Dogability Dog Training

Juan and Gene (and everyone else at Dogability/The Pet Wagon) are fantastic. I couldn’t be happier that I enrolled Piper in Dogability’s program. I adopted her over the summer and very quickly realized how much of a nightmare walks were when my dog didn’t know how to behave on a leash. As Juan said during our class, Piper used to turn into a lion when she saw another dog on a walk- she’d try to slip her collar, jump around and bark until she could barely breathe. It was so stressful and embarrassing and after a few months of my pockets full of treats and midnight walks to avoid other dogs, I called Juan. Although I spoke with him for about 15 minutes, I could tell within a few sentences how knowledgeable Juan is and how much he loves his job. It took me a few days to justify the price of the program but when I thought about the number of walks in the future of a 2 year old dog, I absolutely had to do it. After seeing Piper’s progress on the videos they sent throughout the training, I can’t believe that I even thought twice about it. Again, it was evident that Juan and Gene are so good at their jobs. By the time that human training rolled around, Piper was doing great and Juan and Gene gave me the tools and training I needed in order to continue her success. She doesn’t even hesitate when I ask her to sit, down or stay and is still her sweet, cuddly self. And, it’s so nice to be able to go on a walk in the daylight! I’m so glad that I decided to take Piper to Dogability- A HUGE THANK YOU to Juan and Gene for providing me and Piper the tools we need to enjoy a better relationship :) I would highly recommend Dogability to anyone whose dog is struggling with any aspect of obedience, especially leash reactivity.

As the owner of a three-year old border collie-blue heeler mix, I realized that the quality of life for both my dog and I had both been severely curtailed when she developed severe leash reactivity. After being attacked in a dog park a year prior, she had developed fear of all other dogs to the extent that it was impossible to get within twenty or thirty yards of another dog while leash-walking without her flying into a frenzy of panic, noise, and rage. Hoping to avoid the embarrassment (and possible complaints) surrounding her behavior, we began restricting our walking time only to night and early morning. As it became apparent that other dogs were still out and about, we had to begin also abbreviating our routes so as to avoid areas where other dogs might be encountered. As an infantry veteran of both Iraq and Afghanistan, and having suffered with PTSD for several years, I saw the beginnings of a maladaptive lifestyle forming in our relationship. One of the reasons I had originally adopted my dog was in an attempt to get me out of the house, active, and social. All three of these factors had been sabotaged. Finally giving in to the obvious necessity for help, I called Juan at DogAbility, not knowing fully what to expect. When he arrived at my house for an absolutely free consultation, his ability to communicate with my dog along with her immediate understanding of all he asked of her (as a complete stranger) clearly illustrated that he was the man for the job. After enrolling her in the intensive board-and-train program across four weeks, Juan and his associates transformed her into a new animal (but with precisely the same cheerful, loving, caring, and highly-active personality). Using not only time-tested techniques of dog training but also scientifically (ethological) derived methodology, her leash reactivity problems were solved 100%, I now have full control over my dog at all times, and often leave her off the leash in full confidence of my ability to recall her, regardless of the presence of other animals. The sheer gravity of the transformation in the relationship I have with my dog now when compared with that I experienced just a month ago is difficult to put to words. I simply cannot speak glowingly enough of the skill, professionalism, and overall experience I enjoyed at DogAbility. Most importantly, Juan and his associates made it clear (over intensive training sessions not only for the dog but for the owner as well) that it was I that needed to change, not the dog. This didn't mean changing my demeanor toward the dog, or suddenly becoming constantly a strict and cold disciplinarian. It simply meant putting the tools in my hands to ensure that my dog and I could communicate clearly at all times. Disobedience, in the end, is a failure of communication – and failing to prevent such a failure can lead to my problem or even worse. Consistency and fairness governs the training system that Juan and DogAbility teach and utilize, resting upon a foundation of their intense and unparalleled love of dogs. I could not be happier with the outcome of my decision.

I have two 7 month old boxer brothers. As you can imagine, they are quite a handful! They were crazy dogs who got kicked out of multiple doggie daycares, they would bark at any and every dog they ran into on walks, at the vet or anywhere they went. Walking them both was a chore because there was always one of them pulling or stopping. Juan and Gene at dogability helped harness that energy into something productive and now they are model dogs! They still have all the puppy energy but they listen when I tell them to do things and they know how to walk properly on a leash and not bark at anyone or anything. If I lived closer to Durham I would send them to daycare at The Pet Wagon where I know Juan's employees would keep up the training and the boys would be well taken care of. Overall,I suggest dogability to anyone weather their dog needs a little or a lot of help. My dogs made leaps and bounds in their behavior and are now model canines!! Dogability is the best!

My dog Loki just got back from Juan's High Reliability Training Program a few days ago and I couldn't be happier. Before Loki went into training he had really bad anxiety, he would chew his tail,destroy anything he could, he even broke out of 3 crates. It was a long month without him, but it sure was worth it. He is so amazing now! He walks perfectly on a leash, he comes when I call him, he is perfectly content being left alone and in his crate, I couldn't ask for more out of my dog or a trainer!

Juan Galvis is amazing! I started coming to his facility when I first got my malinois pup at around 12wks old. Gru is now 10 months old. Gru is doing amazing and I get compliments all the time about how well behaved he is. I initially came there thinking that all I needed was someone to do bitework foundation on my pup, for a protection sport called mondioring. Boy was I in for an eye opening experience! I thought I knew it all about obedience training, before I came to Juan. I thought I knew who the good trainers were and felt confident that I knew behavior well. Juan opened up a whole new world of training for me. The obedience training he does is the most clear and fair training there is! I learned that to truly train a dog, you have to be clear in your training. You have to truly know the science of training. The biggest thing was how to be clear. The result is a dog that listens without the reliance on any tools. He taught me the true beauty of Mondioring too. The beauty is in the control, obedience, protection work and the glue that holds this all together, is the bond that you form with your dog. He has truly given me a gift and continues to share his knowledge every time we train. I travel over 8hrs to his facility because he is one of a kind. He is the truest of all trainers! The knowledge and skill he has is beyond what other trainers are able to grasp. He puts in so much time, heart and work into all of these dogs! Every time I train, I see him come to life. He loves what he does and gives off such an energy. The dogs really respond well to his energy. To watch him work is pretty amazing! The patience that he has is pretty rare too. He will take the time to help you fix whatever you are having trouble with. He loves to teach, so it takes the pressure off and makes the experience a fun one. I can’t say enough great things about Juan and his whole staff at Dogability Dog Training. If you haven’t gone there, you are missing out on a life changing experience for both you and your dog! Mari Doyle