About scent work
Scent work has been life changing for my reactive scared dog. Gracie experiences many challenges with her world. It’s been a really rough go and my heart has been broken so many times for her. Scent training has been wonderful for her! It’s such a joy to see her doing so well at it. I can't say enough good things about it and about Sandy! Sandy made sure we were set up for success. Aside from being caring, her teaching style is wonderful and easy to follow. Kathleen M.
I recently took two mantrailing classes with Sandy. I attended each class with a different dog, and with different classmates and their dogs. Sandy was amazing at teaching us about the sport. She explains things clearly and her enthusiasm is contagious. But where she really shines is in understanding what each dog needs to succeed and get the most out of the class. Hewr knowledge of canine behaiovur is extensive, and her dedication to dogs extremely heartfelt and genuine. My dogs aren't the most driven, the fastest, or even the brightest when it comes to sports, but they had an absoute blast! If you want to do something that's fun fo ryou and your dog, I highly recommend mantrailing with Sandy Middleton. Thank you Sandy!
I love learning how dogs "see" the world through their noses. We all know dogs love to sniff but to learn how odour moves in the environment and how the canine nose responds is amazing. In scent work dogs learn to think through a problem themselves. We are accustomed to being in charge but scent work requires developing trust in our dogs. Sandy's classes give dogs the foundation they need to excel. It's such fun to see the dogs so excited and happy to be working. Their abilities will astound you, far beyond what words can express! Maggie D.
My dog is so excited to do scent work! He absolutely loves it! It's satisfying to see Uno learn new skills in ways he clearly loves. In spite of being a young, active dog, he's tired after scent class. Sandy is knowledgeable, thorough and enthusiastic. She is good at reading the dogs in order to tailor scent exercises to each individual dog to help them learn and build confidence. I would recommend her classes to anyone who wants to learn something new and fun with their dog! Natasha B.
Highly recommend this course with Sandy. My husband, dog and I recently attended this fun class and thoroughly enjoyed the class and learnt a lot. We are continuing to Mantrail and look forward to more classes with Sandy. Julia D.
Two words for you: DO IT! You know your pup wants to. Seriously, my girl Peanut and I just finished the Beginners' Nosework course, and we loved it. Learned so much. We'll definitely keep going. Sabine B.
About behaviour support
Sandy worked in depth with two of my dogs over a period of several weeks and the results were above and beyond my expectations. Both dogs came to her with some significant challenges and left having made phenomenal progress, and gained a solid skill set that makes them happier, more well-rounded dogs that are easier to live with. Cheyene D.
Sandy has been an invaluable friend to our reactive dog. She has helped us to understand and navigate our dog's fear and anxiety through methods that are kind and gentle and effective. She focuses on lowering the anxiety, and changing the fear response, as well as managing Pepper's reactions so she is not practicing unwanted behaviours. Our dog loves her playful and engaging spirit. We highly recommend her as a humane and knowledgeable resource. Andrea W.
I've seen tremendous improvement in our communication since we started working with Sandy. This has greatly helped us build a more understanding and peaceful relationship. My dog suffers from anxiety, as do I, and improving our communication has been essential. Sandy has taught me to respect my dog's communication and to work with it. Every single meeting with Sandy has brought new insights into how to better understand my dog and how better to set her up for success. Radhika S.
Our dog was loving with people but wary and aggressive with other dogs. Sandy showed us proper leash skills and how to help her become more comfortable with other dogs. Right away we started to see a difference. I now feel more confident and less stressed walking our dog around other dogs. Sandy clearly loves dog but she's also wonderful with their owners! She was gentle, kind, informative, resourceful, patient, and encouraging with both of us. Kylie H.
My dog barked at people, other dogs, and cars every time I took him for a walk. He got worse as he got older and I found myself only able to walk him later in the evening when no one else was out. Things had to change. Sandy taught me that he is trying to meet his needs for safety and distance by barking and reacting. I am learning to help him meet those needs in better, more acceptable ways. Sandy is a fantastic trainer and natural teacher - personable, positive, encouraging, and very knowledgeable. Fiona G.
