TESTIMONIALS

Renee, Josh & Asa

I just wanted to check in with you both to let you know we followed your advice and have been super consistent since Asa came home.  I’m writing you because Josh and I are relaxing on a Saturday with both Asa and mako lying down with us on the sofa right now! First time - ever!  I thought this might never be a possibility, but the positive change in the dynamic among all of us has been so evident, we have slowly been giving Asa more freedom.  We did this by watching Asa AND Mako’s behavior- which I’ve found to be very telling.  He is now acting so much differently around her.  Before he would avoid her- abandon his bed, his food, or us if she came around.  Even if we tried to call him to us with her near, he wouldn’t come.  Now,  I can pet Asa and mako can approach me with no reaction from Asa.  Mako’s not even apprehensive about it! Before she would try to position herself in front of him or become aggressive towards him.

Asa is still our goofy, kinda hyper dog, but the aggression seems to be gone!! There were only two growls at Mako soon after coming home, and they were quickly addressed and DONE!  If she’s getting too excited/running crazy, we tell her no- and she stops. No more jumping on us, on guests, etc.  

We still treat food like a loaded gun, because of the severe food aggression she had with mako, but I can put her on Place and feed Mako in the same room (supervised only) and she won’t budge. She’s not even bothered- she’s relaxed!

I know there’s a positive only movement right now in dog training, but I can tell you, that did not work with my dog. She was getting more and more aggressive at the expense of my other dog and had even bitten my husband over food. So what’s cruel? Using a collar that lets her know she’s doing something wrong before it’s out of control (which I barely have to use at all, and if so, it’s literally barely felt!) or allowing her behavior to continually result in terrible dog fights with my other, innocent dog?  If you remember, I went to you after both Asa and Mako had emergency vet visits because of a ferocious dog fight. I was thinking Asa may have to be in a single-dog home to be able to function.  

I know that your training saved Mako, Asa, and us from a lot of heartache and pain! I am a firm believer in balanced, cruelty-free dog training to create balanced, loving, happy dogs

Thanks for everything!

Erin & Iko

I just wanted to drop you a line to say how well Iko did on his first night home! He tested us a few times right away by trying to pop out of place without permission but got right back on after a small correction. He also jumped up on my bed once when I tried to have him do place on a mat in my bedroom while I was getting ready this morning, but he hopped right off and into place with a small correction.  In the middle of night last night, there was a massive car or house alarm that went off about a block away, and this morning a road crew was doing survey work in the street in front of our house, and both times (aside from a few audible "harumphs"), he didn't react very much at all, whereas in the past he would have been barking up a storm and pacing/whining/howling at the noise outside. We put his crate outside our bedroom and he didn't whine at all (we were expecting the opposite). He stopped "harumph"-ing with a small correction.  He also did great on his structured walk this morning. Overall I'm really, really happy with how he is doing so far and I am so grateful that y'all laid such a solid foundation for us to keep working with him!

Thank you again for everything!

Samantha & Koda

I just wanted to email you both to update you on Koda. The drive to Georgia was simple and Koda was beyond compliant on his walks when we took breaks during the drive. When we got home, he responded to me and there was no issue with him exerting excessive excitement when he saw Blaise. We have had him out with us in the living room and he has blown us away with how well behaved and responsive he is. Also, we introduced him to the cat in a very nonchalant and monitored environment, and again there were no issues with either one.

I could not thank the Good Dog team enough for preparing/teaching me how to be the person Koda needs. And most importantly, I cannot even express my gratitude for all the effort you all put forth to help my dog.

This is an amazing program and I feel like we now are blessed with a new, happier, and safer Koda.

Rachel & Willow

“Words cannot express the goodness! Willow is the most chill dog now - her “place” is great and walks are ACTUALLY PLEASANT OMG.
We just had a Fed Ex guy make a large delivery - an event which previously would have made me put her in her kennel because of barking - and she chilled in her dog bed in the place command the entire time. Like a boss.
You are magical thank you so much!!”

Alex & Danielle

I want to extend a big thanks from Danielle and I. He is certainly 'on' less and yet, still very much himself (chased the ball today when we played, same as ever!). So glad I chose TGD. Between the walks and the self-control he is showing, AND the ease with which you showed us how the system works, we are very happy with our decision. Looking forward to any answers you can provide to the questions above!

adam and elana besserman

We have a year and a half old Goldendoodle, and taking him to The Good Dog is the best thing we have ever done for our little Topher. The difference in Topher’s behavior and state of mind is palpable. Overall, Topher was a great dog… he was sweet, friendly, playful, loved people, gentle with kids, great with most dogs, and really smart. But he had some issues. Topher would pull on the leash, jump on the table for food, occasionally bite hands (playfully) while playing, he would chase bikes and skateboards, would get stubborn at times and only follow commands if a treat was involved, and he was anxious and clingy. After just 1 session with Sean, we saw most of these issues vanish, and by the second session a week later, Topher had pretty much tackled every one of his issues.

Now, in addition to being the smart, friendly, lovable guy he always was, Topher does the following… he remains calmly by our side on walks, obediently sits and lays down when we tell him to (and doesn’t move until we release him), goes to his “place” when we command him (and he doesn’t get up off his mat until we release him), doesn’t jump on people or bite hands, and he can calmly sit at the edge of a bike path watching bikes and skateboards zoom by, completely unphased. Now, we even run Topher on the bike path, and he has lost all interest in bikes and skateboards. But the best change is his state of mind. Topher is visibly more relaxed, comfortable and at ease in the world. He doesn’t seem to mind if we get up and walk away, he doesn’t race to the door at the sound of the door bell, and he’s just much more at peace.

We’re thrilled of the changes that Sean helped evoke in Topher, but we’re equally appreciative of the care he took in explaining the theory behind his approach. Sean equipped us with an understanding of how these changes lead to other, bigger changes in Topher’s state of mind, which helps us reinforce the learnings by always keeping the bigger picture in mind. Instead of telling us what to do, Sean explained why we’re doing it, which creates less of a situation where we’re blindly following steps, and more of a dialogue between us and Topher. Sean hasn’t just helped Topher overcome some behavior and mental issues. He helped us to understand Topher, and empowered us to have a much closer relationship with our dog.

jay and mike loyd

We rescued our little terrier mix Lloyd in May 2012 because he had everything we were looking for in a dog. Unfortunately, once he got comfortable in our home after ten days, Lloyd starting attacking and biting us when we would try to touch him or give him any commands. The acting out got progressively worse until we felt like prisoners in our own home! We couldn’t control him, but we couldn’t leave him alone. Though the shelter had offered a return policy, I refused to let this dog go back and potentially be killed for bad behavior. We made a commitment to the dog that we needed to see through, and so instead of turning in the towel I started asking for help. A friend of mine recommended Sean and The Good Dog for serious cases. I called them late on a Saturday night and they were kind enough to listen to my story while I was in tears that my dream of rescuing a dog had turned in to a nightmare. Sean and Laura decided that Lloyd needed to be seen immediately since the situation was dangerous. We booked the first available in-home session where I learned all the basics. I was scared about the undertaking, but felt like it was necessary for my troubled dog. I attempted to follow the rules to the letter after they left, but unfortunately things only got worse because Lloyd was a very serious case and the two of us were now in a battle for control.

After realizing I was in over my head, Sean and Laura came and picked up Lloyd to take with them for a two week board-and-train at The Good Dog (that turned in to a three-week stay because Lloyd needed more time to adapt his ways). During this time I felt horrible and anxious, but knew that it was for a good cause and Lloyd was in capable hands. We learned so much about dog (and human!) psychology through Sean and Laura’s teachings–they were very patient and kind while answering our innumerable questions, and where most trainers would have thought he was a lost cause, they expressed such confidence with being able to help Lloyd that we never had any doubts that things would get better. They both have very positive outlooks for dog training and life, and that helps immensely when dealing with distraught dog owners such as myself. Our nerves and fears were calmed when hearing about Sean and Laura’s trials with their own dogs, and knowing that they understood our feelings in that moment was one of the key things to gaining our trust.

Ultimately, Lloyd came back to us and we were all thrilled for the reunion. We now understand his issues so much better and know the work that needs to be done to address them. We followed the necessary doctrine for the first month to establish our leadership, and we slowly eased up on things as his behavior got better and his anxiety eased. We are so well educated about our dog now that if we do start seeing any signs of disobedience, we immediately go back to basics with him and reestablish our dominance. It’s been one of the hardest things emotionally that we’ve ever done, but in the end it was totally worth it. Our lives have changed for the better and getting to see Lloyd find joy in a world that previously dealt him a rough hand is the greatest reward we could have asked for with all our hard work!

mary and james cramer

We took Ryeley out today on a hike through the woods. He was an engaged hiker – checking out all of the frozen-over low spots, sniffing what the coyotes left behind, and checking to see where we were. He came when called even when sniffing apparently aromatic matter or playing in the water! We all practiced down-stays in the sun. It was an amazing time, thanks to the work that Sean and Laura did last week with Ryeley and with us. Who would have thought you could make so much difference in 4 days! Thank you!

SARAH ELLIS AND LOLA

When I first found The Good Dog, I truly thought it was too good to be true. How can anyone take dogs that are unmanageable and even aggressive and in a few weeks transform them into new dogs? I seriously couldn’t believe my eyes watching some of the videos. My pitbull mix Lola had long given up on listening to me years ago. She didn’t understand that a walk meant “walk” and instead would pull me down the street to the point where I’d given up thinking walks were even possible. Walks were also only the beginning, she was very anxious, severely dog aggressive after being in some nasty dog, and needed to be in control of every situation she was in. Other trainers I worked with told me that Lola would never be able to be around other dogs and getting her a gentle leader or muzzle while avoiding all dogs would be the best way to handle her aggression and pulling. She was only 3 when I was told this….and I thought how the heck will I last another 10+ years like this? Reading Sean’s blog and the testimonials started to give me hope, but it wasn’t until I spoke with Laura that I actually thought there may be a light at the end of the dark tunnel Lola and I were headed. I was frustrated, feeling hopeless, and I had given up trying because I didn’t know how to handle any situation with her out of the house. When I met with Sean I told him that this was my last hope. I have since seen that having Lola board with him for 2 weeks was by far the best thing I could have done for Lola’s quality of life, and our relationship together.

Sean originally told me that Lola was far from his worst dog case, which definitely helped my confidence and hopefulness. If people had dogs worse than Lola, and they were able to improve, then maybe Lola could too! The 2 weeks that he had her, I kept looking at the updates on his Facebook and was shocked that 2 days into her boarding with him, she was sitting HAPPILY next to another dog and playing with his pack of dogs. By the end of the 2 weeks, I was amazed at my beautiful girl and how calm, relaxed, and happy she was. She was now receptive to directions and commands, enjoyed being able to relax in her place while not being overly anxious about what everyone else was doing, and most importantly no longer were walks something to dread, but instead a refreshing exercise for both of us where she would walk along side or behind me….instead of the pulling until I was running that I had been used to.

One of the most important things I’ve learned from Sean though was how I needed to change and if I didn’t, all the work he did would be useless. I had to realize that MY actions affected HER actions in every single way. My treating her as an equal gave her the impression that I wasn’t strong enough to handle tough situations, so she had to do it herself. She lost the same faith and trust in me, that I lost in her when things got tough. Sean gave Lola the foundation to be a calm and relaxed dog in her environment with him, but it was my job to continue building upon that so she felt safe and secure enough to relax and not be anxious about all that was happening around her no matter where that environment was. I needed to show her that I had control and would protect her regardless of the situation so she could believe it and not try to take matters into her own hands. Changing my bad habits of babying her, working on my leadership skills, and ending the excuses I continuously made for her by holding us both accountable for our actions were key in the work Sean had me do.

I may not think his training is too good to be true anymore, but I wholeheartedly believe Sean is a miracle worker with dogs in how quickly he gets them to turn over a new leaf. Each new day since Lola has been home has been amazing. now know it’s possible for us to live a much more relaxed and happy life together, which is all I ever hoped for. I can have the balance of doting on her while still letting her know I’m in charge and she can still be just as happy a dog in a relaxed mindset instead of a hyper mindset.

I would recommend Sean and The Good Dog Training to everyone that I meet who has a dog – he isn’t about fixing that one issue that your dog has, he’s about changing the mindset of you and your dog so that those issues and others don’t even exist if you’re using his tools correctly and consistently. There simply are not enough words to truly express my gratitude and appreciation for how much he’s helped improve Lola’s and my life. I only wish I would’ve called him sooner.

SUSANE LAINE FRITZ

We can thank everyone at TGD enough for their great work with our Stella, and with us! Somehow y’all instilled a wonderfully calm, stable, and pleasant demeanor into our over-exuberant puppy. Stella is now very well behaved and she still has her spunky personality intact. That´s exactly what we were hoping for and we are so grateful! We now have the tools we need to provide her with a safe and inclusive life within our family and with other family pets. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts! <3