Force Free Dog Training and Behavioural Services
TESTIMONIALS
K9 Leaders has provided invaluable support and advice
"...for some of the more challenging dogs in our care . Nathan has visited our Sanctuary on several occasions to carry out individual assessments and offer training and behaviour advice. This is always 'force-free' and 'reward' based, in line with our Sanctuary ethos of positive reinforcement.
Nathan is always available for follow-up advice and support on the phone . He is also willing to do home visits to our dogs in foster and forever homes if required."
Greyhound Rescue Wales
We met Nathan in March 2014 when, our then 16 month old, German Shepherd Juno had quite a lot of problems!
"Her main issues were with people coming into our house, pulling on the lead while out walking, not listening to our commands and chewing and going to the toilet when we were out.
Nathan came to our house and spent a few hours with us (which we were very nervous about due to her issues with strangers!) and went through each and every problem with us. He explained that Juno suffered from separation anxiety and fear aggression, and gave us loads of ways we could work on each problem. We also went on our normal walk with Nathan to try and solve the issues she had while outside of the house as well. By the end of this session, Juno was starting to show a lot of improvement, was listening to us much more and even sat next to Nathan and was taking treats from him! Nathan sent us a huge report which detailed again all of Juno's problems, and pages of lots of ways we could work on these with her.
By working on the problems and using the tips Nathan gave us, Juno is like a different dog. She is now a very polite dog who listens to pretty much every command (she does like to sneakily try and follow the cats upstairs still!), hasn't chewed anything since 3 weeks after we met Nathan and very rarely has an accident inside when she's left alone. We're able to open the door without having to hold her back, she doesn't pull on the lead and we're able to trust her on our walks to be off the lead around other people - we even took her to Bridgend show a few months after meeting Nathan! But the biggest change is that we're now able to have people over without her having fear aggression. I have to say this was Juno's biggest problem so it's still something that we work on, but my mother in law now comes to the house while we're in work to take her for walks and friends can now feed her treats and have cwtches with her. We can also take Juno to the kennels to stay and she loves the girls that look after her so mummy and daddy can go away!
Seeing Nathan was the best thing we've ever done,not only for ourselves, but for Juno too. We were all very near breaking point with the ways things were and I was getting very upset because I couldn't see any hope in the situation. Now Juno is brilliant, we rarely have any issues and our bond with her is so much stronger.
Nathan has been there ever since checking up on us and if we ever need any advice. I recommend Nathan to anyone who mentions any problems they're having with their dogs, because he was wonderful with us, very understanding and patient with Juno, despite us being terrified. He has changed our lives."
Josie
I rescued Lessie from Hungary through an international rescue organisation
"His recall was appalling and he was a master-escapologist with a very independent spirit! Nathan immediately worked out that we had to recognise his 'hound' behaviour (we think he's part Vizsla) and that there was little point in using food with Lessie as a reward. He is now a super little dog, very gentle and obedient, he has his issues, from being a stray as a puppy, but I know him really well and accept that and work with it.
I have recommended Nathan to many friends and neighbours. He is exceptionally knowledgeable and clever in the way he deals with and trains dogs. It's up to us as their owners to learn their 'language' and put in the training, and Nathan is the right person to help with this, and fill in the gaps when we are struggling."
Gina and Lessie
Mouse has really enjoyed his training sessions with Nathan
"He is now much calmer and well mannered when meeting other dogs. Nathan helped us understand that Mouse was over-excited and what we had mistaken for aggression was just Mouse being excited to meet a new doggy friend!
Thanks Nathan for all your help and guidance."
Clare, Gareth & Mouse
Rambo
"What can I say, we had had Rambo for 2 years when we suddenly realised we had a problem, we thought he had become aggressive with people and were even contemplating having him put to sleep, we blamed ourselves for maybe over spoiling him and letting him rule the roost. I remember phoning Nathan and was almost in tears
.
Nathan arrived at the house and I think he was expecting this nasty aggressive dog, Rambo was putty in his hands, we couldn’t believe it, well behaved was not the word. Nathan explained that Rambo is a highly excitable dog and when he wants something nothing will get in his way. Nathan showed us how to control him with simple every day activities and rules. After spending a significant amount of time putting these actions into practice Rambo has become a much more respectful dog.
Nathan has shown me how to judge situations and to keep him calm and try and put my training into practice, my secret is not to get complacent as animals can be as unpredictable as humans and once or twice I have had a blip, more down to us really than Rambo.
I cannot praise Nathan enough and can highly recommend him, and I know that he is always at the end of the phone which gives me piece of mind that I can get advice any time."
