PURE Dog Listeners

Greyhounds who raced and PDL – How to make the transition from track to family pet: By Melanie Grice

Do you have a Greyhound? Getting one? Admired them from afar? A lot of the Greyhounds you may have seen on the TV or the track will have been born in Ireland or England. They were often born on Greyhound farms and stay with their littermates and Mum for around 12 weeks. This is actually good because they get a good dose of communication from Mum and siblings and learn to communicate well and learn bite inhibition. Mum is then taken away and in a lot of farms (each may run slightly differently, this is one example) the siblings are kept together in a large run and have relative freedom. At 12 months they are then tested to see if they have the desire and ability to chase and run fast after a moving object. If they don’t run fast enough or don’t want to chase some are re-homed and others killed as they present no opportunity to make money.

If they make the initial grade, they will be then kennelled in pairs and only let out to toilet and exercise. In facilities with limited space, they will be kept in crates, typically with the males on the bottom layer and girls jumping to a second level. They will be confined for about 22 hours a day. This is a dramatic difference from the freedom they had as youngsters. They are trained to chase and race during this time. Sometimes illegal live lures are used to increase the desire to chase – this is more documented from Ireland.

Dogs are then sent to ‘flapping’ tracks, smaller tracks with no governing body to consider the welfare of the dogs. If they do well in trials, they may graduate to the more prestigious tracks. Some dogs are reluctant to get in the traps and have to be forced in. Injuries are rife on the tracks at all levels and often dogs are killed behind closed doors on the night they’re injured, unbeknown to the public enjoying the events.

“The average age for a greyhound to retire from racing is about 3 ½ years after competing in approximately 50 races. Length of career, however, varies greatly and is frequently brought to an abrupt and sometimes horrific end through injury.” (http://www.greyhoundaction.org.uk/tracksoftears.html#kill120210)

So then what happens to these dogs after they’ve finished racing? A lot are killed. David Smith from Co Durham pleaded guilty to killing an estimated 10,000 Greyhounds when their careers ended. (http://www.greyhoundaction.org.uk/NoJustice.htm) Other Greyhounds are dumped; some even have their ears cut off to avoid them being traced back via their tattoos.

Many of those dumped end up in the pound, and after 7 days are subject to being put to sleep. The luck Greyhounds end up in a Retired Greyhound Trust re-homing centre to find loving homes. Charities like Greyhound Gap save as many as possible from the pound.

Light at the end of the tunnel

I’m sorry if the article thus far has been depressing, but without knowing what has happened to an ex-racer, how can you appreciate their behaviour when they first arrive home? Lots of Greyhounds do get lucky and have a home after retirement. My dog was one of these; his journey wasn’t straight forward though. I have researched his history through Greyhound-data.com and from directly contacting his trainer. Axel was born on 10/7/06 in Ireland. He came over to England to race after proving himself in Ireland. He raced in the south of England and his last of 57 races was on Bonfire Night 2009. The next day his trainer shipped him off to “somewhere up north” and he then saw him online for ‘sale’. He doesn’t know what happened then. Between November 2009 and March 2010 I don’t know what happened. What I do know what that he was handed into the pound in Stoke-on-Trent in March 2010. He was then saved from being put to sleep by Greyhound Gap and we took him on from them at the end of May 2010.

A little about how we came to have him would be good at this point I think. I have been a dog lover for as long as I can remember. I had a retired Guide Dog called Kes when I was a child and he ignited my life-long passion for dogs. I had to wait until I’d left home, finished university and got married before I could have a dog of my own. My husband and I researched different breeds and toyed with the idea of getting a puppy, but decided we wanted to rescue instead. I’d always liked Greyhounds but didn’t know much about them. I did research and contacted Greyhound Gap, they work in a way that I like when selecting homes. You don’t get to pick a dog based on looks alone; they help find you a dog that suits you and your lifestyle. Most of the dogs are in foster homes, giving a more accurate picture of personality traits that kennels. I was told that there was a lovely black boy (we had a preference for black boys as some RGT websites claim they are the hardest to home because of their colour – we would have been happy with any colour so long as it fitted our situation) we could come and visit and if we passed our home check could take him home.

“Welcome home Axel!”

We arrived at the boarding kennels they use for dogs waiting for foster homes, and pulled up. I had a knot of excitement at meeting my very first dog (in my mind he was mine already) but I had to calm myself so that I could present myself to him as someone who would look after him, and not put any pressure on him. They have weekly walks with all the dogs in the kennels with volunteers, so it was an ideal opportunity to meet him and see what he was like with 15 other dogs around. He was brought out to me, and on my part it was love at first sight. My human reaction was to want to gush and fawn over him, but I needed to keep my head and not make him nervous. Thankfully, he settled with me holding his lead very quickly.

We progressed on the walk, me fully expecting to have to do some ‘follow my leader’ to keep him to heel, but this was not needed. This is perhaps another example of his prior training, the only way I can describe him at this time was ‘robotic’ and his eyes were empty. Only people who have seen dogs like this will properly understand. Again my nurturing side wanted to cuddle him and tell him everything was going to be fine. This would have meant nothing to him.
We invited him into our car and off we went. He lay down immediately, obedient and relaxed you might think, but it was more of a coping mechanism. The same when we got him home. We left him to explore, not fawning over him and he ‘settled’ quickly. He didn’t have any enjoyment of anything at that time. Don’t get me wrong, he wasn’t ‘shut down’ completely and unable to cope on any level, he was more trying to just adjust to this alien environment and new people. We left him be and only called him over a few times a day to get him used to his name.

Most of the time when implementing PDL, at the start it’s recommended that you keep them home for a few days. I made an informed decision to take him for short (and I mean literally around the block) walks from the first day. The reason for this was we needed to help him bond with us, and walking with him was a way to show him we could take care of him in the big wide world. If he had shown fear at this we would of course have waited til he was ready. He brightened up on walks and after each one he was a little more settled at home. I wouldn’t recommend everyone do this unless ok’d by your PDL.

Settling in using PDL

PDL was vital in helping Axel settle quickly. Within 2 weeks he’d gone from robotic to learning about toys and playing. About 2 weeks in he did his first ‘zoomies’ in the garden, I nearly cried at this display of sheer joy of it rather than running for his living.

Something we did that I would recommend to all is we started as we wanted to continue. Something we instilled in him from the beginning was that he was no allowed on the sofa, at all. This isn’t because we wouldn’t love to sit there cuddling, it’s because we have two 2-seater couches and neither would accommodate a Greyhound lounging on it and a person! Also, when we go to people’s homes with him (which is fairly often) we needed him to have manners like this so he would be welcome back again. We didn’t tell him ‘off’ or anything like that, we simply took him by the collar (he never got as far as lying down) and took him off. If he was to repeat (he never tried it twice in a row) then we would have used a calm hold.

There are some issues fairly unique to ex-racing Greyhounds. Those who were kennelled with a partner will sometimes display some food guarding or bed guarding tendencies. Axel has never shown any of this with us, but if he had, we had PDL there ready to help us. We did priority feeding when he first arrived, but have not needed to since. We also never approach him on his bed so have never put him in the position to need to guard from us.
As time progressed he became more and more relaxed. He has had a varied and busy year. He has been on trains and buses a lot and been to lots of friends houses. He’s also been on fundraising days to help raise money for Greyhound Gap.

Letting him off-lead was something we were very cautious of. Some Greyhound rescues tell you to never even contemplate letting them off lead, ever. This is because they can accelerate to 45mph in only 3 strides and can become fixated on small running things, even half a mile away! Greyhounds are bred to have high ‘prey drive’. These dogs can spin, scream, lunge and bark when they see a cat or small dog. PDL can be used to help control these situations, but cannot take away the instinct these dogs are bred with.

So we had to take things slowly and seriously in terms of letting him run. At first we let him off in tennis courts…but he didn’t really do much. We then progressed (about 6 months after we got him) to letting him off on a friend’s large property with her dogs. He was brilliant! He enjoyed running with them and came back each time called. We then tried this in quiet areas and fairly enclosed spaces. The canal proved invaluable because he’s not going to do mad running along there. Sometimes he gets a bit distracted when sniffing, so I’ll keep walking, or hide. As soon as he notices I’ve gone, he’ll run over to keep up. He doesn’t want to be left behind, by keeping changing directions when he’s off lead (without calling him) I now have a dog who keeps his eye on me.
He doesn’t have a massive prey drive; I can walk him past cats with no problems. He’s interested and watches intently, but there is no dramatic display. We just keep on walking. He’s been carefully socialised with small dogs and is now fine, one of his best friends who he enjoys running with is a Yorkshire terrier! I wouldn’t have two ex-racers running with a small dog though, as they do have a higher tendency towards pack mentality than some dogs. On his own he has proven to be safe with small dogs.

We’ve lived together for a year now and I’ve learnt a lot. PDL has been invaluable and its flexibility through anything he can throw at us has been stress-saving. Recently he developed what we at first thought was separation anxiety, but later turned out to be something entirely different. He’d started being very distressed when left in a small enclosed space which he was previously happy in. We have no idea why he stopped being happy there, but he wasn’t. He’s now staying in the living room and is silent when left again. Sometimes we need to step back and look at all our options. PDL helps us focus on solutions rather than worrying why. Using the 5 will help your Greyhound enjoy their retirement and be the stress-free, lazy dogs they’re supposed to be. They’re sensitive dogs and need calm consistency.

Melanie can be contacted at melanie.grice@hotmail.com

The Daily Mail reported on 12th September 2011 on a developing problem in rescue centres. It is well documented about the immense pressures being placed on all canine welfare organisations by the glut of Staffordshire Bull Terriers and other ‘status breeds’ being surrendered. These animals are incredibly hard to re-home causing a log jam in accommodation. This is jam is often cleared by euthanasia.

At the other end of the spectrum miniature dogs are now being dumped at rescue centres. Why would people do this? Often because they see Paris Hilton, Britney Spears an ex Spice Girl or some other celebrity that they admire, parading in front of the cameras with a toy dog in their handbag. In a culture of wannabe celebs, teenagers, and older people who should know better, rush out and pay £1000+ for a dog without considering that this animal is not meant to be carried everywhere but requires exercise to keep healthy and also needs to be acknowledged as a dog to be able to display normal canine behaviour.

The sad fact is that many of dogs either can’t or won’t walk and display complex emotional problems. When these issues become too difficult to deal with or the celebrity who sparked the desire to own this dog is no longer ‘cool’ then the dog gets dumped like last year’s designer clothes. The lucky ones find themselves in a rescue centre. It doesn’t bear thinking about what happens to the unlucky ones. The Dogs Trust alone has seen a 44% increase this year in toy dogs being handed into their centres. Multiply that by all the other rescues in the UK and you get an idea of the problem. They are swamped at one end with status dogs and at the other by toy dogs. Where does that leave the ‘genuine rescue’ such as a dog whose owner has died, rather than a dog that is at the centre because it’s out of fashion, is too aggressive or not aggressive enough?

If Puppy Farming stopped then the supply of such animals to impulse buyers would be curbed. By the time a reputable breeder had vetted a potential purchaser and explained the hidden costs then, with the enforced cooling off period many sales would not take place to unsuitable owners.

If you think that Puppy Farming and associated practices should be stopped then please sign the epetition on the Downing Street website: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/586

Steph Drake is a PURE Dog Listener based in Bedfordshire and in addition to carrying out consultations for owners having problems with their dogs, she is also a professional dog walker. Having set up her first dog walking business 10 years ago, she is now spearheading a campaign to introduce a Code of Conduct for the Dog Walking Industry. The campaign is based on an urgent need to end some of the bad practices in the dog walking business including too many dogs being walked at one time and walkers not having third party insurance, which is putting the dogs and the general public at possible risk and giving responsible businesses a bad name.

Steph is working hard to generally raise the profile of this type of business and educate the public on what to expect from a reputable service. From October onwards she will be running courses in conjunction with the National Association of Registered Pet sitters (NARP) for anyone looking to set up a dog walking business or for those who may already have started their business and are now looking for further guidance on how to organise and grow a sustainable business. The one day courses will cover topics to include: what type of marketing really works; what are your legal responsibilities; what to do when things go wrong and how to make sure that clients pay on time.

The first two courses will be held in Witney, Oxfordshire from 10am – 4pm on 21 October and 11 November. Further dates and venues are planned for 2012.

Steph can be contacted at steph@bestforpets.co.uk

As part of the promotion for our book “Why Does My Dog Do That? Because…It’s A DOG!” Caroline and I have been doing book signings at various venues. Most have been at book shops such as Waterstones but we’ve also done signings at pet shops and at the opening of a state of the art canine hydrotherapy centre.

When we were doing signings at Salisbury, Southampton and Farnham branches of Waterstones, because we were classified as ‘local authors’, we were interviewed by the local BBC radio stations. The first being at BBC Radio Wiltshire which both Caroline and I attended. We were then invited to BBC Radio Sussex and BBC Radio Surrey. Caroline was unable to attend  due to prior commitments so I went solo on those but of course still gave Caroline, and all our other PURE Dog Listeners a plug.

The signings went very well, helped no doubt by our radio exposure. It was a bizarre experience, to be sitting where people like Bill Bryson or Terry Pratchett had sat previously, talking to people about our book. We had great fun and met many interesting people  and swapped dog stories. A very tiring experience but hugely rewarding and one very few people will be lucky enough to  have.

You can listen to the interviews here

 

Robin and Caroline on Radio Wiltshire

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Robin with Joe Talbot

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Robin with Sarah Gorrell

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Well we had our first anniversary which was quite a milestone. We’ve a lot more planned in the next few months, our next get together of PURE Dog Listeners in September with colleagues flying in from all points of the compass as well as our home grown PDLs. In October and November we start our courses to teach interested people how PURE Dog Listening can help them interact with and better understand their dogs. These courses will followed by more advanced ones for those who have the aptitude to work with client dogs.

But first, this Saturday 21st August 2010 we will be at the Eastleigh Dog Fun Day at Lakeside Country Park, Wide Lane, Eastleigh, Hampshire. SO50 5PE (Near Southampton Airport). I will be there with colleagues and we will be happy to talk dogs all day. Whether you want advice, are interested in a consultation or doing a course or maybe just want to chat. Whatever your preference we will be happy to accommodate you. There will be a number of other dog related attractions in addition to us and I understand there is a miniature ‘ride on’ railway in the park as well. It’s got to be worth coming for the train ride alone.

Just look for our banner with our ‘Happy Dog’ logo as shown on this page. The event starts at 10.00 a.m. and ends at 4.00 p.m. There is plenty of parking and the weather forecast is good.

What is? The 26th July 2010 which will be the first anniversary of the formation of PURE Dog Listeners. How can time have gone so fast? Perhaps we’re just getting older. We’ll put a big post out on the day but we have so much in the pipeline that our second year will be even busier. The number of projects coming to fruition is only made possible by the tremendous team spirit we have amongst our members. We achieve that by mutual respect in all dealings within the team. You will see the PURE name crop up in more and more venues and associated with a number of new ventures but always keeping the emphasis on the wellbeing and happines of both dog and owner, in short, keeping it PURE.

On the 27th February we had a meeting of PURE Dog Listeners to plan the way forward, to discuss and exchange ideas. To improve our techniques and generally improve the quality of service that we offer to our clients and their dogs. We already have a vibrant forum where members can share experiences and advice and we are in regular telephone contact but nothing beats personal interaction.

Where to hold the meeting? We now have members across the UK, Northern Ireland and Eire as well as Europe, Scandinavia and the USA. This is truly amazing because when Caroline and I moved from the last enterprise last July we expected to be a two man show. The fact that so many have chosen to join us is still a matter of wonder to us. So we needed somewhere with a good atmosphere, accommodation, conference facilities, good food and drink and friendly and helpful staff. We found all this and more at The White Lion, Fullerton Road, Wherwell, near Andover, Hampshire. They were fabulous hosts. And if I tell you that they have in addition to steaks, mixed grills and other good food from snacks to substantial meals but also   a page on the menu devoted to pies! As they’d gone to the bother of making them I had to try one and can confirm that the White Lion is pie heaven.

We didn’t know how many of our colleagues would be able to attend and were gratified when even with a couple of members having to pull out at the last moment we still had over 30 present. I’d like to think that it was our great oratory that attracted them but I suspect it was the pies and the beer. Either way we had a great couple of days in good company. We all learnt so much and bounced some great ideas about. We had an amazing presentation from one of our members on British Sign Language and as a result had a much better understanding of all sorts of problems that hearing impairment can bring up. We now have someone highly qualified who can help any of our members with a hearing impaired client. We have a host of talented people all happy to help one another, a super team to be part of.  The next meeting can’t come too soon. Already members in the USA who were unable to attend have stated that they’ll be there for the next one. As we work so much alone it is vital that we keep fresh by this interaction of like minded people, and it must be interaction. Sitting in a room be talked at by one or two people achieves nothing. When I saw the enthusiasm in the faces of my fellow PDLs, their willingness to share and heard the passion in their voices I knew we were doing something right.

We are rapidly approaching the end of 2009 so it seems right to look back over the past year and perhaps more importantly to look forward to what 2010 holds.

Early in 2009 there was not a thought about PURE Dog Listeners. It didn’t exist. I, along with colleagues, were busy ‘mending dogs’ and happy doing just that. By the middle of the year however, the saying ‘Nothing stays constant except change.’ was very appropriate to our situation. Caroline and I talked through our options and decided to do what we do best and do it well with no distractions, thus the word PURE in our title. We set up PURE Dog Listeners as a two person association but soon found that other suitably qualified Dog Listeners wanted to join us as they subscribed to our philosophy. We were pleased to have them and are now a happy group of around 50 members who support one another, share experiences and friendship. But most of all we are here to help dogs and their owners resolve any problems and get their relationship with one another and the rest of the world, back on track.

In early July there was nothing, then from nowhere we had to produce a web site, a forum and sort out protocols and 101 other things. We all pulled together and with the particular assistance of my Son in Law, our IT Guru (I told my daughter to marry well and for once she did as she was told) we got it done. All a bit of a blur but very worthwhile. We now have members across the UK, Republic of Ireland and beyond. We are steadily growing but will always stay true to our founding principals, there is no room for compromise. It is too important to both client and dog, we must get it right for their sakes.

We are finding that as the end of the year looms the dust is beginning to settle and we can pause to take stock. The first few months went far better than we could have hoped. We must look forward to 2010 and what a busy year that promises to be. We must first build on our early success. We will be rushing around the UK  assessing PURE Dog Listeners (PDL) who want to become Accredited PURE Dog Listeners (APDL). We know that they all have the knowledge and every client is given a feedback form so that there is constant quality control. It is however vital in our view that before we give a PDL accredited status we see them at work and ensure that they can deliver the message in a practical and customer friendly way rather than just write about it.  If extra guidance is needed then we will supply that and support the member in honing their skills. We in this group, never stop learning and so, APDLs or PDLs will often, with the permission of the client, sit in on a consultation given by a colleague. They will debrief after the consultation and usually both will have learnt something. It maybe the way a topic was explained or how a childs interest was held. Life is a learning experience and as long as we remember that we will grow. The moment you think you know everything give up work and become a politician.  

We have courses planned throughout the year for our members the first being in February which will cover a range of topics. We issued a provisional agenda  but this has been added to by our members. It is central to our philosophy that any member can raise any issue at anytime so that they can feel confident that they fully understand an issue. There is huge enthusiasm for these events and it maybe that they will have to be longer or held more frequently.

It’s not only qualified PDLs who have a thirst for knowledge. We have had numerous enquiries from members of the public wanting to learn the techniques of PURE Dog Listening. Many of these enquiries have come from clients who have seen such good results with their own dogs that they want to teach others and improve relationships between owners and their dogs. People who work with dogs in a variety of fields have also shown an interest.  Other enquiries have come from those who just want to understand their pet better. Wherever you fit in the above we will be able to help you. We intend to run a number of courses later in the year to cater for everyone from the caring dog owner to the aspiring PURE Dog Listener and everything in between. So if you fit any of those categories watch this space for future developments or better still drop us an email now to register your interest. When full details of courses are finalised they will be published here but those who have pre registered their interest with no obligation will take precedence in booking. 

Come on 2010 we’re ready for you.

Welcome to Delma! With foundation and advanced certificates in canine communication, nearly 5 years direct experience, and a keen interest in supporting not only her clients, but also her fellow Pure dog listeners, it is with great pleasure we welcome Delma. Further enhancing our international presence, Delma joins our team of Pure dog listeners now covering the UK, Germany and her native Ireland. Delma looks for the positive in our relationships with our dogs, and seeks to build on this with her accumulated wisdom and proven knowledge. Many Dog Listeners have sought advice from her over the years and she is an undoubted asset to our team. Clients can have absolute confidence in the ability of Delma, our newest PURE Dog Listener.

The Association of PURE Dog Listeners continues to grow and therefore I have great pleasure in welcoming Andy to the PDL website.

Andy, like most of us, has worked through problems with his own dogs and he is able to share that invaluable experience when assisting other dog owners.

During his assessment Andy demonstrated, without doubt, that he meets the required standard and is now an Accredited Pure Dog Listener. You can be confident that he has the practical ability to help other people with the myriad of problems they may encounter with their dogs.

Andy’s quiet and confident manner will be a huge asset to the PDL Association and we are very lucky to have him on board.

Helen Simmonds

PDL

Last Wednesday it was ‘The man who listens to horses’ meets ‘the people who listen to dogs’ when a group of PURE Dog Listeners went to see the inspirational Monty Roberts at Merrist Wood in Surrey.

We met in a nearby pub and had a great time catching up and swapping stories while still managing to get through the odd burger or chilli. We have an excellent online forum and we often chat by phone as well but you can’t beat meeting face to face. Our membership is growing and we now have Pure Dog Listeners across a large part of the UK and beyond. It is not always possible to meet as often as we would like so we take advantage of opportunities such as this.

After the pub it was off to the equine training facility where Monty was doing his display. As always it was awe inspiring. The horses he dealt with all had major behavioural issues, they came into the arena with heart monitors and their heart rates displayed on a big screen so that we could see the stress come down as Monty worked with them. They were exposed to the ‘Full Monty’ and as always the magic worked. If you have never seen this modest gentle man work then add it to your ‘to do’ list. Throughout both my previous work as a Police Officer and now as a Dog Listener, I have met most members of the Royal Family, film stars, famous singers and musicians, sports people, TV personalities right down to politicians and all three of the Krays. I’m therefore not easily impressed just because somene is a ‘celebrity’, whatever that is, but Monty has a certain something about him. Nothing flash just a quiet confidence which relays itself to both humans and horses.

The work Monty does with horses is exactly what we PURE Dog Listeners aim to achieve with dogs. There is no secrecy or egos, no, ‘I know something that you don’t’.  Monty says that he wants his students to be better than him and take his lifes work forward. In the same spirit we share ideas and knowledge freely whether it be a new technique or to give the benefit of experience to a colleague.

During the interval and after the show we were able to have a long chat with Monty and have a photo taken. At the end of the evening it was a farewell chat in the carpark until wending our way homeward. I live a short distance from the venue but many of our group had long journeys home late at night in the fog. It is a testament to both Monty’s pulling power and the commitment of the Dog Listeners that they will make the trip. We’re already looking foward to next year. I know a place where they do good burgers.

The Wolf is a much maligned creature thanks in part to many of the fairy stories we heard as children. In fact they are wonderful creatures with their own social structures which include family values and recognized codes of conduct which help them to live in harmony. Humans could learn a lot from these animals.

Every Pure Dog Listener looks to the wolf as a starting point in learning to truly understand all canines on this planet. Many of us have been out to Yellowstone Park to see them in the wild and also to meet with many of the people working on field studies and other research. The understanding and appreciation we gain of domesticated dogs and their behaviours during these visits these visits cannot be exaggerated. 

Sadly some humans like to kill other creatures and the choice of target at present is the Yellowstone wolves. There is much confusion in America at present with the wolf being moved on and off the list of protected species apparently with little logic being used. If we lose these wonderful animals we’ll never get them back.

Below is a press release from the U.S. please read it and do what you can

“Yellowstone National Park’s famous Cottonwood Pack has just been destroyed — all the adult wolves have been killed, and the surviving pups will likely die without the rest of their wolf family.

The Cottonwoods are just some of the latest victims of the federal government’s likely illegal decision to eliminate vital protections for our wolves in Greater Yellowstone and the northern Rockies. Unless we are successful in urging Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to reverse this bad decision, hundreds more wolves will be killed.”

For more information visit www.savewolves.org.

I am delighted to welcome Helen to the PURE Dog Listeners website.

Helen is typical of those who Robin and Caroline want in this organisation – she has a great love of dogs, and an ongoing passion to further her understanding of the reasons for their behaviour.

Helen – like most of us – at first used her new knowledge to help her own dogs, and subsequently, to share her abilities with others.

Helen has been successfully helping dogs and their owners for some time, but willingly agreed to be assessed by Robin, knowing that Robin and Caroline have too much at stake to allow this new organisation to be represented by anyone whose working practices have not been personally observed – she of course passed the assessment with flying colours!

I know that Helen’s experience, and calm good sense will be a valuable asset to all at PDL.

Very best wishes

Lesley

Joining our team as an accredited PURE Dog Listener (PDL) is Lesley from the Southampton area. Lesley has a long background with dogs. I have seen her at work and she has shadowed me at consultations. Lesley was also a tremendous help to me in a ‘Dangerous Dog Case’  In which I was retained by solicitors to assess a dog and convince the Magistrates to not order the destruction of the animal. We were successful in our aim.

I am sure that Lesley will be an asset to the team. There are many other Dog Listeners awaiting assessment or working their way toward accreditation. All of these are qualified and we could just put them straight onto the site as fully fledged PDLs. We need to know however that all PDLs don’t only have a piece of paper saying they can do it but that we have seen them in a practical situation demonstrating that ability.

The quality and determination to be the best is shown in the way that these potential PDLs willingly put themselves forward for scrutiny to prove their ability and commitment. Avery good sign for client and dog.