Qualifications:

 

Natalie Lagstrom has a Degree in Behavioural Science from the University of Nottingham, and a Masters from the University of Exeter. During her studies she covered topics including: learning theories, evolution of behaviour, physiology, taxonomy, genetics, cognition, human psychology, bioethics & animal welfare, statistics and much more. She had the opportunity to study a wide range of animals in both domestic and natural environments including training dogs, horses, sheep, cattle, doves, chickens etc. and researching wild goat social behaviour on Lundy Island , as well as studying enclosure use and environmental enrichment in Barbary Sheep at Paignton Zoo.

Media, Animal Acting & Presenting:

 

Natalie Lagstrom has appeared in articles in Your Horse and Your Dog magazine, and with her Watermill Wolves team, has experience on-set working on Sky tv productions, music videos, adverts, public promotions, magazine and catalogue photoshoots.

 

As well as training the ‘Watermill Wolves’ animal acting team, Natalie regularly presents to a wide range of audiences in a fun , enlightening, and usually interactive way – from children to the infirm, from canine professionals to novices –and covering a wide range of topics on the subjects of behaviour, training, welfare and communication.  From Presenting at Shows, Displays, Demonstrations & Events, to teaching small, intimate groups or lecturing to a large audience, Natalie ensures everyone takes away something positive from the experience, making science fun, understandable – and practically applicable – for all!

Practical Training Experience:

 

Natalie’s first word was an attempt at the name of the cat! From birth, interacting with animals was commonplace– dogs, cats, horses, ferrets, rats, geese, chickens, reptiles, fish and even a seagull all found a home at one time in her family.

 

At 11, she started volunteering weekends at a rescue centre, and started to rehabilitate her own rescued German Shepherd at 14. She has rehabilitated rescue dogs in her own home as well as with rescue organisations ever since, and this desire to ‘make a difference’ has been the drive for her career. Natalie has trained at Obedience, Rally, Agility and Flyball, as well as taking ‘extra-curricular’ courses in fields such as ‘Tellington Touch’, ‘Clicker Training’, Kayce-Cover’s ‘Intermediate Bridging’ techniques, Dr. Ian Dunbar’s Instructor’s course & Steve Lindsay’s ‘Cynopraxic approach to canine behaviour’ Seminar. She has attended lectures at the Royal Society, and also at the University of Lincoln. Natalie has also been employed by IGER (Institute for Grassland and Environmental Research) as a researcher studying motivation for operant learning, and has studied environmental enrichment at Paignton Zoo.