Adolescent Dogs Ltd Anmeldelser 

I joined the Adolescent Dogs Assistance Dog Online Training Course when Dolly was just three months old, she is now 23 months— and since then, we’ve shared the most fabulous journey together.
I trained her myself, with wonderful support and guidance from Adolescent Dogs — and I’m so grateful for every step. I have done dog training before, but nothing to this kind of level. Thanks to their help, Dolly has come so far. They stood beside us through every challenge, offering such valuable advice and encouragement to keep going. Their knowledge of training and behaviour is truly phenomenal!

I am so incredibly proud — Dolly has passed her Public Access Test! She is now a fully qualified Assistance Dog, Therapy Dog, and Emotional Support Dog.

Dolly is our son Jake’s assistance dog, and he is so happy with everything she can do for him: picking things up from the floor, opening doors, putting rubbish in the bin, pressing pedestrian crossing and lift buttons, making space around his wheelchair, and walking safely beside him. She also helps with the washing and alerts Mum and Dad whenever he needs us. Having her by his side means the world — she helps him feel more independent, confident, and supported every single day.
All learnt step by step online through videos and livefeeds.
We were helped & judged fairly through all our training & task tests. When we took our public access test in Brighton , Mike was friendly, explained clearly what was expected & made us feel at ease throughout the test,

Dolly has also recently become a PAT — Pets As Therapy team member, making regular visits to hospital patients and bringing comfort and joy to everyone she meets.
We can’t wait to keep learning and growing together — after all, we’re lifelong members!
Thank you so much to Jenny and Mike!

Attended the Medical Alert Dog Instructor course with Mike on Saturday.

Mike has a lovely presenting style and all the information given was clear down to the booklets given along with the workshop.

Would recommend both to clients and other Instructors

Nala and her trainer charlotte woods!

“I just wanted to put in writing how absolutely amazed I am after Nala’s 2nd residential stay with Charlotte.

The reason i sent Nala back to Charlotte was specifically to help her gain the skills and maturity needed to pass her Silver Assistance Dog Award and her temperament test. Aswell as the fact charlotte knows nala so well and vice versa, I’m so proud to say that Nala did in fact pass her temprament assessment and now were just waiting on her silver award assessment to come back once submitted!

Charlotte has helped Nala mature into such a well rounded, obedient, and fast acting assistance dog. She is more focused than ever, more mature, and her desire to please is constant. It’s like a switch has flipped.

The biggest thing for me is the assistance work Charlotte has achieved in just 5 weeks. That would have taken me 5 months, if not longer, on my own. Nala can now reliably do:

*"Help me to collect any dropped items

*"Open the door to open any door with a pulley attached

These are life changing tasks for us, and to see Nala doing them so calmly and confidently fills me with so much gratitude.

What makes it even more special is Charlotte’s approach. The holistic, calm, force free training, and her genuine love of dogs really shines through. On handover, Charlotte takes the time to go over everything again with me to make sure I can practice the skills in our home setting. The updates I received during the stay were amazing, as always i felt completely involved and reassured.

I honestly cannot fault Charlotte one bit. You are worth your weight in gold, and your knowledge is priceless. Thank you for everything you’ve done for Nala, and for our family. You’ve given Freddy’s dog the skills, confidence, and maturity to not only be the assistance dog we dreamed of, but to officially pass her awards too.

With the biggest thank you,

Louise



On behalf of Freddy, Nala, and our whole family”

I attended a seminar/workshop (alert dog training for instructors) with Mike and found his teaching style relaxed, informative and empowering.
He was happy to answer any questions during the course and I would expect if any further questions arise the team at adolescent dogs will be happy to assist.
Mike shared his information and demonstrated how achievable it will be to put this into real life coaching of clients and thier dogs.
I'm excited to start coaching others and putting new skills into practice.
Thanks again Adolescent Dogs

Adolescent dogs are fantastic. I used their online owner trained assistance dog programme.

It's a long term wish of mine to have my own assistance dog, since owning my previous dogs.

ADUK orgs are usually over subscribed or have years long waiting lists. Strict criteria about eligibility rules. Most other private organisations are financially out of reach for people on a low income.

Then I learnt of adolescent dogs.... financially the price is very reasonable. No waiting lists. Inclusive- no restrictions on disabilities, age of human or breed of dog. Everyone is welcome.

I joined when my dog, Bobby, was a puppy. There are hundreds of tutorial videos and at puppy level I tended to watch all of the videos. Each video is step by step and easy to follow. Puppy level is just basic puppy training and socialisation.

From there we worked our way up through Bronze, silver and gold as well as mitigating task awards. At that point I tended to pick and choose the videos I needed. The videos and each stage of training you can take in your own time. There is no pressure on anyone to progress faster. It's positive reinforcement training methods only - always in the dogs best interest. For each award submission the criteria was well explained and easy to follow.

There are also private Facebook groups where we can ask questions, get support and communicate with other owners training teams as well as a seperate submission FB page for submitting each award (via video uploads) and getting feedback. This support is invaluable.

I attended several in person training sessions, held in Guildford with head trainer Mike. Each session is well structured and very supportive. Those sessions were invaluable for getting past specific training difficulties.... I struggled with training Bobby the 'emergency stop' but just one session solved that problem! Another issue I had when Bobby was in the peak of adolescence- he decided recall was optional. Other dogs on walks were more exciting than me. I enrolled on mikes recall class which soon stopped Bobby in his tracks (literally!) Often there would be dogs at very different levels of training but Mike still ensures everyone gets support and feedback. Mike knows dogs well and often he would observe discreetly. Bobby would get excited when I turned into the driveway he knew where we were going!! Meeting up with other people also training their dogs was good - everyone was so friendly. In person training is optional but for anyone living within easy traveling distance of Guildford I recommend.

Mike carried out both Bobby's temprement test and his PAT test. I was particularly nervous on the day of the PAT test. Mike soon put me at ease and explained things carefully. He reassured me throughout. And then it was over - we passed.

I can't explain the difference having an assistance dog has made to my life. Bobby makes my life easier. Wether it's at home or out and about, he can now accompany me nearly everywhere to assist me. He is my shadow, my friend, my constant companion....I am so proud of him.

Without Jenny and Mike/adolescent dogs we would have never reached this level.

Thank you Jenny and Mike ❤️

Our pupster stayed with Libby and her family for four weeks and throughout that time we received regular updates and photos. It was clear to see she was having the time of her life - lots of training, socialisation and most importantly cuddles. We were really reassured to see Moo enjoying her time away, as well as getting great exposure to new situations and other animals.
She learnt a huge deal during her time away and we feel that it gave her a great foundation upon which we can continue to build. We have had great communications with Libby - I feel I can contact her with any questions or help since. She has been very responsive, helpful and patient and we are really grateful. Thoroughly recommend Libby and her family for ensuring Moo had a great balance of training and chill time to just be a (happy) puppy.

My reactive cockapoo puppy went to Katie for a 4 week residential stay. I could barely leave the house with him before his stay and the transformation has been exceptional. Can't thank Katie and Adolescent Dogs enough. The process was very easy and the follow up support has been amazing.

So glad I found adolescent dogs had such a great experience with the whole process all the help backwards forward on messages. But who ever told me not to send my then 7 month old puppy away were wrong. . I am disabled and my last dog retired form being my assistant dog and thought my puppy could take over boy was I wrong I had a dog who would not settle listen on walks tried training but it did not work . I got to a point I thought I need to find her a new home as life was miserable for both of us. I hated walking her she pulled like a train plus almost pulled me out of my wheelchair in a road and it began to take a huge tool on my physical health and mental health . One day I saw an advert for this company residential stays with full training in the trainers home . So thought shall I keep trying as so loved her could they help her and me to become a team. Learn to hopefully become my next best friend and assistant dog. Thought hard to get funding and did it. Well Lia has been absolutely amazing the change in Harper has been so much fun to watch with regular updates videos emails. Lia I cannot thank enough on what she’s done for Harper. Now I can see both of us working , her new skills learnt and now I am in love with Harper agin, she’s home Monday and cannot wait to see her . Plus I know Lia and the whole team will supporting us going forward. She’s back with Lia February 2027 and I am excited to see the fun we can have wile learning. ❤️🐕

Incredible team especially Katie. Our Golden Retriever pup has been on 4 stays and the progress in her training has been amazing. Always feel very reassured about how well she is looked after. Will be very hard for us to be happy with her staying anywhere else. Couldn’t have asked for a better level of care and training. Highly recommended.

Verity took my adolescent dog Daisy, 16 months old, for residential training for 4 weeks and it was so hard to be away from her for so long but Verity soothed my anxieties by giving me daily photos, some videos and weekly updates of training.

When I went to pick her up for the handover lesson I was absolutely shocked at the transition. Before Daisy couldn't walk well on a lead, pulling me out of my wheelchair on occasion(!!) and was constantly distracted but after the initial excitement of seeing me and we went on a walk she walked beautifully for me and Verity explained in detail all the training she's done and allowed me to ask my questions so I can continue the training she has done to transfer it home. She has also crate trained her after little crate training at home due to living in a block of flats and her barking, but now she is completely crate trained, calmer around visitors and just so well mannered. She was such a good girl before but I can tell how much she has matured just in 4 weeks!!
It is the best money I've ever spent, so worth it, I've got a happier dog, happier human, and I cannot recommend adolescent dogs enough as an organisation for the general training support and for Verity as a trainer, she is phenomenal!

If you are considering doing residential training but you're worried about being away from your dog or that will it be worth the money I promise you it's the best thing you can do for you, your dog and your relationship together. Mike and Jenny are also great at partnering you up with the right trainer for your dog and the training goals and many thanks to them both for all their support too!

Jenny was brilliant. Bella came back from the training able to complete basic commands and an improved puppy.

Bekki is a fantastic trainer, with so much knowledge and experience. She is also a really lovely person and very approachable. I was anxious about sending Walter away for 3 weeks, as he'd never been away from home before but Bekki treated him like her own dog and he settled in really well with her and her family. We received regular updates and videos of Walter's progress, which were great to receive. Walter has returned home with crucial skills to help him navigate adolescence, and the handover sessions with Bekki were vital in helping my husband and I build on those skills to ensure Walter continues to improve in the future.
Walter now has a much better recall from distractions, he is walking to heel very nicely and his engagement and focus has improved enormously.
I would thoroughly recommend Bekki and Adolescent dogs.

Myself and my friend and fellow trainer attended the medical alert dog instructors course with Mike today.

The course was so well delivered, super engaging with a lovely little mix of practical support to get hands on experience too.

Mike answered all questions thoroughly and I really enjoyed the ethos behind what he does.

Really highly recommended and can’t wait to attend further courses organised by Adolescent dogs in the future!

Libby has been fantastic with our 6-month-old Rhodesian Ridgeback, Molly. Her obedience training is excellent, and she’s incredibly skilled at assessing behaviour, providing practical coaching, and making effective course corrections when issues arise.

Molly has made great progress, and we’ve always felt supported and confident in Libby’s guidance. Highly recommended to anyone looking for a knowledgeable, professional, and caring dog trainer.

Have contacted adolescent dogs on WhatsApp to help with an issue. They have been very unhelpful. Poor communication. Poor customer service. I do not recommend this business to any dog lover.

We were getting so disillusioned by the situation with our 19 month old mini-schnauzer Archie. Since we had him the majority of our time had been spent taking him in the car to go for a walk, and avoiding busy places, cafes, local parks etc. He couldn’t be a full part of our lives. We are first time dog owners and have been on a massive learning curve. Archie had always been lovely at home apart from being a bit excitable at times and following us around which my husband found difficult. But the situation with other dogs had been extremely difficult to manage. He had always been extra vigilant and had barked and lunged around other dogs. We took him to puppy classes in the early days and he was put in the ‘naughty corner’ as everything was too overwhelming for him and we had to pull him out. Then we had several 1:1s with a trainer who was encouraging a good approach but we were getting nowhere and progress was so slow if non-existent. His approach did not involve any strategies apart from trying to gradually get closer to dogs, rewarding Archie when he looked at us or when he looked at other dogs and did not bark or lunge, but Archie very rarely looked at us. Adolescent Dogs price for residential training is expensive but it is so worth it. We decided to pay for a four week stay with Lia when we went on holiday. The best decision we ever made!!! In four weeks she achieved so much with Archie, whose behavior around other dogs was very ingrained. The biggest difference has been his ability to focus on us in all situations and to walk to heel. Before he marched ahead, and very rarely looked at us and his behavior around other dogs was chaotic despite us trying to follow the other trainers approach. Now he can remain relatively calm around other dogs, focus so much more, walk with us, check in regularly and his general obedience is so massively improved. He is calmer at home, more self reliant, doesn’t follow us around or jump up. The progress has been spectacular. Lia is so kind, and we have built a relationship with her as a trainer which we never had before. She communicated regularly during the residential with photos and videos. She put together a great training plan, and is always there to support us via WhatsApp. She is so focused on really helping us to help Archie and it is so apparent how much she cares. The crucial thing is that she is lazer focused on helping us to follow the training plan and learn all the skills we need. We cannot recommend her enough. We need to continue the hard work and progress she has made but now we see a way forward to have the life with Archie that we always planned but were previously unable to achieve. Thank you so much Lia!!!

I chose the amazing Natalie to train our beloved rescue pup Rocco and I could not have made a better decision. I was a first time dog owner and very nervous but dedicated to ensuring Rocco had the best start in life and that is exactly what Natalie has given him. She was incredibly kind and devoted to Rocco and welcomed him into her family with open arms. He spent 13 weeks with Natalie and came back to me an incredibly happy, loving and unbelievably well trained 5 month old puppy. Not only did Natalie help him master a range of obedience skills, loose lead walking and develop his confidence and socialisation, but we have had so many people comment on how incredibly well trained Rocco is for a dog of his age. Even our vet has commented on how confident and calm Rocco is for a young dog of his breed. Natalie has also always been on hand to answer my many questions about further training and clearly adores Rocco and is deeply invested in his wellbeing and future. We could not be happier with the training Natalie provided and will absolutely use her for any and all future training needs.

We have been absolutely delighted with the training our Goldador puppy has received from Libby. I was recommended Libby's services by a very hard to please friend with a beautifully behaved golden retriever. Our puppy has had four training sessions and a two week intensive training stay. He has responded so well to the training and absolutely adores Libby. 

As a result of his outstanding training, our puppy has developed excellent understanding of wait, leave it, sit, down, bed, come etc. He also will not eat unless we say OK. In addition, his recall is superb.

Libby took the time in each session to make sure we were also learning the cues properly and did a thorough handover after his intensive training. Each session had links to videos and we were always encouraged to get in touch if we needed clarification on anything.

It had been an absolute pleasure to work with Libby, we have all become very fond of her and are so grateful for her support throughout this exciting journey.

We’ve had a great experience with Lia Tomkins at Adolescent Dogs. Our 6-months-old Rottweiler recently completed a 2-week residential training stay and Lia has been super approachable, friendly and professional throughout.
Due to last minute change of plans we couldn’t take our puppy abroad with us, but we were able to have complete peace of mind knowing Bella was in safe hands. We’ve received daily updates via text, photos, and videos.
A huge priority for us was ensuring that Bella remained the lively and confident puppy she is, rather than being "shut down" for the sake of making a dog "obey". It is important for us to avoid aversive tools like prong collars, which is why we chose Adolescent Dogs for their kind and ethical approach. It was so heartwarming to see that Bella came out of the stay as her same happy self - eager to learn, but now with a bit more manners!
Lia’s dedication is evident even now that Bella is home. She has stayed in touch to check on the dog’s progress and has offered further advice for training. It is clear that Lia genuinely cares about the wellbeing of dogs she’s looking after. She is the trainer who treats dogs with kindness while achieving great results.

After a great deal of research, we chose Adolescent Dogs for our 9-month-old Labrador, Rupert. This was an incredibly emotional decision and came with a lot of guilt, but we genuinely felt he needed expert guidance to help him live a happy, calm, and fulfilled life.
Before contacting Adolescent Dogs we had already completed a local 8-week puppy based course which, unfortunately, wasn’t beneficial for Rupert and felt more focused on selling additional products than addressing his individual needs. We were also determined to avoid a traditional kennel-based facility, so the residential, home-based environment that Adolescent Dogs offer was exactly what we were looking for.
Although the trainer’s location wasn’t our first choice, it truly turned out to be a blessing for both Rupert and us. After dropping Rupert off with Lia, we went home and missed him enormously, ready to collect him if needed. Thankfully he settled in beautifully, which brought us huge reassurance.
From day one, Lia sent daily updates, photos, videos, and detailed weekly reports. This meant everything to us and continually reassured us that we had made the right decision.
Before Rupert went to Lia, walks were stressful and overwhelming. He was constantly distracted and reactive, and we were genuinely worried about what the future might hold for him.
Since bringing him home, the change has been life changing. He is calmer, happier, and far more responsive, it truly feels like we have a different dog.
The handover when we collected Rupert was thorough and incredibly supportive, giving us the confidence to continue his training at home. Ongoing contact with Lia and Adolescent Dog’s online tools, along with the option of up to four more additional free lessons, makes us feel fully supported.
Over the recent bank holiday weekend, we confidently took Rupert to a pub and on his first trip to the beach, both of which would have been utterly unthinkable (and slightly terrifying!) just six weeks ago.
And now, as we write this well deserved review, he is fast asleep under the desk, snoring contentedly. Amen.
So, it goes without saying, we are forever thankful to Lia and everyone at Adolescent Dogs for transforming not just Rupert’s behaviour, but also our confidence and happiness as owners. We cannot recommend them highly enough.