Another Great Testimonial

This came into me today…it is from a wonderful client that just finished up her 2nd round of training…we spread the second series of training over about 8 months and at 15months old she has an awesome trained GSD.

Hey Jeff:    Now that we’ve finished up the last of our training Iwanted to thank you for giving us the tools and encouragement to train
Dakota to bring out the awesome dog that he is.

We knew we would be getting someone to help us train a GSD if we got
one, but didn’t expect to need someone so soon….I had pictured having
my puppy and three kids rolling around on the floor playing
together..but that ideal was dashed as my adorable little puppy, though
just being a puppy and wanting to play with my kids, was making my kids
cry and not want to play with him because of his sharp little teeth.
 And although I’ve owned three other dogs I was not able to figure out
how to stop this stubborn little pup without keeping them separated
which I did not want to do…hence we ended up hiring you because you
had 2 GSD’s and 6 kids of your own.   Thank you for “rescuing” us and
showing us how to become the “pack leader” and manage/control him so he
could become a welcome member of our family…even though it took a
while because you said I “babied” him….you were right (but I’d do it
again)…..however, while it took some time and I questioned you a
million times if you thought I had established myself as such….
pretty sure I’ve become the “pack leader”!!!

Thank you for your encouragement and positive words as we did our
homework and trained him to sit/stay, down/stay, come, place, heel and
be able to be off leash and come by the time he was 6 months old.

Thank you for taking him for a week and solidifying his commands…and
amazingly for all my concern he was just fine without me (imagine that).

Thank you for the offer to have him in your obedience demonstration at the dog show…that was a great compliment.

Thank you for getting in the cold, cold water at Lincoln Woods in March
in your ridiculous looking waders and giving him the confidence that he
could swim….and me the confidence that he would not freak out and I’d
have to go in and rescue him.  And most of all for giving me another
option for exercising him due to my concern about his hips (thanks to
my vet).

Thank you for suggesting getting another opinion on his hips (so I could stop worrying).

Thank you for your awesome encouraging response when he finally did
swim all by himself and had such fun!!  I was so thrilled and no one
else seemed to get it.

Thank you for your patience with me as I have been hard headed about
wanting to understand “WHY” I sometimes have trouble getting him to do
some of the “advanced” stuff and for setting me straight with your
advice to just keep “training” him and not get caught up in my “goals”
for him and for your patience with me when you think I’m not
“listening” to you.

Thank you for meeting me on such quick notice when I decided I wanted
to get the leather leash and handle before my kid’s baseball game.  The
handle has been such a great tool for keeping him “on leash”
technically but giving him the freedom to play with other dogs or
retrieve while at my kids’ baseball/football games and also for working
on off leash heeling.

Thank you for taking the time to answer my email regarding where to go
biking with the dog off leash.  I had forgotten about that place and
the kids, Dakota, and I had some fun times this summer there…the kids
were sooo excited when they found baby turtles.

Thank you for encouraging us to use the place command…it is very useful (now that I remember to use it).

Thank you for meeting to “talk” about dog training and some problems we
were encountering just because I really needed someone to talk to about
these things who worked with dogs.

Thank you for your reminders to be POSITIVE.

Thank you for the offer to let Dakota play with your dogs when no one
seemed to want to let their dog play with my friendly but large German
Shepherd.

Thank you for your encouragement that I could…and enthusiasm when I
did…..take Dakota kayaking by myself down Narrow River……and for
helping us have a well trained 95 lb. GSD that I can take kayaking…now
how about rock climbing…………

Thank you for responding to my zillion questions/issues over the past
year as Dakota has gone from being a 12 week old puppy to a 15 month
old “teenager”.

I was
thinking of all the positives and your training has played a major part
in the following:  Dakota is a well-trained dog I can take anywhere, walking through a
crowded city and standing on corners with cars, big buses, loud
motorcycles and emergency vehicles just feet from him without him
flinching, on the skinny crowded cliff walk w/ a 4 year old on my back
w/ him heeling right next to us, on a bike path with skateboarders,
bikers, joggers, strollers, and roller bladers w/o him batting an eye,
kayaking, canoeing, biking, hiking, swimming, and to the beach and
parks, and he can be off leash at most of these places, not bother
anyone, and listen to me (most times..if not that’s is what the ecollar
is for).  He is good with other dogs even ones that are nipping at him,
I don’t have to walk on the other side of the road, path, or beach when
other people or dogs walk by.  I can let him out of the car w/o a leash
and he’ll stay right there, he can play frisbee/ball next to a group of
kids who are playing ball too without bothering them or taking their
ball, you can take anything out of his mouth and he’ll drop anything w/
the out command, he is not a “barker” except for a reason, he will sit
and stay while I’m talking to someone, he can be tied up
while I’m in a store and not have a fit.  He can go to Waterfire and
walk in a parade with 15 other dogs and tons of people and stay in
command. And he can go to my kids
baseball and football games and husband’s office and be very well
behaved.  And I get tons of compliments which I have to pass on to you
about how well-trained and well-behaved Dakota is…especially for his
age.

It was a quite a bit harder than I expected to get a German Shepherd
puppy with three young and very active boys and I really appreciate
your training methods, your help in implementing them, and your
encouragement throughout the last year.  You understand dogs and
people….train both…..and are very successful at it.  It’s been cool
to watch your successes over the last year.  And it’s been great to
have someone to go to with all my questions and his issues….lucky,
lucky you……I’ll miss you.  Thanks for everything and best
wishes!!!!  Jenn (and family)