Last year we were joined by Frank our 8 week old Border Terrier puppy. Having had a Border Terrier before we knew what to expect and he didn't disappoint. Plenty of energy, lots of sass and a face that would have us right where he wanted us if we gave him half a chance. I had high expectations of this dog - we are retired and keen this time round to have what I call a 'portable' dog we can take anywhere and introduce to anyone without worrying he would take over or behave inappropriately. Since we had our last dog there has been a huge increase in the number of places that welcome pets and I wanted to make full use of that this time round. Having looked at all the trainers and walkers online I felt that Linnea and Gregor stood out in offering a 'whole dog' solution and that they appeared to really know their stuff. And so I contacted them very early on in the process and asked them to help us bring out Frank's full potential and enjoy the full dog owning experience to the max. It was a VERY good decision!

Linnea called us early in 2022 when Frank was just 6 months old for an online consultation. The appointment was for an hour and a half and I couldn't imagine why I would need that long - I thought we'd be done in 20 minutes. Boy was I wrong! Linnea asked key questions to get a really good understanding of what we were looking for and also where we were currently heading - and she recommended some small but really important adjustments to make sure we brought Frank into alignment with what we were ultimately aiming for. It was a revelation and I still use some of those key tips today.

That was 8 months ago and since then Linnea, Frank and I have had 5 one to one sessions - including a wonderful afternoon at the W&T premises where he met the walking pack and learned a few manners at 'dog school'. If you want to see what Linnea is about you just need to watch her control 12 dogs of different sizes and temperaments without raising her voice or any leash or collars to help - it's a revelation.

We have also attended two rounds of the Group Level 1 classes and are now embarking on Level 2 - walking with around 10 other dogs in a controlled manner and learning a number of key skills such as down stay with distractions, dogs on logs and a very entertaining 'strip the willow' recall exercise which amuses me greatly even in the pouring rain.

Building on these classes Frank and I are now embarking on the Sporty Dog sessions - and whilst we've only attended one so far I think these will be key in helping him develop his control and reduce his terrier frustrations a little more as well as being good fun - and in time I hope to enrol him as a therapet - with Linnea's help obviously.

What I really want to stress is that we didn't have a real 'need' for behavioural help - Frank is by and large a sociable, obedient and contented little chap but I'm so glad we did approach Linnea because with her help I am confident we are going to get the very best out of him and the most fun we can have.

-Penny

We got in touch with Linnea for help with our 15 month old neutered male Scottish Terrier. Walking him was becoming increasing stressful. He was desperate to speak to people and other dogs which resulted in him pulling and lunging when on leash, and not listening to commands when off leash.

We had some one to one sessions with Linnea where we worked initially on basic leash walking and obedience and then moved on to recall. After just a few sessions the difference was noticeable and walking him was so much more enjoyable. Since joining the group sessions this improvement has continued and he has become a lot calmer around other dogs. With Linnea's support our handling has also improved and we are able to identify and address triggers more confidently. It is lovely to see our dog having fun at the group classes and he just adores Linnea! We can't recommend her highly enough!

-Aileen

When we were walking our dog, we felt uneasy as we felt he was unpredictable. We wanted to learn how to manage his behaviour, how to reduce his stress, reduce our own stress and eventually work towards him becoming a dog who is neutral to his surroundings. For reference, our dog is a 2yr old male neutered Border Terrier.

We have struggled with frustration reactivity, which is sometimes fear based. Our dog has history to biting other dogs too and we felt embarrassed that our dog was behaving badly. Linnea has helped us see that actually our dog just doesn't understand what is expected of him, especially in a situation that makes him feel threatened.

Since we have been under the guidance of Walk & Train Edinburgh, we have felt fully supported, and confident in our technique to manage our dog's behaviour. Walk and Train helped us to create realistic expectations and improve our relationship with our dog. We see a vast improvement in him, and ourselves, particularly stress levels, and we know under Linnea's guidance, although a long road ahead, we will eventually reach a stage in which we know and can trust our dog will be able to make good choices all by himself. I hate to think about how much we would still be struggling if it weren't for Linnea!

-Elizabeth

We contacted Walk & Train shortly after we adopted our 7 year old terrier Oscar from a shelter. He was very loud on his walks, barking at dogs, bikes, buggies, joggers, loud cars, you name it! We really had our hands full and began to feel a bit overwhelmed! I was so impressed with Linnea’s knowledge and understanding, and I instantly felt more relaxed knowing that we had her support. She has helped us build a really strong relationship with Oscar, and now our walks are much more enjoyable! We regularly attend the Sunday classes and it’s an absolute joy to see Oscar trotting alongside lots of other dogs in a polite and peaceful mood - something we thought would have been impossible before. I would recommend Walk and Train to any owner who wants the best for their dog.

-Lucie

I initially contacted Linnea at Walk and Train Edinburgh to learn more about GRC dog sports and I could not be more pleased I did! Duffy is a rescue staffy who gets frustrated very easily. We started with a couple of 1-2-1 sessions and the skills we learned meant Duffy was so much more relaxed and happy to be out and about. He was able to switch from being full on and high energy in play to being calm and sniffing in busy areas! We started the sporty dog classes this summer, travleing over an hour from Fife each week, and they have proven to be invaluable to myself and Duffy's progress. Some people probably think I'm mad traveling so far for dog training but it is so worth it and I wouldn't dream of going anywhere else! Duffy is a much more relaxed and happy dog now and I can't thank Linnea enough!!

-Jodie

We contacted Linnea initially after our 1.5 year old Staffy was becoming over excited and over stimulated very easily, not knowing how to set clearer boundaries and work with Hugo in a positive manner. He is also nervous and will jump at the drop of a hat, so we had many aspects to work on. We had two 1:1 sessions with Linnea which set us on the right path with our training. With clear guidance we started to see a difference after a few months. We then unfortunately had a series of incidents with another dog during lockdown which affected Hugos' behaviour around other dogs. We are now attending group classes which has really improved his attention and confidence around other dogs when out and about. Would highly recommend Linnea and Walk and Train.

-Alexa

I cannot thank Linnea & Gregor enough for all their help and support so far in training our dog-reactive little rescue terrier!

We got in touch with Walk & Train Edinburgh shortly after Marky joined our family, when it became apparent a few months in, that he struggled with dealing with strange dogs we met on our walks, lungeing, barking, and generally being a little antisocial terror. Our daily walks became stressful for everyone involved: us, Marky and every dog who had the misfortune to cross our path!

We asked Linnea & Gregor for help, and we are so glad we did! Marky joined their training programme, a mix of solo training sessions, followed by group classes when they felt he could handle them.

The difference in Marky’s behaviour has been amazing! Thanks to Gregor and Linnea’s help and advice, we feel we can now communicate better with him, and support him in stressful situations he would have found difficult to cope with only a few months ago. They gave us some tips and exercises to practice so that we could safely introduce him to our friends’ dogs, and fast-forward a few months, he’s now got a little pack of doggy friends he loves to go on adventures with!

We are still regularly training with Gregor & Linnea, as we’re is only at the beginning of our journey towards being chilled around strange dogs. And we’re really enjoying the training - the sessions are fun, engaging and stimulating for both dogs and humans. It’s also really great to be able to meet other people in the reactive group classes who are going through a similar journey, sharing tips and stories on how to best deal with the off-lead, “he’s just being friendly” dogs and their owners!

I’d recommend Walk & Train to anyone who is struggling with their dog’s reactivity. Marky’s happier, we’re happier, the neighbourhood dogs are happier. The results speak for themselves!

We are so grateful we found Linnea, and Walk & Train.

We have a Welsh Terrier called Arthur – he’s a typical terrier (he knows his own mind, and is a very determined chap) and when we first met Linnea we were at a bit of a low ebb. We felt overwhelmed and were struggling and unsure where to turn. This was added to because we found out when Arthur was a young pup that he has IBD and does not tolerate protein, which means he is on a very (very!) specialised and restricted diet.

Linnea has worked with us for almost 2 years now - and whilst we are still a work in progress - she has helped us understand Arthur so much better and has built our own confidence whilst also strengthening our relationship with him.

Training sessions are personalised, relevant, and solutions-focused and (when you put in the effort) they work!

As well as being a stellar trainer, Linnea has also been a huge support to us. She's helped us realise what's important (and what's not), has helped us put things in perspective, given us belief and we are in such a better place with Arthur now

Linnea really is a bit of a godsend. Arthur loves her - which helps too.

-Jayne

Linnea is a miracle worker when comes to dogs . She is amazing . Before meeting her my dog Loki was chaos on a walk reactive to anything he walked past from wheel bins ,dogs and people . Was very strong on lead and even end up on my bum a few times .

Since working with Linnea Loki is a different dog . We have had multiple private session and worked our way up the reactive group classes . Loki now walks calmly on loose lead . Can walk past other dogs and people without loosing his cool . He is a millions times easier to walk . He still has his moments typical man but Linnea has giving me an amazing tool kit to keep mr Loki listening and calm . She has given me so much more confidence in walking him .

Being a nurse and working busy shift but Linnea is also super flexible and always will help out when she can .

Would highly recommend anyone needing a helping hand to go with walk and train Edinburgh . They are just fabulous.

-Chloe

This is Frankie, fox terrier, looks cute doesn’t he? Don’t be fooled! We met Linnea a year ago after a recommendation and desperation. Frankie had started becoming reactive to other dogs, people with hats, young children almost everything in the outside world. He was making our lives a misery and we dreaded taking him for walks. He redirected on both myself and my son and at this low point considered rehoming! We had one to ones and then joined her pack walks. These were all so beneficial. We learned so much from these sessions and about Frankie. We now enjoy Frankie and our walks and know how to deal with difficult situations. We are all much more confident. There’s still work to do but we have come a long way and we wouldn’t dream of rehoming him and feel guilty that we had considered that.

- Jane

I contacted Linnea from Walk & Train Edinburgh as after rehoming Roxy I started experiencing some problems with her behaviour. I thought that maybe some of it was also my fault and I wanted some guidance on how to handle her better on walks and I hoped I will be able to help her with her fears. I have noticed that she was very fearful of lots of things including: bin lorries, binned glass, children playing ball, motorbikes. She was also reactive to other dogs and I felt this was getting worst by the day. My only option was to work with her and try to establish if there was something that I was doing wrong which would impact on her behaviour. We had initial consultation with Linnea and she “prescribed” few very simple exercises which we were able to practice even at home. After one week I’ve noticed difference in Roxy’s behaviour! We started to go for meaningful walks during which we practiced various things. We then progressed to Level 1 reactive dogs classes and that is when things really started to change. I never ever imagined Roxy walking calmly next to other dogs! I started to be more firm with her, noticed when she was giving me “signs” of a distress or when she was ready to react. I also became more confident and relaxed when handling her during walks. Our walks are now a pleasure and not a cause of distress for both of us! It is a constant hard work but it is all worth it in the end! We are now in Level 2 group going for walks on a long lead together with other reactive dogs. We also attend socialisation classes with Linnea’s dogs. I do not expect Roxy to be a perfect dog but my relationship with her is so much better since I started our training with Linnea. She trust me more and constantly looks for my reassurance which I am now able to give her. Even my partner commented that Roxy is now “a different dog”. If you have any problems with your dog and enough persistence and patience to work on yourself and with your dog I can reassure you will not regret contacting Walk and Train Edinburgh!

- Gosia

Just thought we'd let you know Mal is doing well socially - slowly making more friends in the park. We have been able to make play dates with one dog and Mal is now able to either play with or ignore dogs, when they are next to him - not all of them of course, but the progress is super visible.

We have so much to thank Linnea for. Just got back from the beach, where Malcolm was so happy and good with other dogs approaching him he got set free for a while. The only criticism of his behaviour would be he was rude to other dogs, ignoring their attempts at playing with him!

We just want to say BIG THANK YOU for your help and notes, this has given us the knowledge and tools to improve his and our lives.

- Paulina

Our little Flo came into our lives at roughly 4-5months having been rescued from fairly dire upbringings in Romania.

We were super excited to bring Flo into our lives and believed it would enhance our lives; going for big long walks and having additional company and love around the home. Unfortunately we terribly underestimated just how much 'baggage' can come with having a rescue dog who we didn't truly know much about, and having had no dogs together previously, the task felt even bigger.

Flo proved very difficult in the first month. Continually putting it down to her being in new surroundings we tried to persevere. Flo seemed unpredictable and her behaviour somewhat chaotic and unexplainable to myself and partner.

I spent many testing days with Flo, crying inconsolably at her behaviour and what seemed nothing but aggressive; biting at me, barking, completely defiant and intense constantly.

At times I wanted to shut away from her and frankly felt that we had made a terrible mistake and that Flo just didn't 'like' us.

We sought the help of walk and train after the stress was really becoming too much for our relationship to handle. Gregor arrived for a 1-1 consultation and within the first half hour I felt this lightbulb switch turn on and suddenly everything made sense. No judgement on us at how badly behaved Flo seemed, no lecturing on everything that we were or weren't doing. A straightforward, simply to follow, positive approach that has totally altered how we view Flo and dog behaviour in general. After 2 sessions ( and ALOT of work, patience and perseverance!) we commenced walking groups with Flo.

I was incredibly apprehensive about this and worried how other dog owners would view us and Flo; fearing I'd be seen as an incompetent owner! But the complete opposite is found. Everyone is super supportive and understanding and respectful of each others dogs who all, to greater or lesser degrees require work and carry issues.

Flo has been attending walking groups for months now and has managed to move up to a more advanced group!

I never thought it possible way back at the start that Flo would ever be able to be around another dog and behave appropriately given her constant intense lunging and barking at every dog in sight when we first got her to now being in a walking group where a long line is an option and she can even socialise and play with family dogs!

I'm blown away by the dedication that Linnea and Gregor have for the work they do. Their passion and love for dogs shines in everything they do and offer, and the support they have given and continue to give us to provide the most positive life for Flo is second to none.

I absolutely love our dog, we both do...and I love walking her and being around her and I hands down believe that is absolutely thanks to walk and train, their support, simple approach, positivity, encouragement and knowledge.

To say that walk and train has transformed our lives and Flo's may sound strange to those without animals or who were blessed with 'perfect' dogs....but it's true!

- Cally

After 20 months of following the CARE protocol we’d made a lot of steady progress with Keeva, our reactive adopted staffordshire bull terrier. She hadn’t been properly socialised as a puppy and came to us with a number of issues. We dealt with these through training, and I became a training geek in the process, doing a number of courses with the IMDT. Our greatest challenge, however, was addressing her fear aggression towards other dogs. She would lunge, rear up on her hind legs and pull to try to get to the dog to scare it away. This was not only embarrassing but scary but we realised how frightened she was and as owners just wanted her to be happy.

In the early stages, a behaviourist told us we would always have to muzzle her and walk her on a lead outside. We didn’t want a lifetime of control & management but actually wanted to tackle it. Luckily I’d the time and motivation to do it.

In the summer of 2017, I’d reached a point in training, where Keeva was comfortable and interested in meeting calm, well-mannered dogs. However, she still reacted to excitable, nervous and/or unpredictable ones. I realised I needed help with this, as I couldn’t find anyone who was willing to work with us.

It took me a while to find a suitable trainer – who really understands the breed and the issues unsocialised staffies face – and who would help us work on changing her emotional response to excitable, anxious and unpredictable dogs. After Gregor visited us and assessed Keeva, in our home and on one of her walks, we were accepted to join the Group Walks. Gregor later emailed me a report and some really helpful notes, which I still refer to. With each group walk, we could see Keeva growing in confidence and so did we as owners.

I practised the techniques we were taught on all our walks, and as my confidence grew I began venturing further afield and walking in different places. Instead of walking in quiet areas at times when there weren’t many dog walkers about, we ventured into ones where there were lots of off-lead dogs, using a long line (like we used on the group walks).

In each new location, we worked at proofing our training. We practised focus work, general commands, played recall games, hide and seek in the woods, and scent work. Empty childrens playparks were great for agility practise too. Our walks were becoming fun. The point soon came when I felt confident enough to start letting her off lead. I’d do some parallel walking with an unsuspecting dog owner first and when I was comfortable, with the body language of both dogs, I’d let her off.

I was so pleased with her progress that I entered Keeva’s story in a competition run by Reactive Dogs (UK) a facebook group I’m a member of. Members voted for their favourite and guess what…. Keeva won! She is their Reactive Dog of the Year 2018.

I couldn’t have achieved this without Linnea and Gregor’s help. They helped me in the final stages of Keeva’s training when others wouldn’t and we’re incredibly grateful .

I am so proud of Keeva and what she’s achieved. I now have her on a variable programme to phase out treats for ignoring reactive/fear aggressive dogs and returning to me. She is a really happy dog now and that’s all we ever wanted for her.

The person who said “the best thing for that dog is a bullet” all those months ago, should hang their head in shame.

- Lorna

No words can describe how thankful I am for all the advise, training and continuing support my dog Stella and I received from Linnea and Gregor. Stella is a rescue Staffordshire Bullterrier and gets a bit grumpy and very selective around some dogs.

I remember calling Linnea and Gregor 2 years ago with tears in my eyes, as I desperately needed help with Stella. She’s the kindest creature you can imagine with so much love to humans, but she reacts to some dogs. I was very anxious when walking her as she was reacting to almost every dog we passed and didn’t have a clue how to manage her worrying behaviour. Thankfully I was lucky to book one on one session with WnT and after just a few hours spent with Gregor, I started to understand how to read Stella’s body language and how to take control in stressful situations. Since then we’ve been attending group classes, with a small break.... Every class is a new challenge that helps to build Stella’s, and my own confidence and our relationship. Thank you so much guys!!

- Anna