Mansell the Manchester Terrier

January 2011.

I would just like to say how grateful I am for all the training and information Steven has given me to help me with my 20 month old manchester terrier Mansell. I only wish I found Steven when he was a puppy. When I first got Mansell he was the first dog I had ever owned and I just thought "Oh he will be OK! It can't be that hard". How wrong I was.

Up until Mansell was about 9 months old he was as good as gold. We went to the park and was off the lead and would follow me and always come back when called. I was convinced he was fully trained and would only get better as he got older, but that was'nt the case.
He started to run off to other dogs and completly ignore me. I thought "Aww he just wants to play, bless him". I just carried on with this ignorance for another few months and started to get really stressed and not want to go out. He then stareted to show aggressive behaviour to other dogs, espicially puppies and submissive dogs which I found really upsetting. I hated walks and started to avoid the park altogether in the end.

I then herd Steven on Radio Leicester and he said he was holding a question and answers session at Coaville and I jumped at the chance to get some advice as I was answering yes to every problem he was listing.
We met up and the advice I received completly shocked me and if I am honest really upset me. What I took as Mansell being really excited, playful and happy turned out to be him completly anxious, stressed and very UNhappy.
When we went to the park in the car he used to be barking and wingeing. I thought this was excitement and I used to tell him it was ok and we will nearly be there and used to stroke him and fuss him. BIG MISTAKE!

After meeting Steven I learned this was the worst thing to do and all I was doing was rienforcing the stress.
Steven has completly changed my way of thinking and Mansell is so much better off for it. When I attended my first class, if Im honest it was really not what I was expecting. I imagened standing in a line getting our dogs to sit, give paw and lie down. Thats not dog trainging and I know that now. If you have a puppy I urge you to stick with Stevens style of training. You may not think its working and that its not like the training your used to but I am proof it works! Everything I thought was right, like telling your dog NO is not effective. When I am on walks now and see people screaming and scolding their dogs I would love to tell them how wrong they are behaving. Steven has made my life happeir and I enjoy taking Mansell out much more and he now knows Im in control which is what it should be in a dog and owner relationship! I still have a very long way to go with Mansell but the progress is fantastic and I am much more confident in dealing with Mansells behaviour now, where as before I would just shout and get upset.

Thanks Steven for all you help and I look forward to all the progress I am going to carry on making with your expert help and advice!

Becky Wardle, Leicester