About
Hi, I’m Charlotte!
Dog trainer, coach, adventurer and the human behind My Happy Dog & Me.
I help people understand the dog in front of them, especially when walks, excitement or everyday life have started to feel harder than they imagined.
But for me, this has never really been about creating the perfectly behaved dog.
It’s about helping dogs feel able to cope with the lives we want to share with them and helping their humans feel more confident, curious and able to enjoy that life too.
Because I believe there’s so much more waiting for us when we stop asking, “How do I make my dog behave?” and start wondering, “What is my dog telling me?”
I didn’t start out as a dog trainer
Before My Happy Dog & Me, my world looked very different.
I came from an engineering background, where I spent years problem-solving, looking for patterns and trying to understand why something wasn’t working quite as expected.
At the time, I never imagined those skills would become such a big part of the work I do with dogs and their humans.
But when I look back now, it makes complete sense.
I’ve always been curious. I like to look beneath the surface, ask questions and notice the little details that can so easily be missed.
With dogs, that often means wondering why something feels easy one day and difficult the next. Why a dog can manage beautifully in one environment but struggle in another. Why a skill seems to disappear when the world suddenly becomes a little too much.
I don’t think there’s anything particularly helpful about simply labelling those moments as “bad behaviour”.
I want to understand what’s happening underneath them.
That curiosity, alongside my own life with dogs, gradually took me in a completely different direction and eventually became the work I do today.
The dogs behind My Happy Dog & Me
Long before there was a Calm Rhythm Method™ or a business called My Happy Dog & Me, there was Rew.
My Rew Bear and I shared nine years and eight months together and so much of what I wanted when I first started working with dogs came from the life we had.
We went places. We experienced things. We shared adventures and everyday moments and he showed me just how much life there is to enjoy when your dog really feels part of it.
When I first began My Happy Dog, that was what I wanted for other people too, not simply a dog who could perform a set of skills, but a dog they could genuinely enjoy sharing their life with.
Then, in 2021, Diggory arrived, he brought a whole new chapter.
Diggory is curious, independent, sensitive to the world around him and very capable of having his own ideas about what he’d like to do next!
Living with him has encouraged me to become an even better observer.
Rather than constantly asking him to fit into my plans, I’ve learnt to notice when he needs more time, when he needs support, when he’s ready for more freedom and when the world is simply asking a little too much of him.
Our adventures haven’t come from trying to create a perfectly obedient dog. They’ve grown from getting to know this dog.
I think that’s one of the loveliest things our dogs give us, the opportunity to keep learning, adapting and seeing the world a little differently.
How I support you and your dog
Over the years, I’ve realised that helping a dog is rarely just about teaching the dog.
There is a human standing beside them too.
A human who might be worried they’re getting it wrong, who may have started comparing their dog to everyone else’s, or who is already bracing themselves for what might happen before they even step out of the front door.
I notice that part too.
My role isn’t simply to give you a list of things to practise. I want to help you slow things down enough to notice what is actually happening, to notice your dog, to notice yourself and to recognise when either of you might need more space, a little less pressure or simply a different plan.
There is still plenty of practical training in the way I work. Skills matter and practice matters. But I don’t believe progress has to come from constantly pushing for more.
Sometimes it comes from pausing, becoming curious instead of frustrated, and noticing the tiny changes that tell us your dog is beginning to cope.
For me, good support means both ends of the lead feeling heard, understood and a little more confident about what comes next.
Where it all came together
Over time, everything I was learning, from the dogs I worked with, the people beside them and my own adventures with Diggory, began to come together.
I could see that lasting change rarely came from simply teaching another cue or trying harder.
It came from understanding what was happening in that moment.
From noticing when a dog had the capacity to learn and when they needed support instead. From creating experiences they could cope with, then gently building from there.
Helping the human beside them feel confident enough to notice those things too. That way of seeing dogs gradually became The Calm Rhythm Method™.
It’s the philosophy that now sits underneath everything I do, from the smallest everyday skill to the adventures you might one day dream of sharing with your dog.
If you’d like to understand the thinking behind my work a little more deeply, you can explore it here.
Learning never really stops
I’ve always believed that if I’m asking you to stay curious about your dog, I need to keep doing the same in my own work. Over the years I’ve continued to learn, study and develop my understanding of dogs, behaviour and the humans who share their lives.
Head Coach
My Happy Dog Training & Behaviour has a wonderful team of like minded, supportive, kind and passionate coaches.
Testimonials
Here’s what our happy dog owners had to say about our services:
Would highly recommend. My Happy Dog is so much more than dog training classes, it’s a way of life! Charlotte is enabling me to develop my puppy into a happy, confident dog and me into a responsible dog owner.
Charlotte offers a range of ethical training programs to suit you and your dogs needs and is always available to answer your questions and guide you through your training. We love going to the training sessions which are small groups and lots of fun. Thank you Charlotte.
Would highly recommend !!! Charlotte is fantastic, very patient and just totally knows what to do! Has helped me understand the needs of my nervous puppy, I’m a 100% sure I will be back for more advise and look forward to more socialization walks
Thank you Charlotte
Only two sessions in with Charlotte and we’re amazed….can’t wait for session 3!
Thoroughly recommend my happy dog, Mario loved the walks and classes and learnt some very key skills. Charlotte is a dog whisperer!
Seth was 3 when I first took the plunge and went to My Happy Dog Training & Behaviour and OMG what a fabulous experience! None of the regimented training I had experienced at other clubs, which to be honest put me off training. Charlotte has extensive knowledge about all things dog and exudes a passion for ensuring positive reward based training which totally shines through when attending a class. All sessions are small (ensuring plenty of quality time), fun packed and rewarding (for both dog and owner).
Charlotte is a fantastic lady who really cares about dogs and reward based training. Coco has come such a long way in gaining confidence and being a happy puppy with Charlotte’s guidance. Charlotte goes above and beyond with her advice and has supported us in helping Coco to socialise with other puppies. I highly recommend My Happy Dog, wish we had found her earlier!
My Happy Dog classes offer variety, fun and positive learning with a highly qualified and talented instructor.
The teaching for both human and puppy has given us the knowledge and tools necessary to enjoy our new addition to the family. Fabulous, many thanks Charlotte
I was worried that we would never be able to get through to Jeff because previous trainers were useless.
Fun, friendly, confidence-building – in a relaxed small group setting
I was worried about not knowing enough about dog behaviour to choose a suitable trainer and that we were doing things wrong.
We found the sessions encouraging, interesting and community
We wanted someone that would be teaching modern methods, small groups and offer a variety of courses etc. My Happy Dog ticked all those boxes and many more.
Our journey was supportive, knowledgeable and fun
we were worried that we wouldn’t choose the right trainer for our two very different dogs and that we’d not understand after all it was us that needed training. You are patient, knowledgeable and passionate.
We had a bad experience so were worried all trainers were the same – thank goodness that’s most definitely not the case! We were blown away by you in our first meeting – we are so grateful to have found you! You are Knowledgeable, positive, caring.
We had a bad experience before we found you. I was worried I would be judged for lack of previous training experience as Olive was already 2 when we came to you.
You were incredibly supportive, encouraging and judgement-free.
I’d had no previous experience of dog trainers so I don’t think I was worried at the time. I met you at Melbics and thought “shes lovely, let’s go to with her”. My worries came after. “How the heck am I going to remember all of this and why isn’t Teddy as patient as the other dogs. I still don’t remember everything all of the time but by keeping in touch I am reminded by you and the MHD community.
We were unsure during training but Charlotte gave us the confidence and tools to succeed.
We found Charlotte experienced, patient & caring
All I knew when I decided to get a dog I wanted to take her to train and did not know where or who to go too. I was so lucky to choose My Happy Dog and the best Trainer in Charlotte I have learnt so much, we found Charlotte Knowledgable, approachable & patient.
Sizes of classes; many of the local training courses(?) operate large groups which I do not agree with as dogs cannot concentrate in such an environment and their handlers/owners cannot get any useful amount of individual support.
Training should be enjoyable and fun for both the dog and it’s handler/owner which is what My Happy Dog delivers, so “friendly, focussed and fun” would fit the bill
I was worried we would fail not owning a dog before and having a child that never wanted anything but a dog for 9 years. I was worried it will be too expensive and a waste of money and we would end up breaking her heart.
The reality is; I was blown away after 5 mins of meeting you by how supportive you and knowledgeable and caring you were. My Happy Dog is definitely not a business is what I tell everyone I recommend, its love, caring, passion and support.
Honestly, I knew I was failing Seth and worried I would be judged. Would I be able to retain the information and keep up with the rest of the class. My Happy Dog approach is Compassionate, inspiring, awesome
Sign up to our Newsletter
(We do not share your data with anybody, and only use it for its intended purpose)