Tina Edwards
Dog Training & Behavioural Therapist
Canterbury, Maidstone, Tunbridge Wells
Call now on 0808 100 4071
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My life as a dog trainer with Bark Busters, solving such behaviour problems as barking, aggressive and boisterous dogs, plus puppy management, has given me the job satisfaction that just wasn't available in my previous role in the corporate world. The business world paid well, but was no longer fulfilling and the daily slog to London was becoming really depressing. I found Bark Busters via a friend who was looking for help with her own dog and approached and was accepted as a trainee with them. The residential training was long and testing, but hugely enjoyable and ever since I graduated, I have loved a rewarding job, helping owners forge new relationships with their dogs, giving them back the enjoyment previously lost through bad behaviour.
Having loved and owned dogs most of my adult life and now as a behaviour therapist with Bark Busters, I have the knowledge that could have helped my early companions. Amongst them were a Border Collie, Gus, whose barking drove me and the neighbours mad and later, Sam, a German Shepherd cross who I had to defend on many occasions from irate owners whose dogs he had aggressively attacked. I used to get so embarrassed and worried about the behaviours and tried everything I'd read in training books. But could I stop that dog barking? Could I prevent the unpredictable attacks? Sadly, no. Gus ended up being shut in most of the day and Sam was never allowed off lead. They both lived long and relatively happy lives, but I now realise that their behaviour problems could have been eliminated, allowing them and me to enjoy a much happier and less stressful relationship.
I found Bark Busters soon after I had taken on a second German Shepherd rescue dog to be a buddy for my lovely black German Shepherd bitch, Cindy. Finn was a young dog with many problems; aggression to dogs and people - especially vets; chasing joggers, cats, sheep, cars, in fact anything that moved! Plus racing round my garden barking at birds perching in my neighbours' trees! His saving grace was that he was very handsome and very sweet natured with people he knew.
I did wonder if I'd taken on too much one day, when I had him, all 43kg, on his hind legs lunging and snarling at a neighbour and their dog whilst Cindy and I were being dragged across the road towards traffic. I began despairing of ever socialising him, but then I found Bark Busters and within a few short weeks I had a dog I could trust and be proud of. I found to my amazement that I could control him with the simple and straightforward techniques of the Bark Busters system, put into practice by me, with expert and patient coaching from the trainer. Finn walked next to me past other dogs, was allowed off lead around joggers and no longer lunged at cars. In fact he now helps me in my work, often coming with me to help clients train their dogs not to be aggressive to other dogs.
Sadly I had to say goodbye to my Cindy last summer, she fought bone cancer very bravely for a year. However, sometime previously I had taken on a Malamute x Husky (Laska) at 8 months old and he and my other GSD Finn, kept me busy and helped me to get over my loss of Cindy. Laska, due to his breed and his temperament is a challenging young dog, always trying to push the boundaries, but with patient and consistent training he is becoming a beautiful boy.
So, for your local Bark Buster dog trainer, just give me a call and I'll help you with your dog's barking, pulling, aggression or any other problem... and they won’t become another Gus or Sam.
What My Clients Say
Bark Busters value feedback so we give every customer a feedback form which may be returned freepost to our Head Office. Where permission has been given, these testimonials are taken from those feedback forms...
Tina was very knowledgeable and hlepful with a good understanding of not just Ozzy's needs but ours as well. Ozzy responded very well to the training initially, but when his behaviour slipped, Tina reacted quickly to help us back on track.
Mr S M - Ashford, Kent
2nd March 2010
Very inspiring and encouraging. Thank you Tina for your lovely approach.
Ms C B - Maidstone, Kent
23rd January 2010
Tina explained everything in an easy to understand way and the techniques used on Buz proved to have success in a very short space of time.
Mr K S - Maidstone, Kent
24th January 2010
