ABOUT THE TRAINERS

THE TRAINERS

All our trainers, assistants and support staff are signed up to,

and committed to be bound by, the CAWC Code of Practice .

Susan CLOSE

ADipCBM (Advanced Diploma Canine Behaviour Management)

Master Professional Dog Training Instructor (Guild of Dog Trainers)

SUSAN CLOSE has owned and trained dogs and horses since her teens. From 2004 she has focused on dog training and the analysis and modification of their behaviour. She is the owner, master trainer and behaviourist at The Dog Hub and specialises in risk reduction and community safety. She has achieved:

Advanced Diploma in Canine Behaviour Management (ADipCBM) with Distinction - making her a Canine Behaviourist (May 2015)
Master Professional Dog Training Instructor with the Guild of Dog Trainers - confirming her capability as a professional companion dog trainer
Certificate in Puppy Training with Distinction (October 2015)
Diploma in Canine Aggression with Distinction (March 2017)
Certificate in Canine Nutrition for Veterinary Nurses with Distinction (November 2017)
Diploma in Canine Communication with Distinction (April 2020)
Compassion Understood Pet Loss Care Support (July 2020)
Trainer for DOG A.I.D. (Assistance in Disability) (August 2020)
Certificate in Dogs and Children with Distinction (August 2021)
Executive Committee Member, The Registration Council for Dog Training and Behaviour Practitioners, Registration No RS16-C16.
Founder Member of iTD, National Register of Dog Trainers and Behaviourists
Contributor, APDAWG All-Party Parliamentary Dog Advisory Group

CPD includes:

Working with Autistic Clients (DogAID, 2021); Mental Health Awareness (DogAID, February 2022); DOGS & KIDS (Levine, May 2022); Chill Out - incorporating condition relaxation techniques into behavioural therapy (Pachel, April 2021); Our Dog Bit Our Toddler! HELP! (Dec 2021); Doglaw for Professionals: 3 part webinar course with Trevor Cooper (July 2023; March 2025).

Her training groups (puppy onwards) at THE DOG HUB aim to teach urban dogs and their owners how to cope with the many challenges of inner city life. The one-to-one problem solving arm of her practice expands on this: she is committed to rehabilitating dogs that struggle to cope with the stresses and strains of living in today's fast-moving world in dense and noisy metropolitan environments. All the training and support Susan offers is non-judgemental: "You can't change the past, but you can influence the future!" She believes that learning should be fun and that, because the activities learned should be fit for purpose, she offers each dog and its owners thoughtfully tailored training packages. The original head of the Status Dog Unit said of her that: "You can’t beat academic and experience and she has both in abundance".

Susan attends seminars and courses from the best dog training and behaviour practitioners in order keep her skills up to date. These cover topics such as aggression, nutrition, dogs and the law, and reactive dogs. She is DBS (disclosure and barring service) checked by Camden Council.

She has her own working support dog - The Cheidle - who she trained from puppy. Cheidle is a 5 year old female chocolate labrador.

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YARO NOVYCHENKO'S journey with The Dog Hub began nearly twelve years ago when she enrolled in classes with her Doberman puppy, Cleo. What started as a personal goal to raise a well-mannered and confident dog evolved into a focused commitment to understanding canine behaviour and communicating with dogs in ways they naturally understand. With over a decade of hands-on experience working with dogs of various breeds, backgrounds, and behavioural challenges, Yaro helps owners and their dogs achieve their goals by fostering relationships built on cooperation, mutual respect, and trust.

Her approach emphasises clarity, consistency, and practical application. Yaro aims to empower owners to confidently understand and guide their dogs, while encouraging dogs to think independently and make positive choices—skills that are especially important in a busy urban environment like London.

Committed to continuous learning, she regularly participates in team training sessions and independent study, embodying The Dog Hub’s philosophy: “We want to be better tomorrow than we are today.”

Yaro’s qualifications include:

· Compass Puppy Training Certificate with Distinction

· Compass Canine Nutrition for Veterinary Nurses with Distinction

· Compass Advanced Diploma in Applied Animal Behaviour (Canine) [in progress]

Grounded in science and compassion, Yaro focuses on delivering training that supports both dogs and their owners in building lasting, cooperative relationships.