😬 Just like to say how much I enjoyed this gold class with such lovely ladies! Well done everyone and Thankyou Sheila and Rachel 🤗x
Wouldn't of been possible without the amazing 2 trainers. Sheila and Rachel.
Caring and understanding of our needs whilst guiding us through the assessments with totally positive feedback. Gave us so much confidence
Fantastic and informative beginners class just completed. Can't wait to do more with you guys.
Willow’s Mum and Dad
Hi Rachel/Sheila
Just wanted to say a big thank you for the last 6 weeks training that you helped us with.
We thoroughly enjoyed it and have gained a huge amount of very useful tips and dog welfare information. It has been so rewarding seeing Willow improve during these past weeks. I know she is a much better dog for it too.
We have owned dogs in the past but not trained them through any schools, this is our first real ‘breed’. I am so pleased that Sheila persuaded Lorrain to sign us up. I was sceptical at first but she told me you said that Shepherds need to be trained early. I know now that you both understand the breed really well and it shows.
Willow is so different from our previous dogs, an absolute joy to have with us and I can’t wait to get her on her next training course.
Anyway, I just wanted to thank you for your brilliant and well balanced puppy course.
Taki and Maria with Joshi
Joshi has been coming to your classes since he was 6 months old – some 8 months of lessons, as he is now 14 months old. In that time, you have encouraged us to obtain the Kennel Club Good Citizenship Bronze and Silver Medals for Joshi – a mammoth task, as he came to you not knowing anything about obedience or discipline. He was shy and nervous of other people and their dogs. When we first joined your class for the Bronze Medal, I remember saying to you that ‘Joshi will never manage to do that’ in respect of certain exercises. You simply smiled and encouraged us to continue with the training.
We are now facing the ‘star’ in the programme, the Kennel Club Gold Medal, and are hopeful that, with your help, Joshi will do well. Your faith in Joshi has always motivated us.
We are also very glad that we could join your UK Tracking course and Joshi managed to get through the Foundation level on probably the worst weather day this year, where we had to wring out the water from our clothes! You never flinched and just kept going to get the dogs through. We shall continue to attend your classes and workshops indefinitely, as our little Joshi is now a joy to introduce to other people and their dogs. We are so proud that you have managed to help us achieve our training goals.
You have both always shown dedication, confidence and given encouragement to all your class members, including the human handlers, who also need training! Above all, you love the dogs in your training programmes and manage to achieve great standards by using praise, favourite treats, voice intonation and hand signals; never admonishment. You always stress that owners must develop the relationship between themselves and their dogs in order to achieve understanding, at times with just facial expressions. As we observe, this is part of your philosophy.
We appreciate your work and hope you will continue to help us, and other dog owners, to train their dogs into becoming ‘good, obedient and affectionate citizens’.
Warm regards, Maria, Taki and Joshi Sayama
Helen with Gracie
Dear Sheila and Rachel
Thank you so much for all you've done for Gracie and me. I can hardly believe that it was only 40 days ago that a very anxious owner came to you in some trepidation and now Gracie has her Bronze award. Not only a Happy Hound, a Happy Human too!
As you saw yesterday, her behaviour issue is not completely resolved, but thanks to you I am much more confident in my ability to handle her and I am hopeful that Gracie will continue to improve.
Thanks again, you are very special people. Looking forward to seeing you at Silver training.
Linette with Thomas and Anoushka
A big thank you to Sheila and Rachel. I got my collie Thomas at 11 weeks old and he did not start training until he started Bronze award training. He was introverted and had not socialised a great deal. From the beginning he thought he could do everything better than any of the other dogs or people! As soon as he has his harness on he gets into the zone and loves his training. The classes are fun but also make him think and he really looks forward to them. He has now passed both his bronze and silver awards and is looking forward to starting his gold training as he gets so much out of it. Now when we go for a walk he is friendly to other dogs and people and a real pleasure to have around.
Anoushka my German Shepherd/Northern Innuit cross started with Sheila and Rachel in puppy classes and has always enjoyed having cuddles and kisses. She has now passed her bronze and silver awards, both at 8 months old. She has loved all the classes and dogs in them and it has ensured that as a larger dog I can enjoy walking her and know that she has the training to be fun to take out.
Angie and Pippa
My Pippa did the Bronze Kennel Club Good Citizens Award a short time after we adopted her, nearly 6 years ago. We tried to find a trainer to take us to the next level, but unfortunately there wasn’t anyone qualified to train for the Silver award locally. Then Sheila and Rachel at Happy Hounds announced that they were now eligible to teach the Silver and Gold Awards, a short time after becoming eligible to teach the Bronze.
I registered Pippa and shortly afterwards we began the 6 week course in earnest. Pippa and I were a little rusty, but Sheila and Rachel soon got us back in the swing of the ‘Good Citizen Scheme’ standards and ethos.The training involved many different elements, all useful and constructive to living with a well-mannered and manageable furry companion, one that you could be proud to have, well most of the time!
Training under Sheila and Rachel gave us a clear picture of what was expected of us, the standard required, hints and tips, plus appropriate advice to eliminate our own weaknesses. I cannot praise enough how much care and attention we received in order to iron out any little foibles or careless habits we may have collected along the way! The classes stretched us a little further than the Kennel Club requirements and the classes were small so that each partnership received appropriate training tips and individual attention, but above all else, the classes were great fun, for both 2 legged and 4 legged beings!
Cannot recommend the classes highly enough, if you would like to take your dog to another training level, make your dog a Good Citizen and form a closer bond with your furry companion, I highly recommend this training scheme with Sheila and Rachel. The extra bonus is you gain 2 trainers for the price of one, great value! I am very proud that my Pippa passed her Silver Award, together with all her doggy companions in the group.
Thank you Sheila and Rachel, will recommend you as always and look forward to doing the Gold Award! Hmmm, did I write that!
Lynne and Rico
A big thank you to Sheila and Rachel at Happy Hounds for the training, encouragement and support with the KC Good Citizen Bronze and Silver Awards. I was so happy and proud when we passed the Silver Award last week. I have really enjoyed all the training - it has been so rewarding, positive and fun.
Thank you Sheila and Rachel - would love to go for Gold.
Lowri and Flossie
So proud of our puppy- she's worked so hard and passed her gold obedience test . I can't put into words how amazing her trainers Sheila and Rachel at Happy Houndshave been- she started with them as a 11 week old puppy too scared and timid to come out from under my skirt for the whole of the first lesson, she was so terrified of other dogs it had a huge impact on her day to day , now she loves other dogs and won't start her class until she's kissed every one of them. The transformation is amazing - thank you!
Tracy and Lexi
Hi Sheila and Rachel.
Thanks to Happy Hounds I now have a well behaved and socially acceptable Staff. From her early start at 14 weeks old on the KC Puppy Foundation course, to the Bronze, Silver and Gold for the Good Citizen Dog Scheme, I feel we have come a long way that is both satisfying and rewarding. None of this would have been possible without the brilliant training and support of you both. If Lexi could speak English I'm sure she too would say thank you, but instead, you'd have to settle for lots of licking. I would and will recommend you to others that are seeking dog training skills. Lexi is such a happy girl which makes me happy. The classes were brilliant and I feel I made a lot of friends. Tracy and Lexi. X
KC Puppy Foundation and Big Puppy
Dear Sheila and Rachel.
A big, big thank you for training me on how to train Lexi, both on the Puppy Foundation and Big Puppy courses. Lexi is responding really well to all that has been taught and turning into a super Staffy pup. I look forward to continued training and the fun and laughs we have along the way. From Tracy and Lexi.
K/C Puppy foundation
Sheila & Rachel,
Thank you so much for a great course. Juno and i loved it and both learn't so much. The 'Leave It' command paid off in spades today when we were doing our daily moorland walk (Rippon Tor area) and came across a basking adder nearly 2 ft long. Juno saw it move before i did and went bounding over. I shouted 'Juno LEAVE IT!!' followed by 'Juno come' and she returned to my side sat down and we both watched the snake slither off into the undergrowth, catastrophe averted. I can't recommend the puppy course highly enough. My father is getting a puppy in July and will definitely be signing up for your training. Regards John
K/C Puppy, Big Puppy school and K/C Bronze award
"As a new dog owner there are many delights but also much to learn in the early months. Signing up for puppy classes with Happy Hounds was definitely one of the best decisions I made. The classes were just what we needed both for socialising Archie who had enormous fun with the other dogs and starting to lay the foundations of training. Sheila and Rachel bring experience and enthusiasm and make the classes fun, as well as providing invaluable advice in those early months. Both Archie and I have grown in confidence and are now the proud of K/C Foundation puppy, Big puppy and the K/C Bronze Award. We will be back for more classes in the future and I can warmly recommend Happy Hounds to anyone starting out with a puppy. Jon"
Foundations of working trials
Just wanted to let you know how much both Mollie and I enjoyed the Foundations in Working Trials course this autumn. Mollie not only grew in confidence, but physically and emotionally displayed her total enjoyment in the tasks set, undertaken and achieved! We daily set up search games in the garden and around the house and she knows exactly what's happening when her box of articles for the task is coming out! Socialising with other dogs has also had a very positive affect on her. Your guidance, patience and training knowledge, experience and skills have been very much appreciated by us both...... We shall be back for more!
KC Puppy School
Sheila and Rachel,
I just wanted to say a big thank you for your puppy classes. I'm not sure who grew most in confidence - Maddy or Flossie!
Best wishes,
Sally
One to one Recall Training
Hi Sheila, just a quick message to thank you for your one to one with Deefah.....he is a completely different dog now!! It's a pleasure to take him out....he loves his ball, comes back when hes told and has mastered "down" too....sooooo happy...that's the best £30 I have ever spent.....thank you once again
Julie xx
Riley's Mum and Dad
When we found that the dog we had brought home from the rescue centre last summer was very nervous around other dogs, because of his bad start in life, we were recommended to contact Happy Hounds. After his first few visits, Riley started to relax and now it's wonderful to see him to running in to join his Happy Hounds friends every week, knowing there's somewhere he can go to mix and play with other dogs in a happy and secure environment. Sheila is always ready to help and advise and it's clear that she and Rachel and Charlotte really care about all 'their' dogs - thanks Happy Hounds!
Ryan's Mum
I have a 3 year old GSD who was adopted by us in November and although he is fairly well behaved he needed help with the basics. The beginner class provided by Happy Hounds was ideal for me and Ryan. Sheila and her daughter gave great advice to me and made me feel comfortable right from the beginning. All methods used are gentle and positive training methods and they totally understand the dogs and how to help with each individuals needs. I was never made to feel inadequate for having a difficult dog. The "test" at the end of the five weeks was great and gave me a huge boost of self esteem. The support was second to none and I will continue to train with them and pass the word to others who may need help. Kirsty
Matilda's Mum
We have a year old westie Matilda who has been a part of the Happy Hounds team since she was less than 6 months old. She has developed into a very socialable friendly little dog we think due to her time spent with Sheila and the team. We cannot praise the girls enough for the excellent service they provide always with a smile and happy to chat about any issues you may have with your dog or just a friendly chat. We highly recommend Happy Hounds and their services. Thank you Sheila, Rachel and Charlotte for making Matilda a very happy little westie.
Zelda's Mum and Dad
If Zelda could speak she would certainly agree with my assessment regarding her time at Happy Hounds. She has made many friends whilst attending the sessions both human and animal. She loves other dogs and people, she cannot get there early enough she sings all the way there as she knows now where she is going and eager to get there. The freedom in the fields that she is given, for her it is just what she needs to let off steam is a big benefit for her and at all times she is under supervision and in a safe environment. Zelda has a good relationship with Sheila, Rachel, and so have we, nothing is too much for them they take time to listen to any concerns we had and are readily prepared to help us. I would recommend Happy Hounds to anyone who wanted help or support while training their dog regardless of the age or breed of the dog.
Kaen's Mum
An excellent dog walking and training service. Professional, polite and extremely hard working team. Can never do enough for you and always happy to have my dog. A fantastic service!!
Max's Mum
Max, our jack Russell has been going out on walks with Sheila and the Happy Hounds team for more then three years now. He has lots of friends and especially enjoys the Boomer Balls! Sheila’s service is invaluable to us, and ensures our dogs stays exercised, socialized and very happy! That’s Happy Hounds.
Alfie and Jack's Mum and Dad
"We started using Sheila during a very busy time for us, but the boys love their 'Auntie Sheila' so much, that we have made walking with Sheila and their doggie friends a regular treat two or three times a week!"
Jezebel and Tommy's Mum and Dad
" I work full time so having Sheila walk Tommy & Jezebel for me 4 times a week has been a god’s send as I know that they won’t be home alone all day getting bored. Sheila has always been completely reliable and very trustworthy so I have always been happy to leave her a set of keys so she has been able to do pickups and drop offs when I’m not there. When Jezebel was younger I had trouble getting her to come back and would quite often lose her whilst out on walks, Sheila really helped with her training and introduced some techniques for me to use which gave me the confidence to walk her off lead. I have recommended Happy Hounds to several people over the 10 years I have used them and wish the business all the success for the future – Tommy can’t wait for activity mornings to begin!"
Roxy's Mum
" I have a German Shepherd called Roxy. She was a very nervous Shepherd and was difficult to take out. I got in touch with Sheila who now has Roxy twice a week for me and Roxy socializes with a big group of dogs now which is brilliant and she is getting better all the time. She goes out for the whole morning and loves her long walks and all her doggie friends. Sheila has given me lots of great advice and helped me so much with Roxy. I would recommend Sheila to everyone, she's brilliant!