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.
Kenco
I first met Linnéa and Gregor on a charity pack walk. After seeing them in action with all the dogs and owners, I was delighted to discover they were running small group classes at the weekends. Kenco my 5th rescue dog had become reactive after being attacked twice while on the lead, by off the lead dogs. This in turn made me anxious on walks and my emotions filtered down to him adding to the situation. The classes were small and informal, the ethos felt like we were all a small supportive & inclusive family together. I'm not sure who looked forward to them the most Kenco or I to be honest. The end result has enhanced not only Kenco and myself on walks but our whole family are now better dog owners. The tips, support and advise given by them has been clear, easy to follow. I reinforced what Kenco and I had learnt with my children so they have also become better dog owners themselves now and in adulthood. Linnéa & Gregor are clearly devoted to dogs and are wonderful people into the bargain. We are so thankful to have enjoyment out and about with Kenco again, rather than having the dreaded feeling, when we came across off the lead dogs. They have given him and us strategies to manage the situation successfully. If you are considering them... jump , run go for it !! I can truly say it was the best decision I made as a dog owner who has had various different breeds over the last 47 years.
- Mariea
Roshko
I first contacted Linnea when my dog Roshko became reactive. He was pulling on the lead and he was very nervous when walking on the lead and became reactive to cats, dogs across the street. Linnea was extremely helpfull with giving me directions of how to make him feel calmer and listen to me more. I am so grateful to her. She is amazing teacher. After Roshko became better he joined their doggy day trips and short walks. I can not say how amazing is Gregor. After 2 weeks of walking with Gregor i saw real improvement in Roshko's behavior while out on a walk, his recall was much better and his heel of lead was awesome. I can honestly say that Linnea and Gregor are amazing and i admire their knowledge and skills. They will make sure that your dog becomes a calm confident dog and show you how to become a better owner. Thank you guys you are awesome.
- Masha
Tiny
Before training our dog had heightened anxiety around people, crowds, dogs, transport, changes in routine and fearful of most of the outside world as our dog was brought up on a farm. Below are the main difficulties our dog faced on a regular basis:
* Separation anxiety
*Shutting down if teaching commands and stressful situations such as vet visits.
*Low self confidence
*Constantly required reassurance
*Controlling his impulses.
In all honesty our lives were pretty miserable and difficult as we were not educated on how to understand or support our dog on a daily basis. His behaviour affected our everyday life as we had to prepare plans around our dog as he could not be left on his own regularly. We were always anxious taking our dog to public parks as a stimulus such as another dog would trigger his anxiety.
At first we were dubious as we thought we would be prejudged because we were unable to support our dog's problems, however the dog trainer was warm, welcoming and non judgemental. They enabled us to learn valuable knowledge and techniques on how to support our dog's holistic well-being. We were extremely happy and joyful with our dog's development throughout training. The dog trainer was always there to support us during progress and challenging times.
Below are some of the skills and knowledge we learned when working with Walk and train.
*Better communication
*Establishing boundaries
*Impulse control
*To introduce a well balanced diet
*How to respond and reduce anxiety on walks (with lead)
*Techniques on how to read and recognise triggers and positively respond to support our dog's behaviour
*Reinforcement
Tiny has become calm, relaxed, independent, confident, trusting others.
Open to new and stressful situations ie vets, meeting new dogs, busy places.
* Regularly displays curiosity.
We are over the moon as our bond continues to grow stronger. Our everyday lives are calmer and more relaxed. From the dog training sessions we are confident owners of a resilient, joyful and happy dog. His personality shines and is gleaming with happiness every day. We can finally walk in public parks without feeling apprehensive. Overall we could not describe in words how elated we feel with development and support Walk and Train provided for our dog's well-being. We are thankful and appreciate the hard work of Linnea as she assisted us every step of the way. We would recommend Walk and Train for everyone as it has had such a positive impact on our lives.
- Danielle
Henry
Henry absolutely loves his Doggy Day Trips with Linnea and Gregor! As I work long shifts it's essential that Henry still gets plenty of time out of the house which is what makes Doggy Day Trips so ideal. I can leave the house content that soon he'll be picked up and taken to the gorgeous countryside, hills and beaches around Lothian and Borders and he'll have an amazing time walking, exploring and socialising with his new doggy friends. As a rescue dog, Linnea and Gregor have helped Henry with his anxieties, such as traveling in the car, 4 months ago he would shake and not settle, and within a short time I was amazed to see him happily jump into the car without a second thought! Henry is also learning how to be calm outdoors, he is walking nicely on a leash, he is learning many new things from socializing with his Day Care buddies and his manners have also improved greatly! Henry has clearly bonded with Linnea and Gregor, I cannot fault them at all, they have often gone out of their way to help me out and I trust them both 100% completely with Henry's safety and happiness. :)
- Suzi
Polly
Whilst we are all away working hard to earn the pennies to keep our fabulous best friends kept the way in which they have become accustomed ( spoilt rotten in my case ;-)) all we want is to know that whilst we are grafting, our beloved pooches are receiving the best care and attention they can get in our absence. Linnea and Gregor at Walk and Train not only do this but also offer the best walks any dog can ever wish for. It gives me great comfort knowing my girl is in such good, experienced hands and not only loving the walks but also receiving some training whist enjoying their countryside escapes. I cannot recommend these guys enough and I am very grateful to have found them. You will come home to a tired but very happy pooch ;-) Thank you Walk and Train.
- Debbie
Hugo
Linnea and Gregor have been a big help with our reactive rescue dog Hugo. We had a great private consultation with Linnea where we got lots of tips and ideas for working on some of his issues. We also attended their group classes which have been really good practice for being around other dogs and putting the things we have been shown into action, in a controlled environment - Linnea and Gregor are complete experts and so in tune with dogs. Thank you so much guys!
- Anna
Archie
I was fortunate enough to find Linnea when Archie was a young pup (a very content Bernese Mountain dog). I wanted to make sure my 45kg fella would be reliably under control. Linnea has provided superb advice over the last 12 months and plenty of material for Archie and I to get more from our time together. We are currently working on distracting Archie from his potentially dangerous habit of swallowing gloves, tissues and any other discarded fabric he may find on our walks. I love our walks together but rather than making them interesting for Archie, I just get the miles done! Thanks to Linnea’s advice, I have some good ideas for stimulating games (and pockets full of chicken)!
- Jane
Chris
We contacted Walk and Train Edinburgh 6 months after we welcomed our rescue greyhound into our home. He loved other greyhounds but had no idea how to socialise with other breeds of dog and would get himself worked up into a frenzy, jumping and spinning on his lead, whenever he came across other dogs - particularly smaller breeds. Linnea was fantastic in our initial session - giving us advice and tips and tactics which we have been building on ever since. We were also able to attend some of the group classes which really helped with my confidence in handling Chris around other dogs.
Chris is like a different dog now. He's not perfect! But the difference is amazing. He can be calmly introduced to other dogs and is content to 'walk on by' almost all of the time. He no longer tries to jump four feet in the air when he sees something he thinks is 'chase-able', and our confidence in being able to cope with any of his antics if he does decide to get 'interested' in a smaller dog has grown immensely. We can't thank Linnea and Gregor enough - everyone is seeing such a difference in Chris, and ourselves and our dog walker are continuing to build on the great start that we made with their help. We would 100% recommend Walk and Train Edinburgh to anyone.
- Kirsteen
Dylan & Briar
We adopted Dylan from Cyprus via a small UK-based rescue in early 2016. When he arrived in the UK he was about a year old, very skinny at 26 kg, and with a thin coat totally unsuited to the Scottish climate! It was love at first sight when he met Briar, our golden/flat-coat retriever cross, and they bonded instantly, playing and sleeping together from the start.
All went well for the first few months and Dylan continued to grow and put on weight (he is now 36 kg with a thick, luscious coat!). Unfortunately, as his confidence and strength increased, he began to show a number of behavioural issues. Despite looking like a black retriever, he has a lot of German shepherd traits and is highly intelligent and very sensitive. Our biggest problem, however, was his strong hunting instinct and this escalated to the point where he would disappear for hours if he picked up a scent. Much more worrying was the fact that Briar regarded him as pack leader and would follow him on his hunting trips, despite her usually perfect recall. We were forced to made the decision to walk them separately and to keep Dylan on a long line on walks. This led to him becoming increasingly frustrated and reactive towards certain dogs.
Thankfully, we then discovered Linnea and Gregor. We arranged for Gregor to take Briar out on his pack walks to give us more time to concentrate on Dylan. Briar is a real outdoor girl and being up in the hills all day is her idea of heaven – her fitness has increased with the long walks and she is now much more confident around other dogs. She is very calm and Gregor allows her to be off leash with freedom to explore, but is always in control. She returns from the walks tired and very happy.
Our work with Dylan is an ongoing project. We attended Linnea and Gregor’s Sunday group classes with him, where he excelled in obedience and learnt to be calm around the other, often excitable, dogs. We also worked on a one-to- one basis with Linnea in the Meadows and were shown how to read his reactions to other dogs and to anticipate when there might be a problem. Linnea explained how our behaviour affects his response to situations and we progressed to being able to let him off leash to chase a ball in a busy area and to walk calmly past other dogs and people without reacting. Dylan now has a number of doggy friends he can play with and is much happier and more relaxed. Linnea and Gregor’s advice has been invaluable in helping us to understand his complex character. We are now much more aware
of the issues that can arise when adopting a rescue dog, especially one from abroad, and would highly recommend contacting Walk & Train if you are thinking of doing so!
- Anne
Morris
We adopted out wee Staffie called Morris from Staffie Smiles Rescue. We had no background information on him prior to his rescue, and he did come with a few issues.
He was very excitable, and jumped up at everyone who came into the house at every given opportunity. He also continually chased his tail if he was being ignored. We did crate him, but the behaviour continued. He also pulled heavily on his lead when being exercised. He was never aggressive, but with 2 young boys in the house, we couldn't risk him jumping up on them as he would knock them over.
We booked a 2 hour training session with Linnea, from Walk & Train, at our home. Firstly, she observed Morris's behaviour, and how we dealt with him. We also had a long chat about our daily routine, feeding, rewarding and walking.
Linnea, Morris and I then went for a walk, so she could observe his pulling behaviour. Linnea took control of Morris, and by the time we returned home, he was walking to heel, and not pulling any more. Linnea had provided clear, step by step instructions on how to prevent him from pulling. She also advised which walking aids would be most suitable, and suggested using kibble as a treat to encourage his good behaviour during future walks.
The advise and instructions Linnea gave were fantastic - very easy to understand and follow, and they worked a treat. Morris is now a happy, contented and settled dog in the house, and on our daily walks. He is an absolute joy to have.
We cannot thank Linnea (and Gregor) enough to for all their help. They have made ours and Morris's life so much better. I cannot praise them enough.
- Rhonda
Flynn
In August 2014, I adopted a dog, Flynn, from Edinburgh Dog & Cat home. I brought Flynn home unaware the behavioral problems that he had, such as crate and separation anxiety. It was very severe, in which, he would follow me from room to room and I could not leave him in the crate for more than a second before he started barking , peeing, and destroying the crate. I patiently worked with him for couple of months and we were progressing very slowly. Flynn got very ill and needed to be hospitalized for a week and reverted back to his original behavioral problems after returning from the veterinary hospital. A few weeks later, he escaped from the crate and got into ibufrophen and returned to the hospital, which made me decide to get some help. I did my research online and found Walk & Train Edinburgh. Since then, my life with Flynn has drastically changed. Linnea and Gregor were able to help me to identify Flynn’s issues. They gave me lots of ideas on how to fix Flynn’s anxiety issue and help me to become a confident owner. Now, I am able to leave home without worrying about whether or not Flynn has barked all day, peed in the crate, or broke the crate while I was away. Flynn has become more relaxed as well in the house and has become more attentive to me. He still has much to work on, but without Linnea and Gregor, I do not know if I would still have Flynn.
Linnea & Gregor provide a fabulous daycare service for Flynn. He is a very active dog, so the 4 hour walks are just what he needs when I am not home for the entire day. Every time he come home he is exhausted and will sleep for the entire night if he could. It also helps with his separation anxiety as well so he is not home alone for long periods of time. Linnea & Gregor do a fantastic job with the dogs and I know Flynn does enjoy his time with them. I would highly recommend Walk and Train Edinburgh for daycare trips.
- Laila
Ted & Zack
We were recommended to go to Linnea and Gregor at Walk and Train Edinburgh by Kylie from KCK9 in Fife to save us the 90 mile round trip to get the social walk we were looking for.
Our rescue GSDs are very different characters, Zack the older who has been with us longer is generally laid back and friends with everyone. He does however get excited at the start of an outing or when he sees other dogs who look like they would be up for a play, at these times he can be a bit vocal. Ted, on the other hand is an anxious dog, who was not socialised in his first 3 years of life, and was reactive to just about everything when we got him. The journey with Ted has involved behavioural consultations and obedience classes. By the time we hooked up with Linnea and Gregor he had reached a good level of obedience, and is generally relaxed around people and the environment. Ted however remains anxious around strange dogs, and although able to just about cope when out on his own with me, was still very reactive when encountering them out in company with Zack.
The group classes were a good way for Linnea and Gregor to verify that we had the basic building blocks of obedience in place, but the real benefit for us came from the social walk element of being amongst a pack of dogs but also encountering numerous different situations and on and off leash dogs while on a walk in the ‘real’ world. We gained so much from the advice that Linnea and Gregor could give us and their tips that arose from observing Ted in this way. After 3 months of weekly sessions Ted was coping well with new dogs being introduced to our group, and showing no reactions to them. He was also vastly improved on his encounters with strange dogs. By employing the techniques learned we were able to help him to not react in the vast majority of cases, and also to calm down quickly on the odd occasion where, for example, a boisterous off lead dog had just got too much for him. As a by-product, Zack’s lead walking is much improved too.
Linnea and Gregor have a sympathetic and supportive approach to both owners and dogs, they clearly draw on a great combination of personal experiences, and lessons learned from courses and other respected trainers. I like the fact that their solutions are tailored to individuals, and that they are both constantly listening and watching to find ways to help.
Please run some more of these social walks, we’ll be first in the queue, it is money well spent!
- Liz
Mylo
We wanted a dog, that much we knew. But we had no clue how to go about adopting a dog and what factors to consider when doing so. Gladly we got in touch with Linnea and Gregor, who gave us so much essential advise for adopting our new family member! When we finally got the perfect dog (Mylo the Greyhound), our contact with Walk and Train Edinburgh did not cease. On the contrary; from day one we received a lot of behavioural consultation as well as more general tips and tricks about how to start our new life with Mylo. Having received so much support, we decided to continue staying in touch with Walk and Train Edinburgh.
Ever since adopting him, we sent Mylo on Doggy Day Trips with ‘Walk and Train Edinburgh’ and could not be happier! Mylo comes back from the walks tired, relaxed and happy. He is being socialised with other dogs, which is something he needed (being an ex-racing Greyhound this is a completely new experience for him). The (very professional) pictures are testimonials to the great destinations Mylo is taken to, and the friendships he is building over time.
Entrusting your dog to just ‘somebody’ is something that has always been out of question for us. It was always essential for my partner and I to only ever leave Mylo with someone whom we could trust our dog with, based both on our personal sympathy but also based on someone’s knowledge of dog behaviour and psychology. Knowing that Linnea is doing her PhD studies on the dog and human bond/psychology, and seeing how professionally both herself and Gregor treated Mylo made our decision of using the Doggy Day Trips a very easy one.
Thus, we would both highly recommend Linnea’s and Gregor’s services, as they are not only extremely friendly and helpful, but also have the knowledge-base and professionalism needed to work effectively and responsively with your dog and yourself. All in all an opportunity to send your dog to a great adventure while being able to lean back and not worry (relax)! Thank you to Linnea, Gregor and Fausto!
- Martin, Nadia and Mylo.
Fergus
Fergus was a nervy, anxious puppy who was always hyper & never calm. Although things like bikes & cyclists didn't bother him when he was wee, once he reached a year old he became very scared of anything on wheels - which manifested as barking, growling, lunging and trying to nip. This behaviour escalated until there were certain dogs he didn't like, as well as all other animal types & this was beginning to transfer onto humans too. Although always a challenge, due to him pulling on lead and running away when off lead, walks became extremely stressful. 360 degree vision was required to keep him and the rest of the world safe. The final straw came when he lunged & tried to bite a lady who had patted him whilst he was sitting on lead with my husband, outside a shop. To be fair to the dog, the lady came out of nowhere & literally pounced on him whilst ruffling his backside - I wouldn't have liked it much either! She was quick to apologise as she realised it had been her actions that had caused Fergus' meltdown. However, we realised we couldn't go on like this & that there was a real possibility of Fergus hurting someone. I was also suffering from sore shoulders and a painful neck, partly due to the stress and partly due to his pulling. We decided to look for a behaviourist/trainer to see if we could turn his behaviour around. We didn't want to think about the alternative.
I came across Walk & Train on a Google search & explained our problems. Linnea replied very quickly & was so supportive in that first email - suddenly we didn't feel we were all alone with a problem dog. She set up our first meeting which would be followed by several one-to-one sessions.
Linnea arrived on one of the wettest days we had last year - in the summer! She observed Fergus on the walk whilst asking questions & getting his history. She made several suggestions which we could put into practice straight away - one being, to feed him whilst out on his walk & using his food as a reward rather that buying special treats. This worked very well for Fergus as he just loves using his nose to sniff out his breakfast & tea. She also showed us how a slip lead would help to control him and get him to walk without pulling.
She also explained how to handle Fergus when he didn't respond after being given a command such as 'on your bed'. Linnea also suggested changing Fergus food. We opted for a lower protein food, which we think has helped.
Linnea left us to put the new regime in place & then did an enormous amount of work putting together worksheets which were completely relevant to our problems - in other words, totally personalised. This all came with suggested video and web links - the amount of work she did should not be underestimated.
Then the hard work began - we were to implement the new regime, whilst doing things like having Fergus on a lead as my husband rode a bike at a distance Fergus was comfortable with, getting closer over a period of time. We walked past joggers at distance, then got closer to them over time, we walked past hundreds of buggies, around the outside of playgrounds etc. We got him to jump over low branches, onto tree stumps, wriggle under low branches, anything that would build his confidence.
We had several meetings with Linnea building on what we were doing with Fergus - then she decided it was time to walk him at heel through a busy environment&chose George IV Bridge - Fergus responded excellently - & that was our turning point - you could see him think that actually, he could manage this.
We are still a work in progress - does he still pull? Yes, but I know the fault lies with me. Do I still suffer with my neck & shoulders? No, because he only pulls occasionally during a walk & I can get him to stop. His recall is excellent, he can walk past bikes & joggers whilst on lead, although we are still cautious when he is off lead. He never does his old barking/growling/lunging routine - not even when he sees a cat! Walks are no longer fraught with fear & we can once again take him with us if we go for a coffee. Yes, he can still be nervous sometimes, but we have been complimented on having such a calm dog! People have noticed that he seems to be a much happier dog & he now actively comes to us to be petted, which he never did before, preferring his own company.
Life was hard last year, but Linnea was with us every step of the way, between our sessions and email back-up & life is so much rosier this year. She works exceptionally hard for her clients & gets brilliant results!
- Liz
Peanut
We contacted Walk and Train Edinburgh in the hope of finding some support with our lovely dog Peanut who struggled with some situations, such as when seeing kids rushing around, or hearing a skateboard whiz by. Peanut's response was to be reactive, and this was something that we wanted to address in a meaningful way - that is, by first understanding what was wrong and, then, by learning of ways to make positive changes.
Meeting Linnea was wonderful for our little family of three (my husband, Peanut and I). She quickly addressed how things that we had been doing, such as focussing on high intensity exercise, was perhaps contributing to Peanut's high levels of anxiety and vigilance - this, then, making Peanut less able to concentrate on us during walks and, instead, being easily stressed by what was around him. Linnea taught us how to integrate focus training during our walks, for example, by bringing Peanut's breakfast with us and creating opportunities for him to remain attuned to us, rather than the environment. In addition, Linnea gave us some great exercises for at home, for example, playing tug and letting Peanut get out his play, before helping him to calm down and regulate his emotions.
Taken together, we learned that perhaps we had been making the world a little too hectic for Peanut, through making things so fast-paced, without realising that this was not what he needed. Instead, we've made changes that allow for him to enjoy being outside, running with me in the mornings instead of chasing the ball, or going for hikes (he even completed the 90+ mile hike from Ullapool to Sandwood Bay this summer). Breakfast is always provided through search games out in the open, and this gives Peanut the opportunity to explore and use his sense of smell. There was so much help in what Linnea provided, and it's really made for a meaningful change in Peanut's behaviour when out and about. He is far less reactive to others and far more attentive towards us. He seems to be a happy, and less anxious dog, which makes us all very happy.
Thanks so much!
- Sarah & Nate
Dexter & Daisy
First got in touch with Linnea as we had reached the end of our tether with our 2 year old lad Dexter. He really struggled with walking on the lead and would constantly stop, put the brakes on and refuse to move. We had recently got another puppy, Daisy, and trying to walk them together was a nightmare. Linnea suggested we change them both to slip rope leads, and take charge of the dogs. Focus on where we were going and don't stop regardless! Four months on and both dogs are walking perfectly on the leads. We also focused on eye contact and how important that was. The dogs are now really attentive, are good off lead and respond really well to our commands. They both get on really well and its now a real joy to be out with them. Daisy is a confident 10 months old now and Dexter has vastly improved in all areas. Linnea gave us great advice and lots of training tips to be going on with and is still in contact to see how the guys are doing. We can't thank her enough for her advice and time. We are now more relaxed and confident as owners too and I think the dogs really respond to that. We are really enjoying our beautiful dogs. Thank you so much Linnea.
- Helen & Blair
Oscar
I contacted Walk and Train Edinburgh when my 6 month old Cocker Spaniel Oscar started to develop separation anxiety when left in the house alone and also to help us with recall training when out on walks.
In our consultation Linnea spent time observing and speaking to all the family to understand the way that we were interacting with Oscar and the circumstances that were causing his behaviour. She identified that Oscar never made eye contact with us which I hadn't noticed and explained the importance of him focusing his attention on us both inside and out of the house.
She talked us through what we should be doing to build his confidence in being left alone, firstly by stopping him following us around the house and building up the time he could hold his position in the crate. Following the consultation Linnea sent us detailed notes. She contacted us after a few weeks and provided further training ideas.
We saw a nearly immediate improvement on Oscar's recall by engaging his attention throughout a walk and this has continued to improve over time. Oscar responded well to the separation training but this took longer to see results. Now at nearly 9 months Oscar calmly goes to sleep when we leave him.
Linnea is extremely knowledgable about dog behaviour and is good at explaining the reasons behind it, as well as giving specific guidance on what needs to be done. I would highly recommend Linnea for dealing with dog behaviour issues and training.
- Lorna
Willow
We have had Willow for just over a year and we were struggling with her fearful/ aggressive reaction to other dogs. We felt that her issue was caused by fear, but didn't know how to help her with it. We had two trainers previously before going to Linnea, but had mixed success. Our walks became a tense and frustrating experience always on the lookout for other dogs or situations that could cause an issue. Linnea initially completed a home visit and gave us some exercises to work on. We then signed up for Linnea's Dog Socialisation classes at Mortonhall, Edinburgh. Willow is now able to walk around the grounds of Mortonhall, with 4 other dogs of various breeds. These dogs are also dog to dog reactive. I now have a set of skills that I am able to use on walks to help Willow feel safe and reassured that we will look after her. I would also like to say that the training sessions and the ongoing training I have been doing with Willow has taken our relationship to another level. The closeness that we have now has really cemented our relationship. This is all down to the advice and expertise of Linnea and Gregor.
- Ebby
Bonnie
My husband and I got our new Miniature Schnauzer puppy in May and although my husband and I have both had dogs in the past we hadn't had them as puppies. We wanted Bonnie to get off to a good start with her training and to grow into a friendly sociable dog, therefore I contacted Walk and Train. After Bonnie had been with us for a few weeks Linnea came to our home and went through some basic training techniques (lasting approximately 2hrs), we learned some valuable lessons for play, walking on the lead, recall and how to stop bad habits forming. I have to say that the training obviously worked and it was the best money I've ever spent, as everyone comments on how well behaved and smart she is for her age and I think I can definitely say this is down to Linnea's initial training and helpful email tips. Last month we started to have some problems when Bonnie became distracted whilst out walking and would ignore our commands, Linnea met with my husband in the park and spent an hour going through some helpful training techniques. Again these tips have worked a treat, although Bonnie still gets distracted by other dogs, children and birds she will return to us on command and very rarely runs off, this has meant that we can walk her off-leash and she loves the freedom of running about in the park and is also very good at walking to heel along country paths. I can't thank Linnea enough for all the help she has given us, Bonnie loved the training sessions and I am sure we will be calling on Walk and Train again in the future should any other problems arise. We have a very happy, well-trained puppy - Many thanks!
- Lorraine
Ben & Ceilidh
We have two rescue dogs, Ceilidh is a Border Collie across and Ben a Jack Russell. Both were abused prior to being rescued and both have very different personalities and issues. Ceilidh was scared of just about everything especially large vehicles and unexplained noises eg wind blowing through trees. When confronted with any of these she would try to run as fast and as far as possible in the opposite direction. She would run back home if we were close enough which unfortunately means crossing a busy main road. Ben is as different to Ceilidh as it's possible to get. He had the opinion that everyone was going to hurt him so he was going to get them first. He would try and attack people, especially cyclists and joggers and other dogs. Walks were very fraught affairs, considered a chore rather than enjoyable. Ben was also very protective of food so much so that we had to feed Ceilidh in a separate room to allow her to eat in peace. Additionally Ben is very territorial, we've had to rearrange furniture to stop him getting to the windows. As he can't get through the glass to attack the postman or anyone else walking by he grabs whatever is closest and shakes it violently in frustration. He has destroyed several window blinds, and bitten me several times while in a frenzy of frustration. We were in dire need of help.
We decided on a package of training involving home visits and group walks with Linnea and Gregor of Walk and Train Edinburgh. I have to say that they are both fantastic. Firstly they listen to the problem then explain the behaviour from the dogs point of view which really helps you to understand why the dog is acting in a certain way. They show you how to correct the behaviour and more importantly get you to practice while they look on. This is a really important aspect as it means that after they leave you having confidence that you can continue the training in the correct way. After the visits they provided detailed notes of the sessions with helpful hints and reminders as well as links to useful videos etc.
Both Ceilidh and Ben are very much a work in progress however life is much easier since enlisting the help of Linnea and Gregor. Ceilidh is much more confident outside, she hardly notices the bangs and crashes from demolition work being carried out close to where she is walked. Getting her to walk though woods has become easier and although she still doesn't like busses and lorries she is continuing to gain confidence around them. Ben has improved in leaps and bounds. He rarely barks at other dogs outside and if he is going to react to another dog we can spot the warning signs and distract him before he does. The same can be said of cyclists and joggers. We've worked on keeping both dogs calm around mealtimes, this has been such a success that both are now fed side by side. We're now also beginning to see improvements in his territorial behaviours to the extent that someone knocked on the door and he didn't react. Life is much calmer, we have a closer bond with the dogs than we had previously and walks are now pleasurable and something we look forward to. None of this would have been possible without the expert guidance of Linnea and Gregor of Walk and Train Edinburgh.
- Alison
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