In an impetuous moment we took on 2 rescue dogs at the same time. The dogs had not met before and we knew nothing about them. I still ask myself was this impetuous or just plain stupid! One of the dogs has clearly been subject to abusive and unkind handling and her relationship with the other dog was making his and our lives miserable and fraught. At different times we had thought that one or the other would have to be 'put down' either because of the impact of their relationship or their sheep chasing tendencies. It was by chance that we learnt about Peter and with his help and guidance we have managed to improve all of our lives beyond recognition. I write this as the dogs are playing together at my feet: something I never thought would happen. We will be eternally grateful to Peter for his expertise, generosity and unstinting support in enabling us to make unbelievable progress.
Gill Parsons and John Abraham, Liverpool, 2017
I took my Springer Pup, Saffy, to Peter's puppy training classes when she was 4 months old. The classes are small, friendly and informal. The small class size is great as it allows Peter to spend time with each dog if needed, (and Saffy and I needed it!). Peter was invaluable in helping solve some niggling house training problems, and showing us how to deal with other issues. Most importantly, Saffy adored going, as soon as we turned off the main road to the farm she became happy and excited, she definitely knew where we were going!
Nicky Sullivan, St Helens, 2017
I have had dogs all my life so thought I was pretty dog savvy until I started to talk to Peter. Whilst I wasn't ever harsh with my dogs, I did rely on traditional techniques to train. Once I started to explore what Peter was teaching, using food based rewards, lots of things changed for me and my dogs with them became more confident and happy. Learning new techniques can be difficult but Peter was always there to give great advice and support whenever I needed it. If one thing wasn't working, he would come up with a new plan. He never made me feel stupid or guilty for asking questions. He is extremely approachable and his depth of knowledge is second to none. The passion and kindness he has for dogs shines through and I feel so lucky that I have been able to learn from him.
Rachel Holliday, Ormskirk, 2017
We first met Peter when we took our 5 month old springador pup, Ben, to puppy training classes. We hadn’t any idea what to expect, knowing what a boisterous, loveable rogue Ben was, but nothing fazed Peter, despite Ben’s enthusiastic approach to learning, which consisted of wanting to play with all the other dogs in the class and to distract them from the business in hand! Peter has a very individual approach to each dog in his class, and that includes the owners, for whom he is an invaluable and patient resource. We subsequently took Ben to brain training classes, where he continued to disrupt the proceedings in his own inimitable style, so we then had several one to one sessions with Peter which were brilliant, and extremely helpful. Ben is now 21 months old, and he is a much loved, mostly well behaved dog who doesn’t have an aggressive bone in his body. We know that Peter is always available should we need him, and we are immensely grateful to him for all the help, advice and support which he has given us – and Ben of course!
Roz and John Matty, Skelmersdale, 2017
We have had such fun at Peter's brain training and agility class. Not only did Betty absolutely love it, but we also enjoyed the sessions too! Having a Welsh Terrier can be a challenge sometimes due to their stubborn and independent nature, but following training we now understand her a lot more, have more control and have overcome a number of our challenges such as livestock and cyclists. The agility element was also a huge hit, and will be back to improve our seesaw skills!
Pete & Abi Evans, Formby, 2017
Our dog Peggy was 8 months old when we first approached Peter. We had been having problems with her general control and not having had a dog from a young age before were at a loss what to do. Peter’s understanding of the situation and his teaching us how to teach Peggy was invaluable.
Peter is extremely knowledgeable. He is patient with owners and dedicated to helping them enjoy their dogs. I find myself explaining to others how a dog's mind works! We have no hesitation in recommending Peter to anyone wishing to get the very best from their dog.
Paul and Jacqui Daniell, Wigan, 2017
We took Busby our beagle pup to Peter's classes and we were quite nervous having read that beagles are notoriously hard to train! However we needn’t have worried as he taught all of us, husband, 3 children & I, how to understand the mindset of our new four-legged family member which helped enormously. It is rather that the owner needs training, perhaps more so than the dog! His knowledge, patience & commitment know no bounds and we found his lessons more than generous as we often ran over due to discussion or a little extra one-to-one to ensure we got it right. His setting is superb with acres of space for outdoor recall training and the safety of an enclosed area for the not so attentive dog. He has a barn for the more than frequent wet days which is much better than a shiny village hall floor. Aside from this the views are stunning!
We also know that we can count on Peter should we ever need further advice in the future. A lovely man.
Sara-Jane, Russell, Tom, Alice, and Ethan Gardiner, Wigan, 2017
My sheepdog is wonderful with people and children but can be unpredictable with other dogs. Peter has a wonderful calming influence on dog and owner alike and during our one to one sessions has introduced good common-sense strategies for me to use with Meg when approaching other dogs. These structured sessions take place in a safe environment usually outside which is non-threatening for Meg and gives her the space she needs to assess a 'stranger' dog without any confrontation. Peter has highlighted ways in which my behaviour needs to change to give Meg the direction and confidence she needs and I thoroughly recommend his techniques to anyone experiencing stress or anxiety over their dog's behaviour. His creed is simple - lets help our dogs to BE dogs!
Sue, Preston, 2017
Through participating in Peter's excellent Brain Training sessions, Brodie our 18 month old Bearded Collie has learned a great deal of self-control and lots of fun games, tricks and moves. As owners we have learned to be much more calm in our approach and have gained a much greater understanding of how a dog’s mind ticks and it is a joy to see him learn something new. The session flies by and we try hard to practice the moves at home to show off some progress the following week! We also benefitted hugely from a 1:1 session with Peter as Brodie wanted to chase after sheep and we are so pleased to now take him through a field of sheep off the lead with him by our side after following his simple guidelines. Everything is FUN for the dog and fun for owners too – we’ve had a lot of laughs!
Thank you Peter.
Carole and Chris Gledhill, Southport, 2017
I have a 18 month old dalmatian and have been taking him to dog training with Peter since he was 6 months old. I am so impressed with his method of training. Peter is very patient and not only gives you tasks to take home and try out with your dog but also explains the reasoning behind the exercises. There really is method in the madness.
I have applied his method to my mad dalmatian, and if he can become better behaved, I'm sure any dog would benefit from some form of training with Peter.
His prices are reasonable and he is very friendly and approachable.
Debbie James, Liverpool, 2017
