Home › The APBC › APBC Committee

The APBC Committee

  • Chairman-David Ryan

    David was a police dog handler and instructor for twenty-five years. He has handled and trained dogs from forty-five kilo German Shepherds to five kilo Cocker Spaniels, entered police dog trails, performed public demonstrations, instigated breeding and selection programmes and was responsible for all aspects of dog and handler training involving tasks as varied as detecting cash, drugs and explosives through to firearms response. Now retired from police work, he conducts pet behaviour consultations, dog training and puppy classes on veterinary referral, and offers an expert witness consultancy in canine behaviour and training.

    He is a Certificated Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CCAB), holds Southampton University’s postgraduate diploma in Companion Animal Behaviour Counselling (PG Dip CCAB) with distinction, and is a member of the Companion Animal Behaviour Therapy Study Group.  In addition to his role as Chairman, David is also the APBC's representative on the committee of the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASAB).

    David’s particular interest is in inherited canine predatory motor patterns and the lengths that pet dogs will go to find a way to express them, usually despite their owners’ best efforts.

  • Vice Chairman-Graham Thompson

    Graham Thompson gained the degree of Master of Science (with Distinction) in Companion Animal Behaviour Counselling (MSc CABC) from the University of Southampton. He has been a student member of the APBC since 2005 and upgraded to Provisional Membership in 2009.

    He has worked with dogs in training classes situations, but now concentrates on one to one training and pet behaviour counselling. Graham is particularly interested in the behaviour of dogs and their owners in the countryside. During his under-graduate studies in applied animal behaviour at the University of Southampton he investigated factors affecting the distance dogs roam from their owners in recreational environments through the use of GPS technology. During his MSc he investigated the effects of owner initiated play on the roaming behaviour of dogs on a subsequent walk in a recreational environment.

    Graham is the Dog’s Monthly magazine Trail Hound’s News Editor and the Technical Editor of Trail Magazine. As a writer and photographer he has contributed to numerous magazines and newspapers as well as being the author of two books for hillwalkers.

    He lives among the mountains of the Lake District and has variable numbers of rescued pets under his care.  At the time of writing there are three cats and three dogs in the Thompson household.
     

  • Secretary-Claire Hargrave

    Claire is a Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist and qualified from the School of Psychology at the University of Southampton with a Master of Science degree in Companion Animal Behaviour Counselling. Claire has worked in veterinary practice for 27 years. She is practising in Carmarthenshire and taking companion animal behaviour referrals from veterinary practices throughout Wales. Claire runs a purpose built practice with seminar facilities on a 100 acre holding.

  • Treasurer-Mat Ward

    Mat has been working hands-on with dogs and cats with behaviour problems since 1998, after graduating from Victoria University in New Zealand with a BSc in Zoology and Psychology. He has also trained a variety of species for film and TV, working on projects such as The Last Samurai, Xena, and many TV commercials for household brands such as Pedigree, Whiskas and Chef.

    Whilst working full time with animals, Mat completed a Master of Veterinary Studies degree (Animal Behaviour) through Massey University in 2003. After finishing his post graduate study with first class honours, Mat practiced as a pet behaviour counsellor in Auckland, before moving to Scotland in 2007 and setting up his behaviour consultancy practice in Edinburgh. While most of his cases are seen in the areas surrounding Edinburgh, Mat sees cases from throughout Scotland.  Further information about Mat and his practice can be seen at www.petbehavioursorted.com

  • Overseas Representative-David Appleby

    David has been in practice as a clinical animal behaviourist since 1986. Based at the Pet Behaviour Centre in the UK from 1989 he ran regional clinics at veterinary referral centres and for 20 years was the visiting clinical animal behaviourist at Queen's Veterinary School, Cambridge University, where he also lectured to students. David is a Member of the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors (APBC), an international organisation, and is a Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CCAB). David's previous experience includes working with Royal Air Force Police Dogs. While in the Air force he was the head instructor for Saddle Club, Akrotiri, Cyprus. After the Air Force David became a Guide Dog Mobility Instructor and he worked at the Leamington Spa training centre for seven years.

    Active in research and published on several occasions David, whose Masters Degree is in companion animal behaviour, has presented papers at scientific meetings, contributed to a number of journals and pet related magazines. A frequent lecturer in European countries, David teaches on the postgraduate course for Companion Animal Behaviour at Southampton University. In 2009 David emigrated to Finland where he now works from AB Klinikka at the EHYT centre, Salo. In the autumn term of 2010 David and Tuulia Burgherr established the new behaviour clinic and lecture on applied animal behaviour to undergraduates and residents at the faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Helsinki University.

  • Education Officer-Rosie Barclay

    Rosie Barclay is a Certificated Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CCAB) and a full member of The Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors (APBC). She holds a BSc(Hons) and an MPhil in Animal Behaviour and Welfare and is presently consulting as a companion animal behaviourist in Jersey UK. Rosie regularly features on Channel 4's "Pet Rescue" and is a contributing author in "The APBC Book of Companion Animal Behaviour". She has also published a book on dog behaviour designed for dog owners called “Good Dog? Bad Dog?”, and in her spare time acts and writes for drama and film as well as working and teaching at Durrell Conservation Trust. She has two children, a Gypsy horse, an Airedale dog, two Maine Coon cats, four chinchillas, loads of fish and a very patient husband.

  • Veterinary Representative-Clare Wilson

    After qualifying as a veterinary surgeon from Cambridge in 2001, Clare spent several years working in mixed practice in the Welsh Borders and more recently in Warwickshire. As the daughter of two human psychologists she has always had a fascination with behaviour, both human and animal. In 2006, having completed the Southampton Diploma in Companion Animal Behaviour Counselling, she went to work for Sarah Heath in Chester for 12 months to gain invaluable behavioural experience. In 2007 she set up her own behavioural referral service in Warwickshire and in 2008 became a Full Member of the APBC. With a busy home life with 2 young boys, dogs, cats and chickens, she now continues to work on a part-time basis seeing canine and feline behavioural referrals and also working as a general practitioner at two local practices.

  • -Donna Brander

    Donna is a Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist, originally from Austin, Texas. She set up behavioural consultancies in Texas, Copenhagen, Brussels, Madrid and Hong Kong prior to moving to Scotland. She formerly lectured on the MSc course in Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare at the University of Edinburgh, and held a behaviour clinic at the Royal (Dick) College of Veterinary Studies. Donna has special interest in welfare and the ethics of pet ownership and behavioural therapy. She has an interest in the interaction of various species as she has four horses, a flock of Shetland sheep, two cats, three dogs, and three chickens.

  • Public Relations Officer-Pippa Hutchison

    Pippa Hutchison qualified from the School of Psychology at the University of Southampton with a Master of Science (MSc) degree in Companion Animal Behaviour Counselling. She also holds a post-graduate diploma in Companion Animal Behaviour Counselling (Dip (AS) CABC). In addition, she has been accredited with the RCVS recognised post nominal of CCAB (Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist) Pippa is a full Member of the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors (APBC) and stands on the committee as their Press and PR Officer. Since 2004 she has been in practice as a companion animal behaviour counsellor holding veterinary referred consultations throughout Scotland. She is a behaviour consultant at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and the University of Glasgow, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.
    Her main interests are the reinstatement and improvement of the human-animal bond between a client and their companion animal, through manageable behaviour modification programmes.

  • Online Public Relations Officer-Karen Wild

    Karen Wild BA (Hons) Dip App Psy, is a full-time U.K. dog trainer and behaviour consultant with 16 years in the field. She has a degree and diploma in Psychology from the University of Nottingham.

    Karen's work has ranged from class teaching, obedience, flyball, agility and working trials competition to running a popular dog display team. When she started her own family Karen realised there was a genuine need for one-to-one help in the family environment. She formed her consultancy Pawprint which specialises in online and practical advice in this area. Her passion is to create and rebuild the 'enjoyment factor' that can come from family dog ownership.

    Karen's work with dogs and young people includes her current programme to bring more dogs into schools in the UK. Her writing has been published in Dogs Today Magazine and she is a regular contributer to dogstardaily.com.
     

  • Provisional Members' Representative-Holly Hunt

    Holly is a Pet Behaviour Counsellor based in Sussex.  She primarily works with cats and dogs, but also provides advice with other species (including horses). Holly has a BSc in Animal Behaviour Science and is currently studying with Southampton University. Following her undergraduate degree Holly went on to work for the Pet Food Manufacturers Association (PFMA), the Pet Health Council and National Pet Month in London. Holly is also dedicated to animal welfare and has volunteered for Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in London, RSPCA and ran the London Marathon to help raise money for the Blue Cross. Her and her partner live with their latest edition, a Slovakian Rough Haired Pointer puppy called ‘Leskie’.

  • Student Members' Representative-Theresa Franklin

    Theresa presently works for Dogs For the Disabled as the puppy team leader based in Banbury; prior to this she ran a grooming parlour in a large Leicestershire veterinary centre. She runs puppy training classes in Leicestershire, has a foundation degree in canine behavior and training, and is a member of the APDT. Theresa has been training dogs since the age of 14 when she started to lose her hearing and at this time they became a full time support to her, encouraging her to get out and about and go to training classes around the Midlands. Theresa presently has one adult and one puppy German Shepherd which she is training up to a support dog level. Hiding elsewhere is a leopard gecko, fish of all sorts and a tarantula spider!