Just Some of Our Past Students

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 From Frightened Farm Dog to Distinguished Gentleman

When Rafa’s new family first saw him, he was a quiet, subdued dog living outside on a farm, with little understanding of human connection. Their hearts broke for him, and they knew they had to give him the loving home he deserved.

The first week was deceptively peaceful. Rafa was quiet, almost invisible. But a vet check revealed the heart-breaking truth: he wasn't calm, he was critically ill, suffering from a heavy worm infestation. His family immediately got him the treatment he needed.

Weeks later, a healthy Rafa began to emerge. But with his health came a whirlwind of chaotic energy. Having fended for himself in a barn, he knew no rules, no boundaries.

The dream of rescuing a dog had become a stressful reality. His owner, at her wit's end, felt a sense of despair, even confessing that she thought she’d made a terrible mistake and was considering the heartache of rehoming him.

That's when she called us.

The Distinguished Dog Training Approach

We immediately put her mind at rest. We promised not just to train Rafa, but to support her. Our most important goal was to help her see the world through Rafa’s eyes—to understand the stress and fear that drove his behaviour and to learn how to decode his unique ways of communicating. We weren't there to just enforce rules; we were there to build a bridge of understanding between them.

The Result:

A Fairy Tale in the Making
Just three months later, the transformation is nothing short of amazing. Rafa is a true gentleman at home.

Yes, the excitable, joyful boy is still there—and we never forget the spirit of where he came from—but that energy is now channelled through a beautiful, trusting partnership with his owner.

Through our focused training, milestones that once seemed impossible are now a reality. Rafa confidently visits the groomers and even joins a group of companions for walks with his dog walker.

This was an incredible turnaround for a once poorly pooch. Today, Rafa feels safe, his confidence shines, and the communication with his owner is a joy to watch.

His story is a powerful reminder that with patience, support, and a commitment to understanding, every rescue dog can have the fairy tale they deserve. 

 From Park Panic to a Peaceful Partnership

For three years, Meg’s family did everything right. They had rescued her and her brother from a bleak situation in a Cypriot dog compound, likely saving their lives.

They patiently nurtured her, followed every guideline for a rescue's rehoming, and showered her with the love and security she’d never known.

But Meg’s past as a street dog still cast a long shadow. Despite their efforts, she remained vocal and easily irritated by the world around her. Being the dedicated owners they were, they sought help.

A trip to the vet identified a painful medical condition, which was managed with medication. They engaged a first-class behaviourist, and while they saw some improvement, the core anxiety remained. They were trying their best, but they were starting to feel lost.

Then, the day they dreaded came. On a beautiful summer afternoon in their local park, the unthinkable happened.

Meg suddenly shot off, resulting in a stressful interaction with another dog.

The moment shattered their confidence, replacing fun with panic, trauma, and the fear of being reported.

The Distinguished Dog Training Approach

After responsibly ensuring the other dog was okay, Meg’s family knew they needed a different kind of help. They needed a partner who would understand the years of love they’d already invested.

That’s when they found us.

At Distinguished Dog Training, we listened without judgement. We understood that this wasn't a "bad dog," but a loving family in a difficult situation.

Grounded in canine science, our first step wasn't to correct Meg, but to connect with her. We worked alongside her owners to help them do something crucial: see the world through Meg's eyes.

What was her body language really telling them? What specific situations made her anxious?

We identified that Meg, a highly intelligent dog, craved mental stimulation. She needed activities and games that would build her bond with her owners, reassuring her that they were right there, telling her everything was alright.

We didn't erase her past; we gave her the tools to feel safe in her present.

The Result - Confidence restored

Fast forward four months. Meg is a calmer, more confident dog, but still very much herself. Her owners now fluently understand her communication, knowing when to engage her and when to let her have her own time.

The true testament to her progress?

We finished our programme with Meg strolling calmly through the very same park where the incident occurred. She was relaxed, focused on her owner, and untroubled by the world around her.

Today, Meg and her family are back to enjoying their adventure walks together. The fear and panic have been replaced by a shared confidence and a partnership that is stronger and more resilient than ever. 

 The Journey Home for Munch

A Past of Heartbreak, A Future of Hope

Munch’s story began with a profound loss. 

When his owner passed away, he was left utterly alone, a traumatic experience for any dog, but especially for one still in his formative adolescent months.

After being found, he spent nine long months in a rescue shelter. While the charity provided fantastic care, nothing could replace the one-on-one guidance he had lost.

When a wonderful new family adopted him in early 2025, it seemed like the perfect happy ending. They brought him to a loving, safe home, ready to give him the world. At first, Munch was nervous and quiet. But as he began to feel safe, the deep-seated fears from his past surfaced. The "honeymoon period" ended abruptly.

Having been isolated and hungry, Munch now felt a desperate need to be first for everything—food, walks, and greeting guests. He became intensely vocal if he felt ignored. His new family, despite their deep love for him, felt their dream of rescue turning into a stressful reality. They were at a loss and reached out for help.

The Distinguished Dog Training Difference: Patience Before Practice

When Munch's family called us, we listened without judgement. They had spoken to other trainers who were keen to start a training program right away.

We took a different path.

At Distinguished Dog Training, we are advocates for the dog first. We understood that Munch's chaotic behaviour wasn't naughtiness; it was a symptom of his trauma.

We gently explained that starting intensive training immediately would be counterproductive. What Munch needed most was time—time to decompress and truly understand that he was finally safe.

We advised waiting six weeks before starting formal sessions. However, we didn't leave them without support. We provided immediate guidance over the phone and emailed fun, focus-building activities to help them navigate the waiting period and begin building a positive bond.

Building a New Beginning, One Small Win at a Time

When we finally met Munch, his energy and anxiety were off the scale. He would throw himself at people, terrified they might leave him. We designed a training program uniquely for him, knowing that no two dogs are the same.

We started with simple focus games to manage his impulsive behaviour, coaching his owners to celebrate every small win. 

We knew poor Munch was just deeply confused.

Four months later, the transformation is immense. Munch is still the big personality his family adores, but the frantic edge is gone.

He is less vocal, greets guests with more calmness, and can have his harness put on without a fuss.

Walks are now a pleasure, not a chaotic chase.

Munch's journey continues as he learns every day that this is his forever home. 

The change for the whole family has been life-changing.

We are proud to be their lifelong support partners, there for them from the moment they first called and for every step that lies ahead.

"Steve has helped me and Snoop so much over the last few months.

Snoop was an anxious dog who would show reactivity on walks to strangers particularly men.

Snoop also had issues with basic commands. 

With Steve's help Snoop is so much more confident on his walks, which he now enjoys.

In turn this has made me as an owner more aware of snoops body language, behaviours and triggers and a much more confident handler and owner.

Steve helped us build our bond and snoop engages, listens and both of us are a lot happier and more confident.

The tools and foundations were clearly outlined with each step throughout the training.

Steve has been non judgemental, open and honest throughout training and we have listened and the rewards have been evident.

I highly recommend Steve. Top quality guy who cares and truly wants you to have the best experience with your pooch.

Thank you Steve so much the support has been incredible and what a lovely guy we couldn't have picked anyone better".

Jules and Snoop dog. 

"I contacted Steve for help with my anxious dog that has separation issues.

Evie hates being left on her own and would howl, cry and have accidents in the house when I was at work or anytime she was left alone.

Steve was great at breaking down what was causing Evie to be so anxious and starting from the basics for her training.

We looked at how starting with the basics of sit and lie down would give her something to focus on and work on our engagement together.

Once we’d worked on that Steve helped me figure out that Evie has separation distress and started us on a plan to build up the length of time that Evie can be left on her own.

Steve is great at communicating with both me and Evie, making sure she is comfortable and that I know what I’m doing between check ins.

I always feel comfortable sending him a message if I have any questions or concerns about the training or Evie’s behaviour.

Since we’ve started, I’ve noticed positive changes in Evie’s confidence and behaviour and have picked up new skills for myself to support her once the course is over.

"We had the privilege of meeting Steve and getting his help and advice for our two cockapoos, we were having issues with our youngest being reactive to bigger and unknown dogs, then our older cockapoo would become over protective and reactive.

Our oldest is an anxious dog and takes a while to warm up to people, especially men, Steve never pushed him and would work at his pace which put him and us at ease.

Steve spend hours with us, teaching us skills that will help our dogs but also help us, and also writing everything down before he left.

He gave us advice and answered any questions I had. He had time to listen and not rush when I was speaking (even my off topic rambling 🤣) he would always answer my messages back if I had any questions.

The help and support he's given us has started a good journey for our dogs and we have seen progress already".