Welcome to the website of Acorn Dog Training

To navigate around this site, please click on the paw marks on the left hand side of the screen.

The ethos of Acorn Dog Training is based upon training methods which do no harm to any dog. We will not promote or trade links with any company, organisation, training groups or individuals who promote harsh training, or associated products which include choke/check chains, pinch collars or electronic training devices.

Canine Hydropool opens at Walnut Tree Pet Supplies, see news/events page for further details.

Acorn Dog Training was set up as a small training club in 1991 and has developed from there. We are located in Milton Keynes, which is a new town in the South Midlands region of the United Kingdom. The head trainer is Fran Griffin who is now retired (on health grounds) from the UK Registry Of Canine Behaviourists, a professional body which recognises very high standards of practice. Although she no longer takes on behaviour cases, Fran continues researching dog training methods, and canine behaviour issues, but due to her health problems, now limits herself to running puppy classes, continuation classes, and some agility. Despite her academic qualifications in Behaviour Sciences and Cognitive Psychology, her greatest teachers have been the puppies and dogs she has lived with, the many dogs she has encountered over the years, and you the owners. Fran is still able to give advice on behavioural matters to people, and other trainers via the phone. To contact Fran, please call 01908 397236 E-mail

Glynis Gammie has owned and lived with dogs for over 35 years. Four years ago she joined the Anglian Wolf Society as a volunteer trainee handler and still spends time working with the wolves every week.

During her training Glynis found herself fascinated with canine behaviour and body language and began to study this in more depth. Subsequently, she has completed several courses in Canine Psychology, recently gaining a certificate in Advanced Canine Psychology, and is currently nearing the end of her Advanced Diploma in Canine Behaviour Management.

In order to gain insight and practical experience with dogs Glynis began working with Fran in November 2004 as a trainee instructor and now takes her own classes. To contact Glynis, please call 01908 562001, or E-mail

Claire-Louise Nixon, joined us as an assistant instructor and then went from strength to strength, having become team captain and trainer for our Crufts Display team, and then appearing on CBBC's The Underdog as trainer to Callum and Cosmos who came 2nd in the overall series(see picture below). Claire-Louise has been around animals, and in particular dogs all her life, as her mother ran a veterinary surgery until her retirement. Claire-Louise also runs childrens dance classes "Busking Bunnies". Claire-Louise now combines her gift of working with animals and children, by running classes to teach children how to train their own dogs in obedience, heelwork to music and agility. For full details of child handling classes please see Claire-Louise's page by clicking here. Claire-Louise can be contacted on 01908 312478 or via E-mail

Our latest tutor is Darran Rowe. Darran joined us some years ago teaching agility, and then for a short time, flyball. Darran now teaches agility at Marston Moretaine which is between Milton Keynes and Bedford, but over the course of time has become more interested in general training, including puppies and the Kennel Clubs Good Citizen Dog Scheme. Some of you may even know Darran from having been a local school teacher. Darran is now taking some of our puppy/good citizen dog scheme courses in Bletchley and Medbourne, as well as working as a photographer. You can see quite a few of Darran's photo's throughtout this website, as well as visiting his own photography website. Email Darran may be contacted on 0870 3216225 or via email

Darran and his own dogs

Our class assistants are: Jikta Cook, Lorna Hide and Carla Ashworth and Tracy Philemon

The whole ethos of Acorn Dog Training School is to inform and show owners how to teach their dogs using positive, kind, fair and effective training methods, and how to create a balanced relationship through trust and respect, rather than fear, and domination. There is no such thing as a "one size glove fits all" method to training dogs, therefore our class sizes are deliberately kept small, so that we are able to tailor our classes to meet your requirements, and your dogs own individual learning needs. We also try to make the classes as relaxed, fun and informative as we possibly can, to enable both people and dogs to learn in a calm and friendly environment.

For full details of classes and current availability, please click on the paw marks on the side menu bar, which will take you through to the appropriate pages.

The proposed site aritlcle "Hypothyroid in dogs, the hidden nightmare" is now being turned into a book "A Twist In The Tale". More details to follow - Fran

Fran's Setters by Darran Rowe

THINKING OF BUYING A PUPPY?- WHERE NOT TO BUY YOUR PUPPY FROM! PLEASE CLICK THIS LINK AND READ THE ARTICLE PUBLISHED BY THE KENNEL CLUB.

Please call us for some FREE advice BEFORE deciding to buy a pupy. Different breeds have different needs. There are also a great many pitfalls involved in selecting the right puppy, from the right breeder, the right parents, the right environment and also matching the right puppy to suit your lifestyle. There are also many genetic problems, which many perspective owners are unaware of. Please don't be caught out, and end up one of the many who end up broken hearted.

So what can go wrong? Take a look at these websites for some of the hard facts:

Puppywatch

Hope-UK

Adopting a rescue dog can also result in major problems and heartache. For the cost of a telephone call, we are here to help you in all aspects of selection. Be a happy dog owner. Be fully aware. Know that you are doing the right thing. Please call us today.

Fran: 01908 397236, or email Fran by clicking here