what dog owners say about Jo & Graham Milgrew
Dog Training & Behavioral Therapist
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26th July 2013
Jo & Graham Milgrew dealt with:
We found Jo to be excellent and extremely knowledgeable on her subject. Our dog Barney is very noise sensitive and barks a lot in the garden and during the night. From the 1st meeting, Barney no longer barks at night and with the training Jo has put in place we are working with Barney to over come his issues. Looking forward to our next visit.
Barney is a lovely Golden Retriever who has barked at everything and anything for the last 3 years. He had got into the habit of barking to get his poor owners up every single night and nothing they did would dissuade him from this. It was bemusing for his owners as he is well behaved and well trained apart from a bit of pulling on the lead and in all other respects is a delightful dog. Noise sensitivity is a tough nut to crack. Dogs become hyper sensitive to any noise and alarm bark at anything they feel their owner should know about. The first part of this is to settle the dog in his home and ensure he will listen to his owners which his owners have managed very successfully. The second part is to desensitise him to the noises that set him off and condition him to realise that these noises are not a threat to his family. This takes time as he has spent years barking, but his owners are committed to his training and are well on the way to resolving this problem permanently.
Permalink: www.barkbusters.co.uk/dog-training-review/4459
Romford, Essex (Testimonial)
25th June 2013
Jo & Graham Milgrew dealt with:
Jo visited us and assessed Archie; she spent a lot of time listening to his story (as he is a rescue dog) and assessing his behaviour. She explained everything very carefully and clearly and helped us to understand why Archie was behaving in certain ways. Eg. following my husband every time he got up. Archie didn't have any knowledge of basic commands and Jo taught us how to get him to stay, leave food/treats, come to his name and lie down. She is going to continue to help us get to grips with his 'aggression' around other dogs.
Archie is a Lurcher who has physical issues that indicate that he spent a lot of his life previously tied up. When I first visited he did not really know how to behave in a home environment as a pet dog. He was suffering from separation anxiety so didn't want to be on his own, but was suspicious of human company and held back from his new owners. It is unlikely he had lived indoors before as he had no basic training. Outside his grasp of dog etiquette was poor. He is nervous and has learned that growling and running at dogs is an effective way to warn other dogs off. Archie responded really well to the techniques demonstrated and they are doing really well with the basics including teaching Archie to come back to them no matter what the distractions. His dog aggression is a work in progress to keep him under control and teach him that other dogs are not a threat and he is already showing a willingness for his owners to make the decisions for him. To take a dog on that has not been a pet before takes time and dedication on the part of the owners as absolutely everything has to be taught from scratch. Archie is fortunate to have such owners.
Permalink: www.barkbusters.co.uk/dog-training-review/4418
Shooters Hill, London (Testimonial)
19th May 2013
Jo & Graham Milgrew dealt with:
Our experience of Jo's training with us and our puppy was none other than excellent. During her home visit, Jo helped us with everything from advice on diet to crate training; basic commands through to advance warning on dealing with socialisation with friends and family with such a cute puppy (and he is cute!) and all in between.
We found Jo, professional, friendly and very proficient in her knowledge of all of the things new dog owners should/need to know. We knew that the main aim of our session with Jo was not so much to train our puppy, rather to train us to be confident in our 'parenting' and help us to make informed choices. She worked with us rather than dictated to us and by the end of the day we felt much more equipped and ready to enjoy puppy training and life with our pup in general. We were a lot more confident to move forward and training is fun now rather than slightly daunting!
We wanted to give our puppy the best possible start in life and with Jo's support we hope that is what we are doing. She is very clear and patient and evidently loves what she does. We've already recommended her to friends who have benefited from her expertise and would not hesitate to do this again to anyone who may need a little guidance or support.
Thank you Jo!
Ali, Anna and of course, puppy Locksley.
These owners had made all the right decisions. They had researched their puppy's breed, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. They has checked out the breeder, consulted their Vet, read about Puppy training and set up their home so that Locksley was safe, secure and under supervision at all times. However, like many owners they found there was lots of conflicting advice and made the decision to pre-empt any possible future problems by getting advice specific to their lives and their puppy. Locksley is a delightful puppy who was the "runt" of the litter. Because of the obvious health issues these puppies can often be "babied" by their unsuspecting owners who know they would have been bullied by their siblings and feel sorry for them, but "runts" often survive by either running away or becoming "scrappers" and fighting their siblings so they actually need confident owners who can build the puppy's confidence so they can handle all situations without the need to run away or fight. Locksley is fortunate to have such owners and is growing into a dog that can cope with all situations he encounters and happily be himself.
Permalink: www.barkbusters.co.uk/dog-training-review/4345
Charlton, London (Testimonial)
22nd April 2013
Jo & Graham Milgrew dealt with:
Jo has helped us so much in a short space of time. She gave us simple advice and tips for helping to control and become leader to our 'minding' dog Tilly. She is extremely knowledgeable and helped us to understand why Tilly was behaving in the way she was. She is very easy to get on with, makes you feel comfortable and is understanding regarding any training issues - also she is always on hand with advice! Although Tilly is still a work in progress (it's early days and she's a very strong willed little girl!) I would recommend Jo to anyone having behaviour problems with their pooch.
Tilly is a lovely little Yorkshire terrier/poodle cross who insists on "minding" her owners and their home. This is a type of guarding so she barks out of the windows to chase people away and constantly demands attention from her owners to the point of exhausting her owners with her game playing. When she isn't getting them to play or pay attention to her she is digging at the floors and furniture and chewing. Dogs like Tilly don't have an "off" switch and they need good leadership (i.e. the sort of good parenting a boisterous child needs)so she can learn to behave appropriately. She is fortunate to have owners who are prepared to train and educate Tilly and they have thrown themselves whole heartedly into teaching Tilly good behaviour rather than simply telling her off for bad behaviour. They have made great progress to date and I have every confidence that they will continue to do so.
Permalink: www.barkbusters.co.uk/dog-training-review/4312
Romford, Essex (Testimonial)
14th April 2013
Jo & Graham Milgrew dealt with:
We had had Benji for about 9 months when we had our first meeting with Jo. Benji was a rescue dog and although we didn't know when we got him we are his 4th home including the kennels so he has the best start as he was about 9 months when we got him. Initially Benji settled in well though I should have realised there maybe problems as when I collected him from the kennels he ran around the inside of my car! It was a few months after we had him when problems developed. Benji became more aggressive, particularly to people coming to our house. He had to be put on a lead when I answered the door. He was also becoming more aggressive to other dogs while we were out walking. I had tried dog training classes but this didn't really help as he didn't seem to cope with these well. We had also visited a local behaviourist for a consultation who gave us some suggestions. When Jo came our house it really seem to make a difference to see him at home, she was able to explain his behaviour to us and give us exercises to help regain control and make him feel more secure. It is also useful to know sometimes there are some situation you can't control but that we can do the right things to calm Benji and regain control. It is going to take a long time with Benji but I think with Jo's help we are making progress now.
This Jack Russell Terrier has some very severe behavioural problems and has been fortunate to find owners who are truly committed to rehabilitating him. His fear makes him aggressive in any situation that he feels threatened in and his owners are patiently working with him to build up his confidence and train appropriate behaviour in a given situation. There is no quick fix with dogs as damaged as Benji. He has had numerous homes and has finally found owners who are willing to take the time and make the effort to help him. It is delight to see a dog who is increasingly looking to his owners for guidance rather than trying to deal with what frightens him on his own. I have every confidence that over time he will trust his owners entirely and react calmly to situations he finds difficult.
Permalink: www.barkbusters.co.uk/dog-training-review/4303
Shoeburyness, Essex (Testimonial)
11th April 2013
Jo & Graham Milgrew dealt with:
Jo is simply excellent. Separation anxiety was the main issue for us at first, Michael being a new puppy; and me being a first time puppy mummy, I was also anxious to get it right! We've all being sleeping well since Jo got involved with us, Michael is calm at bed times and we are all sleeping through the night! Jo is an excellent trainer and is ever ready to answer any questions and offer reassurance and guidance as necessary. She is patient, kind, knowledgeable and clearly loves what she's doing. No wonder she does it so well!
This owner has a lovely little Bolognese puppy. Michael is a little shy and needs time to get to get to know new people and settle into new situations. His owner has been very diligent in building her puppy's confidence so he can feel secure on his own and comfortable when presented with new experiences. He is a bright little boy and eager to please his new family. It is a delight to see him progressing so well with his kind and caring owner.
Permalink: www.barkbusters.co.uk/dog-training-review/4299
Ilford, Essex (Testimonial)
4th April 2013
Jo & Graham Milgrew dealt with:
Jo is fantastic, we can't recommend her highly enough to anybody who is struggling with dog behavioural problems. We have two Yorkshire Terrier x Jack Russell males who barked and behaved uncontrollably whenever anybody came to the house. We also had separation anxiety issues and Jo completely identified both sets of problems we were having and has given us excellent advice on ways to address the bad behaviour. She also explained why the dogs behave the way they do which makes it easier use the techniques in the right way. For us, it is still a 'work in progress' but Jo is always available to give advice and support. Jo has shown us how to be in control of our dogs which immediately made our dogs happier and more settled.
These owners have a tough job on their hands. One of their dogs is really struggling with his constant drive to protect his owners and the house at all costs and will take every opportunity he can to go back to what he sees as "his job" of guarding. This means his owners have to be persistent and consistent when trying to resolve this. Fortunately he has owners who are prepared to do the work and recognise that this isn't a "quick fix". They have progressed really well. Both dogs are happier, more settled and prepared to listen to their owners and respect the boundaries put in place. The long term outlook for these dogs is good and I have every confidence that these owners will achieve their aims.
Permalink: www.barkbusters.co.uk/dog-training-review/4287
Ingrave, Essex (Testimonial)
19th March 2013
Jo & Graham Milgrew dealt with:
Teddy & Derek didn't have the best start in life being in a rescue centre in Spain for the first 5 months of their lives and having very little human contact. We felt we had made good progress in integrating these frightened little dogs into the family and giving them a happy and stable home. However, there were still a few things they did that we were not happy with, in particular they would jump up and bark at small children. Jo explained to us, why the dogs reacted the way they did to children. She also pointed out how they reacted to one another, to us and more importantly how we reacted to them, and what we were doing wrong!. She explained what needed to be done to overcome the problems we are having and left us with some exercises to get us started. We are already seeing a difference in the way 'the boys' react to each other and to us and we are looking forward to continuing to work with Jo to resolve the issues we have. I have already recommended Jo to a number of people and wouldn't hesitate to do so in the future.
These terrier cross breed dogs were lucky enough to find the right family from the outset. They have patiently integrated the dogs slowly but surely into their family lives and nurtured the relationship to the point where the dogs were ready to pay attention and listen to them instead of scurrying behind the sofa. They have done amazingly well and just needed to know how to keep progressing with the dogs. When dogs have had such little human contact as these there is no "quick fix". Everything has to be done patiently without rushing, so the dogs are confident that "their humans" will protect them from what scares them (children) and look after them. They really are delightful dogs and are an advertisement for what can be done with very damaged dogs when they find the right homes.
Permalink: www.barkbusters.co.uk/dog-training-review/4276
Hockley, Essex (Testimonial)
14th March 2013
Jo & Graham Milgrew dealt with:
After receiving a letter from the council regarding a complaint about my dogs barking especially late at night, I contacted Jo at Bark Busters. Within days I had my dogs barking under control and so life is much less stressful for myself, my dogs and my neighbours. Jo has addressed every issue I have with my dogs explaining fully why they do it. I have been retrained in my approach and handling of my dogs and they have responded beautifully. I recommend Jo to all dogs and their owners!
This owner was distraught to find that she was upsetting her neighbours and quickly put everything she needed in place to get her dogs (Jack Russell Terriers/Chihuahua crosses) to stop barking and listen to her. Particular credit is due as one of her dogs has a very serious medical condition and his ill health was the main reason for her allowing bad behaviour in the first place. She has had such good results she is now methodically tackling other problems such as submissive weeing in the house and dog to dog aggression with very good effect. It is a delight for me to see such happy and settled dogs.
Permalink: www.barkbusters.co.uk/dog-training-review/4274
Herongate, Essex (Testimonial)
3rd March 2013
Jo & Graham Milgrew dealt with:
I am very pleased with the progress of the training that Jo has suggested. I was not at all sure whether calling in Bark Busters was a good idea but I am really happy that I did. Jo has given me a lot of advice not only on behaviour but on feeding as well. She makes our meetings very enjoyable. I would not hesitate to recommend Bark Busters to friends. In fact I already have.
This lady has two lovely rough collies who are very nervous and barked constantly. One of the dogs lunged for joggers and cyclists and their owner found it very difficult to take them both out for a walk together. She is an experienced dog owner and has done very well resolving her dogs problems despite bouts of ill health. She can now take them out confidently and enjoy her walks.
Permalink: www.barkbusters.co.uk/dog-training-review/4275
Chelmsford, Essex (Testimonial)
The Bark Busters worldwide home dog training service guarantee is unique in the industry. It is designed to help owners resolve their dog's behaviour and obedience problems and to provide customers with the satisfaction of ongoing support and peace of mind.
