Dog Confidence

Quiet, calm and considerate dog training and a wonderful facility. Vickie and her fabulous team of trainers, coaches and physios have something to offer everyone and always dog-centric. We love it at Dog Confidence. X

I have been training with Vickie with my Jack Russell Hulk for the last six years. All I can honestly say is – I couldn't see myself training with anyone else. Dog Confidence's dedication to kind, fair and effective training really summarises their entire ethos. Vickie is so incredibly knowledgeable, and one of the things I've loved the most is she knows how to get the best out of dogs and their owners. We absolutely love how dedicated Vickie, all of the trainers working there and the business are to putting on the MOST FUN activities that you and your dog can enjoy – Hulk has tried so many different sports, and has now firmly decided he is the Barn Hunt king. Five stars are absolutely not enough!!!

About a year ago, my two schnauzers and I jumped into training with Vickie, starting with an intro to hoopers. Then, my youngest decided to tackle the APDT course... Over the last year, Vickie has thrown so many fun activities our way that I’m starting to think I might as well move in!
We’ve made it through the APDT levels, and my youngest is almost an advanced superstar. Both pups are loving barn hunt, scent work, tracking, hoopers, movement puzzles, and tricks. It’s like a doggy amusement park out there!
First off, the variety of activities is fantastic – I can just see how happy my pups are. Secondly, the venue and facilities are top-notch— I try to hang out there even without the dogs but that's just weird... But the best part is that the trainers’ values and ethos are all about positive reinforcement, with zero pressure or competitiveness. It’s like a doggy spa day mixed with a fun social club...actually this is my social life...
If you’re looking to have a blast while training your furry friends, I can’t recommend Vickie enough. Trust me, your dogs will thank you (and will be trained to give you a high-five)!

I have been training with Dog confidence for over a year now with my reactive anxious dog. Firstly, I feel so supported and welcome, Vickie and the team really understand and care about individual dogs needs. In particular dogs who are anxious, have special requirements and often need their own space. Every class is set up with the intention to deliver to each dogs requirements. There is no judgement only compassion and understanding. The same goes for the other clients. Here I have found my tribe, and people who get what it is to be the guardian of a complex dog. Secondly, the training is superb. I train my girl in scent work and Hoopers and we have so much fun. No pressure but so much patience and guidance. So glad we found Dog Confidence.

I came across Vickie and Dog Confidence a few years ago. My GR is a lovable boy but slightly needy 🤦‍♀️. Vickie has taught me how to help him and myself and we are both still learning and growing. All done in a very gentle encouraging way ( for both him and me 😂)Dog Confidence is a very supportive, encouraging, fun environment and Reg and I have made great friends there.
Thank you Vickie and the DC team xxx

Vickie is an absolutely fabulous trainer. She listens and understands both ends of the lead. Always looking at ways to ensure your dog's success, even when that means tailoring an exercise or trying a different training approach.
Completely forced free trainer who taps into your and your dog's best way to learn.
The facilities at Dog Confidence are second to none, with a secure field, training barn with anti slip and cushioning flooring. Add to that the Barn Hunt barn and brew room covering all your training needs.
Book onto a session, your dog will thank you for it and you will have a brilliant time.

Vickie is very knowledgeable and adapts to each dog. My 12yr old WCS loves the Barn hunt events. We recently attended the activity day camp which was very well organised and enjoyed by the dogs and their humans greatly. Looking forward to attending more events in the future.

We have attended social walks and scent workshops with Dog Confidence with our spaniel Pippin. Vickie has been great to ask for advice for training tips and the social walks are distanced to build Pippins confidence and manage her reaction to other dogs. We’ve seen such a big improvement with Pippin since doing the walks! The scent work always tires Pippin out which is no easy task for such a busy little Sprocker Spaniel!

I can highly recommend Dog Confidence . They really understand your dog and how their brain ticks and offer very useful advice. They make the activities most enjoyable for your dog and yourself. We have been to several Barn Hunt workshops and last Saturday we went to a dog activity day ( part of which included 3 lots of 90 minutes workshops). This was most enjoyable and we learnt a lot. If we lived nearer we would attend more of the courses/ workshops available. Vickie is very approachable and only uses kind methods when dealing with each individual dog.

I have done several session with Vickie at dog confidence.
Vickie has the most amazing calm way with dogs (and their humans!), and understands that dogs need to ‘work’ to keep their minds busy, offering so many different disciplines, really something for everyone and every dog! Always a great time out with like minded dog owners🐶😊

I have been training with Vickie for about 3 years now with my working cocker spaniel. We do hoopers, scent work and barn hunt and love all of them. Vickie is a lovely, friendly person who is sensitive to the needs of every dog and their owner. She is always positive and encouraging and her statement “kind, fair, effective training” is totally reflected in what she does. We love training at Dog Confidence and have made many friends within its supportive community. I totally recommend DC and look forward to many more classes there.

Just had a day of trying different activities, Barnhunt, Parkour, Movement Games and Hoopers at Dog Confidence. The whole days was so well organised and good value for money. The trainers were excellent and in a short time at each event my dog improved. The facilities are good, extremely secure field and lovely indoor barn. Plus coffee and tea making facilities and clean toilet. The day had a friendly relaxed atmosphere with very nice food for lunch and the evening. A very enjoyable day.

With a strong focus on enhancing/building your relationship with your Dog were pleased to of found Vickie and her guest instructors at Dog Confidence a few years ago, providing a wide variety of classes and workshops that have kept our 3 spaniels engaged and entertained, from Life skills classes, Scentwork , Hoopers and recently Fitness/ Wellbeing workshops with thoughtful design to indoor and outdoor training spaces/stations /equipment my dogs enjoy their training games and always leave happy and fulfilled and I also take lots of content back from our sessions to follow through with at home.
The quiet location with ample parking is a bonus !
Thank you for having us , we're looking forward to our training journey with you all over the next few years !

We have attended some great workshops at Dog Confidence. Vickie is really lovely and helpful. The facilities are great and my dog loves to go and has really enjoyed the activities.

I found Vickie 2 years ago when I was struggling with my 1 year old incredibly scent driven spaniel. I have enjoyed working through the dog confidence level. At Vickie’s there are also additional training courses: barn hunt, farm walks, hoopers, trick workshops and scent training. Some of them are delivered by other trainers that are making use of the facilities. There is a brilliant outdoor fully enclosed field and indoor barns for when it’s too wet or hot. There are facilities for the humans too with a nice tea room with plenty of treats available and toileting facilities.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the lessons at Vickie’s and have recommended the benefits to many other dog walkers. I have learnt so much myself about different aspects of dog training and finding something that both you and your dog love. As a vet myself I now extol the benefits of continued training for all dogs. Plus, after an hours training Darcy is knackered.

Training with Dog Confidence does exactly that. Vickie's style and approach to training promotes confidence in handlers and dogs alike. Her attention to individual needs is really thoughtful and respectful and we always feel in very safe and knowledgeable hands. Most of all, we all always have fun and enjoy our time training with Dog Confidence ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Vickie & Dog confidence has helped me bring on my young sensitive lab to be a confident happy boy. By using gentle fun exercises Vickie has helped him thrive and given me techniques to use everyday. Through dog confidence we have been introduced to a variety of disciplines including APDT good companionship awards, Hoopers, barn hunts, trailing and scentwork.

Dog Confidence has completely transformed the way I connect with my dog.
The workshops are not only fun and informative, but they’re thoughtfully designed with every dog’s best interests at heart. What really sets them apart is their ability to tap into each dog’s natural instincts and abilities—encouraging them to problem-solve, explore, and truly engage.

It’s incredible to watch our dogs light up with curiosity and determination as they sniff out clues, find hidden items, and tackle challenges—again and again, with real joy. The activities offer solid mental and physical stimulation while being gentle enough for dogs of all ages and fitness levels.

Vicki and the team are an absolute gem—knowledgeable, approachable, and incredibly supportive. Their guidance extends beyond the dogs, helping us as owners understand our canine companions better and build a more rewarding relationship. Each session feels like a genuine partnership between dog, owner, and trainer.

It’s a brilliant experience from start to finish.

We started doing Barn Hunt at Dog Confidence last year and we are hooked! Vickie and the instructors she works with her are brilliant. It's such a great venue too. Everything is always well organised both on the day and in advance. Everyone is super friendly and it's always fun to be around like-minded people. Gentle, compassionate and positive approaches to our dogs only. Through Vickie, we have also found out about Wizz and have started doing scentwork too. Vickie uses the hashtag #domorewithyourdog and we are really embracing that. Harington loves doing anything that involves sniffing and is most certainly living his best life. I always say the barn is 'the Barn of Joy' as he can't wait to get in it. Really glad to have found Dog Confidence – it is the highlight of my social life!