A DOG trainer from near Whitchurch is celebrating after a third straight win at a prestigious awards ceremony.

Rachel Rodgers, 33, owns Nose to Trail and has scooped the Dog Trainer of the Year award for the third year running with the Corporate Livewire Prestige Awards.

Rachel, who founded the company based Combermere in Cheshire, picked up the award at a hotel in Darlington along with fellow award winners from the North of England.

She said that the award is down to the level of work the company has undertaken since the Covid-19 pandemic, allowing it to grow.

“Being able to expand and take on more staff allows Nose to Trail to support even more dogs in the local area and keep up with the ever-growing demand for behavioural support,” she said.

“During the pandemic the number of dogs being owned in the UK increased dramatically and sadly many of these dogs did not get the early training and life experiences they needed.

OTHER NEWS:

“This has resulted in clinical animal behaviourists like myself having an increased case load.

“Having a team of experienced trainers to implement my behaviour modification plans on the ground, face-to-face with clients will help us to help more local dogs.”

The company, which was set up in March 2020, has gone from strength-to-strength over the last few years to the point that Nose to Trail has now expanded taking on three rehabilitation dog trainers in Mell Powers, Vickie Barker and Han Billington to support dogs in the area.

Want to stay up to date with all the latest stories from Whitchurch and the surrounding area? Click here to sign up for our morning and daily email newsletters and click on the + for the 'Morning Briefing' and the 'Daily Catch-Up'.

Rachel added: “These qualified and experienced dog trainers will be working alongside me running the very sought-after Reducing Reactivity classes.

“These small group training sessions are run at another local dog-related business Unleashed at Wrenbury Hall Woods and allow owners of reactive dogs (dogs who bark, pull and lunge on the lead).

“It’s a safe place to practice their training without the risk of a pesky off-lead dog running over and undoing all their hard work – something many local dog owners can relate to.”

Nose to Trail will also be offering an incredible and unique new service, service training for veterinary care procedures (ear drops, eye drops, muzzle training, etc) by a registered veterinary nurse in the client’s homes.