Dog Savvy Dog Training

My story involves the cutest black and white cuddly Sheepadoodle named Marty. Well he grew into a 80 lb crazy, active dog I absolutely had no control over. He jumped on people, would counter surf and eat sticks of butter, destroyed everything in my backyard well you get my drift. Family telling me ‘Mom you better rein him in before you get hurt’ so I start the search. First place I sign up and realized this trainer expects your dog to be trained. Ok maybe one of those boarding place. Dear Lord walk in and there’s about 20 dogs in crates barking up a storm. Not for us. I had a call into Dog Savvy but had not heard back. Friday was my deadline. So called back and Andrew got me on the schedule. I signed up and 2 months later Marty listens to me. Has laid off the butter. Can walk him and still have my arms in their sockets. So if you have a dog you love dearly but need a few quirks worked out don’t hesitate in reaching out to them. 100 stars!

We started working with Andrew after getting our puppy and realizing we didn't know how to make a good dog citizen. The dog classes at pet stores seemed aimed at commands which wasn't as high on my list, as well as, we couldn't go if he wasn't neutered and we were waiting until a year. I really liked Andrew's approach. It involved helping the dog learn good choices as opposed to teaching him a list of commands - which only leads to obedience when you are watching and giving the commands. The other benefit is that you can use these techniques to help the dog adapt to new situations - adjusting to a new house, learning to tolerate a new pet/visiting dog, learning to not be scared of fireworks and loud noises. It is so adaptable. My dog is remarkably well behaved. He doesn't sit on command but who cares. He is well behaved in the ways that it counts. And truthfully we could probably teach him to sit using these methods but we don't really care about that. One of the biggest pluses is that this is do-able even if you are busy. I have three kids, 4 other cats, another dog and at the time was living with my parents while our house was being built - live was busy and chaotic. Most of this training took only a few minutes and Andrew is able to adjust the pace and assignments to fit your schedule and needs as well as the dog's needs. For some of it you can even do it while doing your normal routine house stuff so it doesn't even require that much dedicated time. The last thing I will say is that I fully recommend this over a board and train. Board and train programs make for a great dog right in the board and train environment but it doesn't always last when you get home and lose the structure and intensity of the board and train. I really think some of the benefit is that I was the one helping our dog learn the skills to be a great member of the family.

I would give Andrew/Dog Savvy a 10++ if I could. His approach to training is unlike any I know, providing a foundation for ongoing learning and happiness (dog AND owner) rather than a limited solution to a specific problem or goal. You will be amazed at how fast you get results, and what a quick and engaged learner you have on your hands, no matter what breed that is. Our 8-week-old Pitsky (a Pitbull/Husky mix) was a barking, biting, high-energy mess who was sweet and attached but TOTALLY out of control. He would tear at our clothes, bark relentlessly in the crate and dig holes 1-2 feet deep. Nothing we tried to do would go through. We came close to giving up, and then I found Andrew. His experience, sensitivity and ability to instantly assess any issue and provide a solution is incredible. (I also appreciate how professional and organized he is :). His curriculum starts working immediately and continues to build as you go. Our 6-mos-old “grade schooler” now knows how to self-soothe to relax, respect space boundaries, walk with a slack leash, not run out the front door, and come when called. And we have much more we plan to learn to do. Happy puppy, Happy life! Thank you, Andrew, for all you do — and your friendship too :)

I heard Andrew speaking about his Dog Savvy approach on a podcast at the same time we were dealing with an increase in our 2yo Catahoula mix's leash aggression and barking at house passersby, despite my hiking 1-2 hours with her off leash most days. It's been a big shift that focuses on teaching our rather anxious dog to value relaxation and also teaches you how to communicate clearly and effectively on boundaries in a way that empowers the dog (vs controlling the dog). As someone who was overwhelmed with researching methods to help curb behavior in a positive way, Andrew's approach was a breath of fresh air that starts with simple steps and layers on more simple steps that all work together. I've seen a real decrease in barking in our yard and on leash, as well as less nervous "let me in, let me out" behavior. She also only barks once or twice when visitors or new people come into the house (vs barking at them the whole time). And we're still building steps, so I'm excited to continue this trajectory!

TLDR: Cash was a reactive bulldog with little self-control, overly excited and anxious. Cash has made a complete 180 and is now a dream dog! When I came to Dog Savvy, I was desperate for help. Cash came to us as a 7 m.o. pup from our neighbors who were unable to provide him any training or socialization. I tried traditional obedience training. It helped but it just wasn't getting to the root of the problems we were having. We started with Dog Savvy in late January (Cash was just over 2yo) and it has been nothing short of the miracle I prayed for. It was an investment in my dog's and family's well-being and harmony. Everyone is a lot less stressed out and we are finally really enjoying each other's company outside of out home. See, Cash would be ok at home but was scared of EVERYTHING. Hence, the nickname, Cashew Chicken. It sounds funny but in reality made relaxing at home difficult. He barked at people passing by, he was scared of boxes, and trash bags, and moving chairs. Every little noise upset him. And there was no calming him. Outside of home he pulled on walks to the point that we would be frustrated with each other and neither of us really enjoyed our walks. His pulling even started to cause me intense physical pain in my neck, arm, and shoulder. It was incredibly distressing seeing Cash so worked up because he'd be panting so heavily, drooling excessively, eyes bloodshot and bulging, and tongue blue! I also worried about the health of his trachea because he pulled so hard. Harnesses only made the pulling worse, TBH. The biggest concern of all was that my special needs child was very nervous around him, too. And of course that broke my heart. Now, we're almost done with training portion of the THRIVE program and we have been able to visit the pet store with a calmly curious dog! We've even navigated challenging life situations like having our HVAC system replaced and being able to keep him regulated and even happy! We can talk to neighbors without him jumping on people or barking at other dogs. He even plays independently while the pool man is 20 feet away chatting with me! The local kennel and groomer staff have noticed huge changes in his behavior, as well. The kennel staff said that Cash went from barking and jumping constantly when dogs passed by his crate to now sitting and observing quietly. They said it was weird! Lol! The groomers said he went from being super wiggly, very barky and drooly, to calm, cooperative, quiet, and no more drool! They even thought we medicated him! The medicine is the training! Andrew has given us powerful insight to understand Cash and tools to help us meet his needs. We felt supported every step of the way. We now feel confident that we can help Cash enjoy his life in a healthy way. Judging by Cash's walk, he feels pretty confident, too! He's not scared by too much these days. His pulling has almost completely stopped and I know it will only get better with time and practice. He can now relax or play independent of us and is a lot less needy. And the best part, my kiddo now pets him frequently and is really starting to enjoy his company. And he is loving the bond he's building with all of us. We look forward to more fun and adventures together! I can not thank or recommend Andrew and Dog Savvy Training enough!