TESTIMONIALS - Many more can be found on our Pups & Pooches Facebook Page
PLEASE READ:
To follow is (with the kind permission of my client) a full breakdown of events from first point of contact through to present day progress
Hi it’s with a heavy heart and tear stained face that I am writing to you. I need to re home my dog Monty who is a cross jack Russell. His Mum was a jack Russell and his dad a pug and beagle mix.
He has struggled with the house move and has bitten my daughter, her boyfriend, my ex and me. I have tried;
Classes
Behaviourist
Medication
Bark busters
Vets for advice and support
Residential placements - full until March
I have been working with the Behaviourist and this is going slowly but his behaviour is improving. My daughter came home from uni and he’s growled and snarled at her. He was on a long line so this didn’t get beyond that behaviour . Unfortunately my daughter is so terrified that she stayed in the car for 3 hours . I have contacted;
Dogs trust
Local animal shelters
RSPCA
Local rescue places
They are full and won’t take him because he has bitten before; which I fully understand.
He’s a nervous/ anxious dog in new situations but I feel trainable. I absolutely love him but can’t have my daughter too frightened to be in the home. In the meantime the vets have given medication, he’s on a long line and I have a baby gate up.
Can you help as I cannot imagine having to euthanasia a healthy happy little dog.
Regards
Geri Byrne-Thompson
Since the above, Geri has documented progress and detailed it into six parts - all her own words:
Part one
Monty is a lovely beautiful spirited three year old mix breed dog. His Mum is a Jack Russell and his dad is a mix of pug and beagle. Monty joined our family when he was 8 -10 weeks old. He was the cutest little boy and we did everything wrong; let him sleep with us, didn’t train him to wee outside fully, carried him around and did not insist on lead/ collar .
Part 2
He used to run around the garden/ park and we could only catch him after several bribes and or he ran out of steam. He’s nearly been run over several times.
Problems started when at the first obedience class I was told he had deep issues! He was only 12 months then. Due to a lack of consistent training from me and a house move Monty became very difficult to control. He had bitten me several times ( drawing blood and bruising my hands/ forearms ) my daughter, her boyfriend and at least 2 of the 5 Behaviourists. There was sometimes but not always a warning growl.
Part 3
I thought about giving him away several times as I just couldn’t cope with him. I got to point of arranging a rehoming with a local animal charity. Bleakholt wouldn’t take him because he had bitten. The charity was set to take him but on the day was late getting him and during the few hours I just couldn’t go through with it. I had also contacted the vets about options. Through my tears and looking at him and all his toys and jackets I thought I had to give him one more chance. I was desperate for help and didn’t know where else to turn. The Behaviourists has not worked and to put it bluntly I was scared of my own dog
Part 4
He had chewed the bottom of my bed, did not obey any instructions and I didn’t enforce anything for fear of his growling or being bitten. The situation was made worse by my dodgy hip and a walking stick.
Then a neighbor and dog walker recommended Lorraine. To say she’s changed our life is an understatement.
He has been reset back to factory settings.
Lorraine did what no Behaviorist/ vet/ trainer/ “expert” did; she worked her socks off to gain his trust whilst all the while setting clear and consistent boundaries.
Part 5
Each week Lorraine worked hard to put him through his paces. He learnt the basics and Lorraine made sure I was also reinforcing every day in between her visits. I have taken this very seriously and from week 2 I have been amazed by the difference this has made. He works for his food ( every time!) . He listens! He sits/ begs/ crawls on his belly and during the lock down has learnt to sing/ howl! I never knew my dog loves to learn. Most of all he loves Lorraine! He trusts her implicitly and so do I .
Part 6
We are still a work in progress. Lorraine understands him and whilst works at his pace; every week there is progress. He still wears a lead indoors but also has a short little toggle lead - which Lorraine made! That’s how amazing she is- fully getting his anxiety around his neck and collar. We are working on changing the lead and my confidence doing this.
# togetherwecan
#watchthisspace
Cannot recommend Lorraine enough
Lorraine is not a trainer she is a Canine Magician- pure and simple! Seeing is believing!
J Percy, Littleborough
Ernie and myself have just done our first training session at home with Lorraine, now I know all the steps to start training Ernie the right way.
Lorraine is warm and friendly, she was calm and relaxed when training Ernie (10 weeks old) and we are now looking forward to starting the puppy classes in March. Thank you Lorraine
Donna Love, Haslingdon
Archie can't get into his classes quick enough! Lorraine is brilliant with the dogs and their hoomans. She is very inclusive regardless of ability and temperament. He's done the puppy class and we're currently working on our bronze certificate
Janet Smith, Haslingdon
Freddie is our family border collie. We got him 2 years ago when he was 13 months old. We've really struggled with his reactivity to other dogs. Sue at PAWS recommended we contact Lorraine for some help. I can't tell you how grateful we are that Lorraine is helping us. We are starting to rebuild a broken relationship with Freddie. Lorraine is showing us how we can work Freddie's mind and to start having fun with him again. We've also started to work on his reactivity. Lorraine encourages us to be better dog owners through her positivity and encouragement. We're all happier as a result - I just wish we'd found Lorraine earlier - the Burns- Lord clan.
E. Burns, Calderdale
5 Stars - Wendy Scott, Bacup
Me and Albert love these classes. He can not wait to get out the car when we get there and can't get him in car when we are leaving
Rebecca Wright, Lancs
Love agility training with Lorraine and Sue. Loki loves it too and it's helped him be much better behaved.
Michelle Way, Todmoden
Had a fantastic first night at beginners training with Ralph it was so friendly can't wait for next week I will have an obedient poodle. Really enjoyed the 1 to 1 training session at our home today. Lorraine understands our dog perfectly and has given us excellent advice as to his ongoing training. She makes training a positive experience, enjoyable and FUN! Can't recommend Lorraine enough, she is amazing!!
Tanya Fitton
Really enjoyed the 1 to 1 training session at our home today. Lorraine understands our dog perfectly and has given us excellent advice as to his ongoing training. She makes training a positive experience, enjoyable and FUN! Can't recommend Lorraine enough, she is amazing!!
Andrea Kitty Roden, Rossendale
I Would highly recommend. Lorraine did wonders with my troubled collie. He has now got bronze and silver citizenship!! Absolutely fantastic and the patience of a saint!!
N. Carrington, Blackburn
lovely lady who knows her stuff , thank you +++
Lorraine Andrews, Lancs
I have been to various training classes with Lorraine. Good citizen, dancing and now attend mixed ability classes with my border collie. Although my Lexie struggles to control her excitement when she sees Lorraine, she has learnt so much. We both having loads of fun and look forward to going learning something new every week. Lorraine and her dogs are so inspirational, and her classes are absolutely brilliant.
Jessica Edgerley
Excellent. Few years have passed since me and Tilly have been to training (7!!!) we rejoined Lorraine's class at Bowwowmiaow day care. Great night. Highly recommend this lady.
Stephanie Barlow
I have known Lorraine for over 18 months. I have been to her puppy training classes elsewhere and my dog and myself really benefited from them. I have also been given a lot of good advice with some problems that have come up with my dogs.
I wish you every success with pups and pooches in haslingden and I know whoever attends with enjoy and benefit from your classes.
Debbie Hepworth, Bacup
Lorraine took Merlin from uncontrollable dog to the best setter ever with kindness and patience still going after 5 years
We looked no further when Fergal came along
Andie Owen, Rossendale
have taken many of my dogs to Lorraine's classes. Strongly recommend for all new puppy owners to set you on the road to success x
J. Burgen, Bacup
Lorraine has really helped me with training both of my dogs, they've gone from starting off as puppies to working towards their Kennel Club Good Citizen awards, and we are now working towards our gold award!
Kim Gregory, Lancs
Although I haven't attended Loraines classes, only due to distance between us, I do spend time with Loraine once a month training our dogs Heelwork to music. I've got a spotty dog that had issues and Loraine helped me no end with help and advice. If you need a dog trainer look no further than pups to pouches, Loraine is very caring and thoughtful, lovely positive attitude towards problem dogs as she has a passion for what she does and that clearly shows x
Cassie Tudor, Lincolnshire
My Jack Russell Eddie completed various clicker training courses with Lorraine when he was 18 months old. The things we learnt have been invaluable and have allowed me to gain control of what was a very over excitable, grumpy terrier! He still remembers clicker to this day (he is now 7years old)! From the basics to more advanced training, I can highly recommend Lorraine.
Chloe Taylor, Rossendale
Lorraine was recommended to me by a friend - we have one wayward youngster and to older Dachshund's - the youngster (a rescue dog) being more than a handful. Lorraine proved to be all we hoped for and so much more. Within 15 minutes all 3 dogs were obeying her commands - Amazing lady! Thanks so much for all your gifts, skills and training.
Phil, Healey Dell