- Marilyn Gilchrist is co-founder of The Canine School of Trailing and our other Head Instructor.
Marilyn with Lola caught napping on the job…
Marilyn’s dog training journey started in 2016 when rescue dog Lola came into her life. Lola developed fear aggression towards dogs after being attacked so Marilyn started researching in earnest about how best to help and a passion in dog training and behaviour developed. Since then other rescues arrived with various behaviour struggles and Marilyn’s knowledge and passion grew.
Marilyn with Scout her rescue Staffordshire Bull Terrier on a pet trail in Nantwich
Attending courses and gaining qualifications with Cambridge Institute of Dog Behaviour & Training, IMDT, Canine Principles, Dog Training College and Absolute Dogs, Marilyn decided to open her own business in 2021, companion’s trail dog training. Since then Marilyn has also become an instructor with Canine Hoopers World and in 2025 became an Animal Training Instructor registered with PACT and the ABTC.
Throughout the journey Marilyn has always loved trailing with her own dogs and has been working with current partner dog, staffie Scout since 2021. In April 2024, little rescue puppy Jem (standard Dachshund cross Chihuahua or Spicy Dachshund for short) joined the family. Team Scout have already been deployed on lost cat and lost dog searches and Team Jem are quickly catching up with his super scent hound nose!
Marilyn and Scout the professional shot
It was through trailing her own dogs that Marilyn met Rachel, our other co-founder and following a conversation about how best to progress trailing for their customers, decided to launch The Canine School of Trailing together!!
Marilyn loves watching the bond deepen between humans and dogs when they trail and hopes that, through coaching other trainers to become trailing instructors, more and more people will experience the benefits and sheer joy of trailing.
Jem on the trails…
Alongside Scout and Jem, Marilyn has ‘The Meowfia’, her three rescue cats.
The whole clan…Scout and The Meowfia!
If you would like to trail with Marilyn then you can book into her Companion’s Trail sessions that are typically in Macclesfield, Congleton, Wilmslow, Bollington and the Stoke area here: Buy tickets for companion’s trail dog training (tickettailor.com)
Marilyn and Scout, the not so professional shot..