Personal Reference from Peter Neville Director/Tutor, COAPE (Centre of Applied Pet Ethology) Clinical Professor, Dept of Veterinary Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Japan Professor, Dept of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University, USA (Adjunct Full),2012
Sam Redmond (DipCAPBT)NOCN gained her Diploma in Companion Animal Behaviour and Training with COAPE in 2008. She has since gone on most successfully to develop a broad and extensive experience of working with animals in her behaviour referral practice and Home School. She demonstrates a real empathy for her clients and crucially devotes much time planning individually tailored treatment programmes for them, and then supports them all the way through the therapeutic process. Alongside her behaviour practice, Sam is now also heavily invested in preventing behaviour problems in dogs. She runs a day care alternative called Home School working alongside owners to teach their pets how to cope with life. As always, Sam only uses modern motivational techniques to help all her clients’ pets learn how to behave and be successful companions, both at home and in society. In serving the referring veterinary practice, Sam is thoroughly reliable, attends to cases very promptly and keeps everyone informed with regular progress reports on every behaviour case. All in all, she is a first class all round example of a modern behaviourist.
Rebecca and Olly
Sam has been really helpful and supportive with our dog Olly. Olly has had a number of behaviour issues and after seeking advice from another behaviourist it was clear to compare that Sams techniques and advice is really second to none. Sam came to assess Olly and didn’t want to put him in any difficult or stressful situations. We had ‘homework’ and started to see improvement in his behaviour pretty much straight away. Sam consistently asked for updates on his behaviour and how we felt we were dealing with the homework she set. Of course we faced challenges along the way but Sam helped us to overcome these. Sam understood that we needed quick intervention due to being due to having a baby and us being apprehensive of bringing a baby into the home where Olly was. It has been a long road for Olly but we finally feel that he is constantly improving. Whilst still receiving weekly ‘check ins’ from Sam!
We would highly recommend Sam, she’s fab!xx
Michelle and Milo
Sam has helped us a lot in the last year with our reactive and very excitable dog. Milo can now cope better in situations such as meeting other dogs and people as well as being around traffic/bikes. He is listening more and disengaging much better with the help of the language we were taught to use. Sam looks at all avenues including homework/activities to be carried out with your dog at home, as well as looking at the dogs diet! Thanks Sam
Debra and Woody
Sam’s advice has been really good in helping me to calm my reactive dog. I’ve still got a long way to go, but I can see a positive change in his behaviour. Also her continued support has been invaluable at the times when I felt I wasn’t getting anywhere, giving me guidance and encouragement to persevere. I have seen several behaviourists over the 4 years I’ve had Woody and Sam’s strategies have been the most effective for him.
Amy and Creature
Sam has helped us enormously with our anxious staffy, we have addressed techniques to help her manage her fears and she is able to calm herself now. We have worked through using techniques to keep her focused when out on a walk and by talking through a situation this has helped to keep her calm and alleviate my stresses. These are techniques I will continue to use. Thank you Sam
Ros & Dotty
Sam has helped us enormously with Dotty who is a very reactive dog. Dotty has come on so much and don’t know where we would be without her expert help. highly recommend.
Karen & Daisy
We contacted Sam after various methods of training for our cockapoo puppy failed. We were convinced that we had a problem dog who would never trust us, but Sam soon put our fears at ease and explained that we needed to try and understand our dog to give her the tools to be at ease and manage herself in certain situations. Slowly but surely we could see a really close bond developing and that this really was the way forward. Now almost four months later we cannot believe that we ever doubted our puppy. We may not have a puppy who will do a variety of tricks for treats but to us it is more important that with our help she can adjust to situations within and outside of the home which leads us to giving her a fulfilling life. With this type of training it is very much ongoing using the knowledge that Sam has given you to help your dog but very rewarding.
Dot & Dude
Our dog (& us!)had been through a traumatic time and we were frankly at our wits end about how to help him (&us!).
A friend at work recommended Sam and it’s been brilliant. She’s really helped us to help him, things are so much better and he’s a happy, healthy chap enjoying his new life. Highly recommend Sam!
Kath & Bracken
Sam cares passionately about the dogs she works with. we were struggling with our pointer × lab even though we’ve always had dogs. she gets what the dog wants and teaches you how to read them. we still have a way to go but no longer anxious. Sam is super supportive.
Lois & Annik
Incredibly engaging and inspiring training days with Sam. Her integrity shines through her methods, I’ve never had any formal dog training but I know I won’t need to look any further. I trust Sam completely to give me honest and ethical training every time.
Kim & Buzz
I approached Sam when I was worried about my rescue greyhound Buzz. She is such a nervous girl and I struggled even to walk her as she would often just freeze. I had tried a lot of different things but to no avail, Sam came to see me at home she was very down to earth and made me feel I wasn’t going mad, she explained about balancing her brain chemistry through her diet and keeping an eye on protein levels in order to take the intensity out of her reactions. She also taught me about raised cortisol levels and how this can have an adverse effect on the body. Sam also showed me how to talk Buzz through things in order to get her brain thinking. This helped me greatly to read Buzzes body language and understand what she was telling me she needed to do. Everything Sam explained made perfect sense and was easy to understand, Sam kept in touch via email and telephone which was very helpful
Buzz will always be a nervous girl but with Sam’s help she copes so much better now. She can now walk past children and dogs and cope with noises whereas before she would freeze and couldn’t move. Instead of running upstairs when a visitor comes she chooses to stay downstairs and sometimes greet them. Every few weeks she would shut down for a week or so. Sam explained that this was her brain getting too exhausted to cope and needed a rest. Now when her brain needs a rest she just doesn’t eat for a day or so and then is back to normal.
I would definitely recommend Sam to anyone who is having issues with their pets.
Ron & Oscar
A different way to train dogs.!!! Sam’s way of training, gives the dog the confidence and skills to cope with situations without the owner having to revert to harsh methods. My dog is a six year old lab cross rescue, originally from Corfu. I’ve had him for 12 months and he has all ways barked and lunged at other dogs. Sam taught me methods to help Oscar overcome his fears and build confidence. He is now a much calmer dog and we can pass most other dogs without incident. He is a work in progress and has some other behaviour issues which I will be asking for Sam’s help.
Amelia and Lexi
I contacted Sam a while ago now about our 1 year old collie x husky, Lexi. We adopted our pup when she was around 6/7 months old and she was very nervous/anxious when out on her walks. Sam came to visit us and provided us with lots of information and showed us lots of techniques to help calm her down and make her feel relaxed. Lexi has come along way with everything that Sam has taught us, and is improving all the time. Sam is always there to provide support when needed and keeps in regularly contact to see how Lexi is getting on. Highly recommend 😊
Lisa and Arthur
am has gone above and beyond her job. She has been amazing and is so easy to talk to and cares about you and your animal. I recommend Sam 100% .Thanks Sam for all the help you have given us over the last few months we can’t thank you enough.
Robert and Millie
We approached Sam in August to discuss various behaviour problems with our collie-cross Millie.
We went through a course of behavioural therapy with Sam between September and December 2018 focusing mainly on Millie’s unpredictable lunging at bikes, cars, lorries/buses and, of course, other dogs.
The first things that Sam taught us was to provide Millie with a diet that complemented training and to persuade Millie to make better choices rather than forcing her to do what we want her to do.
What I liked about the advice given throughout is that it was straight forward to follow and it did not really require us to change much that we were doing. I liked that Sam got us to think more about what might be influencing the dog rather than us just controlling her.
At present, 4-months on, we are a lot more aware of what sets Millie off. She is much more predictable with vehicles (although she still isn’t a fan of other dogs!) and she generally seems more relaxed on walks. I also feel more confident in recognising the signs that she is agitated early, so that I can remove her from situations where she might feel stressed.
Thanks, Sam!
Reggie, Ethel and Kay
I cannot thank Sam enough for her help with our dogs. We had a very distressing situation with one of our dogs where unfortunately due to bad breeding, He was terrified of absolutely everything and didn’t know how to react other than with agression and excessive barking.
Sam took the time to understand our situation and also helped us to understand our dogs mental condition, she explained everything in depth and made sure we knew what we were dealing with, what we needed to do and how to move forward. Her help and understanding has been invaluable. Sam worked tirelessly with us and kept in touch every couple of days to discuss progress and tweaks to our training if needed. We now have two happy, healthy and confident little dogs, it’s a joy having them in our lives and no longer a foreboding struggle. Sam most definitely has the best interest of her clients and animals at heart, It is clear that she does this for her love and compassion for dogs and their families.
Jan and Duffy
Sam came out to meet our 15 month old Schnoodle who gets very excited with visitors and when spotting other dogs on a walk – all she wants to do is play. Very interesting to hear about the ‘emotional mind’ and looking beyond the behaviour. Sam gave us strategies to use in both situations and Duffy has responded very well. Things are now much calmer and Duffy seems to be thinking things out for herself. Many thanks Sam.
Gemma & Zeus
Extremely knowledgeable and experienced. Worked very well with our large energetic young male. Great at explaining the reasoning behind behaviours and how to deal with them.
Jess-Lemmy and Fallon
Fabulous in every way. A credit to her profession. Would recommend thoroughly. Her dogs are also absolutely fantastic!
Sue and Tilly
I was so worried about my rescue dog, when out walking. I had tried everything I could think of, to help her, but any improvement only lasted a couple of weeks. I knew that I needed the help of an expert. Sam came to visit us at home and after listening to all the information that I could give to help, Sam immediately identified her problem. My poor little Dog was afraid of other dogs. Sam is very informative, not only about the actual training but about diet too. I changed her food, which she preferred anyway! Sam helped me to understand my dogs “mind set” and how to help her feel less anxious. I eagerly took on board everything Sam said. I know it will take time, but already the difference is quite amazing. The fact that Sam’s methods work, and will continue to work is such a relief. I am thoroughly enjoying the training programme. Sam emails to check progress too. To know that I am not on my own in this, and that Sam is the expert that I can call on is so reassuring. I would recommend her to anyone. If you are reading this and have any issues with your dog, I urge you to speak to Sam, you won`t regret it.
Laura and Banjo