About Stunt Dogs

We have been established for 25 years and can supply a complete service from pre-production planning and advice, risk assessment, sourcing animals where needed and training to specialist script requirements. Full insurance cover is provided.

All our dogs are trained and handled by ourselves and are rehearsed for each shoot by the Stuntdogs team of professional trainers.

We are all qualified animal trainers who also compete successfully in recognised Kennel Club Agility, Working Trials and Obedience competitions.

Although dogs are our specialist field, over the years we have been asked to train and supply most other domestic animals including cats, chickens, cows, pigs, goats, rats etc. Therefore we can offer farm and domestic animals all trained to the highest level.

Gill Raddings
Gill RaddingsDirector

I grew up with dogs, horses, cats and various other animals. I have loved and worked with animals all my life starting off with horses, then dogs.

I passed the British Institute Of Professional Dog Trainers exam with Honours and was head trainer at the Buckingham Dog Training Club covering competitive Obedience, Working Trials and Agility.

I competed in all these disciplines successfully ( Working Trials and Agility at Championship level )and have been part of the British team competing abroad at the Belgian Shepherd Agility World Championships several times including being part of the winning team in 2005.

I consider myself extremely fortunate to have such a fantastic job and indulge my love of all animals.

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Sonia Turner
Sonia TurnerTrainer

Dogs have always been a part of my life. As a child, the family dog went through various ‘training sessions’, from staying put in my dolls pram, to running around the garden, jumping hand made fences.

Serious dog training began when I attended the local obedience classes and met Sue Darley, who was the head trainer at that time. After a few years of training my own dogs and gaining some competition experience, Sue and I teamed up and ran the local obedience classes for a good many years.

I was introduced to Gill and Stuntdogs in 2003. Starting out as just another pair of hands on a lead, I progressed to learning a totally new set of training techniques and also how a film set works. I now help run the company, and am the proud owner and trainer of one of the top dogs in the Stuntdogs line up.

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Ashley Foster
Ashley FosterTrainer

My life has revolved around dogs and dog training. My parents have been involved in showing and working dogs, particularly German Shepherds, since before I was born. I trained and competed with my own Working German Shepherd Dogs in Dog Sport to the level of IGP 3 before working in film and TV for Stunt Dogs from 2014 to present.

While the skills I learned in competitive dog sport gave me a great foundation for working animals on set, being part of the Stunt Dog team has been the greatest education in animal behaviour and well-being any trainer could ask for. Every time you set foot on set a different challenge presents itself and there are few, if any, as masterful as Gill and Sonia in the art of animal acting to learn from.

People often say to me “you have the best job in the world”, and I’ll never have any reason to disagree with them.

Kathleen Kitsell
Kathleen KitsellTrainer

My love of animals started on the family farm in Co. Mayo, Ireland. I loved nothing more than watching my grandfather work his cattle dog’s Patch and Toby. The way they moved, their independence, speed and will to please started my obsession with dogs. At six my parents recognised this obsession and bought me my very first dog. He was naughty, but I loved him and we learnt A LOT together!

After spending some time in my early twenties juggling jobs between working as an Aviation Analyst at Luton Airport and also for a local dog trainer/behaviourist I found Stunt Dogs. The obsession then became film work! I was lucky enough to assist on ‘Justice League’ with the team for my first job and haven’t looked back since.

I enjoy all aspects of the business and feel very lucky to have shadowed Gill the last six years, she has been the best of mentors and a close friend. Outside of Stunt Dogs my life still revolves around dogs, I am actively involved and compete in the sport of dog agility.

Ségolène Veyre
Ségolène VeyreTrainer

From a very young age, I’ve always been passionate about cinema and animals. I got lucky enough to meet the Stuntdogs team, who made my dream of combining these two passions together come true. I grew up with all sorts of animals, there was never a moment where the family home was inhabited by humans exclusively, welcoming dogs, cats, hamsters and even the ones we didn’t even know we had, like dormice in the attic!

After traveling and working in the film industry in France where I am from, I had the chance to join the Stuntdogs team and learn from the best! I am now the proud owner of a lovely blue merle border collie named Java, a true French boy in his heart as his biggest passion in life is cheese and saucisson.

There is no greater feeling for me than being on a set, doing what I love, with one of the fabulous animals we work with, brightening everyone’s mood.

Stunt Dogs sit and stay team at Crufts 2014

Crufts 2014

More of the Stunt Dogs team, on the set of a 118 ad.

Stunt Dogs team on 118 Ad set

With Paul O’Grady filming publicity For The Love Of Dogs  about Battersea Dogs Home

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Hi Gill Cracker was a star and Sue was very lovely. Thanks so much Claire
Claire Welberry, Head of Production, Luma
just to let you know that all went really well with Doffen – he was very well behaved and very adorable! Lucy
Lucy Bugiel, Head of Production, 5 Creative
Gill Just wanted to say a big thank you for allowing me to work with your wonderful dogs and colleagues on the above job. Once again a big thank you and I look forward to working with you and the gang in the future it means a great deal to me to work with dogs and lovely people.
Andrew Powell, Writer and director
Charlotte was brilliant, usual thing, a mad rush and last thing for the cat, but she nailed it, not the cat that is!!!
Nicholas Palmer