Barley

To Lisa Farlin and the excellent staff at Canine Academy

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It is four weeks since Barley came home from Off Leash Training and I wanted to take a little time to let you know how pleased we are with the outcome.

As you know, Barley is a sweet dog but we were unable to achieve the outcomes we desired with the levels of training we had gone through.  He was able to get away with quite a bit as the corrections didn’t phase him. 

The biggest problem for us at home was his jumping on people who came over to our house.  And eventually he was jumping on Wayne as he tried to get out the door in the morning for work.  It forced us to put him in his crate or other rooms by himself.  During his day training stays he was giving the girls a hard time and unfortunately starting to nip at them.  Having a dog who could potentially bite someone was not an option for us.  Our yard is unfenced and we could not go out in the yard without him leashed.

After Off Leash Training the dog who came home with us is still our sweet, silly, loving  Barley.  He did not forget us!  He is so attentive and well behaved.  Our expectations of what our dog would be like when he  came home  are blown away!  We now have a dog and a gentleman in our house.  He has not once jumped on us or any guest in our home.  We have the tools to correct him should he need it, but I must say it is very seldom.  Our family and friends are truly amazed at the changes in Barley.  We tried for quite a long time to manage Barley on our own but were limited and thus unsuccessful.

We enjoy Barley so much more now.  There are no ‘bad times’ with him or plans we change because of his potentially bad behavior.  He is confident in what is expected of him and we are confident taking into challenging new situations.

Finally, I would like to say that I worry less for his safety.  I know he will listen to me and that in the off chance that he doesn’t, I have the tools to correct him.  I know he will not dash off after a squirrel or deer on a walk or jump and run at a startling noise.  He will ‘leave’ or ‘drop’ anything he should not have (including a piece of chicken fat that fell on the floor in the kitchen yesterday).

So, I sign off with much thanks from the Richards family for transforming our dog into the dog we always hoped we would have!

Joan and Wayne Richards.....and Barley too of course.

Parker

 Dear Lisa and Staff

We want to thank you for taking such good care of our Parker (Black lab}.  When you get a dog (any pet) you are taking the responsibility to love, feed and provide a well-protected balanced life.  You feel that it is your job.  What we were not prepared for was to find a team of loving, highly trained individuals, who would help us, and have the same feelings.

Lisa you and your team cared protected and loved our Parker beyond any expectations.  You’re way with our Parker (and all the dogs), and most important, their way with you was heartwarming to us as his owners.   We felt that our little guy was in great hands, and in a safe, clean environment that showed how much everyone cared and how hard everyone worked for his well being.   Your accomplishment with his behavior, without him losing his individual personality, is making our life with him so much more pleasant and meaningful.  He has learned that knowing what is safe and unsafe will make his life a whole lot happier as well. Parker looks for our guidance that you have taught him to expect (and taught us as well) and allows us to have a GREAT DOG.

We can't thank you enough for taking that extra step and making Parker good for Don, teaching to heal and walk at his pace, was the most considerate, caring thing that you did for Don.   

In the beginning the hardest part was the separation anxiety, we more than he!!  You helped us work thru that with pictures and answering my over the top anxiety questions.  Thank you for listening and understanding.  It was tough.!!.... But when the day came that we got our Gentleman back...his personality the same...his understanding of how to behave and be a Great Dog just blew us away. Yes I admit I cried...what else was I to do!!  You have such a compassionate, loving relationship with your dogs and it shows in their behavior.  We honestly don't know how to thank you for saving our little guy (he swallowed 2 socks) and giving him the tools to be a Great Dog and safe...

What is so very important to me now, is that you are there to help guide and train the PARENTS with every step of the way.   My questions and my little hiccups in working with Parker that I have had, you have been there to train ME thru them!!  You are training us to be Great Dog Owners and we are so grateful. 

Lisa, and staff.... We thank you for making our life so wonderful with Parker and Thank You for being part of our life...It is a honor to know such passionate, compassionate people who love what they do!!  So glad we made the first phone call to you and you spoke with me and told me what you could do for Parker and us!!  You changed our life and we THANK YOU!!!

Don & Lissa White

Parker "James"... Your devoted pupil

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

Guy

 It is not a dream!  It has been about six weeks since Guy graduated from the Canine Academy off-leash training and he is still a Rock Star.  I have held off writing this testimonial because I really wanted to make sure my words were not out of emotion and the initial euphoria of having him home again. I am very pleased to say Guy is still rock-solid with this training he received, every walk, outing or explore we go on is pure joy for this dog-lover and her dog.  

 After adopting Guy he was great in our home but to take out in public or even for a walk was a challenge and it was getting worse, to a point where he would be limited to our home unless we invested in professional training.  After much consideration, my husband I decided to invest in off leash training and now Guy has the whole world open to him to explore.  Unexpected bonuses in Guys behavior, as a result of his training, is his increased confidence.  Guy no longer gobbles his food at meal time which must have been a result of fear, not what we thought was hunger.  Also, he now enjoys our yard without the need to have one of us nearby at all times because he now feels safe and secure as a result of his training.

He so well-mannered in public now and having him on a leash is a breeze leaving few limitations to involving Guy on trips or outings.  A true test was a recent dinner on a patio at a local restaurant, Guy came along and calmly rested on his ‘place’, no begging or distractions from him, many patrons didn’t even notice a dog was even there until we were leaving.  I honestly thought having such an awesomely behaved dog was a dream and not something I would have in my lifetime but Canine Academy did a fantastic job and now Guy will have the best life we could hope for him and every experience will be a joy.

Cassie

I brought Cassie to Lisa at the Canine Academy in the spring of 2004.  She was a six-month old sassy rescue.  We tried a couple of puppy classes at the Academy but Cassie was having nothing to do with me telling her what to do, even showing a bit of aggression.

After some discussion with Lisa and assuring her that I did not want to give up on Cassie, she recommended six weeks of Off-Leash training with her…

So off to boot camp she went.  At the end of six weeks, I could hardly believe it was the same dog who came back to me.  She was a happy dog, ready to respond to every command.

We were given a full year to attend classes for help and practice as needed.  We also joined the Academy on numerous outings, agility exercises, and good citizen certification; even became registered as a Therapy dog team.  What fun for Cassie and I!

I have enjoyed my best friend for almost 14 years, and I’m so glad we found the Canine Academy.

Lincoln & Hobson

Lisa, You and your team have worked a miracle!  My two Bernese brothers are completely different dogs and certainly not the same mischievous puppies I initially brought to Canine Academy.  They react to commands instantly and are far more responsive and obedient that I ever anticipated…my highest expectations have been surpassed!  My life is so much easier and so much more enjoyable on the other side of this training.  You promised me great dogs; you left out amazing, incredible and perfect!

I cannot thank you enough for what you have accomplished! 

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 !

Lola

This is Lola and her sister, and THIS is the reason we made the decision to put Lola through the Off Leash Program. 

These pictures were taken 1 week after Lola came home from the 6 week program and we couldn't be happier with how Lola has changed! 

5 months ago, we brought Lola home as a cute little puppy to be a companion for our daughter, so they could grow up together.  Lola is our 3rd rottie so we are very familiar with the breed, but it became very apparent early on that Lola's puppy mouthing and biting wasn't just puppy stuff; there was an aggressiveness to her that frankly, scared us.  Thankfully, we met Lisa and her team at Canine Academy and Lisa encouraged us to consider doing the Off Leash program with Lola.  It was a tough decision, but yet an easy one too, and we are so glad we did!  Yes, it was a financial sacrifice--but we felt that we were making an investment in our family that would last for the next 10-12 years of Lola's life.  Our family's peace was worth that investment!  And even though the thought of giving up our puppy for 6 weeks made us all sad, honestly, the time flew by and it was fun keeping tabs on Lola's progress through the blog and Facebook posts. 

Now that Lola is home, we can't believe the change in her!  She has been transformed from a little bully into a confident, calm, happy puppy... and the best part is that she's still "Lola!"  She still has her funny little personality and she's still our sassy girl; she just listens to us now!  She's Lola 2.0!  We can't thank Lisa and Canine Academy enough for helping Lola become the dog we had hoped she could be!  And we love that they will be there to support us as she matures over the next year.  The outings are an amazing way to continually reinforce the training while getting to meet other great dogs and their owners!  We are so grateful to

Lisa and her team for bringing the GREATness out of our puppy!

Maggie

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We got our Golden Retriever Maggie as a puppy.  We loved her from the moment we brought her home.  We were looking for a family pet to cuddle and play with our growing boys.  As Maggie got older and bigger, she would get into all sorts of trouble.  She was a counter surfer and would eat anything she could find in the house, including socks.  She would constantly pull on walks and jump all over our kids.  The bottom line was she just wouldn’t listen.  We closed off all rooms in our house and tried everything we could think of to keep her off of counters and tabletops.  We would walk her multiple times a day and she was still crazy.  It was not fun to have her around.  I felt like I could never relax with her out of her crate. 

 My cousin recommended Canine Academy and said it was definitely worth the investment.    After doing the off leash program, Maggie listens!  I mean she LISTENS.  She is confident and calm. She is amazing.  We understand Maggie and she understands us.  My boys used to avoid Maggie and now they love spending time with her.  We enjoy having Maggie at home and taking her various places.  Lisa and her team have been amazing.  It has been a complete change and I am so grateful to have the amazing dog we always wanted.  We always loved Maggie and now we love her behavior.

Thank you, Lisa

Bob and Sarah 

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!