Pooches keeping the peace

May 8 2011 by Mr Justice, Sunday Sun

A COUPLE driven barking mad by constant yapping from their dogs are enjoying the sound of silence, thanks to Mr Justice.

Ken and Lynne Patterson told me how Lynne could not get their pooches to pipe down until we featured their story.

The Sunday Sun revealed last month how they had paid £300 for bizarre advice without success.

They were told to water bomb their pets – cross Border Lakeland terriers Molly and Ted – to stop the noise.

Now the three-year-old dogs are behaving impeccably after our story was spotted by a woman known as the Female Dog Whisperer.

Dawn Welsh agreed to visit the couple, of Cramlington, Northumberland, for free.

Retired butcher Ken, 68, said the dogs have calmed down since the therapy.

He said: “I didn’t think she could do it, but I have had to eat my words.

“Molly and Ted still bark, but we can stop it almost immediately.

“All we have to do is say ‘shh’ and gently stroke them below the neck and they stop barking.

“I was worried it would not be permanent, but it has been three weeks since Dawn was here and it still works.

“What she has done for us has been marvellous and I can’t thank her enough.”

Ken had been desperate for peace and quiet and had tried several methods in the past.

It was a company called Bark Busters who advised him to use water bombs.

But Dawn, of Clackheaton, West Yorkshire, said: “Water bombing is the worst thing in the world for dogs.

“I wanted to show it is possible to stop dogs barking without using such techniques.”

Dawn describes herself as a dog whisperer rather than a trainer.

She said: “A dog trainer tells the dog what to do. I look at what the dog is actually trying to tell me.”

Marcus Woodward, UK managing director of Bark Busters, defended the policy which involves throwing a water bomb near the dog as a distraction technique.

Speaking earlier he said: “The water bomb is just one technique we would use along with a vocal correction.

“It is used as a means to break the focus of the dog and get its attention back on the owner.

“We would only use it in cases where we find aggression towards people, dogs, and other animals.

“Water bombs are not to be used on a continual basis.”

Lynne, 69, said she was embarrassed to use the water bombs.

She said: “We threw balloons filled with water from an upstairs window into the patio if the dogs were barking.

“All they did was jump up and then lick the water. It was laughable.

“Now we have them at a word thanks to Dawn and the Sunday Sun.”

Lynne said she was recovering from a major operation when the dogs were puppies and did not have had the energy to stamp her authority on them at the time.