I got in touch with Pawsitive solutions as a last resort really believing I could no longer cope with my beautiful GoldenDoodle. I got her at 10 months and she had never been taught manners. She pulled on the lead until your arm was aching, was uncontrollable when she met another dog and basically acted like a juvenile delinquent. The final straw was when she charged at a woman and a dog to play, knocking them both flying. I thought nothing could be done to help me communicate effectively with my dog but decided to try one last time with a professional.
From the first phone call they were supportive, non judgemental and offered advice when I needed it. They worked with me, giving me very clear instructions to remedy my dogs unwanted behaviour, taught me how to get her attention, when to ignore her and when to praise her. After a very short period of time, I have a super happy dog who is respectful, balanced and also walks to heel. I cannot thank them enough, nor can I recommend them enough. Thank you to all at Pawsitive Solutions.
Kind regards,
J, D and S
We called in Craig to help with our reactive rescue dog Nya, a Sarplaninac from Serbia, as were struggling to control her when out walking because she is so big. Also she was very protective of the family in the house.
He began by teaching us that the problem was very much territorial and that we had to get Nya to learn that it wasn’t her job but ours to protect the house. He taught us techniques to shift the balance of power in our favour and to teach Nya to wait until we tell her to do thing rather than simply react as she was doing.
Now she is much more manageable and as we continue to work with her she is getting better every day.
Craig was very professional and knowlegable and taught us some really effective training techniques that are definitely making a difference with Nya.
Thank you so much Craig
L & R Ayr
Buddy is a much loved family pet but when he started showing lots of aggression towards other dogs at 3 years old I began to dread walking him.
We trained him easily as a puppy but after he turned 3 yrs old, his playful socialising off lead turned into aggressive fighting with some other dogs.
I emailed Pawsitive Solutions and was put in touch with Craig.
Craig’s first visit was an interesting one as he asked lots of questions about buddy and at first I didn’t understand why these questions were relevant.
Craig gave us exercises to do and his calm manner seemed to help us all after his first visit.
Even by the second and more so the third visit, we began to notice small changes in buddy’s behaviour. We were taught to lead this confident dog and not to be lead by him. And that’s all it was!
My behaviour around Buddy is more confident and in turn Buddy is learning I’m in charge. I’ve never raised my voice or struck my dog to get this change.
I’m in control now on walks and although it takes time and patience to get this change in my dog, I’ll continue with Craig’s advice because I can now see what buddy is learning from it.
C H
I first contacted Pawsitive Solutions in September 2018 on the recommendation of a fellow dog-walker who ‘felt my pain’.
I was desperate when I made that first phone call. George is my son’s medium/large cross-breed rescue dog but the nature of his work means that I am regularly involved in the dog walking and daily care. We both adore George and have done so ever since we first met him at 20 months but it has been a roller coaster ride.
At home he is loving, gentle and submissive to us but when someone calls at the door or passes our window it’s a different story…
George is nervous excitable, reactive/aggressive and very strong and although none of this presents quite as much trouble for my son who is young, strong and 6ft 3, it has presented many painful challenges for myself: since we’ve had George I’ve been pulled off my feet several times when he’s reacted outside to other dogs and some people, hurting my face, shoulders, hips and knees and how I haven’t broken anything is nothing short of a miracle. Clearly something had to give and I was really afraid that it might turn out to be me!
I was also starting to dread taking him out for a walk for fear of what state I might be in when we returned: all the pleasure from taking our lovely boy out was quickly disappearing and becoming very stressful, embarrassing and worrying.
We were not new to being a dog owners but clearly our George was an extreme case and while I wasn’t expecting miracles I was desperate for some improvement, however small.
So I phoned and spoke to Sonia who was immediately calm and comforting and assured me that things were undoubtedly going to get better. I wasn’t so sure but I was living in hope.
The 1st day Craig came to visit, George was barking, jumping and nipping at him when he arrived and I had to confine George in another room while I poured my heart out.
Craig began to explain the situation to help me better understand what George was ‘thinking’ and gave me some games/exercises that I was to do with George and dietary changes that I was to make for him. I admit that at first I didn’t really see how they could help much but I was willing to try anything and so we played/practised every day. On the 2nd visit we both went outside with George who was still very wary of Craig but I could see that already we were most definitely on the right road at last. On the 3rd visit we went a walk with Craig and on the 4th we walked with one of Craig’s dogs: I was pretty sure that this would be a disaster especially because George was still reacting to some dogs and this dog was a Collie, a breed that George really struggles with for some reason?
And it was perfect! George was calm and relaxed as was totally evidenced by his body language and honestly I couldn’t be believe my eyes…
And all the time I continued to work with George implementing Craig’s ‘games’ and walking practices as well as how to amend any undesirable behaviour from George.
I can’t believe it! Really, I can’t!
Now please don’t misunderstand…this is all on-going and maybe it’ll always be so? But I know now how to deal with it safely and positively, our walks are transformed and against all the odds I’m really enjoying them again and I think George is enjoying them more too!
It’s a win win…
Although Craig no longer visits us I’ve been encouraged to keep in touch and to call if I feel I need any further advice along the way and that’s a really nice life-line to have.
And…Craig is now George’s new best friend!
This wasn’t the first time in our journey with George that we had consulted a dog behaviourist. With all credit to the others they taught us how to try to manage the situation rather than change it.
Craig changed it…and for that my bones and I are eternally grateful!
I really can’t recommend him highly enough! The whole experience has changed our lives and no matter how desperate you are or how extreme your dog’s situation is, please believe it can and will get better.
Really, it will!
Thanks so much…
JD, Glasgow
I contacted Pawsitive Solutions after reading other testimonials as I had become really stressed with the behavior of my 7 month old energetic, boisterous border collie Puppy Callie. Although she had a lovely nature in the house and with our 3 children, Callie was always nervous of other dogs and traffic and over a couple of months she had started barking and lunging every nearly every dog she saw (even at a distance!) and I couldn’t walk down the street without her leaping about and barking at cars. My husband was working away at the time and I had sole charge of dog walking and was completely stressed!
On Craig’s first visit he met a bouncing, hyper puppy who spent the first half of the visit trying to leap on him and chew him. Craig soon established that Callie wasn’t seeing me as her leader which as a nervous dog was the root of most of her unwanted behaviour. After implementing some really simple basic training and commands the difference in Callie in the house over the next few days was unbelievable!
On the next visit we ventured outside and Craig saw how stressed Callie was around dogs and cars…and what a nightmare our walks were! He also realised how stressed I was and explained how that was negatively affecting Callie’s behaviour.
Over a few visits Craig showed me various training techniques. With continual practise it all fell together and on his final visit I was super proud of the puppy that lay in her bed when he arrived until he invited her for cuddles and walked down the main road calmly without any lunging or barking at all the cars!
I’ve learned to work within Callie’s thresholds rather than forcing her into stressful situations where she will react. I know that her training will need to be ongoing for long term results (we still have an odd off moment) however I have learned how to deal with her without being stressed and can now take my dog for an enjoyable walk! I try to avoid face to face with other dogs where possible (it’s not that big a deal to cross the road) and Callie is much less stressed and doesn’t react to seeing a dog close by and only rarely reacts to an exceptionally loud or fast car / van that gives her a fright. Hopefully with time her thresholds will decrease. I’m really grateful to Craig for his non judgmental support. I am also a lot less stressed which can only be helping her.
Thanks again Craig!
FC Ayrshire
I have two Westies aged 2 and half years and 11 months. Since Misty, the younger’s arrival they have been the best of friends, playing enthusiastically together and sleeping in their one large bed. However, a few months ago Misty, on three occasions, became very aggressive towards Freya. This occurred when either one was on the sofa beside me and the other at floor level. Freya retaliated and when trying to separate them, I was bitten by Misty twice, once badly. I attributed this unfortunate behaviour to jealousy. I became very worried and began to anticipate fights. This of course, gave negative vibes to my dogs.
Fortunately, my vet referred me to Lorna, who has worked wonders!
Misty’s dominant personality was part of the problem, rather than jealousy. However, I was the main reason for the aggression. I was not being the pack leader.
Adding to this problem, Freya barked hysterically when any human, dog, delivery person etc, passed our house. Misty copied Freya and so I had two wildly barking dogs. Also, when the doorbell rang it was pandemonium.
Lorna taught me strategies to establish me as pack leader, in order to stop any aggressive behaviour between the dogs and to stop the inappropriate barking.
The dogs were no longer allowed on chairs or sofas. The furniture was rearranged so there was no chair at the window overlooking the street. The dogs learned commands to stop the doorbell bedlam. They were to wait for me to be first to exit and enter the house and garden. I have learned to anticipate any over excitement with Misty and to act immediately. I have also learned strategies in walking two dogs together.
Freya and Misty are more relaxed and are responding positively to commands in
the home and out on walks. They are happier dogs since accepting me as pack leader.
I cannot thank Lorna enough for the changes in my dogs’ behaviour in a matter of two months. I know I shall have to continue Lorna’s programme for some time, in order to maintain the new regime, but it will be worth it! I have had Westies for 18 years, but hadn’t appreciated the different dynamics between having one dog and having two. Lorna has taught me so much!
V.Mill – Ayr
Lorna in the two sessions we have seen her has made a massive change in our lives.
Noah my nearly 1yr old lab collie, was the typical pup… jumping up on people who came to see him, even strangers in the street! he loves everyone and expects everyone to love him him too! Barged his was past people between rooms to get there first, constantly looking for attention and affection, pulling on his lead to get to his favourite places faster, pulling to get to other dogs across the street…he was just full of energy and with no direction at all and with it being just him and myself, i let him.
Ofcourse Lorna taught me it wasn’t Noah she was here to train, it was myself! and what a difference it has made.
Not only did Lorna teach me what to do, she took the time to explain why we were doing these things (who would’ve thought growling at your dog would make them listen!) It all makes perfect sense and I just cant believe after two sessions the impact it has had. My pup is so clever!
By giving Noah leadership and guidance, he is so much more content. He looks to me for direction and now i can give him it. Not only that, im much more confident in my abilities to do so.
thank you so much Lorna.
Ms C.C. Irvine
Owning a Border Collie from a puppy had always been a dream of mine but within a year of it becoming a reality the dream was becoming a nightmare. Midge barked at everything and everyone. He went berserk when the doorbell rang. He pulled on the lead. He lunged at every car, chased every bike and jogger (he snapped at one who said he reported me to the police), barked at every child or buggy. Going out with him became almost unbearable.
In desperation we asked Craig to come and help. When Craig first walked in to our house Midge flew at him in an aggressive way. Craig said, ‘Well, I can see one of the problems already!’ I began to fear this was a waste of time (and money!) What happened over the next two hours was extraordinary. Craig explained to us that Midge’s lunges at everything was his way of protecting us – of seeing a threat and seeing it off. He taught me and my wife how to regain control of our crazy dog by showing Midge that we didn’t need his protection.
Within 30 minutes of Craig’s tuition Midge had ceased to bark when the doorbell went! I was dumbfounded. Within 60 minutes, out on the pavement, he had begun to stop lunging at everything that moved. This was bordering on the miraculous!
Craig visited us two more times. With good humour and patience he corrected our mistakes (not Midge’s) and we now have, after a bit of practice, a very different dog. Wendy and I are so grateful to Craig. He’s a bit of a Collie specialist and he’s worked wonders with Midge (and with us!)
RC, Glasgow
Craig came to train my owners as I needed help with my anxiety. He left them written operating instructions for me as homework. Craig really understood me and taught my owners how to help me to not bark at people and not jump at my own shadow. Craig told my owners that my only job is to look handsome. As you can see I have accepted the position and continue to excel in handsomeness. I have heard my owners recommending Craig to other humans. This is my way of thanking Craig for helping me to have a much more relaxed and enjoyable life.
Gus (woof), Glasgow
We started working with Lorna because Buster was very reactive with other dogs. We noticed a difference in his behaviour within the first session. Whilst he can still be reactive the instances are not as frequent or as bad as they used to be.
He is so much calmer and relaxed which is great to see. Buster was in a very bad way with dogs and to see him now is so amazing. I cannot recommend Lorna strong enough.
Lorraine W – Moodiesburn
My 6-month-old border collie Django began chasing everything that moved at just a few months old (cars, bikes, people etc) and also had a few behavioural issues in the house.
I called Craig to book some 1-2-1 sessions after becoming really concerned about his safety while out walking.
Right away on the first session Craig put my mind at ease and told me anything was possible with Django with consistent training and lots of hard work. It was the start of a really positive turn for us.
Firstly, Craig helped me understand Django’s behaviour. I learned all about reading his body language, the importance of sleep, separation, the correct amount of exercise and a good healthy diet. The first thing we changed was introducing a raw food diet which completely altered Django’s behaviour for the better. Finally my hyperactive pup would sleep and relax.
After a couple of sessions in our home, Craig came along to the park with us to assess Django’s chase drive. Before now I was despairing before every walk as my pup was determined to lunge towards the road, getting us both into quite a state. Again, Craig quickly reassured me everything would be alright and we got to work.
One of the most important things I learned through training with Craig is how to establish a happy, healthy pack and that was key to helping Django feel more secure. I had to learn to take control (something I thought I had been doing – but oh how wrong I was). Working to show Django he was safe with me and easing his instinct to protect me was something that has hugely benefited us.
We had some ups and downs along the way but seeing positive changes every time Craig left us with new tasks was massively rewarding.
Six month later, Django can walk down a busy street without reacting to traffic, runners, bikes and other dogs. He has great focus and finally seems to feel safe on our walks. As Django approaches his first birthday I feel so glad I contacted Craig at the right time.
I can’t thank Craig enough for all his guidance and support. Whether it was changing appointments to work around Django’s progress or picking up the phone for a reassuring chat or text on the bad days. He has worked magic with Django and I’m forever thankful for all of his help. Training has given me a brilliant first summer with Django and I’m sure things will only get better from here.
Thanks so much, Craig.
Kerry and Django
My one and a half year old Cocker Spaniel Bumble chased birds, pulled on the lead, would not come when called and would run away. Craig visited us over 5 sessions and the change in Bumble – and us – is quite incredible.
She is much better on the lead, comes when called most of the time, doesn’t run away and is less distracted by birds. We are not at the stage to let her fully off the lead, especially in the park but in the garden she is great, and it is a garden where she could escape between the bushes and fencing.
I think in time she will keep improving so long as we keep with the regime recommended by Craig. It is vital all working with Bumble are consistent and committed. We have learnt the importance of working hard to maintain established procedures and remain patient. Craig made us more aware of the triggers for Bumble and to act upon them if possible before they arise.
The main thing Craig taught us was that we have to think like a dog not a human. We had to take things right back for Bumble to respect us and her desire to please us.
My partner found it much more difficult to change some of his behaviours and understanding the benefits of doing things differently, he now says ‘I now understand a bit more about the psyche of a dog and cannot deny the significant change in Bumble for the better since Craig has been involved.’
Craig’s approach was superb. He was patient, friendly, understanding and worked primarily with us and Bumble in the house before venturing outside. He advocated positive reinforcement and we were very happy with how he dealt with the issues in such a positive manner without gadgets to control her behaviour or punish her. Our homework in between visits became so enjoyable and not such hard work as we noticed a rapid change in Bumble’s responses to us.
He also talked about her diet which we changed gradually to a more natural one. A total holistic approach which was wonderful.
Craig not only visited for as long as was needed but he was available on the phone, email, text for any advice, guidance and reminders as to how to do the lead exercises!
The whole experience was really an education for us as to understanding a dog and the pack. In fact something everyone should have to do if a dog owner.
I would wholeheartedly recommend Pawsitive Solutions and Craig. It was well worth the money. I cannot thank Craig enough for educating us and therefore enabling us to be better owners to Bumble.
Thanks a million, Craig.
J.M. Kilmacolm
My fiancé and I asked for Craig’s help when our Shar Pei’s behaviour got out of control. Diesel is a rescue aged approximately 5 years old, 3 of which he’s been part of our family.
Diesel came to us full of anxiety and very difficult to walk. My fiancé and I would have to walk him first thing in the morning and very last thing at night to avoid any dogs. Diesel would continually bark and lunge and any dog or what he thought may have been a dog. As the years went on Diesel was demonstrating more complex behaviour including lunging towards moving cars and becoming even more demanding in the house barking whenever he wanted out, treats, walked or up on the sofa.
After being turned away when enquiring about a training class given the excuse that “Shar Pei’s can’t be trained because of their stubbornness” and a lot of research we chose Pawsitive Solutions.
At the very most I hoped by the end of the training that Diesel would stop lunging towards moving cars.
After our first visit from Craig it was evident that he had a great deal of knowledge and experience with regards to training and behaviour. He listened and has a fantastic way of explaining training methods and the reasons for his behaviour. We were provided with numerous visits and ongoing support/guidance via text.
By the end of Diesel’s training nothing could have prepared us for the amazing results!
Not only has Diesel’s behaviour dramatically changed in the house in relation to responding and listening to commands. His behaviour when walking him has changed beyond belief. He no longer lunges at cars at all and we’ve even had the pleasure of walking him around Strathclyde park which once upon a time would have been nothing more than a dream. Diesel’s anxiety has calmed down significantly making walkies enjoyable, less of a military operation and no longer a dreaded chore.
My recommendation is that you don’t leave it another month or continue reading reviews on other classes/behaviourist. Book a training session with Craig it’s the best money we’ve ever spent! I genuinely mean it when I say he has changed our lives and saved our adorable Diesel from a life of anxiety and distress when so many people had already given up on him (previous owners & dog trainers). We have had so many memorable walks since we started training and all for the right reasons.
Don’t give up hope when you don’t need to!
Happy Pei = Happy Parents.
A & J from Blantyre
We began working with Lorna in March this year, may I just say what a lovely and kind person she is. I have a 3 year old bullmastifff called Harley, Lorna has helped me work wonders with him in such a short space of time. He is a very nervous and anxious dog, he would bark at people in the street and was terrified of strange men approaching him and would growl and bark if approached by a man he did not know.
He would also repeatedly bark at the door and would harass people if they came in the house. He has come on leaps and bounds since Lorna’s first visit in the space of a month I have a much calmer and less anxious dog in the house and outside. Her advice and input was incredibly helpful and thanks to Lorna and her help Harley and myself are both less anxious and now can enjoy walks together without feeling constantly on edge and worried about how he may react.
Thanks so much again Lorna you have been a tremendous help to me and my family and we will forever be grateful for all your help with Harley.
Ann & Mr Harley, Glasgow.
Rosie is two and a half years old and she came to us earlier this year.
We are experienced golden retriever owners but she had some issues which we found difficult to deal with e.g. Excessive barking, particularly when someone came to the door, not walking properly on the lead, pushing in front of you to exit a room and a few more bad habits.
Two weeks after Craig’s visit the difference was incredible. Rosie is more relaxed and doesn’t feel she has to stress if someone comes to the door. Walking on the lead has improved dramatically. We have a ways to go yet but we feel we are making progress and we are happier and Rosie is more relaxed with us.
Huge thank you to Craig and Pawsitive Solutions
P.L. – Ayrshire
Fantastic dog training!!! We have a dog called Tia who I bought at 3 months old, she is a fun loving dog. We stared to notice that she was scared of mostly everything and everyone she didn’t know, also she was very hyperactive in the house.
This got worse as the months past and we started to have concerns. We contacted Pawsitive Solutions and Craig came out and worked with the whole family. The results are fantastic we now have a calm dog who we can walk on the lead, follows at command, stays of beds/sofa and doesn’t run to protect us from someone at the door. While training was in progress we had a incident where Tia got spooked at children and she run after a girl and nipped her on the heal.
At this point I was absolutely devastated and terrified my dog would be taken away and put to sleep, also to add at this point I had now found out I was pregnant and had to consider if tia would do this to another child.
We contacted Craig for advice and he told us to stick with him which we done I am over the moon how far Tia has come. Craig also has given us further training on introduced a new baby.
This is a training course that time and effort has to be applied and continued for the foreseeable future. It is not just the dog that gets training part of it is we as owners get trained on how we should treat our dogs. I would absolutely recommend this company 1000%.
L.G. – Ayrshire
Lorna’s help was invaluable. The whole process has made a huge difference to us, and Bailey our dog. After the first session we saw amazing results, and by following Lorna’s guidance and training advice each subsequent session saw further improvement in all areas of Bailey’s behaviour.
He’s a rescue and so came with some issues which we would not have been as equipped to deal with had we not enlisted Lorna’s help.
Lorna was extremely generous with her time and availability; she was always on hand to answer any questions we had, and kept going until she was confident we were making a breakthrough. Compared to the distressed and seemingly aggressive dog he was on that first day when Lorna came over, Bailey is now the social and happy dog we always knew he was at heart. Well worth the money. Highly recommended.
J & M.S Glasgow
I got Ruby my long haired miniature Dachshund at 3 yrs old. She was an extremely nervous and anxious dog who just wanted to cower in a corner.
Terrified of people and dogs. Contacted Lorna who told me there would be an improvement on first visit, doubted this as she also went wild if anyone came to the door. She pointed out because I am upset and nervous Ruby picks up on this.
There was a difference first time. She is a pleasure to walk now but very afraid of children. She is a work in progress I use a thunder shirt on her and have ordered a coat from the yellow dog company that states, “I need space”. Lorna’s suggestion. Recommend Lorna, don’t know how I would have coped I just wanted a relaxed happy dog and she’s well on the way to that goal.
M.H. – Ayrshire
Murphy was our first dog and we treated him like a baby. However the older he got the more difficult he became to manage, always excessively barking at everything. He would climb and chew at the furniture and we couldn’t eat without him barking for constant attention. Murphy also wouldn’t walk certain routes and when he decided to walk he would pull constantly.
When Craig came within a week Murphys barking began to subside and we began to get an understanding into Murphys behaviour and why he was acting the way he was.
Two months later and Murphy is a completely new dog, rarely barking, sleeping in his own bed and walking by our side. Thanks to Craig we are better dog owners because we now understand how our behaviour was impacting Murphy and how to train Murphy effectively.
Craig taught us about the benefits of raw feeding as well where we have also found massive benefits knowing how what we were feeding him and how this was impacting him.
We really can’t thank Craig enough for all the help and guidance he has given us and would highly recommend Pawsitive solutions to anyone who is having any issues with their dog.
E.D. – Falkirk
I contacted Pawsitive Solutions as I was concerned about my little Wesite, Bonnie’s, behaviour. Pawsitive Solutions sent me our trainer Craig and he has made so many positive changes for us that we are actually able to enjoy having Bonnie now.
Bonnie is a loving, friendly dog however, she was really stressed when in the house. Bonnie would sit and ‘guard’ the window and the door, sometimes up to 6 hours at a time. She would be so highly strung that she would bark at people and other dogs that passed by. It drove me and anyone else in the house crazy. Craig taught us to keep her off the couch at all times, an overly simplistic solution I thought at first.
Turns out that was all it took, repeated instruction to come off the couch and away from the window. Bonnie soon fell into line. We bought her a day bed for the living room where she could relax and we could tell her ‘we’ve got this’ (Craig’s commanding term) when she started to stress out about voices/shadows/occasional leaves blowing by.
Craig also advised on natural feeding and buying much better and highly nutritious quality dry dog food to try and curb Bonnie penchant for eating her own and other animals’ poop! It worked! There are also so many other things that Craig advised us to do which given time and patience I can see are working. Craig has been so great as our trainer, and I mean ‘our’ trainer as it’s the owners that need it. He was so supportive and never made you feel daft for the bad habits we’d gotten into whilst trying to control Bonnie.
Bonnie and I have had a new lease of life, now that she knows I am pack leader. I cannot recommend Craig and Pawsitive Solutions highly enough; it’s the best money I’ve spent.
Thank you Craig.
N.W. – Glasgow
It has been a fantastic experience, both for me and my dog Elsie, to get some one-to-one training from Pawsitive Solutions. Craig was able to tailor-make the training for us based on the issues I was having with Elsie, namely excessive barking and pulling on the lead among other things. Craig took me through a number of exercises to do with Elsie in the weeks between his visits.
Like everything else in life, there are rarely quick-fix solutions; the training sessions were not designed to be a silver bullet but an opportunity for me to learn new ways to communicate with Elsie and then work with her every day to consolidate these. The results speak for themselves; I have a much calmer dog that is able to join in with many more social situations than before and we have a far greater understanding of one another – this was my overall aim for the training. Mission accomplished!
In addition to this, Craig was also able to advise me on a raw meat diet for Elsie which was something I had been looking into for a while. Elsie has quite a sensitive stomach and I was struggling to find kibble that agreed with her. Since moving her onto a raw meat diet, we haven’t looked back.
Thank you Craig for all of your help and advice – we are very happy customers!
R.D. – Glasgow
I contacted Craig at Pawsitive Solutions regarding my Jack Russell/Poodle cross Lola. Although Lola was a great family dog, she was very dominant and hyper. she would bark like mad and jump all over people when they came to the front door. She would jump all over the couches and bark at people walking by the house constantly.
We experienced problems of aggression towards other dogs and walking her became a nightmare as we found it very difficult to keep her under control when another dog approached us or her.
Craig started with the basics; diet, sleeping pattern, exercise. Through making small changes with Craigs advice we quickly saw our hyper-active and aggressive dog become more calm and subdued. As the weeks went on more changes were implemented and advice given on how to train and understand our dog both inside and outside our house.
Lola is no longer aggressive towards other dogs and I can easily walk her off lead without any worry. Before this she would run after cars or run away but this does not happen anymore. In fact I can get her to sit, and stay still when another dog is around or I go fetch her ball.
The training is ongoing with Lola and there is some aspects which have taken longer than others to achieve. But the results we have achieved so far are amazing and it is definitely a different dog we have to before Craig came along. We have learned so much in how to understand our dogs needs so we can achieve the best results.
Even though our time with Craig has come to an end he has assured us that we can contact him at any time for any questions and updates on Lola.
Thanks again Craig and Pawsitive Solutions
M.H. – East Kilbride
We contacted Pawsitive Solutions when we got Dexter a 15 month old terrier cross, a rescue dog from Cyprus. When he arrived he was terrified and vicious towards other dogs, towards guests and went wild at most things with wheels. He particularly went crazy when he saw a bike. Craig came to our rescue! He helped us to understand how to make Dexter feel safe and gave us some training exercises. Dexter is now quite calm when out for a walk in his local area.
He is not reacting so much to anything with wheels and at times will even let a bike pass without reacting. He is off lead in the garden and beach and recall is getting better all of the time. Craig also helped Dexter to feel confident with other dogs by bringing his own dogs to meet him. He was always at the end of a phone when we were at the end of our tether! We thought Dexter would not manage to come on holiday with us to the outer Hebrides but Craig encouraged us to go and we all had a fantastic time especially Dexter.
We would fully recommend Craig if you’re having difficulties with your dog. He has a good understanding of dog psychology and explained the training techniques in a clear and patient manner. We felt he really wanted to help Dexter and ourselves to move forward. We can’t thank him enough.
L.B. – Dunoon
Craig was fantastic, he really helped us to understand what was going on inside Sully’s head and better understand his needs and wants. Prior to this we though a lot of unwanted behaviour was just because “he’s a puppy” which was not completely correct. Sully; our now 8 month old German Shepherd, is a very confident and intelligent dog, albeit not dominant. Craig helped us establish a firm understanding with Sully that we’re the boss and he’s 3rd in our pack. This has resulted in him toning down a lot of his boisterous behaviour and learning manners around the house, to become a delightful dog to be with.
Sully still has a little work ahead of him, however I believe Craig has helped us so much to understand his behaviour that we’re now able to continue his training by positive reinforcement and soon we’ll have a well rounded dog as he grows older, much sooner than if we hadn’t contacted Craig!
One last thought…Craig also provided excellent nutritional advice that has opened our eyes to the quantity of poor quality dog food on the market. Sully’s diet is excellent (and that does’t mean expensive) which has helped solve issues such as poo, soil and plant eating!
Thanks so much to Pawsitive Solutions and particularly Craig for all his help, thoroughly recommended!
M and S Logan
Can’t believe the change in Edward since Craig came as the dog is so much calmer and he listens and obeys my command.
Before he was boisterous and jumping on the furniture and not doing anything he was told also jumping on folk who came to the house that’s all gone now I’m glad to say just the odd issue that needs to be sorted but it’s getting there.
Craig has been great and I would definitely recommend Pawsitive solutions.
J N – Greenock
I contacted pawsitive solutions when I realized my 5-month-old Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy, Nelson, wasn’t listening to me when we were out on walks and it was beginning to happen at home as well. He would jump up at guests and bark whenever someone came to the door. Even although he was only 5 months old, as he is a big dog, it was becoming a bit of a problem.
When Craig came out to see Nelson, he immediately identified the issues that he had and gave me tips on how to deal with the problems I was having in the house. By the end of Craig’s first visit, Nelson was already starting to behave better – which was a big relief.
Once we had worked on the problems at home, we then tackled the issues I had while walking him. Again, Craig worked with Nelson and I, showing me how to keep his attention and focus and giving me advice along the way, which was a huge help and made me feel a lot more relaxed. I am now able to have him off the lead and no longer dread having to walk in the park with a dog that doesn’t listen to me!
Nelson loved working with Craig and always enjoyed our training sessions, which was lovely to see. I have also taken Nelson to group puppy classes, however these one-to-one sessions are much more personal and I have found the dog learns a lot more.
While training is a constant practice, I am extremely happy with how far Nelson has come and I am very greatful for all that Craig and Pawsitive Solutions have done. Thank you!
H R – Glasgow
We got a new German Shepherd pup around the end of November 2015 and nearly right from the start he was showing signs of fearful behaviour, running back to the house after a walk, running back to the house of he heard a dog barking and running from the hoover.
As we are experienced GSD owners (this being the 5th of out lives) we thought we could deal with the problem ourselves. We tried everything we knew but by this time it was barking at everything that moved. We phoned Pawsitive Solutions and a week later Craig came out to see us and Yogi, who greeted him with snarling, barking and hackles up. We sat and talked the issues through and we were a bit astounded to be told that our 5 month old pup felt he had to protect us!
By the end of the first 3 hour session working through various exercises we already had a quieter more relaxed dog. We were given home work to do before the next visit and we worked extremely hard using the information and advice given. On his 2nd visit Craig went out with us to help with the problem of barking in the car and out on walks at random people.
We followed his advice and using the techniques we were introduced to we now have a very much less fearful dog who is getting better every day.
Thank you very much Craig at Pawsitive Solutions, we would highly recommend you and know that we definitely got a five star service!!!
A McC – Falkirk
We contacted Positive Solutions in October and Lorna was out to see us in November. What a lovely lady.
Our dog Elsa is a white German Shepherd and was very nervous of people and other dogs. Going out for walks was a nightmare and I tried to walk her late at night and early mornings to avoid people. She would lunge at passers by and other dogs. I was very nervous and this was making Elsa worse. I grew worried and concerned that we had an aggressive dog on our hands.
She would do what she liked in the house and although friendly she was nervous.
We had results within the first 10 mins of Lorna being in the house. She showed us how to get control of Elsa and stop her barking at visitors. I was amazed at the control she had over Elsa. Elsa’s diet was a factor, Lorna advised us to feed her on raw meat which can be found at Pets at Home and is very well priced.
We then went out and Lorna gave us a half check chain which worked instantly (this does not hurt her). She showed me how to use this and within the first walk Elsa had improved. She gave us exercises to do which showed Elsa who was in charge.
After giving us an instruction booklet she left us to practice on what she had told us. She came back and we worked on the things she had told us before but things had improved. We got her for one more visit at the start of this year and wow, Elsa is a completely different dog, she is now out with a dog walker running off the lead with other dogs.
It was my nerves that was causing Elsa to be the way she was. I now practice to keep up with Lornas advice so Elsa remains calm.
I can now take her out myself calmly and occasionally she’ll be nervous but I can now bring her back to me.
Lorna assured me Elsa was not aggressive but very nervous. This helped me relax and know that she was a good dog, she just needed calmed.
I can’t thank Lorna enough, she helped me tremendously and made Elsa calm and relaxed.
I have a beautiful German shepherd who loves life and loves going out for runs.
C.M. – Irvine
I contact Lorna before the New Year (2016) about our 4 year old Husky Skylar. My husband started a new job which takes him away from home when I noticed the behaviours she always had like barking at people passing the window, barking and growling at people at the door or who came into the house, pulling on walks so much she nearly pulls me off my feet and looking aggressive when jumping and pulling towards other dogs when she just wants to play had become a lot worse. Without my husband to take control of these situations I was getting stressed at the thought of walking her and meeting people on the way and nervous bout having new people in the house.
In less than 3 months of working with Lorna I feel much more confident knowing I have taken back the control and if I continue to follow her advice I can maintain the control. I’ve notice a big difference in Skylar and so has my family and friends, my husband has even taken a step back when he’s home allowing me to take control of any of the negative situations which thankfully are rare now. She’s also much more relaxed knowing she doesn’t need to take care of me and I’m less stressed knowing that she’s listening to me.
I can’t thank Lorna enough for her help which has change my life with Skylar!!!
C.A. – Glasgow
We contacted Lorna about our now four year old Yorkshire Terrier, Elvis. Lorna and, on the initial appointment, her colleague Craig visited us at home where they observed our behaviour and Elvis’ reaction to visitors. By the time they left a couple of hours later, Elvis was already showing marked improvement.
In the two months since he has stopped doing toilet inside, sleeps in his crate soundly overnight and gets much less stressed out by things on television and at the door than previously. We’re still working on his behaviour outside but it’s definitely better than it was. In all, we would highly recommend Lorna’s service if you have any behavioural problems with your dog, she’s (p)awesome.
D.R. – Paisley
Lorna came to see us just before Christmas and worked with us for 2 or 3 hours. Her advice was invaluable and her methods to help me deal with the problems really work, Even on that first visit we had very positive results. Reduced barking, reduced pulling on the lead etc.
It’s only mid January and I have been working hard to follow the rules and advice Lorna gave me and the results are amazing. I have become more in control of the situation and Rufus senses this and is following my lead and instructions. As a result he is less nervous and we are able to go out on walks and not feel apprehensive. I just have to keep up the training and techniques shown to me by Lorna and Rufus will become a very well behaved little dog. It’s up to me now. Thank you so much Lorna. Worth every penny.
A.H. Largs
G.D. Falkirk
H.F. – East Kilbride
We enlisted Pawsitive Solutions as a last resort, my partner was skeptical but I was at my wits end and was trying anything I could, and I can tell you, it’s the best money I have ever spent! The trainer was fantastic, I was anxious that she may be judgmental about the way we had been raising our puppy but she wasn’t at all, she was kind and in my eyes a miracle worker!! She taught us tricks and hints and basically made our puppy have a completely different mindset towards us. Before she thought she was in charge but now WE are definitely in charge! My puppy is now a delight, she sleeps through the night and is happy to be left and we are stress free and no longer sleep deprived 🙂 I can’t recommend highly enough it’s amazing what you can do when you know how to do it properly! Thank you SO much Pawsitive Solutions! You have given us our life back 🙂
J.G. – Ayr
He is a rehomed dog, cross Border Collie /Jack Russell, who I have had for exactly a year now and is approximately 8 yrs old. He settled in after a few weeks by which time he had damaged some doors, a mattress and bedding. We muddled along alright until 4 months ago when his separation anxiety became acute when he was left and he again damaged doors and a mattress. I reached the point when I seriously considered returning him to EDCH.
When I contacted Lorna she was able to come within 10 days and showed me what I was doing wrong and how I had to be boss. It didn’t take long to get him sleeping downstairs in his basket instead of on the bed. However he didn’t like being confined and the use of a crate was disastrous -he managed to chew 3 pieces of wire off and escape through a 7 x 4 inch hole – despite only having half his teeth.
Lorna assured me that she would solve the problem and 10 weeks after she first came he can now be left in the kitchen using a dog gate when I am out and sleeps there at night.
He is a completely changed dog after the work we have done on all aspects of his behaviour and it is a pleasure to have him.
I can’t thank Lorna enough for her friendly but firm support and guidance to me in training Max.
S.P. Larbert
My partner & I started to feel like prisoners in our own home as we couldn’t leave our puppy for 10 minutes without him relieving himself, constant barking & trying to escape, even if it meant harming himself.
From the first phone call, I was completely put at ease & assured that this issue would be resolved. Everything was explained & I was given a slight breakdown of plan of action.
Our puppy was slightly pampered; on the sofa, in my bed at night & had very little discipline/direction from me. By doing this, I wasn’t helping him but was hindering him. Lorna was so understanding of the situation & even gave examples of her own flaws with her dog! She taught us that our puppy should not be treated like a child, but rather tough love – showing confidence & leadership. By doing this, our dog started to show respect & trust us, his pack leaders.
I found this difficult in the beginning as my way of showing care & affection was to perhaps a softer approach. Once Lorna created several separation situations, the proof of her methods were evident. I soon changed my mindset & our puppy started to feel relaxed on his own.
My puppy is now 9 months old & has made the most incredible progress. I recorded him in on his own & was astonished by the result. He was chilled out, relaxed, didn’t relieve himself, NO barking or scratching at the door.
We still have work to do & will continue with the techniques Lorna has shown us. If you’re ever concerned during the process; call, email or send a text message to Lorna as we did. Always put at ease, provided with support & most of all given the confidence to continue the training.
I really could go on & on. Our dog was always wonderful but it was us, the dog owners who had to be taught how to behave. We now have the confidence to leave our dog, knowing that he’s calm on his own & much calmer in our company. It really has impacted our lives positively – we now have a happy future to look forward to with our happy dog.
A.L. – Shawlands
F. McD. – Kilwinning
We got Cole from the Dogs Trust and he had two previous homes, and we were determined to be his third and final home but he made it very challenging! Cole would bark constantly if our buzzer or door went and would bark at whoever was at the door even if he knew them. We could not take any phone calls because he would bark constantly when we spoke on the phone and he would shadow chase if lights where on so we basically never invited anyone to visit, never answered our phones or had lights on! Cole got constant attention because if he didn’t he would bark and bark and we made excuses for his behavior because he was a rescue dog and we felt he would soon settle with love and attention but he never, he only got worse. He soon started to bark continuously if we coughed or sneezed so our house was basically always noisy.
When Lorna came she explained that we had to change our behavior towards Cole and that would change him. She explained that he was a collie who was nervous but like all collies needed leadership. Within an hour of her visit we noticed a change in Cole, he stopped barking, for the first time in six months we had silence in our house!
Cole is now a relaxed and obedient dog, mostly, he still challenges a little but we know how to cope and being consistent with skills Lorna taught us has paid off. We are now a happy home. People can now visit, we can now talk on the phone and have lights on!
We could not have asked for a better service. Lorna was pleasant and patient with us and understood how stressful it was having a nervous and out of control dog. She was also strict but kind with Cole and he responded well to this.
We can not thank Lorna enough for teaching us ‘dog chat’ and Cole now definitely has a home for life!!! Thank you!!!!
Ms. K.B. – Clydebank
Our dog was very excitable and hyper and went crazy when the door bell rang. She also pulled on the lead and was not good at socialising with other dogs and basically was not listening to our commands.
Lorna’s advice and support and instruction was invaluable and the difference in our dog was amazing. Everyone has noticed this and passed comment on it. Lorna was also very patient with both us and our dog, she had a really pleasant manner with her and our dog had great respect for her.We would have no hesitation at all in recommending Lorna to anyone needing help with their dog/dogs. Our dog listens to us now and obeys our commands, she socialises with other dogs and does not bark at the door.
Mrs. L.McL – Lenzie
We were quite surprised to find out our dogs’ sudden rushing towards other dogs and growling was more about our dog trying to protect us and very little to do with any form of aggression!! We also had a problem with him rushing to the front door to ‘greet’ any visitors. Problem was the dog was scared of his own shadow.
Once we had been taught how to deal with his insecurities the dog changed from quite a nervous jumpy dog to a much more relaxed calm dog that was able to enjoy sleeping, eating and walking. No more pulling on the lead, he just walks alongside us. He is able to ignore other dogs now and we cant believe how different he was after just a couple of visits from Lorna and a bit of work from us.
This is a one-to-one service and has been worth every penny. You could go to group classes but having done this before know that this sort of help is far better and quicker. As with humans, dogs are all so different in their personalities so getting someone who understands each dog on its own merits is the most important thing to do. Lorna works out quite quickly what you need to do to get your dog on the right track and its amazing how quickly it all comes into place. I would highly recommend this service to anyone who is thinking about it.
Mrs.L.M.
East Kilbride
Mrs W L Cambuslang
After the 1st session we practiced the techniques put in place by Lorna at 1st we thought she had switched dogs but realised as we were taking control the dog was learning his place which wasn’t looking after us 🙂
With encouragement and support from Lorna we have managed to turn things around with our dog still have to carry on & persevere but will get there. We can’t thank you enough and are grateful for all your help.
Thanks
L and D Quinton
West Lothian
Ms L.F., Glasgow
The training techniques and guidance has been incredible and makes such a difference to all our lives, the dogs no longer bark continuously in the garden or react if the door bell rings and they behave so much better when people come into the house. As the pet owner you make the investment in the training but you also need to put the time and effort into working on the techniques recommended. The results are really rewarding and help is always at hand from Lorna.
Mrs L.G., Prestwick
Her calm yet assertive approach to Rosie and Mollie was a great example for us. Lorna was extremely patient with both pups and both of us for that matter!
With Lorna’s help and tips, Rosie and Mollie have grown into happy, healthy and loving young dogs. We can’t wait for the warmer weather for those long country walks.
We’d happily highly recommend Lorna to anyone needing help with their dog or dogs.
Thanks Lorna.
J H Mount Vernon, Glasgow
She works with the public and their dogs in a positive and sensitive manner ,always acting in their best interests and quickly gains their trust and respect.
Lorna develops and maintains effective working relationships with everyone she meets and is able to challenge and debate constructively and dispassionately.
I have no hesitation in recommending Lorna to you.
S J B
I saw Lorna’s add in the paper and contacted her right away. Within a
couple of days an appointment was made. Lorna arrived to the usual
commotion, but within 10 minutes of coming into the house we had this
wee dog sitting quietly watching us, my daughter and I were amazed.
Lorna explained the reasons for his behaviour, and instead of us
having a right wee character, we learned our wee dog had been totally stressed out.
We were taught a few techniques to change who was in charge, it was
totally amazing, within a couple of hours he wasn’t barking and wasn’t
pulling on the lead. When Lorna left that day Pepsi was a totally
different dog. Over the first couple of days we thought he was in a
huff, he was so quiet, lay and slept instead of jumping at every noise.
We continue with his exercises on the lead which he enjoys and walks
to heel when we are out, our cats don’t get chased as much and the
house is so much calmer and quieter. Thanks to Lorna we now have a lovely calm,
quiet, affectionate but most of all Happy wee dog. Saying that we do
still have a wee bit of work to do when passing other dogs, but we
know this will also sort itself out.
Contacting Lorna was the best thing we have done, she knows what she is talking about, she’s very friendly and her calm methods work wonders. We can’t thank her enough, and now look forward to taking Pepsi to the beach and walks around the loch this summer.”
Thanks again
Mrs I W Cumbernauld
G.P. Glasgow
MRS P. McD Glasgow
Mr. & Mrs. R. G Kilmarnock
E.H Glasgow
and he gets a lot more praise now!
Ms. A McL Dumbartonshire
A W, Largs