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Our curated list of the best professionals in the heart of Exeter.
With the historic Cathedral Green and riverside walks, trainers here focus on creating confident city dogs comfortable with busy streets and social environments.
Fordland Cottage, Longdown, Exeter EX6 7ST
Great advice, stopped my akita from bin raiding and food guarding by a few days later, really easy to get along with which is normally hard for me as a little socially awkward, would definitely recommend
I’m a first-time dog owner and honestly had no clue what I was doing when I got Mabel (my miniature long-haired dachshund). We’ve only had 2 sessions with Jayne so far but she’s already helped me loads with training and especially with getting Mabel socialised around other dogs (big ones too, which I was a bit nervous about!). Jayne makes everything really easy to understand and has given me loads of useful tips for day-to-day stuff. We have socialised Mabel to her own Rotties, which has been amazing because we’re planning on getting a Rottweiler puppy in the future. Couldn’t be happier with the help so far — Jayne’s been brilliant and I’d definitely recommend her to anyone with a new pup.
Jane is helping us teach our Bullterrier some much needed manners ! We have found her advice invaluable, very informative and helpful. Meeting at the park at Exeter gives real time lessons with normal everyday issues - much better than lessons in a hall! Thank you Jane and look forward to the next puppy walk on the beach !
I highly recommend Jayne for helping with any issues you may have with your puppy. We had a few issues with Roxy and some behaviours that we wanted to address, and we were struggling to resolve them. There is so much conflicting advice online, and it didn't work for us and I felt that we were letting Roxy down. Jayne is fantastic. Our first visit was so comprehensive, and we were given so much practical advice that was tailored specifically to Roxy. We have taken this advice and have worked really hard at following her directions. We can not believe the difference in our dogs' behaviour. She is so much calmer and a happier puppy. The follow up support has been fantastic and I know that we can contact Jayne going forward with any concerns. Roxy is one in a few weeks and our only regret is that we did not call Jayne in sooner!
We brought home a beautiful Irish Terrier in June and quickly realised just how unprepared we were! I was starting to feel exhausted and discouraged at my ability to look after a pup. Jayne was recommended to us by a friend and oh how she completely changed things for us! Just watching how she dealt with situations I felt totally equipped after our sessions where they used to be pain points. I now am going to book a follow on session to learn recall!
Eastwood House, Westwood Ln, Exeter EX6 7RX
Our neighbours recommended Tricia's training classes to us and We're so glad that they did. We have a Golden Retriever puppy, Gemma,, now aged 22 weeks but she started Tricia's puppy class when she was fourteen weeks old. She was a very feisty, hard to handle, puppy, but Tricia has worked wonders, both with advice, and showing us in class how to reinforce training but always in a fun way. Gemma is now far more settled and a much happier dog now that she knows her boundaries. We'll probably attend more classes soon, as she enjoyed them so much.
Tricia is an excellent trainer of the dog owner as well as the dog! She has a calm, relaxed and fun but firm way with her training. Luca , our black standard poodle loved her and was eager to get her approval. We had a few 121 sessions at home for Trisha to assess Luca’s behaviour and devise a treatment plan. We joined her weekly Friday classes which Luca loved. The classes in the Longdown village hall, a great venue, were relaxed and fun. With a set number of dogs of different breeds and sizes in the class it was amazing how calm and contained the dogs and the people were!! I can highly recommend Tricia and when Luca and I need a top up we will be back. Maggie
I recently contacted Tricia for help with a problem with our dog not sleeping through the night. We spoke briefly on the phone about the issue and managed to book a session for 2 days later, incredibly efficient. The session lasted approximately an hour, Tricia supplied us with the tools we needed to rectify the problem. I couldn’t quite believe how quickly our dogs behaviour changed going from waking us up at 3am to getting a full nights sleep within 2 days this behaviour is now consistent and there is no longer any issues through the night. If you have any problems with your dogs behaviour I would highly recommend reaching out sooner rather than later as it can drastically improve quality of life and the relationship with your dog
Recently contacted Tricia after a quick google search for local trainers for my golden. Her knowledge of the breed was pretty amazing and how much we learnt about the breed in a short period of time was really helpful. Would 100% recommend. Thanks
Bishop's Ct Ln, Exeter EX5 2HN
We came across Leaps and Hounds when looking for something to do with our puppy when visiting family for a fortnight. Honestly could NOT have been HAPPIER with the sessions! We attended the Puppy Play sessions, which were a perfect mix of free play for the pups, plus guided games and clear and compassionate tuition from Lucy and Howard. Our puppy, Kenny, was quite shy initially, but there was no pressure on us or him, and instead, just a whole bunch of reassurance that that was absolutely normal. The pups were split into size and confidence, and we were guided on games to play, what to watch for, for signs of happy play, avoidance, when to step in if puppies aren’t reading the situation well, for example. As the session progressed, he found his confidence and we left with an extremely happy and tired puppy! When we returned the following week, our pup was pulling to get inside and over to the field because he was so excited. The session followed a similar format but without being exactly the same, again with tips and tricks of what to look for. Our pup played and played and played until he had to sit down, haha. His confidence was brilliant and he was so happy. The classes and set up was honestly so much better than we could have hoped for and if we lived close, we would be enrolling on classes AND going to the puppy play sessions without doubt. Our puppy has gained so much from just two sessions - and now we are frantically trying to find something similar near us at home! We’re going to make sure we go when we come down here: it’s an absolute gem of a place and we will be telling all we know around here (and my in-laws will do, too!). Thanks so much, Lucy and Howard - we can’t thank you enough for giving our nervous pup such a super experience for these few weeks away from his normality! ❤️ Photo attached is of him absolutely shattered after playing 😁
Lucy and Howard are simply amazing. They are deeply caring and truly know how to help puppies learn.
We honestly can't thank Howard at Leaps and Hounds enough. After trying multiple training courses and methods for our spaniel puppy with limited success, we were beginning to feel stuck. Meeting Howard was a complete turning point. His calm, knowledgeable, and practical approach helped us understand our dog in a way no one else had, and the progress we've made since working with him has been incredible. It's not an exaggeration to say he's helped us more than we can describe, both in building our puppy’s confidence and in giving us the tools to handle the day-to-day challenges of spaniel ownership. If you're struggling or just want to give your dog the best start in life, we couldn't recommend Howard more highly. He's made a world of difference to our little family.
My show cocker Herbie has just graduated puppy school and has also been attending puppy socials. Their approach is very refreshing as the training includes understanding puppy behaviour & development, how we can communicate & support them. The training environment is very calm, relaxed & fun. I feel I have bonded really well with my new pup and am looking forward to the adolescent classes. Thanks Howard & Lucy!
Bonnie my puppy and I have just finished our Puppy School, foundation course. At the start of the 6 weeks my Puppy was a nervous and anxious dog, but very soon I started to see her confidence grow. Howard are instructor was very informative about all dog related issues and also included fact sheets in emails every week. One to one training is also available. Bonnie and I also attended Puppy play taken by Lucy which was also great fun for all. Would recommend Leaps and Hounds a 100%. Thank you Howard and Lucy.
1 Newcombe St, Heavitree, Exeter EX1 2TG
Just wanted to say thank you to Jess for taking pity on me this morning and helping me track down someone's dog that had slipped the leash in the park. She very kindly picked me up in her van as I was running down the main road in pursuit, helped return the dog to its owner, then gave me a lift back to where I'd left my poor wife and our own dogs. Thank you Jess!
Jess continues to offer a brilliant service - our dog totally enjoys her time with her and definitely sleeps well after
Takes the pups on some amazing walks! Watson the dog always comes back looking so happy like he's had the best time! Any time he goes to stay he always has the best time meeting new dog friends, and can't wait for his next sleepover! I love that we get pupdates of the walks and chill-out time too. Really cannot recommend enough 💛 Thanks for taking such good care of him!
Our French Bulldog Finn had a trial overnight stay with Jess last weekend and I couldn't recomend her highly enough. She was sending me pictures and video updates and it was very clear that Finn has settled in straight away and had lots of fun. He was looked after and cared for as one of her own dogs. It is very obvious that Jess cares about every dog she looks after and makes sure that they have the best time. I will be booking more overnight stays for Finn and I will know that he is having the time of his life :-). Thank you Jess.
Our first time using home boarding at the Delighted Dog for 7 nights with Jess but definitely won’t be the last. Our dog looked like he had an amazing time making some new pals on their walks, seeing pictures of him out and about he looked like he was smiling. Jess is great with the dogs very patient, caring in nature and had excellent knowledge of dog behaviour. Our dog was so happy and relaxed when we collected him I’m sure he can’t wait to stay again. Can’t recommend Jess highly enough to care for your beloved pet in a safe caring environment from some delighted dog owners. Thanks Jess.xx
Dogs Trust Dog School Devon, 100 Club, Wear Barton Rd, Exeter EX2 7EH
Brilliant experience. Learnt lots of skills to help train us to train our puppy, which has built the bond with our puppy further. This course is a must have for new puppy parents to ensure they have the skills to socialise, train and bring up their puppies into great happy dogs.
Awesome lessons! Couldn’t recommend enough! Staff are absolutely amazing! 10/10 helped so much! Our dog was always excited to come back!
Friendly trainers and incredibly helpful tips! Would recommend!
Devon Dog School by Dogs Trust have honestly been fantastic and I cannot recommend them enough. The trainers (Alice, Gracie and Mandy) were all so patient and clearly passionate about helping us as owners achieve our goals with our individual dogs. Both my dog and I thoroughly enjoyed every class and I saw such a huge change in his behaviour, and also my capability and success in training him. They don’t just train the dog, they train you as an owner on how best to train your dog - taking you right from basics (sit, responding to name, recall) up to more advanced situations like settling in cafes. The class sizes were just right so as to not overwhelm your puppy, but provide enough distraction to make it good practice for the real world - plus you make friends with fellow dog owners who are open to walks away from class! Honestly - best investment I’ve made into my dog and keen to seek out further advanced classes!
We loved our set of 4 puppy classes. The classes were a great starting point to learn the basics and put them into practice each week. The team were really friendly, and were happy to give advice when we asked
Welcome to your guide to the best dog trainers in Exeter City Centre. For those living in this historic city, a well-behaved dog who can handle urban life is essential. Our list focuses on professionals who specialise in city dog training using positive, modern, and effective methods.
Whether you have a new puppy needing socialisation in a busy environment, or an older dog who could benefit from one-to-one obedience training to perfect their leash manners around the Guildhall Shopping Centre, you'll find an expert here. The trainers we list are experienced in handling the needs of dogs in city apartments.
For more significant behavioural challenges like noise sensitivity or being overwhelmed in crowds, we recommend seeking a certified dog behaviourist. These specialists can provide detailed assessments and create a tailored behaviour modification plan to help your dog thrive in the city.