Barbara Sykes has a lifelong love of Border Collies, and has worked with the rescue, rehabilitation and training of the breed from a young age, both in the field and in the home. She is a member of the Canine and Feline Behaviour Association and the British Institute of Professional Dog Trainers. She is also the owner of Mainline Border Collie and Behavioural Centre in the Yorkshire Moors, where she trains sheepdogs and handlers. Barbara is a consultant in canine behaviour and runs The Freedom of Spirit Trust for Border Collies, a charity devoted to the protection and welfare of Border Collies. She has written a number of dog training books for Crowood.