, and progressing you and your dog’s training from a basic level to advanced. Whether you just want short-term guidance with our Relationship Starter program or a longer-term plan to see your training skills transform with our Puppy Foundations or Advanced programs, we will have something that works for you!

“A relationship is an experience and a chance to learn to understand one another”

Schedule your free (no obligation) 15 minute discovery call. Find out more about my services and provide a little bit of information about your puppy and your training goals, so I can outline a plan to help you and your puppy build a positive relationship from the very beginning. If you would like to get to know more about me prior to our call please check out my about me page.

What Our Clients Say

Follow Us On Instagram

Our Latest Blog Posts

Lady next to a puppy feeding a treat.

Getting Your Puppy Used to Handling - What Does It Mean?

October 16, 20245 min read

Handling Comfort as Well as Building Social Connection!

So you probably spend a lot of time giving your dog affection and knowing which area they love you to scratch! This kind of interaction is enjoyable for you both, and it is likely to happen regularly. This is social connection and not what we would term as ‘handling’.

When we talk about ‘handling’ this can be considered to be more formal, more like a health check or if you need to place equipment on your dog. Grooming and vet checks for example are going to be carried out throughout a dog’s life and it will be a much more pleasant experience if your puppy is relaxed, tolerant and calm.

In our puppy classes we encourage owners to practice a daily health check and handling exercise with their puppies. In order to build a trusting relationship with a puppy we need to respond to what our puppies are telling us. Puppies do not speak to us in our language, but if we watch their body language it tells us a lot!!! If, for example, we went to pick up our puppy’s paw and they moved their paw away from us, that is a clear sign they do not feel comfortable with it and we should therefore spend time breaking the action down into smaller actions. Such as, a light touch on the paw followed by a tasty treat, this will help the puppy to feel more positive about his paw being touched.By practicing this exercise regularly and gradually extending this practice to all areas of their body you will be preparing your puppy for their first trip to the vets or groomers.

Puppy parents practicing calm handling with their puppies in class.

It is also a great idea to practice some calm, positive associations with a brush. It is so important to do this gradually so your puppy has a good experience with a brush and will be used to being groomed by you, prior to going to the groomers. Below is a lovely example of the handler practicing slow, calm movements with the brush and rewarding very well with some tasty treats, the result is shown in the puppies relaxed body language.

Equipment: Don't forget about your puppies walking equipment. This can also be introduced gradually and will ensure that your puppy is comfortable in their collar, harness or coat. The below video shows some ideas to help you introduce a harness positively to your puppy. The stages should be practiced in short sessions and only progressed if your puppy's body language is relaxed and positive like the dog in this video. If your dog or puppy is backing away or running away from the harness, or growling/snapping when it is placed near them, they likely are already worried by the equipment and you would likely need some help from a professional dog trainer/behaviourist.

Nail/ claw care is also super important!!! Keeping your dog's claws at an appropriate length will contribute to your dog's comfort. The nail embeds into the last digital bone, so whatever happens with the nail taps into the bone. Therefore long nails permanently engaging in the floor may put pressure on this bone, which can make the dog feel uncomfortable. Additionally the nails supply information to the brain about where the foot is, if the nails are permanently engaged it may give the message to the brain that the dog needs to rock backwards because they are on a slope and may therefore even change their overall body posture.

Groomers will want to trim your puppy or dogs nails so why not help your puppy prepare for this by getting them used to the nails being touched and gradual pressure being applied. Have a look at how easy it is to do in my video below.

If you do all this work helping your puppy feel confident with handling experiences it is vital that you select a groomer for your puppy that will focus on providing a positive first experience!

Some things to consider when making your choice of groomer;

  • Groomers that are keen to make the experience as positive for a young puppy as possible will offer puppy settling sessions. Often these are free or discounted sessions focused solely on giving your puppy a chance to explore the grooming salon and build a nice connection with the groomer.

  • Groomers that uphold fear free methods will only do what your puppy is comfortable with in the first few sessions and it is better that they say for example ' I was unable to trim the hair around your puppies eyes today as they were uncomfortable'.

  • Feedback from your groomer is great information for your and means you can go and practice touching around the eye area and feeding treats to your puppy to build up their confidence of people touching this area of their body slowly.

  • When you visit check with your groomer how many puppies/dogs would be in the salon at one time and how they would be secured during this time. Some groomers use crates, if your puppy has never been in a crate before then this could be a very worrying experience for them.

  • Another option is to find a mobile groomer that comes to your home in a van. It may be possible to stay with your puppy and help them build in confidence with the grooming experience.

If you need any help with handling your puppy/dog, whether it be grooming or getting your them comfortable in a harness or used to wearing a muzzle. Book a discovery call!

brushing puppygrooming puppypuppy nailspuppy handlingpuppypuppy advicevet preparation for puppies
blog author image

Sarah Worth

Sarah is a puppy training specialist and the owner of My Complex Canine

Back to Blog

FAQ

What age should my puppy be to join a puppy training course?

  • Puppies should be under 20 weeks old at the start of the class for Puppy School.

  • Youth Club is our follow-on course for graduates of Puppy School and pups would be

between 5 and 18 months.

  • Happy Handling is for puppies and dogs of any age that are relaxed and happy around dogs

and people.

What will my puppy learn in a puppy training class?

Puppy School - covers settling calmly on a bed/puppy play biting and appropriate toy play/ handling

(grooming, husbandry procedures)/ loose lead walking/greetings without jumping up/sit, down,

stand and stay positions/recall/accepting people near to food bowls and chews/ socialisation with

other dogs and people and appropriate puppy greetings.

Youth Club - covers leave and drop cues/recall progression/ loose lead progression/distance control/emergency stop and distance positions/manners around doorways, gates and roadsides/ calmer

greetings/ boundary training.

Happy Handling - helps puppies and dogs cope better with various different handling situations.

Covers body language and consent-based husbandry techniques/cooperative grooming/nail

trims/vaccinations/medicating and how to transfer these skills to the vets.

What should I bring to puppy training classes?

Bring a mixture of tasty treats, a flat mat or towel, a stuffed Kong, a water bowl, long soft tugging

toys, poo bags, and a lead and collar or harness.

How long are the puppy training courses?

Puppy School, Happy Handling and Youth Club are all 6 week courses, that run weekly unless

specified.

What are the timings of the puppy training classes?

Each class session lasts for 1 hour.

Can children attend all of your puppy training courses?

Yes, children can attend under the supervision of a responsible adult.

How many puppies attend your classes?

Small class sizes (5-6) allow for some individual coaching.

What if I miss a puppy training class?

Please let your trainer know as soon as possible. There are no partial refunds for missed classes.

How do I sign up for a Puppy School Hartfield or Puppy School Lingfield?

Click on the link to view class dates and times, and follow the instructions to sign up.

What locations do you offer 1:1 sessions?

Lingfield (RH7), Hartfield (TN7), Forest Row (RH18), East Grinstead (RH19), Horley (RH6), Oxted

(RH8), Crowborough (TN6), some Uckfield (TN22) areas.

Where are 1:1 sessions held?

At your home address and in your local area.

How to I sign up for 1:1 Training?

Schedule a free discovery call by clicking the banner at the top of the page, selecting a date and time and completing the form.

Follow us

My Complex Canine offers professional puppy training classes (Puppy School Hartfield and Puppy School Lingfield) and supportive private dog training programs. Owner Sarah Worth is a registered ABTC training instructor and practices science-led ethical training methods.

Contact

Working Days: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.