With celebrities eyeing careers in dog training and cruelty cases making headlines, professionals are calling for urgent reform to protect pets and the public.
When former Love Island star Jack Fincham announced he wanted to become a dog trainer – just days after avoiding jail over a violent dog attack – many were stunned. But for industry professionals, it raised a much bigger concern: anyone in Britain can call themselves a dog trainer, regardless of experience, qualifications, or ethics.
“It’s really scary,” says Gail Skinner, a senior instructor at Xtra Dog with global training experience. “Right now, any Tom, Dick or Frederick can wake up one day, write a dog training course, and start teaching others.”
Skinner, who hosted Channel 4’s Celebrity Coach Trip for a light-hearted dog training segment featuring Chesney Hawkes and Sister Sister, says that while entertaining, such experiences can be dangerously misleading. “It was great fun, but none of them could say they are dog trainers afterwards,” she explains. “The games were a far cry from the depth of knowledge needed to train dogs properly – and to teach owners how to do it ethically and safely.”
The risks of this unregulated space are becoming increasingly apparent. In Somerset, Rachel Mortimore was banned from keeping animals for life after more than 300 dogs and other pets were found in filthy and inhumane conditions at her training facility. In East Yorkshire, greyhound trainer Rebecca Perkins was jailed in 2022 after nine dogs died and dozens more were discovered living in squalor.
“These aren’t isolated incidents,” says Sarah Mackay, co-director of the iPET Network. “They reflect the absence of mandatory standards and the need for formal oversight.”
In response, iPET Network has joined forces with Xtra Dog to launch the UK’s first Ofqual-regulated Level 3 Certificate in Dog Training – a comprehensive, government-recognised qualification designed to raise the bar across the industry.
“One of the biggest issues we see is misleading terminology,” explains Mackay. “If a course is not on the Ofqual register, it’s not a recognised qualification – full stop. Claims like ‘equivalent to Level 3 or 4’ are just marketing fluff. There’s no such thing. Either it meets the official standards, or it doesn’t.”
Unlike many online courses that issue certificates with no formal testing, this Level 3 qualification involves multi-layered quality assurance. Tutors assess the work, internal verifiers maintain consistency, and external quality assurers validate results before any certificate is awarded.
Fellow iPET director Fern Gresty agrees the market is currently too murky for consumers to navigate. “There are so many flashy online courses and TV personalities promoting quick fixes,” says Skinner. “People expect their dog to be trained in 15 minutes – but it doesn’t work like that.”
The new qualification includes modules on canine behaviour, health, ethology, socialisation and business practice. It’s designed to equip students not only to train dogs but to build responsible, sustainable careers. The teaching team features experts such as Dr Erica Cosijn (specialising in noise-sensitive dogs), vet Dr Monika Kleyenstuber, and Skinner herself, who brings decades of international expertise.
“We’re not just teaching people how to get a dog to sit,” says Skinner. “We’re helping them understand the dog’s mind and motivations – and how to train with empathy, not ego.”
The hope is that government agencies, including DEFRA, will eventually follow suit and mandate regulated qualifications for dog trainers – just as they now expect for five-star boarding licence holders. “It’s common sense,” says Gresty. “If you need a qualification to run a boarding kennel, why not to shape the behaviour of someone’s beloved pet?”
Alex Wilson, Course Director at the Xtra Dog Academy, says the partnership with iPET Network marks a turning point. “For too long, dog training has been the wild west – full of misinformation and zero accountability,” he says. “This qualification brings real credibility, and we’re proud to help professionalise the sector.”
The message from professionals is simple: real dog training takes knowledge, not notoriety. “The public deserve to know who they’re trusting with their dogs,” says Mackay. “And genuine trainers deserve to be recognised for doing the hard work, not just for having followers.”
Until formal regulation arrives, pet owners are being urged to check the Ofqual register before enrolling in any course, and to steer clear of anyone promising quick fixes without proper credentials.
Because when it comes to training the nation’s dogs, it’s not about who shouts the loudest – it’s about who’s truly qualified to lead.
Find out more about the iPET Level 3 qualification and ethical dog training at https://xtradog.academy
Photos: Alex Wilson of Xtra Dog Academy and ‘bouncing dog’ trained by Gail Skinner