Meet Mel: Qualified Force-Free Dog Trainer

Meet Mel!

Mel is a Family Paws Educator, a Fear Free Certified Professional, an IAABC accredited dog trainer and a certified Family Dog Mediator. Mel has a psychology, zoology and business background and a love for learning all about the science of behaviour.

She is also a busy mum of three gorgeous human babies; Harper, Paxton and Brooklyn plus her two beautiful golden retrievers, Cooper and Scout.

Mel has been a passionate dog lover her whole life and always had a connection and love for kids as well. As a dog guardian and busy mum herself, she absolutely understands the chaos and the juggle that comes with running a busy house and managing kids and dogs together.

Mel is driven to educate families and dog guardians about the importance of using positive, ethical, kind and force-free methods to help build better and safer relationship between you, your family and your dog.

Whilst Mel can certainly help you teach your dog to sit or stay, the greater goal in her work is to:

Help you to see the dog in front of you, understand that they have feelings and emotions too.
Learn how to communicate with your dog, learn how to listen to them better and help to guide them through life in our human world.
Learn how to enrich your dog’s life and understand how to meet their specific needs.
Provide education around dog bite prevention. Ensuring kids and dogs are happy and safe when interacting.
Ultimately educate you on how to give your dog the happiest life possible.

Communicating in a positive way and learning to listen to your dog allows you to build a stronger relationship based on mutual respect and trust. This is particularly important in homes with children and dogs.

The two main areas Mel specialises in and is incredibly passionate about are;

Education around kids and dogs.
In home puppy training – helping you to raise your new puppy to be a happy, well-mannered and confident family member.

Where possible, preventing issues is so much easier than fixing them.

Get in touch with Mel and ensure the relationship between you, your family and your dog is a positive, safe and happy one!

Mel, founder of Cooper and Kids, partner and three kids sitting on the grass in a backyard, smiling alongside their two Golden Retrievers, for the Cooper and Kids family training program.

Mel, founder of Cooper and Kids, is laughing as her Golden Retriever licks her.

Mel, founder of Cooper and Kids, and her three kids sitting on steps in a backyard, smiling alongside their two Golden Retrievers, for the Cooper and Kids family training program. They are wearing t-shirts saying 'Dog's Make Me Happy'.

Mel, founder of Cooper and Kids, is smiling and holding a small Golden Retriever puppy in her arms.

Mel, founder of Cooper and Kids, husband and three kids sitting on the beach in front of a sand dune, smiling alongside their two Golden Retrievers, for the Cooper and Kids family training program.

Mel, founder of Cooper and Kids, and her three kids sitting on paving outside, smiling alongside their two Golden Retrievers, for the Cooper and Kids family training program.

Three kids sitting in the grass outside, smiling alongside their two Golden Retrievers, for the Cooper and Kids family training program.

Mel from Cooper and Kids smiling while loose leash walking a Bernese Mountain Dog, a Groodle, and a Golden Retriever on a suburban sidewalk.

Mel from Cooper and Kids smiling, sitting on the grass whilst petting her two happy golden retriever dogs.

Mel, founder of Cooper and Kids, sitting on the grass with her three young children and two golden retrievers, one is a small puppy sitting in her lap.

Mel from Cooper and Kids smiling, sitting on the grass whilst petting her happy golden retriever dog. A happy child is lying playfully on her back.

Mel, founder of Cooper and Kids, sitting on the beach with her golden retriever dog.

Mel, founder of Cooper and Kids, stands in front of a wall wearing a dog lover's t-shirt saying 'Dogs make me happy'.

Qualifications

Bachelor degree in Science with a major in Psychology and a minor in Zoology.
Bachelor degree in Commerce.
Family Paws Parent Education licensed Educator (2020).
IAABC Accredited Dog Trainer (2020).
Fear Free Certified® Professional. Completed Fear Free Animal Trainer Certification Program (2022).
Certified Family Dog Mediator (FDM). Completed the L.E.G.S.® Applied Ethology Family Dog Mediation® Professional Course with Kim Brophey.
Aggression in Dogs Master Course with Michael Shikashio (2023)
Cooperative Care: Husbandry at Home with Laura Monaco Torelli at Karen Pryor Academy (2023)
3 Days of Learning With Ken Ramirez (2025)
Living and learning with Animals – The Science and technology of behaviour change. With Dr Susan Friedman (2019).
The School of Canine Science – The Puppy Lab (2020).
Current and up to date Working With Children’s Check.
Dog Psychology and training BAG221 (2015).
Accredited Professional Dog Obedience Trainer Course. Conduct Companion Animal Training Classes RUV 4512A with the Australian Dog Training Academy (2010).

Media

Mel is available for media interviews, social media lives, podcasts, blog features, you name it. Educating the public around learning to understand dogs better and helping to create safer interactions between kids and dogs is Mel’s true passion. Get in touch to have a chat.

Article Features

IAABC Journal

Working With Dogs and Children

BARKS from the Guild (PPG Journal)

Turning Calm into Chaos – helping pet professionals when working with families with kids and dogs

MAMAMIA

An important investigation into whether your dog can sense you’re pregnant

Meet Mel!

Qualifications

Media

Memberships

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