meet the trainer
Supporting Families & Dogs to Connect, Learn Together & Thrive
Robyn’s journey started as a young volunteer in Cyprus shelters, caring for dogs impacted by abuse and abandonment. Since then, she’s worked with shelter dogs, free-roaming Thai dogs, school outreach programs, and families worldwide facing complex behavioural challenges.
Her why deepened after rehoming one of her first rescued Thai dogs in 2013 branded “too feral” by others. The guilt and frustration she felt pushed her to find a better way. Her most recent companion, Gizmo, a hyper sensitive ex village dog, continues to be her greatest teacher.
Robyn holds a BCCS Advanced Diploma in Canine Behaviour, is FFCP certified, and continues her education under IMDT and Fear Free professionals. She combines various learnings with heaps of hands-on experience in human education and dog education to offer real-life solutions tailored to each dog and family.
Robyn has a strong belief in human wellbeing being important to support dogs better, recharging when not working through bachata dancing, rock climbing, scuba diving, yoga, breathwork and meditation.
The mission
To spread the word that with the right approach per individual, dog education fundamentals and human support, we will see fewer dogs ending up in shelters, passed around, more families will feel empowered, plus misunderstood dogs will finally be seen for who they are.
The goal is to help you:
- Understand your dog’s core needs, triggers, and emotions rather than frustration and confusion
- Respond with confidence and compassion and not panic
- Build lasting routines, communication, and trust - even when life gets messy
- Set up your household to support lasting change - team work!
Whether you’ve got a more complex dog, ex street dog or you’re navigating reactivity, fear and chaos at home, we believe in one step at a time, you’ll all get there!
journey
“My journey began as a young volunteer in Cyprus, working with abused and abandoned dogs during my summer breaks. My family adopted many dogs, and as an adult, I encountered dogs needing alternatives to traditional training.
After rehoming one of my first Thai dogs, Franky and Lanta, due to dog fights and fear aggression, I felt frustrated and guilty. This experience drove me to learn more about dog behaviour and what truly makes dogs happy. My latest rescue, Gizmo, a sensitive street dog, has been my greatest teacher.
The more I learn the more I realise what I don’t know, continuous learning is a life long commitment to provide the best support possible. My goal isn’t perfection, there will always be ‘flaws’; it’s about offering suitable solutions, building skills, and fostering deeper understanding based on trust.
Outside of dogs, I engage in hobbies that challenge my body and mind while fostering a sense of freedom. I believe these activities enrich my work with dogs.
My interests include Bachata lessons, singing (mostly musicals), rock climbing, badminton and scuba diving. I’m also a qualified yoga teacher, though I mainly practice on my own now, although you may notice some strange sitting positions if we work together.”
Robyn Anne
BCCSDip.AdvCanBhv & FFCP
"Dogs do speak, but only to those who know how to listen" - Orhan Pamuk
Robyn Anne's current favourite quote
method & VALUES
It’s not about training dogs to “obey.” It’s about teaching families to understand.
- Dog and human specific lead - seeing the dog & human in front of you and adjusting accordingly to provide the best outcome for all
- Real world talk not dog trainer jargon
- Relationship-based focused on trust, play, communication, not control
- Dig deeper, addressing the why behind behaviour, not just the what
- Whole-household focused – everyone matters in your dog’s success
- Tailored and practical, built to fit your real life, not just theory
Training methods & believes
- teamwork
- drive motivators
- trust-building
- confidence-developing
- Communication-strengthening
We strongly believe in relationship development and building clear communication through training methods that also promote calm behaviour and set you and your dogs up for success.
Paws & Flaws work with the entire household. To fulfil your dog’s potential and keep the communication consistent, we need to balance the household and pet parents’ dynamic, providing the necessary education, looking at the ‘why’ behind the behaviour symptoms to understand the root cause and move forward from there.
Our training sessions are tailor-made to meet the behaviour adjustments of each dog, based on their needs and history, build on your relationship, and engage every single family member to learn more, helping you to keep up the newly gained training habits even after the training course is over. Start with the basics, be consistent with your communication, build trust and confidence, and reward positive behaviour along the way. This is the very beginning of a bright journey ahead for you and your dog!