Dog Sense Unlimited

I've been going to Dog Sense since 1998. I've brought 5 retrievers through Basic to Advanced classes. The trainers are experienced, very professional and understanding of new or first time dog owners. They are clear in their directions and explanations of how to proceed through training your dog to become a very well behaved family member. The dogs learn in a group class using lots and lots of food and praise how to behave around several other dogs and listen to their owner. It is clear the trainers understand different dog behaviors and temperaments and adjust the training accordingly. The classes can take you to either having a great family pet or going further with your training to compete in AKC competitions as did one of my Golden Retrievers. I firmly believe that the solid foundation and upper level training my dog received from Dog Sense was an integral part of her receiving her obedience champion title from AKC.

As a more than 40 year veteran of dog training, I find Dog Sense to be a well run and excellent training site. All dogs and breeds are not the same, and this is considered in the recommendations Nancy and her staff make re training your dog. There needs to be a balance of positive and negative feedback to help the dog understand what is necessary for living among humans. Dog Sense generally achieves that balance. This is important to me as I have also worked in the ASPCA and have seen the tragedies created by owners who fail to properly train their dogs. It is always the dog that suffers. Dogs want to do "the right thing" in living with humans, but the humans must show them through reward AND discipline what is "right". Failure to do this will lead to problems in the future. Dog Sense can help you to better bond with your dog and better understand how to discipline and train for a wonderful companion. They do a great job.

My wife and I adopted a great dog (Brisco) who at first needed constant supervision to keep him safe in the house and couldn't be calm enough to walk on a leash in the neighborhood. My wife was afraid to walk him for fear she wouldn't be strong enough to keep him from running after distractions. We scheduled a one-on-one training session with Dog Sense (based on a friend's recommendation). After that one session, Brisco could walk on a leash without pulling, and was much safer in the house. We immediately enrolled in the basic obedience class. When that class finished, Brisco could be trusted with any person of any age, could wait patiently for me in a stay position, could attend dog-friendly restaurants without being a nuisance (to the point that servers and other customers often didn't notice him), and could walk on a leash safely. When we finished intermediate and advanced training, Brisco was a reliable off-leash dog, instantly obeying voice and hand commands. I could walk with him in a heel position on a busy city street without any concern about him bothering others or leaving my side. The training at Dog Sense did not turn Brisco into some kind of joyless robot. He was an enthusiastic companion who loved to play and snuggle. We traveled together extensively, and he enjoyed many experiences that would have been impossible without the expert training we received at Dog Sense. He was an older dog when my son was born, but showed infinite patience and love to the newest family member. Dog Sense's approach emphasized positive reinforcement and bonding between dog and human. We have also made use of Dog Sense's grooming services, and have been pleased with their quality and value.

Even though I'm only a recreational trainer, Dog Sense training has transformed my energetic Belgian Malinois into a great family pet who listens and behaves. Using consistent commands, praise and occasional corrections, the training sessions at Dog Sense are the best investment I've made for the past seven years. The instructors keep the sessions fresh with new routines and challenges. Highly recommended.