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What's all the "Woof" about? (Jacksonville, NC area)
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~ When we decided to get a rescue dog, we wanted a dog that was already housebroken thinking this would make our lives much easier! Well, we didn't factor in that a dog who has already learned to be housebroken could also have already learned other "negative" behaviors! We fell in love with and brought home a 2 year old black lab mix. Let me just say that in the grand scheme of things, he was a good dog to start with but he did have a few quirks!! After a month, we enrolled him in basic training at PetSmart. He learned the basics- sit, down, stay and had some great social time. He was a star pupil. However, what they couldn't seem to help us with nor any of the numerous books and websites I consulted was his separation anxiety. He refused to go inside his crate and barked incessantly if we managed to get him coaxed in. When left outside of the crate, he would destroy/eat anything he could. Due to the fact that I can't stay at home 24/7- we needed help!! I found Stacy online and was impressed with her website and the testimonials included. I sent her an email and she called me the next day. She asked a lot of questions and offered suggestions over the phone which I LOVED! We met the next week and began training. My dog has learned so much with her. She totally tailors her program to fit your dog. Since Boomer already had his basic skills, she worked on more advanced skills with her primary focus being his crate/separation anxiety. After only 5 sessions with Stacy, Boomer is going in his crate without anxiety. This is a HUGE accomplishment for him! I know that I must continue to work with him daily but because of Stacy, I can leave him now and not worry. I highly recommend Stacy to anyone that is looking to improve their dog's behavior or skills. She is gifted at what she does and is a true animal lover. We miss her!
~ Cathy C., Hubert |
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~ You were great! One of the things we really appreciate about your training approach is your flexibility in applying different mechanisms to work with the family and the dog THAT FIT WITH OUR LIFESTYLE. I can’t tell you how heartened I felt while we worked through options to stop the behavior we didn’t want and encourage the behaviors we did want. Because of Pawsitive Focus, our Pit Bull Buddy, was given a second chance to become certified as a Canine Good Citizen. He passed the test! In less than two weeks with only 4 lessons, Stacy was able to not only train our dog, but train me in the correct ways of walking and most importantly talking to my dog. We are now able to walk with Buddy outside without getting tugged and pulled every which way! It's an even bigger relief to know our dog can now stay on Camp Lejeune (base housing) since he was able to pass the CGC Test with Stacy's help. We are glad to have met you, and continue to tell others about your AMAZING work!
~ Melissa R., Camp Lejeune |
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~ Recently I had the opportunity to hire Stacy as our dog trainer. I now understand why her reputation proceeds her. Stacy has a fun no non-sense approach. I have rarely seen fun and dog training used in the same sentence! Stacy explains the "mechanics" of each command. She tells you why it works and why other techniques won't work with your dog specifically. She also knows most clients are training their companions; not champions. Her approach makes it easy for the novice and interesting for the more experienced. What I like most about Stacy's training is allowing the children to participate. We learn as much by watching others as we do by doing things ourselves. By allowing children to partake in training classes, it enhances their ability to learn. Our dog Scooby is very large. Without Stacy's excellent guidance I'm afraid he would be pulling us up and down the street during walks, jumping on and knocking over visitors, and creating chaos in our home! After our sessions with Stacy, I now feel more confident walking him. I'm not worried anymore Scooby will harm our guests! One of the more important skills we've gained from our training sessions is the "Scooby come" command. He now does it everytime. The kids or I can open the door without the fear of having Scooby run out and get hit by a car. I would recommend Stacy and Pawsitive Focus to anyone!
~ Sara W., Jacksonville |
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~ After reading the local newspaper article about Pawsitive Focus, my husband and I thought perhaps Stacy could help us with some enhanced training of our dog. Bootsie had some basic training at a local Pet Store but we felt she needed more. Bootsie is a very loveable and social dog; she wants to be with just about anyone she meets in the house or on the road. But our almost four year-old very large German Shepherd can be intimidating to say the least, so we engaged Stacy to help train us to train Bootsie. Over the five-week course, despite some ugly Eastern North Carolina weather, we got exactly what, if not more than expected. Heeling, come, stay, down, calm down when greeting and even more now make it fun on walks and trips. We really enjoyed working with Stacy and wish she had lived in Jacksonville when we first got out pet. Thank you, Stacy.
~ Brenda and Marty G., Jacksonville |
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~ I have a 4-year-old male boxer, named Bobo that I wanted to make a therapy dog. I started working with my dog pretty much as soon as I got him. I knew that he would make a good therapy dog. But, I wanted a professional option so, I contacted Pawsitive Focus back in March 2010.
I had the pleasure of meeting Stacy and loved her right from the start. Her professionalism and demeanor was outstanding. She is extremely knowledgeable in her field and I didn’t mind paying her services. Even though Bobo already knew a lot of commands I hired her to fine-tune him and that’s exactly what she did.
Bobo went on and obtained his Good Canine Citizenship as well as his Therapy Dog/Service Dog license. I am in the process of trying to give back to my community and I want Bobo to visit the local nursing homes in the area. I owe his success to Stacy and I thank her for working with him. I would most definitely recommend her to my friends and family.
~ Shauna K., Jacksonville |
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~ What can I say??? Stacy is amazing! I have always had dogs growing up, but for some reason do not remember them being a “puppy”. I thought it was perfect timing for me to get a dog of my own. So for the first time ever I got a 6 week old Maltipoo. That is when my life changed for the first time. I cried every day wondering what I had done. I was searching on the internet trying to find someone to help me and Lilly get along and for her to learn some rules, manners, and safety rules for the both of us. I found Stacy’s website and immediately contacted her.
What a blessing she has been. It was so convenient for her to come to my home and on my time frame. Lilly looked forward to our classes and so did I. We both have learned so much from just the 5 classes we took it’s simply amazing! I highly recommend Stacy and her awesome training abilities. She is the Dog Whisper of North Carolina. Lilly and I both am very thankful for Stacy and the wonderful work she has done for our relationship. Now I look forward to coming home to Lilly’s sweet little face.
~ Kim H., Jacksonville |
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~ Growing up my family has always had a family dog, at times two. When I moved away from home my husband and I decided to get our own “child”. His name is Ricki and he is a daschund. True to his breed he is very stubborn, but also very gentle, sensitive, and loving. He is now six years old. Eight months ago my husband and I decided to add to our family. Hailey is also a daschund and is a very playful and sweet little girl who loves to play with her big brother, but had some issues with separation anxiety. Now that we had two dogs in our home training them became a concern. You could say we now had double the love but also double the “trouble”. Hailey studied Ricki and imitated almost everything he did, good or bad. So, if Ricki barked so did Hailey. I decided that I really needed some help training them, but I didn’t want to take them to a group class. I wanted someone to come into our home and work with each of our dogs unique personalities. Just like people, no two dogs are alike. Pawsitive Focus was recommended to us by our local veterinarian. Stacy come into our home, listened to what our training needs were, and asked many questions about Ricki and Hailey and our family’s daily routines. She has a very gentle nature with our pets and they both loved her instantly. Stacy also had many unique ideas on how to train our two pups using positive reinforcement and praise. She also trained my husband and I on how to properly train our dogs! In five one hour training sessions our pups have learned some much from Stacy’s expertise and knowledge. I am so grateful to Stacy for everything she has done for Ricki and Hailey!!!!
~ Carrie and Derrick R., Jacksonville |
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~ I just wanted to tell you thanks again for everything that you have taught us these past five weeks. It was great getting to know you and watch and learn from you.
We may not have everything down perfect yet BUT we will get there! With your help, I have gained so much confidence in myself and in Maggie and Bailey. It's pretty amazing what just five short weeks can do for you and your dog. I can only imagine how much better they will be a few months down the road :) I really hope to get a few more lessons in by the end of the year so I will definitely be in touch with you!
I also wanted to let you know that I just couldnt wait until the Howl-O-Ween event to take them to Petsmart. So Maggie and I took a little trip there tonight. It went so GREAT! I never thought I would be able to take one of my animals there without it be a big hassle or just flat out embarrassing! But, she did great. We walked around and sniffed other dogs and people. At first, she was very weary of the other dogs. But then, after a few minutes, and seeing and meeting more dogs; she was excited with her tail up and wagging. She even got down on all fours with her tail high and happily wagging. She initiated play with a hhuugggee German Shepherd. She sniffed when I let her and didn't sniff when I didnt allow her to. While we were at the checkout, (I rewarded her with a new bed lol) I put her in sit and she sat there very nicely for me even as people were coming and going. I must say I was a very proud mama! I feel like she was the best behaved dog in there. There were even dogs going through training while we were in there and they weren't doing so well. :( But my Mags was! Next test is taking Bailey boy tomorrow!
Again thanks soo soo much!
~ Valerie M., Jacksonville |
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~ We have a very active 10 month old Boxer who is the love of our lives. We contacted Stacy when our boxer became destructive when left alone. From very the first lesson, we saw improvement in Dexter. She not only taught us how to train Dexter but also explained things to us so that we could understand Dexter's behavior and how to correct problems with it. Stacy is very accommodating; she was able to work around our schedule. We initially scheduled 5 training sessions but we are planning to continue with further lessons. She is an excellent trainer and we strongly recommend Stacy and Pawsitive Focus to anyone who is seeking a dog trainer. She gives it such a personal touch!
~ Jaime and Edna M. and family, Hubert |
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~ When you have two large dogs, you need to be confident and in control, I was neither.
I had found Pawsitive Focus through my vet’s office. I was anxious to get started. I called Stacy, and set up our first session. At our first session Stacy’s explanation and execution of each command was straight forward. She gave clear and precise verbal and visual instruction. After our very first session, my “boys” were walking nicely. Soon after, they were able to sit, stay, and lay down. We set boundaries in my house. Those boundaries permitted me to open my front door. The boys were able to see who was there and what was going on. They were calm while still being on the “ready” if I needed them. Enforcing boundaries and commands also allowed kids to enter my house without being pushed around, jumped on or licked. By the end of our sessions, the boys were certified as Canine Good Citizens. Now that the boys have manners we have been welcomed into the homes of friends and family in Baltimore, Washington DC, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York. It is such a great relief, to me (and my wallet) to be able to travel together instead of trying to find a dog sitter, kennel, or boarding facility. The boys’ biggest test, was having to stay without me at my parent's house just south of Buffalo, NY during the 120 day waiting period before flying to Hawaii. With no fences, acres of land to run on, plenty of ponds to swim in, and an endless bounty of new smells and wildlife; the boys listened and responded to my parents commands, as if I were giving them. The boys are now in Hawaii, and will continue on their journey to become Therapy Dogs. We couldn’t have done any of this without Stacy. Her dedication and belief in us provided the opportunities needed for our relationship to flourish. I now have the dogs I always wanted, and I can’t thank you enough! Neither can the boys, as they now have structure and balance in their lives!
~ Theresa S., Richlands |
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~ Whoever said “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” hasn’t met Stacy of PAWSITIVE FOCUS. She is amazing and has done wonders with Shannon and Sportster (both of them are in the 9-12 yr range). One problem we had was them barking and not stopping. With Stacy’s magazine trick and a firm “ack”, they both have learned a little barking is ok, but now will stop when given the command. Another was getting out of the house without them following or trying to get out first. Stacy taught us how to set a boundary and give them the “stay back” command. Within 1 session they were very comfortable with their new learned rule. Now they just stop at their boundary automatically. Another plus to this is that our cat Tigger has also learned to “stay back”!
~ Jennifer H. and Pat N., Jacksonville |
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What's all the "Woof" about? (Dallas, TX area)
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~ Stacy, both Joy and I want to thank you for your help with Miley, our new Lab. Your insight and teaching have been so helpful with us and our children in dealing with a young female lab. I believe it has helped us transition her into our family quicker and with less stress on her and us! We look forward to our sessions with you and find them fun, helpful, and informative. Miley is a fan of yours; and so are we. We believe this was money well spent and we look forward to working with you in the future.
~ The Cruses, Frisco
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~ One morning last year, I opened my front door one morning and my dog Cooper BOLTED outside, right into the street! I almost had a heart attack. Thankfully, there were no cars, so he didn't get hurt, but I knew I needed to get a trainer before he did. I am so thankful that I found Stacy. Cooper responded immediately to her techniques. In just a few weeks, by following her instructions with some really fun and easy work everyday, he was already walking perfectly on a leash and doing the basic sit, down, stay commands, and having a great time too! Now opening the door is no issue at all, in fact, I can leave it open and walk all the way to the mailbox and stand there, he will not come until I call him. Stacy not only helped to train my dog, she also taught me some really important things regarding discipline, attention span, how to introduce my dog to other dogs in a way that yields the best results...I joke with her that she actually trained ME, not the dog! Stacy knows her stuff - she is truly a professional. I have referred her to several other happy clients, and will certainly continue to refer her!
~ Cindy G., Plano
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~ I just wanted to let you know how pleased I am with Maggie Mae's training for her Canine Good Citizen Certificate. As you know she is a high energy little mite. She definitely had a bad case of popcorn butt (it would kept popping up). But, with your patience and knowledge she passed her test with flying colors. When we went to take her test at PetSmart I was so glad we had used you for her training. The class was full of large dogs and some were not that controlled even when they were going to take the test. With Maggie Mae only weighing five pounds it would have been intimating for her to be around all the big dogs before her training. We went in for her test very confident of our ability to perform the elements of the test. You were so great at following each required segment of the test. I had never trained a dog before, but you were wonderfully encouraging to me. When you found out I wanted to use Maggie Mae to visit retirement homes, you arranged for us do our training sessions at one in Frisco so we were able to train and visit at the same time. What a great idea. We continue to use all your lessons in our daily lives. What a pleasure to take a well behaved dog out in public or on a walk. She is so well behaved with the patients. Stacy, you went beyond the call of duty and you are a delight to spend time with. I readily recommend you to anyone who needs dog training. Your positive training is the BEST!!!
~ Sherry L., Plano
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~ We adopted a puppy (Honey) from the Collin County Humane Society in early March. We quickly realized that even though we are very experienced dog owners, we were in over our heads with this rambunctious puppy. We were referred to Stacy (Pawsitive Focus) through our vet's office. We initially left a message for Stacy describing our situation and asking for help training our new puppy. We were very impressed when Stacy returned our call because she had paid such close attention to every detail left in the message (including the number of children and dogs in our household, as well as their ages!). Stacy began training our puppy (and more importantly, us) just a few days after our initial call. She immediately proved her value with a wealth of tips and tricks on how to deal with all the real-life scenarios we described about life with the new puppy. Her methodical approach to training made obvious sense once the sessions were underway - name recognition, body language, walking on a leash, boundaries, sit, come, etc. Each lesson built a foundation for the next. She even worked our kids into the training sessions by letting them get involved and showing them how to behave around the puppy to help curb the "bad" behaviors. Each week, Stacy took the time to inquire how the previous week had gone and quickly addressed any issues we brought up. She also made herself available via email and phone for any "troubleshooting" questions that arose in between scheduled lessons. Stacy has a very positive attitude and truly loves her work, which is reflected in her enthusiasm and energy. We would highly recommend her for any dog training needs you may have.
~ The Rossers, Plano
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~ Thank you for all the care and miracles! As you know, when I contacted you originally, I had a red-zone 5 1/2 month standard poodle. I had even emailed the "Dog Whisperer" to get on his show. I had gone through another trainer with some slight improvement but she had achieved getting my dog down to only two red zone attacks per week (not acceptable). He had been getting better with lots of work but still was very scary and unpredictable and looked like he had rabies at the dog groomers. I had three groomers tell me he was the worst dog they'd ever done. He was high energy and dominant aggressive...very stubborn and even playing was painfully rough. He would constantly challenge me. I had been bitten at least once a day since his arrival at 8 weeks. I had to use a muzzle for basic daily hygiene with him, the vet, groomers. I never knew when this sweet puppy would turn into a monster and try to kill me for he was totally unpredictible. I was getting to the end of my rope and didn't know where to turn. I had tried a treadmill to burn energy, I took him on an hour and a half worth of walks a day (with him behind), he sat before eating, was trained to do basic obedience well and I was trying all the Dog Whisperer stuff to even get him where he was. I constantly was working with him. But I couldn't seem to find the right discipline to make him respect me. He saw all discipline as a challenge for a fight or a game to play. I have always been the pack leader and trained all my dogs and even train people to use their inner power and energy. But he just wasn't getting it. Then, I found YOU! My vet recommended you and said you were the best. The first session, you showed me a simple, easy discipline that made him totally change. His energy immediately cut in half and, for the first time, he looked at me as if he respected me and started to respond. You even got him to finally be good at the groomers. No one that had seen him with a groomer could believe how easily you got him to respond. He is still a work in progress every day but now I have the tools to empower me and I am not afraid of him and he is turning into a great companion who trusts and loves me. I even got him a little brother and, of course, got you at the beginning to get us all off on the right paw. Thank you for your magic and your friendship. You are truly a blessing and you have made my life and my sweet puppies' lives harmonious and fun. I really don't know what I would have done without you.
~ Cathryn H., N. Dallas
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~ I wanted to thank you for the excellent and amazing training you provided for me and my pug, and communicate some of my thoughts after our first set of training sessions. I hope once our household move is complete to continue on with the next set. The response from your training was literally instantaneous. I was impressed! The first lesson was the “proper” walking lesson, and you tackled the problems associated with that in no time … but I was not prepared for the difference it would make in all areas. Not just in obediency but in the way my dog was more attentive to me and our “relationship”. Not to sound silly, but it was like instant bonding for my dog and I. He now had an interest in what I was doing and how I responded to him, feeding even more on my praise or corrections as we walked. It carried through around the house and in everything we did. I don’t know if anyone can really imagine that after one session and learning to teach your dog to walk properly, that it will entirerly change the relationship you have with your dog – for both of you - in a positive manner. And this comes from someone who didn’t have an out of control dog, just an average dog. Week by week we added the things we wanted to teach him, and now I can’t even remember what it was like with my dog before you arrived. He minds well, understands what I am asking of him, and he is so happy and anxious to do whatever I ask because it makes him happy to show that he can do things. It’s like he realizes he is communicating by responding to the words I speak. I am a do it yourself type person, but even after watching the dog training TV shows and reading the books it was amazing the amount we could accomplish in each weekly session. In just one hour each week my dog (and I) were taught 1 or 2 new things that were instantly put to work and instantly enhanced our lives. For example, when dealing with a dog it is amazing the control you regain in your life once your dog has learned “sit” or “down”. When learned properly, and time is added to it, you can now cook easily without your dog misbehaving, or read the paper and enjoy your coffee with your dog free at your side behaving himself. I would recommend you specifically because of your great positive and upbeat personality, down to earth and realistic approach, your true love of animals and dogs, and flexibility with the training sessions to focus on what is important to each individuals situation. After just 5 short weeks it is amazing how many compliments I get on my well behaved and attentive dog, and how much more I notice that most dogs are completely out of their owners control. It really hits home that dogs are like children, and that in both cases the ill mannered child/dog is the fault of the parent/owner. This investment in a 5 week training session will pay back for years; when looked at that way it amazes me how inexpensive the results really are. Thank you so much for your time and energy, it is appreciated on a daily basis.
~ Cindy T., Plano
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~ I just wanted to thank you for working with Kevin and I with Bear. We all really appreciate it. We have received several compliments on how well-behaved our dog is and people are impressed when he stays on his bed when they first come in the door. We wouldn't have been able to make this happen without your help! We are also able to take walks that are relaxing and enjoyable, where as before we were the ones that Bear was walking/running. Thank you again for all your help with our little guy. We are grateful that you have been able to provide us with the knowledge and skills to help make our Bear the best dog that he can be.
~ The Bells, Dallas
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~ My husband and I share our lives with two glorious Golden Retrivers, Huckleberry (7) and Casper, now 4 years old. Previous to this "pair of brown loafers", were two other goldens. I mention this to highlight the fact that we THOUGHT we knew how to talk to our dogs; to train them to be minimally obedient. Then we met Stacy Flemmer with Pawsitive Focus. Stacy gave us words and ways to say the words properly that have made all the difference in the ways our dogs listen to us and respond. As an example, BEFORE Stacy, opening the door to a guest was a "contact sport." AFTER working with Stacy, we are able to greet guests without Casper knocking them down with the traditional "golden greeting." Stacy made the training easy and even fun, taking a great deal of the stress out of the process. I whole-heartedly encourage you to speak with Stacy, follow her proven method of training both you and your pet. And continue to use Stacy as a resource.
~ Daphne L., Plano |
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~ After Niko was bit by a Pit Bull over 2 years ago, we had to really consider giving him away or putting him down, due to his behavior changes. Upon recommendation from our Veternarian we called you. After the 2nd visit of training you modified Niko's behavior. We can now enjoy our loveable dog and are confident that he will not attack other dogs when they are around. We were also happy to learn how to get Niko to stop taking food from everywhere. Thanks so much for your easy teaching methods, and the easiness you have in working with animals. Susie and I truly appreciate you and would recommend you to anyone that has an animal behavior problem. We are so glad we took Dr. Tucker's advice and even more, we are glad you gave us back our dog.
~ Larry and Susie, Plano |
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~ Stacy is an excellent trainer. Cosmo and Murphy get so excited when they see her. She worked well with our dogs during training. Stacy is great with our dogs. Alec, her beagle, also helped with training and got along great with them too! Stacy truly loves animals. She is very reliable and trustworthy. I would highly recommend Stacy as a dog trainer. She is great!!!
~ Scott and Wendy, Little Elm |
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~ Rick and I are truly so grateful for your expertise training of our new German Shepherd dog, Duke. After being the owners of a small beagle for 16 yrs and his loss in May 2007. September 2007, we decided to rescue a 6 month old german shepherd and had no idea of how to train an inside "BIG" dog. Duke is now 1 yr old and approximately 110+ lbs and with Stacy's training, we have adapted successfully! Duke is still being crate trained during the day as he's got a lot of "puppy" in him yet! Stacy has a love for animals and they feel her love and calmness in her training methods. Duke does very well now with sit, stay, down, come and leash trained for walking. Stacy's beagle, Alec also helped on a few training sessions for socializing and they're so cute together (little dog/big dog!). Stacy and Alec will be pet sitting for us when we take a vacation and we feel very comfortable with her here as we feel like we've known her a very long time. We know Duke will have the best of care and have all of her love and tenderness. We would highly recommend Stacy & Alec to anyone. She's absolutely wonderful! Rose & Rick & Duke too!
~ Rick and Rose, Plano |
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~ We have a very energetic Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier, Riley, that pulled hard on his leash and jumped and barked excessively when the doorbell rang. Stacy showed us how to work with him to overcome these behaviors. He now walks calmly next to us when we walk him (Major Improvement) and, through we're still working with him, he is easier to control when the doorbell rings. She also gave us tips on how to curb his barking whenever he sees anything pass the front window. Again, we're still working on it, but with results. Stacy has an incredible, gentle and wam way with animals and is there, not only to work with the animals, but with the owners as well. We needed to know what to do just as much as our pet. I would recommend her to anyone looking to improve their pet's behavior.
~ Bruce and Jill, Plano |
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