Anna Herzog

Personal Bio

Anna is an experienced and passionate trainer of dogs and people with a diverse background in competitive dog sports and canine behaviour. She currently shares her life with six dogs: five Border Collies—four of which she bred herself—and one Working Tervuren. Her training journey has included personally handling a wide range of breeds, including a German Shepherd Dog, a Shih- Tzu/Lhasa Apso cross, a Working Cocker Spaniel, and a Giant Schnauzer and of course working with a vast array of other breeds and types of dog across various disciplines. Anna thrives on the challenge of tailoring her approach to suit each individual dog, always striving to bring out the best in them.

With a strong foundation in both dog and human coaching, Anna is equally passionate about helping handlers improve their own skills. She believes that developing the handler’s mechanics, timing, and communication is key to a dog’s success. Over the years, she has designed a variety of exercises that focus on refining technique, enhancing clarity in cues, building an eye for detail, and understanding how to break down complex behaviours while progressively fading rewards.

Anna is also at the forefront of introducing FCI Obedience to the UK. Since 2019, she has worked closely with both the Kennel Club and the FCI to help grow the sport. With a supportive team now in place, the UK’s FCI Obedience community is expanding rapidly. Anna is involved in developing structured training groups across the country, offering “Have a Go” opportunities at KC Obedience shows, and organising the UK’s first official FCI Obedience competition, set to take place in August 2025.

Her career spans multiple countries and disciplines:

• From 2005 to 2015, Anna worked as a pet dog trainer in several dog clubs across southern Germany.
• Between 2009 and 2012, she competed in heelwork to music and freestyle competitions.
• From 2010 to 2014, she focused on behaviour modification, pursuing further education and learning from respected behaviourists including Günther Bloch, Udo Gansloßer, and Angelika Lanzerath.
• In 2013, she represented Germany as part of the Obedience World Cup team at Crufts.
• Since moving to the UK in 2014, Anna has continued her full-time work as a professional dog trainer.
• In 2015, she completed a Level 3 Diploma in Canine Hydrotherapy.
• Between 2011 and 2020, Anna competed in Kennel Club Obedience with her Border Collie Lia, progressing from Pre-Beginners to Championship level (Ticket). She won four tickets and qualified for Crufts in 2017 and 2018.
• She bred three Border Collie litters in 2016, 2018, and 2020, with multiple offspring now competing at championship level in both Obedience and Agility.
• Since 2015, Anna has delivered seminars around the world in a variety of dog sports, coaching handlers who have gone on to compete at world championship level in IGP, KC, and FCI Obedience.
• Since 2018, she has organised and led KC and FCI Obedience displays in the Good Citizen Dog Training ring at Crufts, with a team of 20 handlers and a wide variety of breeds, aiming to promote and grow the sport.
• Since 2020, Anna has competed in FCI Obedience throughout Europe. Her Border Collie, Nox, is currently competing in Class 3—the highest level—and in 2023, they achieved the best overall score in Class 2 at the European Open.
• In 2024, she was selected to represent Great Britain at the FCI Obedience World Championships in Latvia, the UK’s debut in the event.
• In 2025, she will once again represent Great Britain at the FCI Obedience World Championships in Norway.

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