𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐒𝐎 𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐘 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐞𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮!
Each dog and human partnership is on their own unique journey and you may just resonate with some of what they have to say!
We asked each student the same questions and you can hear about their experience with The WHOLE Dog team below
We have known Colt for almost 3 years now from the squishy baby puppy to the adorable adult that he is now!Here is what Cheryl had to say...
𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐠?
Colt was our first puppy and having had border collies in my family I knew we had to be on it with training from the start. We got Colt during Covid and done some online courses on basics but wanted to continue this as he grew with some face to face classes and sessions.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐄 𝐃𝐨𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮?
Firstly - Lou gets border collies , which few trainers do! They don’t work like other dogs and have so many intricacies that Lou knows inside out. The Whole dog approach is about understanding and helping your dog which aligns to my ethos - rather than thoughts of controlling or making them behave, it’s much more about a two way relationship and helping them live in a world they don’t understand.
𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐠 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐮𝐬?
Colt settles so well at home - He walks well on lead in areas he can cope with and we know when he’s not coping and how to help him.- he gets his needs met through herding activities.- he learned to cope and do other things around dogs which helped with his reactivity - he has new best friends in aunties Lou and Ciara.- he’s learned so many fun tricks which we work on to continue to build our bond and have fun together.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐁𝐈𝐆𝐆𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐰𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐠?
Accepting Colt for who he is and being able to give him a happy, fulfilled life doing things he enjoys- we can now get him in the car to go run adventures and we can go a walk knowing how to help him work through things- all of this was not possible when we started!
𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲?
Supported, knowledgeable and just full of love for my dog. Knowing I always have someone in my corner to celebrate the wins and pick me up on the odd hard day (which there are a lot less of now!)
We have known Bentley for a year and a bit now and to see the changes in him and his humans has been incredible
!Here is what Stacy had to say...
𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐠?
Bentley became a nightmare to walk during covid. He was at the difficult teenage phase during covid and the lack of socialisation made him extremely reactive around other dogs. It got to the point I either got help with him or I would have had to re-home him as I could no longer take him out without ending up in tears with his behaviour.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐄 𝐃𝐨𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮?
The training used works well for us as it encourages Bentley to make the choice himself. It is centered on the individual dog, with the added benefit of learning to calm myself which helps with the developing relationship.
𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐠 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐮𝐬?
Bentley no longer goes into class shouting at everyone and we can now walk alongside other dogs that he recognises without trying to chew their face off!
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐁𝐈𝐆𝐆𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐰𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐠?
We have had many big wins recently with him but I think the best one for me was being able to get him into the waiting room at the vet with 2 strange dogs. I'll admit I almost cried that day. This is something we haven't managed in 3.5 years
𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲?
At this point I am loving taking him out on adventures, I can see how excited he gets in new places. I still have a mild panic when I see other dogs off lead but his choosing to ignore these dogs (some of the time at least) is helping both of us to relax and just enjoy the walk.
Willow BURST into her first class and we thought ahhhh shes going to be FUN!! Her and her humans have been on a bit of a journey since then!
𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐠?
We were struggling with lead walking being over excited and barking and jumping at people when we were out it was mortifying
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐄 𝐃𝐨𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮?
I was recommended the whole dog by a friend who had also attended the classes we were looking for a trainer who trained using kind and effective methods there are so many different trainers that I didn’t know who to trust and the recommendation was a fabulous endorsement of the classes and approach they use, I’ve learned with my dog for just under a year through whole dog classes and the safe space they provide to ask any questions is wonderful they really understand how the owners can feel when their dog is being a challenge to manage for a variety of reasons
𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐠 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐮𝐬?
From the pup that wouldn’t go in the door of the class to the dog that is desperate to get started, she can now cope walking past people with a reduced distance between them and her and making the choice herself not to jump on them it bark at them, From the dog that spent the entire class barking lunging and being really difficult to manage to the one getting the compliments first her good behaviour- but some of the biggest change has been the support I’ve received in learning how to understand my dog and the relationship we’ve developed has really helped me understand her personality and body language to let me support her the best way possible and we’re still learning together
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐁𝐈𝐆𝐆𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐰𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐠?
My biggest win was being able to gave multiple people in my home at Christmas and our girl being calm and lying sleeping on my mother in laws lap - and she’s not keen on dogs but our pupster is slowly changing her perspective
𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲?
I am happy with the progress we’ve made so far we continue to negotiate hopefully towards the end of her adolescent stage and have honed some of her basic skills through practice I’m looking forward to continuing to learn with our girl and helping her develop into the wonderful adult she’s becoming and to have the happiest most fulfilled life we can give her Thank you to the whole dog for all your support
We met Leia as her brother came to our puppy classes and we thought we could help her too
!𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐠?We had worked with trainers before with Leia but I didn’t like the approach. It wasn’t till we got stitch in puppy class I realised we found the dog trainers for us!
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐄 𝐃𝐨𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮?
The main thing for me was you never wanted me to force my dogs to do anything they don’t want to do.
𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐠 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐮𝐬?
Hugely! Leia wouldn’t even go into our garden a few months ago. Or go on a walk! Now she’s loving life again
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐁𝐈𝐆𝐆𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐰𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐠?
Going for a walk and passing dogs and not having a single reaction from her. I was so happy I gave her the whole treat pouch
𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲?
I feel like we are on the up and up. There is still so much we can do to improve Leia’s life. And I will do anything I can to make sure she’s happy