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
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
“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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