Your Dog Training Business
2026-06-09T11:01:50.984Z
I recently had my final session with Nathan after working with him for the past couple of years, and I honestly can't recommend him highly enough.My two miniature dachshunds, Cosmo and Cassie, are rescue dogs from the meat trade in South Korea. Before they came to the UK, they lost their owner, which is ultimately how they found themselves in that situation. They were originally a bonded pair, but arrived in the UK separately due to quarantine requirements, with Cosmo arriving in August 2023 and Cassie following in December.When Cassie finally arrived, things didn't go as expected. Despite their history together, Cosmo began repeatedly attacking her and we was struggling to understand why. One of the first things Nathan recognised was that Cosmo appeared to be in pain. Despite our concerns, this had never been formally identified, but Nathan was confident enough in his assessment to contact my vets and suggest a pain trial.It was the first time somebody joined the dots between Cosmo's behaviour and the physical issues we knew he had, and it completely changed how we understood him. Nathan was absolutely right.Rather than seeing a dog who was being difficult or aggressive, we began to see a dog who was hurting.Over the following years, Nathan supported us through a complex mix of behavioural and medical challenges. Both dogs have experienced significant health issues, including cancer treatment for Cassie and ongoing health concerns for Cosmo. ( displaced hips and grade 3/4 heart murmur)During this time, I also lost my husband in February 2025.It's fair to say the last few years haven't been straightforward. The dogs arrived with a complicated history, both have experienced significant health problems, and I was navigating bereavement myself. Nathan always looked at the bigger picture rather than focusing solely on the behaviour in front of him, which is one of the reasons I valued his expertise highly.Nathan was able to look beyond the behaviour itself. He never searched for quick fixes or simple explanations. Instead, he took the time to understand the bigger picture — health, pain, fear, past experiences, relationships and environment — and how these factors could be influencing what I was seeing.Cassie remains a reactive dog outdoors ( although far less so than when she first arrived) while Cosmo's struggles have tended to be more apparent within the home, but thanks to Nathan I now understand both dogs far better than I ever did before. More importantly, I understand how to support them rather than simply trying to stop unwanted behaviours.Nathan has been knowledgeable, patient, compassionate and supportive throughout what has sometimes been a very complex journey. The progress Cosmo and Cassie have made is something I genuinely don't believe we would have achieved without his guidance. And in all honesty, I really didn’t think we’d get as far as we have.Nathan's support has helped me understand two dogs carrying their own history and challenges at a time when I was facing some of my own. That understanding has made an enormous difference to all of our lives.Thank you, Nathan, for helping me understand my dogs better and for supporting all three of us through some incredibly challenging times. I will always be grateful.