Testimonials
My husband contacted Jim in a huge state of panic and distress, when my rescue lurcher Blue bit me badly when I touched his foot whilst getting up from the settee. He was asleep and responded from fear but the injury meant a trip to the hospital and a severely swollen and infected hand. He had bitten me before when I tried to remove a tick from his leg and any minor treatment at the vet had to be preceded by sedation. We could not get a muzzle near him. He had also decided he did not want to be brushed or wear his rain coat and his defence was to bite. I loved him to bits but was upset and worried and did not know what to do. Also we were now living in Belgium, away from any support.
Jim cleared his diary for me and I took Blue back to the UK and up to see Jim in Cheshire for 5 days. It was a huge upheaval but worth every bit of effort. Not only did Jim put me back together but by the end of the week, Blue was happily letting me put on a muzzle, his harness, raincoat and allowing me to brush him. All achieved by positive reinforcement techniques.
I came back home with renewed confidence and a programme to follow to build up Blues trust in fearful situations.
I did not have an aggressive dog but one that had obviously been badly treated and some situations were triggering a defensive response in him.
It is still early days but things are progressing well and Jim supports me with phone calls and I have videos of the work we did together. I can not thank him enough. This man works magic with dogs and people!
Sandy and Brett and Blue
Stock training :
We literally walked into a deer going round a bend this morning. I blew the stop whistle and Lottie stopped. THEN, another one walked right past her, 10 yards away tops. I blew the stop whistle again and she did not move. She would not come either but there was no chasing.
She then did come when the deer had walked away. Loads of praise for that. The fake collar is working. I have decided to walk on my own for a while, as I can really concentrate on Lottie and not be chatting to someone and have other dogs distracting us. She has started to run off a couple of times but has recalled immediately each time.
I am so pleased with her. And with you for sorting it out in such a simple way for us.
Thank you,
Ellie and Lottie.
We called Jim when our two Labradors got to the stage that they ruled the house. After our first session the boys were already listening and beginning to do as they were asked, after just 15 to 20 minutes a day training following Jim’s advice over the next week we could see a vast improvement. Over the course of a few months, and several visits from Jim the boys are now well behaved in the house, walk well on and off their leads and are now in training to be working gundogs. Jim has often been able to solve problems with advice over the phone or by email.
Jim is always approachable and no problem is ever too big or too small for him to talk to you about, I have already recommended Jim to other dog owners, and wouldn’t hesitate to do so again.
Steve Lees
Jim very quickly solved the problems we were having with our Saluki/Greyhound cross Parker – an ex-working lurcher that had lived for some time as a stray before we adopted him.
The transition to being a pet dog was difficult for Parker and we’d made the situation worse by our inexperience.
Parker had problems of snapping and barking at people, and was impossible to control around other dogs (with the exception of lurchers) because of his lunging and barking.
Jim visited us at home twice. Parker’s problems of snapping and barking at people disappeared almost overnight thanks to Jim’s help and advice, and the problems of aggression towards other dogs ebbed away over a period of months as we gained in confidence.
I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Jim. He’s incredibly knowledgeable and approachable, and his advice works.
Debbie Giggle
Hi Jim,
Just to keep you updated.
Tilly has now got a friend and play mate, thanks to all the help and advice that you gave us when we first got Tilly from the rescue home last August 2008.
She is now play fighting and running free with her mate Harvey, who we acquired last Tuesday.
Harvey is another rescue dog, who was found wandering the streets; he is a full Border Terrier, which no doubt you will know from the attached picture.
Harvey is very placid, calm and laid back. Tilly put him in his place the first couple of days, which was to be expected but the transformation from vicious, growling, scared little dog that wanted to fight nearly every dog she saw (even when inside the car), which nearly resulted in her being returned last year, is amazing.
We never thought that we would get to this stage.
Once again thanks for your help, hope to see you soon.
Paul & Karen
I just wanted to give you a progress report on Spot, although I think you swapped him for a look alike when you were last here !
He is coming on in leaps & bounds in most areas.
The comfort eating as we called it when he kept coming to us for food (we thought), has all but stopped now.
We are paying more attention to what he is telling us with his actions & 99% of the time he is TOTALLY CONTENT with a fuss.
The 1%, yes is food, so we give him a treat. The first few days he seemed quite confused with the change of routine. He couldn’t seem to understand why we were not throwing food at him 24/7.
He even got very pushy, barking at Mum for food. She did what you told her, look up & away: it was quite funny the look on his face!
Dawn Coventry
I would recommend Jim’s training methods to anyone.
He is quiet, patient and considers the whole issue for every dog or in my case my pack.
His calm understanding builds confidence in the dog and the owner and helps to build a better understanding and rapport with your dog,
M. McLauchlan
Jim has visited us a few times now as Mack is needing long term advice. I’m so glad I found him.
He is always understanding of the problems I am encountering and encouraging in my efforts to rectify them.
Solutions are provided in managable sections, so as not to overwhelm me. Back-up is always there for me in the form of phone calls, texts or emails and that is very reassuring.
I’m so grateful for the help given.
Jim has boosted my confidence and shown me ways to control my dog in any given situation.
I would thoroughly recommend a visit from Jim for anyone seeking help for their dog’s problems. He definitely has a gentle and respected way with all dogs and is also a really kind and patient man.
Anne and Mackeson
Jim visited us to offer his assistance with Benjy, my little foster hound, who was reacting aggressively towards other dogs he met whilst out on exercise.
Jim sussed the problem in no time flat – I’d been letting Benjy take control, whereas the lad didn’t want that responsibility, he needed somebody to be firmly in charge.
After just a few minutes in Jim’s company Benjy appeared to be a totally different hound to the ‘monster’ I’d become accustomed to, & proved that he’s very receptive to positive leadership.
I had not been reacting quickly enough or firmly enough to Benjy’s body language in order to defuse any potentially awkward situation: I’d been altogether too soft with the lad because I was feeling sorry for him, so I had devolved responsibility which should be in my hands onto him & he couldn’t cope with it, nor should he be expected to.
Jim brought a couple of his lovely hounds with him to help demonstrate how easy it is to nip any prospect of dodgy behaviour towards strange dogs in the bud. He stressed that there is no magic involved, it really does just boil down to basic common sense.
Jim’s people skills are as much to be admired as his expertise with hounds. I never once felt that I was being denigrated for my failings – Jim was kindness personified, & boosted my confidence immensely.
I can’t recommend Jim highly enough to anyone with a ‘problem’ hound – I have to say that I learned more from him in the hour or so he was with us than I have over the past umpty-tump years,
Barney
I’ve known Jim for many years and have always admired the way he interacts with his dogs and how beautifully trained they are.
He asked my opinion on whether he’d be able to use his skills with dog training to help other people, last year, and I told him I thought people would snap his hand off for his help. He thought I was exaggerating, but time has shown I was right.
Jim has helped many of our rescue dogs find their new homes, by coming to assess them when they’re with me and giving me advice and tranining tips to help them overcome their fears and problems.
He also goes out to visit the dogs in their homes and helps the new owners settle them in and make life as easy as possible for everyone.
He has a wonderful easy way, but commands instant respect from dogs- he is a true “Dog Man” in the old meaning of the title …….a man who is at ease with dogs and they with him. We joke that dogs always behave themselves when he’s within a mile of them, but (for various reasons) it’s not far off the truth.
Jim is an absolute star and it’s a privilege to know him,
Kaye.
Jim came to visit me and my hounds as I had lost my confidence over an aggressive situation.
I too was told my young male was going to kill my older female one day.
Thanks to Jim, my confidence has returned and my dogs are all very happy together!!
He is a great guy and I so enjoyed speaking with him!
Sharon
Jim came to visit and help us after my young male bullx, Felix, attacked my old bitch Maggie, necessitating about 17 stitches.
I’d been advised by other people that Felix would certainly kill Maggie sooner or later, and, despite decades of experience with dogs I was worried and mystified.
Jim spent the morning with us, observing my interaction with my three hounds and the way they related to each other and to him.
He went on a walk with us and pointed out things I’d failed to notice about the way that the dogs responded to one another and to me, and things that I did and didn’t do with my pack.
His observations were incredibly acute and helpful, and gave me new hope and confidence in my relationship with my hounds.
Since then he’s paid a further visit and has followed up by telephone, text and email.
Things are going well, and Felix, confident that someone else is in charge, is more relaxed and less officious, and Maggie has the sparkle back in her eyes. And I am much better at ‘reading’ my hounds’ body language and quietly communicating my leadership.
I would recommend Jim highly to anyone who needed help with their hounds,
Alice
I first had the pleasure of Jims help back in October 2006.
Being very aproachable, we were able to discuss what we thought the problem was, how best to solve it and with what means.
He took on board all my concerns about certain training methods and was happy to talk through techniques and methods. Best of all he gave me the confidence to handle my dogs securely and soundly and since then his services have been called upon repeatedly and, I’m sure, many of our fostered dogs would not have been rehomed so easily had it not been for his help.
He’s always been at the end of the telephone or email when needed and his support has been second to none.
I look forward to continuing to work with him into the future,
Raiye.
I have been having problems with Gypsy my 3 year old Bedlington Terrier x Greyhound. She is an ex-working dog and shows fear aggression to other dogs and re-directs onto my other dog, a quiet x breed.
Jim came to see us and walked out with me. He gave me a better understanding of reading my dogs body language and learning to anticipate her behaviour by watching her more closely. He also gave me much more confidence and now when I walk her out I do not avoid other dogs or walk at 6am on a Sunday morning!
Again, she will never be perfect but she is much better than she was, and we have a better understanding together.
Walking her is much more enjoyable and less stressful,
Judith
Izzy has quite a bit of terrier in her breeding and can be quite a handful, particularly when she sees other dogs.
These last two weeks whilst we were away camping I have really felt the benefit of the advice Jim gave me. We have played on crowded beaches, met strange dogs on footpaths and even walked through the centre of Padstow when it was packed with people and their dogs.
Her behaviour’s never going to be perfect, but thanks to Jim I can now read her body language and take control of most situations,
Nicola.