Meet Jamie Penrith
Jamie Penrith is the driving force behind Take The Lead Training, bringing over 25 years of hands-on experience with dogs in the most demanding environments. A former police dog handler for a decade, Jamie knows what it takes to train dogs not just for obedience, but for reliable control in real-life situations.
From consulting with animal welfare organisations to working directly with private owners, Jamie has guided thousands of dogs—preventing livestock chasing, managing predatory behaviours, and building confident, well-behaved puppies. His approach is grounded in clarity, fairness, and evidence-based methods, making him one of the UK’s most trusted authorities on behaviour and obedience.
Advocacy and Leadership in Responsible Training
Jamie is the UK’s leading advocate for the responsible use of electronic training collars (e-collars). Since 2017, he has been at the forefront of media and policy discussions, championing evidence-based training solutions that protect dogs, wildlife, and livestock.
Through ARDO – the Association of Responsible Dog Owners, which he founded in 2018, Jamie has helped owners across the UK and internationally understand responsible dog ownership and influenced government and welfare policies. His leadership helped prevent a proposed e-collar ban in England in 2024, ensuring responsible owners retained access to a crucial tool for managing high-drive dogs safely.
As Jamie Says...
“Life cares nothing for ideology, preference or politics. Life will throw down aces when you’re holding jacks, and a jack won’t trump an ace! You need to accept this fact if you want to win – especially where lives and safety are in your hands”
Recognised Media Presence & High-Profile Results
Jamie has appeared on BBC Breakfast, This Morning, Channel 5’s The Wright Stuff, BBC Radio Scotland, and in national newspapers including The Times and The Independent. His live demonstrations of e-collars highlight transparency, confidence, and safety-first practice, setting him apart from others in the field.
His expertise has been sought by high-profile clients, including Russell Brand’s German Shepherd, Bear, which Jamie successfully rehabilitated after it had killed sheep. Brand himself described Jamie as the “Dog Jesus”—a testament to Jamie’s skill, trustworthiness, and impact.
He is known and respected by his peers internationally, not just as a dog trainer, but also a sought after speaker. Jamie repeatedly presents on online dog training conferences with 2026 seeing an invite to endorse responsible dog ownership in the USA, cementing status as a globally recognised authority in responsible dog training.
Results That Speak for Themselves
What sets Jamie apart is his results-driven approach. Whether preventing sheep worrying, improving recall, or resolving lead-pulling and aggression, Jamie’s methods provide:
- Control for owners
- Freedom for dogs
- Safety for communities and livestock
His training approach balances the dog’s welfare with real-world outcomes, ensuring dogs live fulfilling lives while being reliably obedient in all situations. Thousands of clients have benefited from Jamie’s expertise, achieving results that purely reward-based or
“force-free” methods could not reliably deliver.
ARDO - Advocating for Responsible Dog Ownership
The Association of Responsible Dog Owners (ARDO) is a platform Jamie founded to promote evidence-based training and responsible ownership. Through ARDO, he has:
- Conducted comprehensive surveys of electronic training collar users
- Led campaigns on important dog training and welfare issues
- Provided expert responses to organisations and governments worldwide
- Promoted evidence-based approaches to dog training and behaviour management
ARDO complements Jamie’s work at Take The Lead, bridging science, experience, and practical application to benefit dogs, owners, and communities alike.
