The 5 best dog trainers in Liverpool who make training a tail-wagging success
My brother-in-law’s nightmare experience with a couple of dog trainers in the city was something I had experienced before. We both learned early that not all dog trainers are as good as they claim to be.
The quality of dog training in Liverpool has improved over time, and we’re pleased to say we’ve discovered the best dog trainers Liverpool offers. And because you’re here, chances are you’re also looking for the best one in the city.
That’s why we’ve compiled this list of highly experienced trainers with strong credentials you can trust.
How much do dog trainers charge in Liverpool?
Dog trainers in Liverpool generally charge £20 to £50 for one-to-one training. These rates depend on factors such as the type of training, the age of the dog, and the trainer’s experience.
1. Daniel Carrigan Positive Dog Training Liverpool
Address: 34 Cawthorne Ave., Southdene
Contact Details: +44 79 56 921 111
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Sunday: Open 24 hours
The first thing we noticed about Daniel Carrigan, the owner and trainer, was how particular he is about the services he offers. His website conveniently lists them—excessive barking, leash, obedience, and reactive training. So, you’ll immediately get a clear idea of what your dog needs.
Then we saw Daniel in action and realised why three of our friends recommended him. He really knows his stuff and has a gentle but firm approach to dogs. That’s what you get with 9+ years of experience handling dogs and lots of formal training.
We particularly love Daniel’s approach because it focuses on helping nurture a better dog-owner connection. He achieves this through positive reinforcement, thoroughly analysing every dog’s behaviour patterns, and crafting the right interventions.
Our only concern is that booking a schedule with him can be challenging. He takes his time with every dog and services many clients. It’s probably why it takes him a bit longer to respond to queries.
Patient and caring trainer
“We could not recommend Daniel enough. I was so reluctant at first to get another trainer as the first one we had was awful but Daniel made me feel so at ease and instantly formed a bond with Juno. Daniel was so patient and caring and explained everything perfectly to us. We now have a much better behaved dog who listens more and has come on so much with lead training. We are so happy we chose Daniel, I just wish we chose him first! Thank you so much for everything. We are extremely grateful.”
– Frankie Small, Google Review
Amazing, super helpful, and very patient
“Daniel has been amazing! Super helpful giving us practical advice and techniques to use with my dog. Korra is a 3 yr old rescue dog from Bulgaria and was very nervous of being outside, but was especially reactive to dogs. Daniel was very patient with Korra and understood her needs straight away. He talked us through everything step by step, showing us how to walk Korra and when to reward her. We’ve been working with Daniel for 2 months, in which time she has grown in confidence, is great at obedience now and is so much better with other dogs.I would definitely recommend him if you have a reactive or nervous dog!”
– Anna Carver, Google Review
2. Unleashed K9 Services
Address: Brandreth House Farm, Merseyside
Contact Details: +44 15 13 128 225
Operating Hours:
- Monday and Friday: 9 AM – 6 PM
- Tuesday: 9 AM – 10 PM
- Wednesday: 9 AM – 8 PM
- Thursday: 9 AM – 5 PM
- Saturday: 9 AM – 3 PM
- Sunday: 9 AM – 7 PM
What drew us to Unleashed K9 was their personal protection training. It’s a specialised training designed to transform a dog into a protector. This means the facility is more for breeds like German Shepherds, Rottweilers, and Cane Corso, whose instinct is to guard their owners.
But just a reminder to owners with protector breeds who want their dogs enrolled at Unleashed K9—the training seems a bit too intense here as the trainers’ methods are quite demanding.
Even so, they still offer services for non-aggressive dogs, including general obedience training and behaviour modification. These programs focus on improving socialisation, reinforcing discipline, and correcting undesirable behaviours in canines.
We appreciate that the course starts with a detailed behaviour assessment plan that will form the basis of a customised approach to training. This approach includes behavioural exercises, regular follow-ups, and owner education sessions.
Aside from these, we were also intrigued by Unleashed K9’s Scent Work. It’s a unique offering where they train your dogs to locate scents. It’s also called nose work and is a rewarding activity for dogs that gives them joy while harnessing their super sense of smell.
A caring and dedicated team
“Best training centre by far, Danny and. The team are so caring, dedicated and supportive. This little chap was so aggressive and heading for the long sleep. 3 weeks with Danny and then he moved in with us permanently, Always keeping up with the advice and training 5 years on and never looked back, brings us so much joy. Not all rescue dogs have a happy outcome but thankfully for Bill, he got his forever home and we can all enjoy.”
-Jacqueline Wells, Google Review
Absolutely worth it
“I can’t believe the difference in our dog in such a short space of time. She’s more relaxed, more responsive and far less reactive. We’re working with Lewis and his guidance has been amazing! I’m so glad this company was recommended to us, we tried all the general “positive only” training advice and it didn’t work! It’s so nice to see her calm and not on edge all the time. Here she is off lead and happier than ever. Absolutely worth the money!”
– Kimberley Scott, Google Review
3. Fast Track Puppy and Dog Training
Address: Hope School, 251 Hartsbourne Ave
Contact Details: +44 75 45 587 764
Operating Hours:
- Tuesday: 6:30 AM – 9 PM
- Wednesday to Monday: 6 AM – 9 PM
It was one of our friends who recommended Fast Track. He said the owner, Helen Roberts, has 25+ years of experience and is a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers.
When we visited the place, we observed how Helen does her job. Her rewards-based training and gentle, loving touch definitely stood out. While all trainers on this list are loving in their own ways, Helen’s approach is tailored to every dog’s needs.
We like that Fast Track mainly trains smaller dog breeds. Aside from Pomeranians and Maltese, they also accept Chihuahuas, Shih Tzus, and Papillons.
However, we’ve noticed that Fast Track rarely accepts bigger dogs. According to them, they’ll pass on big dogs like Pit Bulls and XL Bullies if they think these canines might disrupt the smaller dogs based on their assessment.
Regardless, we love that they also specialises in training dogs to live in a family atmosphere through its beginner’s dog training class. This program makes pups easier to care for at home and ensures they won’t give fur parents a headache.
Excellent knowledge and incredible ability
“Helen has an excellent knowledge of dog behaviour and training, including the incredible ability to not only improve your dog’s response to instruction but to improve the relationship between dog and owner! Granted I haven’t seen her classes in action for several years – I am sure they are still as incredible as they always were, if not more so. A very caring person, clear instructor, and will absolutely adore you and your furry friend!”
– Hope Busak, Google Review
Incredible trainers
“Helen is a fab trainer of dog and owner, she makes it all look so easy! Both you and your dog(s) will come away happier and more confident in each other, it’s an incredible thing.”
– Tim Roberts, Google Review
4. Precious Paws Premium Doggy Day Care
Address: Unit 15, Shaw Rd., Speke L24 9JT
Contact Details: +44 79 25 283 873
Operating Hours:
- Tuesday to Thursday: 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
- Friday: 7:30 AM – 3 PM
Precious Paws is a well-known doggy daycare in the city, so we didn’t visit it at first. But we got a tip that it also offers dog training. We checked it out and were impressed by their tiered training strategy.
In this tiered system, dogs start at the bronze level for the basics, like simple “sit” and “stay” lessons. From there, they work their way up to the gold level for more advanced classes.
Precious Paws also offers top-notch and specialised agility and hooper sessions. These training sessions aim to improve your dogs’ agility, coordination, confidence, mobility, and focus. Agility sessions are offered during summer, while hooper training is held year-round.
What we particularly love about them is their Puppy Playgroup. It’s designed to provide socialisation opportunities for pups to learn new things and explore the environment with other dogs. Evidently, socialisation is a good way to nurture positive behaviour.
However, Precious Paws is for puppies and smaller dogs only.
Brilliant staff
“Great training, we love coming to classes at Precious Paws with our Staffie, Tina. Kim and Ebony have been brilliant helping us train her into a lovely doggo, and we’re really looking forward to attending classes in the future. Highly recommended.”
– Gemma Barber, Google Review
Brilliant course, and great people
“Thanks Ebony and Kim. A brilliant course, great people. Learned loads of interesting things which I am applying to my dog parenting. Ebony really gets you thinking about your dog’s perspectives and motivations and how best to harness that. Highly recommend”
– Julia Bryan, Google Review
5. Dogs Trust Dog School Merseyside
Address: Dogs Trust Merseyside Rehoming Centre, Whiston Ln
Contact Details: +44 33 01 755 122
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Sunday: 9 AM – 4:30 PM
Dogs Trust Dog School Merseyside is under the more prominent Dogs Trust family. It’s an organisation with dog caretakers, dog walkers, trainers, and even veterinarians.
What we love about Dog Trust Dog School is that it aims to take good care of dogs and help fur parents be better dog owners.
We especially love that it offers a variety of dog classes. We highly recommend the one-to-one training because it’s intimate and focuses only on one or two areas to avoid stressing the dog. Group classes are also available for obedience training and better communication.
We were also intrigued by Dog Trust’s Virtual Dog School. Although we were initially apprehensive because it was purely virtual, the four-week tutorial actually worked. The experienced dog trainer did an excellent job teaching us how to train our dogs ourselves.
Unfortunately, we’re not too happy with the rates of these services. It’s because they’re on the high side. We were also a bit disappointed that replies to our inquiries were a bit slow.
Excellent, patient, and informative instructors
“Very grateful for the advice and guidance I picked up with Dogs Trust Dog School Merseyside. The instructors were all excellent, very patient and informative. Learned lots which is helping day to day with my 5 month old puppy. Would absolutely recommend to others”
– Liam McNeilis, Google Review
Knowledgeable and helpful trainers
“Big thank you! We learnt so much at puppy training and feel so much more confident with Diamond’s training. Our instructors were so knowledgeable and helpful!! We can see a massive improvement in Diamond and how much he listens to us since attending puppy school! I’m definitely going to look into the adolescent classes.”
– Sarah Mellalieu, Google Review