German Shepherd

Sable

I just wanted to give a big shout out to The Canine Academy.  There are not enough thank you's to show how much we appreciate Lisa and all the staff at The Canine Academy.  

We started out doing the classes with our Sable (German Shepherd).  She was 4 months at the time.  After doing the classes we found that we could not give her the time she needed to train to be her very best.  We have two toddlers (2 and 4) and adding a puppy into the mix was very stressful. So we decided to put Sable in the off leash program. I CAN NOT stress enough that this is the very best thing for your dog and family.  DO NOT wait till your dog is a "OK" dog or even worse a "hard-to-control' dog. Start from the beginning so they know its the way of life.  

Everyone at The Canine Academy welcomes you with big smiles and heart warming conversations.  I knew Sable would be in the greatest hands.  I actually felt bad bringing her back home once she graduated because she loved and still loves them all.  When we board her she goes in with a wiggly butt and all.  She is so happy to see them. And yes when she graduated she was able to board with them. So you can now go away and feel confident your furry love is being well taken care of.

It is remarkable how much she has been taught.  The confidence in both of us is the best feeling ever. She is gentle and great with our kids.  She is now able to be included in all our family happenings.  Even hopping in the car to go to the local hardware.  She has and will continue to have a great life.  Please let your dog have the best life ever.  After all they are family and deserve to be included in every aspect that is possible.

Many thanks, 

The McNabb's

Stella

Before Stella started off leash training she  was pulling  on the leash, whined all the time and we were starting to leave her at home because it wasn't enjoyable to take her with us! Now, Stella goes everywhere with us and is such a well mannered girl! She loves walks and doesn't pull on the leash! She's great around other dogs and is a happy puppy! We couldn't be happier with the results we got from Lisa and Canine Academy !

Sky

Thank you to Canine Academy for your help with our German Shepherd Sky. She came to you as a 10 month old puppy and all that entails—leash pulling, teeth-baring exuberance enough to scare anyone passing by, and acting possessed and fairly uncontrollable in her desire to chase anything moving (squirrels, cars…). She became an off-leash graduate about 10 months ago. Shortly after Sky returned home, we experienced one significant problem; Lisa responded immediately (within minutes of receiving my phone call) to work with us closely, help, and make it all better. I think it’s important to note that with the passage of time, Sky has only gotten better in her behavior as Lisa and her team have helped our family to continue/reinforce her training.  Canine Academy transformed her behavior. She’s still our same Sky—her spirit, personality, and bond with us are all strong and unchanged—but now Sky is such a pleasure to be with because of her excellent behavior. Whereas before the off-leash program, Sky and I literally were kicked out of local stores because Sky made such a scene, now we take Sky with us almost wherever we go. We constantly hear compliments on her great manners. If I ever get another dog I would definitely enroll again in the off-leash program. Canine Academy is GREAT!

Elsa

We rescued Elsa in July of 2015 when she was 9 months old. She knew some basic commands but was very head strong and unpredictable. She was a constant struggle. Jumping up, using mom as a chew toy and down right unruly. We couldn't get her in training soon enough. We enrolled her in both beginner and intermediate classes at Canine Academy. We learned a lot in these classes but it was hard to get her to focus and relax with all the other dogs in the class. She acted very aggressively towards them and us. At home she was ok, but everything was on her terms. After both of us working all day, we were exhausted but felt she needed constant attention and activity to exhaust her. Even after spending the day with the girls at Canine Academy day training, she was high energy and would never just relax. This put a lot of stress in our household. We struggled with the idea of spending the extra money on the Off Leash Training but realized it would give as a leg up on her training. One hour a week and us trying to take what we learned home was just not enough for her. She needed a full 6 weeks of constant training. After the 6 weeks it was time to get her. We were nervous and excited at the same time. We were AMAZED at her transformation!! She is now a pleasure to be around. She follows direction a lot better and is calm and focused. We are all able to relax at home now and are happy we made the decision to enroll her in the Off Leash Program. We would do it again with no hesitation. Lisa and her team are wonderful. They don't just send you off and say "good luck."" They want you to ask questions. They offer constant help as we are learning to continue to practice what Elsa has learned. We look forward to the coming year of Off Leash Outings with other graduates. It will be good for all of us to get exposure to different experiences and distractions, knowing Lisa is there to help us work out any difficulties we may have.
Thank you Lisa and your whole team for making Elsa the GREAT dog she was meant to be!!

Bella Plesz

Hi Lisa, 

Hope all is well! We went up to our cottage this past weekend for the first time this spring. I wanted to share with you how great Bella did! It's like having a brand new dog! Lots of neighbors, kids running around, and dogs up there, normally she is barking, nervous, and on guard the whole time. She was very relaxed with both the people and the other dogs  and we got lots of compliments from people who haven't seen her in a while. One of our good friends even brought his new puppy up to visit and she was terrific with him. We are so pleased about how the weekend went!

 

Thanks,

Missy Plesz
Rochester Mills Beer Company

“Lili”

The D'Aoust Family – “Lili” German Shepherd

Our dog Lili is a graduate of the Canine Academy Off Leash Program & all we can say is AMEN! She is a purebred German Shepherd & for some reason we seemed to think we could train her on our own. Needless to say, months later & many days & nights spent repeating "NO LILI" louder & louder we were totally exasperated & had almost given up. Then we heard about Canine Academy through a friend at work who raved about the total transformation of their dog via the training. We agreed it would be the best choice, especially as our family had a new baby & my husband was deployed overseas. Lisa met with me & immediately assessed the situation, sensing my exasperation & knowing they could help. I have to admit, I was pretty relieved to drop off Lili & relished the break during her training. I was a little apprehensive seeing her for the first time but immediately felt relief as she was behaved like a totally different dog! Lisa & her trainers had done what we couldn't.....no more mouthing, no more talking, no more bolting out the door & certainly no more jumping on guests. THANK GOODNESS! Lili is now a joy to be around & that couldn't have happened without  Canine Academy! Thank you Lisa and all the staff....we have a great dog thanks to you! 

Allen & Erika D'Aoust & the kids

"Sky"

The Washburn Family - "Sky" German Shepherd

After we lost our great companion of 13 years we thought we would never come across another dog to take her place. But 4 months later we ended up with a cute German Shepherd puppy. We named her Sky, she was so cute but we quickly learned we did not have the same patience we had 13 years ago. Sky became a hand full! Taking her for a walk was a very unpleasant event and her jumping, barking and just getting into everything had us at our wits end. We signed up for a 6 week, one day a week puppy class through Canine Academy and by the end of the class we realized we needed the pros to take over. It was a BIG decision to make, not only would we not be able to see her for 4 - 6 weeks we were also apprehensive that she would lose her playfulness and worse case scenario not remember us. Well, it has been 3 months since she finished her Off Leash Training and she is such a GREAT dog! Although she still has her mischievous moments, pulling it together is as simple as a one or two word command followed by praise. Life is good and Sky is a joy to have around thanks to the Canine Academy. Thanks to all of the trainers!

Joe and Barb Washburn

"Cholo"

Guy & Kelly Hefferon –"Cholo"- German Shepherd

The Canine Academy is great. Our German Shepherd Dog, Cholo, was basically unmanageable before we enrolled him in the off-leash program.  He would be out of his crate for a few seconds before he would engage in mouthing, jumping up on people or furniture, or some other undesirable behavior.  Since graduating from the off-leash program we are able to enjoy our dog, really, for the first time!
Guy & Kelly Hefferon

"CARLA"

The Korldalski Family - "CARLA"- German Shepherd

CARLA was like any typical puppy – cute, cuddly, full of energy and mischievous! So very precious! As she started to get older and bigger, her demeanor started changing and we didn’t think of her as so very precious! Just like a child, she was trying to get away with as much as possible. We decided we were going to nip her latitudes right in the bud! So we decided that puppy class was the way to go. Of course, our baby girl was the star of the class. We wouldn’t have it any other way (RIGHT)!!!! Well she actually did well with the commands, especially when she knew she could get all the treats she wanted. But as quickly as time went by, so did her puppy socialization skills. We were now faced by a powering and protective doggie. She loved to go outside so she could continuously bark and growl at anybody. She loved to go for walks so she would pull and drag you around the block. Oh and heaven forbid if another dog wanted to meet and greet her, it was like demons possessed. She was getting too big, and we were afraid of losing our control over her. So one day, when Daddy came home and said “I heard an ad on the radio about this place called Canine Academy, where if you have a good dog and want a great dog™, give us a call”. We checked it out on the Internet and were greatly impressed. We decided then to call and make an appointment to discuss the Off-Leash Program.  A little nervous were we, but as soon as we met Lisa and Leah that day we immediately knew that we needed and wanted to do this for our CARLA – it was off to Puppy College, as we called it. I couldn’t wait to get my weekly update, and yes, I was told that she was the Doggie of the Week!  Oh, we can’t forget the special mail that we would anxiously wait for – loved the pictures! We were so impressed with the outcome! We ABSOULUTELY feel it was well work it!  Canine Academy told us that this training is not just a 6 week class and you’re done, it is for life! As we continue to enjoy our well trained CARLA, we continue to work with her daily and attend follow-up classes. At times, she still likes to think she can give some attitude, but with all we have learned and to continue to learn, we know just how to direct and keep our precious CARLA safe!!! We are SOOOOO very grateful to ALL at Canine Academy.

"Rex"

The Medici Family – "Rex"- German Shepherd

Rex our German Shepard had an attitude problem that was getting him in trouble.  He was a sweetheart in the house but outside he was out of control.  He had a two sided personality.  He needed manners and control.  We enrolled him in the beginner training class at the Oxford center.  The week before class was to start I called Lisa in a panic.  Rex was getting worse and I was afraid that I would not be able to handle all 94lbs of him in class.  Lisa and I talked about the Off-Leash Program and she setup and appointment for my husband and I to go over all that was involved in off leash training.
It was a long 6 weeks and we missed Rex a lot.  I really enjoyed he progress reports each week for Gretchen and the pictures that came in the mail.
Rex has been home one month and what a wonderful dog he is and I tell him that every day.  I can’t say enough about the training and people involved.  Our very handsome and loving German Sheppard now has manners and best of all I can walk with him and take him almost everywhere we go.  We all love that the most.  Thanks again Lisa and all the trainers.
Bridgett Medici