Puppy Consults

What luck discovering Sonia at All 4 Paws dog training in Mount Moriac. We can not thank Sonia enough for her help with our puppy Fred, a very active wire haired Vizsla.

Sonia came to our home first to see the set up with the crate and helped calm Fred in the crate, told us the dos and don'ts. The crate training is a must.....sanity for humans and dogs. Sonia helped set up a routine, as we did not realise how much crate and sleep time pups need. We then attended puppy school so Fred could socialise with other pups, where he also leant recall and the start of lead training. But it doesn't stop there Sonia is always touching base asking how Fred is getting on and is a mind of information if you need to ask questions....just a phone call or text away.

We highly recommend Sonia and All 4 Paws Training Centre and the confidence she has give
us.

We had a 1-1 puppy consult at home which was the biggest game changer for us as Sonia has so much knowledge about dogs and taught me a lot.

We have since then gone on to do the puppy school and primary school training at All4paws which has been a great benefit for us and our dog.

Sonia is caring for both dogs and the owners and holds a wealth of knowledge that dog owners need to hear.

Thank you for helping us so much with our beautiful Maggie and for making us more confident dog owners.

Sonia was recommended to me by friends who had taken her classes with their dog, and I could not be more grateful for that recommendation!

I was pretty nervous to get my first puppy, but Sonia’s help was a game changer.
We do not live near Sonia, but I contacted her anyway, knowing we needed more than just puppy socialisation; I also needed quality training tools and advice. Sonia was so accommodating, making time to speak with me on the phone in lieu of being able to conduct a consult at my home, and organised for us to do a 1-1 consult at her property.

I felt so much more capable of raising a well behaved, happy dog after those 2 hours, that continuing with Sonia’s higher classes was a no brainer.

I was so grateful to be able to get in contact with Sonia after the Covid lockdown. I had one very shy and timid 14 week old border collie and I needed guidance on the best way to make him happy and confident.

Sonia came to my house for a 1-1 puppy consult, which was wonderful and exactly what was needed. It was filled with great advice and gave us all the right tools to create a confidant and more comfortable puppy.

During our consultation I was introduced to the concept of crating and I am 100% glad Sonia took the time to advocate for and explain the benefits as it has been a game changer for us.

The whole consultation was super beneficial, I learnt a lot and would recommend Sonia to any new puppy owners.

I contacted Sonia as I was keen to crate train my puppy Scout. With my previous dog 15+ years ago I had used a crate for sleeping but I suspected there was more to crate training than that !

Sonia has been a great support in settling Scout into my home. The one-on-one training and the practicalities of implementing it were great. From advising on the placement of the crate in the house, reducing the space available, using a divider in the early stages, when to cover and suggestions for how to manage the crating were invaluable. As was talking through all the other aspects of having a new puppy in the house.

I have been lucky in that nights have not been an problem with Scout. After her first night with me I don't hear from her at all and there have been no accidents either. It would be an understatement to say she has ben less keen on the being in the crate during the day!!

With Sonia's assistance and constant reassurance that we would get there (both Scout and I) she now settles 97% of the time. I figure she is entitled to protest 3% of the time. ! Sonia checked in with me at least once a week and patiently answered all my questions and provided often much needed encouragement to keep at it.

The puppy socialisation sessions were great for Scout - despite being the smallest puppy for the first 3 weeks - with Sonia's expertise in matching the temperaments she socialised really well. It was also another opportunity to discuss how things were going at home.

I am now looking forward to Scout going into Doggie Primary School classes and learning even more about being a well behaved, calm dog and me learning to be a calm responsible owner.

Sonia's property is really well laid out and is such a safe setting for puppies. I have already recommended Sonia to a friend and will have no hesitations in doing so again.

In planning for my puppies arrival 'Georgie' who is a Border Collie and this being a first for me in terms of dog breeds, I did a large amount of research to find a trainer that I felt comfortable with, coming across ALL 4 PAWS dog training. I have to say from initial point of contact,Sonia has been an absolute god sent!

I had Georgie with me for 4 weeks before starting to engage with anyone outside, as this is what I had always done with previous dogs, whilst she was doing great there were a couple of areas that I was concerned about. From the moment Sonia arrived for my initial 1-1 consult our life started to change for the better, Sonia talked me through all aspects that I should be considering in owning a Border Collie to ensure that I raised a calm and well mannered girl. Some of the techniques were very different to anything I had ever done or experienced, as at first I was a little reluctant but followed her guidance as it was very clear that she knew what she was talking about.

The following two weeks were considerably challenging and at times I felt like throwing in the towel however, I had the full support of Sonia, who would touch base each and everyday to see how I was going, make slight adjustments if need be to remain on track and provide the support and encouragement I desperately
needed. At the time the two weeks felt like a lifetime but the results have been amazing and beyond anything I could have imagined. Georgie is now 16 weeks old, she is a calm and happy little girl and we are both doing exceptionally well thanks to Sonia.

I cannot recommend Sonia highly enough, and the only thing I would do differently is I would have contacted her before Georgie arrived rather than wait until she was 12 weeks.

If you want a calm well mannered happy fur family member than Sonia is the one to call !!

Thank you for everything from the bottom of my heart.

We just wanted to say thank you so much for helping us to confidently raise and train our puppy, Gerrman Shepherd, Sonny. Your 1-1 puppy session and puppy school classes were so valuable to us.

We have and will continue to recommend you for other dog owners looking to train or seek advice on their puppies or dogs.

Thank you.

After years of wanting a dog I struggled finding a family member that I was able to care for with working and fitting in with our adventures.

When I first brought Milo home I couldn't sleep at night realising I had a living being dependent on me. It wasn't until I had my 1-1 puppy consultation with Sonia did I, myself, gain confidence to know I was doing right by Milo.

She didn't just train Milo, she gave me the tools to raise a confident boy who is a massive part of my life and for that I will forever be grateful.

Not having a 'pup' before and looking for somewhere to take our Jack Russell - Archie for puppy classes we did some research on reviews and found that Sonia was the person for us to take Archie.

I had a one on one consult with Sonia and was very impressed.

At the consult Sonia spent time with Archie and then put him into a crate as we continued with our consult. To my surprise and not knowing anything about crating Archie settled in and had a sleep ! As it has turns out Archie loves sleeping in his crate during the day and overnight (it is like his own little den) and he doesn't sleep in our bedroom anymore, good night sleep for everyone !

We are so thankful to Sonia for sharing her wealth of knowledge with us in welcoming our 8-week old labrador puppy 'River' into our busy family of five.

Sonia came to our home for a personalised puppy consultation they day River arrived home with us as we were keen to get off to a good routine with toilet & crate training. The information Sonia shared with us was so valuable and we also felt much better prepared in managing puppy behaviours and routines. Sonia was always available via text or phone following our consultation if we had any questions or when new issues arose, which was really reassuring.

We also attended a number of puppy socialisation sessions with other puppies of a similar age at ALL4PAWS in Mt Moriac which was a great way for River to play and socialise within a safe and fun environment. We are looking forward to attending further classes / sessions with Sonia at ALL4PAWS in the future.

Many Thanks

I contacted Sonia as we had just got a new puppy after our old dog of 14 years passed away the year earlier. We were a bit out of touch with how to raise a puppy so knew we would need some help, as well as the fact our pup was a working dog breed so we wanted a well rounded dog growing up that was respectful of us and our other animals.

Sonia came to our house for a consult and immediately put our pup into a crate while she explained her training style and discussed ideas with us. Her information was well researched and made so much sense. Our pup was so relaxed in the crate while we talked and slept immediately.

I highly recommend a 1-1 session with Sonia and also the puppy class that follow. They are so informative and each class is helpful. We are reaping the benefits of the consult and puppy classes as we are seeing our pup grow into a well mannered dog and have the tools to continue on with the training at home.

We are so happy that we have continued with Sonia and additional classes, as it is so beneficial for us and our pup and the classes are enjoyable too !

When we picked up our 8 week old Cavoodle, Hubert, we instantly knew we were out of a depth. We had arranged 2 weeks leave and thought we could work things out during that time, but we had never had a puppy before and we really didn't know how to do the right thing for Hubert. That was when we called Sonia. Sonia came to our house for a 1-1 consult and we spent the most valuable couple of hours learning about puppy needs and behaviour. She helped us set up a safe and non-threatening environment for him and most importantly prepared us all for when we went back to work. Due to Sonia's great advice we have a well adjusted puppy who is never anxious about us leaving him in the yard all day.

When we decided to add a new puppy to our home I contacted Sonia at ALL 4 PAWS to arrange a puppy consult.

I originally contacted Sonia earlier in the year to seek help with our unruly 6mth old Border Collie 'Kevin'. Raising a new puppy the second time around and introducing him to another dog, I knew I wanted all the right advice and support from Day 1.

Sonia visited our home for a personalised consult on the day little 'Barry' came home. I had many questions as I didn't want to make mistakes or set up bad behaviours early on. Sonia provided invaluable information about puppy behaviour, reinforced the principles of crate training, structure and routines and gave me great advice about toilet training. It was good to have Sonia at our home to be able to discuss appropriate sleep and play areas for Barry and discuss how to introduce him to our pack with another dog.

In addition to the consult, we attended 'puppy play/socialsation' sessions each week at Sonia's premises in Mount Moriac, so Barry could safely socialise with other puppies under experienced supervision. Sonia's ongoing support and advice has been amazing and we have gone on to complete juvenile classes and basic obedience.

I would recommend Sonia at ALL 4 PAWS to anyone who wants help learning how to raise a well mannered puppy and train dogs of all ages.

We continue to enjoy further classes and events run by Sonia. There is always something more to learn so we can enjoy time with our furry boys.

Sonia of ALL 4 PAWS has provided invaluable help to us with our 1 year pup and we still have wonderful ongoing support from her a year after first seeking her help.

I first approached Sonia shortly after receiving our 10 week old Cavoodle puppy, as despite all our best efforts we realised we had a very noisy and clingy pup on our hands whose behaviour was worsening. We were getting pretty desperate.

Sonia was able to give us immediate 1-1 help and I was very happy with her very direct and honest approach to training dogs. Her advice is very professional and sound and we had complete confidence in applying her suggestions to help our puppy assimilate better. Within a week, her behaviour had completely turned around and we were all much happier with the results we achieved. I have rung Sonia on odd occasions to follow-up with Zuzu's training and she has always replied happily and promptly.

I would call Sonia the dog whisperer, she has an excellent and direct approach to handling dogs of all shapes, sizes and breeds. I would recommend her services to anyone who requires any help, no matter how big or small their issues or their dogs.

Follow her advice for happy dogs and happy relationships with them.

After Sonia was recommended by a close friend we felt very comforted knowing that we would be able to have somebody come to our own home and assist us step-by-step with our new puppy.

The initial consultation was exactly what we needed being first time puppy owners; and the continued support Sonia provides to us via puppy socialisation classes and answering any of our questions as needed has been wonderful. She genuinely cares about our pups and has been there very step of the way to ensure that he grows up to be a well socialised, well natured dog. Sonia is literally the puppy/dog whisperer and has given us great knowledge, tools and advice to assist us with the many phases our puppy is going through.

Thanks so much Sonia

Sonia came over for a 1-1 when my puppy was around 12 weeks old. I had had Tully for literally a week and I had noticed big flags of separation anxiety and I knew I had to do something about it before it got any worse. I had a mutual friend that suggested crate training with Sonia. I wasn't sure about it at the start but after having Sonia come over for a 2 hour consult and sit and chat and discuss the benefits from the crate I was silly not to give it a go.

Since Sonia's visit, Tully is completely crate trained. She sleeps in it over night without a peep and is in a good direction with her toilet training. We have attended a few puppy play classes which occur on a Sunday and they have helped her come out of her shell completely, she seems more confident to explore and interact with new dogs.

Thank you so much Sonia for all your knowledge and teaching me the ways on how dogs communicate.

We were given the opportunity last year to introduce two puppies into our home, Austin and Lola, (who are Golden Retrievers), they came home just before Christmas.

We had to have our boy put down in October and were still emotional about his passing. Sonia and I had spoken and she had asked if we were going to crate train, I was unfamiliar with the term. So this has been the start of much education and guidance.

Sonia came to our home the day after our puppies arrived and gave us a one on one lesson. I was introduced to the crate training method and a lot of dos and don’ts that go along with puppies in general.

I knew we had to all be on board and get this right as badly behaved puppies grow into badly behaved BIG dogs. I purchased my 2 large crates from Sonia and was guided by her as to using dividers in them whilst they are puppies.

We have attended puppy play each week at Sonia’s property so we can socialize our puppies in a friendly, controlled and safe environment. It has been invaluable to all the puppies and to see how they have all grown and developed.

Sonia is always available for advice and guidance, the smallest tip is often the one that means the most. The class sizes are wonderful as if tiredness sets in there is time for a bit of time out. Whilst the play is happening you have the chance to ask Sonia questions and you can witness good and sometimes inappropriate behavior and know how to address it first hand by an experienced dog trainer.

We are looking forward to the next stage of Juvenile class where we will start to train our puppies and watch them develop even further.

I would highly recommend Sonia from All 4 Paws for any puppy /dog training you need. To have continual guidance has made bringing home 2 fur babies so much more manageable and not as stressful as I first thought.

Thank you once again Sonia and keep up your amazing work.

I am so grateful that Sonia was recommended and introduced to our family. I know that I was so lost as to what was needed to care for a puppy, that was until Sonia came along with so much advice and so knowledgeable and I instantly felt at ease that we were in the right hands.

Although we have had dogs before this time was different we wanted to make sure that our family was going to provide a safe and social environment with good foundations to start with for our new puppy and as we have 3 children we all needed to be consistent with the training that we provided our new puppy and Sonia provided us with the information we needed to make the best start on the future for our new family member.

Sonia has provided us with the right advice and guidance to starting to raise our puppy, there was no question that went unanswered and I felt like that I could message or call anytime and she was always willing to help. The play session provided our little Louie with a chance to learn how to play with other puppies in a controlled and supervised environment. I love seeing that all the puppies grow each week at the play session and they just love playing together.

I would highly recommend Sonia to anyone that was seeking any advice on dogs of all age’s not just puppies.

As previous dog owners, we had always trained the dogs ourselves. Even though the dogs were well trained in many aspects there were a few important areas that we could not handle on our own. One specifically was socialization. We have had 3 Border Collies in the past, very smart, learnt quickly but did not get on well with others. We had no idea how to deal with this and tried a huge number of strategies that all failed.

We were determined this time to get it right by seeking out professional help. We contacted Sonia at ALL 4 PAWS for a puppy consult. She came to our home for a 2 hour consult where she educated us on many aspects of dealing with a puppy, the importance of crating and many other tips and tricks that proved to be extremely helpful.

Included in the 2 hour consult were a number of puppy socialization classes. We took our puppy to her property once a week where 4 or 5 puppies of similar ages were introduced to each other and allowed to play naturally in a pen. The only person in the pen was Sonia, guiding their behaviour with gentle corrections when required. Occasionally she would invite her two larger older dogs to join the puppy play so the pups would get used to, and more importantly, learn how to behave around larger/adult dogs. We were invited to sit outside the pen as she pointed out various behaviours that were normal and more importantly how to adjust our own behaviours around a puppy or dog. These lessons have been invaluable tools in training our pup.

Our over energetic Border Collie is becoming a lovely, calmer yet still playful juvenile who is well socialized with other dogs.

We learned a lot from Sonia at the puppy consult when she came to our home to help us understand the best way to make our pup become a well adjusted dog. The sessions held at Socialisation have taught our puppy how to have fun and behave around other puppies.

We have had many dogs during our lives, but this is the first time we have found out what to do and not to do whilst our little puppy is growing into a well adjusted juvenile.

We're looking forward to juvenile classes to further our (and puppy's) education from your expert tuition. Thanks for all your help.

Sonia has a common sense approach to dogs & puppies. She interacts really well with the puppies and her lessons have given us a calmer happier puppy. Crating works !!!

Looking forward to learning more in Juvenile classes.

My wife and I had been considering getting a dog for our young family for a considerable period of time. My wife and I both work, we have two primary school age daughters and two cats. We did hours and hours of research on various dog breeds to try and find one that would fit with our lives and family. In the end we decided that a spoodle would be the best match. However, having never owned a dog before in combination with our busy lives meant that I was still very hesitant about proceeding down this path. Then the day came; we found a breeder that had spoodles for sale. Knowing how quickly this breed of dog sells we had to make a definitive decision on whether to proceed with purchasing a puppy. We put down a deposit but still had to wait a few weeks before the puppy (Lola) would be old enough to take home.

During the waiting period my wife and I madly scrambled to try and figure out what to do when we got Lola. We tried to seek answers to questions like, where would she sleep, do we have to get up to her overnight, how do we toilet train her, can we leave her home alone, what do we feed her etc? The more we looked online and spoke to other dog owners the more confused we became. In fact, I was having serious doubts about whether we were making the right decision in getting a dog. In the week prior to getting Lola, by sheer chance, my wife ran into an old friend at the local shops. They got onto the topic of dogs and during this conversation found out about Sonia’s business ‘ALL 4 PAWS’. We found out that Sonia provided a consultation service where she would come out to your home to help teach you about how to best raise your puppy.

I called Sonia hoping to make an appointment for the same day we brought Lola home from the breeder. Unfortunately, Sonia was away for a few days during this time however was incredibly understanding of our angst. In lieu of being able to come to our house on the same day, Sonia very generously provided me with a lot of her time talking me through what to do when we brought Lola home. This advice was fantastic. Sonia was immediately able to allay our concerns about issues like sleeping and toileting plus a heap of other really valuable advice. This made us feel a lot more confident about what to do when we got Lola home. Sonia’s support and advice has made the transition to dog owners really enjoyable. Whilst Lola is still a young puppy and still learning it has not been stressful at all. We love having Lola as part of our family and I can’t believe how quickly we have all bonded with her.

Without Sonia’s advice I know we would have made a heap of mistakes that would have made the transition much harder.

I would highly recommend Sonia to anyone who has any concerns or needs any advice about how to raise their puppy.

A friend of mine recommended Sonia from ALL 4 PAWS when I told her we were getting a puppy. I am so glad that we did the puppy consult and play sessions with Sonia. Coco was my first ever dog so I was nervous and unsure of training and caring for a puppy. Even the advice Sonia gave me over the phone before we picked up Coco helped us settle her that first night. The puppy consult was fantastic and so helpful. I was wanting to crate train as I had heard good things from friends, who used this method, but my partner wasn't a fan of the idea. After the puppy consult, he agreed to try crate training. Five months on and I can honestly say both myself, and my partner, now swear by the methods Sonia has taught us, particularly crate training. Coco actually really likes having her own little 'den' to have her puppy time and rest undisturbed.

Puppy play sessions helped Coco develop socially through mixing with a range of puppies, dogs and people and I believe put her on the right path to a healthy social development. It was also nice to have that weekly catch up with Sonia, and the other owners, to ask advice and training tips.

We found Sonia to be very approachable and friendly.

Would highly recommend Sonia at ALL 4 PAWS to anyone seeking dog or puppy training.

When we decided to get a puppy, we knew we wanted to enlist the help of a good trainer to guide us in the right direction. We looked around a lot before we decided on ALL 4 PAWS.

Sonia came to our house for 2 hours on a Saturday afternoon & told us everything we could possibly need to know about raising a dog with structure. Not only that, she left us with all the information in a booklet & some awesome freebies for our puppy! Included in the cost of the consult was 4-6 weeks worth of 1 hour puppy socialisation classes - I had no idea these would be so valuable!

Sonia takes the time out of her weekend to run these on a Sunday & they have made such a difference in our little girl. She was hesitant at the start & hiding under our legs, but soon started to play. She was a bit rough at the start but by the fourth session she was playing beautifully with the other puppies. Now when we are out & she sees other dogs she doesn't bark or get startled even if they do, & she knows how to play gently. We have been so impressed with the value of what is offered, as well as Sonia's generosity with her time - she is available to chat if we ever have any questions!

We have already signed our puppy up to juvenile classes in a few weeks and we can't wait to get started.

Thanks Sonia for your huge efforts & for helping us bring up a well-tempered dog.

My partner and I purchased our first puppy 5 months ago, we were recommended to speak with Sonia for dog training through a number of people.

Sonia met Louie on our second day which helped us to set up a good routine and structure at home from the beginning.

We were introduced to crate training which was totally new to us but extremely effective and allowed us to give Louie the structure and routine he required.

We then attended puppy play which helped Louie to learn the rules of play with other pups and we were so happy to see him develop so much confidence.

Sonia has a wealth of knowledge and has continued to support and provide us with the necessary training for Louie.

After puppy play we attended Juvenile classes where Louie was able to learn stationing on a mat, wait, sit, and drop.

We have both enjoyed attending classes and are looking forward to learning new things with Louie during our classes with Sonia.

We are extremely happy with our progress so far and highly recommend ALL 4 PAWS.

We have loved working with Sonia from ALL 4 PAWS. The initial consult at home was fantastic and really showed us what we needed to do and provide for our puppy within it's new environment at home. As well as the weekly puppy play to have our new puppy develop good social skills with other dogs, Sonia has kept up with regular communication checking on how we and our puppy are going, by providing professional advice when needed and giving us the confidence to handle any situation. Sonia has been very patient, kind and willing to help us around every corner of this journey with our new little puppy. We can't wait to start juvenile classes soon and see our little puppy progress with the guidance of Sonia at ALL 4 PAWS

We were so happy with your puppy consult and grateful that you offered us your service and knowledge to assist us in raising our puppy, in the best way possible.

Many thanks.

As a first time dog owner I naturally had 101 questions. Not only did Sonia take the time to come out to our home for a one-on-one puppy consult, she also provides an around the clock support for any question I have had, regardless of how silly. In a little under 2 months Cooper has gone from a hyperactive puppy who never stopped/sleeped(!!!) to a well mannered little fella who falls asleep in his crate within minutes of closing the door. I couldnt recommend ALL 4 PAWS enough, regardless of the age of your pooch!

Excellent puppy advice! Fortunately we were able to have a consultation with Sonia the day after we picked up our Sharpei pup, 'Storm'. We were introduced to crating and general puppy advice and structure. This has meant our pup sleeps well, feeds and toilets with routine, and has supervised play. No destruction of our garden or toddlers toys has meant we can enjoy our new pup and feel that we are in charge.

The follow up pup play sessions were fantastic and after 3x45 minutes of interaction with similar aged pups, closely monitored by Sonia, we feel reassured about Storm's temperament and strategies to continue to reinforce to ensure our pup is well socialised at home and in the public. Sonia delivers a very informed, caring and interactive service.

I highly recommend an early consultation to start your pup on the right 'paw'.

Up until mid last year I was the owner of two adult cavaliers, Buddy and Rosie. Buddy passed away at 10 ½ but Rosie is still going strong at nearly 13

I knew sooner or later I would welcome another cavie into our home and have recently bought a beautiful tricolor boy we named Gus.

In the past I treated my dogs like babies and basically gave them the run of the house, with a doggie door and their own private spot on the couch and even at times on my bed! What I learnt from treating my dogs like that was they had no respect for me as I let them make all their own decisions. ie - When they wanted to go outside, they didn’t ask, they just went! They would jump on the couch whenever it pleased them.

I knew this time I wanted to create structure and respect so I started right from scratch and enrolled in puppy classes with Sonia which began the day after bringing Gus home. I know it is my responsibility if I want to create a well mannered and well behaved dog and will do so by putting in the hard yards now, not just bringing a puppy home and letting it run riot while it’s a puppy because ‘he’s so cute!’.

Gus is coming along nicely. We have completed puppy classes, where he learnt to socialize with other puppies and will now soon be going to Juvenile classes where I will learn how to station him on a mat amongst other lessons.

Sonia is fantastic and very good at what she does. She has a wealth of knowledge and an amazing understanding of dog behavior. She goes that extra mile for you and is always available for advice long after the classes are finished.

I highly recommend Sonia at ALL 4 PAWS she has helped and is still helping me immensely train Gus, so I know I will have a well behaved adult dog in the future.

Thank you Sonia

We had previously had a very compliant standard poodle. Sadly, Jack was killed by a snake. We decided to get another standard poodle and started the puppy routine again.

Charlie was different, often stubborn and defiant.

Charlie puppyFrustrated with our apparent lack of progress with Charlie, we contacted Sonia who spent considerable time on the phone discussing our issues, prior to coming to our home.

She provided us with insights and strategies both through analysis of his behaviours and our responses, and in direct action that we implemented with Charlie. Sonia commented that Charlie was one of the most stubborn dogs she had encountered. It took her over 20 minutes to get Charlie to stay on his mat (no wonder we were having problems!).

We persisted and progressively, Charlie, while still an individual and quite different to Jack, is developing into a nice little man (who knows where his mat is and what it is for!). At 5 months, he attended Sonia's obedience school which took him to another level. We have been able to productively work with him more confidently and now see positive results from all efforts.

During these times, Sonia has been available on the phone to guide and assist us when we have been challenged by Charlie’s behaviours. The initial phone call to Sonia was the start of a great journey for all and we are glad that we made it!

Sonia came to our house for a home consultation for our 10 week old Koolie puppy, Cass in January 2013. My partner and I had grown up with dogs, but we had never been the enforcer of any kind of structure or training with our dogs when we were younger. Since then, I have had 6 years combined animal husbandry experience, including working with dogs and puppies. For someone who believed I was already well equipped for bringing a puppy into our home, I was amazingly impressed with the clarity and amount of knowledge Sonia was able to provide for us. She answered every question we had, she showed us techniques to deal with Cass' naughty puppy behaviour and gave us a structure to use with Cass to let her grow into a happy well-rounded dog. She provided us with an information pack at the conclusion of the consultation, that my partner and I now refer to as 'The Puppy Bible'!

What has impressed me more than anything however, has been in the last 5 weeks since the consult, Sonia has been a constant support to us, with any problem we have come across in that time. She has actively sought out updates on Cass' progress and been more than willing to help us every step of the way. Koolie's being a working dog breed, has come with a barrage of nipping, hyperactive puppy traits, that we now are readily equipped to deal with. Sonia truely has a passion for her work, and from the moment Sonia walked into our home, Cass' demeanour changed entirely. She certainly has a way with dogs, and Cass just absolutely loves visiting her. We can't thank Sonia enough for what she has done for our new little family, and we can't recommend her enough.

On behalf of Rich and I, Sonia, THANK YOU! :)