Dogs In Harmony

Shanni is amazing and so knowledgeable! 3 months ago, I adopted a 5 year old Kelpie / Border Collie mix, and she is my first dog, so I was struggling! I researched a ton of trainers in the area, and chose Shanni because a few other reviews mentioned what I really wanted - foundational knowledge in dog training. A lot of other dog trainers do only a board and train, which is fine, but I wanted to bond with my new foster dog by training her myself and had no prior training knowledge, so I really wanted to learn just as much as my dog would. Shanni is great in providing techniques, guidance, and the reason behind WHY you do things a certain way or HOW to communicate with and build trust with your dogs, and this is what really helped me progress so much faster than we expected. A few details on what Shanni helped me with over 8 weeks 1:1 training: * basic obedience (sit/down/touch/stand) * getting her to focus during training (especially outdoors, which used to be such a struggle!) * recall * loose leash walking * wait * leave it / look * a couple fun tricks * potty training (consistently going in one spot) * heel

Shanni is an amazing trainer. She's also great at teaching people how to communicate with their dog in the most positive way. All the classes I've attended had a maximum of 4 pups. So not only do you learn and practice key concepts in each class, but you also get feedback that's more personalized to you and your pup. This is so much more effective! My puppy really benefitted from the variety of classes offered here. Enrichment and shaping are incredibly helpful tools that are barely mentioned, if at all, by most training schools. I also liked that the same class was available more than once a week and at different times, so you can plan your training based on your workload, and not worry about having missed anything. Shanni responds to emails/texts reliably and she is easy to reach. She takes symptoms seriously, which is so important when you're waiting for your puppy to get all the required shots. She was quick at adapting her services to the lockdown. She has a lot of information on anything dog-related, for example contacts for agility and search & rescue training, what toys are better-suited for your dog's needs/nature, and puppy anatomy and development.

Let me see if I can count the ways in which Shanni Hendler is a wonderful trainer. 1. She does only positive reinforcement (+R) training.  Most trainers claim to do this, but I can attest that she genuinely believes with her whole soul that the best way to train dogs is to teach them how to make good decisions on their own.  You can see her belief in the details of how she trains. 2. She is a very skilled trainer with her own school.  I've taken large group classes before and I've worked with expensive private trainers before.  She has the expertise of a private trainer but the accessibility of a group trainer.  She is certified by the CCPDT and is qualified to do behavior assessment and modification, and she'll do that on a one-on-one basis.  But she also teaches group classes which means you get to see her for regular training for a very reasonable price.  She is an absolute gem, and I feel very lucky to have access to such a high caliber trainer in her own training school.  The fact that it's her own school means she won't very likely be jumping ship and moving somewhere else. 3. Her maximum class size for most classes is 4.  And she offers enough class times that often there are fewer dogs than even that.  You get a lot of personal attention! 4.  She has her own facility that is safe for under-vaccinated puppies younger than 16 weeks old.  I started my pup there at 9 weeks, and because he was able to start in the program so early he is already turning into a very well-behaved dog at age 5 months.  Taking every advantage during the critical socialization period is, well, critical!  And you can safely do that with her.  And I'm sure she'll get us through adolescence as well! 5. She absolutely loves dogs, and dogs absolutely love her.  You'd think this would be obvious for a trainer but it's not to be taken for granted.  My puppy seems to think she is the source of all happiness in the world.  She is such a clear communicator with him and has such a happy presence that he 1) is always extremely excited to see her and 2) does everything she asks, all the time, as though she really speaks dog (because he doesn't do that for me!). 6. She's a good teacher of humans.  After all, dog trainers have to be able to train both species.  She gives you feedback on how to improve, but she also tells you what you're doing right, and points out progress in your dog that you might not notice yourself because you don't have the trained eye.  Balanced feedback keeps us motivated and improving. 7. She teaches topics that many trainers don't cover, but which every dog needs, such as impulse control and vet/groom prep.  I also really like her enrichment class, where dogs can become socialized to objects like wheelchairs and uneven surfaces, and even play in a ball pit.  The puppy socials are great too because she teaches us how to watch dog-dog play and judge what's appropriate behavior, when to stop play, how to call dogs away from play, etc.  So helpful! (And so illuminating regarding dog parks...) 8.  I really like her format.  I like the modern web interface where I can see the class calendar and manage which classes I attend. I like how I can sign up for however many classes per month I want and attend when I want.  You can go at your own pace (or your dog's pace) and she keeps track of your progress, giving you exercises in class that are appropriate for your dog's level. 9. Bonus advantage: Shanni is a dog training nerd. She geeks out over great dog training books and keeps herself enriched by attending conferences and seminars, which get her very excited. She’s a bit of a puppy on the topic actually. So, in a nutshell, you should bring your dog to Shanni.  She's a gem!