WHEN their rescue Jack Russell reduced his owners to crawling around their home on all fours they were forced to call in top doggie therapists.

Now Sophie McCoy and Daniel Moores' year-old brown, black and white cross's bark is worse than his bite.

Within two days of being chosen from Leigh Cats and Dogs' Home, Orson turned on his new pals.

After he lunged at Sophie the couple hoped it was a one off incident, but this was not the case, and the couple received many nasty bites.

Sophie said: "Orson's behaviour was monstrous and on one occasion we were forced to spend almost an hour standing on top of the kitchen work surface to avoid his nashers.

"We had put food in his bowl thinking that he might be hungry, but rather than eating it he turned on us."

The attacks became more frequent but the couple learned that if they lowered themselves to the dog's height he would allow them to move around their Leigh flat without a fight.

"We were reduced to crawling round our home," said Daniel.

The couple tried everything they could think of but nothing worked until they contacted home dog training company, Bark Busters.

Lindsay Casteel, Lancashire area dog therapist, visited Orson with principal therapist Carol O'Herlihy.

With over 10 years' experience Carol admits Orson was a hard case to crack. But eventually they succeeded.

She said: "He needed a lot of convincing that he couldn't bully everyone in to submission. He is very lucky to have such loving owners, many people would have sent him straight back to the rescue centre or worse still would have had him destroyed."

Sophie and Daniel's persistence has paid off and they now have a well-mannered dog who walks obediently to heel without a lead and has stopped being aggressive.

Sophie, of Orchard Close, said: "When we got Orson he was 99pc monster and 1pc sweet dog, now he is 99pc sweet dog and I have gone from hating him to loving him."

Daniel said: "The last month has been great. We both feel confident that we can control Orson and the results are amazing."

To contact a Bark Buster therapist call Freephone 0808 100 4071.