Mindful Pets

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Pippa

vía Google

Choosing the right dog for our lifestyle was very important to us, and we are truly grateful for Arianna’s ongoing support and expertise. Arianna took time to understand our relationship with previous dogs and stressed the importance of educating the dog and understanding its needs from puppyhood. She clearly advised us on the breed we were considering, offering valuable guidance on breeders, breed attitudes, character, nutrition, care, and maintenance. Her thoughtful approach gave us confidence in our decision. In the early months with Ebba, our Westie, life was both challenging and rewarding. House training, finding the right diet, and getting enough sleep were initial hurdles. Arianna provided practical support and set exercises for us to follow, reviewing the results periodically. Thanks to her help, we managed to overcome these challenges together, and we felt reassured that putting our lives on hold for the dog's long-term well-being was worthwhile. Socialisation proved to be key, and now, 18 months on, our happy Westie is friendly with other dogs, adults, and children, which brings us immense joy. Some of our biggest challenges included living apart at different locations, so we made it a priority to stay in the same place during the first few months. The puppy was resistant to having a harness and lead put on, but with patience, routine, and a calm attitude, we overcame this. We worked on our own feelings, learned to relax more, and became less reactive. Essential aspects such as recall, luring, socialisation, separation, play, and understanding the pup’s non-verbal language helped us gain balance in our lives. Leaving Ebba at home alone while going out to watch a movie or have a meal remains a challenge, but we continue to work on it and know which steps to take. The puppy education provided by Arianna has helped us build a stronger bond, a sense of belonging, and real fulfilment as a family. We cherish watching our Westie thrive and bring happiness to our lives. One memorable moment was watching her confidently explore the park for the first time, greeting other dogs and people with enthusiasm—an experience that truly deepened our connection. Today, life with our Westie is vibrant and joyful. She hops into the car, train, or bus to join us on our travels, enjoying both city and coastal life to the full. We continue to be apart sometimes at our homes, but she spends time with us separately or together, adapting beautifully. To ensure she is not overstimulated, we balance her adventures with quiet moments, like sniffing in the undergrowth or a gentle run in the park or on the beach with her friends. We are very much part of her social group, and she brings us constant joy. Looking back, we can't imagine life without our Westie. The journey has taught us patience and empathy, and we are delighted to see Ebba so well-adjusted and happy.

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Mike Gallo

vía Google

We had our first puppy ever as a family and from the outset it wasn’t the dream we hoped for. We had nowhere to turn and were blessed to find Mindful Pets. They came the next day as we called them and supported us throughout the journey, in person, via email, on video calls, always going the extra mile. Despite the puppy starting to show promise, our journey didn’t end well and we had to return it. However even in these difficult moments, we still received support and guidance from Arianna, always putting the puppy’s best interest and well being first. It’s in these extreme conditions that real care and professionalism shows, so despite the sad ending, we were reassured we made the right choice and received the support we needed and wouldn’t have got otherwise.

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Aris Tsiros

vía Google

I have a ten year old mixed-breed doggo. We lived together in Athens, Greece for the better part of her life. When I decided to bring her to Edinburgh, I was afraid she wouldn’t adapt well given that she was not trained beyond the basic commands of ‘sit, stay, paw’. I thought she had separation anxiety and issues with other female dogs. My biggest fear was that I wouldn’t be able to let her off the lead due to her history of running after stray cats, even into busy roads. Until my partner and I found Ariana. After a lot of research, we decided that Ariana would be up for the task. And boy she was! Not only did she manage to tame this predatory beast, she also taught us the most important things, which are how to understand and communicate with our dog, how to meet her needs, and how to provide her with a safe and calm environment. Now, the walks which had been so stressful in the past have become the most blissful and enjoyable thing to do with her. We can now happily let her off lead and let her explore her surroundings, knowing that she’ll come back. In addition, leaving her alone at home is no longer another stress – thanks to Ariana’s help, we saw a huge improvement in this in literally 24 hours. To our surprise, Ariana helped us to realise that our dog wasn’t actually the one with the separation anxiety… Ariana is an excellent trainer who knows and understands animal behaviour and psychology. She truly loves and cares for your animal and wants the best for them. The only thing you have to do is listen to her, and follow her advice! We’re so grateful for all her help and support.

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Sarah Murphy

vía Google

Arriana is lovely and so helpful, I was at breaking point with my puppy and wondering if id made the right decision to get him. I contacted Mindful Pets and she’s helped turned everything around for us. Arriana took the time to look at every aspect of our situation and was always on hand for advice. I’m so grateful and I’m finally at the point where I’m actually enjoying being a dog owner and he’s a much happier little puppy!

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Giulia Tagliavini

vía Google

We first contacted Arianna because we thought that our dog, Mortimer, was reactive to people and other dogs. He used to bark angrily to everyone and we were starting to feel like we couldn’t control nor teach our pup to behave better. Any other trainer would have probably just treated Mortimer like an aggressive/reactive dog, but Arianna spent lot of time and energy trying to understand the deeper meaning and causes of Mortimer’s behaviour. She taught us how to truly improve our relationship with Mortimer by learning how to understand him better. Just after three lessons we saw not only Mortimer’s improvements but also ours, we were all becoming more confident and happy together! I would definitely recommend her to anyone in need of advice because she really care about each dog like her own. Thanks Arianna for all your help!