"Trapper"

The Lee Family – "Trapper" Shepherd Mix

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We chose our rescue puppy from a litter of four that had been separated from their mother at birth. At three months, he was ten pounds of pure energy. We named him Trapper. Like some puppies do with their siblings, Trapper liked to circle, growl and nip at us. However, as he grew into a muscular seventy-pounder, the circling-growling-nipping behavior became a serious problem. When off the leash, Trapper would not come when called; but, when he felt like it, he would come at us with the circling-growling-nipping. No one was safe from his “attacks”. When on the leash, holding Trapper back was like trying to restrain a locomotive. Both my wife and I had been pulled to the ground by his sudden moves. With bandaged tooth-scrapes and torn clothes, we sought special group and individual training for him. After spending several hundred dollars and many hours, none of these efforts helped Trapper. The prospect of being able to take walks with him on our fifteen acres seemed to fall away; and his future activities seemed to be limited to restraint cables and separation from society. 

Then one day I spoke to Mark at Market Place Pets of Clarkston about Trapper. He said the only person that might be able to help was Lisa at Canine Academy. He knew of other tough cases she had solved. So, after some phone conversation and a thorough personal interview, we handed Trapper over to Lisa and her team at Canine Academy for six weeks of care and training. 

On the first of August, 2009, we were greeted by our new dog, Trapper. Lisa and her friends transferred the training keys to us. Our “new” dog Trapper will walk at our side or on a five foot leash without pulling us. Off the leash, he comes when he is called and no longer circles or growls or nips at us. He walks with us, with or without the leash. He is joy to be around. He sits and lays down on command; and he is socializing with family, friends and neighbors. With the ongoing training for Trapper and us (which is provided by Lisa and her friends at Canine Academy), we are now able to enjoy and treasure the time we have with our great, new dog.

"Louisa"

The Scott Family - "Louisa" Shepherd/Malamute Mix

The phrase “no bad dogs, only bad owners” comes to mind for various reasons when I think about my Louisa. She is now 21 months and is a well adjusted dog though a bit excitable at times. She has come a long way because of the fine work of Lisa and her staff at Canine Academy. Louisa got to spend six fun filled weeks at their Off Leash Program and came back a much better dog. 

Louisa’s history is a bit lacking. I know when she was born, and I know the day I got her but the in between part is mostly unknown. There times that I would like that knowledge of her early months but I am better off not knowing because she had really bad owners. What I do know is that she was chained to a tree with little or no shelter. Food and water was scarce. So she would not get away, the people had the chain around her neck so tight that it became embedded in her neck. Fortunately, someone had the good sense to call the Michigan Humane Society once winter came. Once MHS got her in to the Detroit facility they found that she was a very sick dog plus being pregnant. She soon became a favorite of the workers and she was there for five weeks of recuperating before being able to be put up for adoption. 

This is where I come in. I had lost my last dog a year before. I needed a break after losing three dogs in three years especially since they all had lived into their middle teens. I knew that I would have another rescue dog and I knew the challenges they can pose. I started looking for a training program that would help me with the dog. Lisa was the first one I met and it was a pet show. Spoke with her for a long time about her different programs but the thing that I came away with is that she is not really correcting bad behavior; she is just giving the dog a new set of things to do. I spoke with numerous other trainers and almost always the first question they asked was, “what behavior do you not want the dog to do”. Well, I have been around dogs long enough to know if you correct one bad behavior it is not long before the dog finds another and you are back at the beginning. This is why Lisa’s program is totally different because it trains the dog so that the owner does the thinking and the dog follows. If the dog is not thinking it is not having behavior issues. You do the thinking, the dog follows and the two of you have a fun well adjusted life. The thing that is important is Lisa and her staff create the foundation and it is your responsibility to continuing working with the dog. I had mixed emotions the day I dropped off Louisa for her to start on her adventure but knew it was the right thing. I and others watched her daily on the webcam and believe that for Louisa, it was one big dog party. Today, when we go back for the follow up classes she gets very excited about being back and I think disappointed when we leave that she can not stay. I believe that the Off Leash Program will benefit any dog and if they are a bit more unruly then even more so. Lisa and her staff treat the dogs as if they were their own. I doubt that there is a better program going. 

Louisa is living the good life now. There are no chains around her neck, plenty of food and water. She comes to work with me daily where others get to play with her and rub her neck and belly. There is still more work to be done with her training but that is on me. She is a changed dog but she is still the same dog and one that is happy and secure.

I am not enough of a wordsmith to fully express what Lisa and her staff did for both Louisa and me. To say, thank you, is woefully inadequate but it is a start. 

Tim Scott

"Katey"

Maryanne & Jim O’Donnell - "Katey" - Shepherd  Mix

"Prior to training, our lives were filled with anxiety.  Katey would run away, not come [image 02] when called, and jumped on anyone within reach.  After completing the Off-Leash Program, Katey now has free run of our 4-acre parcel.  Now she comes every time we call her.  The best part of the training is we know she is safe.  We are forever grateful…"

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"Rocky"

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Lisa Tusset - "Rocky" – Shepherd Mix
Rocky was a rescue puppy.  He got very big, very fast.  I have two other dogs that don’t follow commands consistently, and was determined not to have a third.
Rocky is a proud graduate of the Off-Leash Program.  Rocky now follows my commands to a tee.  Their staff is terrific!   They are professional, patient and friendly.  I felt extremely comfortable leaving my puppy in their care.