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Welcome to Abbey Dogs
About Us
Hi, I’m Claire – founder of Abbey Dogs and a lifelong dog and animal lover based in Manchester. I started Abbey Dogs with a simple idea: to offer trusted, personal, and genuinely caring services for pets and their people.
At Abbey Dogs, we believe dogs aren’t just pets, they’re best friends and true family members. That belief is at the heart of everything we do, and it’s why our services are designed to be as individual as your dog.
Walks with Abbey Dogs are more than just exercise, they’re engaging, enriching experiences. Your dog will get to explore a variety of environments, follow scents, investigate new textures, and enjoy plenty of mental stimulation along the way. These natural activities help build confidence, burn energy, and keep your dog happy and balanced.
And when it comes to training, Abbey Dogs takes the same caring, personalised approach. We focus on positive, reward-based methods that strengthen the bond between you and your dog while helping them learn in a fun, stress-free way. Whether you’re working on the basics or tackling specific behaviour challenges, our training is designed around real-life situations so you can enjoy everyday life together with confidence.
Why Choose Abbey Dogs
At Abbey Dogs, we combine professional care with genuine experience. As dedicated dog owners ourselves, we understand that caring for a dog goes far beyond simply walking them. Our insight comes not only from working with dogs but from living with them every day.
The inspiration behind Abbey Dogs began with Jasper, our latest recruit, a Cocker Spaniel cross who came to us at 10 months old after a very difficult start in life. His remarkable transformation motivated the launch of this business and continues to shape our values.
With experience owning and handling Labradors, Golden Retrievers, Springer Spaniels and Lancashire Heelers, energetic, high-drive dogs, we've gained valuable knowledge in behaviour, obedience, dog sports, and gundog training. This hands-on experience means your dog is in capable, confident hands.
Abbey Dogs is a one woman show. After leaving a streetworks and project management career in the corporate world, I’ve found my true calling in working with dogs. I work closely with a trusted home boarder and a reputable local training club, allowing us to offer a well-rounded, dependable service that supports every aspect of your dog’s wellbeing.
A Note from claire
No gimmicks. No empty promises. Just honest training support.
As a newer trainer, I like to keep things real. My priority is to offer you full transparency, I won’t make big promises I can’t back up or pretend I’ve got all the answers (I’m not a wizard... yet). What I can promise is honesty, effort, and a genuine commitment to helping you and your dog figure things out together. And if something’s outside my current skill set, I’ll point you in the right direction faster than a greyhound spotting a rabbit!
I’m lucky to work alongside and have the support of three brilliant trainers with decades of experience - my guru mentors and all round dog training legends!
So if I don’t have the answer, I know someone who does!
I am affiliated with the British Institute of Professional Dog Trainers (BIPDT) as an obedience instructor (the organisation behind the first national pet code framework later adopted by the Kennel Club), Attended a BIPDT Course and obtained a Certificate in Instructional Techniques and achieved stage 1 Honours and I continue to invest in my own development — regularly training in higher-level courses with the aim of becoming an advanced trainer and behaviourist.
I currently hold diplomas in:
- Canine Behaviour
- Canine Communication
- Dog Training
- Puppy Training
- Gundog Training
- Canine Anxiety
- I also hold an up to date DBS and Canine First Aid.
At present, although qualified in a range of areas, I offer training specifically in general obedience, reactivity and behaviour, unfortunately I do not work with dogs showing aggression currently but I can put you in touch with trainers experienced in this area.
Professional Development
At Abbey Dogs, we believe that caring for your dog means never standing still. That’s why we’re fully committed to ongoing professional development, continuously updating our skills and knowledge to provide the highest standard of care.
We stay current with the latest research and best practices in dog training, behaviour, and welfare, so you can be confident your dog is in capable, compassionate hands.
Lifelong learning is built into everything we do. From attending accredited courses and gaining industry-recognised qualifications to learning alongside trusted mentors with decades of experience, we’re always working to improve. This allows us to use the most effective and humane methods, tailored to each individual dog and situation.
We also believe in being open and approachable. As we grow, we love sharing that knowledge with you, whether that’s offering guidance, answering questions, or simply explaining the “why” behind what we do. Because when you’re informed, your dog benefits too.
