25/10/2026
My first dogs in England were Raven & Abby (a black staffie, not a lab) who someone threw into my garden. She got stuck in my front gate and so I decided I would keep her.
She was the easiest dog to train and was soon perfection itself - her recall was absolute. She was both smart and loving and I loved her back.
Unfortunately, after undergoing lifesaving surgery - she became reactive- ‘if looks could I kill’ reactive- I reached out to every behaviourist in the area and they all told me it was just her breed-I refused to accept this!
No-one listened to me when I told them that before her surgery she was the most obedient dog I ever had. (And I would know I competed with my dog Cesar in protection & tracking). Then she suddenly dropped dead year after from organ failure.
Abby taught me a lot of things, chiefly to trust my instincts and my dogs - and because of her I have become passionate about training and behaviour modification, but also to raise awareness that unexpected reactivity is often health-related (way before the trend eventually caught up).
She was the pivotal point that set me on route to specialise working with reactive dogs.
Raven (who is black & white) - came to me after someone knocked on our door and asked if we wanted him - because his other dogs were attacking him - he had seen me with Abby and thought I would take him. I did, and he ended-up being the kindest but sternest peace-maker ever. If he sensed tension between dogs he would always step-in and split them up-he was a rock He had an incredible presence and lived to an incredible 16 years. He also became deaf and then he taught me how to work with deaf dogs.
Both Raven and Abby were instrumental in how I learned to train dogs and became the trainer I am today. These were the foundations of my success with HHH. And I miss them both, every day.
