FirstBark
I've been thinking on this review for a few days, and it is still hard to put into words the peace (and peace of mind!) that working with Brian, Laura, and the CBS team has brought to our home over the last few months. Josie (4 year old Beagle) was struggling with anxiety-related…Read full reviewClose full review
I've been thinking on this review for a few days, and it is still hard to put into words the peace (and peace of mind!) that working with Brian, Laura, and the CBS team has brought to our home over the last few months. Josie (4 year old Beagle) was struggling with anxiety-related aggression (resource guarding humans, demand barking, and reactivity towards humans and other dogs) when she went into the Level 2 training program. She's been anxious since she was rescued at 4 months, and we've been working on reactivity over the last 2-3 years. I had to stand up every time someone walked into a room I was sitting in, or she would lunge/bark/snarl at people -- it had me constantly on guard for potential triggers, which had just become a way of life for us. We worked with other behavioral trainers in the past and our vet, and it improved partially, but Josie's stay at CBS has been an absolute game changer. She is calmer and more secure in herself at baseline, and we've learned counter conditioning strategies that have her EXCITED when someone walks into a room towards me. We have learned so much in a short period of time -- Brian's observations about our dog's personality in particular, overarching principles that help us to work out solutions on our own, and how to stand up for our dog and help her feel safe in a world she felt very unsafe in before CBS. As a result, her behavior has improved substantially, we've all gained confidence, and we're enjoying our time together even more! There are still things we're working on, but I'm optimistic for the first time in years. In terms of the customer service aspect of CBS: Laura was so responsive and generous with her time talking to us about the program and all the little details I had questions about, and Brian was thorough and a great teacher with incredible insight, such care and humor when pointing out where I was making assumptions that were unhelpful, and also very responsive via email. Super cute update pictures, thanks to the trainers who capture the dogs in action! If you're worried about leaving your dog with people you don't know, I can assure you that these folks are DOG PEOPLE. They want what's best for your dog and act accordingly. Thank you to Brian, Laura, and the rest of the CBS team who have helped Josie -- we're incredibly grateful.