SPONSORED: How the Canine College builds a lifetime bond between dogs and owners

Samantha Rawson is one of the top dog trainers in Ireland.

She is known throughout the country for her television and regular radio appearances on RTÉ’s Ray D’arcy Show , Newstalk & her local station KCLR96FMand as a speaker at groups and clubs. But those who have benefited from her knowledge or who have been entertained by her stories, may be surprised by Samantha’s own description of her role.

“I would describe my role as a mediator between two species who speak different languages,” she says.

It is this approach which makes Samantha’s work at the Canine College unique.

Her mission, she explains, is to help dogs and their owners develop a mutually respectful relationship based on trust. “You develop this relationship through open, clear, honest communication and compromise,” she says. “I advise never to confront and compound the situation: I prefer to distract and diffuse.”

Samantha is a champion trainer and dog expert with almost 30 years professional experience. She studied applied animal behaviour at the University of Southampton and Communication and counselling skills at NUI Maynooth. Samantha is a certified canine behaviour and training consultant.

Her business started in Dublin in 1993, as a dog walking &  pet care service, and, when the recession took its toll, she moved to Thomastown, Kilkenny, in 2011.

The move gave Samantha the opportunity and time to train her two beautiful rescue dogs, Pele (brought from Battersea dogs home in London) and Sassy (rescued on her way to Ennis pound). They both gained their champion titles in the sport of Working Trials. ( based on police dog tests without the stop and hold !).

“Sadly, Pele is no longer with us but he is on my van and all of my promotional material,” says Samantha.

Sassy won the Irish Kennel Club Top Working Trials Dog of the Year award in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. She competes at the top level internationally in Ireland and the UK and gained all her Working Trials titles both at home and in the UK. Samantha now competes in obedience and Uk Dog Sport with her two young dogs Badger & Diva.  Diva has already gained he UK Dog Sport qualification Intermediate Excellent.  Badger is coming on nicely.

The Canine College now has a permanent home on five acres at Clashbeg, four miles from Callan.

The generous space gives dogs room to run free and lets everyone practise social safety protocols. There is also a spacious indoor classroom that can operate within the social distancing rules. The Canine College facilities can be hired for events.

“We offer puppy classes, one to one dog  training, behaviour consultations and house calls,”  remote consultations and the foundations required for dog sports. explains Samantha.   

The key to successful dog training is mutual understanding, she says. “Our aim is to help owners to understand their dogs so that they can build a lifetime bond through Trust Respect and Play  People and dogs who play together … stay together.”

The Canine College is ideally situated between Callan and Coolmore, 10 minutes from Callan and four miles from Mulllinahone.

For more information about Samantha and The Canine College see samantharawson.ie or call her on  087 238 9260 and 052 915 3688