TV star Graeme Hall, known to his fans as the Dogfather, is the face of Channel 5’s Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly. The Yorkshire-born dog whisperer has been in the business for years and lives by the mantra “any dog, any age, any problem”.
Since 2017, Graeme has been at the helm of Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly, with the Australian version currently airing weekly on Channel 5. He also fronted The Dog Hospital, a behind-the-scenes look at Willows, one of the UK’s top animal hospitals.
Before becoming a Master Dog Trainer, Graeme spent two decades in the corporate world, even holding a senior position at Weetabix. But what more do we know about the Dogfather’s life?
Graeme Hall didnt start training dogs professionally until about 2008 – now he has his own TV show and podcast (Image: )
Early life and career change into dog training
Born and bred in Selby, Yorkshire, Graeme attended the University of Hull in the 1980s. He spent the first 21 years of his career in a completely different sector, working as an Operations Manager at Weetabix, overseeing a team of over 200 people.
However, it was his love for dogs and training his two Rottweilers, Axel and Gordon, that ignited a career shift.
“I had two Rottweilers and set about training them. Then someone from a dog training company said something that changed the course of my life, ‘Why don’t you become a dog trainer? ‘ I said, ‘Why? ‘”.
“He said, ‘Because you’re good with people’. That’s what hooked me, as he said it’s a combination of being good with people and good with dogs.”
Graeme Hall began his professional dog training career around 2008 and has since become a renowned expert, appearing on various TV shows including Breakfast, This Morning, and Celebrity Mastermind. With over 5,000 dogs trained, his services come at a minimum cost of £875, although he is currently unavailable due to filming commitments.
Dogfather Graeme Hall has been on our TV screens for several years (Image: Avalon Factual Ltd)
Hand injury caused by dog required surgery
A near-miss with a German Shepherd that almost left him without the use of his hand. But this nasty incident did not deter Graeme from his passion for helping troublesome canines. Recalling the incident, he said: “A German Shepherd I went to see four years ago had been re-homed, and was barking very aggressively.”
“They brought him in to see me and he just went for my left hand. He bit hard, at the same time the owner pulled on the lead. The effect was to rip it [my hand].”
“It was off to A&E. I ended up in the operating theatre. The bites just missed a tendon and nerve and I nearly lost the full use of that hand. It was a close call.
“That really made me think differently and I will now put a muzzle on the dog, but I still get little bites here and there.”
Graeme Hall with Labrador Bing (Image: )
Graeme Hall’s marriage split after Sri Lanka wedding
The Dogfather, Graeme Hall, tied the knot with accountant Elinor Perry-Hall in 2017 on a beach in Sri Lanka. The couple later hosted a celebration for their loved ones at Mallory Court, a four-star country house, hotel and spa in Warwickshire.
Graeme and Elinor, who lived near Rugby, Warwickshire, don’t have any children but are proud pet parents to Lilydog, a black Labrador/Boxer cross. Graeme frequently posts updates about Lilydog on his social media accounts.
In early 2023, Graeme revealed to The Times that he had relocated to Bicester, Oxfordshire, with a new partner. It remains unclear when Graeme and his wife parted ways.
Aside from sharing updates about his upcoming TV appearances or photos of his pets, Graeme leads a very private life.