Emma Mustard

The thing that sets Hilary apart is her genuine love for what she does and her presence; dogs listen! Hilary takes a holistic approach and supports the humans as well as training the dog. None of this throwing treats on the floor training, this is proper behaviours and doggy psychology. Exactly what I needed to be confident as a first time dog parent!

As a pup, my dog was an insatiable biter with a high energy drive coming from working lines. The biting was so bad, so constant that one of the larger dog rehoming charities suggested handing him over. I’m no quitter but was fast running out of options. We found Hilary. We turned a corner, and I’m so proud to say I have a beautiful dog now. Gentle, well mannered, balanced and he’s my best friend.

I would highly recommend Hilary for anyone needing some guidance with their dog.

A woman smiling and holding a black dog on her shoulder, outdoors with colorful artwork of shells and green leafy patterns in the background.
A large brown dog with a black and white face walking on a narrow dirt trail surrounded by green foliage.

Yvonne Balfour

Working with Hilary has been a great experience for both me and my rehomed Great Dane. Before training, Memphis struggled mainly with lead pulling and reactivity, but with Hilary's patient, positive, and knowledgeable approach, we saw progress after only 2 sessions! Not only has this benefitted Memphis, but it's made myself and my husband more confident and relaxed in dealing with these issues when out on walks. It's an ongoing process, but we definitely now have the tools to carry on!

We feel empowered to continue reinforcing the training at home. I can’t recommend Hilary enough to anyone looking for a caring, skilled, and effective dog trainer!

Julie Laidlaw

I could not recommend Hilary enough.

Not only is she reliable and trustworthy, she goes above and beyond to make sure that Leo is taken care of when I am working in the office.  She is really kind and a lovely person and has become a great friend.  I would not hesitate to recommend her to anyone looking for a dog trainer/walker.  We know Leo is in very safe hands and puts our minds at ease knowing he is being well looked after.

Hilary has been very flexible around my work schedule, and will always go the extra mile even helping me when Leo went to the groomer.  Leo can be very anxious, reactive and I always know when she is there I have nothing to worry about.  She will also keep me updated on their walks together and sending me pictures.

Hilary is now a big part of our lives and I cannot imagine how we could cope without her.  

A brown dog with floppy ears and a white patch on its chest sitting on a wooden floor, looking up at the camera, wearing a red collar.
Close-up of a black and tan mixed-breed dog with brown eyes, wearing a purple collar with white polka dots and a bone-shaped tag, inside a home with wooden flooring and a gray rug.

Tracy Miller

Before Hilary began working with our 4 year old rescue dog, Mara, we were unable to take her to the groomers due to her reactive behaviour with strangers.

Hilary came to our house and after a number of sessions and 1:1 work with Mara she gained her trust and we are now able to leave Mara at the groomers under Hilary's care, where she allows Pam, the groomer to give her the full works!

Anne Swan

I would highly recommend Hilary, she is an excellent dog behaviouralist.

From the first telephone conversation with her, she gave us hope that we could help our boy (Cockapoo)with the difficulties we were facing.

He was showing signs of fear based reactivity, which led to not being able to have people in to the house, walks being a nightmare, grooming issues, the list was endless and having 3 children aged 11-16 at home we knew this needed addressed.

As soon as Hilary entered our home she got to work straight away and seeing first hand the difference in our boy, after a few minor changes, made us all feel confident that we could work this out.

By us taking control and showing him we would advocate for him, that he doesn’t have to face daily challenges on his own or on our behalf, has made such a difference. There is no quick fix with this, the work is ongoing, but with Hilary’s advice and support, and us as a family putting the work in, we are seeing a much more contented and happy boy. Our work continues daily, but knowing Hilary is only a phone call away if we need her makes all the difference.

Thank you so much Hilary from The Swan family x

Close-up of a light-colored, curly-haired dog with dark eyes and a black collar in a home interior.
A small white dog with a pink bandana sitting on a dark tiled floor near a gray wall.

Lesley Ewen

We are very grateful for all the help and support Hilary has given us and continues to do so with our westie. Hilary very quickly built up trust with us and our dog, putting us all at ease. Our westie is always delighted to see Hilary goes with her no problem to the groomer. Hilary has helped our dog get used to regular grooms working at her pace and building up her tolerance to all aspects of the groom. Would highly recommend Hilary.