About Us
A deeper understanding of us.
Alice, our owner, wanted to get into the business of dog training and serious behaviour modification because it broke her heart to see so many dogs surrendered to shelters and then put to sleep for issues that could be fixed when working with the right trainer and tools. She tries to encourage everyone to research the breed they want and make sure they know that being a dog owner isn't easy. No dog is 'easy' to handle. Everything we use with dogs is classed as a tool, whether it be a collar, lead, treats, toys, harness or even a prong collar or an e collar. These tools are no more abusive than using a collar the wrong way and crushing your dogs trachea.
Like children, dogs need humans help and guidance to thrive in this domesticated world. No matter how long you've had your dog, their learning never stops! You have to constantly keep up with their education, regardless of their age. Contrary to popular belief you CAN teach an old dog new tricks!
Alice has lost count of how many dogs she has helped through the 14 years she has been training, and many clients keep in touch with her, years after their dogs graduation. She thrives off her clients success stories and takes pride in seeing how far they've come for years to come.
Alice is just but a human and an autistic and adhd one at that, so she does have emotions and when pushed she does act accordingly. this is not to say she is not professional on the daily with actual clients and her actions when pushed into a corner by keyboard warriors on the internet does not depict how she is as a person or how she runs her business. As a blunt and outgoing person, she has made some enemies and they have friends who like to leave reviews and say things online (that they wouldn't say in person) which of course does not always look the best but unfortunately we can't please everyone in life, but running a business works differently as people seem to think they can spread lies and say things because you're a business owner and because they aren't, it gives them the right to do this without allowing you to snap back otherwise you're deemed unprofessional, in what is a very personal argument. Here at Shenanigans with Shadow we don't see it like this and applaud those other business owners taking charge and doing the same! Stick up for yourself however you need to!
Alice is absolutely lovely when she's not being targeted by cowards online (The reasoning for this part of the about me will become clear at the end. More and more people are unfortunately seeing the posts, you see along with fake reviews being left) and her genuine (not fake and false) reviews and genuine clients, will attest to this happily. We thought we should clear this up as there has been some slander going around for some time now and this won't stop because another dog professional in the area started this in 2021 when Alice first started in Shropshire training here. (She also covers London under her old business name to save confusion, when she visits friends and family.) This individual sadly continues to add to this onslaught through friends every few months since this started, so there is now a little village witch hunt going on where their friends hire us, to slander us and try to gain a refund along the way. In all the fourteen years in the industry Alice has never had this issue before Shropshire and has been told by a fair few people that it's the county. The dog training world has a lot to be desired with everyone fighting but Shropshire alone is the worst for it locals have told her, from the first day and others have come forward about the same individual doing this to them on a lesser scale. Alas, we will not be pushed out of Shropshire because some small person feels superior whenever their antics cause Alice's mental health to decline, plus no matter where in the country we move they would do the same thing anyway as they are determined to ruin Alice and her business as they have a strange obsession with her which is personal. Alice will not change the name of the business due to it being my legacy and changing a name doesn't stop someone stalking you.
- Shadow - 11/09 - 03/24 No longer by your side but forever in your heart. <3
Meet the Team
ALICE - BUSINESS OWNER
THEY/THEM
I am a canine behaviourist with 14+ years experience in the field. I am not as young as I look! Fortunately I inherited the 'vampire gene'. I have ADHD and ASD (Autism) & I currently own a multipurpose assistance dog that I have trained to a high standard to help me with my day to day life that I would otherwise struggle with (i.e large gatherings, shops etc.) A therapy dog that I bring into schools and Shadow my first dog who was my ESA and the inspiration that started me off on my journey and the business name. I also own two horses which take up a lot of my time too.
I started out with positive reinforcement and found after twelve long years that this does not work for every single dog. Now I use balanced training. What does that mean you ask? It means I use positive reinforcement and aversives which means I have to do my research properly while I look at the dog in front of me to choose how to train them. You can't blanket train any species!
My main goal in life is for dogs to live happy long lives in suitable homes for them. If that means helping clients find a new home, doing a risk assessment for a private run kennels that is going to rehome the dog from the clients home who have adopted the dog some time ago, doing risk assessments for the suitability for a dog to become a therapy dog or assistance dog or helping an old client choose the right dog breed for them now they are adding an additional dog. I'm not just about training. I'm about support and all this helps the dogs in the end.
KODY - Adventure helper
HE/THEY
I have been working with Alice since 2022 accompanying them on their training sessions, social walks, meet and greets and adventure days. During sessions for training, I have been Alice's videographer/photography, on adventure days I help with the dogs on the books, I help hose them down, help with training the dogs recall, loose leash walking and helping with any issues like resource guarding over water, etc.
From doing this I have gained experience with various breeds and temperaments which has helped me gain confidence in my handling of dogs of all sizes and temperaments. I have a Level 3 Diploma in Animal Management and I am hoping to expand my knowledge in the future by completing a uni course with something to do with animals or psychology. I own 1 dog myself, who is my assistance dog, trained by myself with the help of Alice who spent two years training my assistance dog as my trainer.
In my spare time I enjoy watching my favorite TV shows, creating art, reading books, using social media, I go to the gym a few days a week, going hiking with friends, and playing piano, ukulele and guitar. I like to go on nights out with friends, attending comic con and pride.
Rebecca - Marketing Manager/PA/Business Advisor
SHE/HER
Hi, I'm Rebecca or Becca to friends. But you can call me Rebecca!
I have known Alice for most of their life and I consider them to be family, more specifically, my niece (not by blood,) so when she asked me if I would like to start working for her, as her PA/business advisor and marketing manager, after giving her advice for the last 4 years, I was ecstatic! I jumped at the opportunity to get back into work again as I was a stay at home mum. Having two younger kids, I needed something that would be flexible and not take away time from my family but I also needed a fair wage in this cost of living crisis we are having in 2024!
I have helped Alice (who some of you may know with a previous name but they changed it due to personal reasons) through a lot of hiccups since they started in Shropshire which had not happened elsewhere so they did not understand how to deal with these situations, giving advice and helping run her social media pages and this website over the years.
I have a law and business degree to which led me to eventually running the family owned law firm which I took over from my ma and pa, when I was at home in New York. I moved to the small island that you lot call England in 2012 with my Shropshire born husband and that's when i became a stay at home mum for my two beautiful kids. It was then that I decided that I had missed enough time with them and so I wanted to be more present and due to my husband working full time, I was able to do this. Sadly I don't have much of an accent left and the fam now call me a traitor because I sound like one of them, that live over the pond haha!
We also have a little daxie called Tutankhamun, because he thinks he is a god. As do they all!
I am super duper excited to talk to everyone that gets in touch and to also watch Alice and her business continue to grow.
Peace! XOXO