A PET owner called in a Chorley 'dog whisperer' to help calm her nervous animals.

Former primary school headteacher Patsy Nickson became the proud owner of Grumps and Chuckles, two tiny border collies, last year, but the pair soon became too much of a handful.

Patsy, 46, said: "They're quite big so people imagine they're fully grown but they're only babies.

"I took them to an obedience class first, but Grumps sat under a chair and was very stressed."

So Patsy called in television regular Dr David Sands, a professional animal behaviourist, who has spent the last eight years running a clinic in Heapey.

Dr Sands is renowned for his work with animals and has appeared on Granada Reports, Pet Rescue and 999 Rescue where he showed viewers how to ward off a dog attack.

Dr Sands said: " In the old days dogs were re-housed or euthanased. I have probably saved a hundred dogs in the last year."

Despite being known as a Dr Doolittle, Dr Sands, 50, is proud of his profession.

He said: "People working in this field have made developments that have helped other areas, like improving conditions in zoos.

" And he is confident he can help Patsy and her two noisy, nervous dogs. He said: "These dogs have a real neurotic insecurity.

"Their parents would have been sheep dogs. They have probably been taken away from the litter too soon.

"The male thinks he has to protect everybody."

Patsy, of Leyland Lane, Leyland, said: "We live by a main road and there's noise and people coming in and out all the time. Grumps is just a nervous wreck.

"It is nice to get somebody to reassure you that what ever the problem is it's okay."