Relieved Owner

I have been to a number of dog training classes over the years and our eldest Springer has been the guinea pig for numerous different techniques. This has resulted in a lively, cheeky and reasonably obedient dog - but one who at the end of the day has always considered herself "the boss" and who, when we go out beating, is self-employed as opposed to employed! Needless to say the cries of "whose spaniel is that?" is often ringing in my ears! I have made numerous mistakes with her and upon acquiring a second Springer Spaniel I was anxious not to make the same mistakes - and more importantly to understand where I was going wrong. Thankfully we came across Lez and initially went along on one of her Training Days - what an eye opener!! Lez has such an in-depth knowledge of the dog - its pack animal and predatory nature - that she can get owners to see and appreciate things from the dogs perspective. The slightest change in the owners body movement and signals makes a huge difference to how the dog reacts. At both the Training Days and the classes (which we have joined) you see an improvement not just with your own dog and how you interact with it - but everyone also learns from everyone else and the different mistakes we all make on a daily basis with our dogs. My youngest Spaniel now watches me intently, is focussed and is "employed"! The saying that you can't teach an old dog new tricks is also blown out of the water as the oldest one is now significantly better on the basis that I now employ Lez's techniques on her as well. The Training Days, classes, books and DVDs are brilliant and I seriously believe that every one who acquires a dog should be given a copy of Lez's book to help them understand the creature they are living with. Lez's techniques are sensible and kind - there is no bellowing at dogs, picking them up by their ears or kicking them - all things that I have seen other gundog trainers do. The dogs who go to Lez's days and classes know who is the boss without being beaten into submission. My dogs are first and foremost pets but the nature of the breed means that they need to have their minds exercised, not just their bodies. In Lez's classes you learn that the dog does not need a 6 hour walk - just 20mins of exercising the brain will tire them out. And Lez gives you the tools to do this. My dogs are well mannered, well behaved and a joy to take out. People often comment on how well behaved they are - I can even go beating now and the beat captain comments on how good they are (yes, even the oldest one!).