Mad 4 My Dog

Madelyn did SUCH an amazing job working with my chihuahua and I. I brought her in for a group class to work on some basic commands and reactivity issues. Madelyn was super knowledgeable and a great teacher! Made things super easy to understand and offered lots of alternative ideas when something wasn’t working for Roo. I absolutely LOVED how affordable her classes were too! Sad we’re moving and won’t be able to come here anymore! :(

Madalyn knows her stuff. She's a shining beacon for any new dog owner who might feel like they're in too deep with their furry friend. I have taken her beginners 1 class, used her grooming services, and purchased items at her store. She's kind, compassionate, tenacious, and has the best sense of humor. When she's not working, she fosters animals that would otherwise not have homes. I highly suggest following her on Instagram to see the reels and highlights of training a dog that can't see or hear. She is the epitome of animal training--creating a positive link between pet and owner so both feel safe and secure. You can't get that kind of experience at a corporate owned pet store.

Background: My dog is a smart, high strung wild child. You might say he's spicy,or maybe sharp. We got him in December, already a year old and full of terrible habits, no manners at all. He didn't even seem to understand that the squawking of humans was intended as communication. He was noisy, grumpy all the time, under-exercised (could not take him on leash walks, because he'd pull, hard, every direction at once, including up and down) and found 20 different ways to be naughty every day. He would jump on me, tearing my clothes and leaving long scratches on my arms (his idea of a casual greeting) Irritating, destructive, difficult. In the winter we took Madalyn's Foundations class and are currently finishing up Intermediate. I also signed him up for one afternoon of private training (10 min per hour x 4 hours) with her, took her Loose Leash workshop and used her video class on reactive dogs. I learned that a tired dog is a sleeping dog, and it's hard to be destructive when sleeping. The dog park, the tennis ball, and off- leash time on forest paths are all vital to his sanity and our relationship. I learned to keep him well supplied with toys and anticipate his responses. He needs toys he can legally shred, break into, shake and get food from. He needs for my shoes and the laundry basket to live on a shelf, not the floor. He needs to be given good options. Now, 6 months later, (Drumroll , please...) He sleeps quietly when I'm gone, doesn't jump on me when I get home, plays joyously when outside. He's not destroyed any shoes or laundry in months. He barks when there's someone on the property but hushes up too. He no longer claws at me for attention. When I say "Dogs stay out of the kitchen!" he backs up and waits at the door. Last week when I walked him through town, he got complimented by a group passing by on his very good manners, how well he walked on the leash, how happy he seemed. Yay! Is he perfect? No. Did I find him standing on the dining room table last week? Yes. But such progress!! In her classes, Madalyn uses only positive reinforcement, building trust and communication, helping us with our timing, tone, & treats to maximize the effects of our work at home. Her handouts are clear and useful. She teaches us to laugh at ourselves and our pups, and to understand we are all doing our best even on days when it's raining and we're grumpy and the dogs are going nutty from too much unburned energy. Just keep it light, keep it fun, build on the connection between your voice, their behavior and those yummy, yummy treats. Definitely recommend Mad 4 My Dog! --JudyO Owens, DVM