Pauline Cowey
The behaviourist behind Heart of the Pack.
For decades I have worked with dogs (and horses) the same way: by listening to what they are actually telling us, and helping their humans become the calm, clear leader those animals quietly need.
I’m based at Crystal Brook in regional South Australia, 25 minutes south of Port Pirie, and I run regular in-person consultation days across all six regions I cover — the Upper Spencer Gulf, Iron Triangle, Mid North, Clare Valley, Yorke Peninsula and the Eyre Peninsula. Bookings on the longer trips (Yorke, Eyre) are grouped together so the drive carries multiple consults. In-person is always my preferred format because being in the real environment gives me information video can’t. For owners outside the drive radius, online coaching is available as an alternative.
Why leadership, not tricks.
Almost every owner I’ve worked with comes to me convinced they have a training problem. They’ve usually tried two or three trainers, six or seven YouTube channels, a head halter, a no-pull harness, a clicker, an e-collar, a calming chew, and a lot of treats. By the time we talk, they’re exhausted and the dog is no better — sometimes worse.
What they have is almost never a training problem. They have a leadership gap. The dog doesn’t know who is in charge of the situation, and so it appoints itself — anxiously, defensively, loudly, or all three at once.
My job is not to train the dog. My job is to coach the human into being the calm, confident leader the dog has been waiting for. The dog responds within minutes. The household changes within a session. The work after that is consistency — and that’s where most owners need ongoing support, because old habits in humans are stickier than old habits in dogs.
I don’t use food bribes. I don’t use shock collars, prong collars, or any pain-based tool. I don’t yell. I don’t crate-and-cry, alpha-roll or dominate. The method works because it is the way dogs already think — and the way they have communicated with each other since long before we were involved.
If you’re weighing me up against a balanced or force-free trainer and want a fair comparison before you book, I’ve written one: force-free vs balanced vs leadership-based dog training. It names what each method does well, where each one falls down, and how to choose.
Accreditation
Qualifications & method
Pauline holds accreditation across the full spectrum of canine work — and is one of very few Australian practitioners with equivalent accreditation in horse behaviour. The principles cross over more than people realise.
- Accredited Dog Communicator
- Accredited Dog Behaviourist
- Accredited Owner Educator
- Accredited Dog Trainer
- Accredited Horse Communicator
- Accredited Horse Behaviourist & Trainer
Currently studying
Level 6 Diploma in Canine Behaviour
Enrolled 2026, commencing October. The Level 6 Diploma is a degree-level, specialised qualification for clinical animal behaviourists — equivalent to the final year of a Bachelor’s undergraduate degree, and aligned with the academic standard required by professional registries such as the Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC). It goes beyond obedience training into high-level diagnostics, neuroscience, psychopharmacology and tailored treatment plans for severe behavioural cases including complex aggression and anxiety.
The programme allows up to two years for completion. Pauline expects to finish in twelve to eighteen months — late 2027 to early 2028 — at which point she will hold the post-nominal DipCAB alongside her existing accreditations.
Also coming up
Brain-Based Training
A specialised professional-development programme that moves beyond the traditional obedience model — sit, stay, don’t pull — into how a dog’s brain actually learns, adapts and regulates. The premise: dogs aren’t robots, they’re intelligent emotional beings with minds that are constantly learning, and training works better when it is built around who the dog is rather than what the human expects them to do.
For Pauline the appeal is direct alignment with the work she already does — psychology-based, relationship-first, focused on understanding rather than control. Brain-based training deepens the toolkit for the harder cases: anxious dogs, shut-down rescues, working-breed adolescents whose nervous systems need regulating before any obedience will land. The outcome is dogs that think, not dogs that just react.
Adds to the ongoing professional development that sits alongside the Level 6 Diploma — different lens, same principle: work with the dog’s nervous system, not against it.
Where I work
Crystal Brook, South Australia
605 Hughes Gap Road, Crystal Brook — 25 minutes south of Port Pirie, central to the entire Mid North and Upper Spencer Gulf.
In-home: Upper Spencer Gulf · Iron Triangle · Mid North · Clare Valley · Yorke Peninsula
Online: anywhere in Australia
The Five Rules of Leadership
The framework I teach every household.
These are the five non-negotiable behaviours every dog needs to see from its humans. Every consultation covers them. Every household I work with embeds them. The order, the consistency, and the calm with which you apply them is what changes everything.
- Calm energy comes first — always.
- Boundaries before commands.
- Guide, don’t bribe.
- Follow through, every time.
- Reward state, not behaviour.
The five are simple to read and hard to do. That is why I coach the human, in your real environment, alongside your dog.
How I can help — depending on what you need.
Puppy Training
Puppy training that begins with the relationship, not the trick — so the calm carries into adulthood.
Learn moreObedience Training
Obedience that holds in the paddock, the beach, the cafe and the chaos — because it comes from relationship, not bribery.
Learn moreAggressive Dog Training
Aggressive behaviour rarely starts as aggression — it is almost always fear or arousal wearing a louder coat. The work is calming the underlying state, not punishing the symptom.
Learn moreReactive Dog Training
Reactivity is over-arousal wearing a leash. Calm the arousal, the reactivity collapses.
Learn moreSeparation Anxiety
A dog that panics when you leave is not being naughty. It is genuinely afraid — and forcing through it makes it worse, every time.
Learn moreBarking Dog Training
Barking is a symptom. Find the cause, the noise stops on its own.
Learn moreIn-Home Training
Your dog's behaviour lives in your environment. So the training does too.
Learn moreOnline Coaching
Because for most behaviour work, you are the variable — and that's what we coach.
Learn moreCrystal Brook Studio
A dedicated training room at my Crystal Brook home — for the cases where bringing the dog to a neutral space is the better starting point.
Learn moreReal owners. Real change.
Owners I’ve worked with
“We are both really pleased with Arthur's progress and it's only day 3. He's almost like a new dog! Understanding the why behind Pauline's method then being consistent in our actions as pet owners is the most important takeaway we gained from our session with Pauline. Highly recommended.”
“I only wish we had engaged Pauline sooner! Our family found her in-home training session to be informative and invaluable in helping us make real change to our relationship with our 7 year old Border Collie. It was so beneficial to complete the training in person and be able to ask questions along the way. We gained a much better understanding of how our own habits and behaviors were unintentionally reinforcing the behaviors we didn't want. In just a few short weeks, by following Pauline's simple rules, we have already seen a noticeable change in our dog. The literature provided by Pauline has also been an excellent resource, helping us stay on track and reinforce what we learned. We are looking forward to calm outings with our dog in the future!”
“very informative, simple but effective methods to use.”
“Pauline visited Luna and me about 2 weeks ago. The benefits have been that Luna is no longer in my face when I'm eating. Ball games are now a quieter affair and Luna will stop playing with the 'finish' command. Walking in harness is a gradual work in progress but we are getting better.”
“Pauline is very clear with directions and takes her time to provide lots of information in training and being persistent, Pauline is very professional in her work and great to work with. So much improvement with my dogs barking/anxiety on first day, and continuing with this each day with the training provided, I'm already having a very relaxed dog. I would definitely recommend Pauline for any training with your dog needs. Thank you Pauline 😊”
“Even after just a few hours with Pauline, the difference in Walter was incredible. More importantly, we walked away with practical, easy-to-follow techniques that gave us confidence with our puppy. Pauline is knowledgeable, approachable, and clearly passionate about what she does. If you're looking for real results and a trainer who genuinely cares, we couldn't recommend Heart of the Pack highly enough.”
“Pauline spent a long time with our whole family and our dog in our home. She taught us how to effectively communicate with our dog — to help us be the leader in the relationship so that we all enjoy a better and calmer time together. Pauline adapted her lesson structure to suit our family needs, we enjoyed having her in our home — she is serious about her work, but also approachable, relatable and humorous. We were amazed at how our dog responded to her methods on the day. The couple of days following her lessons have been a tough transition of changing habits for all of us. It has been 4 days since Pauline visited and we have definitely seen improvement in our dog's behaviour and we will continue using the rules. We recommend Pauline to anyone who is looking to improve their relationship with their pooch!”
“We recently got a new puppy and had issues with the introduction to our 4 yo boy. Pauline was very helpful in getting us on track with being in control of our boy. Great advice and rules that worked. We will need to keep at it, but the family is getting on great. Thank you Pauline. Can definitely recommend.”
“A lot of information provided, most of the time is hands on with dog, which was very helpful. Not going to lie training is mostly for the owners not dog, they are smart enough to have already worked out who's the boss. Not going to be a quick fix if that's what you are looking for, lots of practice and repetition required to succeed. Pauline is very easy to work with, friendly and approachable. Session was flexible with working on issues and asking questions. Tilly's behaviour is improving - the small wins make it worthwhile. We still have a long way to go but now have the tools and information to get there and being able to contact Pauline any time is fantastic. Located in Port Augusta, fur-baby Tilly (American Bulldog, Rottweiler, Staffy cross).”
“Hi I'm Annie and my little dog is Tilly - a Jack Russell Cross. I took Tilly to Pauline when Tilly was an anxious, reactive, barking little dog and very much in control. But it didn't take long for me to see a difference in Tilly once Pauline started working with us. You have to be very consistent with this method and follow the process. It's made for a much happier life for me and my little dog Tilly. Thanks Pauline 😊”
“Pauline did a wonderful job of helping us to understand the power dynamics going on with our dogs. She gave us practical advice to follow that actually worked. She really understands the psyche of animals.”
“We are already seeing positive behaviour changes from Emma. Less jumping up and she is in her own bed. Lol not mine. We have listened and put into practice some of what Pauline showed us today. Surprisingly I'm not feeling guilty. I'm looking forward to Emma being the girl we want her to be by following the guidance from Pauline.”
“Pauline is absolutely amazing. Went beyond our expectations. She has given us so many strategies to help with our dogs. They have all been very settled after only one week. The issue was John and myself — and Pauline used very gentle correction. We are extremely grateful as we have changed our ways and the dogs are so much settled. I highly recommend Pauline.”
“Our six-month-old black Lab had us exasperated with her impulsive, exuberant and strong-willed behaviour. Pauline outlined a set of rules to ensure that we are the pack leader. In just over an hour Clover went from jumping all over Pauline to standing quietly by her side awaiting commands. The transformation was astounding.”
5-star rating — Google
5-star rating — Google
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