ACC (Applied Canine Concepts LLC)

I purchased an Akita male puppy, knowing the breeds propensity to be aloof, aggressive and dominate. After several months his aggression started showing so I sought training. In our online searches, ACC stood out, so I made the appointment and glad I did. Our pup did the full boarding/training and upon graduation, was a completely different dog. Confident, listened to commands and more composed than pre training. I continue the training, daily, per ACC's instruction and the result is a dog that trusts us and that we trust and has allowed for a happy, balanced home where this large dog is a treasured part of the family and not a pet we need to "worry about". The training was worth every penny because we followed through with ACC's instructions post-graduation and work with our dog every day. There is no magic wand. ACC did their part, and once back home the owner must follow through and do theirs. I highly recommend ACC to anyone who wants a well-balanced, confidently trained dog. We are proud to show our dog in public, knowing he is well behaved and respectful to other people. This was done with the expertise of Fabian and Gina. Thank you, ACC!

Our rescue dog had major reactivity issues. In 2021 We found Gina and Fabian and after our Evaluation we immediately signed up. This was the best money we ever spent! It was a process getting US to understand that the training is the medicine for our particular type of dog due to his aggression issues. We now can take him anywhere with us with zero issues. Gina and Fabian are ALWAYS available to help us troubleshoot and we participate in group classes to advance our training. We have already started to work scenarios collar free. We are just amazed at the transformation in our dog who we were considering returning to the shelter We highly recommend ACC for all of your training needs 🐾

I had been searching for a dog to add to my farm when I came across a dog Gina was sponsoring to a new home. She had trained him as a puppy and knew the ins and outs of this particular dog. Taro needed a unique situation, and after discussing with Gina, I decided to bring him to the farm. Gina was honest and forthright through the whole process, but was confident that Taro would do well in the right environment and the proper follow up to the training she had already instilled in him. Fast-forward to now, and Taro is one of the best things ever to happen to me, and has been a wonderful addition to my farm. He is exactly as Gina described, and his training is superb. Gina checked in quite often the first few weeks to make sure everything was going okay, and to offer training advice if I had any questions. The level of commitment she has shown to dogs she has trained really shows. She is always a text or phone call away if a training situation arises. The support from her and Applied Canine Concepts has allowed me to develop a relationship with Taro that otherwise would not have been possible.

We came to Canine Concepts in dire need of some help with a 3 year old German Shepard. After our consultation we were very excited! They seemed very knowledgeable and were very well spoken. I should have asked more questions on their techniques before giving them $4000, but I didn’t. When we went to pick him up several weeks later, we discovered they use shock collars to train. To each their own, but I wouldn’t have chosen them if I had known. The training worked mediocrely for the first few months, but the collar started leaving pus filled welts on my dogs neck, and my conscience got the better of me. I think my dog is actually worse off than before I sent him there. They have many success stories, so I’m sure others have had better experiences, but i feel like I wasted my money and traumatized my dog.

We adopted 1 year old Finn in February after the passing of our ‘soul dog’ at just 5 years old. We struggled for 7 months with Finn’s hyperness- he is very friendly, but every stimuli turns him into a maniac. I like to joke that if the breeze blows too hard, Finn wants to chase it. Some of our biggest concerns revolved around his distraction level; pulling our arm off when he saw a squirrel, or a dog, and mainly, our cat. He knew all his commands, but we couldn’t get him to listen when the least bit stimulated. Finn never showed aggression towards the cat, even playing with him once or twice, but the second the cat walked away, Finn would chase him faster than he could get his legs underneath him. We consulted a couple of trainers about his behavior issues, but everyone suggested treat training, basic obedience, or even getting ‘rid’ of him for the safety of our cat. We knew he wasn’t a threat to the cat- his chasing behavior was just unwanted. I did a ton of research, read every review, and then I called Gina at ACC. She was the first person to tell me these behaviors could be totally corrected and spent time on the phone with me answering questions. ACC is also the only trainer we spoke to whose goal is to get your dog OFF the e-collar. It was really appealing to me for Finn not to have to wear it the rest of his life to ensure good behavior. They explained how they teach Finn to think for himself and determine what is good and bad behavior. It was very difficult for us to drop him off and we struggled during the 2 weeks away due to some lingering trauma from having to leave our last boy at the veterinary hospital. It felt like giving a lot of trust to someone we didn’t know that well, so if anyone else is hesitating due to the time spent apart, I feel you! But it’s so worth it. We felt better after our consultation (which I highly recommend! Ask your questions!) and the pictures and video Gina sent helped put us at ease. Finn was smiling in every picture while he was away. Finn has been home almost 2 weeks, and what a difference ACC made. We now have the tools to correct his behavior, and more importantly, he knows what we expect of him. Gina, Fabian, and their staff lay the foundation for good behavior. I love their approach- they tell you over and over that they want your dog to be a dog, not a robot. Finn is still himself and a total goofball, but now he has an internal switch to go back and forth into ‘work mode.’ I also can’t believe how much support we are receiving after going home. We spent an hour and a half in our lesson with Fabian on pick up day, during which he gave us his insight into our particular dog and what he feels is going to work for him. They highly encourage you to send videos working commands, and Gina ALWAYS responds and gives helpful tips and constructive critique, often sending a video of them training whatever scenario we are discussing (eg- walking past another dog appropriately.) I talk to her almost daily, and she never makes me feel like a bother. She takes time to discuss every scenario and has an answer for every question. It is truly a team effort and we’re so thankful we took that leap of faith.