Reviews of Walk & Train Edinburgh. (Dog Trainer) in Edinburgh (East Lothian).

Walk & Train Edinburgh

45 Reviews

45 Comments

Dog trainer

Dog trainer

6 Steel's Pl, Morningside, Edinburgh EH10 4QS, United Kingdom

Description

Information of Walk & Train Edinburgh, Dog trainer in Edinburgh (East Lothian)

On this page you’ll find the address, open hours, more popular times, the contact, photos and real reviews of this business.

This business has received very good reviews from their customers, so probably it’s a place you should try if you are looking for this kind of services.

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Open hours of Walk & Train Edinburgh

Reviews of Walk & Train Edinburgh

K. A.

Having a highly dog reactive GSD, I got in touch with Linnea seeking help and I'm extremely glad I did. While we're not at that stage where he doesn't react at all, Linnea has helped me tremendously with management and things I can work on to counter condition my best friend when there are other dogs around. You're not alone when you take Linnea on as your trainer as she is very accessible and communicates her thoughts and ideas clearly and in language anyone can understand. You and your dog couldn't ask for a better trainer and friend. Thank you Linnea, Gregor and Ida.

S.

Our 2.5 year old dog Charlie is a lurcher (saluki x) who has been struggling with dog interactions from about 7months old, when his social over-excitement and intensity turned into reactivity towards stranger dogs. He gets quickly overwhelmed and unsure in new social interactions. We had Charlie on a chemical castration implant to assess whether hormones were a factor. While we had made good progress with training Charlie in that time, when we initially approached Walk & Train, we were missing opportunities to regularly practice dog neutrality, get feedback on our handling and be supported in real-life scenarios. In all the intense dog reactivity training work we no longer enjoyed walking our dog and walks were a source of dread. We were frustrated, and he was frustrated! After a year with Linnea, Charlie is more balanced, our bond and communication has improved, and we both get over set backs much quicker. Going for walks is fun! Now, we were even able to go travelling with him for 6 weeks to Norway and back and everyone had a great time! 😊Through Linnea’s training we have gained a deeper understanding of our dog and can meet him where he’s at, rather than projecting our own feelings onto him. Being part of a group of people who ‘get it’ has also been really beneficial - Walk & Train is such a supportive community! I would highly recommend Linnea and Walk & Train ❤️

d. c.

Max, a cockapoo, came to join us when he was 5 months old. He was a lockdown pup and I soon realised he had lots of issues. Inside the house he would bark at myself or my husband if Max deemed we were doing something "out of the ordinary". He would bark at the TV, a hat (I had put it in a different place), if we moved quickly, anything he saw when he looked out the windows. Outside on walks he would react to just about everything. He would lunge and bark at anything fast and or noisy, especially cars and other dogs. It was a stressful time for me and I actually wondered if I had done the right thing in getting him. Luckily Walk & Train was mentioned to me and Linnea was a godsend! We had our first on-line meeting and she advised us how to tackle the issues inside the house and then we worked on the outside issues. I've had 1-1 sessions with Linnea and with her support my handling has improved and I'm now able to identify Max's triggers and deal with them. Linnea gives you confidence and the "tools" to work with. I've seen a huge difference in Max and I'm hopeful with Linnea's support he will continue to improve. We also attend the weekly group classes and Max is now on level 2 and he walks, off-leash with a group of various dogs! It's also great to walk with people who know what it's like to have a reactive dog. I would have no hesitation in recommending Linnea and Walk and Train services. Debbie

B. L.

I first got in touch with Walk & Train for help with my 1.5 year old Cardigan corgi Merlin, after being recommended them by a friend. Merlin used to overreact to everything. He wanted to say hello to every person he saw, play with every dog, bark at every noise near our flat, and eat literally anything within grabbing distance on the ground. All of this was making him really difficult to walk and I felt like I'd missed something in that he wasn't able to be calm like other dogs. In our initial consultation and 1:1, Linnea opened my eyes to the fact that he was actually feeling frustrated, and there were things I could do to work towards keeping him within threshold. Linnea truly treats each dog as an individual. She saw right away that Merlin is high-energy (a real party boy) so showed me lots of games to make things like recall training fun, and different styles of rewarding to keep things interesting. We regularly attend group classes and I can already see such a difference in Merlin. As we've progressed through the levels the pieces of the puzzle have fallen into place, from his basic lead walking and obedience to being calm around other dogs. I feel better equipped as a handler too, and am able to recognise and address triggers much earlier. Another thing I love is the Walk & Train community. You are among likeminded people who want the best for their dogs, and are always ready to share a tip or meet up for some extra practise. I honestly couldn't recommend enough, thank you!

N. M.

Before contacting Walk & Train my walks with my 3 year old cockapoo Archie were STRESSFULL! He would lunge and bark at people, dogs and at times even his own shadow. In my head I thought Archie was being aggressive towards everything which was rapidly changed after my initial consultation with Linnea. She helped me understand that Archie was coming from a place of fear, frustration and anxiety which then allowed us to put in place the right tools and techniques to try and reduce these elements. We proceeded with follow up 1:1 sessions, working on distractions, building confidence (for both Archie and ME!), introducing fun interactions with nature and ultimately being able to read his behaviour so I could distract/correct before something becomes a trigger. We also joined the group walk sessions which were an absolute dream and allowed me opportunities to put all the hard work into practice in a setting were other dog owners were understanding of owning a reactive dog. Walks with my Archie are now a much better experience. He no longer reacts to people and I’m able to offer him reassurance if he’s showing signs of anxiety when passing other dogs. He’s now a much more relaxed boy both inside and outside and it’s all thanks to Linnea and her extensive knowledge and patience. Thank you from the both of us! Natalie

A. H.

Our lives have completely changed since we got in contact with Linnéa. Before, walks with Marv, our 2 year old labrador pointer mix (and our other 2 dogs) were super stressful and unenjoyable. The walks were spent on edge nervously avoiding other dogs as much as we could. In the last 6-8 months we have made so much progress! We started out with some private lessons focusing on Marvs reactivity and ways to help him in certain situations he found difficult. From then, we decided to start group classes! These were probably the most beneficial as we had access to loads of lovely dogs and owners who were also feeling the same way. Over the weeks, Marvs confidence and ours dramatically improved. We're enjoying walks again and really trying to use our new skills that Linnéa has taught us to make our days run a little smoother. Honestly, Linnéa has helped us so much and we could not recommend her enough! We love Linnéa and school! Excited to continue our journey ❤️

A. R.

We got in touch with Linnea for help with our 15 month old neutered male Scottish Terrier. Walking him was becoming increasing stressful. He was desperate to speak to people and other dogs which resulted in him pulling and lunging when on leash, and not listening to commands when off leash. We had some one to one sessions with Linnea where we worked initially on basic leash walking and obedience and then moved on to recall. After just a few sessions the difference was noticeable and walking him was so much more enjoyable. Since joining the group sessions this improvement has continued and he has become a lot calmer around other dogs. With Linnea's support our handling has also improved and we are able to identify and address triggers more confidently. It is lovely to see our dog having fun at the group classes and he just adores Linnea! We can't recommend her highly enough!

E. L.

When we were walking our dog, we felt uneasy as we felt he was unpredictable. We wanted to learn how to manage his behaviour, how to reduce his stress, reduce our own stress and eventually work towards him becoming a dog who is neutral to his surroundings. For reference, our dog is a 2yr old male neutered Border Terrier. We have struggled with frustration reactivity, which is sometimes fear based. Our dog has history to biting other dogs too and we felt embarrassed that our dog was behaving badly. Linnea has helped us see that actually our dog just doesn't understand what is expected of him, especially in a situation that makes him feel threatened. Since we have been under the guidance of Walk & Train Edinburgh, we have felt fully supported, and confident in our technique to manage our dog's behaviour. Walk and Train helped us to create realistic expectations and improve our relationship with our dog. We see a vast improvement in him, and ourselves, particularly stress levels, and we know under Linnea's guidance, although a long road ahead, we will eventually reach a stage in which we know and can trust our dog will be able to make good choices all by himself. I hate to think about how much we would still be struggling if it weren't for Linnea!

G. F.

We contacted Walk & Train to help with our collie x lab who became reactive to new people and dogs about a year old. Linnea has changed our lives. We couldn’t walk along the street. Now Max happily walks along busy pavements and sits in cafes while people step over him. The big difference between Linnea and other trainers we have worked with is that she is training me, not Max - and that’s the key. She expertly spotted where we were going wrong and taught us what we needed to do. And the group classes are fantastic. Seems so simple to provide the chance to be neutral around other dogs in a structured way, but it works. Thank you!

A. L.

We got in touch with Linnea when our working cocker spaniel Harris started showing some signs of resource guarding and anxiety around other dogs. Linnea immediately knew how to help us, giving us clear tasks to work on improving our relationship with Harris, teaching us how to understand his body language and how to make him feel more comfortable out on walks with other dogs around. The group classes were exactly what he needed for learning that he can be in the company of other dogs who are calm and considerate. He also really benefitted from socialisation sessions at Linnea’s house. This was when Linnea’s knowledge of dog psychology and behaviour really shone. Her ability to read the dogs’ body language and predict what is going to happen was very impressive and made us realise we were in good hands. The result is a happier, calmer dog who listens to us more and has learnt his manners around other dogs. We are so glad we found Walk & Train Edinburgh and would highly recommend their services for anyone who needs help.

A. M.

When we first got our dog Billy he barked at every dog he saw, near and far! We went to a local dog trainer who got us to a point of him not barking at EVERY dog however we definitely reached a point where we couldn’t get any further with the same trainer as it was a bit of a one size fits all approach. Walk and train offers up a tailored strategy for each individual dog and does not discriminate on breed, we have a pomchi and Linnea has all the time in the world for him. Walks used to be a lot more stressful and now us and Billy are a lot more capable and confident of handling walks while encountering lots of different obstacles. Not only have we come on leaps and bounds in a short space of time but we have been able to meet so many like minded angels who love their dogs. I don’t ever want to stop going to the group classes and private sessions as they’re always such a pleasure. I’ve encountered quite a few dog trainers over my life time but none as caring and lovely as walk and train. They have created a community of people who can lean on each other and share their experiences to keep moving and growing with their dogs. This is just such a great and professional training experience I can’t recommend enough. Thank you lots!!!

C. W.

We contacted Linnea a while back to help with our Sprocker Spaniel who is called Arlo. Arlo is a loving, but very energetic, dog. He loves dogs and people but didn't really know how to regulate his emotions well. Whenever he'd see someone who he didn't know, or know that well, he'd bark and pull to get to them and it would sometimes appear a bit violent -- even though he is in no way violent. He also would not really listen to us on walks and had poor recall due to being too excited. This would makes walks quite difficult and stressful. Linnea helped us get Arlo under control. Through a combination of one-to-one sessions and group classes, Linnea taught us how to keep Arlo engaged throughout his walk and to regulate his emotions more. He now is a lot better on his walks and only barks on vary rare occasions. He is also a ton better on walks and is better at listening to our commands. He is still a work in progress but is doing so much better. We wouldn't have been able to get him where is now without Linnea's help!

M. A. (.

We adopted an ex-racing greyhound Iana, she's an amazing dog with the sweetest temperament but used to freeze constantly when walking - sometimes at dangerous times like when crossing the road. There were times we had to carry her home, not an easy feat, she weighs nearly 30kgs! Linnea taught us how to take charge and walk Iana well on a lead. She also gave us strategies for dealing with her freezes and prey drive. Our walks went from being a total nightmare to fun overnight. We later progressed to long-line and recall training and now even walk and play with her off-lead when in a safe environment. My morning walks with Iana have become the highlight of my day, I'm so grateful.

E. S.

I am so grateful to Linnea of Walk & Train Edinburgh for giving me a better understanding of my sweet whippet Flo and her particular behaviours. She worked patiently with us, building our confidence and providing me with the ‘tools’ I needed to handle difficult situations when my dog was feeling unsure and frightened. She also helped me to gently modify some of my dog’s unwanted behaviours in our home. As a result, my dog is much more relaxed, confident and happy and I can definitely say the same for myself! Thank you Linnea!

m. d.

We got in touch with Linnea last summer after our whippet Zebo started to show signs of anxiety/aggressively during our walks. Nine months in and Zebo is a happier and more confident dog- it’s like his internal happy light has been turned back on! Linnea arranged an initial discussion with us so that she could fully understand Zebo’s history, typical routine and the issues we were experiencing and put together a plan to address these issues. Through our individual one-to-one training and the group classes on a Sunday, Linnea has helped us to “open back up the communication line” with him which has made the world of difference to us. Zebo was not food driven at all so we were worried that the training would be difficult but from the start Linnea gave us tips on how to handle this (only feed him during his walks/using high quality salmon paté mixed in with his kibble which he loves), we also changed our lead to one that has given us more control yet a more relaxed walk for the dog. The group walks have also been so helpful- you meet other owners who are in the same situation as you and you can work together on the new ways you've learnt to handle situations. Linnea’s been really great at explaining all the cues that we didn’t pick up on before and helped us massively in being active and involved dog owners who “get their dog”. We are currently working on long line training with a view to having Zebo off lead for walks in the near future. We’re all much happier (the dog and the owners) so thank you Linnea for making a fantastically positive impact on a massive part of our lives. Mark, Chloe & Zebo

L. M.

We contacted Walk & Train shortly after we adopted our 7 year old terrier Oscar from a shelter. He was very loud on his walks, barking at dogs, bikes, buggies, joggers, loud cars, you name it! We really had our hands full and began to feel a bit overwhelmed! I was so impressed with Linnea’s knowledge and understanding, and I instantly felt more relaxed knowing that we had her support. She has helped us build a really strong relationship with Oscar, and now our walks are much more enjoyable! We regularly attend the Sunday classes and it’s an absolute joy to see Oscar trotting alongside lots of other dogs in a polite and peaceful mood - something we thought would have been impossible before. I would recommend Walk and Train to any owner who wants the best for their dog.

M. D.

We would highly recommend Linnea - both for the one to one sessions she offers and also the group dog classes. Our pomsky Luna was a lockdown puppy who was always desperate to meet every other dog that went past and with very selective hearing on certain commands (mainly on recall!). As first time dog owners we have benefited hugely from Linnea's help and guidance - initially with a number of one to one sessions to work on keeping Luna calmer and long line sessions to work on recall. Since group classes were able to resume in early 2021 we have been through a number of blocks for social dogs and we can certainly see further improvement in Luna - whilst still full of energy her responses to commands and ability to move past other dogs has improved enormously. Thank you Linnea for all your help!

D. Š.

Our cocker spaniel Walnut is an intact male, who often draws unprovoked negative/ aggressive attention from unfamiliar dogs on our walks. After getting attacked by an uncontrolled dog, I was extremely worried about potential negative impact it might have on his confidence and interactions with other dogs. Not to mention the anxiety I was feeling taking him on daily walks due to frequent negative interactions. I have contacted Linnea and Gregor to take him on their pawsome pack adventures twice a week. I knew that they specialised in reactive dogs, therefore I trusted their supervision of any occuring interactions. Since joining the Walk&Train pack, Walnut's confidence improved massively and I am often blown away by how well he now deals with (and quickly recovers from) difficult social situations. His social skill repertoire has expanded and I see him interact with other dogs in appropriate ways without escalating the situations unnecessarily and listening to any social cues the other dogs are demonstrating. This in turn gave myself a huge confidence boost and I feel less anxious taking him on walks. On the adventure days Walnut is often found sitting on the stairs and staring at the door to be picked up, so I am sure he enjoys the adventures very much! Upon dropoff, Gregor always takes time to update me on how Walnut is getting on, who his best buddies are and who he plays with. Linnea and Gregor also often upload Instagram stories with snapshots from the adventures, which I always enjoy and follow even on the days our dog is not joining in! I could not be more pleased with Walk&Train and I wish I'd contacted them sooner!

R. C.

I have a young, very exuberant dobermann who has from day 1 struggled with calmness and anxiety in general, especially around other dogs manifesting in frustrated lunging/barking, separation anxiety - all the good stuff. Echoing all the other reviews - Linnea is fantastic, and has given me a lot of confidence in my handling. Rhum came to Walk & Train when she was at the beginning of her recovery from a pretty scary and ongoing health issue. Linnea has taken all of this in her stride, her knowledge and experience has really helped us. I feel safe knowing that Linnea truly cares about Rhum's wellbeing and is considerate of her health when designing our training plan, looking at the whole picture with regards to her behaviour. We are loving the classes we currently go to alongside the 1-2-1 sessions which are building together nicely. Linnea's training style and techniques are genuinely addressing the issues and aren't just managing them endlessly. I'm hoping that we will also be able to join the GRC sport classes at some point to take her training even further! It's like a family, no judgement amongst other class members and so much support. Thanks so much!!!

G. W.

We rescued Katie (greyhound ) when she was 6 and 1/2 years old. After a few months we reached out to Linnea ( Walk and Train Edinburgh) to help us with Katie . It was also a difficult time as we were in lockdown . Katie had seperation anxiety, she would howl and get distressed when my husband left the room or house even though I was with her. She would often bark constantly especially early hours of the morning. Walks were stressful as she would frequently "freeze" . She would also lunge and snarl at other dogs . After an initial cosultation followed by 1 to 1 training lessons we saw a huge difference in Katie . After 2 weeks we could go for a walk without any "freezing". With the training from Linnea all the other issues improved greatly and I believe we now have a happy dog and owners. I continue with training and go to group classes as this proves to be a postive experience for both Katie and I . We were initially in the reactive dogs class then progressed to social dogs classes . On our last few classes Katie has walked off lead which has been a huge achievement . I would never have had the confidence to do this without expertise advice,training and guidance from Linnea . Allyson Wilson

A. H.

We contacted Linnea initially after our 1.5 year old Staffy was becoming over excited and over stimulated very easily, not knowing how to set clearer boundaries and work with Hugo in a positive manner. He is also nervous and will jump at the drop of a hat, so we had many aspects to work on. We had two 1:1 sessions with Linnea which set us on the right path with our training. With clear guidance we started to see a difference after a few months. We then unfortunately had a series of incidents with another dog during lockdown which affected Hugos' behaviour around other dogs. We are now attending group classes which has really improved his attention and confidence around other dogs when out and about. Would highly recommend Linnea and Walk and Train.

J. H.

I initially contacted Linnea at Walk and Train Edinburgh to learn more about GRC dog sports and I could not be more pleased I did! Duffy is a rescue staffy who gets frustrated very easily. We started with a couple of 1-2-1 sessions and the skills we learned meant Duffy was so much more relaxed and happy to be out and about. He was able to switch from being full on and high energy in play to being calm and sniffing in busy areas! We started the sporty dog classes this summer, travleing over an hour from Fife each week, and they have proven to be invaluable to myself and Duffy's progress. Some people probably think I'm mad traveling so far for dog training but it is so worth it and I wouldn't dream of going anywhere else! Duffy is a much more relaxed and happy dog now and I can't thank Linnea enough!!

A.

Before beginning training with Linnea walks with our lurcher Margot were often stressful. She would become fixated on chasing and playing roughly with other dogs and would also chase joggers and cyclists given the opportunity. One to one training sessions with Linnea have helped us bring Margot's focus back on us rather than on what is around her. Training and daily walks using a longline have really helped her impulse control and now she no longer chases after things she shouldn’t. Thanks to the socialisation sessions with Linnea’s dogs we understand our dog's behaviour much better and she is more calm and respectful around other dogs. Margot's recall has drastically improved and we can now even recall her when she is playing with other dogs. As a first-time dog owner I feel much more confident as a result of our training sessions and have an understanding of my dog’s body language and drives. I feel my bond with Margot has grown stronger as a result of learning new commands and games and we always look forward to our training sessions. Thank you, Linnea, for all your help and support!

L. J.

We have been using Walk and Train for over a year now and have found both Gregor and Linnea amazing to work with, they both have incredible patience. My Wife and I run our own business and find the walking service Gregor provides invaluable, I know both my Cocker Spaniels are in excellent hands, they seem to know when Gregor is at the front door to pick them up. We use all the services on offer, Linnea’s training sessions are excellent, both dogs responded immediately to her calm demeanor and confident commands which we adopted after session one and are using each day, Linnea is always on hand to give advice should we need it. When organising trips away its one less thing to worry about as they provide boarding facilities which give both Betty and Poppy a home from home. I would not hesitate in recommending Walk & Train they are first class.

G. M.

I feel very lucky to have found Gregor and Linnea, their training style is very relaxed, yet professional, patient and reassuring which instils confidence. I can tell that Lucy is really loving her walks as she is amazingly settled when she comes home and I have noticed that she is far more relaxed in general which is fantastic to see. I would not hesitate to recommend Walk & Train Edinburgh to anyone looking for dog training or dog walking services as it has been money very well spent for me.

C. C.

I cannot recommend Walk and Train Edinburgh enough! If you are reading all the glowing comments and thinking about contacting Walk and Train... do it! Linnea has given us so much helpful advice and activities to help improve our dog's behaviour and wellbeing. I was really struggling with my dog's stealing balls , sometimes being a bully and sometimes getting super scared and fleeing, reactivity on the lead to some dogs and generally mistrust of many people, guarding of resources and our house. We generally had a pretty fraught relationship and I was living a pretty limited life! Linnea has made me feel so much more confident and clearheaded about recognising and working on bad behaviour. With Linnea's advice, my dog and I have much more fun on walks and generally are building a better relationship all the time. If you are considering contacting Walk and Train Edinburgh, do it! You will get so many good strategies for whatever you are hoping to achieve!

S. M.

Linnea has been an absolute godsend for us. She came for a training consultation for our 6 month old cockerpoo puppy. Previously, it had been difficult to walk Frankie as she was so easily overstimulated but Linnea showed us invaluable ways to manage this which helped so much and we continued with periodic training sessions as Frankie got older. We feel very lucky to have found Walk and Train and even though we now live outside Edinburgh we will still come to Linnea when we get our 2nd dog:)

E. H.

With her incredible professionalism and expertise, Linnea has given us the tools and confidence to train and help our rescue to deal with other dogs without becoming overly worked up. She has been an absolute lifesaver for us by helping our pup to become more relaxed and obidient. Highly recommended!

S. R.

Linnea was brilliant with our first gsd had a few problems during his puppy stage and she was spot on at finding the problem. However we then had Gregor and our gsd didn't like him and instead of backing off and letting our dog settle/calm down or listening to us when we told him our dog doesn't like him he was adamant to get the lead of us even tho I told him this wouldn't work after this moment I was hesitant to go back his attitude that day showed he seemed to want to show off and it back fired because his actions made things worse between the 2

C. P.

Basil joins "Walk and Train" twice a week and has experience of both the doggy day trip and the shorter walk. I am fully at ease when Basil is in their care and completely trust Gregor and Linnea. He comes back happy, content and tired. I know that while Basil is enjoying the walk they are also working on behaviour and positive social skills with other dogs. With the training as part of the walk I have noticed he is calmer when he returns. He is both mentally and physically stimulated. It is well priced for the length of walk and the extra bonus of training. They are very reliable and helpful. I highly recommend "Walk and Train".

J. B.

Like many of you probably reading this review we were looking for some help with our reactive dog - a one year old Miniature Australian Labradoodle. She is a wonderfully bouncy and loving dog but this excitement had started to turn to lunging, growling and barking towards other dogs, cyclists and motorcycles whilst on lead. After a few months of trying to remedy this ourselves using YouTube as a guide we were getting more and more stressed anytime we took her out on a walk. After some research we decided to contact Linnea to see if she could help. It started with an initial home visit (pre covid) and short on lead walk. It didn't take long for Linnea to pinpoint that her reactivity was a manifestation of excitinment and frustration at not being allowed to do what she wanted. She immediately reassured us that her behaviour could be remedied and that it was a case of understanding Rhu's thoughts/feelings whilst being firmer when misbehaving. We went away with renewed hope that our walks could be made enjoyable again and within a matter of weeks Rhu had improved dramatically just after a single visit. We have followed this up with multiple individual and group lessons and whilst Rhu is still a very excitable and playful girl we know how to manage this and make sure she stays level headed whilst out and about! We can't speak highly enough about Linnea and her approach to helping us train Rhu. Like many of the reviews it is much more a case of her training the owners than training the dog and Linnea has blown us away with the difference she has made to Rhu and to ourselves. We couldn't recommend her enough!

L. M.

We called Walk & Train after two previous dog trainers had failed to help with our re-homed lurcher who had become reactive to dogs and people, and was generally out of control, making our walks hugely stressful. Linnea firstly came to our home for a 3-hour session and what struck me immediately was her ability to look at the whole dog and her routine and so get to the root of her problems (us!). Her insistence on putting our dog back on the lead and starting her training from scratch, as well as giving us the ‘tools’ to recognise and prevent her aggressive lunging and barking, helped us get back in control. It also felt like we were growing a new and better relationship/partnership with our dog. We started attending the brilliant weekly walks for reactive dogs and have seen Cassie’s behaviour improve hugely over the last year. Walk & Train clients form a little family of dog owners who are respectful of each other’s dogs and their issues and help each other out - it’s great to know you’re not alone! We have found Linnea and Gregor at W&T to be very professional, enthusiastic, caring, extremely hard working and hugely knowledgeable (Linnea is writing a PhD related to dog/human relationships) while at the same time being friendly, approachable and non-judgmental. I would highly recommend them on every level, and I honestly don’t think we’d still have our dog Cassie if if it wasn’t for them.

G. K.

I contacted Linnea from Walk&train Edinburgh as after rehoming Roxy I started experiencing some problems with her behaviour. I thought that maybe some of it was also my fault and I wanted some guidance on how to handle her better on walks and I hoped I will be able to help her with her fears. I have noticed that she was very fearful of lots of things including: bin lorries, binned glass, children playing ball, motorbikes. She was also reactive to other dogs and I felt this was getting worst by the day. My only option was to work with her and try to establish if there was something that I was doing wrong which would impact on her behaviour. We had initial consultation with Linnea and she “prescribed” few very simple exercises which we were able to practice even at home. After one week I’ve noticed difference in Roxy’s behaviour! We started to go for meaningful walks during which we practiced various things. We then progressed to Level 1 reactive dogs classes and that is when things really started to change. I never ever imagined Roxy walking calmly next to other dogs! I started to be more firm with her, noticed when she was giving me “signs” of a distress or when she was ready to react. I also became more confident and relaxed when handling her during walks. Our walks are now a pleasure and not a cause of distress for both of us! It is a constant hard work but it is all worth it in the end! We are now in Level 2 group going for walks on a long lead together with other reactive dogs. We also attend socialisation classes with Linnea’s dogs. I do not expect Roxy to be a perfect dog but my relationship with her is so much better since I started our training with Linnea. She trust me more and constantly looks for my reassurance which I am now able to give her. Even my partner commented that Roxy is now “a different dog”. If you have any problems with your dog and enough persistence and patience to work on yourself and with your dog I can reassure you will not regret contacting Walk and Train Edinburgh! Gosia and Roxy

M. L.

Let’s face it, it is difficult to put your trust in a stranger - especially with something as important as your dog. When we got our little terrier ‘Piper’, we did a lot of research and spoke to a number of different people but nothing felt right. Piper is a very active dog, and we were very keen to find someone who understood how terriers act in order to help her build her confidence. Having suffered from separation anxiety in the past, we realised that it was important to find someone who could help her feel safe but at the same time guide us with how to support her whenever she found situations a bit too overwhelming. We often say that contacting Walk and Train Edinburgh was one of the best things we ever did. Piper had a very interactive initial consultation with the lovely Linnea, who gave us some invaluable day-to-day tips on how to overcome some of the difficulties we were facing at home. It was lovely to feel that this wasn’t just your average business focusing on profit - but rather a very personalised session on how to help dogs and their owners connect with each other better. We were also very lucky to be able to enrol Piper in their Doggy Day Trips. Witnessing how much her confidence has grown since joining the walks has been a huge relief for us. Gregor comes across as a very responsible and knowledgeable individual, and we instantly felt comfortable with trusting him with Piper. It is wonderful to see how excited she is when Gregor comes and picks her up in the morning, but also how much more balanced and happy she seems in general. Utilising the advice from Linnea, he has worked with us on how to support Piper with any difficulties she might face. His updates gives you a real peace of mind, and seeing pictures of the dogs both training and playing around in fields and forests around the Pentlands really explains why you come home to a tired but happy dog. Linnea and Gregor provide an outstanding service tailored to each dog’s needs, and we would definitely recommend them to any dog owners out there.

g.

This is for the dog owners who are currently feeling utterly despondent and despairing about the seemingly immutable problem of SEPARATION ANXIETY. We want you to know that there IS hope and her name is Linnea Lyckberg. Our story. We had recently moved to Edinburgh when I discovered to my dismay that I couldn't leave my dog alone without it causing her great dstress. This manifested itself in continual howling and destructive behaviour. I coped initially by hiring dog sitters and living a thoroughly restricted life and I love my dog so much that if that's the way life was going to be, to keep her happy, I was prepared to do that. The thing that kept nagging me was that although I was dealing with the symptoms I wasn't addressing the problem, which I now know was a combination of issues. I began to research local dog psychologists and behaviourists when a chance meeting with one of Linnea's highly impressed clients (Thank you Megan!) resulted in the first of 3 appointments which has led me to being able to leave my dog for up to four and a half hours ( this was my goal, I am sure it could be longer, but that all I need) I could go on and on about how wonderful, reassuring and effective the sessions were, the brilliance and competence of Linnea, the intriguing and sometimes even magical exercises we did for homework and the insights gained. The work is worth it. The outcomes are more than what I could possibly have expected and reached far beyond solving the problem of separation anxiety. I give my unreserved recommendation to Linnea at Walk and Train Edinburgh. Gill

R. H.

I contacted Linnea at Walk and Train in April last year when Scooby, our delightful miniature schnauzer (MS) was 15 months old. We were at the end of our tether with Scooby. Although much loved, we were not coping with his behaviour which had escalated gradually over a few months. We could not let him off the lead as he would chase like a rocket after runners, cyclists, and would bark ferociously at other passers by whether on or off the lead. The only people he would not react to were people who were with other dogs. He would also want to play with ALL other dogs so would try to race over to every dog he saw. I approached several recommended and highly rated dog behaviouralists in the area. One in particular said that she was aware of many other MS in Edinburgh with similar issues which she thought is probably down to breeding, and that she would try to help us but she didn’t hold out much hope. With this in mind, I was sceptical of Linnea being able to help us at all. Linnea spent an afternoon with Scooby and our family at home in April. She chatted to us all and quietly watched Scooby. She ascertained pretty quickly that Scooby is a dog who is by nature a calm animal who is not able to cope with excitement and is unable to calm himself down easily. She also warned us of the risks of letting him approach other dogs freely as different dogs can react in different ways to this, and some may become aggressive. She worked with him immediately demonstrating to us a bed-stay where he can relax in his own safe place. Then she took us out into our garden and local park and showed us how to recognise signs that his excitement was escalating and how to correct this gently before it got out of control with a slip leash. After this single 3-hour session, we all breathed a massive sigh of relief. For the first time in months we had been able to walk down the street with Scooby on lead, without him barking or lunging at all. It sounds too good to be true, but this is really what happened. We have been working with Linnea since then both in 1-1 lessons and in group lessons. Scooby’s behaviour is not perfect but is vastly improved, and we have a much better understanding of how to be dog owners. We have much more insight into why Scooby behaves as he does and have strategies to deal with this. We can now walk down the street with Scooby on a loose lead without him barking and lunging at passers-by which a few months ago seemed an impossible task. Scooby is much better at being able to stay calm passing other dogs. With Linnea’s help, we are working towards being able to let him off leash. When we get our next dog, I will definitely get help from Linnea in the very early puppy stages to guide socialisation and training. Thank you Linnea – your help has been invaluable and you have enabled us to relax and enjoy our lovely dog again.

R. J.

I got in touch with Linnea at Walk & Train Edinburgh for some help and guidance with my cockapoo, Rufus. When I got in touch for training, there were a few issues I was experiencing when walking Rufus, including him pulling on the leash, him getting overexcited and biting on the leash / lunging at me, stopping in his tracks when another dog approached and reacting to people walking towards us. All of which didn’t make for pleasant walking. However this has all changed and I can’t believe the improvement in Rufus since having completed our training sessions. Rufus now walks on a loose lead which is so much more pleasant, he checks in with me rather than other dogs / people when they approach and I have the tools to get his attention on me to walk by distractions. Not only that, but he can now be walked off the lead in environments where he never would have been before. I feel confident I can get Rufus’ attention away from distractions should they arise and he remains engaged with me on our walks. It has really changed the walks we now go on together. Not only this, but I feel due to the training, Rufus’ behaviour in other situations such as at home has improved and our relationship has improved. I could not recommend their training enough!

A. R.

I highly recommend Walk and Train. Rafa - a border collie - goes on Doggie Day Trips three time a week and I'm certain he loves it. He is always thrilled to see Gregor and Linnea! He has also been benefitting from their training expertise as his behaviour has improved loads. The service is convenient and reliable and I'm very pleased to have it. I also love seeing photos of their adventures on Facebook and Instagram :) Just wish I could join them!

L. M.

Gregor and Linnea have been walking Dougal for a few months now for several days a week while I'm at work. He may be a small dog but he's got lots of energy and I know that when he's out with them he's getting great exercise in all sorts of interesting places. I love knowing he's out on a substantial walk in the countryside, off the lead and sniffing around. It's also great to know he's socialising with a lovely pack of dogs, while being looked after by a safe pair of hands. I do hate to leave him through the day while I go to work but it's a huge help to know he's out having fun and being looked after. The full day is particularly reassuring and he's always happily knackered and hungry after being out all day Wednesdays with them. All this comes after behaviour training from Linnea, and which I know is ongoing every time he's out, which has made a world of difference to Dougal's life, and mine.

H. P.

We originally booked in with Linnea to learn more about the “sporty dog” classes at the start of the year and have been attending their classes ever since! My dog Lonzo is a Doberman and we have been working through some reactivity/ aggression issues. I had been searching for the right trainer for some time that would prepare us for “real life” and to help Lonzo actually overcome these issues. I’m so glad we came across the Walk & Train website! Linnea has been invaluable to our progress and her wealth of knowledge in dog training shines through in everything she does. Lonzos engagement with me is much higher on our walks with all of the practice we get in the real life scenarios set up at classes and what I’ve learned about play & building strong relationships. We have now signed up to the level 2 reactivity classes for the next step in Lonzos training and we can’t wait to see where we can get to with the help of Linnea.

C. m.

Excellent. Both Linnea and Gregor are nice folk, excellent at their job and trustworthy.

G. R.

v. B.

J. B.

R. F.

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