Barking Buds Academy

As a company we thrive on developing new ways to train and teaching others how to train their dogs. We want to be able to pass our knowledge to others and work with them in developing a career with Barking Buds or in the animal world.

This programme has been created for children aged 9+ who want to learn how to train dogs and gain experience in the dog training world. It is a fun, interactive programme where the children learn:

Dog training knowledge
Dog Knowledge
Gain experience with different breeds
Personal Development

And so much more!

There is nothing like this programme in the UK and we are excited to be welcoming children into the world of training and potentially becoming the dog trainers of the future!

Please be aware that the children will not be working with dogs every week but will learning through fun activities which will prepare them to work with the dogs in Dog Week.

Classes are held on:

Mondays 1-2pm (Waiting List)

Tuesdays 5-6pm

Friday 5-6pm, 6-7pm

Venue:

Churchdown Community Centre, Parton Road, Churchdown, GL3 2JH

What3words: ///requests.breathy.accented

My daughter has been with Barking Buds for almost a year now and absolutely loves it! She has grown in confidence talking to other children and adults particularly dog owners that attend some sessions… it’s really boosted her confidence and increased her passion for working with dogs! The girls that run the sessions are amazing! Always kind, inclusive and welcoming and have a great way of bringing out the children’s confidence in a nurturing way… I highly recommend these sessions and am glad my daughter has found her community! Cannot ever see her wanting to leave!

My daughter has been attending Barking Buds for 3 years now. She absolutely loves it and has made new friends and learns new skills every week. She was shy and lacked confidence when she started. BB has given her the confidence to build on relationships and form new friendships. She adores dog weeks and come home to practice with our own dog. The theory sessions are always well received and teach the student how to be resilient, how to listen to each other, form relationships and much much more. I highly recommend this amazing activity.

My 13 year old has been attending Barking Buds Youth Trainer sessions for over 18 months and still absolutely loves going. She is home educated and wants to become a dog trainer as a career and has learnt so much that will support this venture through the sessions. There balance of theory and practical sessions makes it easier for the kids to solidify their knowledge and understanding. The team have been so supportive with accommodations, occasional wobbles and are even great at getting her going again when she gets overwhelmed or a little unsure of herself. Can’t recommend this team enough. Thank you so much and here’s to more years together allowing her to improve her skills even more. Bonus is she has used her skills to train our dog that we’ve had 6 months but if you don’t have a dog that doesn’t stop you attending or the learning which was fab for us at the start!! Even though we have our own dog she still absolutely loves the dog weeks as she gets to train other breeds and get more doggy cuddles!

Youth Trainer Alumni

I joined the youth trainer when Beth first opened Barking Buds and was with her all the way until the start of 2025 to focus on my GCSEs. I then joined Hartpury at the start of the school year in 2025 and have been loving it so much. Barking Buds has helped me so much when it comes to my studies now, because asking bus taught very core skills when it come to the theory behind training in dogs. I apply my primary knowledge from Barking Buds mainly in one of lessons at Hartpury which is animal learning theories especially when it comes to the 4 main training methods in operant conditioning. At Hartpury we have one day where we do work experience which I picked the place of paw prints dog day care. Barking buds has really excelled my experience when it comes to working with different dogs. I now look after groups of dogs for the day, do 1 to 1s with dogs like training and activities, I also tell owners what their dog has improved on what they did on the day. I use loads of methods I have used from Barking buds and Hartpury. I have used games and dog knowledge, along with experience with dogs from dog weeks. Teaching classes especially has helped me with owners and my social skills with others when it comes to helping with their dogs.

APPLICATIONS OPEN! Close on the 31st October 2025!

The Trainer Mentor Programme is for adults aged 18+ years and has been created to teach you how to be a dog trainer. These sessions provide a comprehensive journey from foundational to advanced dog training knowledge, helping you grow your skills and build the confidence to step into the world of dog training as a professional.

This journey is designed to support your development as a professional dog trainer or to enhance your existing dog training skills and knowledge. Our goal is to equip you with the confidence, expertise, and communication skills needed to succeed in the dog training industry. Whether you’re working with clients or educating dog owners, you’ll be prepared to approach every interaction with clarity and professionalism.

It’s given me the opportunity to increase my knowledge and understanding of dog training theoretically and practically. Enjoyable, engaging and a great learning experience.

I was lucky enough to be one of the first couple of people on to the barking buds trainer mentorship program and I can say that is without a doubt one of the best things I ever did. Alongside developing both my knowledge and practical application of dog training it was also a massive part of me developing the confidence to speak to and teach, not just people I have never met on one too one basis but also large groups at the same time. Beth insured that i constantly felt in control whilst pushing me to progress out of my comfort zone and develop as a trainer. As someone that also suffers with a chronic pain condition Beth always made sure to adapt her methods not only to suit myself but so i knew for the future how to adapt them to clients with disabilities. All in all i would recommend the barking buds trainer mentorship program to anyone who is thinking about becoming a trainer every single time.

Built my personal confidence and made me more aware of how much knowledge you need to be a good dog trainer!

I started the TMP programme in October 2022. Since then, I cannot put into words how much of a blessing this programme has been to me. If you would have told me when I first started that I would be teaching multiple weekly classes, teaching youth trainers and having the adaptability skills I do now, I would not have believed you. Beth and this course have given me so much, in terms of confidence in myself and my abilities. The support and opportunities I have been given has been amazing, and I could not recommend this programme more to those looking to enter, or continue in the world of dog training.

I started TMP back in November 2022 after completing puppy classes with my rottie and it's fair to say I haven't looked back since! I have throughly enjoyed learning and developing my knowledge on not only dog training but how to communicate with owners and how to teach them to train their dogs. As well as teaching puppy classes, I have also been involved in teaching the youth trainers. I find it so rewarding to see the children start off with very little to no knowledge and lack of confidence to watching them grow in both learning and self confidence. There is so much to the course and I cannot explain how much I have learnt. If you have a passion for dogs and love to learn, then this is the course for you! I can guarantee you will not be disappointed. Not only will you join a team of trainers who will go out their way to support you, you will be joining a friendly and supportive community too!

Partnered with No Child Left Behind