Hello

Dedicated to Dogs is a small team of devoted, accredited trainers and behaviourists. We’re committed to providing the highest standard of training and behaviour support, with canine welfare and mental wellbeing at the heart of everything we do.

Dedicated to Dogs was created in 2015 to provide Ilkley and the surrounding area with the very best in dog training services including puppy, adult and advanced dog training classes, behaviour consultations, one to one dog training, fun agility and specific problem workshops.

Over the years I have gathered lots of knowledge, including my degree in Animal Behaviour backed up by qualifications achieved with a number of dog training bodies. I have been in national publications and on TV including BBC One. You and your dogs are in very safe hands!

I am the proud owner of two fantastic Border Collies, Hope and Faith. I have owned both since they were 8 weeks old. They have both taught me so much and continue to each and every day. Both my girls are very smart and love taking part in a range of training activities, including obedience, rally, trick training and scentwork. We also just love being in nature and enjoying one anothers company.

My passion is to provide dogs and their owners with the most ethical, up to date, scientific dog training. To understand each other, work as a team and enjoy being around one another. To create the behaviours we want using positive techniques. I spent hundreds of hours and thousands of pounds acquiring my knowledge and now I want to share it with you.

My accreditations currently are:

*BSc (hons) Animal Behaviour and Welfare

*Full member with the Institute of Modern Dog Trainers

*Member with the Association of Pet Dog Trainers

*First Class Agility Instructor with the Agility Club

*Level Three qualification from OCN Principles of Dog Training and Behaviour

*Dynamic Dog Practitioner

You can also find certificates from all the seminars and workshops I have attended on the Dedicated to Dogs Facebook Page.

Certificates

Emma

Emma joined the team in July 2021 to provide our clients with the best one-to-one training and takes our Puppy Life Skills and Rainbow classes. She gained vast knowledge of animal welfare and husbandry before catching the training bug!

Hi! I’m Emma and I have a 5-year-old rescue Pointer cross Spaniel called Jasper. He is a complete bundle of joy, energy and trouble in equal measure, and I have learnt so much from him! I grew up with Springer Spaniels and they captured my heart through their endless energy, brilliant brains and cheeky personalities. I worked as an RSPCA Inspector for 20 years and am now concentrating on my main passion - dogs. I started my dog training journey in 2020 when I began studying with the Institute of Modern Dog Trainers. I am now a fully accredited trainer with the IMDT as well as having completed numerous courses with various force free establishments. I am also a Dog Trainer College accredited puppy and reactive dog specialist.

My main passion in dog training is making sure that the relationship between the dog and their human is the best that it can be, no matter what is going on. I believe that this is achieved through scientifically proven, effective force free techniques built on trust, understanding and kindness. There is no place for any fear, force or pain in anything that I teach.

I love working with puppies (who wouldn’t?!) to provide fabulous foundations and developing the relationship with their carers to prevent any potential issues in the future. I put time and effort into making the group training classes fun for all involved and bring enthusiasm, knowledge and experience to everything that I do. My main aim is to make people enjoy training with their dogs so I try to incorporate as many fun activities without being too formal. Anyone who knows me knows that I don’t take life too seriously and can always be heard laughing!

I also love working with reactive dogs to help them see the world differently. I have had struggles with my own dog in this area so know exactly how it feels.

Having children of my own, I love helping families so that their children build a harmonious relationship with dogs in a safe way. I have become an approved “Kids Around Dogs” professional and love seeing children get involved in training and learn how to interact with dogs. It is wonderful to watch their confidence and bond grow.

When I’m not working with dogs, my favourite pastime is going on active holidays! I love skiing, hiking, mountain biking, paddle boarding and enjoy lots of adventures with my family in our campervan.

Beccy

Beccy takes our Foundation Agility and Advanced Agility classes. Below she tells you a little about herself and her journey.

Having grown up surrounded by and loving dogs and horses, I started my career working with animals, but over time diverted towards a more academic path, in nutritional and medical research. I missed having a canine presence in my life, so in 2014 I brought home a small bundle of fluff and energy, Chewiee, and my true passion was reignited.

While I am interested in all things dog training, I especially love dog sports. They are a wonderful way to utilise our dogs’ inherent abilities and at the same time increase our bond with our four-legged besties.

Mine and Chewiee’s dog sport journey started with tricks, rally obedience, and agility. Agility soon took priority and became our main focus until we sadly had to retire due to Chewiee’s lumbosacral disease diagnosis. In 2018 we discovered the newest dog sport on the block, Hoopers! Hoopers is a lower impact form of agility, and we are both hooked, competing regularly across the country. Last year we qualified for the National Finals and came 8th out of over 80 of the top hoopers-dogs in the country. We have also qualified for the 2021 finals so wish us luck!

I am an Accredited Canine Hoopers UK (CHUK) Instructor. CHUK is a stringent organisation that requires a high standard of teaching, scientific knowledge and continuing professional development – so you know you are in safe hands!

Maxine

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Maxine joined DTD in 2025, Alongside Beccy she teaches our Foundation Agility and Advanced Agility classes. Below she tells you about how she fell in love with dog training and dog sports, as well as taking the leap and turning her love for dogs into her career.

My journey with dogs began with a collie who found the world very difficult. Getting into sports with him was a game changer for me because it shifted my focus onto things we could do at a time when it felt like there were so many things we couldn't do. I became a total training nerd and dedicated all my free time to learning as much as I could and in 2022 I quit my career in finance to work with dogs full time.

I currently have two Australian Shepherds, Dylan and Scout. I do agility and hoopers with them and we also dabble in obedience and scentwork.

Dylan's agility journey has been less than straight forward and he has been my best teacher. Unfortunately, unlike the rest of us, he doesn't adopt a positive reinforcement philosophy so I got shouted at and bitten a lot for trying to do too much too soon with him. He has really brought home the importance of solid foundations and breaking things right down to provide clarity, increase confidence and avoid frustration.

I am passionate about encouraging people to try new activities with their dogs. I believe that learning together as a team and training, especially when just for fun, builds the best relationships.