Top 5 Dog Trainers in Caversham

Sarah is very good she helped me and my coco a lot? A really good sessions I definitely recommend her?

Last year, we brought home three puppies at once — Sasha (our German Shepherd) and Laika and Hugo (our Goldadors). Most people thought we were completely mad (and honestly, they weren’t wrong). It was exciting, but also completely overwhelming. Then we found Sarah from Barkshire Dog Training, and I truly don’t know how we would have managed without her. Sarah supported us right from the very beginning — from the day we brought the puppies home until they were about a year old — and her support during that entire first year was absolutely invaluable. She was there every step of the way through all the chaos, questions, and milestones. From the very first session, Sarah gave us so much support, advice, and reassurance. She really took the time to understand us and our dogs. She’s calm, encouraging, and full of knowledge that actually works in day-to-day life. Her training is positive, reward-based, and thoughtfully tailored — nothing forceful or rigid, just kind, realistic support that fits into a busy household. We signed up for her puppy programme, which includes a mix of 1 to 1 sessions, group classes, and social walks — and the structure was ideal. The small group sizes meant our dogs didn’t get overwhelmed, and it gave us a chance to work on things specific to each pup. One of the most valuable things Sarah helped us with was teaching our dogs to be calm and to settle — something that was a real game changer in a house with three bouncy puppies! She also guided us through crate training, and now all three dogs see their crates as a peaceful, safe space they actually enjoy. Sarah has also been supporting us with Sasha’s reactivity, which has been more of a challenge. It’s still a work in progress, and we know there’s a long way to go, but we’re grateful for the guidance and tools Sarah has given us to help manage it. It’s made us feel less alone in the process. Sarah has always gone above and beyond — from helping us set up daily routines and giving enrichment ideas, to offering advice on nutrition and just understanding our dogs better. She’s incredibly knowledgeable, but also easy to talk to, which made the whole process feel supportive and never overwhelming. We now have three happy, more relaxed dogs, and a stronger bond with each of them. No, they’re not perfect, but they’re doing great — and we feel so much more confident as owners. If you’re looking for a trainer who really knows dogs, supports you as an owner, and does it all with patience and kindness, we can’t recommend Sarah enough. Thank you, Sarah — we’re so glad we found you.

Very professional ,easy to understand .good value for the money

Knowledgeable, caring, and thoughtful trainer We had a fantastic experience with Sarah Hawkins training our dog Nimbu, an energetic Springer Spaniel. She’s incredibly knowledgeable, caring, and thoughtful — always going the extra mile. What we loved most is that her training fit easily into our schedule, and she offered practical tips that worked for both Nimbu and us. Training a Springer Spaniel isn’t easy, but Sarah approached it with patience, skill, and a calm presence that made a real difference. Whether it was improving walks, tweaking feeding, or helping us communicate better with Nimbu, her advice was always thoughtful and effective. Sarah’s personal touch made the whole process enjoyable and gave us so much confidence as dog owners. Highly recommend her if you want a trainer who truly understands both dogs and their families!

A great experience. Sarah has given me invaluable advice, and encouragement. I now have increased empathy, more confidence, and a stronger bond with my nervous little Jack Russell puppy.

We highly recommend Smart Dog Academy! Matt, Karen and Georgia are fantastic – patient, supportive, and genuinely passionate about what they do. Their approach is encouraging and understanding, creating a welcoming environment for both dogs and owners. We really appreciated learning the theory behind each training technique and then putting it into practice. Every class gave us valuable tools to support our puppy's development. The Puppy Social Club sessions are also brilliant - well organised, safe, and a great space for positive socialisation. The Facebook support group is an added bonus. We’ve gained so much already and look forward to attending more classes with them!

Fab, knowledgeable and friendly. I have done several courses and 1:1 with them and would highly recommend.

Wonderful and experienced dog trainers. They take their time to understand each dog. Positive reinforcement, force free methods. Various classes to meet your dog’s needs. Can’t recommend highly enough.

Matt and Karen are fabulous, for lack of transport reasons we missed one week of the course with our pup, and yet Matt very kindly came round to our home at no charge to make sure our pup caught up with his missed lesson... Awesome service, above and beyond Thanks from Gibson