Problem finder
What is going wrong? Start there.
Five problems cover most of what owners ring about. Pick the one that fits your dog and the answer says which course or visit we would suggest, what it costs, what happens and when the next one starts. If none fits, the form at the bottom gets a reply the same working day.
Pick the problem
- Pulls on the lead
- Will not come back
- Barks at the window, the door or visitors
- Cannot be left alone
- A new puppy
Cannot be left alone
The separation programme
An assessment at home with a short video of the dog alone, a plan that builds absences in seconds and minutes, four follow-ups over about three months and messaging support throughout. Most dogs can be left for a working morning within two to four months.
Next step: a home visit, Monday to Saturday, usually within ten days of booking.
Before anything else
A sudden change in behaviour is a vet question first.
A dog who starts growling, snapping, guarding, soiling or not settling, when they did not before, may be in pain: a sore back, an ear, a tooth, a joint. For any new or worsening behaviour we ask for a vet check before we start, and we work with the Heath and Whitchurch practices on referrals both ways. It is the most common thing we find, and the easiest to fix.
Questions owners ask
How much does training cost?
Puppy course £120 for six weeks, adolescent £130, recall or lead work £140 for five, Good Citizen £150 with the test, a home visit £95 with a written plan, follow-ups £65, and the separation or reactivity programme £320. Nothing added, no membership.
Which course does my dog need?
Use the problem finder: pick what is going wrong and it says which course or visit fits, what it costs and what happens. Or book a free ten-minute call and we will tell you.
Do you use punishment?
No. We train with food, toys, play and praise, and we do not use prong, choke or shock collars, spray bottles or physical corrections. Reward-based training is what the evidence supports, and it builds a dog who wants to work with you.
Where are classes?
On Heath Park in Cardiff: in the bowls pavilion by the King George V Drive gate and on the park fields. Home visits are at your home within eight miles of Heath.
When can my puppy start?
A week after the first vaccination, between eight and eighteen weeks old on the first class. The next puppy class and the next new puppy course are shown on this page from the timetable.
My dog is reactive. Can we join a class?
Start with a home visit or the reactivity programme rather than a group: a class with five other dogs is often too much at first, and setting a reactive dog back is the thing to avoid. Many go on to classes later.
Tell us about your dog. We will say what fits, and what it costs.
Two minutes on the form: your dog, their age, what is going wrong. We reply the same working day with the course or visit that fits and the next date, or book a free ten-minute call if you would rather talk first. Or ring Ffion in the office.