Legendary dog trainer Colin Thomas retires

There was barely a dry eye in the barn as legendary dog trainer Colin Thomas retired last month – and the dogs, of course, were on their best behaviour, writes Nicola Chester.

After 30 years of agility training (where dogs negotiate a series of different obstacles) and obedience classes, not to mention summer schools and demonstrations at fetes, fairs and agricultural shows, few, including his wife ‘Bubbles’, can have earnt their retirement more – or been as appreciated and loved by so many people, and their four-legged friends.

A deeply respected countryman from North Hampshire, Colin knows the importance of responsible dog ownership and the enjoyment of a well-behaved pet, both to the owner and the wider community.

He has enabled at least an incredible 1,500 local dog owners to work through the Kennel Club’s Good Citizen Dog Training Scheme over the years.

Colin and Bubbles’ legacy includes running agility demonstrations for 30 years at the Newbury Show, in all its guises.

Renowned for his easy-going, engaging and entertaining commentary, Colin could always be relied on to get the crowds going, and turn any ‘misdirection’ or communication ‘difficulty’ between owner and pet into a good-humoured show of fun.

But Colin was not immune to being heckled himself however; in one memorable incident he was asked across the area, ‘when are you going to set fire to the tyre jump?’

With the support of family and friends, many evenings and weekends were taken up with training and shows, that included cricket matches, tug-of-wars and cook offs.

Competitions and Christmas parties were a highlight, with dogs in fancy dress, and games, including the notorious ‘Temptation Alley’ were played.

This involved dogs being recalled through an alley of flower pots, each with a sausage on top.

Testing the resistance, noses and instincts of the best-trained hound, in the end, everyone was a winner.

From the smallest chihuahua to the largest Italian spinone, no dog was ever turned away.

Colin is, necessarily, as much a people person as he is a dog one, and his patience, reassurance and and humility have seen generations of dog owners pass through his courses, as well as successions of pet dogs – including three of my own.

Anyone who meets him would say he has the most wonderful way with animals. And people too.

The evening’s party ended with one of Colin’s famous, military-band-style parades, and dogs and owners marching, sitting their dogs, ‘reeling’ and turning in time, until the moves get faster and faster and all end up doubled over with laughter in a tangle of leads and too-many legs.

As they retire, Colin and Bubbles leave a lasting legacy of warmth, kindness and a great deal of fun and hilarity, as well as the best relationships between pet owners and their best friend.

They’ll be sorely missed by all.