MY STORY
life-long journey of listening and learning.
Hi! I’m Magda, founder of Follow Your Dog, an ethical dog training service based in Scotland. My passion is helping families and their dogs build happier, more harmonious lives together. I specialise in supporting dogs with a wide range of reactivity challenges.
EXPERTISE
credentials
I earned a diploma from the University of Edinburgh
I completed the Karen Pryor Academy certification
Science-based training protects dogs’ wellbeing and makes learning effective and reliable.
respect the behaviour
A dog’s behaviour is the result of the combination of their innate temperament and the environment they live in. I never focus on suppressing unwanted behaviour, because it often reveals how a dog trully feels about everyday situations. Building new behaviours in both the dog and their people may take more time, but in the long run it’s kinder and more effective.
When you work with me, you can be confident that I’ll always strive for the best outcomes for you and your dog.
REWARD-BASED TRAINING
There is a special beauty in taking responsibility for your dog’s coping skills and helping them develop new behaviours to replace those that are problematic. You become a kind mentor to your dog and build a lasting, trust-based relationship.
Choosing kindness and exploring force-free solutions is empowering and life-changing for both the teacher and the learner.
Together we will work towards bringing more joy, happiness, optimism and curiosity in your life with your dog.
qualifications
PgDip, Clinical Animal Behaviour
Karen Pryor Academy Certification
Dog Enrichment for Professionals
Living & Learning with Animals
Agression in Dogs for Professionals
experience
1998
The journey began with my first dog, my first clicker, and the thrill of discovering the power of positive reinforcement – soon followed by the first setbacks and frustrations, stemming from the lack of knowledge and experience.
2001
I was really lucky that my very first dog seminar was with Turid Rugaas, a renowned Norwegian dog trainer who introduced many groundbreaking ideas in ethical dog training. The experience was a true eye-opener to canine communication and stress signals. The awareness I gained has ever since driven me to prioritise a dog’s emotional well-being over compliance and performance.
2005
When I welcomed a Standard Poodle into my life – my first and only pedigree dog – I began exploring a wide range of dog sports. Working with such a versatile partner gave me hands-on experience in many activities available at the time, from trailing and scent detection to agility, obedience, and even bite work.
2006
I began working with my first clients, using my clicker skills to teach fun tricks and activities. Gradually, I shifted toward helping with behavioural challenges like leash pulling or excessive barking. The truth is, in those early days I was probably learning more from the dogs and their people than they were from me.
2007
As I worked with more dogs, my desire to learn kept growing. At that time, access to progressive, ethical dog-training knowledge in Poland was limited. To bridge that gap, I began inviting some of the best specialists from abroad to share their expertise. This not only deepened my own learning but also supported the development of the whole industry in Poland. To date, I have had the honour of organising over 80 seminars, courses, workshops, and webinars in collaboration with some of the world’s leading experts.
2009
Together with a small team of dedicated force-free trainers, I launched a professional education programme. To date, we have trained and certified more than 200 ethical instructors and behaviourists – from foundational skills to advanced professional development – and the number continues to grow.
2013
For almost two years, I worked as a Dog Welfare Officer with a large international rescue organisation. Meeting and caring for hundreds of dogs – each with their own history and often arriving from different parts of Europe – was an experience that profoundly influenced me and deepened my understanding of animal welfare. During that time, I also adopted the most amazing Podenco, Ufo, I met in one of the shelters I worked with.
2015
For 7 years, I was part of Psia Warta dog school team in Poznan, Poland. It was a joyful and formative time – combining my education and experience with the opportunity to brainstorm the cases with like-minded colleagues allowed me to offer the highest quality of service to many families. It was also during this period that another young rescue dog – Tatu, became part of our family.
2022
After moving to Scotland, I began building a dog-friendly training space, drawing on nearly three decades of experience. This is the story of Follow Your Dog – a place where each dog’s personality and needs are met with genuine understanding and respect. My hope is to support many dog guardians and their canine companions in building a deep connection and enjoying a happy life together.
2024
As every great story begins and ends with a dog, we have welcomed into our family a shy Podenco girl named Ari, who is still gently settling into her safe, forever home here in Scotland.
