The Dog Coaches Celebrate Their First Year of Dog Training in Bristol
- Jun 10
- 5 min read
It's Our First Birthday! The Dog Coaches is officially one year old.
Reaching our first birthday feels like the perfect opportunity to look back on everything we've achieved, reflect on how far we've come, and celebrate the people and dogs who have been part of the journey.
Looking back, it's been a busy year.
Our bread and butter
We've delivered lots of puppy classes, adolescent classes, and adult dog training classes across Bristol. Group classes have always been one of our favourite parts of dog training because they bring people together. Watching owners support each other, celebrate progress, and build confidence alongside their dogs has been incredibly rewarding. We've had the pleasure of meeting so many wonderful dogs and owners, and we're grateful to every single person who has trusted us to be part of their training journey.
Alongside our classes, we've also spent a lot of time working one-to-one with clients. Whether that's visiting people in their homes, meeting them out on walks, or working virtually, these sessions allow us to focus on individual goals and challenges. It's been fantastic getting to know people on a more personal level and helping them overcome issues that matter most to them and their dogs.
We’ve also introduced our new Booster Club, which has been really great fun. Its every second Sunday of the month. Booster Club has been a great way to stay in touch with owners and their dogs and help them to continue their training journey. It's a top-up session to practice skills, learn something new and just have a bit of fun on a Sunday morning!
The Dog Community
As well as delivering our regular services, we've been fortunate enough to become part of Bristol's wider dog community and make some fantastic connections along the way.
One of the highlights of the year has been working alongside Bristol Animal Rescue Centre. We spent time at the centre working with their intake dogs, including handovers and strays, as well as their longer-stay dogs and those preparing to find a home. It was lovely getting to know the dogs, the team, and meeting some truly unforgettable characters. Rescue dogs are always fascinating because you never quite know what personality is waiting for you. We met some absolute sweethearts, alongside a few more challenging cases.
Unsurprisingly, we both found ourselves falling in love with some of the dogs we met. Sam's favourite was Broccoli, while Bec's was Genie. Both tiny Chihuahuas, and both far too easy to become attached to, but happily they found their forever homes before we got the chance!
We also began working with Vets for Pets in Kingswood, offering sessions to help puppies feel more comfortable and confident visiting the vets. These sessions have been great fun and we're excited to continue developing them in the future.
Sam has also been doing some freelance work for the charity Dogs for Autism, supporting one of their assistance dog partnerships in Bristol. She has been supporting the ongoing training and development of the dog, helping to maintain high standards of assistance work.
Meet Kiwi and Lyla
Away from work, there have been some big changes in our personal lives too.
Just before The Dog Coaches launched, Sam welcomed Kiwi into the family, a rescue Bichon Frise cross Poodle puppy. There have been plenty of ups, downs, successes and learning opportunities along the way. It's been nice to share those real-life experiences with our clients in puppy training classes and remember that training isn't always a straight line, even for professionals.
Meanwhile, Bec started working with the assistant dog charity, Dogs for Good alongside running The Dog Coaches. Through this role, Bec has been partnered with Lyla, a two-year-old Golden Retriever community assistance dog. When she is working, Lyla spends her time visiting community projects and supporting people across Bristol. When she’s at home with Bec, Lyla enjoys falling asleep with her favourite stuffed toy. It's been a privilege to watch the impact she has on the people she meets.
How The Dog Coaches Began
Many people know that Sam and Bec first met while working for Dogs Trust. Sam was working as Head Coach and later recruited Bec to join the team. Over the years we realised that we worked incredibly well together and shared the same values when it came to helping dogs and owners.
In 2025, Dogs Trust announced redundancies across the organisation, including the closure of all Dog School services across the UK. Suddenly, we both found ourselves out of a job.
At first, it felt like the end of a chapter that we had loved being part of. Between us, we'd delivered dog training across Bristol in venues throughout Southmead, Headley Park, Pucklechurch and St George. We had worked with hundreds of dogs and owners each year and built something we were incredibly proud of.
At Dogs Trust Dog School each location operated almost like its own small business. That meant we'd already developed many of the skills needed to run our own venture. When the opportunity came to start The Dog Coaches, we were able to take those experiences and build something that reflected our own vision and values.
We were also fortunate to continue using some of the venues we'd taught from previously, allowing us to maintain familiar spaces for many of our clients.
The biggest adjustment has undoubtedly been marketing. At Dogs Trust, we had an entire marketing team behind us, helping fill classes and promote services. As self-employed trainers, all of that responsibility has become ours, which is definitely the most difficult part of the job.
That's why we've been so touched by the support we've received. Many former Dogs Trust clients sought us out and chose to continue training with us. Others have recommended us to friends and family, helping spread the word through genuine word-of-mouth recommendations. That support has allowed us to build a wonderful new client base and we're incredibly grateful for it.
We also need to say a massive thank you to our volunteer Becci, who has been with us for three years, starting with us during Dog School. Every Saturday she supports our group classes at The Beehive Centre and has truly been the biggest help!
Continuing to improve
We've also made a conscious effort to continue developing our own knowledge and skills throughout the year. Learning never stops in dog training, and it’s so important to remain up to date for our clients. That’s why we have attended numerous webinars and online courses this year.
We also attended an in-person training day at Tilley Farm focused on ACE Free Work, developed by the late Sarah Fisher. The day was delivered by Matt Donovan from Southwest Dog Skills and gave us plenty of ideas and inspiration that we're excited to share. We'll be writing a blog about the experience soon.
We also hosted our first dog first aid course this year. Not only did it allow us to refresh and update our own first aid qualifications, but it also brought together 18 pet owners and pet professionals who wanted to improve their knowledge too. Seeing so many people committed to improving animal welfare was wonderful. We enjoyed the course so much we will be hosting a regular first aid course throughout the year.
Final Thoughts
When we look back on this first year, we're incredibly proud of what we've achieved.
We've learned a lot, made some mistakes, celebrated successes, met amazing people, and worked with some truly wonderful dogs. Most importantly, we've built something that feels like our own. The first year of any business is never easy, but it's been rewarding beyond anything we could have imagined.
To everyone who has attended a training class, booked a one-to-one session, recommended us to a friend, left a review, shared a social media post, or simply followed our journey, thank you!
We're excited to see what the next year brings and look forward to continuing to help dogs and their owners across Bristol for many years to come.
Whether you're welcoming a new puppy, navigating adolescence, or looking for support with an older dog, we'd love to help.
Comments