Protection dog trainer Clement Dubosq dreams of developing the French Ring Sport internationally, and has already left his mark in the industry, having trained Spencer Bowman’s dog, Lycan; the first American dog to participate in the selectives in France. Clement now has his sights set on training even more international champions!

A Culture of Togetherness

The world-class trainer says he owes his success to his determination never to give up, and to the input of people he has met along the way. “I started the French Ring shortly after launching my own business in the field of dog training, following my meeting with André Lemonnier who introduced me to biting work and the job of assistant man,” says Clement. “I trained with his dog, ‘Denky du banc des hermelles’, an exceptional athlete which participated in the selections for the French championships of 2014, 2015 and 2016, and which even reached the final in 2015.” Clement made such rapid progress during his training, that André entrusted him with the training of his dogs for competitions.

In 2020, a chance encounter with renowned French dog trainer Stéphane Brière proved to be life-changing. “During a competition he noticed me and asked me to do some training with him and his team.” Clement accepted the request and says he has never looked back. Brière is one of the best trainers in France, also known internationally for having been twice French Ring champion (2008 and 2013), with his dogs UDEX and FEDZARRO. Having participated in 9 selectives and 6 finals in France, Brière’s expertise in this field helped Clement to grow in his profession so that today, his work is able to bring dogs to the next level in obedience and skill.

The Making of a Champion

Through training with Briere’s team, Clement’s reputation as a sought-after trainer grew internationally. In 2020, he met Spencer Bowman in France. This was when he was asked to train his dog, Lycan, for competitions. Under his training, Lycan became the first American dog to participate in selectives in France. This pivotal success grew awareness of the French Ring in the United States. Clement now says that he has his sights set on training a French champion, and continuing to be an ambassador for French Ring Sport. This is because, he says, it changed his life personally, and he believes the sport has much to offer to the world.

The magnificent journey of success he began with Spencer opened a new chapter for him in the United States, where he has done numerous seminars, where, under his teaching, he has further assisted with the training of champion dogs. As a result of his input as trainer, Lycan became U.S. champion in 2022 and 2023; and Spencer’s other dog, Sub-Zero, U.S. champion in 2024. He continues to do seminars in the U.S. and in Mexico, sharing his expertise with others.

Life-Transforming Passion

Clement explains his unexpected entry into the sport, saying how he was given a chihuahua as a gift when he was 16 years old. The dog had a bad temperament and he realised he would need to correct its behaviour through a dog training club. The little dog became the catalyst for new adventures for Clement and he was soon bitten by the dog training bug, realising the sport could become a career for him. At 17 years of age, he was already competing, having passed his HA selection. He wore a biting costume at this young age, and competed as a decoy in the small town of Montfort-sur-Meu, near to his home.

He says that immediately, he was given good assessments by the judges and his reputation as a trainer of excellence started to grow. After this, he was contacted to do competitions in the biting costume in different regions such as La Haye Pesnel, Argentueil, and Château Gontier.

After ten months of training dogs while wearing the protective costume, his diligent work as an assistant led him to take the selection tests to obtain level 1 and qualify for competitions in the biting costume. These rigorous tests included a written exam on the rules, a physical fitness assessment, and a biting test. He had the satisfaction of finishing first in the selection, achieving an average score of 16.44/20. With this result, he decided to prepare his dog, Ollie—born on July 15, 2018, in a renowned breeding program known for producing exceptional dogs—for competitions as a handler. And so his journey as a dog trainer began – one where he met with incredible trainers, and learned about the different breeds of dogs.

A Dream of Leaving a Lasting Legacy of Champions

Today Clement is committed to his profession. “I thrive in leadership roles, where I can use my skills to guide and motivate teams,” says Clement. “I’ve also learned and developed special techniques in dog training that help dogs get faster and better results.” He believes he isn’t just shaping the dog stars of the future, but uplifting and sharing his knowledge and expertise with other dog trainers, who will go on to train their own champions. He continues to grow in his skills and hopes to see many more dogs be crowned champion under his tutelage.