Our Story
“Our passion is dog training – our ambition is not to be the biggest or the busiest, as job satisfaction is so important to us – we enjoy delivering our services, it’s ‘not just a job’.”
“We don’t believe rolling out online packages or the concept of making dog training a corporate enterprise with multiple trainers, we believe in the personal touch”.
Grahame Green MSc FSyI – Trainer/Owner
Norwich Dog Trainer
One Size Doesn't Fit All...
Norwich Dog Training School was founded by Grahame Green MSc FSyl. Grahame has been training dogs for over 47 years.
He is a member of the National Association of Security Dog Users (since 1997) and over this time – since being a young lad, he has been a member of various dog training organisations – a security dog assessor, and head trainer at various dog training clubs in the Norwich area.
But in more recent times, he’s stepped away from many of these being a firm believer of acquiring knowledge and skills through experience and research, while wholly upholding the tenant that ‘one size doesn’t fit all’ when it comes to training dogs (or their owners).
Training strategies need to be adapted to meet both sides of the partnership. For NDTS dog training is a continual process of learning and evolution.
Competition Experience
During Grahame’s early years he competed, stewarded, judged, organised competitive obedience competitions, character tests; bred and helped to train dogs that have competed in obedience, working trials, Schutzhund (IPO / IGP); Security Competitions; Assistance Dogs; Gun Dogs; Security Dogs and of course companions.
To boot, Grahame has competed across the UK and overseas in Championship shows – winning challenge certificate overseas and regularly exhibiting at Crufts in the UK.
Through his passion for the Giant Schnauzer (Riesenschnauzer), Grahame’s work as a committee member and Obedience Section Leader of the Schnauzer Club of Great Britain contributed to the breed becoming recognised as a working breed in the UK.
Beauty & Brains
Having travelled extensively around the World Grahame imported one of the very first true working and show line Giant Schnauzers to the UK, upholding the principle that that ‘beauty and brains should go together’ – as one without the other can only but be detrimental to any breed.
Schutzhund
In more recent years, Grahame left these roots behind favouring the greater challenge offered through the International Working Dog Sport of Schutzhund (translated into English means ‘protection dog’) thrown in with a little ‘Ringsport’ training for good measure.
Through his passion for Schutzhund, Grahame with his Belgian Shepherd Dog (Malinois) ‘Unit’ became the first ever team to represent the UK in the World Belgian Shepherd Dog Championships (France) and was the first ever non-German Shepherd Dog team to represent the UK in the World FCI IPO Championships (Italy) in 2007 (NB Schutzhund has undergone name changes to IPO and more recently IGP).
'Butch Cassidy'
Grahame’s current dog ‘Butch Cassidy’ while being every ounce an incredibly powerful and true to type working Belgian Shepherd Dog (BSD) that is Health Tested (Eyes, Hips, Elbows with super scores) and comes from the very best working and health tested lines.
‘Butch’ upholds Grahame’s belief that dogs should have both ‘beauty and brains’ which is evidenced by having been shown just four times to prove to breed enthusiasts, that a well-bred Working BSD of correct type can win at championship shows – despite being arguably the largest and most powerful BSD to have ever graced the show ring in the UK wining: 1st Prize Post graduate (LKA, 2021), 3rd Prize Post Graduate (Crufts, 2022), 1st Prize Open Dog (BSDA, 2022); 1st Prize Open Dog (NBSDC, 2022), being rated Very Good by Belgium BSD specialist Dirk Spruyt. ‘Butch Cassidy’ has to date competed in just two IGP trials, achieving the working qualifications of : BH and AD (2022) and IGP 1 (2023) confirming that he has ‘both beauty and brains’. ‘Butch’ is exceptional, both mentally and physically sound with a personality and temperament to die for with a love for protection work.
Grahame's Qualifications
While it is no mean feat, working and qualifying a dog for a BH qualification let alone achieving Schutzhund III and to then go all the way to the World Championships….
Grahame’s special interest in working dogs and in particular security dogs – formed the research basis for his Master’s Degree. Being a Police Trained and qualified Crime Prevention Design Advisor – having been a Security Surveyor for both NACOSS and SSIAB companies when juxtaposed with a long career within security management, public and community safety provides a knowledge that is arguably second to none when it concerns security dogs. This he confidently shares with his clients.
Occasionally, Grahame and his team (dogs trained at NDTS) put on training displays for worthwhile charities and the alike. But for reasons of time and logistics, regrettably this isn’t something NDTS can do regularly.
