Best Behaviour Dog Training

Best Behaviour Dog Training Dog Training & Behaviour - Ipswich, Martlesham, Stowmarket, Stowupland, Freston, Colchester, Barham, My life is dogs, dogs and more dogs!!!

www.bestbehaviourdogtraining.co.uk
Puppy & Dog Training in Ipswich, Martlesham, Woodbridge, Colchester, Clacton, Stowmarket, Stowupland. We offer training classes for puppies and dogs of all ages, size and breed. Our classes are available all year round and are progressive so whether you want a small amount of basic training or want your dog to be the best behaved pooch in the park I can help you.

Many owners have been coming to my classes for a number of years, because they enjoy socialising with other people and dogs, and dog training is an ever-changing discipline and there is always something new to learn. As a fully qualified and accredited instructor I do a lot of continued professional development to ensure I am the most up to date instructor in the area and can provide you with the best possible training. I work with a number of the countries top dog trainers and behaviourists and am always striving to make sure I provide the best experience for you and your dog. Dog Training & Behaviour - Fully qualified and accredited member of the IMDT, IMDTB & BVBA. Offering training classes, 121 training and behaviour consultations in Suffolk. Training is force free, fun and informal and available to everyone.Training is ideal if you want to improve your dogs obedience, spend time with your dog, give your dog mental stimulation. If you want the best behaved pooch in the park Best Behaviour Dog Training can help you. Behaviour consultations are designed to help dogs with problem behaviours such as Separation anxiety, Aggression, Compulsive behaviours, Barking and much more. I am a fully qualified independently accredited trainer & behaviourist, having studied for a number of years earning OCN qualifications via the Institute of Modern Dog Trainers (IMDT) and the Institute of Modern Dog Trainers and Behaviourists (IMDTB). I am passionate about dogs and work tirelessly to ensure owners and their best friends get the best possible support and advice. I pride myself on offering current, up to date knowledge by continously attending specialist training seminars and practical sessions. I train using modern force free science based teaching methods where I follow a strict code of conduct and am regulated by Ofqual and the QAA. I love working with amazing dogs and owners who truly want to enjoy their lives together. Best Behaviour Dog Training offers 121 training, puppy classes, adult dog training classes, agility, flyball, behaviour consultations for problem behaviours and much more. I cover Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds, Stowmarket, Colchester, Diss, Eye, Felixstowe, Sudbury, Hadleigh, Needham Market, Claydon, Buxhall, Onehouse

💥 Fireworks & Empathy 💥I’ve seen a few posts recently on local groups where people proudly share videos of dogs who are ...
08/11/2025

💥 Fireworks & Empathy 💥
I’ve seen a few posts recently on local groups where people proudly share videos of dogs who are “desensitised” to fireworks — often with comments like “you just need to put the work in” or “it’s all about training properly.”
As a qualified, accredited behaviourist who has spent years helping dogs with noise sensitivities and fear-related behaviours, I want to gently say — it’s not that simple.

Yes, training and preparation absolutely help. But fear of fireworks isn’t a sign of a dog who hasn’t been “trained enough.” It’s a complex emotional response involving genetics, previous experiences, and even medical factors like pain or anxiety disorders.

These kinds of posts can unintentionally make loving owners feel guilty or ashamed when their dogs are terrified — and that’s not fair. Every dog is an individual, and some will always need a little extra support, patience, and compassion.

So if your dog shakes, hides, or trembles at loud bangs — please don’t feel you’ve failed. You haven’t. You’re caring, you’re listening, and that’s what matters most. ❤️
With the right behavioural support and guidance, fear can often be reduced and managed — but it’s never about “just putting in the work.” It’s about understanding, empathy, and science-led support.

🐾
Zoe Willingham
Accredited Behaviourist | Best Behaviour Dog Training

Another beautiful day at Millie’s Meadow Dog School. Well done to Spoon, Hettie, Henry, Hugo, Moby, Lewis, Rosie.Today i...
08/11/2025

Another beautiful day at Millie’s Meadow Dog School. Well done to Spoon, Hettie, Henry, Hugo, Moby, Lewis, Rosie.

Today in class we worked on core skills like rapid recalls, teaching the dogs in multiple ways to suit their learning styles,
As well as social greetings, good doggy etiquette, tricks to build confidence and muscle tone, (Henry pictured being utterly cute with his mum doing Beg) and steadiness in static positions.

So much to learn and develop and is why our classes are ongoing and progressive so dogs and pups are supported for life.
Link to book in comments

🌟 Our Door Is Always Open 🌟One of the things we love most at Best Behaviour Dog Training is hearing from owners we helpe...
08/11/2025

🌟 Our Door Is Always Open 🌟

One of the things we love most at Best Behaviour Dog Training is hearing from owners we helped years ago — sometimes they’re back with a brand new puppy, and other times it’s an old friend who needs a little extra help with a behavioural hiccup later in life. 🐾

If you didn’t already know, we also have a wonderful community of like-minded dog owners where you can ask questions, share experiences, and get advice between classes. It’s a supportive space built on kindness, trust and a shared love of learning. 💬💛

But most importantly — our door is always open. Whether you trained with us 15 years ago, 5 years ago, or are brand new to Best Behaviour, we’re here for you and your dog.
Over the years, our experience, knowledge, and qualifications have only grown, and so has our passion for helping dogs and their people live their very best lives. We’re always learning, always developing, and always here to support you.
🐶💚
Zoe Willingham
Founder & Behaviourist, Best Behaviour Dog Training

🌪️ From Chaos… to Calm 🧘‍♀️Does your dog struggle to switch off, focus, or just breathe? You’re not alone — and we’ve go...
07/11/2025

🌪️ From Chaos… to Calm 🧘‍♀️
Does your dog struggle to switch off, focus, or just breathe? You’re not alone — and we’ve got the perfect course for you!

✨ Introducing Chaos to Calm ✨

A 2-week course at our beautiful Millie’s Meadow in Barham, Ipswich 🌿
This isn’t your average training class — it’s a journey towards peace and balance for you and your dog.
Here’s what we’ll explore together:
🐾 Shaping & Clicker Training for focus
🧘‍♀️ Yoga & Stillness training for calm
🌸 Scent to Calm & Train
💆‍♂️ Massage & De-escalation
💫 Mindful connection and emotional balance

Taught by qualified behaviourist Zoe Willingham, this course blends science, compassion, and experience to help even the most excitable or anxious dogs find their inner calm.
📍 Millie’s Meadow, Barham (just minutes from Ipswich, Stowmarket & Colchester)
🎓 Small groups • Expert support • Real-life results

Ready to turn chaos into calm?
👉 Book your space today — your dog (and your sanity) will thank you! - link in comments

06/11/2025

Massive well done to Buddy, Bonny, Dottie, Bertie, Bailey, Biscuit and Lemmy tonight. You all had different goals and smashed them all tonight. 🙌

We really upped the distractions by changing positions and contexts while keeping amazing focus when on the lead. Well done all you should be super proud just a few weeks into some of your training and the results are fantastic.

Not to forget your superb settles, so your pub ready, doggy gymnastics and impulse control games. 🌟

🐾 NEW TERM: Fun Gundog Training at Millie’s Meadow, Barham! 🦆✨If you’ve ever wanted to teach your dog those amazing Gund...
06/11/2025

🐾 NEW TERM: Fun Gundog Training at Millie’s Meadow, Barham! 🦆✨

If you’ve ever wanted to teach your dog those amazing Gundog skills — recall, retrieve, whistle work, steadiness and focus — this is the class for you!
Set in our stunning 5-acre purpose-built training meadow surrounded by 100 acres of ancient woodland in Barham (just minutes from Ipswich, Stowmarket & Colchester), this course is designed for ALL breeds and ALL experience levels.

Over 6 weeks you’ll learn:
🎯 Placeboard training
🎯 Heelwork (on and off lead)
🎯 Retrieve
🎯 Recall & whistle cues
🎯 Directional control
🎯 Impulse control
🎯 Focus and calm under distraction
…and loads more!

Whether you want to train for fun or start your Gundog journey seriously, this course builds focus, control, and confidence while strengthening your bond with your dog. 🐶💪
✅ Taught by a qualified behaviourist — meaning you get expert eyes on your training, not just instructions.
✅ Beautiful, fully enclosed training field — no mud, no stress, just pure learning fun.
✅ Small class sizes for personal attention.

📅 6-week term
📍 Millie’s Meadow, Sandy Lane, Barham, Ipswich, IP6 0PB
🎒 Bring your whistle (Acme 210.5), dummy or toy, treat bag, long line and your best training treats!
Spaces are limited — these courses fill fast every term!
👉 Booking link in comments and let’s make your dog’s training truly shine! ✨

🐾 When Tragedy Strikes: What Every Dog Owner Needs to Know 🐾Every time we hear about a serious dog attack — especially i...
06/11/2025

🐾 When Tragedy Strikes: What Every Dog Owner Needs to Know 🐾

Every time we hear about a serious dog attack — especially involving a child — our hearts break.
This post isn’t about one breed or one situation. It’s about understanding how such tragic incidents can happen, often without warning, and what we can learn to help prevent them in the future.

💔 First and foremost: No matter how gentle or loving your dog is,
👉 children and dogs should never be left unsupervised together.
It takes only a second for an innocent movement, squeal, or toy grab to trigger a reaction. Sadly, fatalities have occurred from toy breeds to giant breeds — size or type doesn’t equal safety.

🐶 So what really causes a dog to “snap”?
It’s rarely out of nowhere. More often, it’s the result of trigger stacking — when small stresses build up over time until the dog reaches emotional overload.

➡️ For example, fireworks, pain, changes in routine, or household tension can all increase stress hormones.
➡️ If a dog already suffers from noise sensitivity or fear, this can heighten alertness, reactivity, and even prey drive.
➡️ Add one more trigger — like a sudden noise or movement from a child — and a dog that was barely coping can suddenly react with catastrophic results.

🧠 Studies from researchers such as Professor Daniel Mills and colleagues at the University of Lincoln have shown a strong link between pain and noise sensitivity in dogs. A dog reacting to sound may actually be responding to discomfort or chronic stress, not just fear. Understanding this helps us see that many so-called “bad” behaviours stem from distress, not defiance.

💡 What can we all do as responsible dog owners?
Never leave dogs and children unsupervised — ever.
Watch for subtle signs of stress: lip licking, yawning, turning away, or stiffening.
Seek veterinary help if you suspect pain or sensitivity.

Work with a qualified behaviourist to build emotional resilience and reduce anxiety.
Prioritise rest, predictability, and positive training — calm brains make safe dogs.

These tragedies are preventable. Let’s honour the victims by learning from them, understanding our dogs more deeply, and spreading awareness — because knowledge truly can save lives.
🐾
— Zoe Willingham, Dog Behaviourist & Founder
Best Behaviour Dog Training
Helping dogs and families live safely, happily, and harmoniously.

Contact me at [email protected] if you need help with your dog around children

🎆🔥 Let’s Talk Fireworks — But Not the Way You Think… 🔥🎆Every year, social media fills up with the same fireworks advice ...
05/11/2025

🎆🔥 Let’s Talk Fireworks — But Not the Way You Think… 🔥🎆

Every year, social media fills up with the same fireworks advice — close your curtains, play some music, give your dog a chew.
Helpful? Sure.

But this year at Best Behaviour Dog Training, we’re looking at the bigger picture 🧠🐾
Because fireworks are only one piece of a much larger puzzle that our dogs face at this time of year.

🍂 It starts with the clocks changing.
When our schedules shift, so do our dogs’. Their circadian rhythms — that internal body clock regulating sleep, hormones, and mood — get disrupted too. Suddenly, meal times, walks, and rest periods feel “off”, creating a subtle undercurrent of stress before a single bang even sounds.

💥 Then come the fireworks.
A deluge of unpredictable, high-volume bangs that trigger surges of adrenaline and cortisol — the body’s stress chemicals. Even dogs that seem “fine” are often hyper-alert, scanning for the next noise.

🎯 Trigger stacking is real.
It’s rarely just the fireworks that cause the meltdown — it’s the build-up.
A disturbed routine, darker evenings, weather changes, and those bangs all stack together until your dog’s stress bucket overflows.

🐕‍🦺 And here’s a really important point:
Every year, dogs go missing during and after fireworks season — many bolt during walks or garden breaks because of trigger stacking and sudden fear reactions.
👉 Keep flighty or anxious dogs on lead, even in familiar areas, and ensure your garden is secure. Prevention truly is better than heartbreak.

💛 So what can we do to help them?
Keep routines as consistent as possible.
Create safe spaces where your dog chooses to go, not where they’re shut away.
Offer gentle enrichment like scent work or lick mats to promote calm.
Stay observant for subtle stress signs — yawning, pacing, panting, seeking comfort, or hiding.
Be their calm anchor — your presence matters more than you realise.
This time of year is tough for dogs, but when we understand the science behind what’s happening inside their minds and bodies, we can support them far better 💚

🐾 Want to help your dog build confidence and resilience all year round?
Join our next behaviour and training sessions — designed by a qualified behaviourist to help dogs not just survive the season, but thrive.

👉 LINK IN COMMENTS
— Zoe Willingham, Dog Behaviourist & Founder
Best Behaviour Dog Training

04/11/2025

🚀🐾 Why Everyone’s Talking About Our Dog Training Classes! 🐾🚀

From Bury St Edmunds to Woodbridge, Stowmarket to Ipswich, and even Colchester — our convenient locations are easy to reach from everywhere allowing you to join our award-winning dog training classes… and here’s why 👇

⭐ We’re not just trainers — we’re behaviourists.
Every class is designed and led by a qualified behaviourist, meaning your dog isn’t just learning commands — they’re learning life skills that actually work in the real world.

🏆 Award-winning for over a decade.
We’ve been rated number one in the Top 3 Dog Trainers in Ipswich year after year, with a perfect 100% inspection score. Excellence isn’t an accident — it’s what we do every day.

🌳 Purpose-designed venues you’ll love.
No more muddy fields or flooded spaces!
Train at our fully enclosed, secure venues including Millie’s Meadow in Barham, with indoor and outdoor training areas — safe, accessible, and easy to get to.

🐶 Training for every dog, every need.
From puppies learning the ropes to older dogs needing refreshers or behavioural support — we’ve got a structured, science-backed class for every stage of your dog’s journey.

💛 Join the difference.
When you train with Best Behaviour Dog Training, you’re not just joining a class — you’re joining a community built on passion, experience, and genuine care for you and your dog.

📍 Spaces available now in Ipswich, Barham, Great Blakenham, and Stowupland
🎓 Puppy, adult, and advanced training levels
🐾 Book today — and see why people travel from all over Suffolk and Essex to train with us
👉 Link to book in comments

— Zoe Willingham, Founder & Behaviourist, Best Behaviour Dog Training

03/11/2025

🎯🐾 Why Your Dog Stops Listening (and How to Fix It!) 🐾🎯

I see it all the time — owners repeating cues over and over…
“Sit… sit… SIT!” 😅
Or their dog’s name on loop like a stuck record — and the dog just stands there, ears off, completely tuned out.

But here’s the truth 👇
Your dog isn’t being “stubborn” or “naughty” — they’re just smart.
They’ve done the maths. 🧮
Think of your dog’s brain like a training bank account.
Every time you reward a behaviour, you’re making a deposit. 💰
Every time you repeat a cue without reward, you’re making a withdrawal. 😬
So let’s say you’ve asked your dog to sit 100 times but only rewarded it 30 times…
Your dog’s “account” tells them the odds of payout are low.

So why “work for free” when they could go self-employed — chasing smells, saying hi to other dogs, or rewarding themselves elsewhere? 🐕💨
This is why “nagging” without proper reward and repetition doesn’t work.

Without consistent reinforcement, your dog’s brain doesn’t build that automatic pathway that makes responding second nature.
And that’s where so many reward-based trainers go wrong — it’s not just about being positive, it’s about being strategic.
✅ Here’s how to fix it:
1️⃣ Stick to a structured training plan — like our Progressive Classes, which are designed using real science on how dogs learn.
2️⃣ Be consistent — reward generously every time while your dog is learning.
3️⃣ Test your dog!

Try these three scenarios:
🏠 At home
🌳 In the park
🚶 On a walk

Say your dog’s name once — do they respond like lightning or ignore you?
⚡If not, don’t worry — try our Reflex to Name exercise this week to boost your training power!
Remember — every time you train, you’re making a deposit in your dog’s learning bank. The more you invest now, the more reliable your dog becomes later. 💛Booking link in comments

👉 Want to learn how to make your training pay off?
Join our Progressive Training Classes and turn “selective hearing” into instant focus!

— Zoe, Best Behaviour Dog Training 🐾

🐾✨ Why We Train — And Why It’s So Personal ✨🐾Every dog that joins our classes comes with their own story — and every own...
02/11/2025

🐾✨ Why We Train — And Why It’s So Personal ✨🐾

Every dog that joins our classes comes with their own story — and every owner comes with their own why. 💛
Some come to build confidence with a new puppy 🐶, others want calm, controlled walks 🚶‍♀️, and some just dream of a happy, balanced life together 🏡. Then there are those who’ve had a tough start — rescues, reactive dogs, anxious pups — all looking for understanding, not judgment.

At Best Behaviour Dog Training, we know training isn’t one-size-fits-all. Every dog is an individual, and every owner’s journey is unique. That’s why your classes aren’t just about learning “sit,” “stay,” or “heel.” They’re about creating real-life change — for both ends of the lead. 💫

With a qualified behaviourist (that’s me, Zoe 🐾) leading every session, you don’t just get training — you get true behavioural support. You’ll learn why your dog does what they do, how to prevent problems before they start, and how to overcome any bumps along the way with calm confidence.

Because when you understand your dog, everything gets easier. Communication becomes clearer, trust deepens, and life together becomes even more rewarding. ❤️
So, whether your reason for training is peace of mind, confidence, control, or connection — your journey matters to us. And we’ll be with you, every step of the way.

🌟 Training with heart. Guidance with knowledge. Support for life. 🌟
— Zoe, Best Behaviour Dog Training 🐾

We get all the family involved in the training classes! Waffle and Pug Noodle are busy setting up for the next class at ...
01/11/2025

We get all the family involved in the training classes! Waffle and Pug Noodle are busy setting up for the next class at dog school - Ipswich Barham 🙌❤️

Address

Bourne Hill
Ipswich
IP28NQ

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 8pm
Tuesday 8am - 8pm
Wednesday 8am - 8pm
Thursday 8am - 8pm
Friday 8am - 8pm
Saturday 8am - 4pm
Sunday 8am - 12pm

Telephone

+447590299254

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Best Behaviour Dog Training posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Best Behaviour Dog Training:

Shortcuts

Share

Category