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Rescue girl:

Helen has been amazing helping us with our anxious dog.
Helen has gone, we feel, above and beyond to help us and fit in with our busy lives.
We followed her advice and it has made such a positive difference to all our lives.
Would highly recommend Helen and would use her again.

Young Spaniel:

Can't rate Helen enough. I felt on the fence about getting help for our 1 year old cocker spaniel but I am SO glad I did. Helen taught us simple techniques the whole family use that have helped make life so much easier and walks so much more enjoyable! She totally speaks their language and I was amazed how quickly he responded to her suggestions.

Mabel:

“I came to Helen for help with my cockapoo’s anxious behaviour when out of the house, particularly whenever we came across other dogs. Over the year I worked with Helen she was always incredibly supportive of my own anxieties about taking Mabel out knowing she would behave ‘badly’. Helen quickly taught me to not view Mabel’s behaviour as naughty but that she was struggling with her feelings of being overwhelmed and it was my job to help her through this. It wasn’t a quick fix by any means, but Helen had made very clear from the beginning that this would take time and patience from all involved.  During our 1-2-1 sessions, Helen was always very patient and calm, clear with her instructions and excellent at explaining why we were making the changes, offering great insight into how Mabel’s mind works as a dog. I would highly recommend Helen to anyone who needs help to better understand their dogs behaviour and is willing to put the time and work in. I feel very lucky to have had Helens support, kindness and expertise.”

Ziggy the Terrier

"Helen has been helping us with our rescue terrier Ziggy who has some social problems and can be unpredictable with other dogs, particularly un-neutered males. Most importantly she has inspired much greater confidence in my handling and he was the most relaxed in the presence of other dogs during our last session. I researched several possible behaviourists and am so pleased to have found someone who understands Ziggy. Helen is recommended without reservation." Neil

Gentle soul Ghost

"We had major problems with Ghost, but Helen has given us back our joy in walking a dog. She has never made us feel like we are bad dog owners and to be honest if it wasn't for Helen then Ghost would probably be back at the rescue we got him from. We are all so grateful for her help and advice." Allison

"Helen is very experienced with a mountain of patience both with the owner and their dog, she is understanding and kind, and no question is too stupid. As a first time dog owner she has been massively supportive and her guidance has been invaluable. 

I would have no hesitation in recommending Helen". Jan

Jackson's Social Endeavors
"We contacted Helen when our one-year old Cocker puppy, Jackson, started to display some strange behaviour. Although he was normally a happy dog and would interact and play well with nearly all of the dogs he met, he had started to dominate certain young male dogs by growling and pinning them to the floor. He didn't hurt any of the dogs but their owners were sometimes unhappy and it was not pleasant for us to have a dog that was becoming rather anti-social!
Having previously used a behaviourist for a rescue dog I was aware that it is not always easy to find one that has the right approach to be successful.
Helen listened very carefully to Jackson's history and behaviour and produced a thorough report which set out the way forward. I arranged two sessions where she came to see how he reacted with two of the problem dogs and over two long walks, we started to put the plan into practice. She has a very good eye for canine body language and was able to help us understand how the dos were reacting and how we could manage the problem behaviours. We saw improvements after each session and more importantly, we were able to develop the confidence and understanding to control meetings with other dogs in future.
The report and training sessions have been backed up with email support which is invaluable when dealing with a dog as stubborn as a Cocker! Helen is always responsive and creative in suggesting different ways to react to setbacks and maintain progress. Today Jackson is much improved and we are more relaxed knowing that we have the skills to manage the situation.
 
I have no hesitation in recommending Helen as a very effective behaviourist who will work closely with you to help you and your dog." John and Karen.
New rescue German Pointer
"I am delighted to provide a testimonial for Helen and wanted to share my story and the important part that Helen played in this.  I am an experienced dog owner including having taken in a rescue from Battersea.  I am also experienced in having "difficult" breeds i.e. GSP and border collie.  I thought I was pretty good with dogs.   And then along came Hugo!!!!

Hugo is a GSP rescue that we took on when he was six months.    He came with a very long list of issues that included no recall, pulling on the lead (like a train), jumping up, mouthing, demand barking (incessantly!!), counter surfing, digging, weeing in the house - you get the picture!!
I very quickly realised I was out of my depth and needed help and so found Helen.    From the minute she walked into our house our lives have improved.   Initial tips about how we all behave in the house, feeding routines, house training etc all contributed to creating calmness which in turn helped with so many of his problems.    I then continued to work regularly with Helen over a six month period and we have slowly chipped away at hugo's problems and he is becoming the wonderful dog that we knew was in there.

This has been a tough journey and one where I cried nearly every week and where we have seriously considered putting him back into rescue.   Helen has often had to listen to my melt downs!!!  She has always been there - not just through the booked sessions but also through email and then would always phone when she could tell things have got really bad!   It was Helen that kept encouraging me and supporting me to carry on trying. I honestly believe that without Helen we would not have Hugo now.

And so Helen has that unique blend of knowledge/expertise but more importantly for me has been her attitude.   She has a wonderful relaxed, empathetic, calm yet assertive style that I think is perfect!!  I never felt patronised or "told off" - just hugely supported by an expert in their field who was 100% behind me and rooting for me (and my troublesome pooch) all the way."
Thank you Helen from Hugo and Sarah. 
Nervous reactive Border Collie
"We adopted Jack, a Border Collie last October, knowing that he was fearful of a lot of things and would need time and space to relax and learn to trust us. For a couple of months he was too nervous to even take treats from us and he didn’t know how to play.
 
We called on Helen in January for help with a range of behaviour issues which were becoming increasingly difficult to deal with as Jack started to get more confident. 
Helen, sometimes with the help of one or more of her own dogs, did a variety of sessions, either in the house, helping us to understand and deal with Jack’s apparently random barking and sometimes aggressive behaviour, and other sessions outside, finding ways to deal with Jack’s fear of cars, bicycles and his reactions to other dogs.
 
Helen’s experience and adaptable approach meant that she was able to identify the issues and suggest various possible solutions until we found methods that worked for Jack.
The big breakthrough was teaching us to read Jack’s body language and develop a reliable recall so that we can both now safely let Jack off the lead in suitable places away from traffic. Having come from rural Ireland he is happiest running free and appears to be more willing to learn when off the lead.

Although we still have a lot of work to do, Helen’s  guidance has made a massive difference and we now have a happy and more relaxed dog who just needs further training in some areas.
Helen was always approachable and always available for further backup either by phone or email. She was always positive and encouraging, as she could see the improvements in Jack’s behaviour even when we couldn’t." Sue & Ray
Stressful Staffy
"We sought the advice of Helen as we really wanted to enjoy our life with Harvey & help him to stop getting so stressed out. With her help & guidance we managed to get Harvey to realise that other dogs aren't a threat & that he doesn't have to react negatively towards them when he sees them and is approached by them.  Also by using Helen's methods we have taught Harvey to place his trust and also respect our leadership and for him not to get stressed by not knowing what decisions to make when a situation arose." Trevor and Emma

Young Whippet 

"Great to have such a rewarding conclusion to our final session together. Thank you for your wisdom and guidance. It has made such a difference to our lives and had certainly improved Tess's quality of life." Helen 

 
Re-homed German Shepherd
"I requested some socialisation training for my dog shortly after getting her from a Rescue centre. Helen came to my home and we started the training from there, where I regularly walk my dog. The sessions were structured especially for us and were really informative." Darren
 
Nervous aggressive Jack Russell
"This is Jack’s story. He is a black and white Jack Russell, aged five, and came into my care in November 2013. His history was harrowing. He had lived in an abusive environment, and his final horror was to be tied up and abandoned at the side of the A12. It was some three weeks before he was found, having survived by foraging who knows what.
 
Initially Jack’s behaviour was great, although clearly anxious and confused. However as he became used to a stable environment his fears started showing themselves, and he became an outwardly aggressive and unpleasant little dog. My dog owning skills were doing little to help him, apart from daily training in the house, and this is where Helen came in.  
 
Without Helen’s guidance and professional help, I suspect that Jack’s eventual outcome might not have been as happy as it is. I was becoming more anxious – not about Jack’s relationship with me, but with his serious aggression towards all other dogs, and often to other people. I suspected that I wouldn’t be able to help him, and knew that he would never be able to be rehomed again. He was my commitment, and here we are, six months later, with Jack in happy and confident mode, and me confident and happy in the knowledge that we make a good, safe team.
 
It wasn’t a quick fix – Helen anticipated six months, and it has been just that. Small steps, little victories, I can’t say enough to praise Helen. Her quiet and gentle guidance has worked wonders with Jack, and I can only encourage anyone with worries about their dog to consult her for help. Thank you Helen, I wouldn’t have been able to manage without you. " Daphne
 

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