"Dear Steve,

I have booked my place on your next dog-training course. As you know, I have already done several courses at Crosskeys. I find it very helpful in training Patch. He has made more progress with every course I have been on with him. These days people are often impressed with how well trained my dog is!

I had Patch some time before I started taking him to training classes, although I had been advised that he would benefit from being trained to a high standard.I was a bit wary of training classes after my experience of them with my first dog, Sam. I felt that the methods I was expected to use with Sam, involving the use of choke chains were cruel as well as ineffective. I made better progress with him when I stopped taking him to classes and trained him myself.

Your training classes are a complete contrast to my previous experience. I saw your advert in the Yellow Pages, which said, "Pet dog training made fun" , and that you use modern reward methods. I telephoned and asked if you used choke chains and was told that you do NOT allow them in your classes. I had made other enquires about classes for Patch, but the others would have expected me to use a choke chain. As I was not prepared to use one, I did not take him to classes until I found out about yours.

I have found that training Patch using your clicker training method is both enjoyable and effective. Patch seems to enjoy the classes, and I think his life is more interesting now training gives him something to think about. I now have a much better behaved dog, without ever having had to use training methods that I consider cruel. It shows that with dogs, as with humans,
rewards are far more effective than punishments. I look forward to the next training class!

Yours Sincerely
Mandy Hains"