Dog Friendly Sussex: Uckfield dog trainer named The Kennel Club Accredited Instructor of the Year

Jo Crawford was given the award as part of the Accredited Instructor Awards ceremony which took place at Crufts on Saturday, March 11.

The awards recognise inspirational dog training instructors who have made a positive difference to the lives of owners and their dogs.

Jo was nominated by family, friends and clients, in recognition of her work and her in-depth understanding of dog behaviour.

Jo is known for creating a positive and optimistic learning environment for both dogs and owners, and her methods go beyond teaching clients how to train their pets, but also how to truly understand them and build a stronger relationship.

As a former RSPCA Inspector, Jo is passionate about dog welfare and has always enjoyed training them, including her own English Springer Spaniels, called Tollo and Zephyr.

Jo began by studying behaviour and acquired a Distinction in her Level 3 and Level 5 Diplomas in Companion Animal Training and Behaviour (DipCABT).

She became a Kennel Club Accredited Instructor in 2020 and is a qualified instructor for Scentwork UK.

Speaking about her role as a Kennel Club Accredited Instructor, Jo said: “The Kennel Club is recognised throughout the world as being at the forefront of dog breeding and training and has engendered trust among the dog-owning population.

“As an educated, professional trainer of many years, I feel that in the advent of the recent boom in unqualified and uneducated ‘trainers’ it is really important for the public to be able to recognise and trust that the trainer they are working with has been properly educated, vetted and verified and is going to use positive, reward-based methods with their puppy or dog. The KCAI standards engender confidence in dog owners.”

Vanessa McAlpine, Crufts show manager, added: “Many congratulations to Jo for winning this prestigious title.

"Reading through the many positive nominations Jo received made it evident how she exemplifies the standards of The Kennel Club Accredited Instructor scheme.

"The Kennel Club is very thankful for the valuable work she continues to do to for both dogs and their owners."

Find out more about Jo’s work on her website: www.mydog-sussex.com.

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