Hi I'm Tom
I started volunteering in rescue and sheltering at fifteen, and it quickly became my passion. Wanting to improve the behavioural health of the animals I was working with led me to a BSc (Hons) in Bio-veterinary Science and an MSc in Clinical Animal Behaviour at the University of Lincoln.
I've been involved in most parts of rescue — fundraising, home checking, transport and day-to-day operations. Since graduating I've worked at the UK's largest dog welfare organisation as a Training and Behaviour Advisor, across seven rehoming centres, before being promoted to Senior Training and Behaviour Advisor supporting teams across the South West. I now focus on the training and development of behaviour staff across the organisation.
I'm a Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist with the Animal Behaviour and Training Council, a Certified Canine Behavior Consultant and Certified Shelter Behavior Specialist with the IAABC, and a member of faculty and CBATI-KA with the Grisha Stewart Academy. I'm also a Trustee for Hope Rescue Wales.
That blend of operational and behavioural experience is why my support fits how shelters actually run. It's also what I bring to conference work internationally — and what I use to help others get where they want to be.
Tom Candy BSc (Hons) MSc CCAB CDBC CSBS CBATI-KA
Full Member of the Association of Pet Behaviour Councilors, ABTC Registered Clinical Animal Behaviourist
Animals supported (Since 2023)
Students upskilled(Since 2023)
Podcast listens(since 2023)
What Drives Me
My Mission
I started Simplifying Shelter Behaviour to empower shelters and rescues to improve the behavioural health of the animals in their care. That happens in three ways: supporting individual animals, upskilling teams, and building the systems that hold it all together.
My Philosophy
How Do I Want to Achieve The Mission?
Training Philosophy
Kennels are hard places for dogs to be. They're already under pressure, which is exactly why I work with positive, reward-based methods rather than anything that adds to it.
I look at what's driving the behaviour rather than the behaviour alone — what the dog needs, what's motivating them, and what's underneath it. Change the cause and the behaviour follows.
Coaching and development philosophy
How I teach
Everyone walks into a session with experience already. My job isn't to replace it — it's to build on it, so people leave with more than they came in with rather than a version of what they already knew.
Sessions are interactive by design. In a room full of shelter staff there's usually more collective experience than any one trainer has, and the learning goes both ways.
Organisation Support Philosophy
Most shelters know what good practice looks like. Holding onto it is the harder part — it depends on different people, under pressure, on every shift.
I work with you to build the procedures, structures and ways of working that hold it in place. Designed around how your organisation runs, and embedded with the people who'll use them.
Communication Philosophy
Shelter and rescue is forever a reactive industry, with every day looking different to the next. I aim to get back to you as soon as possible, but sometimes times scales can vary. I will normally reply within 3 working day.
Be Empowered Now!
Educational Resources
Upcoming Events
28th October- Grisha Stewart Academy Webinar- Turning down the volume, working with noise phobia in shelter dogs
This session focuses on how we can better understand and support dogs living with noise sensitivities to improve their welfare and long-term outcomes. We’ll explore practical, welfare-driven strategies that help dogs cope and build confidence in noisy or unpredictable environments. Attendees will learn how to create calmer spaces, develop flexible noise-support programs that go beyond standard desensitization and counterconditioning
Nov 21/22nd -the canine wellness conference
Join us for a beautiful weekend of Dog care, education and connection at the prestigious Falcon Hotel, nestled beside the Bude Canal and just steps from Cornwall’s stunning beaches. Toms session will focus on case studies that help translate learning from shelters to owned dogs. https://www.thedogwitchwholehealthandbehaviour.com/the-canine-wellness-conference