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Our curated list of the best professionals in the Topsham area.
With its beautiful estuary setting and the Goat Walk, trainers in Topsham are experts at teaching dogs to be well-behaved around water, boats, and in a busy, historic town centre.
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
36 First Ave, Dawlish EX7 9RB
Our first session with Sally was when our dog was 3, reactive, anxious and suffering from separation issues. We had already become overwhelmed by all the information available online, followed online reactive training plans, had in person behaviour sessions and worked with an online vet behaviourist. Despite all of this we weren’t making progress and at our wits end. We suspected there was more going on with Oggy and had raised concerns with our vet, but had been told it was normal. One of the issues we faced was the combination of Oggy and a busy vet practice. Unless Oggy was stood on the exam table he was mostly reacting making it hard for him to be properly examined. Initially Sally carried out a gait analysis and picked up a number of abnormalities. We also discussed his digestive issues and she felt these didn’t sound right either. Talking the issues through with Sally gave us the confidence to advocate for our dog at the vets. Sally sign posted us to a local physio who was fantastic. Confirming Oggy had a number of issues mostly muscular skeletal but couldn’t pin point the source so suggested further investigation. She highlighted he was a dog struggling, in pain and uncomfortable. She again gave us confidence to advocate for Oggy at the vets. We changed to a force free vet practice who have longer consultations and easier environment for Oggy. Turns out Oggy doesn’t just have complex behaviour he’s complex physically. He has been diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease, Canine epileptoid cramping syndrome (CECS) and muscular skeletal issues, with a few complications along the way. It’s been a slow process unpicking all of these issues with the help of our local vet and specialists but we are making progress. The link between Oggy’s physical health and behaviour has been so clear to see. During in health dips we have seen a direct link to his behaviour deteriorating. It feels like it was the missing piece of the Oggy puzzle. As we have made improvements with his physical health he has become a much happier dog in general, more receptive to training, allowing us to effectively tackle his behaviour issues with the support of Sally. Our behaviour sessions have been really productive. Each time Sally has tailored the location to Oggy, ensuring the environment hasn’t been too overwhelming, whilst still challenging him. Sally has used her wealth of knowledge, thinking on her feet and suggesting different management and training ideas to help Oggy progress towards our goals. One session Oggy wasn’t well enough to train so we met without him and discussed ways we could support him in everyday life and watched videos we had taken during previous training sessions. We always come away from sessions feeling we have progressed and have more in our tool box to help Oggy. Sally has gone above and beyond with the support she has given us, always providing us with comprehensive notes and relevant recourses after sessions. Between sessions she has always been happy to answer questions and offer advise and guidance. This was particularly helpful when trying to differentiate between if symptoms are behavioural or physical. It has been a journey to find answers and the right people to help us but also one learning about dogs and most importantly becoming an expert in our own dog. Sally has been instrumental in this process, I honestly don’t know where we and Oggy would if we hadn’t met Sally. She has been so supportive through out the whole journey. She genuinely cares about the dogs she works with. Is very knowledgeable and inquisitive, always learning. Over all she is passionate about helping you and your dog to live the best life you can together.
Sally is an amazing behaviourist who works in a science based, holistic and empathetic way. I not only happly refer cases to Sally but also use Sally's understanding of chronic pain and gait in my own referrals. As a level 6 behaviour practioner myself I would not hesitate to refer Sally. Not only is she knowledgeable and experienced but also compassionate, kind and enjoyable to work with.
We started working with Sally in August last year. We have a rehomed Doberman who has the most beautiful temperament at home with our baby, but is highly reactive when out (with people and dogs) and also has separation anxiety- it's not been easy, but she is 100% worth it! We couldn't get with 60 metres plus of another dog when she was on lead, but with Sally's help, we are now down to about 10 metres, less on a really good day. We've also just started to have some brief successful trips to the pet shop, which this time last year never seemed possible! Her separation anxiety has also improved, we can actually pop to the pub for a quick drink which again we never thought to be possible. We couldn't leave for more than 6 seconds without her howling at the beginning. Sally is very understanding and knowledgeable and without her I'm pretty sure we wouldn't have been able to keep Fig. The social walks have also been great to take part in. We can't wait to see how Fig progresses over the next few years with Sally's help! We can't thank Sally enough for her help!!!
I just completed an online programme about dog welfare on walks with Sally. I found it very interesting and informative. Sally was supportive, helpful and knowledgeable. Would highly recommend to any fellow professionals considering doing a course!
Thank you Sally! I stumbled across Sally’s reactivity seminar and as a dog walker, I decided to attend and there I bought her book. The seminar was such an eye opener to dog behaviour, but I knew it was only touching the surface. My pup was showing signs of fear in some situations so I booked a 121 with Sally and we’ve had a couple of meetings now and each time I am blown away by her observations and knowledge. Darcy is slowly but surely becoming a more resilient pup and Sally’s support has been invaluable. She even spotted a slight irregularity in her gait so I got Darcy in with a physio who has given us some exercises to do. Darcy isn’t even 1 yet but I feel like with Sally, I have given her the best start to her little life! I’ve also booked on to do the Wellbeing on Walks programme for dog walkers and I’m really looking forward to the knowledge I will gain. Sally has a great reputation for a reason, I live 45 minutes away from her and even my local vet referred to her as a “proper adult behaviourist” 🤣 Thank you Sally!
Finding qualified dog trainers in Topsham means connecting with professionals who understand the unique character of this historic Devon town situated on the Exe Estuary. From training puppies in the charming streets near Topsham Quay to managing reactive dogs along the scenic Exe Estuary Trail, our certified trainers deliver personalised obedience training, behaviour modification, and puppy socialisation programmes tailored to this riverside community.
Serving all areas of Topsham including the town centre, Bridge Road, and surrounding villages like Exton and Lympstone, we've successfully trained over 850 dogs in the Exeter area. Our expertise addresses the unique challenges of dog ownership in this waterside town, from navigating the narrow historic streets to enjoying off-lead exercise along the estuary paths and Goat Walk.
Topsham presents distinct training requirements shaped by its Georgian architecture, tidal estuary location, and strong community atmosphere. The town's popular walking routes including the Exe Estuary Trail, Goat Walk, and paths through Bowling Green Marshes provide excellent training environments where dogs encounter wildlife, cyclists, and numerous other dogs, making proper recall and lead manners essential for safe, enjoyable walks.
Our trainers specialise in addressing Topsham-specific challenges including wildlife distraction from wading birds and swans along the estuary, navigating the busy Fore Street with its independent shops and cafés, and training dogs to behave appropriately in the town's dog-friendly establishments. We understand the importance of creating well-mannered dogs for this close-knit community where you'll regularly encounter neighbours and their pets throughout the town's historic lanes and waterfront areas.
Our puppy training focuses on the critical 8-16 week socialisation period, introducing young dogs to Topsham's unique environment including tidal changes, boat activity at the quay, and the diverse surfaces found along cobbled streets and estuary paths. Training covers house training, basic commands, and controlled socialisation sessions that build confidence around other dogs, cyclists, and the wildlife commonly encountered along riverside walks.
We develop reliable recall essential for safely enjoying Topsham's open estuary paths and marshland walks. Training builds your dog's responsiveness despite distractions including birds, other dogs, and interesting scents along the water's edge, ensuring you can confidently provide proper exercise while maintaining complete control throughout the Goat Walk and surrounding countryside.
Dog training in Topsham typically ranges from £45-70 per hour for private sessions, with package deals offering better value at £300-450 for 6-8 week programmes. Group classes generally cost £15-25 per session. Many trainers offer free initial consultations to discuss your dog's specific needs and recommend the most appropriate training approach for your circumstances.
Topsham offers excellent training locations including the Exe Estuary Trail for distraction work, Bowling Green Marshes for recall training, and quieter residential streets for lead walking practice. The Goat Walk provides a varied environment for advanced training, while Topsham Recreation Ground offers space for group classes. Early morning sessions along the estuary paths typically provide quieter conditions ideal for nervous or reactive dogs.
Yes, dogs can be trained to manage distractions from estuary wildlife through systematic desensitisation and impulse control exercises. Training involves gradually exposing your dog to birds and other wildlife at manageable distances while rewarding calm behaviour and focus on you. Most dogs show significant improvement within 6-8 weeks of consistent training, though breeds with strong prey drive may require longer programmes to achieve reliable control around the abundant birdlife along Topsham's waterfront.
Professional dog training in Topsham creates well-mannered companions perfectly suited to this historic riverside town's unique environment. Our proven methods combine effective training techniques with local knowledge of Topsham's walking routes, community expectations, and specific challenges. Whether you live in a period property near the quay or a modern home near the recreation ground, investing in professional training ensures your dog becomes a valued member of Topsham's welcoming community. Contact us today to schedule your initial consultation and begin your journey toward a perfectly trained dog.