Natalie leads way in making dogs behave

Owners of mischievous mutts can jet off on holiday and leave their badly behaved dogs behind to be taught a few lessons.

Dog whisperer Natalie Willis of Cannock says people who are tearing their hair out over their dogs can now come back off holiday to find a new and improved pet waiting for them.

"Dogs need to have someone who is in charge of the pack, and once they have seen you as the leader, then you can teach them anything," says Natalie, aged 35.

"If someone wanted a certain problem sorted in a week, I would have to assess the dog but it is usually something that can be worked on in that time." Natalie grew up in Great Wyrley and as a child had a Staffordshire Bull Terrier called Ginny. Even though she was bitten by a dog when she was seven, she says it didn't put her off.

"I used to sell furniture at SCS and when I had my daughter Jamie-Lee, who is now five, I had a bad case of post-natal depression," says Natalie who lives in Union Street, Bridgtown.

"When she was 18-months-old, my partner Andrew and I decided to get a dog, and we ended up getting two – Xena and Jet, who are sisters." Natalie says having the dogs helped her socially and gave her confidence a boost. "When you are out with the dogs, you can guarantee that someone will stop and chat to you," she says.

"Also, I used to be quite a timid person but that wouldn't have worked with the dogs.

"They can pick up when you are weak or afraid, and it gives them more power than they should have – you have to learn to be the leader of the pack."

When Natalie had a second daughter called Georgina, the dogs helped her so much that she decided to make a career out of working with them.

"I started with a dog-walking service and through that I got to understand how they think," she says. The mother-of-two from Cannock was so pleased with her success that she did a diploma in dog psychology and trained as a dog whisperer. "My first case was a dog from Southampton who was not very good on the lead," she says.

"After I had that success, I started working on other dogs, and the reaction has been fantastic. I am insured to work with six dogs at a time but I usually focus on four, and getting them into a pack helps to socialise them."

Natalie says dogs usually have the same anti-social or awkward behaviour problems that can be corrected. I had a dog that would only drink milk, and after a few days I got her to have water," she says.

"Another pet was worried about crossing the road and would dash across to get to the other side as fast as possible.

"Once they are with other dogs in a pack, they learn to behave themselves and to obey their owner. They have natural urges, and one of those is chasing cats, but if you stay in control, the chasing doesn't happen.

"It is all about staying calm and being assertive but at the same time you have to be on the ball and watch the dog's behaviour."

Natalie says that often it can be the owner that is the problem and not the dog. "A lot of dog owners are dog lovers, and so they treat their pets more like a human," she says.

"This automatically gives the dog more power in the house. Before you can train a dog, you need to give it some exercise, which makes sure the adrenaline has gone. Some dogs are into agility, whereas others are good at obedience or retrieving, and focussing on their strengths can also help.

"I enjoy helping dogs because they helped me – I wouldn't have the confidence that I do now and I wouldn't be doing a job I love."