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Working with Steven has been nothing but a pleasure. Steven is kind, approachable and honest and demonstrates incredible knowledge and passion for his job.
Sophie & Jack
We found Steven a very pleasant and knowledgeable person, he taught us how to be more confident with our dog Harry. Our dog now is much better off the lead and his recall has vastly improved with only an occasional relapse into bad ways. After owning 8 dogs over a 43 year period there are still new things to discover about dog behaviour. I would happy to recommend Steven to anyone who has problems with their dog.
Bob & Sue
Very impressed with the way Steven is calm and approachable. He made me feel confident with my dog very quickly and has so much information to share with you.
Allison
We cannot thank Steven enough for all his help with our cockapoo puppy Ralph. We first started working with Steven when we began experiencing puppy behaviour that left us feeling totally out of our depth and unsure how to overcome a couple of obstacles. From the very first session, Steven was so reassuring and has taught every member of the family how we can build a great rewarding relationship with Ralph. Steven’s sessions were always great fun, Ralph absolutely loved them & as a family we came away from our sessions feeling like we had learnt so much & we were keen to put our new found knowledge into practise. We highly recommend Steven and look forward to seeing Ralph continue to thrive with his recall thanks to Stevens help.
Zoe
Naomi , an ex hunting dog from Greece was my 4th rescue dog and for some reason I felt slight nervousness about recall. I contacted Steven and he met Naomi and myself and talk through our hopes for the future.
Jean
Steven has really educated us in how our spaniel operates and how her brain ticks. Our sessions with him have been invaluable and we’ve watched our 4 year old cocker grow in confidence. We feel so much more in tune with her and understand now how to help her with her anxieties. Steven came highly recommended to us and likewise we would highly recommend him to any dog owner. He’ll solve any problem you have or if you’ve no problems, he’ll show you how to get the best out of your relationship with your dog. It all makes so much sense once he’s told you.
Paula
Steven gave a concise and clear view of what’s needed to help train our Whippet, with managed expectations. He provided us a with a specific plan of action, which really helps eliminate any confusion when applying the training method. He also helped de-bunk some of the dog behaviour myths we had come to believe and provided a new point of view looking to correct a dogs behaviour through a holistic approach – working on our dog’s general confidence and building our relationship with our dog. While we have not yet had time to see significant behaviour changes, we have certainly strengthened our bond with our dog and better understand why he might act fearfully or aggressively, and we have a plan to keep moving in the right direction.
Andy
Steven has helped enormously with our pointer x siblings, his training support took account of their breed and instincts. He devised training which they enjoy to help with recall and getting them to stay closer to us whilst off lead, rather than being 1/2 a mile away. As the sessions with Steven aren’t group training he’s been able to demonstrate exactly how to work with our own dogs. Most importantly his training methods are kind and he is very approachable and easy to discuss issues with. We are very happy to recommend him to other dog owners.
Neil
A friend of mine recommended Steven and I was so glad she did. His calm, collected approach was ideal for Indi and myself. He explained approaches in a clear way that made sense. Overall you can see that he genuinely cares about the relationship and bond you have with your dog and he gives you strategies to help restore that.
Catharine
Steven has been absolutely amazing and we are so thankful for all his invaluable help. We have a young English Setter who is full of beans and has a very strong prey drive. Walking with him was quite challenging at times, letting him off the lead was out of the question. We contacted Steven for help and when he came to our house and assessed our Achille, my partner and I were left amazed at his knowledge and dexterity. Steven provided unparalleled expertise, guidance and support throughout our entire training. He helped us to find confidence and to understand how to effectively communicate with our dog.
Stef & Alex
The three sessions I have had so far with Steven have really helped me to understand how better to meet the needs of my young black Labrador retriever Toby. Training methods and attitudes toward behaviour issues have moved on from the more traditional ways. With his knowledge and experience Steven is at the forefront of new ways of relating to dogs. He has shown me that Toby needs mental stimulation as well as physical exercise and I am learning how to work him which in turn strengthens Toby’s relationship with me. Steven has an intuitive understanding of a dog’s needs and dogs respond to his patient performance related approach.
Karin
We are absolutely delighted with the guidance and advice that Steven at ActivDogs has provided. We have a young Jack Russell girl and, with Steven’s expert knowledge and comprehensive ‘homework’ notes, our little Olive has made excellent progress, especially with her recall. I cant recommend Steven’s services enough as he really understands dog behaviour, is very caring and patient. Most of all though, his method gets the results that you want and need, and a happy and well trained dog.
Allegra & Steve
Can’t thank you enough for all your help. Kira is an absolute pleasure to take out on her walks. I also feel I have gained in knowledge and confidence, even though I have owned dogs most of my life. Kira is also enjoying trips out with us around Poole Harbour in the boat.
Trina
Steven is very calm and his training is positive (for the dog and the owners!) It’s the first time I have felt relieved after seeing a dog trainer! Filby is coming along really well with his training and we are a lot less stressed! I have already recommended Steven to a friend and would have no hesitation in suggesting to others that he is THE best person to see if you have anything you want to work out with your dog. Most of the previous dog behaviourists we have seen have been totally bonkers, very negative, incredibly bossy and exorbitantly expensive…as well as having no real impact.
Sally
Steven is amazing with my Border Collie puppy Lola. Her recall & behaviours are improving greatly week by week & she is much calmer around the house. She loves going for a session with Steven & practically jumps out the car! It is also fantastic knowing she is in safe hands. Steve gives 100% & I would highly recommend him.
Louise
Steven has been absolutely amazing with our puppy Honey. Her recall has improved beyond belief and she will now drop and leave anything she shouldn’t have, something she wouldn’t do after 3 solid months of training classes!
Siobhan
Steven has a very calm approach and completely understands dogs and their needs. Our year-old spaniel instantly responded to him which has given me the confidence to continue. We have seen a marked improvement recently which is encouraging. The combination of theory and practice really does work if you persevere.
Terri
Steven has a very calm approach and completely understands dogs and their needs. Our year old spaniel instantly responded to him which has given me confidence to continue. We have seen a marked improvement recently which is encouraging. The combination of theory and practice really does work if you persevere.
Steven has a really calm, gentle approach with the dogs (and their humans!)
Bella responded really well to the methods that Steven recommended & she made really quick progress.
We felt we were able to email Steven at any time & he always replied with a solution to our problem.
We were almost at the point of considering rehoming one of our dogs before we contacted Steven, but now we are confident that we can manage the problems we had & I feel that the bond between me & my dog is stronger than ever. We would highly recommend Activdogs.
Alex
Steven has been so great at helping us with our cockapoo Percy. We first met Steven when Percy was 12 weeks old. It was so beneficial receiving advice from a behavioural point of view with the sole aim to ensure Percy learnt in a positive way to give him a happy life. It is clear Steven has a life time of experience and his training was fully tailored to meet our needs and outcomes. Steven first met us at our home, listened and taught us plenty of useful tips, he then went away and prepared a ‘homework’ pack containing a specific guide to our siutuation on how to best train Percy. This was followed up by a walk with Martha his lovely springer spaniel to teach recall and help us understand how to treat Percy whilst out on walks.
Jamie & Jo
We engaged Steven at ACTIVDOGS regarding our Vizsla, whos recall skills were temperamental and we lacked the confidence to walk him off lead. Steven has not only helped us with this issue but he has opened our eyes to the way our dog perceives things and his responses.
Ruth
Steven has a great empathy and easy manner with dogs and their owners which is definitely not always apparent with other dog trainers.He has certainly helped us with ideas and solutions to train a very recalcitrant Bouvier puppy.Additionally, written information and instructions for ongoing guidance have also been provided in abundance even if the owners have not always fully followed it!
Chris & Deb
Steven has helped my children and I understand our puppy better and as a result we are all happier and Darcie is better behaved and calmer. We are enjoying the whole experience much more as a result.
Jess
Steven has helped enormously with our puppy. Her recall and behaviour have changed enormously, and she is now a pleasure to walk, stress free. I highly recommend Steven as he gives 100 % to the dogs and gives them the time they need to help bring out the best in them.
Laura
Steven has helped me enormously with Treacle, our two year old Sprocker. Initially her recall was very poor and she also has an issue with some dogs. Steven has a very calm and reassuring manner and he makes it fun and and he has given me the confidence in overcoming the issues. Treacle is now so much better with her recall and now looks for me instead of the other way around!
Helen
Our Labrador puppy Cassie joined our family at the end of February when we had no idea that a month later we would be in lockdown.
We were worried about her not being socialised properly and reluctant to let her off the lead.
We met Steven by chance while out walking and are really grateful we did. He has given us the confidence to let her off the lead and build a relationship with her . We are much more relaxed on our walks and enjoy our time together. Steven is very calm and takes the time to explain things. I have recommended him on many occasions. Our dog adores him!
Deb
Steven has a great empathy with people and dogs. He also has a fantastic knowledge of dog behaviour and spends time explaining it. Steven is generous with his time and won’t give up until you are happy with the work he has done.
Mary
We used Steven to help our working Cocker spaniel puppy Lucy (8month old) grow in confidence and perfect her recall. We learned a great deal ourselves from his teaching methods and Lucy has really responded well to the training. Steven provides written easy to follow notes on the training which helps . He is very easy to get on with and Lucy loved him. Steven also offers further support and training if necessary. Highly recommended
Andy & Cary