I have worked with dogs for more than twenty years. I was featured on Channel 4’s The Dog Academy, working with families both on screen and behind the scenes. My focus has always been the same: help people understand their dogs, then teach them what to do about it.
I started Avon Dog Services almost a decade ago because I wanted to give people something different from the usual six-week class and a wave goodbye. The Whole Hound Academy is the next chapter.
I live near Bath with my own dog and the Academy operates across Bath, Trowbridge, Bradford-on-Avon, Corsham, Radstock, Saltford and Midsomer Norton.
Quick fixes. Shock collars. Anything sold as "the only way". Anyone who tells you your dog is dominant. The idea that a dog should be obedient instead of understood.
Book a CallClaire focuses on careful observation, clear communication, and practical application.
She helps owners understand what they are actually seeing, and how behaviour shows up in everyday life. She explains not just what to do, but why it matters, how to apply it in real situations, and how to adapt when things do not go to plan.
She works with owners rather than handing out rigid instructions, checking understanding and building skills they can use confidently long after a session ends. The emphasis is on clarity, consistency, and learning that fits real daily life, without pressure or unrealistic expectations.
Claire is a full member of APDT UK.
Sarah trained under Kamal Fernandez and Di Martin, two of the most respected names in modern, reward-based dog training.
Her background in psychotherapy and psychology sits at the centre of how she works. She treats behaviour as communication, in dogs and in people, and she is as interested in the human on the end of the lead as she is in the dog. That makes her especially good with anxious or fearful dogs, and with owners who have started to lose confidence in themselves.
She works patiently and without judgement, breaking a problem down into steps an owner can actually manage and checking that the understanding is real before moving on. The aim is always the same: a calmer dog and an owner who knows what to do and why.
Sarah is working towards her APDT accreditation. She lives with her two border collies, Lucky and Branston, who keep her honest about how much practice real training takes.
