Sue Lee MBIPDT
Sue started working with dogs in 1980. She then went on to found 1-2-1 Problem Dog Retraining Ltd., and is now Training Advisor and Managing Director. She trained with John Rogerson at the Northern Centre for Animal Behaviour, is a Member of the British Institute of Professional Dog Trainers and a Registered Speaker for the charity Dogs for the Disabled.
S. Lee MBIPDT Reg. No. M/0443198. |
David Lee
Originally from Yorkshire where he gained experience editing magazines. David now lives in the South of England where he is Director in charge of Administration with 1-2-1 Problem Dog Retraining. His duties include overseeing the day to day smooth running of the company, keeping the computer records up to date and sending veterinary reports. He has owned dogs in the past and enjoys meeting the dogs in his spare time. |
Sweep
This is the new addition to our "family". Sweep is a little Labrador born in December 1997. He was trained by Dogs for the Disabled as an Assistance Dog to help Sue. He arrived in October 2000 and was greeted by Ninja who looked down with disdain at this little fellow who was to become his pal! We still had Ninja but he was ill and had to retire. Ninja looked down his nose at Sweep when he arrived. It was as though Ninja was saying, "who is this little pipsqueak!"
The two dogs got on just fine and became great pals. Sweep followed Ninja about and investigated all that Ninja was doing. They had a wonderful Christmas together and each had presents to open.
Sweep now started to "take" over, Ninja had always been top dog but now Sweep gradually took over tasks that had been Ninja's. Joe, from DFD in Exeter had suggested that we gradually allow Ninja to ease off of work but still allow him to keep any tasks that he still particularly liked to do and saw as his "job"!
One of Ninja's tasks that he would not allow Sweep to do was to fetch my slippers as soon as I got in the house. Once Ninja had gone Sweep grabbed my slippers and galloped to me with them and sat proudly displaying his "new" task as if saying "look at me, I can do it too!" I now get my slippers presented to me before I have taken off my shoes.
Unfortunately Ninja's health deteriorated rapidly after Christmas and by April we had to make the terribly hard decision of putting him to sleep.
Sweep did miss Ninja for the first few weeks and looked so sad and lost for a while. He came to me and I cried into his fur and cuddled him but Sweep is a resilient little fellow and he soon started to form a closer bond with me. He made me laugh with his antics.
Sweep does all the tasks that Ninja used to do for me including emptying the washing machine with great enthusiasm; in fact everything that Sweep does is done with great enthusiasm. He dashes about looking for ways to help me.
He doesn't need asking to retrieve dropped items he jumps up and rushes to pass it to me at top speed. He endears himself to everyone he meets and loves nothing better than exhibiting his talents.
On one occasion my husband and I were in a supermarket and whilst packing the groceries at the checkout I dropped one of my crutches. A lady jumped forward to pick it up for me but before she could hand it to me Sweep quietly went up to her took it from her and passed it up to me!
Sweep was donated to Dogs for the Disabled and then "puppy walked" by Julia Barnes, Director of Ringpress Books.
 If you are interested in finding out more about Assistance Dogs and what they do for the disabled then a good read is Alison Hornsbys book called "Helping Hounds" and published by Ringpress books.
Ninja has a chapter to himself in the book. Visit Ringpress books online at: http://www.petbookshop.com
The pictures of Sweep on this site are reproduced the with kind permission of Julia Barnes.
Read more about Sweep... |
Ninja
This lucky Rottweiler is "Ninja". Abandoned as a young puppy he lived as a pet until Sue, our Training Advisor, who owns him became disabled.
He was trained at the grand age of 6 years to carry out specialised tasks to help her and is the first Rottweiler in Great Britain ever to qualify as a Dog for the Disabled.
He accompanies Sue to restaurants, hotels when she is on holiday, he goes round the shops with her and is allowed inside those places wearing his yellow coat. He is gentle and tolerant (he has to be as he gets a great fuss made of him when he is out with Sue). He was brought up and trained using our methods.
Ninja died peacefully on the 10th of April 2000 after a long and happy life. He will be missed by very many people; those who knew him, many of whom changed their minds about Rottweilers as a result of meeting him; those he helped; and the very many who have benefited both directly and indirectly as a result of the example he was and the work he did.
I have left the description of him above as it is, in the present tense, because he will live on for ever in the memory, not only of Sue and Dave, but also of Colin and the many others who had the privilege to know him as a kind, gentle and tolerant friend. His lasting epitaph will be the the influence for good that he had on others. |
We only use positive reinforcement and never use aggressive or gimmicky training methods. Our aims are to promote responsible ownership, to help owners understand, train and enjoy their dogs and to promote the well being and public image of the dog in society.
