Kindness is the foundation of true connection.
I'm Ashleigh, and I believe that every dog deserves to be heard, understood, and taught with kindness and patience. I'm Perth's kind and patient family dog trainer, blending modern behavioural science with deep empathy for both dogs and the people who love them.
Ashleigh's Promise
Having a guarantee on behaviour change is not only unrealistic and a sales gimmick I refuse to partake in, it is unethical and unfair for our dogs.
As I prioritise the needs of the animals I work with, I will endeavour to work with you to improve your animal's experience of life through building an understanding of who they are as an individual. We do this by discussing their history during the consultation to figure out their wants, needs, desires, fears and discomforts, to build and tailor a training and management plan that helps us work towards our training and behaviour goals.
Instead of guaranteeing behaviour change, I promise you the following:
- •I promise to advocate for your dog's physical health, welfare and emotional wellbeing.
- •I promise to help you better understand your dog by helping you figure out how and what they are trying to communicate to us.
- •I promise to never judge you, your family, your dog or your home.
- •I promise to do no harm, by offering training advice that protects your dog's wellbeing and never asks them to suffer in the name of obedience.
- •I promise to continually update my education and qualifications to ensure I remain current with animal behaviour and training science, so I can offer all of my clients a gold standard of training support.
- •I promise to offer training advice that strengthens your relationship with your dog, and to steer you away from methods or practices that may cause your dog to distrust or fear you.
- •I promise to offer training advice that is grounded in ethics, kindness and positivity.
- •I promise to avoid offering training advice that uses fear, punishment or outdated training methods.
- •I promise to offer my services to any human who agrees to my business terms and conditions, no matter their race, religion, abilities, sexual orientation or identity, without prejudice and with strong roots in compassion, understanding and kindness.
- •I promise to prioritise health and safety above all else through education, prevention, management and practical application. Once this has been maintained, we can begin working towards our training and behaviour goals.
- •I promise to understand that everyone comes from different walks of life, and that my clients deserve a training program tailored to suit their individual needs and abilities.
Science Backed
Every piece of advice I give is ethical and up to date with current behavioural science, ensuring we work with your dog's natural learning style.
Ashleigh Leece
Ashleigh was born at Bentley Hospital in Western Australia in 1990 and grew up in a special rural home on a beautiful bush property with German Shepherd Dogs as pets, amongst a menagerie of birds, rabbits, chickens and ducks. Her passion and love for all creatures, plants and mushroom life since a young age has continued to inspire her into adulthood. A curiosity and compassion for all living things, including humans, has made her passionate about helping pet dogs live better lives.
Her first dog, Jack, an American Staffordshire Terrier was her motivation that lead her to transition from being a self-proclaimed dog trainer to a Qualified Dog Trainer in 2013, through South Metropolitan TAFE. Ashleigh has recently upgraded her IADT Skill Set Qualification to a Certificate IV in Animal Behaviour and Training through AVT in 2024. Ashleigh was the first in Western Australia to get her Family Paws Parent Educator License in 2017, and has maintained her License to this day. Having no human children of her own, Ashleigh has devoted her interests towards the next generation of dog lovers. Watching people live full and happy lives, raising their children with their dog happily and comfortably by their side is what brings Ashleigh the most joy and sense of purpose in life.
Currently, Ashleigh lives with her partner Trevor and her elderly cat Rizzo in Armadale, and is not yet ready to welcome a new dog into her life since losing her heart dog Jack in January 2024. Besides dogs, Ashleigh has a keen interest in exploring the wonders of the world on nature hikes, going on camping holidays, gardening, philosophy, music and the arts. Ashleigh lives with Neurodivergence, which can be both a super power and a disability at the best of times, so if you have contacted her with no response, just know that she would appreciate you contacting her again to remind her that you are very much keen and interested in working with her. Ashleigh is a really good dog trainer, but can be pretty terrible at running a small business.
Tailored to Your Family
Ashleigh won't just train your dog, she educates and empowers the family. Every session is bespoke and customised to fit your individual goals, lifestyle, skills and abilities. Ashleigh employs training and coaching methods that come from intensive consultation and observation of canine behaviours and body language in specific contexts. It is important that first an understanding of the individual family's needs are identified to then work out how the family dog can fit into the family unit comfortably and in harmony as much as we can manage for everyone.
Ashleigh has helped thousands of families to train their dogs through puppy classes, walk and training sessions, online sessions and in-home sessions. Ashleigh has extensive experience working with a variety of dog breeds with everything from resource guarding, to human aggression, to dog aggression and reactivity, walking and leash handling skills, puppy socialisation, adolescent dogs, separation anxiety, rescue dogs, car behaviour, vet visits, preparing dogs for babies, kids and dogs and dogs with bite histories, and more.
Kind & Patient
Tailored Plans
Ways you can work with Ashleigh
Initial Consultation
New clients must complete an in-home intensive initial consultation where Ashleigh fully investigates your needs, abilities, successes so far and your goals to establish a baseline for behaviour and begin a training programme. Until Ashleigh knows you and your dog fully, no advice can be given. It is important that Ashleigh knows as much as she can before any valuable training or management advice can be given.
Follow Up Sessions
Once the initial consultation and a baseline for your dog's behaviour has been established, we can get into the training programme with you and your dog. Follow up sessions are tailored specific to your progress, and not to expected results, meaning that these sessions are low pressure and easy for you and your dog to learn along the way. Ashleigh's coaching style is kind, compassionate and gentle and we always work with the dog as they feel on the day.
Training Plans to Suit You and Your Calendar
Have follow up sessions at a frequency and pace that suits your schedule, timeline and financial needs. Weekly, fortnightly, monthly or less frequent follow up sessions are available. Other forms of support are available. Keep an eye out for education sessions to come.
Credentials & Qualifications
Committed to continually becoming a better dog trainer for you and your dog.
Institute of Modern Dog Trainers - evidence-based accreditation
Licenced to deliver Dogs & Storks® (expecting families) and Dogs & Toddlers™ programmes
Nationally recognised Australian qualification - AVT
Reward-based, kind methods. No prong collars, no e-collars, no punishment
Working with families, new parents, and dog owners across Perth, Armadale, Albany, and online
Ready to start your journey?
Book a call today to discuss your dog's needs and how we can work together.
Book a Call Today