Ryan Dillon BSc(hons) MSc PACT-KSA ABTC-ATI
Owner
Ryan is the owner of Oxfordshire Animal Behaviour and Training (OABT) and has worked with over 1,000 clients and their pets. Because of his enthusiastic and upbeat approach to teaching, he often leads the puppy classes which have gained popularity around Abingdon. Ryan also takes on behaviour consultation cases with Charlotte, runs OABT’s behaviour rehab training sessions and produces tutorial videos and handouts for clients. His empathetic and supportive approach makes Ryan popular amongst his clients.
Ryan is a qualified dog trainer with the Professional Association of Canine Trainers (PACT) and a recognised animal training instructor with the Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC). He is currently recognised as a pre-certified clinical animal behaviourist with the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASAB) and a candidate member of the Fellowship of Animal Behaviour Clinicians. He is working towards full membership of both organisations (certified clinical animal behaviourist and full member, respectively).
Ryan earned a distinction in the BSc(hons) Animal Behaviour and Welfare degree at Oxford Brookes University in 2019 and a distinction in the Clinical Animal Behaviour Master’s degree at the University of Lincoln in 2020. He plans to start a PhD in Animal Behaviour and Cognition in the next few years.
Alongside running OABT, Ryan is also a lecturer at Oxford Brookes University and Abingdon and Witney College, teaching on the animal behaviour-related degrees. He is also a tutor and assessor at PACT, whereby he teaches and supports students on their journey to becoming qualified dog trainers.
Charlotte Freeborn BSc(hons)
Animal Behaviourist and Trainer
Charlotte graduated from Harper Adams University with a BSc (hons) in Animal Behaviour and Welfare (Clinical)
After graduation she has worked as an Animal Care Assistant and a Behaviour and Welfare Advisor for the RSPCA – rehabilitating and rehoming rescue animals. She then worked for Battersea as a Rehoming and Welfare Coordinator – managing a team of welfare and rehoming assistants, assessing dog behaviour, providing training and behaviour modification for rescue dogs in preparation for their new home. Now, Charlotte is a senior trainer at the Stoken Church Dog Rescue. Charlotte has experience working with abused and neglected dogs many of which have a variety of difficult behaviour issues.
She is a provisional member* of the Association Pet Behaviour Counsellors and a candidate member with the Fellowship of Animal Behaviour Clinicians. The APBC and FABC represent a network of behaviour counsellors that have achieved the highest proven academic and practical standards available in the field of companion animal behavioural therapy. APBC and FABC members abide by a strict code of conduct and continually develop their professional knowledge in the light of new research. Finally, she is also a pre-certified clinical animal behaviour with the ssociation for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASAB).
Charlotte thoroughly enjoys helping owners to understand their animals, to help strengthen the dog and owner bond. She has a particular soft spot for rescue dogs, border terriers and senior dogs!
*Provisional APBC members have demonstrated that they have the appropriate level of Knowledge and Understanding for the professional role of Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CAB). They are now gaining the practical experience necessary to be assessed as a CAB and therefore become a full member of the APBC. The APBC supports its provisional members undertaking behaviour consultations.
Cerys Watson LLB(hons) PgDip LPC PACT-KSA ABTC-ATI
Dog Trainer
Cerys has previously spent a couple of years volunteering at Battersea Dogs Home, whereby she gained a range of skills that she now applies in puppy classes. From here, Cerys studied to become a lawyer. After working as a lawyer, she decided that she wanted to revisit working with dogs and retrained to become a qualified dog trainer. Cerys passed her dog training assessment with PACT in September 2021 and is now a fully qualified dog trainer. Likewise, she is recognised as an animal training instructor with the Animal Behaviour and Training Council.
Now, Cerys currently runs and supports puppy classes, providing individualised feedback to clients. She also leads on the puppy progression course. She also runs her own dog training buisness, Blue Lemon Dog Training, by which she takes on her own clients. Cerys enjoys working with clients and her bubbly personality has quickly made her popular amongst clients.