 Testimonial: Cheryl and Summer the Golden Retriever A few months ago I was devastated to find myself dealing with a dog who was fearful of everything. She was constantly looking stressed and blowing up at the most ordinary events - dropping a spoon, opening a door, family walking through the house. She would jump up barking in the middle of the night at things I couldn't hear, shy away from strangers on walks, and bark if anyone even looked at her. Then I found trainer Kristen VanNess: we talked about why dogs act the way they do, how we can influence their behaviour and finally we set to work coming up with a constantly evolving "training plan" to help my unhappy dog (and preserve my sanity). I won't lie, there is no quick fix. I worked daily with Summer on her fears, as well as on tricks and manners to mould her into the dog I imagined having. Kristen was there to listen to my gripes, help me refocus and most importantly was always ready to come up with new ideas and exercises to help us. ? Today, Summer is a happy dog who enjoys walks, greets strangers and sometimes even solicits attention. She walks great on leash, has enviable kitchen and table manners and knows more than 20 adorable tricks. Tonight we dined at an outdoor place with Summer laying under the table. Everyone who passed by wanted to pet her and, my girl, she just sat nicely and wagged her tail. People were telling me how well-behaved and friendly she is. I cannot imagine just months ago she would have been a growling impossibly scared mess. Look how far we've come... Thanks Kristen! --- Cheryl and Summer Kristen's Notes: These lessons were done through video and email. If the team was closer we definitely would have worked in person and may have progressed faster. Cheryl was quick to monitor Summer's body language and to start changing Summer's perception of the world. And the key to progress was that we worked to minimize the opportunities where Summer would be afraid. | Do you need help with your dog or puppy? We provide in-home lessons for basic training and problem solving. Lessons also are available for agility, rally obedience, freestyle, tricks, and more. Many of these activities can be started at home with little or no equipment. It is a great way to give your dog something to do and to learn new skills. These activities all compliment basic training and manners. Educational talks and programming available for various groups, ages, and topics. Introduction to clicker training, dog bite prevention for kids and adults, and basic training skills are the most commonly requested programs. Rescue groups: Contact us for enrichment and training services and education available. Granville, Ohio and Surrounding Areas: New Albany, Johnstown, Pataskala, Newark, Hebron, Columbus Email/Phone/Video consults available. Small animal/companion animal training available. Contact Us: 740-644-0049  Updates: In March: Kristen will be co-presenting at the 2012 Ohio 4-H Volunteer/Teen Conference on March 10th in Columbus, Ohio. The presentation is a 90 minute talk on training tips for efficiency. July: Kristen co-wrote an article in the August issue of CleanRun magazine on our On-Leash Agility Class at PosiDog. The article is about why agility is great even for dogs who cannot safely work off leash around other dogs. |