Beckman's Dog Training

I have been sitting on this review for over a year and a half because I hate writing bad reviews especially about small businesses but this one is warranted. I adopted a reactive dog from a shelter and was at a complete loss over what to do to help his reactivity. After watching Joel’s YouTube videos I was so excited because I naively thought he could “fix” my dog. I have since learned that reactivity is not fixed rather managed. So we hopefully paid $450 for an in person visit and he wouldn’t even let our reactive dog meet Prince. He proceeded to pin our dog down to establish dominance and even “taught” us how to do it. Our dog is a lot to handle and I get that it’s overwhelming to meet a dog like him and proceed to come up with a treatment plan all within an hour. However I would have respected Joel more if he would have simply said that he didn’t know what to do for our dog rather than man-handle him and leave us feeling hopeless after our session. If you think about it, it makes sense that he only posts successful videos on his YouTube channel rather than actual challenging dogs that will take time and patience to train. I contacted Joel after the session to ask for the video footage since he was filming for his YouTube channel. I honestly just wanted to watch it to learn. As a visual learner I get so much more out of rewatching things and like to study in order to be a better dog mom and trainer for my dog. He refused to give me the footage even after offering to sign legal documents stating that I wouldn’t post anything. I wasted $450 and my time with Joel’s “training” just to visit his property and have him tell us our dog is reactive. DUH! Don’t waste your time with Beckman’s Dog Training. There are so many other good, local trainers who don’t care about clout and are actually willing to put in the time and energy to help your dog.

I am far away from the training facility (Canada) but have to say that my mini bull terrier was the worst leash puller ever. I tried prong collar with a trainer, he just hung himself on it, I tried getting between him and the trigger, I tried a halter with a front clip....no success. I watched Joel's loose leash video - important that it starts right in the house, Ruger had to learn that the leash meant something and he had to earn every step of the walk. He waits for me to say okay and doesn't "leave me" - we are still working on walks but he isn't "pulling" me off my feet. (He's intact and a sniffer that's easily distracted) but the loose leash videos.....game changer - he's a totally different dog. Thank You!!!! Now I need to work on his reactivity to people and dogs....(looking for those videos next 🙏❤️)

Joel's Youtube guidance at Beckmans Dog training saved my sanity, my relationship w my two Labs, and kept my budget in the black. I just couldnt afford a dog behaviourist or trainer when it was most needed. Plus, the dream of enthusiastic walking and hiking buddies has come true, within months. Before I found Joel on YouTube, a hip injury I got while walking my dogs, who were making like jet skis, prevented real exercise for about 6 months and cost me a fortune in physiotherapy. In just a week with Joel's methods it was possible to start walking my two older 7-9 year old Labradors separately in my neighbourhood crammed full of large, aggressive, barking dogs, and nightmare levels of traffic because of a detour from the main road into our suburb. Both were rescues with some trauma, stubborn, w leash reactivity, the one biting a textile leash off in seconds if he was frustrated, completely freaking out at other dogs even if they were blocks away. Within 6 weeks of starting his methods I could hike them at the same time on leash at a game farm with large antelope. Of course they wanted to chase the wildebeest and ostriches, but this time I was ready. After 4 months I could walk them at the same time on-leash in the suburbs, with dog reactivity only if other dogs are on the other side of a fence, and take them separately to a dogpark on leashes. Within 6 weeks of starting the dog park they were off leash in the park and getting their wise old Lab badges. Now no one can believe I had a muzzle on the black one for her first month or so at the dogpark. After 7 months, the dream of walking them both on-leash, both on the same side for a lot of the time, finally came true. It's been a HEAVY investment of time and energy but o so worth it. My Labs have trained me as much as I have trained them. I'm a much better human for it. Learning to manage my own frustration/reactivity/inber peace, and to ramp their training time down, and/or doing something easier when I'm not in a great place, has been an eye opener too. I'd like to see some content about that, Joel. The next frontier is starting to take them separately with me to coffee shops wherd there are other dogs. Honestly, without Joel, I would still be in despair about ever being able to walk them or hike with them without getting freaked out myself, or getting injured again. Hats off to you, Joel. Thank you for everything you do, from Johannesburg in South Africa.

I can't thank Joel enough for what he did for me! I've struggled for 4 years with my dog reactive/aggressive German shepherd and had given up hope to ever have her run with another dog and not attack it just because it ran or got playful. After my two sessions with him, I didn't really see much of a difference at first when I left Joel's facility. Her reactivity in the car and on leash was just as bad but he told me to expect that. So I kept working with her, and it paid off. I have now been able to get her together with the dog that she hadn't interacted with off leash without a fence in between them before. They have become fast friends, they chase balls and squirrels together. I have noticed a difference more so when seeing dogs on walks, she still reacts when they are nearby, but not nearly as aggressive as she used to be. Her distance threshold has drastically improved, it used be a dog could be a football field or more away and she'd react just as badly, now she reacts only if they are directly across the street from her. Even then I can usually direct her attention away to prevent any reaction. I definitely wouldn't have been able to get to this point on my own without Joel's help! I can't recommend him enough!