About Clairt

Head Trainer and business owner Clair has a long career in animal care and training spanning over 20 years. She grew up in South Bristol and always had a passion for animals and wildlife and was surrounded by pets of different species for most of her youth. She still lives in South Bristol with her husband Jonathan and two Weimaraners Bella and Atum and Cockatiel Milly. She particularly enjoys gundog training and working her younger dog Atum on shoots and competing in Working tests with him.

Atum has also appeared on ITV’s Puppy secrets and C5’s Secret life of puppies terrible twos, he also appears in the puppy book by the same name written by Sarah Whitehead. He more recently appeared with Will Smith in Episode one (Gasp) of Once Strange Rock for National Geographic.

Clair has had the opportunity to work with many exotic species during the course of her career. She has been lucky to spend time at Bristol Zoological gardens, Wild Place project, Noahs ark zoo farm and Monkey world, working with Gibbons, Giant Tortoise and Tigers as well as birds of prey and has also worked with domestic farm animals including Chickens, and Goats, and during the 10 years working at the University of Bristol she worked with Cats, Rabbits and Rats and Mice.

Clair’s main interest in dog training and behaviour, is separation anxiety and how it affects the dog and the owner.

Having first gained a BTEC National in Animal care in the late 90's. From there she want on to work and qualify as an Animal technician at Bristol University, While working as an Animal technician she brought home her first Weimaraner Jackson, who wasn't exactly the easiest dog to live with but her love for him and to make his life better started Clair on her path into positive reward based dog training.
Clair has been training dogs in Bristol for 15 years. after studying to become a gold level instructor with the Academy of dog training and behaviour, she also has a BSc (hons) in Animal behaviour and welfare from Oxford Brookes university and is currently working toward her Masters degree in Animal behaviour and training.

Clair currently has a two Weimaraners Bella who is blind and Atum who is her working and competing dog, Atum picks up on a local shoot and has placed in HPR Novice working tests.

Clair's relevant qualifications

BTEC National Diploma Animal Management
NVQ level 2 Animal technology
Academy of Dog Training and Behaviour (ADTB) holding Bronze, Silver and Gold level trainer qualifications
Canine psychology diploma – Higher distinction
ABWAK Wolf keeper course
FdSc Zoological management
City & Guilds Animal transport
BSc (Hons) Animal behaviour and welfare
Canine nutrition diploma - Higher distinction
Studying - MSc Applied Animal Behaviour and Training

Continued Professional Development course

Julie Cleasby RN RHV (First aid for dogs) - Canine emergency first aid
Trevor Cooper, dog law seminar certificate of attendance

Sarah Whitehead - What makes a dog choose an aggression strategy
Sarah Whitehead - Rethinking socialisation for puppies
Guen Bradbury - Behavioural problems in indoor rabbits
Victoria Stillwell - Building Your Dog's Confidence
Cecilla Villaverde & Savier Manteca – How can nutrition impact the brain
Sean McCormack BSc (Hons). MVB, MRCVS – Tackling pet Obesity : where are we getting it right and wrong?
Vicky Halls – Understanding human-directed (or cat to human) aggression in the home
School of Canine Science - Fear course.
Sarah Whitehead - 50 shades of play
School of Canine Science - 30 days of Canine Science course
Naomi Andrews BSc (Hons) PGDip (CABC) - Behavioural and training strategies for noise phobias in dogs
For Dog’s Sake, common myths about dog behaviour- Dr Amber Bateson, Certificate of attendance
Pet Professional Guild member - 51655848
Sally Gutteridge - Inspiring resilliance in fearful and reactive dogs
Jo-Rosie Haffenden - The art of behavioural consultation
Dr Michelle Lord - The neuroscience of how dogs learn and feel emotions
Dog Traininig College approved instructor
Jane Ardern BSc (Hons)- Understanding your pet gundog
Leanne McWade (Dog training college) - Deaf dog awareness
Leanne McWade (Dog training college) - Overcoming separation anxiety in your dog
Dr Sophie Bell BVMS MRCVS (Animal Love) - Canine first aid
Caroline Wilkinson - Canine play behaviour
Dr Ian Dunbar - Quantifying reliability and speed of training
Dr Susan Friedman - The Learning Planet
Dr Nick Thompson - Immunology, Auto-immunity and Stress
Dr Jessica Heckman - The Biology of Socialisation
Caroline Clarke - An introduction to dog and cat anxiety
Caroline Clarke - Understanding and dealing with canine separation anxiety
Trevor Cooper - Dog Law Live July 2020