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.
Patch
Patch is a first line working stock Bearded Border Collie Cross. We originally contacted Walk and Train whilst dealing with some over excitement issues when seeing and dealing with other dogs. He would also shut down when outside and seem overwhelmed. We had tried a few other trainers and groups including staged reactive dog classes all of which never had any effect and increased stress of Patch and us.
As we were planning to move from the countryside to a new Metropolis in Canada we enlisted their help. Due to being so busy we struggled to get a date to start. They referred me to another great trainer for a session. Eventually we managed to begin both private sessions and group sessions with Linnea and Gregor. Patch came on massively very quickly as there was a complete understanding of his nature and the confidence to control it. We focused on calmness out walking instead of just playing fetch all the time. Continued and improved on structured walks.
However it was also about building an understanding relationship between us and Patch. He is a high strung dog however with the help of Walk and Train we can now walk off leash with Patch around other dogs without the worry of losing him to distractions. He plays better with other dogs and leads a happier life in a busier city now.
Linnea also has some fantastic videos online for hints and tips.
- Lewis
Milo
To say Milo was the puppy we expected to get is an understatement. All the reading and preparation ahead of getting him just couldn't have prepared us for taking on a highly excited-reactive dog in our lives. I contacted W&T after feeling at a loss after a few months trying to work on Milo ourselves and finding our daily walks near impossible- Linnea was so prompt in arranging to meet amongst their already busy schedule of clients. I felt as ease from our first consultation and knew I had chosen the right people to help.
Our pup has come such a long way in terms of his control and ability to make the right choices now when he is faced with another dog. I often look back and consider what we would have done without Linnea and Gregor's help, I am so grateful for the advice and guidance they offered.
I can't say that Milo is now a perfect non-reactive dog, and he may never be, however he has improved a huge amount and that is thanks to Linnea and Gregor and the work they put into understanding him, and helping me work with him during 1-2-1 training, group classes and weekly walks.
A weight is lifted knowing that Gregor is taking care of Milo twice a week during his walks and providing a safe outlet for Milo to explore, interact with other dogs and ultimately continuing to help in training Milo.
I would not hesitate to recommend W&T for any level of training that your dog may need.
- Sarah
Otto
I have no doubt that Linnea and Gregor saved my dog Otto from rehoming or worse...He is the best companion now and I can credit his turnaround from a dog who constantly pushed people and boundaries, to a dog who has a greater respect for us and manners!
I contacted walk and train, after suddenly having to look after Otto’s sister when her owner became unwell. She added the fuel to her already boisterous brother’s behaviour. After spending several hours observing, guiding and training both me and the dogs, we agreed that rehoming Lottie, would give both dogs a better chance at succeeding. I felt such a failure but I now realise how wrong I was.
This was a big turning point for Otto. I was then able to have him walked every day by Gregor and his walks are incredible; over the hills, through forests and around and in lakes! Otto was taught respect, boundaries, pack order and I was guided to see Otto’s true spirit and that he wasn’t a problem dog. Walk and Train offer the full package: training for you (yes the owners are the biggest problems for dogs) training for the dogs which is nothing short of ‘dog whispering’, guidance notes to be able to read and re-read and of course the incredible walks. Otto is a credit to their dedication and patience and I am most certainly a better owner with a greater understanding of who my best buddy is and what he needs.
- Nickie
Ruby
When I first met Linnea and Gregor I had already been to several dog trainers. Ruby was always well behaved in training classes and could easily manage all of the ‘tricks’ but was becoming increasingly reactive towards other dogs on our walks. She had been in a few fights at that time and would bark and lunge towards any dog. Walking her, especially with two kids in tow, was incredibly stressful. We were all worried that she’d really injure another dog.
Over the past year Walk and Train have supported me to build a relationship with my dog. I’ve learnt how to keep her calm in situations and to look to me for guidance. We’ve had one to one sessions in the park, group classes with other reactive dogs and play sessions with their own walking pack. Throughout it all Linnea and Gregor’s knowledgeable and gentle approach has taught me so much about how to manage her behaviour and keep us both calm. It’s not a quick fix and she’s definitely not the perfect dog but I’m pretty proud of how far we’ve both come. Thank you both.
- Clare
Rafa
When I remind Rafa that Gregor and Linnea are on their way, he will sometimes rush to the window to see if they're here yet. This is a testament to the fact that Rafa loves going on Doggy Day Trips. As a border collie, he needs plenty of walking and I can't meet his needs during the working week. Walk and Train are therefore essential. It's great to see him trot off happily with a wagging tail and come back calm and tired - and he is not the easiest dog to tire out! I am so pleased to have found Gregor and Linnea. They have always been 100% helpful and reliable and it's clear that they are very much in tune with the dogs. It's also lovely to see the pictures from their adventures! I would highly recommend Walk and Train.
- Ailsa
Betty & Poppy
I met Linnea at a time when my puppies, two cocker spaniels, were certainly taking over the house and with it was disappearing my sanity and also the rest of our family’s!!
I have worked with other trainers, but Linnea’s calm approach was a revelation to me, I never felt useless or overwhelmed during our lesson, I know that it is possible and I feel i can do it, more importantly the feeling does not go away when the trainer does!!
I just love it, our normal reaction is to be very vocal to misbehaving doggies, (!!) but it definitely works better this way. I now see the way our dogs are waiting for feedback & guidance if I go silent, they just look up to us and wait for us to say the word, it is a very bonding experience.
We are also using Linnea & Gregor’s walking service twice weekly which are fantastic, very happy doggies, very good social life for them! I also know that when I have a question about my dogs (regarding food, behavioural or other), I ask freely, I will get a clear answer and it helps me to behave the right way and make the right choices for my dogs.
- Lydie
Eric
Linnea and Gregor have helped us so much over the past 2 years I don't even know where to start in beginning to thank them. Our dog Eric, is a rescue from the charity Wild at Heart Foundation. He is a pointer/spaniel cross. Eric came to us when he was around 3 months old.
I had actually emailed Walk and Train back when we were at the stage of planning to get a dog as my husband and I were really keen to get off to the best possible start with regards to training and we knew that we would need some guidance. At this stage we were not even clients of Linnea's and she kindly responded with some thoughts and advice. We knew that Walk and Train were the place to go once Eric arrived. We have since had one to one sessions, attended group classes and Eric is also walked every week by Gregor and has boarded with Gregor and Linnea when we have been on holiday.
Linnea and Gregor go way above and beyond any expectations that we may of had of a dog training and walking service. Their passion and willingness to help and support is immeasurable. It is obvious to us that they deeply care about the dogs in their care and genuinely want people to succeed.
Linnea has a way of teaching which has resulted in us learning so much about Eric and understanding his personality and his needs. We have been given a lot of practical advice to help us deal with various behavioural issues we have had along the way but we have also had an education on dog behaviour and understanding the influence that our own behaviours have on Eric. As a result I think our bond with Eric is so much stronger and deeper and this is thanks to Linnea.
We also massively owe our thanks to Gregor for all the hard work and dedication he puts in to Eric's development when out on the walks. I can't stress how grateful we are for this. Because of Gregor's expertise, Eric has the opportunity to socialise with other dogs and have time off leash in a controlled environment. These are areas that we are personally still working on during our own walks. We trust Gregor and Linnea wholeheartedly and it is such a relief to know that Eric is safe and happy when in their care.
We would highly recommend Walk and Train and feel very lucky to have their on going guidance and support.
- Emma
Stella
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
Luath
This is quite an emotional story to write, now that I am thinking about it!
We decided to add a dog to our family and I spent a long time researching dogs which would not stimulate allergies which some of us have and would be a suitable temperament and size for the kids to walk. I had had dogs in my family all of my life so was keen my kids had the same experience. Having spoken to lots of breeders on the phone and spent hours reading up, we welcomed 9 week old Luath (a show cocker spaniel) into our home. She was great and was socialised with lots of people of all ages. When she was 12-13 weeks old she started showing anxiety and became reluctant to interact with new people or dogs.
Puppy classes were really stressful for her, she wanted to hide behind the chairs the whole hour and wouldn't go out for a walk for 2 days after each class. Visits to the vet were difficult and I was told to 'get on top of her behaviour'. Hmmm!! An animal behaviourist was recommended and on meeting Luath for an afternoon, informed me that I needed to do three things - cover over the windows in the living room so she couldn't see out; not let her near other dogs and not let the kids walk her on their own. By the time he left, I was fighting back the tears - our lovely dog so affectionate and loving with us and struggling with her fears which we couldn't really understand was condemned to a life of being unable to interact with anyone else but her close family (and had to stay in rooms she couldn't see out of!!) We tried reactive dog classes - no help.
After a period of feeling quite sad, I decided to have another try for help. I was looking for another dog trainer closer to where we live and with experience of anxiety and reactiveness when I found LInnea and Gregor's website.
The first time Linnea came round, I immediately felt that she understood the issues we had and had a sensible approach to managing them by looking at the emotions behind the behaviour rather than the behaviour itself. Initially, she and Luath had a 'tussle' on either end of the lead but after 2 hours, Luath had learned an automatic sit, dog parkour and was walking beside Linnea and taking treats from her!! It was magical to watch and be part of.
We have had 1:1 sessions at home and in the Meadows as well as play sessions in our garden with some of the daycare dogs. All of these have taught my family and I how to manage Luath in different situations and allowed her to gain confidence.
The Sunday morning social walks have given Luath the chance to gain trust with other dogs - all of whom have their own issues. She has learned that nothing awful is necessarily going to happen with other people and dogs around. She will now walk and play with the others - even giving one larger, boisterous dog a kiss on the ear last week!! She will approach the owners too now and does not have a meltdown if something happens which she was not expecting.
I read Walk & Train reviews before contacting them but did not really believe that our dog would achieve so much that I would ever be writing this!! Luath still has lots to learn - so do we - but she is able to enjoy being a dog now which wouldn't have happened without Linnea and Gregor's support and knowledge.
Oh yes and if anyone says 'Linnea' in the house, Luath runs to the window, tail wagging and looks for Linnea!! Positive conditioned response, I think they call it!
- Alison
Sophie
Linnea helped my dog-reactive Shepherd Husky pup and I become a much better team. We loved working with her and always felt like we were in good hands. Can’t recommend highly enough!
- Dora
Piggy
Piggy loves both the doggy day trips and short walks that he's been going on with Gregor for the last four months. As soon as he's home he sleeps for the rest of the day, which we both couldn't be happier about! Having moved to Edinburgh in September I felt that it was important for Piggy to socialise with other dogs, particularly as he had become a bit weary after moving. Gregor and Linnea provide a wonderful service, I always know that Piggy is in really great hands and he couldn't be more happy to be with them. He's becoming more confident when walking around the city and has already seen more of Scotland than I have!
- Alex
Ziva
Walk and Train came highly recommend by a friend, and I could not be happier with their doggie day care service! My pup Ziva goes out for the day twice a week, and always comes home incredibly happy and tired. Gregor kept me really well informed as Ziva was integrated into the pack, and it was reassuring to hear how much thought and care is put into the introduction of new dogs and the ongoing pack dynamics. I always know Ziva is in great hands, and doggie day care makes balancing grad school, work, and a highly active dog so much easier!
- Alison
Anansi
When we moved to Edinburgh, we were quite worried about finding a trustworthy new daycare service for our springer-collie cross, Anansi. She really thrives on socialising with other dogs and has piles of energy, and we wanted her to be able to continue to do this, but a lot of the city daycare centres had mixed reviews. I’m so glad I spied Walk & Train’s colourful van driving around Morningside! The service is second to none, and is much more comprehensive than the usual daycare, pick-up and drop-off. They take the time to get to know your dog’s individual needs and personality, and Anansi is always delighted to see both Linnea and Gregor. Their rates are also very reasonable – for less than the usual price of daycare, your dog is picked up, taken on a long and stimulating walk with a small ‘pack’ of other dogs, with work on their behaviour and manners thrown in too! Anansi always returns happy and exhausted, and we have noticed a real improvement in her ability to manage her own excitable nature. Linnea has also advised us on how to reinforce this training on our own walks and at home. I would recommend Walk & Train to anyone without hesitation.
- Natalia
Scooby
I contacted Linnea at Walk and Train in April last year when Scooby, our delightful miniature schnauzer (MS) was 15 months old. We were at the end of our tether with Scooby. Although much loved, we were not coping with his behaviour which had escalated gradually over a few months. We could not let him off the lead as he would chase like a rocket after runners, cyclists, and would bark ferociously at other passers by whether on or off the lead. The only people he would not react to were people who were with other dogs. He would also want to play with ALL other dogs so would try to race over to every dog he saw. I approached several recommended and highly rated dog behaviouralists in the area. One in particular said that she was aware of many other MS in Edinburgh with similar issues which she thought is probably down to breeding, and that she would try to help us but she didn’t hold out much hope. With this in mind, I was sceptical of Linnea being able to help us at all.
Linnea spent an afternoon with Scooby and our family at home in April. She chatted to us all and quietly watched Scooby. She ascertained pretty quickly that Scooby is a dog who is by nature a calm animal who is not able to cope with excitement and is unable to calm himself down easily. She also warned us of the risks of letting him approach other dogs freely as different dogs can react in different ways to this, and some may become aggressive. She worked with him immediately demonstrating to us a bed-stay where he can relax in his own safe place. Then she took us out into our garden and local park and showed us how to recognise signs that his excitement was escalating and how to correct this gently before it got out of control with a slip leash. After this single 3-hour session, we all breathed a massive sigh of relief. For the first time in months we had been able to walk down the street with Scooby on lead, without him barking or lunging at all.
It sounds too good to be true, but this is really what happened. We have been working with Linnea since then both in 1-1 lessons and in group lessons. Scooby’s behaviour is not perfect but is vastly improved, and we have a much better understanding of how to be dog owners. We have much more insight into why Scooby behaves as he does and have strategies to deal with this. We can now walk down the street with Scooby on a loose lead without him barking and lunging at passers-by which a few months ago seemed an impossible task. Scooby is much better at being able to stay calm passing other dogs. With Linnea’s help, we are working towards being able to let him off leash. When we get our next dog, I will definitely get help from Linnea in the very early puppy stages to guide socialisation and training. Thank you Linnea – your help has been invaluable and you have enabled us to relax and enjoy our lovely dog again.
- Rachel
Maisie
We cannot praise Gregor and Linnea enough for the amount of help and advice they have given us and our dog Crazy Maisie.
Although Maisie looks very cute and innocent she can be very nervous and aggressive around other dogs. This reaction was a result of being attacked a few times by other dogs while out on walks.
Maisie’s behaviour was so unpredictable it made walking her something we dreaded rather than enjoyed, which is not ideal for a very hyper Spaniel who needs lots of walks.
After trying lots of different techniques and reading a lot about aggression in nervous dogs, we felt like nothing was working. We would see some small changes, but they would never last.
We first contacted Gregor and Linnea about 8 months ago and have noticed a massive improvement in Maisie’s behaviour already. So much so we have been able to hire a dog walker, who takes Maisie out with other dogs and hasn’t been aggressive with any of them to date.
Gregor and Linnea taught us that Maisie isn’t a bad dog and that it is other owners who do not have control over their dogs when running at Maisie. This was a huge relief to hear.
We had one individual consultation with Gregor, who taught us how to try to keep Maisie calm outside so that instead of being at 100 when she is out, she starts the walk a lot calmer and can now sit and stay outside.
We also attend the Sunday group sessions which are a life line for us. Maisie gets to socialise with other dogs whose owners are in control and her confidence has grown massively. She now very rarely reacts to dogs and is starting to become calmer outdoors (which for a Spaniel is the impossible)
The class is also very good for us, as it not only gives us a chance to catch up with Gregor and Linnea, who are always on hand to help and give us tips, but it also makes us feel like we aren’t the only ones and that other owners face the same challenges as us.
Linnea and Gregor clearly have a passion for what they do and they are amazing at it. So much so, when Maisie wasn’t well, Linnea was on hand to offer advice. They really do love our dogs as much as we do.
We can’t thank them enough for helping us make walks with Maisie something we love doing again.
-Laura
Max
Gregor has been amazing with my dog Max. He didn't get on very well at Doggy day care and I was looking for a dog walker to help and who would understand my dogs behaviour. Max loves his walks with Gregor and his smaller group of dogs, and really knows how to handle him. Thanks for the wonderful service you offer.
- Anna
Basil
Basil joined Gregor and Linnea for their dog walks while I was at work. It's a good mixture of mental and physical exercise and some training too. He enjoys his time with them and we joined their group classes to fine tune his obedience. I have been very impressed with their patience and skill at reading dogs and have been trying to reinforce what they have taught me. I am completely at ease when Basil is in their care.
I cannot recommend them highly enough.
- Cheryl
Bella
We contacted Linnea and Gregor soon after adopting our lurcher Bella.
When Bella first arrived with us she was wary of new people, easily spooked and could become reactive towards dogs that wouldn't play on her terms. We also struggled to maintain her attention when outside, which sometimes made for stressful walks together.
We needed someone to help us get the best out of Bella and to provide her with exercise and stimulation while we were at work during the week.
It was obvious as soon as we met Gregor that he knew how to put the needs of Bella first and the regular updates on how she was integrating with the rest of the pack gave us confidence that she was in excellent hands. Bella returns tired and content after every walk and is excited to go again every morning! It is great knowing that she is getting to explore and socialise in a safe environment and that she has an outlet for her excess energy.
Having a training session with Linnea gave us a clear plan of action to help Bella. Linnea's knowledge regarding canine behaviour is second to none and her friendly and patient approach made it easy to ask questions and understand how to make better choices for Bella. The notes and youtube videos provided allow us to refer back when we feel we need some more help and Linnea has always been available to answer one off questions when we've needed some extra support.
Most importantly it is clear that Bella thoroughly enjoys spending time with both Linnea and Gregor! Having a regular routine has made a huge difference to her behaviour and our confidence.
We wouldn't hesitate to recommend Walk and Train for training and doggy day care, in fact, we'd like to go on some of the walks ourselves!
- Corinne & Peter
Woody
Linnea has taught both Woody and I so much over the past few months. I contacted Linnea to try and help us with Woody and his fear of almost everything. He was terrified of roads, bikes, push chairs, people, going on his lead and not to happy with other dogs coming over to him. After a few months of hard work from all of us but mostly Woody, we can now walk along the road on lead, he’s much happier with bikes, push chairs and other dogs saying hello. We still have a lot of work to do but he is doing so well and is so much calmer. Thank you!!
- Kirsten
Lily
When we adopted our first dog, she was just under 6 months old, and came from a very different home in a rural location, to live with us, in a city. As Lily is our first dog, we decided we would like some professional help just to make sure that we were doing the right things. Linnea helped us learn how to read Lily’s body language, understand her better and respond appropriately. We have been very fortunate and never had any real difficulties with Lily, but there were lots of everyday behaviours we wanted to improve. Lily used to constantly pull on the lead and whine as she became frustrated about this, which still happens occasionally, but now, if I get her in the right frame of mind, we can walk through a busy park, or past birds/cats in the street, without even having a lead on! We have done lots of work on calmness and frustration, which I don’t think we even understood was the issue before working with Linnea.
Friends and family often comment on how well behaved Lily is, which is lovely to hear, and reminds us how hard we have all worked! It’s often easy for us to forget how much Lily, and we, have learned and changed over time, and how things we now take for granted are behaviours and skills that we have all worked on. There are lots of behaviours that we want to continue to improve/work on, but we now feel comfortable in how to achieve this.
Linnea is so generous with her time, often spending extra time with us and always being available for extra support or guidance if we needed it. It’s reassuring to know there is someone who will understand, and most likely have a remarkably simple solution, to any issues we face with our dog. We first made contact with Walk and Train Edinburgh in 2015, and still have contact and support from them now!
Walk and Train Edinburgh has also allowed us to access a whole other community of dogs and their people, new walks, different management techniques and advice about anything and everything dog related! Although our initial intent had just been to make sure we understood the basics, thanks to Walk and Train Edinburgh, we have a happy, relaxed dog, who we can understand and effectively communicate with. We are always recommending them to anyone who is thinking about getting a dog, and genuinely think getting in touch with Walk and Train Edinburgh is one of the best decisions we made since getting a dog!
-Frankie
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