Finding A&T has changed our lives!At the beginning of 2024 we took on a rescue Labrador with behaviour problems.She was our 5th Labrador, our 4th rescue, so we assumed (wrongly) that we would be able to sort her out pretty quickly.She was a hugely overweight Lab, a 'Pandemic Puppy', nearly four years old, and completely unsocialised, so agressive with people and other dogs.She didn't bite but barked, growled and hurtled towards people and dogs, snarling. We couldn't let her off the lead and couldn't hold her on it. She pulled us over several times and, if we lost our hold of the lead, understandably upset other dog owners who were sometimes abusive.Her one saving grace was that with us, in the house, she was the most loving of all the Labradors we'd had! She also didn't hold it against us when we cut down her food and got her in good shape.Other than that however she completely restricted our lives. Walks were a nightmare; we couldn't have anyone else in the house; she defended us against the neighbours; we couldn't go on day trips together and certainly not go on holiday or visit friends and family, as we daren't put her in kennels.We tried a dog trainer/psychologist who gave us some tips and then gave up.Then one day, driving out of Lancaster, I spotted A&T Trained Dog's sign, outside their very impressive premises, which said they would take nervous and difficult dogs.I phoned them and spoke to a very helpful Receptionist who explained what they could offer for our dog. We decided to give them a try.The first step was a Consultation, where we spent just under an hour with Craig, one of their Trainers. First without our dog, where Craig asked us questions from a detailed form, to create a profile of her. Then with her, inside and outside, getting to know her and show us how they would work with her. He had more control that day than we had managed in a year!We formed a plan. We would take the dog into Boarding for one night, to see how she coped. If that was successful, we would book a foreign holiday (yippee!) and A&T would take her for the fortnight: one week boarding and one week of One-to-One socialising and training with Craig.Everything went very smoothly. The trial night was good: the holiday booked and taken.The week of boarding got our dog used to other dogs at a distance in the kennels and whilst being walked in the extensive grounds.The second week we were sent 3 videos, each one more amazing than the last. The first one was our dog running around with Craig's. In the second, she was with 4 others in the exercise area, a little distant but interacting with them, and in the third, tail wagging, going around with 6 others. It made our holiday seeing the progress she was making while we were enjoying ourselves too.Since we came back our lives are more or less back to normal. Our dog isn't perfect of course as she will always be more sensitive and nervous than our previous dogs: that's just who she is. However she can now cope with life without needing to be aggressive. We can let her off the lead and throw her frisbee. Just that exercise helps her behaviour. She can cope with other dogs, though we pop her back on the lead if a situation looks as if it might be stressful as we know we can hold her now. We can have friends round for coffee, or longer stay visitors. We can visit friends and family, trust her with our grandchild, go on holiday etc.etc.She goes to Daycare at A&T about once a fortnight, to keep up the Socialising and really enjoys it. The last time they said she was 'Perfect' and had been looking after a younger dog. We came away buzzing as if we'd just been to a particularly successful Parents' Evening at school!A &T's prices are on their website and Boarding and Daycare seem very reasonable. The One to One training is more expensive but it does include the weeks' Boarding too, so if you are going on holiday you would be paying that anyway. In our case it was amazing value as you can't really put a price on changing lives!PS. The date below is the most recent time our dog was at A&T. We first went there in February 2025.
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