1:1 Training
Dog training you can trust, with support tailored for every stage of life
Pre-Arrival
New puppies or rescues
Puppy
Up to 6 Months
Adolescent
6 - 18 Months
Adult
Older than 18 months
Choose your dog's age from the options above - not sure what would be most suitable? Book your FREE Discovery Call to speak with me today!
For new dogs of any age, puppies and rescues
Preparing For A New Dog, Pre-Arrival
Get your home, supplies, and routines ready for a smooth transition for both new puppies and adopted dogs.
Feel totally confident and prepared
We'll cover all of your initial questions, concerns, and I'll leave you feeling confident and ready to welcome your new arrival!
Get answers to all of your questions
The first session is the perfect opportunity to ask anything that you're not feeling sure of, and I'll support all of my answers with a post-session writeup.
Equipment, resources, and more
Get recommendations and advice on all the essential gear, adjustments for your home environment, and tools to help you to plan and organise everything.
up to 6 MONTHS • puppy
The Perfect Start
Everyone wants a well-behaved, friendly pup, but it can be hard to know where to start! Let me guide you each step of the way, with simple training exercises, tons of knowledge and resources, and everything tailored to suit you and your puppy.
Resolve common problems
Puppy biting, toilet training, separation stress, jumping up, barking, sleep issues, and more!
Train the core foundations
Get started early, with foundations for must-haves like recall, lead walking, and tons more!
Build essential life skills
Confidence, social skills, calmness, focus, and resilience are all skills we can teach and build!
6–18 MONTHS • ADOLESCENCE
Ace The
Teenage Phase
As your dog transitions from a playful puppy into their teenage months, you might notice changes in their behaviour, from 'selective hearing' to overexcited interactions, and even increased sensitivity around others. My adolescent training path is designed to rebuild focus, strengthen recall, and channel that enthusiasm into positive behaviors.
Build calm, focus, and connection
Did you know that calmness is a skill that you can teach? I can guide you through my tried and tested program designed for the adolescent brain!
Strengthen and improve existing skills
Your dog's learning isn't all lost in this phase, and I can help you to strengthen and maintain existing skills plus build up tons of new ones!
Confidently
manage changes
Learn about what's really going on with your dog during this phase, and follow my steps for navigating changes with ease.
1.5 years + • adult
Older dogs, New tricks
That whole thing about not being able to teach an old dog new tricks definitely doesn't fly here! Regardless of your dog's age, there's always room to improve their skillset. Training not only teaches important and polite life skills like recall and lead walking, it's a fantastic way to boost your bond and communication with your dog, to provide mental enrichment and activity to their day, and can bring a new lease of life to older dogs!
Improve bond and focus
Learn new ways to communicate with your dog, strengthen your relationship, and unlock a new level of focus on you, even in distracting places!
Build your dog's dream skills
Maybe your dog has been dragging you down the street for years, or you've always wanted a dog who would play fetch - whatever your goal, we can make it happen!
Work together, have fun!
Good training benefits both dog and owner, and adds a new layer of fun into your lives. We'll work on training in ways that won't feel like a chore, and your dog will enjoy just as much!
Meet The Trainer • Toby duncan imdt
Your Partner In
Progress
For me, training isn't all about commands and obedience; it's about building trust, communication, and working to benefit both you and your dog in all areas. With years of dedicated experience with dogs of all ages, stages, breeds, and personalities, I'm ready to get to work helping you to build the life you want to live with your dog!
Qualified member of the Institute of Modern Dog Trainers
Expert puppy instructor (EPPI)
Qualified to teach canine scentwork (DTC)
All of my training is completely fear and force free - suitable for the whole family
CLIENT feedback
Stories Of Success
"We were very happy with Toby’s service- we have never owned a dog before and he put at at ease, going above and beyond what we expected for our pre-puppy consultation. He was professional, friendly and informative and left us a 20 page document full of useful info and even followed up with an email with more info. We will definitely use his services again once our puppy arrives."
Benji's Mum
pre-arrival session client
"Toby is wonderful! Both with us and our puppy! Being first time dog owners he was the best thing that could have happened to us! He is very patient , very professional, very clear and so loving to our puppy! We feel more confident each day and are grateful to Toby for making that happen"
Juno's Mum
Puppy training client
"Toby was absolutely amazing!!With this being our first dog, we were so worried if we were doing anything right or wrong and the internet is littered with differing advice.Toby made everything seem so simple and didn’t just do the teaching for us, but he has given us the tools to train our dog ourselves.Will definitely be using Toby again!!"
Buddy's Dad
Adolescent dog training client
"If you are looking for a kind, patient, knowledgable & force-free trainer with bags of experience, then Toby Duncan is the man for you. It’s no exaggeration to say that it’s thanks to Toby, that our rescue boy is still with us today, and for that I will always be eternally grateful."
Archie's Mum
Adult dog training client
FREE DISCOVERY CALL
Start With A
Conversation
Every dog is unique, and so is my approach. Let's discuss your goals, understand your dog's needs, and map out the perfect training plan together—no pressure, just clear guidance.
No commitment required • 10-minute phone call
FAQs
How long is the free discovery call?
We'll chat for 5-10 minutes over the phone. It's a brief call that's designed to simply get the ball rolling, and to give you an opportunity to get my ear and ask about suitability, how the booking process works, how the training works, or anything else you'd like to know upfront!
When it comes to giving me more information about you, your dog, and any goals or issues, don't worry - you'll be able to fill me in in full detail once you've booked in.
Is my dog too old / too young to start training?
Nope, never! You'd be amazed at how much young puppies can learn, and the same goes for older dogs - learning, enrichment, and engagement with you are all fantastic elements to add to the life of any dog, regardless of age. I have options to suit all ages and stages of life, from puppy to adult dogs. If your dog has any age-related health issues then this is something that I can always accommodate for in my training plan!
What do your qualifications mean?
Check out my About page for more detailed information on my qualifications, experience, and practice - I'm always learning new skills and strive to earn new qualifications all the time! The key thing to know is that all of my training is rewards based - 100% fear and force free.
What is your availability?
At present, I'm bookable for training from 4-8pm, Monday to Friday.
When you purchase a training package or individual 1:1 session with me, you'll immediately be directed to my online scheduler to book your first session - there, you'll get to see all of my upcoming availability, and can choose the most convenient time for you.
To get a preview of how this looks, click one of the buttons above to book a free discovery call, and you'll see my calendar appear! (NB: The timings in that calendar will not be the same as timings available to train!)
What is your working area?
I'm available to work within a 30-minute driving radius of South Croydon (CR2). This includes all areas of Croydon, plus slightly further afield eg. Coulsdon, Warlingham, Sutton, and Beckenham.
If you're unsure about whether you're in my catchment area, please do feel free to book in your free Discovery Call - if your postcode isn't available from the dropdown menu when making your booking then that may mean you're too far away, however I'm happy to discuss this over the phone in our call. Simply choose the closest postcode available if this applies, and let me know when we're on the phone!
Can you help me with..?
If you've got a specific issue or training goal in mind, please do book in your call and let me know about it - that's the best way to check that I'm the trainer to help you! I can help with pretty much anything training-related, and am currently in the process of qualifying to offer behavioural services as well in future.
It's very rare that I have to turn anyone away, but rest assured that if I feel that I'm not the person to help you for any reason, I'll always refer you on directly to a trusted, qualified colleague.
Again, if you're struggling with an issue and you're not sure if you need the help of a trainer or a behaviourist instead, please do book in a call with me and I'll be happy to help you figure it out! The call is no-obligation and I'd rather get involved and forward you onto someone who can help than for anyone to be left struggling and unsure of where to find support.
What training methods do/don't you use?
I'm a dedicated fear and force free trainer, meaning that I only use ethical, science-backed rewards-based training methods which are fun and suitable for the whole family.
I never advocate for, advise, or teach any techniques that utilise punishment or aversion, nor do I train with, recommend, or encourage the use of any equipment that facilities this (eg. prong collars).
If you're not sure about any of these terms, or have questions about how rewards-based training works and whether it is truly effective, I'm always more than happy to talk through these topics with you - let's start by booking in your free 10 minute call, and we can always talk further from there. You can also find a page in the 'About' section that goes over how this type of training works!
I'm never going to judge you for methods employed past or present, so if you're uncertain as to whether your current practice falls into these categories please don't worry, we can discuss this and work together to make positive changes that will suit both you and your dog!
© 2025 Toby Duncan Dogs. All rights reserved.
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