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 just wanted to thank you and your team for looking after Otis it’s amazing work you do. I was so anxious to find anywhere in the Southwest who would look after a reactive dog whilst we were away for the week, as soon as I rang you, you gave me the confidence straight away that you have dealt with many dogs like ours and I felt such a relief! After seeing updates on Facebook and also being informed he was doing fine I was able to relax when we were away. I am truly thankful and would not hesitate to recommend you to anyone and return ourselves again. Thank you again.” Emma Jasper.
“Cheddar was reactive to just about everything and after rescuing him at 1 years old we had tried multiple dog trainers, vets, veterinary behaviourists and were getting nowhere. No one could fully understand what was wrong with Cheddar and we were told he couldn’t cope with life and euthanasia was recommended more than once, but the Cheddar we could see at home was not who the world saw and we knew he deserved all the help he could get. Countless months of searching the internet we came across Joy and CBRC and after a phone call with Joy she was the first person to ever say yes I think we can help. We are at the very start of our rehabilitation journey with Cheddar and he has recently returned home from a 5 week stay in Devon but the change in him has been significant. He now has the correct medication to allow him to experience life off fight or flight mode and coping mechanisms in place to bring him back down when life gets a bit much. We definitely have a long journey ahead but the work Joy has put in so far has made a huge difference to our lives and we cannot thank her enough. The support since we’ve gotten home has been nothing short of amazing and we know she is always at the other end of the phone if we need her. We will never lead a normal life with cheddar and he will live in a manufactured world where we control what he is exposed to but he is an extremely happy boy and without Joy and CBRC I truly believe he wouldn’t be here. Owning a reactive dog is one of the most difficult and isolating things that not many people understand but it is also the most rewarding when you see a change in them, and knowing that someone is there for help, support and respite when life takes you away is just what’s needed. That’s exactly what CBRC are there for and we truly cannot thank Joy enough for everything she’s done so far and would strongly recommend CBRC to anyone who is struggling.”
“Nobody understands our dog like Joy Keys. Dany is a Romanian rescue who is fear reactive. Since having him we have struggled to find a kennels who would take him due to his behaviour. We have had no success with any trainer we have tried (and we have tried many.) but Joy knows exactly how to handle our boy and keep him safe. Dany spent 6 weeks in board and train with Joy and came back calmer on walks and more able to cope with people he meets. I have been able to stand and talk to people in the street with Dany quietly sitting by my side, something I wasn’t able to do before. Dany is still not an easy dog, but he has become more manageable. We can go away on holiday knowing that Dany has the best care whilst we are away. I wouldn’t trust anyone other than Joy with my boy. She is wonderful with dogs and has their best interests at heart. She is truly a dog’s best friend.”
“Our dog Bella has problems with reactivity towards people and other dogs. We’d tried so many methods with her.
I read about Joy and organised a 6 week stay. During her stay, Bella was calm, she mingled with other people (mainly in the kitchen) and became more calm around other dogs. Bella even cried when we picked her up to go home. Joy is so good with her that we call Joy Bella’s foster Mum.
Bella has stayed several more times since and Joy has been supporting us with on going training and care to work on Bella’s reactivity (Bella can now be around 2 of our 3 cats, which she couldn’t do before).
Very much recommended and we’re happy to have found a place that supports us and Bella is happy to be there.” Graidi Taylor Rose.
“I’ve had the pleasure of knowing and working with Joy Keys for over a decade. Her ability to handle reactive dogs is truly unparalleled. Joy’s compassionate approach, combined with her commitment to positive, force-free methods, has transformed countless dogs’ lives. She excels in the dog training and rescue industry, working with dogs many trainers would avoid. Her dedication and skill make her an invaluable asset, and I wholeheartedly recommend her.” Allan Todd. Dogs Aloud
“We have been so pleased with all the help and support that we have received. Marni’s behaviour has significantly improved since her boarding stays and, with the ongoing telephone support that we receive, we feel better able to cope with her. Now, both her and us have a better life. Our heartfelt thanks go out to Joy and the team.”
“We found Joy and the Team when we went through difficult times. House move, noisy building works and a frail and confused other dog in the household, left us all very much on edge and our GSD, Connie, became dog reactive, leading to neighbourhood bullying. When we had to make the painful decision to let our other dog pass over the rainbow, we sent Connie over to CRBC for a two-month residential. It helped us all to de-stress, re-set and cope with our loss. Since Connie has been back, we have had weekly catch-ups with Joy. Talking over the week’s events and setting small tasks has helped me regain my confidence and accepting my dog’s needs. No matter how stressful and exhausting it is to walk her, we are rewarded with the most wonderful dog in our home. This wouldn’t have been possible without the ongoing support of Joy and CRBC. I know, she’s always at the other end of the line and there’s always a space for Connie to train/board. Connie GSD.”
“Before I found Joy Keys and the team at Birkett-Smith I had used other so-called ‘specialist behaviour facilities’ across the UK with no success.”
“We have used Joy and her team on many occasions for dogs who we have been unable to rehabilitate using our own behaviour team. These dogs have had a series of issues from aggression, unpredictability, and being completely shut down. Every single dog we have sent to Joy has been able to be rehomed after they have come back to us – including several where we never thought it was possible. The team are incredibly committed to the dogs and will always try to help if they are able – even at short notice if it is an emergency. They are honest and reliable. They go way above and beyond the call of duty and we would never send our dogs anywhere else for rehabilitation. Joy in particular is a star – always on hand to help dogs who have no other hope. She’s an angel.” Rachael O’Regan. Founder The Responsible Dog Rescue C.I.C
“We adopted Milo after being told he ‘just needed some love’, it quickly became clear that the truth was somewhat different. He’s a very complex boy who struggles to understand the world in ‘normal’ ways and his behaviour can be unpredictable and extreme. Although some trainers and behaviourists made small gains, we could not continue with him so, with much desperation and bleak hope for his future, we contacted Joy and her team for help. After spending a few months at CBRC, Milo returned a completely changed dog. He is able to cope with the world in a restricted but manageable way, giving us the chance to be a family. He will always be a work in progress but with the ongoing support of CBRC, his future is looking bright. So thank you Joy and team, you literally saved Milo’s life.”
“Just to say how pleased we have been with the service and aftercare provided by CBCR ltd. We were worried about a few things when we dropped our dog off but we needn’t have been. Firstly you came out to meet us and put our reactive dog and us at ease. You made sure he felt settled which included you providing him with home cooked tasty food. You kept us up to date through messages and the diaries. He learnt such a lot during his stay and since he came home with the ongoing after care. He’s so much calmer, happier and confident which has helped us to experience the same emotions. We do need to reinforce and build on the skills he learnt from yourselves and sometimes it’s not been easy but you’ve always been there with support and I’m so glad we found you.”
“Our charity has worked with Joy several times now with a few different dogs who had many different needs.
Joy has always been responsive and supportive. Joy has definitely helped us out of a couple of situations last minute as well.
We would recommend any charity using Joy’s services if they have challenging dogs. She has turned a couple of dogs around now for us and her knowledge and insight has helped us to make decisions about others.” Caroline Blower. Trustee Balkan Underdogs.
“My Bertie is a special boy we had been through some tough times and I believe this resulted in Bertie becoming reactive both to people and dogs. UK Boston Terrier rescue recommended Joy and helped Bertie get a place with her. TBH it was along 3 months the weekly updates were always a highlight and the pictures of how he’s doing.
He returned home with coping skills I see him looking away and sniffing telling other dogs he doesn’t want to interact (they don’t always take notice of this).
With space he can walk past other dogs and he’s fine walking past people.
With new people a slow introduction is essential and if people ignore him he’s fine. He now has lots more people on his friends list, including his vet.
Joy gave Bert confidence and Joy gives me even now years later on going support.
I love getting a heart (emoji) from Joy when I let her know of Bert’s achievements. Reactivity is a long journey there aren’t any quick fixes.
I wouldn’t hesitate to send Bert to visit Joy for a ‘Top Up’ and would definitely recommend her to anyone struggling with their dog’s behaviour…Bertie Boston.”
“After an incident and years of trying to manage Murphy’s reactivity to strangers and dogs we felt our only option was to check Murphy in for rehab. I had been following CBRC for many years so knew about all the good work they did. Murphy was away from us for 7 weeks which was really tough but it was one of the best things we could have done for him. It acted as a reset for him and us and things are so much better now. I’m no longer filled with dread on our walks waiting for him to react. Murphy and I now have the skills to deal with most situations without causing him stress. He’ll never like strangers but we manage it much better than before and he’s a much happier boy! We love that we can check Murphy in for boarding when we go on holiday too!… Murphy Boston.”
“We have recently had to put our girl in the capable hands of joy and her team. Our Winnie is reactive aggressive and has a significant bite history and we tried behaviourists and medication but still were not winning. Before Christmas we had an incident that we had to make the choice between euthanasia or rehab. We chose rehab and our journey with joy began. Having put Winnie with joy we started the task or learning and retraining our other dogs on how to behave . Resetting rules we hadn’t realised we had lost. During Winnie’s stay we had remote sessions and we began to understand the owners we had become and how to improve in order to take back control. I was a bit of a wreck but joy gave me a no nonsense reality check and a path which will change how we interact with our dogs for the better!!!!. Winnie has been home for 3 weeks and we have has some teething issues ( mainly me lol.. sometimes also Winnie!) but we are learning – we are recognising the triggers better and Winnie is becoming more relaxed as a result. We still sometimes defer to past behaviour but joy has relentlessly been available during these times when we needed her. She also allowing us to continue to learn with her guidance. Winnie for sure will always be a challenge but we are with joys help and guidance forging a path forward towards a safer environment for us all. I could not recommend her enough … Winnie.”
“My dog Geoffrey is a rescue dog from the streets of Bosnia. He is a very nervous boy which results in fear aggression with unknown dogs and people. I was finding it difficult to handle him, but since sending Geoff to CBRE, Joy and the amazing team have worked really hard and Geoff is so much better than he was. Geoff went for an initial behavioural stay and since then he regularly goes back for boarding when I am away for work. He is better on the lead, becoming less and less reactive and his confidence has grown. I couldn’t have got to where we are right now without the amazing care and expertise of Joy and all at CBRE! I couldn’t recommend them enough!”
“We adopted Emi from Tenerife nearly a year ago. The shelter told us that he was dog reactive and we were ready to work this with him. We used to have more bad than good days and since we stayed with Joy for boarding he started showing great improvements towards other dogs. He still occasionally reacts to other dogs but we think Joy has had a crucial impact on him. We really appreciate all of her hard work and we will be counting with her moving forwards. We really recommend CBRC to anyone struggling with their dogs reactivity!”
“We were in desperate need of some professional help with our reactive border collie. Due to a change in our work/life balance our BC was developing issues. A lovable boy but he was beginning to be quite demanding at home and reactive to other dogs and cars while out and about that our life had become so insular, upsetting and having to take him to private dog parks was costly and time consuming. Thanks to a rehabilitation stay at CBRC, some boarding with top up rehab during those stays and weekly check in/advice phone calls afterwards, our boy has been so much calmer at home and life has become brighter again. I can’t thank Joy and her team enough. We can now look to rehome him safe in the knowledge that with the right owner he will be a fantastic companion. Thank you so much Joy (and team) we appreciate everything you have done for us. Don’t hesitate in calling CBRC for help, it’ll be the best thing you do. Teddy Bear Collie.”
“Nobody understands our dog like Joy Keys. Dany is a Romanian rescue who is fear reactive. Since having him we have struggled to find a kennels who would take him due to his behaviour. We have had no success with any trainer we have tried (and we have tried many.) but Joy knows exactly how to handle our boy and keep him safe. Dany spent 6 weeks in board and train with Joy and came back calmer on walks and more able to cope with people he meets. I have been able to stand and talk to people in the street with Dany quietly sitting by my side, something I wasn’t able to do before. Dany is still not an easy dog, but he has become more manageable. We can go away on holiday knowing that Dany has the best care whilst we are away. I wouldn’t trust anyone other than Joy with my boy. She is wonderful with dogs and has their best interests at heart. She is truly a dog’s best friend.”
“Joy has been such a key support network for our Optimus and family! Our husky/german shepherd is a firecracker but Joy has been so attentive and a great leader in helping us understand Optimus better and feel more confident on how we meet his needs which just made our family time so much more enjoyable and safe. It is reassuring to know Joy is just one call away and that Optimus is in good hands when we are away and has such an amazing experienced professional by his side who is always ready to guide us in the right direction. Thank you so much Joy, we really appreciate all your help and teachings! With love, Optimus’ family.” Alexandra Luz.
“Our rescued GSD Bailey was becoming increasingly reactive, despite all the trainers and vets and behaviourists we engaged. After 30 years of rescuing large black and tans, we didn’t understand why we couldn’t sort him out, and it looked as though euthanasia was the only option as he became increasingly dangerous to any strangers or dogs that he met. Fortunately, we found Joy and the team, and Bailey went to her for a two month assessment. Over the last 3 years she has slowly taught us to handle and love Bailey despite all his complexities. He now has the right medication and home environment to enable him to live a calm and happy life. Whilst he’s never going to be a neurotypical dog, we can now cope well on a daily basis. If we need some respite, he comes back to Joy for a holiday, she continues to work with him, and his capabilities continue to improve.
Joy undoubtedly saved Bailey’s life, and her continued care and flexibility round his respite enable us to keep going with him. We are more grateful than we can say and would heartily recommend Joy and CBRC to anyone.”
“We can’t recommend Joy and CBRC highly enough! We took our German Shepherd, Kaila, and our Border Collie, Karma, to Joy after a serious incident where Karma attacked Kaila for pushing her limits, which unfortunately also left me with two broken fingers and damaged tendons. The original plan was for both dogs to stay until I recovered from surgery, but after Joy’s careful assessment, we brought Karma home as planned and, on her advice, left Kaila in Joy’s care for longer to work on her intense and chaotic behaviour. The results have been nothing short of incredible. We got back a completely transformed dog—still playful and full of life but now calm, respectful of boundaries, much more focused, and visibly happier. Kaila was also highly reactive to other dogs, and we’re amazed that we can now walk her confidently without her barking or baring her teeth at every dog that passes. Our home dynamic feels so much lighter and happier. Although Kaila and Karma are now kept separate (as Joy advised), both dogs are thriving—Karma is back to her balanced, funny self, and Kaila has become such a joy to be around. The overall quality of life has massively improved for everyone in the family. What stands out even more is that Joy continues to check in and support us regularly to make sure everything is going well. It’s clear how much she genuinely cares about every single dog she helps, and that level of commitment and kindness means the world to us. We are beyond grateful for her expertise and heart!” Giulia Federica Ferraro
“As a rescue, we have used CBRC for several years now, and we currently have dogs undergoing assessment and training at the centre. Joy and her team offer expertise in dog rehabilitation that, in our opinion, is unparalleled in the UK. They offer a compassionate approach and are not only knowledgeable but truly dedicated to the wellbeing of every dog they work with.
They take the time to understand the individual needs of each dog and develop a tailored training plan to address any specific behavioural issues that are identified as well as helping them to learn a range of important socialisation and day to day skills such as lead walking and interacting with humans and other dogs. The results speak for themselves, all of our dogs have made great progress and have been successful in their training which has given them skills and understanding they need to find forever homes. We can highly recommend CBRC to anyone seeking top-notch care and rehabilitation whether you are a rescue or as an individual client.” Second Chance Dog Rescue
“Milo has come such a long way since her stay with joy! We now have stress free walks where Milo is calm and collected, a happy home environment where Milo knows her place and has a great routine. She has confidence and is able to meet and socialise with other dogs and people without reacting. Joy is such an amazing person who truly cares about the dogs she takes into her care, her communication is fantastic and is always available when needed. She’ll always message to see how things are going even after a rehab stay! which really put my mind at ease.” Lauren Hudson.
“I can’t say enough good things about the entire training team at CBRC centre. My dog went in being very reactive towards other dogs. Over the period of time they reintroduced him to dogs with positive and reinforcing behaviour and he started to learn to become calm and relaxed when coming to unexpected dog situations. I can’t say how grateful I am for the team taking their time with my dog. Now I feel much calmer knowing the knowledge I have been given to help my dog out side of the kennels. Would 100 percent recommend and will be coming back in the future.” Lily Bond.
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
