Find Trusted Dog Trainers in Croydon

Regulation and qualifications

Dog training and behaviour work are not regulated professions in the UK, so anyone can call themselves a trainer or behaviourist. A trainer teaches practical skills such as walking on a loose lead and coming back when called. An ABTC-registered Clinical Animal Behaviourist works on veterinary referral and deals with problem or dangerous behaviour.

The ABTC sets standards for each role and keeps a register of practitioners who have been assessed. APDT UK assesses instructors' knowledge and practical teaching against its Animal Training Instructor standard. IMDT members have to pass a training assessment and keep up ongoing professional development. CCAB Certification assesses academic knowledge and clinical casework, and includes a viva and a practical assessment.

The vet referral requirement comes from these clinical accreditation routes. Croydon Council's published guidance covers dog control orders and animal welfare licensing, and does not add any local rule on vet referral for behaviourists.

Local training needs

Around East and West Croydon, pedestrians and trams share a lot of the town centre. Useful things to work on there are loose-lead walking, paying attention at crossings and staying calm when trams go past.

In Thornton Heath, Norbury, Selhurst and South Norwood, training often focuses on walking past people and other dogs without jumping or lunging, and settling near busy bus stops instead of trying to greet everyone.

In Purley, Coulsdon, Kenley, Sanderstead and Selsdon, recall, responding reliably to a lead cue and behaving around livestock matter more. Animals graze on the Coulsdon Commons, and dogs there must be kept under effective control and must not chase them.

Lead rules differ between locations under Croydon's dog control orders, so check the rules for the places you walk.

Formats and venues

Training usually comes in three forms: puppy and general group classes, one-to-one sessions built around a particular dog, and residential board-and-train programmes. The Royal Kennel Club runs weekly group and puppy courses, and Dogs Trust provides individual practical support.

Some classes are held indoors in community halls, and Croydon Council has halls available for hire. Not every hall or sports centre takes dog classes, so check with the trainer where sessions take place. There are also enclosed dog fields near Croydon that can be booked for exclusive use. If a trainer wants to use one, check that it is available and that the field allows trainers.

Board-and-train, where the trainer keeps the dog overnight, is different from an ordinary lesson. Croydon Council lists animal boarding as an activity that needs an animal welfare licence.

Reactive and rescue dogs

Many dogs bought as puppies in 2020 have behaviour problems. An RVC study found that 97% of owners surveyed reported at least one problem behaviour when their dogs were about 21 months old. The most common were pulling on the lead (67%) and not coming back when called (52%). There is no reliable UK-wide figure showing that reactive dogs have become more common since the pandemic.

For a reactive dog or a newly adopted rescue, look for an assessed professional who uses reward-based methods, keeps the dog at a comfortable distance from its triggers and goes at the dog's pace. Avoid anyone who forces interactions or uses punishment.

See a vet first if the dog's behaviour has changed suddenly, if it might be in pain or ill, or if it shows aggression or serious reactivity. Dogs Trust recommends veterinary support and a clinical behaviourist in these cases. A rescue dog does not necessarily have a behaviour problem, and the first assessment should work out what that particular dog needs.

Seasonal considerations

Puppy training depends on when a puppy arrives and how old it is. The Royal Kennel Club says puppies can start its Puppy Foundation course from eight weeks, depending on the club.

In hot weather, outdoor lessons should move to early mornings or later evenings, with shade and water available and care taken on hot pavements. On dark winter evenings, outdoor sessions need good visibility, or a daytime or indoor slot if the exercise depends on seeing the dog and its surroundings clearly.