Lydia Brown Receives Influential Woman in Business Award 2026 for Positive Reinforcement Dog Training in Lancashire

Lydia Brown, founder of The Canine Coven, has been recognised with the Influential Woman in Business Award 2026 for Positive Reinforcement Dog Trainer, Lancashire, celebrating a career dedicated to transforming the relationship between dogs and their owners through compassionate, science-led training built on confidence, calmness and connection.

For Lydia, working with dogs has never simply been a career choice. It has been part of who she is from the very beginning. Growing up surrounded by Border Terriers, she laughs that her mum often says she decided she wanted to become a dog trainer when she was still a child. Today, that lifelong passion continues alongside her own Border Terrier, Zep, who frequently joins her on adventures and occasionally lends a paw by helping with content for the business.

Her professional journey spans well over a decade and has taken her through almost every aspect of canine care. Beginning as a volunteer working with rescue dogs, Lydia went on to build experience as a dog groomer and in boarding kennels, veterinary practices and doggy day care.

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Every role broadened her understanding of canine behaviour while deepening her appreciation of the people behind every dog. After years of running training classes and continually expanding her education in behaviour and positive reinforcement methods, she recognised the opportunity to create something that truly reflected her own philosophy. The Canine Coven was born from that vision, offering dog training built around confidence, calmness and connection while ensuring owners feel supported, educated and empowered to enjoy life with their dogs.

“I’ve always believed in helping owners understand the ‘why’ behind their dog’s behaviour rather than simply trying to stop it with ‘quick fixes’.”

Rather than following industry trends, she has remained committed to an approach centred on understanding canine behaviour and equipping owners with the knowledge to continue making progress long after a session ends.

Whether through group classes, one-to-one coaching or her growing collection of educational ebooks, every resource is designed to leave owners feeling capable and confident. She also believes training should be enjoyable, ensuring owners discover that successful learning can be fun for both themselves and their dogs.

Mindfulness has become another important influence in both her business and personal life. Setting realistic goals, celebrating small achievements and recognising progress instead of chasing perfection helps Lydia remain focused, and these same principles naturally shape the way she teaches others.

Her resilience has been tested in profound ways. In 2023, Lydia experienced the sudden loss of her father during the same year she turned 30, a life-changing moment that caused her to reassess what truly mattered.

She explains that his passing reminded her just how precious time is and gave her the courage to stop waiting for the “right moment” before pursuing the business she had always envisioned. Although running a business independently inevitably brings moments of self-doubt, remembering why she started and witnessing the positive difference she makes for owners continues to keep her moving forward.

That authenticity also shapes the advice she now offers to other women considering a similar path.

“Don’t wait until you feel completely ready, because you never will.”

She encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to trust themselves, continue learning and resist comparing their journeys with others. Every successful business begins somewhere, she says, and The Canine Coven only truly found its identity when she stopped worrying about what everyone else was doing and focused on creating something that genuinely reflected her own values.

The greatest reward in Lydia’s work is not simply teaching dogs new behaviours but watching owners develop confidence in themselves. Many arrive feeling overwhelmed or uncertain, only to discover the joy of understanding their dogs and building stronger relationships through positive training.

Alongside practical training, Lydia has developed a growing library of educational resources that reflect her passion for making trusted information accessible. Her first book, The Puppy Spellbook, continues to evolve through regular updates that incorporate the latest knowledge in canine behaviour. She later expanded her educational offering with The Confidence Spellbook, exploring canine confidence in far greater depth while bringing together many of the principles at the heart of her training philosophy. Alongside these larger publications, she has also created an expanding collection of Mini Spellbooks covering individual topics, providing owners with practical guidance they can revisit whenever they need support.

One of the achievements she treasures most is the supportive community that has grown around The Canine Coven. Watching owners celebrate one another’s progress and knowing they always have somewhere to seek advice represents exactly the kind of environment she hoped to create when she first launched the business.

Although winning six business awards has been an incredible milestone, Lydia says the greatest accomplishment is seeing what her business has become. As she reflects, The Canine Coven is evolving into something greater than she ever imagined, combining education, community and positive reinforcement into a business that continues to grow with purpose.

Looking ahead, Lydia plans to expand her classes and workshops across Preston, making confidence-based, wellbeing-focused dog training accessible to even more owners. She is also writing her third ebook, filled with training games and practical activities that encourage owners to enjoy meaningful time with their dogs. The creative process of teaching, researching, writing and designing educational resources has become one of her favourite aspects of the business, and she hopes to continue developing this side of The Canine Coven for many years to come.

Like many independent business owners, Lydia openly acknowledges there have been occasions when she questioned whether to continue. Filling classes remains a challenge, courses have sometimes needed to be cancelled because of low attendance, and there have been periods when asking for help became necessary during quieter months. Those moments, however, have also taught her perspective. She has learned that it is easy to focus on what still needs improving while overlooking everything already achieved.

Receiving industry recognition has strengthened that perspective. Winning awards has reminded her that her work is making a genuine difference, encouraging her to continue growing the business, writing more educational resources and championing a positive reinforcement approach she wholeheartedly believes in.

This latest recognition has reinforced her confidence to trust her instincts rather than following the crowd. It has inspired her to think even bigger about expanding her community, developing workshops, creating further educational resources and making trusted, up-to-date dog training information available to as many owners as possible.

When asked who has influenced her most, Lydia finds it impossible to name a single mentor. Every role throughout her career has shaped the trainer she has become, while every dog has taught her something valuable. She remains grateful to the team at the doggy day care where she still delivers some of her classes, whose continued encouragement and support have played an important role in her journey. Her commitment to lifelong learning also continues through organisations such as Canine Principles and The Dog Training School, reflecting her belief that education never truly ends. Every course, every client and every dog provides another opportunity to learn, improve and become an even better trainer.

Lydia Brown’s recognition as Influential Woman in Business 2026 – Positive Reinforcement Dog Trainer, Lancashire celebrates not only professional excellence but also a genuine commitment to helping owners build lasting relationships with their dogs through understanding, education and trust. As The Canine Coven continues to grow, Lydia remains focused on creating a future where positive reinforcement, confidence and connection become the foundation of every successful partnership between people and their dogs.

Contact

Phone: 07751 466056

Email: thecaninecoven@gmail.com

Website: https://thecaninecoven.com