Your Mentors

Louise Stapleton-Frappell is a highly respected professional canine trainer and behavior consultant, and a valued Partner and Faculty Member of DogNostics Career Center. She also serves as a Board Member of The Pet Professional Guild, a global organization that promotes the use of force-free, science-based training and pet care practices.

A graduate of the University of Leeds, Louise holds a joint honors degree in Spanish and Portuguese with subsidiary studies in Management Economics and Industrial Management. She was among the first to achieve dual accreditation as both a Professional Canine Trainer and Professional Canine Behavior Consultant through the Pet Professional Accreditation Board.

Louise is the creator and lead instructor of the internationally respected DogNostics Dog Trainer Certificate Program, a comprehensive curriculum that prepares aspiring professionals to train ethically, effectively, and with confidence. She also authors and instructs a range of other DogNostics programs, including the Trick Dog Instructor Program, Fostering Collaborative Care, and Walk This Way Instructor Program. In addition to program development, Louise has co-authored several respected industry texts and educational resources, contributing significantly to the continuing education of pet professionals worldwide.

Through her business, The DogSmith of Estepona, Louise offers personalized training services to an international clientele in Southern Spain. Known for her clarity, compassion, and commitment to positive training, she is frequently invited to speak at international conferences and educational summits.

Louise continues to raise industry standards through her mentorship, educational leadership, and unwavering dedication to force-free, ethical training.

Education & Credentials

 University

• B.A. Joint Hons Spanish & Portuguese. Subsidiary subjects: Management Economics & Industrial Management. The University of Leeds, U.K.

Industry Certifications

• Professional Canine Behaviour Consultant – Accredited, Pet Professional Accreditation Board
• Professional Canine Trainer – Accredited, Pet Professional Accreditation Board
• CAP1. CAP2. CAP3.  Clicker Competency Assessment Program – Levels 1, 2 & 3 all gained with Distinction, Learning About Dogs
• Certified Trick Dog Instructor, Do More with Your Dog
• Fun Scent Games Instructor, DogNostics
• Force-Free Instructor’s Award, ITDH DTC
• K9 First Aid Certification, ITDH DTC
• Pet First Aid Certification, The Pet Professional Guild
• Animal Behaviour and Welfare Verified Certification, Edinburgh University
• Dog Emotion and Cognition Verified Certification, Duke University
• Pet Dog Ambassador Program Licensed Instructor & Assessor, PDA
• Certified Fear Free Animal Trainer, Fear Free Pets
• Certified Whistle Recall Instructor, Positive Dogs
• Técnica en Modificación de Conducta Canina Profesional, ANACP.
• Adiestradora Canina Profesional, ANACP. (Asociación Nacional de Adiestradores Caninos Profesionales)

Current Industry Roles

• Owner & head Trainer The DogSmith of Estepona
• Board Member The Pet Professuild Guild- a global membership organisation for pet industry professionals.
• Regional Coordinator Spain & Steering Committee Member of Doggone Safe – Non-profit organisation dedicated to dog bite prevention through education and dog bite victim support.
• Partner & Faculty Member of DogNostics Career College – an education and certification provider for pet professionals

Author & Instructor – DogNostics Certification Programmes & Education for Pet Professionals

• Become a Certified Dog Training Professional
• Canine Enrichment Technician Certification
• Dog Training Pro Starter Kit
• Dog Trick Instructor Program
• Fostering Collaborative Care Instructor Program
• Fun Scent Games Instructor Programmes. Levels 1 & 2
• Happier Healing Program for Pet Professionals
• Puppy Essentials – Getting Started
• Puppy Essentials Level 1 – Your Guide to Positive Socialization & Development.
• Puppy Essentials Level 2 – 18 Foundational Puppy Skills
• 10 Steps to an Amazing Response to Name – Your Professional Tool-Kit
• Train a Reliable Come When Called – Your Professional Tool-Kit
• Walk This Way Instructor Program

Author & Instructor – DogNostics Online Programmes for Pet Dog Guardians (Owners)

• Happier Healing Program for Pet Dog Guardians
• How to Teach a Dog to Love a Harness
• Pet Dog Solutions –  Bringing Your New Dog Home
• Pet Dog Solutions – Your Guide to Positive Socialization
• Pet Dog Solutions – The Key Training Concepts
• Pet Dog Solutions – Essential Training Skills
• Pet Dog Solutions – Addressing Common Problem Behaviors
• Teaching Self-Control in the Presence of Food

E-Books

• How to Effectively House Train Your Dog
• 10 Easy Steps to Walking Nicely on a Loose Leash
• 10 Steps to an Amazing Response to Name
• How to Train a Reliable Come When Called

Published Articles on Dog Training & Behaviour

• Barks from The Guild – Industry Trade Magazine for the Pet Professional Guild
• Blogs from the Guild, The Pet Professional Guild
• Pets and Their People – PPG Pet Owner Publication

Co-Author

• The Top Ten Dog Training Knowledge Training Concepts for Pet Owners to Understand
• A Lexicon of Practical Terms for Pet Trainers & Behavior Consultants – The Language You Need to Know!
• Pet Training and Behavior Consulting: A Model for Raising the Bar to Protect Professionals, Pets and Their People

Contributor

• A Kids’ Comprehensive Guide to Speaking dog!

Event Speaker

• The Pet Professional Guild Summit, Tampa, Florida, U.S.A. (2015)
• Virtual Pet Care Summit. (2015)
• PPGBI Force-Free Mini-Summit, Leeds, England (2016)
• PPGBI Educational Roundup, Edinburgh, Scotland. (2017)
• Pet Professional Guild Educational Summit, Orlando, Florida, U.S.A. (2017)
• PPG Training & Behavior Event at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, Kanab, Utah. U.S.A, (2018)
• Geek Week – For the Love of Science, Virtual Educational Summit, co-hosted by The Pet Professional Guild, The Pet Professional Guild British Isles, The Pet Professional Guild Australia, Association of INTODogs, The Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia, The UK College of Scent Dogs, Canine Arthritis Management. (2020)

Professional Memberships

• The Pet Professional Guild
• The Pet Professional Guild British Isles
• UK Dog Behaviour and Training Charter
• The Association of Professional Dog Trainers
• Doggone Safe
• Asociación Nacional de Adiestradores Caninos Profesionales

Having spent almost 50 years training dogs, 13 years as an obedience judge and many years in formal canine studies, Debra has a passion for helping others to better understand dogs and how to train them. Establishing her own training centre in 1979, back when aversive training was the only way known in Australia, she was ahead of her time in seeking new and better ways to build positive relationships with our dogs. Travelling to the UK and Europe enabled her to learn new techniques and the wonderful world of force-free training revealed itself to her.

Attaining a Diploma in Dog Training and Behavior Consulting and another in Animal Behavior Science and Technology from the Companion Animal Sciences Institute, she consolidated her theoretical skills by gaining perfect scores in the Competency Assessment Program (CAP) Levels 1& 2, a demanding skills program out of the UK.

Debra spent two years as Director of Animals on Course (a registered training organisation within the Australian educational framework), developing educational packages for Animal Studies and Companion Animal Services programs. She is currently an international assessor for the practical component of the Pet Professional Accreditation Board’s three credentials for training technicians, professional trainers and professional behaviour consultants.

Debra has spoken at the Pet Professional Guild’s Inaugural Education Summit in Tampa FL, and the New Zealand Inaugural Association of Pet Dog Trainers Education Meeting in Wellington. She has also spoken at the Pet Professional Guild Australia’s Education Meeting in Sydney, the Australian Association of Pet Dog Trainers Meetings in Sydney and Melbourne and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) – Animal Welfare Seminar in Melbourne. Debra has run (and still does run) workshops, both nationally and internationally covering topics such as canine body language and how to choose which dog is right for you for the public, cross-over workshops for those transitioning to +R methods, further education workshops on pet dog manners classes and CAP preparation workshops.

Having spent many years teaching puppy pre-school Debra has now spent almost 20 years as the Senior Volunteer Trainer for Canine Behavioural School Inc (CBS), a not-for-profit, volunteer dog training facility run by professional dog trainers in Adelaide, South Australia. Over the last several years she has helped to establish the CBS Aspiring Instructor program that educates future dog trainers, allowing them to gain experience under the mentorship of professional trainers. This program now attracts people from all over the state and has been instrumental in teaching cross over trainers the ways of force free training. Graduates from this course receive partial credit transfer for PPAB credentials. There is now interstate interest in volunteers from other dog training clubs participating in this course, with one club already having completed the two year program.

Debra is constantly learning from her two best teachers – Ned and Laila – two ‘second hand’ Brussels Griffons and together they have earned many trick and noseworks qualifications and the two Griffs have appeared on several occasions for promotions for canine adventure parks and on canine calendars.

University

• Companion Animal End of Life Doula – Vermont University

Industry Certifications

• Professional Canine Behaviour Consultant – Accredited, Pet Professional Accreditation Board
• Professional Canine Trainer – Accredited, Pet Professional Accreditation Board
• Diploma of Animal Behavior Science and Technology (Dip ABST) with distinction
• Diploma of Dog Training and Behaviour Consulting (Dip DTBC) with distinction
• Diploma in Canine Behaviour, International School for Canine Psychology and Behaviour
• Advanced Diploma Pet Bereavement Counselling with distinction
• CAP2. Clicker Competency Assessment Program – Levels 1 & 2 all gained with distinction, Learning About Dogs
• Certified Family Dog Mediator, L.E.G.S. Applied Ethology Family Dog Mediation Professional Course
• Animal Behaviour and Welfare Verified Certification, Edinburgh University
• Pet Dog Ambassador Program (PDA) Licensed Instructor & Assessor
• Certified Fear Free Animal Trainer, Fear Free Pets
• Cert IV Dog Behavioural Training, Delta Society (now Institute)
• Cert IV Training and Assessment, HBA Learning Centre
• Living and Learning with Animals for Professionals Certification, Behaviour Works
• Illis Animal Behaviour Courses completed include – Getting Behaviour, Advanced Animal Training and Aimal Emotions

Awards

• Life Membership, Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia
• Life Membership, Canine Behavioural School Inc
• Trainer of the Year, Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia
• Susan Wilkins Achievement Award, Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia

Board Member

• Pet Professional Guild
• Pet Professional Accreditation Board
• Companion Animal Sciences Institute (Advisory Board)
• Doggone Safe

Professional Memberships

• The Pet Professional Guild
• The Pet Professional Guild Australia
• Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia
• International Institute for Canine Ethics

Current Industry Roles

• Head Instructor & Senior Volunteer Trainer, Canine Behavioural School Inc.
• Board Member The Pet Professional Guild
• Faculty Member of DogNostics Career College

Authorship

• Pet Bereavement for Dog Trainers – Certificate Course – DogNostics Career Center
• Pet Training and Behavior Consulting: A Model for Raising the Bar to Protect Professionals, Pets and Their People – co-author
• To Buy or Not to Buy: A Guide to Dog Training Equipment. J Applied Companion Animal Behavior, 1:1, 2007