At CBRC we work with both ends of the lead; the dog and the family, foster or rescue.
We specialise in the tough cases—dogs who are anxious, reactive, or have a history of trauma. Our work is about more than just training the dog; it’s about supporting you, the owner, with real empathy and practical advice. We never judge, and we never give up. Every dog and owner is unique, and every journey is valid. Sometimes, what you need most is someone who truly hears your story and understands the emotional side of living with a reactive dog. We believe in walking alongside you, not just telling you what to do and our programmes focus on: Building your confidence as much as your dog’s. Teaching practical management skills for real-life scenarios. Providing a safe, judgment-free space to share your struggles and celebrate your wins.
But don’t just take our word for it….listen to our clients….
“I’ve never left Chaos, my Rhodesian ridgeback anywhere other than home so when my brother arranged for his wedding take place in Devon I had no option but to put Chaos in a kennel. We tried standard kennels but he was extremely nervous and struggled to settle. I did some research online and came across CBRC, I called and spoke to Joy, who managed to accommodate the dates at short notice. On arrival at the kennels, we met Joy, she observed Chaos and offered helpful advice from the get go. We removed his muzzle and he went off quite happily. Throughout his stay, Joy provided us with pictures and updates. Since collecting and bringing him home he has been a lot less nervous/reactive. Would highly recommend. Thank you for the work you do.”
Annabel Lodge
“We can’t thank Joy and her team enough for all they have done for us. We were in a really difficult situation at home with Loki. However, Joy and her team have been fantastic throughout, giving great advice and providing a really safe environment for our boy, where he is settled and knows it’s his home from home for now.”
Ben Lewis Saunders
“We were overwhelmed by our young lad, he was extremely anxious and we couldn’t get him near people as he’d growl and snap. We searched for a rehabilitation spot for him and came across Joy. I’d heard of Joy in rescue circles. We booked him in for a 4 week stay initially as this fitted in with the boarding we needed for our son’s wedding. Arius then stayed an additional 3 weeks. We were kept up to date on the Facebook group. He bonded with Andy at the kennels.
When we brought him home, we kept in touch with Joy regularly and she helped us put a case forward to the vet for anxiety medication for him. We also worked with her with our other dog, who has always been nervous and scared of the outside world. Working in tangent with both dogs we have got to the point where we can go outside with them on walks. Things in the home have become calmer as we have followed her advice with regard to quiet time and crating. Routines have become paramount for all of us. Whilst he will never be a dog that can be handled by others we have the knowledge to avoid extra stress for him and us. We recently took both dogs for boarding with Joy and Andy, where we could take a break from routine and knew the dogs would be well looked after and safe. We will be booking again for later in the year. We actually live a fair distance (2.5hrs) but feel the journey and time taken is worth it. Thank you both.”
CJ Bond
“CBRC have been honestly amazing with our boy. He’s not great around people, he can be very reactive, so we’ve struggled to find a kennel that would even take him, especially with him being a big Cane Corso. The team at CBRC and especially Joy were patient and handled him exactly how he needed. They kept me updated with photos while he was there, which was a massive help. I honestly couldn’t recommend them enough!”
Krasamir Totev
“We are so lucky that we found Joy. She has an amazing rapport with troubled doggos, and our lovely (but impossible) collie boy who has so many issues seems to look forward to his stays at CBRC. He always comes back with an improvement in his behaviour and his anxiety. Joy and the team are an absolute god-send.”
Sophie Kira Douglas -Ross
“CBRC offers a lifeline for us, knowing that we can book Murphy in for boarding throughout the year and even through the Christmas period means we can visit family or go on holiday and know that our reactive dog is in very safe and knowledge hands. It takes away all the stress and we feel at ease knowing Murphy’s needs are being met. He is stranger reactive and has a very small inner circle of trust but loves his handlers Matt and Jess, and Joy is always available with advice and support when Murphy is back at home. We’ve checked Murphy in for rehab on two occasions now over the last few years and cannot fault how effective it is and the difference it makes.”
Sarah Palmer
“The family suffered a tragedy and needed help. Joy offered her wide expertise for my reactive German shepherd dog Sputnik. His stay at CBRC has made him much more confident and has also reset him. Joy truly understands dogs and continues to support us in a way that is encouraging and empathetic.”
Agata
“We’ve worked closely with Joy at Canine Behaviour Rehabilitation Centre on a number of occasions and can’t recommend her highly enough.
As a rescue, we often find ourselves needing placements at very short notice, and Joy has never hesitated to step in and help when we’ve needed it most. That level of reliability is invaluable to us.
The support she provides is exceptional. She works closely with every dog that comes into her care, taking the time to properly understand their individual needs and behaviours, no matter how complex the issues may be. It’s clear that a huge amount of time, effort and genuine dedication goes into the work she does.
We’ve seen first-hand the results she achieves. Dogs we’ve sent to Joy with significant behavioural challenges have made real progress under her care, going on to be successfully rehomed into the right homes, something that simply wouldn’t have been possible without her input.
We’re incredibly grateful to have her as part of our wider support network.”
Anne Robinson UKBTR (UK Boston Terrier Rescue)
“An amazing place with all the knowledge and love to help “awkward” or troubled dogs. Our boy has been to stay twice and each time we’ve seen an improvement in his behaviour and social skills.
I cannot recommend highly enough.
They may well be our collie’s life saver.”
Sophie Kira Douglas-Ross
“We had our reactive border collie stay for a few weeks last summer and we are still in touch with Joy now. Booking, the stay and aftercare are all great!”
Mark Tanner
“Since we’ve brought Gunnar home from his rehab stay, Joys regular check-ins are providing much needed and appreciated support as we continue working with Gunnar. It’s a relief to have someone in our corner who understands our struggles and can provide that support and reassurance. We’re really grateful to have found Joy and her team!”
Cammie Ryle
“I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending Joy and CBRC to any owner struggling with any issues with their dog. Highly recommend. I was put in touch with Joy at CBRC by the charity who were rehoming Ziggy. He was a very lively and challenging 21 month old Fox Red Lab when he went down to Devon. He had already had two homes before 16 months old. He arrived into CBRC ‘s care early January 2026. Joy was brilliant with weekly video updates on his progress. She worked hard on his ability to self regulate and live in a home. I collected a much calmer, more mature dog than I’d taken. He is now 7 weeks in and his true loving character is starting to shine.”
Sue Blaeford
“Brando’s Rehabilitation at CBRC
Background
Brando began rehabilitation with Joy and her team at CBRC early this year and spent nearly four months in their care. When he arrived, he presented a significant redirected bite risk due to severe reactivity towards other dogs, prams, and scooters. He had previously redirected a bite onto his former owner.
Training Approach
CBRC uses a force-free approach, working with each dog at a pace that suits them rather than applying unnecessary pressure. Brando was given time to learn and build confidence step by step. Only when he was comfortable at one level was the challenge gradually increased, such as being around more dogs. This thoughtful approach helped him learn while staying calm and able to cope.
Outcome
Brando left CBRC’s care at the end of April 2026 as a changed dog, far better equipped to cope with other dogs. He has even been able to spend time off lead with a female Dobermann. When she corrected him, he responded appropriately by backing off. We are incredibly proud of how far he has come. Thanks to Joy and her team, he can now live a less stressful life and enjoy the company of female canine friends.
Thank you to everyone at CBRC for everything you have done for Brando.”
Pauline Rose
“As a small rescue based in Cornwall, we absolutely love and respect CBRC and cannot recommend them highly enough.
We are often approached to help dogs with serious behavioural challenges, some of them only hours away from euthanasia. As a small rescue with hearts much bigger than our resources, we sometimes need expert help to give these dogs the very best chance and that is how we found Joy through a recommendation from another rescue.
Over the past two years, Joy has helped a number of our dogs, including some who had been deemed “unrehomeable”. Her work has been nothing short of amazing. To our absolute delight, several of these dogs have gone on to find wonderful homes after spending time with her. Others will join our sanctuary family, but in a far better emotional state and with a much brighter future ahead of them.
Every dog receives a detailed, honest and accurate assessment. Joy is refreshingly straightforward, yet always kind, compassionate and fair. Her rehabilitation work is entirely force-free and backed by an incredible depth of knowledge, experience and qualifications. We learn something every time we work with her.
What we also value enormously is that her support does not end when the dogs leave. Joy continues to offer invaluable guidance to both us and our adopters, and we are incredibly grateful for that ongoing commitment.
Joy has helped change the lives of some very special dogs who might otherwise never have had a chance. CBRC would always be our first choice and we are proud to recommend them to anyone looking for ethical, knowledgeable and effective behavioural rehabilitation.
With gratitude,”
The Paws2Freedom Team
“If you have a reactive or aggressive dog I would thoroughly recommend behaviourist Joy Keys and the CBRC. My GSD X is dog and person reactive. After spending a lot of money and effort I was badly let down by people who said they could help me. I was desperate. Joy knows exactly what is required to help both dog and owners. The training is hands on coupled with advice and support when needed. I am now so much more confident handling my boy; understanding his triggers and managing to keep his stress levels under control. At the CBRC you can even board your dog knowing it is in capable hands.”
Tricia Madge
“Finding Joy & her team is like winning the lottery!
Riff & Raff are brothers & will be 8 years old in a few days time, they are rescue boys that we adopted when they were 18 months old,
looking back maybe we shouldn’t have!! They absolutely adore humans & would want to lick the life out of you if you met them however
mixing with their own kind was not an option! On sight of another dog they would totally lose the plot!!!! We could never let them off their
leads, we did once on the beach & they tried to attack other dogs … our four lives were fairly miserable & Ken & I felt we could never go away
& leave them in kennels or with a house sitter….
I came across CBRC while Googling for a dog trainer & as luck would have it, it is only about a half hour drive from where we live.
We spoke with Joy then arranged a meet up, they went in for a two week stay for training then we had them home for two weeks & saw a vast improvement
in them but advised no walks until they had finished their training so off they trotted very happily for another two weeks. We were kept up to date with news
on their progress and with video’s on a regular basis.
We picked them up on Tuesday after Joy gave us a mini crash course on what we needed to do while out on walks (on a lead) with them. 48, hours on
& the difference is remarkable!! We will continue to take it step by step & at this stage will only let them off their leads when we are in a secured field.
Joy is going to call next week to see how her little ones (as she affectionately called them) are doing!
Ken & I & Riff & Raff cannot recommend CBRC enough. Joy & her team have been superb, we are four very happy bunnies !!! And we will
be back, either for more training or a boarding break.”
Caroline Ken & Riff & Raff Smith. x
If you need help with your dogs issues or require specialist boarding please do not hesitate to get in touch by calling us on: via the link here: CBRC
