Meet the Dynamic Dog Faculty Team!

Course Mentor - Joanne Hinds

I’m a passionate dog behaviourist with a deep love for understanding dogs beyond just training just like many of you here!

My journey started young. I grew up surrounded by animals, from small pets to several dogs, including German Shepherds, Chow Chows, a Jack Russell, and my heart dog a Bullmastiff named Trojan. He’s the one who truly set me on this path. When he was around two years old, all nine stone of him began lunging at people and I was just 16 and about seven and a half stone myself (not anymore!). Sadly, he passed away at only four due to an enlarged heart and water on the lungs. That early experience sparked my fascination with behaviour, though I had no idea just how much it would shape my career or my life!

I began formally studying animal care at college when Trojan was a puppy, working in a kennels and cattery then known as Bellmead Kennels, now Battersea Dogs Home in Windsor (which makes me feel a bit old now!). That hands-on experience opened my eyes to the challenges dogs face especially those in rescue and the complex reasons they end up there.

Before college, I’d attended a traditional training class with my mum and dad that sadly used outdated methods, and it never sat right with me. Thankfully, around 18, I began assisting an APDT trainer, which reignited my passion for kind, science-led training and I haven’t stopped learning since!

I later went on to study with COAPE (The Centre of Applied Pet Ethology), qualifying as a Level 5 Certified Animal Behaviourist. That education gave me a much deeper understanding of the emotional lives of dogs and the many factors that influence their behaviour.

Over time, I realised that training and behaviour support alone weren’t always enough. That’s where Dynamic Dog completely changed everything for me. I’ve always had an eye for spotting discomfort or illness in dogs (something that started back in the kennels), but I often struggled to articulate what I was seeing to vets. Since qualifying as a Dynamic Dog Practitioner, I’ve worked on countless cases where behaviour struggles were later confirmed to have a pain or discomfort component through the DD Assessment.

The Dynamic Dog process has helped me uncover issues that might otherwise have been missed. I now work closely with vets and other professionals to piece together the missing parts of the behaviour puzzle a crucial step in understanding and helping the dogs we see.

Thirty years later, I’m still here, still learning, and still completely fascinated by dogs and how much they continue to teach us.

Course Mentor - Gemma O'Leary



I have worked in the animal industry all my life, from the moment I was old enough to volunteer at my local vets after school, all the way up to present day. The journey in my animal career has changed and shifted along the way. From vet receptionist to puppy party organiser, to self-employed dog trainer and behaviourist. I Did two years of study in animal care at Hartpury College and then went on to do three more years at Hartpury University completing a degree in animal behaviour. Since then I have also done a Diploma in Holistic Canine Behaviour. During my transition to training and behaviour I became extremely interested and driven by the reactive cases.

It was fitting then that my first dog was a rescue German Shepherd that was ‘wild’. He was nine months old when I homed him. Clearly had no training, or socialisation. It is thought that given the state of him he had escaped a farm. He hated men and dogs. So naturally I wanted him. He led me on the best educational journey of experiencing what it is like to live day-to-day with a reactive dog. It led me on an investigative journey to try and find new methods to help him both from a training and behaviour mod perspective.

Because of the journey he took me on I decided to specialise in reactive behaviour. My studies then took me further into this area. 

When working with my reactive dog clients I had many cases where we would hit brick walls or reach stagnant points in the behaviour modification and training. I would ask all my clients to take their dogs for a health check at the vets, to rule out medical causes and potential pain. All would come back with a healthy sign off by the vet. YET, there were so many where I would watch their behaviour and look at them, thinking something isn’t right. Couldn’t put my finger on it, in the back of my mind for many I thought pain may be an issue, but the vets had said there was nothing wrong, so I had nothing to argue or push forward. Also, why would you question the vet?

Then I found Dynamic Dog!

Back in January 2023 I was lucky enough to do the Dynamic Dog Course and become a practitioner. What has happened since then is game changing on so many levels.

I incorporate Dynamic Dog as part of my behaviour consultations. As a behaviourist who has also undertaken holistic behaviour models, this fits in really nicely ensuring no stone is left unturned, and we look at the dog as a whole.

I would confidently say the MAJORITY of the reactive cases that come to me are in PAIN. Redirected aggression cases, noise sensitive dogs, dog reactive dogs, human reactive dogs, hypervigilant dogs, separation anxiety, the list goes on.

What I can provide my clients with now is a very constructive, detailed and supportive, evidence backed report to take to their vet, to help aid them in getting a diagnosis for their dog. The dog can then get the right support which head, feeling frustrated because training and behaviour mod is hitting a Plato or simply not working. Dynamic Dog has completely changed how I look at behaviour. Not only have I been able to help my clients in a way like never before, but I was also able to get my own (current) dog Nessa diagnosed early on with Arthritis, and elbow dysplasia, something that would have been completely missed if it wasn’t for Dynamic Dog. She was showing no typical signs of pain. 

Many of us say this, but it seems to be the only way to describe it – that is that Dynamic Dog is the missing piece of the puzzle, a complete game changer.

Course Tech Mentor - Ali Kirk

I have worked professionally as a Dog Trainer and Behaviour Practitioner since 2018, and became a certified Dynamic Dog Practitioner in 2021.

Dynamic Dog Assessments now form a central part of my behavioural and training work, as it frequently becomes evident that pain and physical discomfort are key contributing factors in the majority of cases I encounter.

In addition to my hands-on work with dogs, I also mentor on the technical aspects of the Dynamic Dog Practitioner course, and it’s a real privilege to help support fellow canine professionals in developing the skills needed to better advocate for the dogs in their care.

To learn more on the Dynamic Dog Founder, Principal and Lead Tutor click HERE