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Dog Training in London

Client Testimonials

EXCELLENT
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Based on 86 reviews
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Sam Priestley profile picture
Sam Priestley
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Found Nigel online to help us understand our dog’s behaviour, what it means, and how to address it. Nigel was fantastic, came to our home, saw our dog in her own habitat to get a proper understanding of her. We went through the theory, then he took us out to show us how to put it into practice. After just a few days we’ve already seen a difference in how we approach walks, and some real improvements. Highly recommend!
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Prateek Mehan
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Nigel was fantastic! I was surprised that within the first 10 minutes of the consultation, he was able to stop my dog from barking when I open any of the cupboards in the kitchen. Nigel was honest, direct and thoughtful to our context. I feel like I now have a better relationship with my dog and the dog is so much better. I've not regretted a single penny! Highly highly recommend.
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Dmitry Chupin
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Nigel was incredibly helpful with training our Cocker Spaniel, Maya. He took the time to listen to the issues we were having, explained the fundamentals of a dog’s needs, and quickly identified the root causes of Maya’s behaviour. He provided a clear, detailed training plan and demonstrated exactly how to implement it. Just two weeks after our consultation, we’ve already seen a significant improvement in Maya’s behaviour. We’d highly recommend Nigel to anyone looking for knowledgeable and practical dog training.
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David profile picture
David
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My wife and I can't recommend Nigel highly enough. He was suggested to us by our local vet, and from the moment he came round to the flat, the difference was immediate. Just a couple of the actions he recommended and our boy Bryn's behaviour had already turned around, especially the over-excitement when people come through the door. Walking him is honestly a dream now too. He used to pull and tug the whole way, and now he walks right alongside us, constantly checking in to see where we are. We're still working through the rest of what Nigel's recommended, building up Bryn's confidence bit by bit. We can't thank him enough, and we'll be recommending him to anyone we know who wants a better bond with their dog.
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Jessica Briggs profile picture
Jessica Briggs
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Nigel came to help us with our 2 yr old cocker spaniel who was barking a lot at the front door and in the garden, as well as at other dogs when on walks with us. Previous trainers had helped us with distraction techniques to manage it but in the city you can’t always avoid and Nigel’s approach is treating the underlying issue not just the symptoms. We’ve seen massive improvements since implementing Nigel’s methods. The biggest difference is that we don’t spend our walks scanning for potential risks. We have a clear and simple plan to show our dog everything is OK, instead of trying to distract and avoid. We are more confident and so is our dog as a result. Nigel’s approach has been easy to adapt to different circumstances and we continue to be surprised at how much more settled our dog is from a few small but consistent changes! Thank you Nigel!
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Clara L.
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We’re very impressed with how quickly we’re seeing results of the dog training. I couldn’t recommend Nigel’s methods enough!
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Dan Read profile picture
Dan Read
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Nigel came and met with my wife and me in our home and talked with us one-on-one about our specific situation and how to correct all the bad behaviours with our dog, Luke. He pulled on the lead, and was very aggressive with other dogs. Now we're about a month into the training and it's going fabulously. Moreover, we've learned how to relate to our dog in a healthy way (as a leader). He's so much better on the lead, and becoming calmer with other dogs every day. I'm addicted to training him! We're eagerly looking forward to the day when all his training pays off--getting closer all the time! Would highly recommend Nigel!
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Tom Morgan profile picture
Tom Morgan
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Nigel was brilliant. For the first time we actually understand what we need to do to help our dog.
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Andrey Chischevoi profile picture
Andrey Chischevoi
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We had a behavioral issue with our dog (Westie), who would bark excessively at any visitors in the house, and we struggled to control her. We decided to seek advice from Nigel, whose dog training approach seemed very interesting. Nigel provided training for our dog and explained in detail how to handle situations like this, helping her to return the responsibility for security back to us. His approach proved to be highly effective - not only did her behavior with visitors improve significantly, but issues such as fussiness with food, pulling on the lead, and constantly seeking attention also greatly diminished. We are extremely pleased with Nigel’s training and would definitely recommend him to anyone looking to improve their relationship with their dog in a thoughtful and effective way.
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Sara M
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In a space of a few hours Charlies behaviour changed mainly thanks to me being more aware of how I should handle his fear. I have been practising outside since and have noticed vast improvements in my dog's confidence and reactivity. Couldn't reccomend it more !
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The Dog Guardian Book Reviews

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Soster2
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Happy household! Now. I have been wanting to write a review of this book for almost four years but could never figure out how to capture in words how great it is. So I will just do my best. This book saved my sanity and my rescue dog (adopted at the start of the pandemic in 2020) from going back to the shelter. In fact, we went on to adopt another one two years ago! Because of this book, people comment on how well trained they are.I agree with all the 5-star comments about how this book is fundamental in its approach. So much more than a book of recipes for specific commands. As people say, it helps you have a flexible approach that calms you and actually works. My first shelter dog was as sweet as could be, but knew no commands, had no manners in the house, was stressful to take for a walk (constantly pulling on the lead and peeing on every plant) and lunging with dangerously great force on the leash whenever he saw one of the many squirrels in our neighborhood. (I had no idea we had such a huge squirrel population before our dog, who turned out to be 50% hound, opened our eyes.) He was also a severe flight risk, as we quickly learned, if he saw a fox. He actually jumped through the screening on the porch more than once. The experience was very stressful and I was ready to return him after a week.But fortunately, we found Nigel Reed’s book and videos. Our shelter dog is now a great dog (although we never really attempted to completely combat the appeal of a fox).First, Nigel makes you think about what you actually want from a dog and how you see the dog fitting into your family and home. His approach is meant for those who want a happy and well-mannered dog. Not a circus animal.Second, he helps you to look at your dog differently and better understand how the dog sees and understands the world and how it processes information. For example, as he points out, dogs process very little verbal information which means that adding body language and hand signals really help to communicate.Third, he gives you methods and advice based on behavioral psychology with demonstrated effectiveness. This approach is an adaptable one to your unique dog and household.My second shelter dog, adopted in May 2022 and a very different breed mix, was also a lump of unmolded dogness – this time with no house training. I think he had never even been in a house. I re-read Nigel’s book and re-watched videos knowing that we could in time mold and integrate the dog. He too is now a great dog!Our dog story isn’t over. You need to keep up with maintenance training, and you have to adjust as the dog’s and your circumstances change. But the book's approach is always there to help you and your dogs!!
Amazon
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AC
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Great book, brilliant author - who is approachable and provide guidance via zoom I found this book after I've seen some of Nigel's online videos. It's great written and gives you a good overview how to approach your dog as a 1st time dog owner. Videos and the book is a great combination to prepare yourself for the arrival of your dog.However, I'm sure we are not the only ones, who watch a lot of videos, ordered books and other doggy stuff before the dog arrived - but once the dog has arrived, you realise all books can't help you in some situations.Our dog (rehomed) didn't sleep, after one week all of us have been sleep deprived. The dog seem to settle down during the day, but not at night. We've been desperate as we felt so sorry for our dog (and a bit for ourselves). We decided to send Nigel an email, asking whether he would be available for a call. And what shall we say, we got a call same morning! His advice was brilliant and it helped our dog to sleep same night from 9 to 5 (and so us as well).It was the first time that I contacted an author of a book and it really worked out great. Happy dog, happy owner. :)
Amazon
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PF
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It has changed my life and my dogs Loved it! It really works. It’s worth buying it! I have a German shepherd, a rottweiler and a mutt dog, and I am so impressed on how things are really different In our house lately. The dogs are way better and I can finally go for walks with them. Thanks a lot!
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GS
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Brilliant and actionable An excellent book that changes our view of 'training' (aka controlling) the dog to educating the owner on the language by which he/she can communicate with their pet to set up a good working relationship. This approach avoids control, which as Nigel Reed points out, does not help: the dog is coerced to behave in a particular way, but because it is never given the chance to feel secure or to understand what is going on, it still feels the same inside and so at any time may ping out of that superficial controlled appearance. It is also compassionate to all those dogs with 'challenging' behaviours who are simply being dogs. They appear challenging, he points out, because their owners don't know how to communicate with them and do not understand what the dog is conveying to them. Nigel Reed has distilled his many years of research into dog, wolf and human psychology into an accessible 220 pages of clearly written, practical guidance. I can confirm that his method works and that it takes all the stress out of 'training'. Finally: a method that is cool, calm and just makes sense. Coming to the book as a piece of literature: it is beautifully written (the language is clear, intelligent and to the point), plus it is utterly gripping and unputdownable. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. 10 stars with a Bonio on top.
Amazon
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JMR
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The best, essy to follow training advice I have received (and, trust me, there has been a lot!). After trying at least four different trainers, I felt more confused than ever about how to help my adorable girl overcome her fear of buses and noisy traffic. Her anxiety was ruining our walks and spoiling her fun; instead of feeling excited to go out, Tilly would run and hide when I picked up her lead.Nigel’s philosophy about dogs and how to train them is easy to grasp and really works. His book explains, in simple steps, how to understand what motivates your dog and how to correct undesirable behaviours (it works for all breeds and all ages, regardless of your dog’s history, so no excuses left! ;). Nigel’s advice leads to better communication with your dog and shows you how to be the guardian your dog needs you to be ... a calm, convincing, consistent, firm but fair leader.One week after putting his tips into practice, I can already see changes in Tilly’s behaviour, just from adjusting my own. If you want a confident, well-behaved, happy dog, you don’t need to look any further than Nigel’s book (but he kindly offers some videos if you find visual training helps, like me). I feel I have become more confident, calmer, and happier too, so it’s a win-win situation for me and Tilly! Right, I’m off to do some training with my girl. Thank you so much, Nigel!
Amazon
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Christele
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A fantastic eye opener book for a dog guardian! I just loved the book. the first book about dogs that I read from the first to the last page! It is easy to read, straight to the point. The guidance is so easy to apply. Everything makes perfect sense. It is very practical. I keep going back to it to make sure I follow the guidance properly. I love the videos that you can watch on some topics as well. I love the case studies as you can refer them to your own dog. I started to apply the guidance from day one and my dog Lucy has already shown signs of change....and I feel I am a better leader/guardian. The method is brilliant and logic. Nigel's words are easy understood. Nigel is also very encouraging in the book. The only reason that Lucy might be slower is that I need to make sure and convince everybody in contact with Lucy to do exactly the same...and for me convincing people is harder to do than guide Lucy! Believe me! I recommend the book 100%! I am also very interested now in the seminars too. And I would be very open to another book maybe? a book of more case studies or anything that helps understand even more dogs. Christele, a happy dog guardian!
Amazon
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David
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Very good This book is a very clear, easy-to-follow guide to training and living with your dog. I like the core concept of understanding and working with your dog's mind (rooted on the behaviours and principles of the wolf pack) rather than trying to mould his/her thinking to our own. In this sense it is dog-centric and makes use of the dog's own inherent psychology.Why not 5 stars? After an initial reading, it is most useful as a referral guide, yet there is no index to help to find specific passages quickly. The chapter headings are not clear indicators of their contents. So it often requires some flicking through the pages to re-find the section that is needed. I also have to say I think this book is a little expensive for a 227-page paperback.Having read this book I discovered Jan Fennell's books. Jan was the originator of this approach (this book repeats her concepts and overall approach). Her book The Practical Dog Listener is more structured, has an index and so acts as a more efficient reference book than this one; it makes a good companion volume to The Dog Guardian.But these are minor quibbles - if I could have given 4.5 stars, I would; with an index it would have been 5 stars. It is a very good book: well-written, easy to follow, and it deserves recommendation.
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Customer testimonials

Nigel was a huge help when we got our puppy.

I’ve worked with animals for years, and yet I was amazed at how simple and effective Nigel’s methods are. A must for any dog owner who wants to reach a greater understanding of their dog

Nigel is a real magician. He transformed our wayward and difficult dog into a delightful companion.

Nigel taught us how to help our Miniature Schnauzer Dilly who was very fearful in the park and in our local pub. After some time implementing his methods we saw the real progress she was making. Nigel’s technique is unique and was the only method that had any results for us. Now we can go anywhere with Dilly and she is totally relaxed.

Our dog Bugsy main issues was barking at the front door, passers by and attacking the letters (mostly my expensive magazine subscriptions) that dared to enter our home.

Nigel helped me develop boundaries and communicate my role around this space demonstrating to Bugsy that I had control of the situation.We then got another dog Gatsby. Based on all of his teachings Nigel helped us to establish feeding, training and settling in techniques that allowed Gatsby to settle into our lives and home established within our pack and understanding his position. This has created a happy pack, happy humans and wonderful life for us all!

Thank you Nigel

Nigel challenge is to help my rescue Labrador overcome his fear of unfamiliar dogs. He has educated me on communication techniques (with refresher sessions) and has worked with my dog whilst I was away. The significant improvement in my dog behaviour evidences Nigel excellent skills.

My overriding impression of Nigel was his gentleness, patience and strong, but quiet presence with Abi my German Shepherd. The little rascal didn’t want to willingly concede her lofty position as ‘leader’, but as the week progressed, Abi became calmer, less demanding and finally was demonstrating good manners both in and out of the house.

Nigel has helped me train both my 12 year old Golden Retriever who had severe anxiety around other dogs, and our second retriever puppy when he was too mischievous for words!

Nigel is kind and passionate about his work. I was able to implement his suggestions with great success, and we now have a well behaved and well socialised dog

We contacted Nigel after weeks of dog classes at the local dog club that did not help us change any of our 2 year old rescue dog Bruno’s behaviour issues. Instead of teaching us more techniques to control Bruno, Nigel showed us how to understand Bruno’s needs and read Bruno’s behaviours for what they really are. We are now armed with lots of techniques to help show Bruno that we are in charge and he can relax and be happy being a dog rather than feeling like he needs to lead and protect us all the time. No more halti leads or battles of muscles for us!

Dear Nigel, Thank you, you have revolutionised our life by showing us the way to gently and quietly train our two largely out-of-control dogs!We can now, after just two weeks, walk without being pulled, eat dinner without slobbering dogs nudging us all the time and feed them without excessive fuss and pandemonium! They also listen much more and clearly are more aware that we are the leaders of the pack and not them!! They are now a pleasure to live with…. well, nearly!!

I can’t thank you enough!

Kahn was trying to attack every dog he saw, now he is happy and plays with other dogs, I did not think it was possible, thank you so much.

You have made my life easier and I feel so much more relaxed with Benji now, he is a different dog

Not only was my dog calmer when I returned, he has actually stopped barking hysterically at the door.

We have a beautiful and intelligent 7 month Hungarian Vizsla. I could put up with the fact that I had been too lazy to lead train her, or even the fact that she jumped up like a Dervish whenever we came through the door. When she started to get involved in mini-brawls with other dogs smaller than herself in Regent’s Park I began to think I needed some expert help, despite having previously owned a more timid Vizsla as I did not want her to grow into a fighter and she is both feisty, affectionate and up for ‘the challenge’. After surfing the net, not having been happy with the trainer our vet had recommended for puppy socialisation, I found Nigel Reed’s website. When I first heard that all his training starts in the home and that Nigel would require a minimum of a 9 -5 week to get Dido under control, I almost faltered but Nigel moved in. Dido is a very bright and responsive dog but one week later she walks on a loose lead along the busiest pavement.

We have learnt how to alter her behaviour so that she doesn’t jump up at us, or our guests and Nigel has trained me to know exactly what to do and not to do if she ever does get into an unpleasant park ‘scrap’. And, more importantly how to take action to avoid the situation in advance. Dido now know her place in our family pack, does not experience separation anxiety and we are already missing Nigel’s calm, undemanding and knowledgeable presence in our home. Alternatively he offers a consultation and videos for you to find your own way but every penny we spent was a golden investment

Following yet another miserable walk with Abi, my 14 month old German Shepherd dog, I could only describe my mood as one of utter despair. My legs were bleeding as her massive strength had pulled me over when she lunged after another dog. My wrists were painful from being tugged here and there, but the biggest problem was the feeling of humiliation and failure.

Due to Abi’s behaviour towards other dogs was so hostile, I couldn’t realistically expect her to receive a warm welcome at the local dog classes. So I turned to You Tube to see if I could discover any training tips. Fortunately Nigel had added an impressive short video on how to walk a dog on a loose leash. Although I live some distance from London, I decided to contact Nigel to see if he would be willing to spend a week training both Abi and me. This request was slightly different from the services he usually provides, but I think he could sense my desperation and agreed to help.

Nigel commenced the week by educating me on why dogs behave the way that they do, drawing from studies of their natural behaviour in the wild. With this new knowledge, I could now make some sense of what causes Abi’s nervous aggression and anxieties. By implementing some simple changes to the way I deal with Abi in the home, this would then have a positive impact on her behaviour across the board, including the miserable walk experience.

My over-riding impression of Nigel was his gentleness, patience and strong, but quiet presence with Abi. The little rascal didn’t want to willingly concede her lofty position as ‘leader’, but as the week progressed, Abi became calmer, less demanding and finally was demonstrating good manners both in and out of the house.

Incredibly, Abi now walks to heel… if she tries to edge ahead; I follow Nigel’s instructions by stopping, turning back a few paces, and then continue onwards. It hasn’t just been about the walking though; Nigel also addressed the way she reacts to other people and dogs, the lengthy barking episodes, the jumping up when greeting visitors and he has given Abi the opportunity to relax. I have been absolutely delighted with the outcome and am grateful to Nigel for improving the quality of both Abi’s and my life

Nigel worked with us and our dog Jasper. The results were impressive not least because Jasper is completely deaf and life is just that bit more difficult for him, us and any trainer. Nigel achieved amazing results getting him to walk to heel but more importantly teaching him such good recall that we can confidently have him off lead in our local park – a real triumph for us and Jasper.

Nigel’s focused and calm methods ensured that we knew what to do when he was not going to be around and he is at the end of a phone for follow up support and advice. I would have no hesitation in recommending him to anyone who wants proper professional help and is serious about training and prepared to put in the work – there are no shortcuts for you and your dog!

The plants were alive and looked well, the dog was happy and looked after, house was clean and tidy, I could not ask for more and will continue to use you.

A very professional service and clearly passionate about the best possible scenarios for my dogs, thank you.

The Dog Sitter was a very pleasant person, my house was very tidy on my return, my dogs were clearly content and happy and everything was in order as I asked, thank you very much.

Nigel, thank you so much, Millie and Ruby changed for ever after meeting you!! After years of being dragged about by them can’t believe how fast and effective your techniques are. Can’t recommend you highly enough.

Dog Trainer in London

07877 373 125