Testimonials
Read our clients’ stories.
Use the search bar to find stories of dogs with particular issues or of specific breeds. Click on the tag above the dog’s name to narrow it down by service or breed group.
Margot
Before beginning training with Linnea walks with our lurcher Margot were often stressful. She would become fixated on chasing and playing roughly with other dogs and would also chase joggers and cyclists given the opportunity. One to one training sessions with Linnea have helped us bring Margot's focus back on us rather than on what is around her. Training and daily walks using a longline have really helped her impulse control and now she no longer chases after things she shouldn’t. Thanks to the socialisation sessions with Linnea’s dogs we understand our dog's behaviour much better and she is more calm and respectful around other dogs. Margot's recall has drastically improved and we can now even recall her when she is playing with other dogs. As a first-time dog owner I feel much more confident as a result of our training sessions and have an understanding of my dog’s body language and drives. I feel my bond with Margot has grown stronger as a result of learning new commands and games and we always look forward to our training sessions. Thank you, Linnea, for all your help and support!
-Amy
Rhubarb
Like many of you probably reading this review we were looking for some help with our reactive dog - a one year old Miniature Australian Labradoodle. She is a wonderfully bouncy and loving dog but this excitement had started to turn to lunging, growling and barking towards other dogs, cyclists and motorcycles whilst on lead.
After a few months of trying to remedy this ourselves using YouTube as a guide we were getting more and more stressed anytime we took her out on a walk. After some research we decided to contact Linnea to see if she could help.
It started with an initial home visit (pre covid) and short on lead walk. It didn't take long for Linnea to pinpoint that her reactivity was a manifestation of excitinment and frustration at not being allowed to do what she wanted. She immediately reassured us that her behaviour could be remedied and that it was a case of understanding Rhu's thoughts/feelings whilst being firmer when misbehaving. We went away with renewed hope that our walks could be made enjoyable again and within a matter of weeks Rhu had improved dramatically just after a single visit.
We have followed this up with multiple individual and group lessons and whilst Rhu is still a very excitable and playful girl we know how to manage this and make sure she stays level headed whilst out and about!
We can't speak highly enough about Linnea and her approach to helping us train Rhu. Like many of the reviews it is much more a case of her training the owners than training the dog and Linnea has blown us away with the difference she has made to Rhu and to ourselves. We couldn't recommend her enough!
-James
Fergus
Linnea came to our house for initial meeting and a follow up. The rest of our sessions were at Inverleith Park.
Linnea developed a rapport with our Fergus right away. Her advice about the hiccups we have experienced as first time puppy mums have been so helpful. Not only is Fergus a happy calm boy but we are also happy calm parents.
The park and the long lead were a great experience for us. Fergus is so friendly he would go up to any dog or person. Linnea successfully trained us in what to do to help Fergus learn manners. Fergus now has great recall and although still friendly and joyful, knows when and how to approach other dogs.
She also helped us with feeding and barking issues at home.
I heartily recommend Walk & Train and Linnea’s approach.
-Val
Tula
I cannot recommend Walk and Train Edinburgh enough! If you are reading all the glowing comments and thinking about contacting Walk and Train... do it! Linnea has given us so much helpful advice and activities to help improve our dog's behaviour and wellbeing. I was really struggling with my dog's stealing balls , sometimes being a bully and sometimes getting super scared and fleeing, reactivity on the lead to some dogs and generally mistrust of many people, guarding of resources and our house. We generally had a pretty fraught relationship and I was living a pretty limited life! Linnea has made me feel so much more confident and clearheaded about recognising and working on bad behaviour. With Linnea's advice, my dog and I have much more fun on walks and generally are building a better relationship all the time. If you are considering contacting Walk and Train Edinburgh, do it! You will get so many good strategies for whatever you are hoping to achieve!
-Cindy
Anastasia
This is for the dog owners who are currently feeling utterly despondent and despairing about the seemingly immutable problem of SEPARATION ANXIETY. We want you to know that there IS hope and her name is Linnea Lyckberg.
Our story.
We had recently moved to Edinburgh when I discovered to my dismay that I couldn't leave my dog alone without it causing her great distress. This manifested itself in continual howling and destructive behaviour.
I coped initially by hiring dog sitters and living a thoroughly restricted life and I love my dog so much that if that's the way life was going to be, to keep her happy, I was prepared to do that. The thing that kept nagging me was that although I was dealing with the symptoms I wasn't addressing the problem, which I now know was a combination of issues. I began to research local dog psychologists and behaviourists when a chance meeting with one of Linnea's highly impressed clients (Thank you Megan!) resulted in the first of 3 appointments which has led me to being able to leave my dog for up to four and a half hours ( this was my goal, I am sure it could be longer, but that all I need)
I could go on and on about how wonderful, reassuring and effective the sessions were, the brilliance and competence of Linnea, the intriguing and sometimes even magical exercises we did for homework and the insights gained.
The work is worth it. The outcomes are more than what I could possibly have expected and reached far beyond solving the problem of separation anxiety. I give my unreserved recommendation to Linnea at Walk and Train Edinburgh.
- Gill
Nell
I got in touch with Walk and Train on a recommendation. I was having problems with Nell's reactivity with other dogs, some people and especially children!! I had started my own training of sorts but was feeling deflated and just plain tired!! I met with Linnea and we discussed our problems.....I was on the right track but needed a confidence boost. One of the main things that Linnea said was that Nell was very sensitive and attending a doggie daycare three times a week was perhaps not in Nell’s best interest. I had often thought that myself, it just takes someone else to see outside the box. Linnea taught me the methods in which I could modify my own behaviour as well as Nell's. We both worked on our confidence and I started to "read" Nell's body language and worked on pre-empting any potential reaction with distraction. I took her out of daycare due to lockdown and we trained everyday and I have to say she is like a different dog!! She does have her off days where she falls back into her default mode so we continue to keep at it. So, I highly recommend Linnea at Walk and Train with anyone who is having any issues with their dog/s. We all need help from time to time and I'm so glad I got in touch when I did!!
-Kathleen
Juno E.
We had tried other trainers before Walk & Train Edinburgh but none had what seemed like an instinctive ability which Linnea showed from the instant she met our dog.
Ten minutes into our first meeting it was clear she had a better understanding of our dog than we did.
Subtle changes in our dog’s body language and facial expressions, which we had never even noticed in the months we had her since she was a puppy, provided clear messages to Linnea that our dog didn’t understand what we were trying to tell her.
This instinct has no doubt been learnt and refined over many years. When we first met her, Linnea was completing her PhD in dog behaviour. I can’t think of any dog trainers who are both experts at what they do and have reached the same high level of academic study to back it up.
We feel very confident during our training sessions with Linnea. She is highly perceptive, noticing the tiniest reaction of a dog to any outside stimuli, especially the owner’s behaviour. She has provided good sound, practical advice which we have gone away and practised on a daily basis.
Linnea is able to explain to us both the why and the how to fix it. Quite often, if not most of the time, any dog behavioural issues lie with us the owners. So be prepared to take on board lots of good advice about what you are doing wrong and how to correct it.
Training sessions with Linnea are always different and great fun. On group walks we enjoy meeting the other people and dogs who Linnea also trains and who are part of Gregor’s dog walking pack.
You will pick up lots of great information about how to train yourself and your dog. But you absolutely have to go away and practise it between sessions if you really want things to get better.
With Linnea we know we are in capable hands – outside our own direct family she is the only person I would trust to leave our dog with for any length of time. Our dog likes and respects her and is always so excited to see her.
I’m impressed with how Linnea and Gregor promote and communicate their company. No day goes by without an eye catching post on Instagram or Facebook which always includes a beautiful picture of happy looking dogs out walking and enjoying each others’ company in a scenic spot. Linnea posts regular training videos, which are a great resource when you are back home working with your dog and need a reminder on how to do things.
She has come up with some great ideas - Sporty Dogs spring to mind – to keep dogs moving forwards in their training.
On my own daily walks I regularly meet people who are struggling with their dogs. I instantly find myself saying, “I know the exact person who can help you fix that.”
-Rob
Lucy
I feel very lucky to have found Gregor and Linnea, their training style is very relaxed, yet professional, patient and reassuring which instils confidence. I can tell that Lucy is really loving her walks as she is amazingly settled when she comes home and I have noticed that she is far more relaxed in general which is fantastic to see. I would not hesitate to recommend Walk & Train Edinburgh to anyone looking for dog training or dog walking services as it has been money very well spent for me.
-Gordon
Odan
My dog Odi joined Walk & Train in June and life has become much less stressful. Due to Odi’s tendency to resource guard , I felt I couldn’t ask friends to mind him when needed, the result was making me feel overwhelmed.
Odi now walks with Gregor twice a week. Gregor genuinely understands his personality and I feel absolutely at ease knowing he is so well cared for while I am at work.
We have also done some one to one training sessions with Gregor and I find these really motivational and guides me to strengthen my connection with Odi. Things are improving every day.
-Grainne
Frankie
Linnea has been an absolute godsend for us. She came for a training consultation for our 6 month old Cockapoo puppy. Previously, it had been difficult to walk Frankie as she was so easily overstimulated but Linnea showed us invaluable ways to manage this which helped so much and we continued with periodic training sessions as Frankie got older. We feel very lucky to have found Walk and Train and even though we now live outside Edinburgh we will still come to Linnea when we get our 2nd dog. :)
-Sinead
Juno N.
Linnea has an almost spooky way of communicating with dogs (and people) who appear to understand her and immediately respond to her command. Linnea is also able to transfer some of that magic through the 1-2-1 training sessions that have allowed us to understand our dog's (Juno) personality and communicate with her in a healthy way. Linnea has led us to have much more insight into how Juno is motivated and ultimately has allowed us to train her to be safe in a positive joyous way that has led her to grow up (so far) well adjusted. Linnea's approach to meet at intervals in the dog's first year has been highly effective and lots of fun. We have been able to learn from Linnea about how to respond as Juno changes and how we can respond to those changes to keep Juno interested and playful. We have already and would always highly recommend Walk & Train for help with new puppies and older animals alike.
- Paul & Mia
Finn
We decided to use Walk & Train after our dog Finn was becoming more reactive around other dogs. We started by doing training with Linnea which was so so helpful and insightful. We learnt a lot more about why Finn reacts certain ways and got invaluable training that we still apply at home and when we are out with him(which he really enjoys).
We also moved to Gregor for dog Walking- again the best thing we have done. He was introduced slowly to ensure he got on well with the other dogs and we get lots of feedback on how He is getting on. I feel so confident that he is with someone who is very experienced, being looked after and getting long walks out of the city.
Highly recommend either of these services, and Gregor and Linnea! (Also great at answering any questions I have as a worried owner). Such a high level of experience and knowledge which is so hard to find!
- Emma
Harley
Harley has been fantastic. The difference in her is incredible. I no longer dread taking her along the street!
She is so good at making eye contact with me and looking for instruction as to what to do when a dog approaches. I have been practicing turning her round and sitting down and rewarding her when the dog walks past her with no reaction. What a result!
I am now able to walk past dogs ( still with some space for Harley) without any reaction by getting her to look at me and focus.
She is so clever that now when she meets and greets a dog politely on a walk or if she sees a dog in the street she will nudge me for a treat as a reward for no reaction. Clever girl.
We are still practicing so see if we can maybe get a little closer to a dog in the street than we have been. There are still times where she is a little anxious on the lead but all a working progress. She is now walking through the Hermitage with no reaction at all to cyclists, joggers or people with big bags or unusual objects.
Thank you so much for your help.
- Sarah
Luca
Late last summer I welcomed an Italian Greyhound puppy named Luca into my home. Luca was my first dog and I was really keen to make sure he (and I as a newbie dog owner) got off to the best start.
Walk and train (Linnea) has been fantastic at helping us get all the basics right. From general obedience training, to confidence building, to how to behave around other dogs and why he reacts (and how to deal with it), Luca and I have learned together. It’s of course so true that much of a dog's behaviour is influenced by it’s owner and Linnea has helped me understand how I can best help my little boy, working with and training me as much as the pup.
While there’s still work to be done he really is a good boy and our latest success is off lead walking - something I honestly thought we’d never achieve, and I would never have dreamed of attempting without the pre-work Linnea helped us put in.
I’d highly recommend Walk and Train to any new puppy owner - the 1:1 sessions are hugely valuable.
- Fiona
Wolfie
We have had such a positive experience working with Walk and Train Edinburgh. We own a lovely but unruly young Labrador, and have recently had a baby. We wanted to make sure that Wolfie (our lab) was gentle with our daughter and to try and calm some of his more boisterous behaviour.
We started with a 3 hour 1-2-1 session with Linnea where she worked on Wolfie’s behaviour in the house, especially his barking. The techniques she showed us really suited our style - they were gentle yet firm and Wolfie responded to this immediately. Linnea then took us for a walk where we worked on Wolfie’s behaviour on the lead. Again, her calm yet authoritative manner was really effective. Linnea followed up the session with detailed notes, and then checked in again a few weeks later. We were really delighted with this support.
Wolfie now walks with Gregor 3 days a week and absolutely loves this. He comes back well exercised and calm, and will settle easily in his crate once’s he has returned. We have also noticed that Wolfie is a lot calmer when we take him for walks ourselves. His recall has improved and he jumps significantly less. He is wonderful with our baby and treats her like his own child!
I would not hesitate to recommend Walk and Train, and we will absolutely continue to use their exceptional services.
- Alice & Andrew
Frankie
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
Cassie
We called Walk & Train after two previous dog trainers had failed to help with our re-homed lurcher who had become reactive to dogs and people, and was generally out of control, making our walks hugely stressful. Linnea firstly came to our home for a 3-hour session and what struck me immediately was her ability to look at the whole dog and her routine and so get to the root of her problems (us!). Her insistence on putting our dog back on the lead and starting her training from scratch, as well as giving us the ‘tools’ to recognise and prevent her aggressive lunging and barking, helped us get back in control. It also felt like we were growing a new and better relationship/partnership with our dog. We started attending the brilliant weekly walks for reactive dogs and have seen Cassie’s behaviour improve hugely over the last year. Walk & Train clients form a little family of dog owners who are respectful of each other’s dogs and their issues and help each other out - it’s great to know you’re not alone! We have found Linnea and Gregor at W&T to be very professional, enthusiastic, caring, extremely hard working and hugely knowledgeable (Linnea is writing a PhD related to dog/human relationships) while at the same time being friendly, approachable and non-judgmental. I would highly recommend them on every level, and I honestly don’t think we’d still have our dog Cassie if if it wasn’t for them.
- Lindy
Roxy
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
Sprocket
It is fair to say that meeting Gregor and Linnea has been a blessing for both us as owners and for our dog, Sprocket. As first time dog owners, we were looking for a very special service, that we could be sure would 100% meet the needs of our dog..and we have gained this and so much more from Walk and Train Edinburgh. Sprocket has been lucky enough to go out every week with Gregor, walking in the hills each day with his lovely pack. Both he..and us unruly humans (!)...have also benefited from Linnea's training mastery during a 1-2-1 session. The combination of skills, knowledge and passion that Gregor and Linnea share between them mean that they are able to offer a truly unique service, which I do not believe exists anywhere else in Edinburgh in the same form.
We know that during his walks with Gregor, Sprocket is happy, motivated and safe with Gregor's pack. The level of commitment to training and holistic care during his day trips is second to none, and Sprocket comes home feeling relaxed, calm and content at the end of each day. He has grown in physical strength over the months and his confidence and obedience have also come along at the same time. Having a dog that is very sensitive and has specific dietary needs means that we really did feel we needed to work with someone who offered something outside of the normal dog-walking services. We have found this with Walk and Train Edinburgh.
After we began to work with Gregor, we went on to meet Linnea for a 1-2-1 session, so that we could continue to build on Sprocket's training at home, and so that we could get to understand and build the best possible relationship with our dog. After only a few minutes of meeting Linnea it was clear that she has an incredible ability to read both dogs and (maybe more importantly) their owners. It took very little time for her to highlight the areas that we needed to work on as owners, and to give us the confidence to move forward with our next steps. The follow up information that she provided was also fantastic.
I have gone on to recommend Walk and Train Edinburgh to many friends with dogs, and really do so because I believe so completely in what they do. It is absolutely not an exaggeration to say that meeting Gregor and Linnea has been a total ray of sunshine in our lives! Thank you so much for all you do for all of us that are lucky enough to meet and work with you.
- Gill & Iain
Piper
Let’s face it, it is difficult to put your trust in a stranger - especially with something as important as your dog. When we got our little terrier ‘Piper’, we did a lot of research and spoke to a number of different people but nothing felt right. Piper is a very active dog, and we were very keen to find someone who understood how terriers act in order to help her build her confidence. Having suffered from separation anxiety in the past, we realised that it was important to find someone who could help her feel safe but at the same time guide us with how to support her whenever she found situations a bit too overwhelming. We often say that contacting Walk and Train Edinburgh was one of the best things we ever did.
Piper had a very interactive initial consultation with the lovely Linnea, who gave us some invaluable day-to-day tips on how to overcome some of the difficulties we were facing at home. It was lovely to feel that this wasn’t just your average business focusing on profit - but rather a very personalised session on how to help dogs and their owners connect with each other better.
We were also very lucky to be able to enrol Piper in their Doggy Day Trips. Witnessing how much her confidence has grown since joining the walks has been a huge relief for us. Gregor comes across as a very responsible and knowledgeable individual, and we instantly felt comfortable with trusting him with Piper. It is wonderful to see how excited she is when Gregor comes and picks her up in the morning, but also how much more balanced and happy she seems in general. Utilising the advice from Linnea, he has worked with us on how to support Piper with any difficulties she might face. His updates gives you a real peace of mind, and seeing pictures of the dogs both training and playing around in fields and forests around the Pentlands really explains why you come home to a tired but happy dog.
Linnea and Gregor provide an outstanding service tailored to each dog’s needs, and we would definitely recommend them to any dog owners out there.
-Michaela & Jago
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