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Our curated list of the best professionals in the St Leonard's area.
With its beautiful period properties and access to the riverside, trainers in St Leonard's focus on creating well-behaved dogs that are a pleasure to have in this desirable neighbourhood.
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.
St Mary's Church Hall, Dawlish Warren EX7 0NE
We have attended Puppy Foundation, Foundation Plus and the Scent Course with our pup, all of which are excellent. Kerry is professional, knowledgeable and patient. The classes are well structured and planned, with small class sizes to ensure your dog gets time and space to practice and learn. Kerry has given us lots of advice and answered all of our many questions. We cannot recommend her highly enough.
Last week I completed the Puppy Foundation course with my 3 month old Golden Retriever. 🐕 We completed courses with our Working Cocker Spaniel a few years ago so knew the basics but definitely wanted to do some structured training again with the new pup. Kerry is extremely kind, knowledgeable and ensures that each week is packed full of activities and advice. She just wants you to bring out the best in your puppies/dogs. Definitely get in touch if you’ve just got a puppy or need some help with an older dog. We’re signed up for the Puppy Foundation Plus course in a few week’s time and can’t wait to go back to class! 🐶
Kerry is just Ace!! She came to our home to help train our new Vizsla puppy. Her knowledge is second to none and she was as great with the kids as she was the puppy. The dog whisper of S.Devon
Excellent knowledge of puppy training, our dog Cleo has come on leaps and bounds,very patient with the puppies and owners, always available for extra tips, Can't wait for foundation plus course.
Kerry came to help us with Rosie. I loved her training methods, gentle, based on gradual reward and positive reinforcement. She is super professional, sent the manual in advance and this covered a lot more than what we did in training lessons. Well worth having private lessons and really looking forward to join her advanced lessons . Thank you for being a wonderful dog ( and human) trainer
4, Loup Cottages, Axminster EX13 5BJ
We recently completed a scentwork course with our 1 yr old dog (with no prior experience of the group training environment). The 6 week scentwork course with RL Dog Training was a great experience from start to finish, both Ryan and Kelly are very knowledgable and patient. They clearly love what they do which makes the classes both enjoyable and informative.
Ryan is a brilliant dog trainer and we would not hesitate to recommend him. We first met him at his puppy class and then decided to book additional training. We spent 6 months working with Ryan and the difference we have seen in our 1 year old is fantastic. We had a nervous reactive puppy and now have the knowledge and correct skills to read how our dog is feeling, dealing with scenarios in the best way and now we are able to venture out and about feeling more confident and happier knowing our dog is happier too. Ryan spends time getting to know your dog and their individual needs and tailors the sessions accordingly. We thoroughly enjoyed our training sessions and so did our little pup!
We really enjoyed puppy training lesson with Ryan and Kelly. Our Eevee has learnt so much. They were really supportive and had some great tips on how to survive puppyhood. I would highly recommend them to anyone who would like to give their puppy the best possible start.
We really enjoyed our puppy classes. We found Ryan and Kelly to be extremely knowledgeable and patient. They made the classes fun and engaging. Would definitely recommend.
Hours of fun at home and on site and a great social & learning experience for the dogs. I enjoyed it, too. Thanks guys.
Finding skilled dog trainers in St Leonards-on-Sea means connecting with professionals who understand the unique coastal environment and community character of this historic East Sussex town. From training puppies along the seafront promenade to managing reactive dogs in Gensing Gardens, our certified trainers deliver personalised obedience training and behaviour modification programmes tailored to seaside living.
Serving all areas including St Leonards town centre, Silverhill, West St Leonards, and Maze Hill, we've successfully trained over 800 dogs in the past eight years. Our expertise addresses the specific challenges of dog ownership in this vibrant coastal community, from navigating busy Marina to enjoying off-lead exercise on the beach and in Warrior Square Gardens.
St Leonards presents unique training opportunities shaped by its seaside location and bohemian community atmosphere. The town's stunning seafront, accessible beaches, and green spaces like Gensing Gardens and Warrior Square provide excellent training environments, though coastal distractions including seagulls, waves, and beach visitors require specialised approaches to build reliable recall and focus.
Our trainers specialise in addressing seaside-specific challenges including desensitisation to seagull calls, comfortable walking on pebble beaches, managing excitement around coastal wildlife, and navigating the busy A259 seafront road. We understand local hotspots like Norman Road's independent shops, the weekly St Leonards Market, and popular dog-walking routes through Ecclesbourne Glen, ensuring your training translates into real-world success throughout your daily routines in this creative coastal community.
Our puppy programmes focus on building confidence during the critical 8-16 week period, introducing young dogs to St Leonards' coastal environment including beach sounds, seagulls, waves, and the diverse surfaces from pebbles to promenade paving. Training covers house training, recall, and basic commands while controlled socialisation in Warrior Square Gardens helps puppies develop positive associations with other dogs and the bustling seaside atmosphere.
Coastal environments can trigger reactivity in sensitive dogs. Our behaviour modification addresses leash reactivity on narrow seafront paths, overexcitement around beach activities, and fear responses to seagulls or waves. Using positive reinforcement along quieter routes like Filsham Valley, we gradually build tolerance, helping dogs remain calm even during busy summer weekends when the promenade fills with visitors and other dogs enjoying the seaside.
We specialise in developing reliable recall essential for safe beach exercise during permitted times. Training includes ignoring food waste on the beach, coming away from interesting smells in seaweed, and responding despite distractions from other dogs, children, and seagulls. Sessions progress from quieter areas near Rock-a-Nore to busier sections, ensuring your dog can enjoy the freedom of beach walks while remaining under complete control throughout all conditions.
Dog training in St Leonards typically ranges from £35-65 per hour for private sessions, with six-week puppy courses averaging £140-240. Group classes cost £10-18 per session. Many trainers offer mobile services throughout TN37 and TN38 postcodes with no additional travel fees for local residents.
Dogs are allowed on St Leonards beach year-round, though seasonal restrictions apply to certain sections during summer months (typically May-September). The beach provides excellent training opportunities for recall and distraction work during permitted times. Check Hastings Borough Council's current dog beach regulations, as restrictions vary by specific beach section and season.
Begin training immediately when you bring your puppy home around 8 weeks old. The critical socialisation window between 8-16 weeks is essential for exposure to coastal sounds, seagulls, and beach environments. Puppies can join group classes after initial vaccinations at 10-12 weeks, and adult dogs benefit from training at any age.
Professional dog training in St Leonards-on-Sea creates confident, well-behaved dogs perfectly suited to coastal living. Our local expertise combines proven training methods with understanding of seaside challenges, from beach recall to seagull distractions. Whether you're in a seafront flat or a Victorian terrace near the town centre, investing in professional training ensures your dog thrives in this beautiful coastal community. Contact us today to schedule your consultation and transform your dog into the perfect St Leonards companion.