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We thought the Puppy Improvers course was excellent! Our dog Sherlock loved it! The course was really informative and helps build a base to work on at home; the 'Behaviour 101' exercises were particularly useful.

Elliot

Ollie

We booked 1:1 sessions with Joy after seeing good reviews online. She has been nothing but lovely and helpful from the moment we met and takes a very holistic and positive approach to training. We got our rescue dog, Ollie, 10 weeks ago and there have been huge improvements with a whole range of things. This is all thanks to Joy’s knowledge and the skills that she has shared. Ollie has come on leaps and bounds and continues to improve by practicing everything Joy has taught us. She has always been so supportive and is easily available for advice and... Read more

Belinda & Ryan

Hugo

Exceeded our expectations - We had one to one training sessions with Joy, it was very fun and our Cavapoo Hugo loved Joy and every second of the training. Joy is very knowledgable, professional, engaging and an extremely calm/ kind trainer. Joy has taught us some great techniques on how our body language impacts Hugo's understanding. Hugo was constantly rewarded with treats for his positive behaviour to the learning. We had some Home Visits and some Park Walks to learn recall, find it/ snuffle box games, loose lead walking, distraction techniques. We have definitely seen an improvement in Hugo -... Read more

Amanda

“Blue”

Our rescue dog Blue was pulling on lead, jumping at people and could be destructive when left alone. Joy showed us many useful training techniques to make the training fun for our dog. The important thing I have learnt from Joy is 'timing' - ie treating Blue at the right time. Joy showed us Blue’s potential - and she is a different dog now. Joy is a very good trainer and it has been a pleasure to work with her.

Jiejun Ma

puppy school cheltenham: training plan: Recall or one to one Dog Training skills for rescue dogs

Nuggett

Really enjoyable and useful course. We found the information about Dog Body Language invaluable – really helped us in the early stages. As did the Enrichment Games (snuffle bowl) and the agility course was lots of fun too! Thank you

Debbie, Hayley & Sophie

Lilah & Bonnie

Lilah and Bonnie are super-bright Collie/Springer crossbreeds. What Joy brings to our house is a calm, patient attitude that has rubbed off on us all. We watch the way Joy interacts with our dogs and listen to her advice. It works. We have made extraordinary progress in a short time and we feel so encouraged by Joy. Lilah and Bonnie, who are generally nervous of people outside the family, love her!

Olwynne Goodrich

Coco

The Puppy Starters course has been really useful for understanding what Coco is thinking and to communicate with her more effectively. The exercises all help to bed in the behaviours really well. Particularly enjoyed the 'Vet' games, Q&A sessions and the mini agility course in Week 6.

Alison & Matt

Leia

We recently worked with Joy to help our 2yr old rescue dog, Leia settle in a new environment. Joy taught us techniques to help Leia with reactivity when people come to the door and confidence in the outdoor word. We've already seen our dog become much more comfortable, and I can't wait to see how she continues to grow now that we're working on these skills. Thanks Joy!!

Julia, Zac & Connor

Rocky

Rocky, Ali and I have I loved spending every Saturday morning for the last 6 weeks doing the "Puppy Starters" course with Helen Baker at Joyful Dogs. Helen has been amazing, so insightful; and the most progressive advice on all dog care and nutrition too. Thank you Helen!

Katie, Ali and Rocky.

puppy starters training course cheltenham

Toto

We have really enjoyed our Puppy Starters training course and have learned a lot. We would definitely recommend it! Loved the agility games too.

Molly, Poppy, Rosie, Colin & Patrick

“Bon”

"Our 1:1 sessions with Joy have been helpful in understanding why Bon reacts in certain ways e.g. being anxious/barking at livestock and pulling on lead to greet other dogs. Joy’s calm approach and advice has given us confidence in managing these situations with Bon. The “find it” and “flirting” games help occupy Bon and keep her engaged with us rather than on what else is going on around her. We now have more confidence in meeting Bon’s needs when outdoors and already her focus is much improved. Would definitely recommend Joyful Dogs"

Lorraine & Neil

positive reinforcement: 1 to 1 and Recall Dog Training Cheltenham & Charlton Kings in Gloucestershire

Lottie

Our Vet recommended Joyful Dogs. We had 7 sessions with Dannyelle for our cockapoo puppy. Dannyelle was very helpful and inventive with games and techniques for training Lottie. She showed us a number of reasons for a dogs behaviour which helped us understand how dogs learn. Lottie particularly likes the licking mat - Dannyelle recommended freezing it, which makes it last longer & keeps her busy! Dannyelle is very patient and caring, we would not hesitate to recommend her.

Terry & Joy Yiend

rescue dog training: dog walking, training dogs pet behaviour counsellors, behaviour consultations

Flo

I chose Joyful Dogs because my dog Flo has been looked after by one of the team (Helen) previously; so, Helen knew Flo’s background and I knew Helen’s feel for and love of dogs. I was easily able to explain the challenging situation and to discuss Flo’s growing anxiety around other dogs. Helen recommended working with Katie in 1:1 sessions. The 1:1 sessions with Katie are working really well with Katie’s clear demonstrations of counter-conditioning ‘in action’ and clear explanations of what we were aiming for. The use of positive encouragement during managed encounters with other dogs was carefully explained... Read more

Lorraine

Sadie

I signed up for puppy training including a home visit and I have to say that it exceeded my expectations. Helen was so helpful and also extended the service to several phone calls and messages regarding some issues with our puppy. Highly recommend Joyful dogs for puppy classes and especially Helen - also for 1-1 training sessions. I chose Joyful Dogs because they use only positive reinforcement methods. I wasn’t disappointed and I think that the exercises we did in the classes increased the engagement between my puppy and I. I definitely saw improvement in her behavior especially with the... Read more

Tina

Indy

"Joy was absolutely fantastic helping us with our whippet Indy. He was getting nervous/unsure in some situations and on walks would reactive bark towards other dogs. We didn’t know how to help him but Joy showed us how to better read his body language, understand situational awareness which could trigger him and apply positive reinforcement to help him. Indy is now so much better and a more confident happy dog- which makes our walks much more enjoyable and less stressful! A sincere pleasure working with Joy who is very patient and clearly a real dog expert! Thanks from Matt, Ems... Read more

Matt & Ems

Beagle puppy school: dog walking, training dogs pet behaviour counsellors, behaviour consultations

Pepper

Using positive reinforcement gave me confidence to work with Pepper. I loved our puppy training experience and would definitely recommend Joyful Dogs. Calm and happy dog and owner!

Mel

Bramble

We chose Joyful Dogs on personal recommendations, availability, location - and a positive experience when arranging classes with Joy. The course helped us to ‘read’ Bramble's doggy cues and change our approach accordingly; focussing on the smallest positive steps has been really helpful, as is understanding that puppy’s get tired sometimes! Bramble is now a much more relaxed puppy and more confident in the wider world. I would recommend Joy without a doubt - the classes were great fun and well managed.

Richard & Jane

Betty

Highly recommend for anyone with a puppy. We did the 6week Starters course with our (then) 3 mos German Shorthaired Pointer, Betty. Joy & the team were so welcoming and knowledgeable, our hour long sessions always flew by. We and Betty learnt so much and we have taken away lots of hints and tips which we're still using now.

Becca & Alistair

Bertie

I just wanted to say thank you for all your help with Bertie, Joy - hopefully he will be the best boy from now on!

Sarah, Carol & Phil

Teddy-Lola

We've just completed our Puppy Starters course with Joy and had a wonderful few weeks. Things have moved on since I trained up my last dog so I was eager to learn the current techniques. I chose Joy based upon her positive reward based training. Teddy Lola loved every minute and the classes have given us a great foundation to build on. I found Joy to be relaxed, friendly and welcoming and would definitely recommend.

Emily

Millie

“We chose Joyful Dogs having researched dog trainers in Cheltenham. Joy’s website looked professional and helpful, as well as her holding her qualifications which meant we were keen to work with her. Our 1:1 training has helped our dog Millie massively. We learnt recall techniques as well as games to keep Millie interested and having fun on our walks. Joy also taught us how to adapt our behaviour to get what we wanted from Millie. We found both our sessions very useful and have a number of techniques and games to take away with us. Millie’s behaviour has really improved and... Read more

Kate

Bonnie

We are so grateful to have found Joy when we got our Cairn Terrier puppy Bonnie. Our one to one training sessions during Covid totally put our minds at rest about missing group puppy classes. We met in secure and private spaces to start with and progressed to public parks where Bonnie became more and more confident, as did we! Joy gave us so many helpful tips and strategies and Bonnie, at six months, this morning raced around Pittville Park with us all and her recall in all situations was faultless. Joy now says ‘my job is done’, we shall... Read more

Sheena & Nigel

Skye

We really enjoyed the Puppy Improvers training course with Joyful Dogs. We use the knowledge we learned every day both at home and out on walks, thank you so much!

Alice & Mark

Noodles

Anyone looking for support with dog training in Cheltenham - definitely get in touch with Joy! After adopting my first dog in 2019 I booked in some sessions with Joyful Dogs for support with training and support with understanding my pup. Joy has an amazing understanding of dogs and how to work with them; Noodles has really come out of her shell and is so much happier and more confident for being able to enjoy her walks off lead, work on recall, learn to stay, and more. Her games-based approach means that Noodles absolutely loves her sessions and wants to... Read more

Lizzie

Noodle

Many thanks for your fab doggy training. Lauren noodle and I have really loved it! And, it’s been very helpful in guiding us with our new family member too.

Julia & Lauren

Yogi

“Where do I start.....Joys puppy training was simply brilliant. Although we have an older dog and I have had dogs my whole life I thought this time I would do things properly! From lesson 1 we got stuck straight in with the basics, we went away learning new things every lesson (some we have used with our older dog too!) Joy has such a caring & friendly nature and has such a calming gentle way when working with both puppies and owners. I think even the craziest of puppies would respond to her positive training techniques. Joy was so informative and... Read more

Amy, Matt & Yogi xx

Belle

I contacted Joyful Dogs because I wished to train Belle as a therapy dog and I needed some help in reducing unacceptable behaviours such as jumping up. Joy helped me understand the process with easy, step-by-step methods and responded to all my requests and queries. The training was fun and Belle is learning new behaviours fast ... including some cute tricks! I would recommend Joy, she is friendly, fun and knowledgeable.

Melanie Gummer

Ramsey

We have just finished Puppy Life Skills Starters and it’s been great seeing Ramsey’s confidence and focus improve week on week. Such a great opportunity for Ramsey to socialise with other puppies and for us to chat to other owners about shared experiences. As first time dog owners Joy’s 1;1 training was invaluable and she always addresses our concerns during each session. Ramsey loves his “find it” game and we use to either get him in from the garden or to calm him down when he’s anxious about a new situation such as lead walking on busy roads. A big thank you... Read more

Sally & Julian

Win

We chose Joyful after receiving a very helpful phone call in response to our initial enquiry. Since then we have been working with Dannyelle 1:1 and have found it really useful. At the beginning, tips such as buying our puppy 'coffee-wood' have helped us to get him into really good chewing habits and explaining how to crate train him have supported us in getting him comfortable sleeping in his crate all night. As he has got older, advice around how to help him behave calmly around new people and other dogs has helped us immensely when we are out on... Read more

Sarah Blackwell

Buddy Bear

We did Joy's Puppy Starters course with our puppy, Buddy Bear, and thought it was excellent, we all learned a lot.

Tony

Hudson

Joy introduced us to a large number of techniques to develop Hudson’s training. To Hudson, they were just games with a treat at the end of it (eg games for ‘find it’, ‘leave it’, ‘fetch’, ‘come here/recall’) but they created a personality that is just right. The best part is seeing how it all fits together – ie from Hudson being obedient at feeding times (not going for his food unless told), to leaving or dropping items on cue, to just being very friendly around other dogs and people. I would absolutely recommend Joy.

Pete Fletcher

Fergus

We absolutely loved working with Joy! She is so friendly and professional that we felt immediately at ease. Fergus really enjoyed his (doorbell training) sessions and we really learnt how to understand him better. Our relationship with him has got stronger and stronger, and we are now in an excellent routine with him. We would wholeheartedly recommend Joy! Thank you so much

Eliza & Will

Arlo

Just completed the "Puppy Starters" course - thank you Joyful Dogs!

Rachel, Emmie & Lucie

Bella

We acquired a Cockapoo from a rescue organisation. "Bella" has a lovely character and is quite compliant, but we needed some help with leash walking and recall control. Joy was very patient and very kind, and did a wonderful job of training us (the humans!) whilst showing us how to train Bella. Bella is now great at coming back with the whistle and even without, so much so that we can now let her run loose in the fields when we go walking. Bella has improved on lead walking too and we have no doubt she will end up doing it... Read more

Fabienne & John

dog walking: 1 to 1 dog training course GL50

Alby

Puppy Starters course: We really enjoyed learning about dog behaviour and interactions. Joyful Dogs gave us good practical information on this and effective training techniques.

Erin & Alex

Lilo

I genuinely can't reccomend Joyful Dogs enough! Since getting our first puppy, Helen has been incredibly helpful, caring and supportive both during the sessions and generally by being available to offer help and advice. We have had two 1:1 sessions so far and they have been brilliant. Helen listens to your specific needs and is incredibly knowledgeable. We also found that by being in our own home meant we could really work on the specific things we need help with and build confidence. We have definitely seen an improvement in our lovely pup's behaviour (and feel much happier/relaxed!) We can't... Read more

Demi

Ludo

I contacted Joy to train my dog Ludo not to chase our cats! Over four sessions with Joy we had enormous fun learning techniques to distract and discourage him from chasing them, as well as learning a few new tricks. I now have a much better understanding of my dog, and he's already far less interested in chasing. I'm delighted, and really enjoying using the techniques Joy taught us. I would recommend Joy to anyone. She has a very lovely manner and is never, ever stumped. Thanks Joy!

Barley

A huge thank you to Joy for all of her help and support training our golden retriever, Barley. After 3 very informative sessions, Barley is already showing amazing progress with his lead walking. Most importantly, Joy’s sessions taught us how to have more fun on our walks. We can tell how much Barley has changed in so many ways. He loves training on our walks and we are enjoying walking with a calmer dog too. We still have a bit more work to do on recall, but all of Joy’s advice and support is helping tremendously with this. Joy’s professional, calm and fun... Read more

Aishling

Tuc

The 'Puppy Life Skills: Starters' course with Joyful Dogs was enjoyable, informative and fun - well taught.

Emily & Simon

Amber

Joyful Dogs were recommended to us; the training classes were a mix of fun, "a-ha!" moments - and stress as our puppy is full of beans and every session she took a long time to settle down but Joy and her assistants were infinitely patient in helping us ground our dog into our space. Besides the standard puppy training exercises (recall, loose lead, sit etc) - Joy helped us understand the ‘psychology’ of our puppy. It became clear to us — myself, my wife and two daughters — that our puppy was doing her best to understand us based on... Read more

Amber's Humans

Saveloy

We all enjoyed the "Puppy Starters" training classes and have learnt lots of useful skills. Saveloy particularly enjoyed the treats!

Abi, Mark, Tia, Lorelei & Willa

Dylan

A fun course - Joy was fantastic! Our puppy Dylan really enjoyed it and it was good for us to learn the background behind training. We particularly enjoyed the scent games and outside games!

Charlotte & Rob

“Mash”

Dannyelle at Joyful Dogs was amazing from even before our first session began. After a search on Google, Joyful Dogs’ website really stood out from the rest and we had confidence they would be able to help us with our miniature dachshund called Mash. The 1 to 1 sessions were extremely helpful, we had Dannyelle come to our house to help us with the issues we were experiencing which included; excessive barking when someone is at the door, barking at visitors in the house, nervous behaviours on walks which would result in him barking/growling at people or wanting to chase... Read more

Steph & Josh

Pippin

I was recommended Joyful Dogs by someone who was having problems with their Cocker Spaniel. Pippin, my 3.5yr cocker spaniel had started to get snappy with other dogs and would just stand still if approached from the front or behind. We decided to have 4 x One to One Training Ssessions with Dannyelle at Joyful Dogs, which have been excellent. Dannyelle taught us that Pippin was fearful and nervous in these situations, I had also become nervous walking Pippin as I was worried she might hurt another dog, but with Dannyelle's help we have learnt to build both my and... Read more

Laura B

Bubble

Our puppy, Bubble, is now 2yrs old and she is 'adorabubble'. The training we did with Joyful Dogs was priceless and I continue to look to Joy's "Dog Blog!" for ideas and inspiration, thank you.

Debbie

Geralt

Geralt had a great time! And we picked up so much that we were able to use outside class too - which has helped us both as well as our puppy. We particularly enjoyed the recall, agility and scent games.

Katy & Jordan

Patti

Patti jumped up at people, pulled on the lead and was not responding to commands. Joy's manner was very helpful, always calm and in control, she rapidly connected with Patti and kept her concentrating. We have seen significant improvement in Patti’s behaviour - she is calmer, more obedient and walks much better on the lead. We would definitely recommend Joy to others.

John & Vivien Milner

Nala – 5yrs on!

Remember Nala the Vizsler? We had individual training sessions with Joy 5yrs ago; I’m grateful for the ‘human’ training you gave is every single day. We get compliments constantly on how well trained Nala is, and its down to the things you taught us: Respect, time ... and sausages! Thank you – because we are so proud and lucky to have Nala. Our dog daycare provider – Tim at Forest Dogs – insists Nala is the best trained and most adaptable dog; and welcome in his home any time.

Victoria

Poppy

Puppy Starters with Joyful Dogs is an excellent training experience. Really nice friendly Trainer and Assistants - would definitely reccommend. Loved the outdoor activities and the Q&A with Joy.

Amy & Mike

Jarvis

I had 121 training sessions with Joy when I got my new puppy. We covered basic training, lead walking and recall. I found the training really helpful as there were no distractions for either Jarvis or myself and we covered a lot during each session. Joy also helped with the bonding process with my pup and older dog and he attended one of the sessions as well. Joy uses a variety of locations depending on what you are working on. I would fully recommend 121 sessions with Joy!

Paula Hunte

Twiglet

Since our first lesson with Joy we have been practising hard all that we were taught, and whilst still not perfect, we have enjoyed some of the best walks we have ever had with Twiglet (who is nearly 4 years old)! Joy is calm with Twiglet and very clear and informative about what I need to do to achieve the best results. We are both looking forward to our next lesson and can’t recommend her highly enough.

Sara Mitchell

one to one puppy training sessions in cheltenham

Snoopy

"We had a couple of 1:1 puppy sessions with Joy which we have really enjoyed and found super useful. We had some specific areas that we wanted to work on and Joy showed us how to deal with these with positive reinforcement methods and the results have been amazing. We have learnt so much and gained lots of confidence in each 1:1 training session, would highly recommend :)"

Angela

Pie

"Joy has been an amazing help with my nervous rescue dog, Pie; he's a different dog now. When I first contacted Joy I was really struggling and wasn't sure I could cope. Pie was reacting badly to everything, and I was particularly concerned about his fear of strange men. I used to dread walking him because it was so stressful. Joy gave me lots of brilliant advice and was really supportive. I can't thank her enough"

Susan

Rosa

Puppy School was great fun. I went along hoping to learn some basic skills to help me manage my very bouncy Vizla puppy, Rosa. I was not disappointed, we learnt together in a happy, fun environment and came away with the tools to develop a responsive, safe and fulfilling relationship. Rosa gets bigger by the day but thanks to Puppy School she and I know how to play and work together without frustration or aggression. She is growing into a lovely, well mannered dog.

Julie Mitchell

Coco

I was having trouble with Coco's recall: Joy explained the importance of maintaining a bond with Coco whilst we were out walking and taught me lots of activities to do just that which Coco found interesting and exciting. Coco absolutely loved her hour with Joy and I found it inspiring; Since adopting Joy's philosophy we have all seen a major improvement in Coco's behaviour – she is far quicker to respond to us and also 'checks in' with us constantly. Joy was a pleasure to work with and managed to inspire my teenagers as well as my dog - no mean feat!

Louise Arthur

Queenie

"Joyful Dogs has exceeded my expectations and I highly recommend them. The puppy classes were small, so Helen was able to cover things which were important to each of us, making it fun and boosting our confidence with lots of reassurance and encouragement; completely approachable and making time to help us individually. Queenie quickly learnt how to relax and be polite around other dogs. We have now been doing one to one training with Joy and benefitted from her calm, kind, professional approach and wealth of knowledge - the training activities and specific techniques have been so useful in helping... Read more

Elaine

Mylo

"A well planned course. We learned new exercises and techniques and Mylo loved it. When I got our 'training bag' out at home Mylo got very excited! I recommend Joyful Dogs to all puppy owners"

Christine

Elstub

We did a couple of ‘one to ones’ with Joy - dealing with our puppy’s fear of walking outside and were so impressed with her we decided to do the Puppy Starters training course. We were very pleased with all the training and help she gave us, but, most of all, it was the confidence that the training has given us in moving forward with our dog; We have also booked onto Joy's Puppy Improvers Course.

Sue & Gray

Finn

We came across Joyful Dogs via an internet search whilst looking for a local Trainer to help us with some issues with our rescue puppy being fearful of strangers in our home. We were recommended the expertise of Danyelle to come and work with us on this problem. She was great, very experienced and amazing at explaining Finn's body language and why he reacts the way he does. Over a few sessions we built up from Finn being uncomfortable with Danyelle in the house to not reacting, learning to relax and eventually gaining the confidence to interact in a positive... Read more

Stuart & Amy

loose lead walking for anxious labrador puppy: Dog Training Cheltenham & Charlton Kings in Gloucestershire

Lola-Jane

Our anxious Labrador puppy really struggles with the chaos of walking on a lead in our neighbourhood... so many people and vehicles and loud airplanes and unexpected things. Her anxiety just stacks and she becomes unmanageable, which is tough when a 25kg dog is dragging you down the pavement. Katie has really been amazing. She is so calm and gentle and definitely understands dogs (and our specific puppy) so well. She's helping her learn how to manage and teaching us, too, how to best support and guide her. She's really connected so well with our girl, and whereas we initially... Read more

Eva

Minnie

Having had a 1:1 training session with my 8 year old dog prior to her assessment for the Pets As Therapy charity, I had no hesitation in enrolling our new addition, Minnie, in the Joyful Dogs puppy classes. The classes are not our closest, however based on the experience I'd had with the 1;1 session, I was more than willing to travel to attend the puppy classes (even on a Sunday morning at 9am!) The classes made me aware of what I was doing with MY body language and positioning and how this is interpreted through my puppies eyes. I... Read more

Kerry & Kieran

dog walking: Puppy classes in Cheltenham

Rocky

We really enjoyed the interactive encounters with other puppies in the "Puppy Starters" group training course at Joyful Dogs. Rocky's recall has massively improved. We found the course to be very informative and helpful.

Chloe

121 puppy training cheltenham: Dog Training: dog walking, training dogs pet behaviour counsellors, behaviour consultations

Margot

As a first-time dog owner, I was incredibly nervous about training Margot, especially as I’d read that the first three months were so critical in a dog’s behavioural development. However, I need not have worried! Joy, with her calm, caring and common sense approach, gave me the confidence to enjoy the process and both Margot and I have hugely benefitted from our 1:1 sessions with her. Lead-walking (not as straightforward as it may sound!), recall and general behaviour have all been enhanced by Joy’s excellent tuition. Joy is also extremely organised and efficient and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her.

Kirstie

Willow

Helen was absolutely fantastic! She adapted the Puppy Starters classes to my puppy's needs and was so helpful with any questions I had. The difference in my puppy’s behaviour is astounding and I’m pleased to say they have all stayed, she is a pleasure to walk now! I would highly recommend Puppy Starters classes at Joyful Dogs to anyone that needs their puppy to learn the basics. The connection I made with my puppy was another level! Very happy pup and owner, thank you Helen!

Gemma

Freddie

Thank you so much for the one to one training sessions with Freddie I feel we have learned so much from you, Joy. I needed some help in a few areas with my 20 month old Cavapoo. Joy was so knowledgeable and gave me some great ideas for Freddie. We now have so much more fun on our walks, I have cracked distracting Freddie when we have visitors, and we have even managed to get him sleeping outside the bedroom! If I need any help with issues in the future, I would definitely book some more sessions with Joy.

Julia Ibbitson

Nala

"With Joy we learned fantastic, mentally challenging games for our puppy 'Nala' which were really successful. We also learnt how to use our body language to get Nala in to position and how to ‘leave’ ‘drop’ and 'fetch'. We particularly found ‘bowl and recall’ useful. We would absolutely recommend Joy."

Victoria Erskine

“Bear”

Training with Joy has been so helpful for me and great fun for Bear too. Joy is a very kind, knowledgeable trainer and worth every penny!

Lissa Crowe

Roo

I joined 'Puppy Improvers' because of how much we enjoyed the original puppy classes with Joy. The Improvers course helped Roo focus on me - the Platform exercises were really helpful, as was the introduction of clicker training! I now have a better understanding of how my body language affects Roo understanding a cue, and how I can place myself to set Roo for success! Previously, my partner struggled to walk Roo off lead but now, my partner can comfortably walk him without the stress of wondering if he'll come back. Joy offers a calm and patient guiding hand throughout... Read more

Hannah Apperley-Sheppard

cheltenham professional dog trainer: One to One and Recall Dog Training

Lexi

"It is thanks to Dannyelle that I learned how to help my dog Lexi. The trainer has been very kind and patient, thank you!"

Dawn Sprackman

Luna

The "Puppy Starters" course provided a lovely, gentle and calm learning environment; we particularly enjoyed the Q&A component ... and the mini-agility course on Puppy Graduation Day!

Pippa, Rosie, Eliza, Will & Charlie

Giant Snuffle Bowl for puppies: Dog Training Cheltenham & Charlton Kings in Gloucestershire

Haru

Puppy Training at Joyful Dogs: We liked that all the exercises were small, direct and easy to understand. The team were friendly, helpful and happy to answer any questions. Here's Haru playing in the Giant Snuffle Bowl!

V&C Brown

dog behaviourist cheltenham: Dog Training

Bryn

Having recently welcomed Bryn, a Boxweiler pup, into my home I was keen to provide him with the best start, given the size he will become. I was pointed towards Joy by a fellow dog owner near me and couldn’t be more grateful for the recommendation. During just the first 121 session I felt confident that I would be able to “speak” Bryn. We had 4 sessions in total, ending with an off lead country walk and a ‘picnic’ with Bryn just pottering about. Joy shared many techniques, games and exercises to keep this ‘little’ bundle of physical and mental... Read more

Helen Jones

Noodle

I wanted to say thank you for your help and advice with training Noodle. We have much more confidence with handling her unwanted behaviours and she is making progress. It's up to us to continue with the positive reinforcement but you definitely helped us to speak her language! She will miss you :)

Katerina

Tiggy

Really enjoyed our sessions with Joy and the team. There is no doubt Tiggy has learned a huge amount – with plenty of fun and stimulation - she is always exhausted after class so that must be a good sign! Thank you for all your advice and support

Jessamy

Indie

We took our puppy Indie to the Joyful Dogs puppy classes, Helen was our trainer, the classes were recommended to me by a friend. From the beginning we liked everything about the classes, they were small which enabled everyone to have time with Helen and get to know each other and all the pups. Helen was extremely patient and always had time to explain or show the exercise a second time if required. I felt the sessions taught us how to build a connection with our pup which has made our bond with her really strong. I can’t recommend these... Read more

Anne Marie Taylor

positive reinforcement puppy training: One to One and Recall Dog Training Cheltenham

Rupert

We found Joyful Dogs through a Google search, luckily we picked the best one! Joy's 1:1 sessions were extremely helpful, especially as we haven’t been able to attend puppy classes due to COVID. We did our first sessions not long after bringing Rupert home, so it was great to start when he was young, and also importantly to train us too. We worked on all sorts of techniques based around game playing, recall, dog socialising, walking on and off lead, distractions from prey chasing etc. Joy was happy to help us with anything that we needed or had questions about.... Read more

Dave & Pete

Daisy

I just wanted to say a big thank you for the puppy training classes. Daisy has really flourished since attending classes and we couldn’t imagine our lives without her. We both had Dogs growing up, but she is our first together as a couple. We always came away from classes feeling that both Daisy and we had learnt something that would benefit us moving forward and we still use exercises and tips we picked up from Joy – who was a very patient and understanding teacher.

Liz & Chris

Luna

We looked forward to the Puppy Starters training classes every week and found the sessions so fun and helpful. Our family grew in confidence with Luna and, having never owned a dog before, that was a big deal for us. Helen is warm, funny and knowledgeable and this came across in the sessions. I’d recommend Joyful Dogs to anyone!

Bekah

Mabel

Thank you again for the classes, I have really enjoyed the training. You made Mabel and I feel so welcome and were very patient and tolerant. I valued your positive feedback and the way in which you engaged with every member of the class. You certainly made me feel as if we were achieving.

Cottia

Pippin

Training with Joyful Dogs - it's been fab! Thoughtful, impactful training.

Paul & Molly

Puppy training cheltenham: Dog Training Cheltenham & Charlton Kings in Gloucestershire

Buddy

Having spent six weeks on Joy's Puppy Starters course, my Jack Russell - Buddy - has definitely improved his obedience, along with his ability to zone out distractions and concentrate on me a lot more. Buddy is a very active puppy and has bags of energy and is into everything; the variety of games and exercises Joy taught gave him lots of new skills that I can continue to work on. I would recommend Joy highly! I will be signing up for her Puppy Improvers course soon!

Dan

Dennis

The training was very useful to get us started as new dog owners. Now we need to practise, practise, practise!

Gill & David

Henri

We chose Joyful Dogs due to the reviews they had online and we are glad we did! Dannyelle has been great tutor, teaching us what we need to do to improve on the areas we needed with our pooch, Henri. From the get go we delve into training on lead walking, which was a big issue, obsessive behaviour and dog mentality. The training has made a night and day difference to both our lives and that of our pooch. Dannyelle gives an insight into how a dogs mind ticks and the behaviours that they display. We would recommend Dannyelle to... Read more

Samantha P

Bertie

We are the first time dog owners. Although we previously attended puppy classes with out 1 yo Boston terrier, we were struggling with recall and "selective " hearing . We are also not sure how to deal with an overexcited dog. Google directed me to Joy's web page and links to her videos. Lots of useful information, advice and examples. We had a very productive phone consultation - I felt I was listened to and reassured that our concerns could be "fixed". Joy identified our main problems, set the plan, advised what to buy ( in our case it was... Read more

Lydia

Morty

I had an amazing experience with Joyful dogs. I’m a new dog owner and started with puppy classes which gave a very useful base and taught me how to understand and train my pup. All the techniques I learned in class really helped to bond with my dog, and made it so much easier to manage him. I have also took additional one-to-one sessions later on once we hit the teenage phase with my pup. The one-to-one sessions were a great investment - very effective as it’s tailored specifically to my dog, and to our environment. The one-to-one sessions helped... Read more

Olena

Poppy & her pup ‘Coco’

My daughter Poppy and I have loved the last 6 weeks at puppy School. Thank you Joy for all your advice, enthusiasm, care and attention. I feel much more confident about how to handle Coco in many situations.

Sophie Wintle

Clifford

The Solo Training Walks with Katie have been wonderful with our anxious Bosnian rescue "Clifford". He really struggles to trust people, but absolutely adores Katie and is so excited when she comes to the door. There is nobody else outside of me and my partner who has even come close to achieving this with him and we really value the bond she's built with him and appreciate the time and effort that this has taken. Clifford isn't an easy dog to walk - having lived on the streets he is always on high alert and is reactive to other dogs.... Read more

Amber Watts

Lexi

I chose Joyful Dogs 1:1 sessions as these were convenient for me. I was having trouble with Lexi travelling in the car. The training sessions wit Dannyelle helped me to strengthen communication with my puppy. I learned a lot through a couple of sessions - it was a big eye opener. It will definitely affect how I am with my dog in the future. I had heard about Kongs and Enrichment games but I had no idea how important they were. I have definitely seen a calmer side to my pup in just a few weeks. I am impressed with... Read more

Daisy

Rafferty

Joyful Dogs - and the training lives up to the name! Joy was recommended to us by a colleague who'd trained their puppy as a family and therapy dog. We booked 7 sessions with Joy. There are specific techniques and activities that have made a big difference to Rafferty’s development and our learning - such as scentwork "Find it” games; loose lead walking, putting on his harness, coping with distractions, and meeting and greeting other dogs and people in our local park. It has been great to have Joy with us on these outings to learn in situ. Most of all, we... Read more

Moira & Graham

Juke

Joy is an excellent trainer, she has such great knowledge and lots of time for you. Our dog, Juke suffers from separation anxiety, and was very upset every time we left him in the house. After 2 training sessions with Joy we have noticed such a difference in him. All the great tricks and advice that Joy has given us, mean we now have a much happier dog. The training sessions are brilliant, plus Juke very much enjoys the sausages!

Sam Day

Phoenix

The "Puppy Starters" socialisation & training classes were very well organised and Helen progressed the skills at an appropriate speed for the puppies in class. Phoenix has come a long way! We particularly enjoyed the outdoor skills, especially focus work around other dogs.

Steph & Russell

Bertie

"We chose Joyful dogs after extensive search via Google; many schools didn’t cater for our then, crazy Lurcher’s reactive tendencies. Joy answered our emails and questions promptly, unlike a couple of other places we have contacted, and provided us with a solution to our misbehaving canine! From the start, Joy was able to help. She listened to the problems we were having, and gave us solutions to counter them. Joy understood our dog and taught us how he learns and what would benefit him. We started with recall exercises and then “Find- it” to help our dog keep his nose to... Read more

Fiona & Josh

Wookie

We can’t thank Joy enough for helping us with 4 fantastically illuminating training sessions, aiding our understanding of our beautiful puppy Wookie. The 3 of us gained so much - we are a much happier and well-behaved unit because of the training! Thank you Jenny, Nick and Wookie

Jenny & Nick

Skye

I chose Joyful dogs because there was link with our dog walker Muddy Buddies. The 121 sessions with Joyful Dogs have made a huge difference to Skye who is a reactive dog. We learned games and strategies to keep her calm when out walking, meeting people and when visitors arrive at the house. Katie taught me a lot about counter conditioning and that if prepared I can help Skye to see things positively rather than as a threat- we can now walk past individual men and she doesn’t lunge or bark which is great. Skye is better on lead walks no... Read more

Jo Shire

training plan 1:1 dog training cheltenham: dog training skills for rescue dog

Ruby

I was recommended to Joy by a friend and was immediately impressed by her friendliness, responsiveness and flexibility. I signed up our 6-month old Cockapoo, Ruby, for a series of four 1:1 sessions at our family home and within the course of a month have witnessed dramatic changes in her behaviour. Joy spent some time before the sessions gathering information about Ruby so that she was prepared and focused when it came to training. Initially we worked on various games and exercises to improve Ruby’s recall, along with stimulating her mentally. Over time we moved to working on various other... Read more

Robert

Nellie

We found Joy through personal recommendation. We have learned so much about how our rescue dog’s reactive behaviour can be helped through the stimulus of training. We’ve learned basic commands like down and stand as well as search and retrieve techniques. We’ve also learned to use positive reinforcement to help her not be overly concerned when people visit the house. Nellie is now calmer and has learned behaviours that help her cope when people visit the house ... she has also become more playful!

Maxine & Brian

Florrie

Following the Puppy Starters course, Florrie is doing brilliantly she is excellent on her daily walks & now enjoying being let off her lead, she comes back once she is called & doesn't venture too far from us which is good. She also is so good when she meets & greets other dogs which I'm sure is down to tips you gave us & what she learnt at puppy classes. All three of us thoroughly enjoyed your classes & will definitely look forward to seeing you again!

Rachel & Alan

Reactive barking dog behaviourist: pet behaviour counsellors, behaviour consultations Gloucestershire

Bailey

Joyful Dogs popped up when I was searching for positive dog trainers for my reactive dog. The individualised attention that Bailey and I received through our four 1:1 training sessions with Dannyelle allowed us to really focus on our needs. Dannyelle taught me how to reinforce Bailey at the right time, slowly build up the criteria for rewards and, more importantly, when to step back if the situation was proving to be too challenging for Bailey. Bailey has made great gains and we will continue practising what we have learned. I will sign up for more classes with Dannyelle (the... Read more

Bailey's Mum!

Leo

We chose Joyful Dogs based on a recommendation of a friend, to help out our dog Leo who was becoming more intolerant of other dogs and had decided squirrels were more fun than recall! With our 1:1 sessions we learnt how to read Leo’s body language and understand how he was talking to other dogs without saying a word! We used techniques to reward Leo for his positive responses to other dogs and built our trust in him again. Whilst Leo’s recall will always be a challenge when his favourite rodents around we are really glad for Katie’s help and... Read more

Charlotte

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Having a new pup is wonderful, but it can be overwhelming too! Puppies chew, jump, nip and get in to everything! However, I can show you how to train your puppy - in a fun but effective way - so you can really enjoy your puppy!

Does your dog have some bad habits that make you blush? Maybe your dog has 'selective hearing' or does a ‘flyby’ when you call! I'll help you train your dog to do the right thing so your blushes can turn to smiles!

Rescue dogs are special. And, sometimes they need a little extra help adjusting to their new life. Training is a wonderful way to help your rescue dog settle in and bond with you ... and become your perfect canine companion.

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