Victory for royals’ dog trainer sued after ‘failing to calm down’ a nippy fox terrier

A dog trainer to millionaires and royals has been vindicated at the High Court after she was accused of failing to tame an “out of control” puppy.

Tracey Egan was hired by pensioner Jenny King whose fox terrier Izzy was wreaking havoc at her one-bedroom flat in St John’s Wood.

The puppy was running around the home as well as jumping up and biting her owner, the court heard.

Ms Egan, a canine troubleshooter trading as Precious Pooch, took Izzy away on a two-week boot camp in an attempt to calm the puppy down.

However, once returned to her home, Izzy soon lapsed into her old habits of jumping up at people, pulling on hair, and knocking over her water bowl, the High Court heard.

Miss King, 71, wrote to Ms Egan in June 2015, complaining about breach of contract because the terrier had not been tamed. She argued that Ms Egan, who has in the past trained the dogs of royals, had failed to deliver on 10 promised aims, including resolving Izzy’s habits of “nipping, jumping, chewing and barking”.

She took the matter to court, demanding a £2,800 refund plus interest, but a judge rejected her claim for damages.

Miss King appealed to the High Court, claiming she had not had a fair hearing, but Judge Nigel Gerald yesterday ruled that she had “insufficient evidence to prove breach of contract”.

“To suggest that, after 14 days, any previous behavioural issues would be, as it were, permanently gone forever is unreal,” he said.

“That would ignore the fact that we are not dealing with a machine here, but a puppy.

“Puppies behave in particular ways and training is always intended to achieve certain results, but those results are not guaranteed.

“The evidence implicitly indicated that some, if not all, of the objectives had been achieved.”

He added: “This was a boisterous puppy, kept in a small one-bedroom flat, who was not properly disciplined and fully exercised.

“And that’s why it regressed rather than there being any breach of contract.”

Ms Egan, who helps clients “create the perfect life for your dog in the city of London”, was in court to hear the outcome of Miss King’s appeal.