Tink was a rescue dog with a few problems. A friend of ours recommended us to her owner who decided she didn't want class lessons so she came to us for a few private lessons.

Both handler and dog made very quick progress and soon her training was complete (or so we thought).

Being such a bright little dog she was an ideal candidate for some film work.

So armed with a list of all the things she needed to learn we started training her again, this time of course we had to do the training ourselves with the owner continuing at home. 

As anyone who has seen the children's program "WOOF" will know,

She shone like a true Star
 

My name is Sam, 

I had a job to do. My owner was paralysed from the neck down.
I was so busy taking care of my owner every day. If the phone rang I had to pick the receiver up and hold it against her ear, then hang it up again when she had finished talking. I had to empty the washing machine, and help her to get a drink, I had lots of jobs to do, but the one I liked best was keeping her warm, I curled up around the back of her neck and gave her loads of cuddles and kisses.  know she liked me doing this as she always smiled at me.
One day my mistress passed away, I was really sad, I tried to tell the people who came to take me away, but they wouldn't listen. They took me to some kennels and put me in a run, this was meant to be a "Temporary measure" whatever that means.
Days went by and I got bored, some of the other dogs where taken away to new homes, but I was left here.
Weeks later I had my lead put on and taken to see a Lady, I put my sad eyes on and pleaded with her to take me home. It must have worked because she took my lead and walked away with me, she took me to a van with some other dogs in it, "Great, some friends to play with" I thought. We went down a bumpy road and came to a stop, I could hear some more dogs barking close by. I was taken from the van to the kennels and put in a run
"No don't leave me here, let me come and work for you". It was no use, she wouldn't listen. Months went by and I was left to amuse myself, the people there were kind, but I felt lonely and bored.
One day Christine came to the kennels to look at the dogs, I didn't pay too much attention because I knew I never got chosen,

I just lay there and looked at her without much hope. But "Guess what?" she took me home with her "yippee". It was great having a home again, I was so excited that I couldn't sit still, and then the phone rang. "Well I remembered my job and went and answered it". Funny thing was, they didn't seem too pleased. The next day they moved the phone so that I couldn't reach it. This upset me as I knew it was my job to answer the phone. One by one they took away all my duties, so I started taking quite an interest in the ground, "Well I am a Spaniel" trouble was I became (So I am told) quite obsessive with it, and come on you guys, you know how slow these Humans go, you gotta give them a helping hand or you would never get anywhere.
Well one Wednesday evening, with a shaking Mother, off we went to Dog Club. It was great, lots of other dogs to sniff at, and the mats on the floor smelled great. I could have passed my nights like this but the Trainers had other ideas. "Get that dog his own phone" Sue told Christine "Give him some jobs to do" and added "Lets teach him some games that will put that Bl***y nose to good use". Well it took 12 months but I got my Kennel Club Gold Award, I suppose you could say alls well that ends well. Don't get me wrong I love my new owners, but could they not have found me new owners who really needed my help?

 

   Update on Sam

 Sam has much more to do now.
He dealt with a sneak thief who was trying to steal our television and video shame really as we could have done with a new one it was 15 years old - but the thought was there. Bramble his friend and soul mate is now very poorly so he has taken over all barking duties with delivery drivers, postmen, and all potential nutters. He also attends to cleaning duties of Bramble ears if I don't get there first. He dishes out and takes away Cynthia's (who come to clean on Wednesday) dusters and helps her eat the biscuits at coffee time. Soon he will be on opening the footpaths duty with me when we get the go ahead after the foot and mouth.
            Christine 

                          

 Cob 

Margaret started bringing Cob to club in March 2002.

She had been to other clubs in the area but they would not let him attend as he had aggression problems with other dogs, with a lot of patience and good handling  in December 2003 they have gone on to win their

Gold Good Citizen Award

 POPPY
My name is now Poppy and I am about 4years & 6months old. I never remember having a name before I was rescued at about 4months old and then I got a Mum, Dad and a large doggy sister - she was old & is now in doggy heaven but I now have an even bigger doggy brother called Douglas.
I was left on the streets in Leeds and found by the dog warden when I must have been about 4 or 5 weeks old. 2 lots of humans took me home but both times I was taken back to the kennels because they could not cope with me.
As soon as I moved in to my new home I went to Embsay Dog Training Club.   
Sue helped my new Mum sort me out and got my

               Kennel Club Good Citizen Gold Award
Its good to have been given a third chance at life, I love my big show off brother very much even though he thinks he is the boss.
As a dog it seems to be better to go with the flow and not rebel too much, otherwise you

have Sue  to answer to and we can all do without that!!!

My name is Douglas I am a very large

good looking and don't I know it Flat

Coated Retriever age 3years 4months.

I started at Dog Training Club when I

managed to get all the Kennel Club

Good Citizen stuff even the Gold!

One day when I was 10 months old I

had to take some daft temperament

test and that has made me a P.A.T

dog Pets as Therapy I now have to

work for a living.

Every week I go to a Nursing Home
 and see all the patients. Best of all on

Thursdays I go on to 4 wards at

Airedale Hospital. This is great

because my Mum seems to know I

love people and like to kiss as many

as I can and like to be the center of

attention. The patients and their

relatives and the staff seem to think I

am wonderful which of course I am –

and will not hear a word said against me.

To be able to do all my work I still

have to do Dog Training stuff at some

kind of advance level but I think this

is to train my Mum and keep her

under control. So far Sue has done a wonderful job with her

but she still has a long way to go.