Mayhem to Manners Dog Training

We started working with Mayhem to Manners as soon as our puppy was old enough. Our biggest struggle was keeping her off things she shouldn’t have (i.e. socks), releasing things once she did get them, and biting everything, people included. Ultimately, she didn’t know how to behave and we didn’t know how to communicate with her in a way she understood. Our dog now knows how to listen to us. We take her to many places to meet as many people and situations as possible. We consistently receive positive feedback on her behavior and temperament. Having the training greatly helped us work through the puppy stage and helped shape our dog into a trustworthy member of our family. We were grateful to find someone so knowledgeable in rural Wisconsin, within driving distance from where we lived. I never felt like we had a stupid question. Kelly offered her knowledge in a way that made sense and could be applied. Training was tailored to our needs and preferences while still accomplishing our goal of greater trust and obedience. Kelly was so wonderful in helping us understand our goals with training, especially as this was the first time we’ve done formal training. Kelly clearly has a passion for the work she does. It shows in her gentle yet informed approach with dogs and their owners. She is down to earth and really makes the often daunting task of dog training very accessible.

Mayhem to Manners is absolutely awesome and here is why I say that. I started out with a sweet puppy, but as the months went by I started to wonder what I got myself into. I've had 3 Vizslas and a rescue Weimaraner in the past and realized that in addition to being cute, sweet, and loveable, they are very high energy dogs. If you don't give them a job to do they will find their own and you probably won't like it. I just wasn't prepared for the types of behavior Tigger chose to do. I worked with Tigger on the basics: sit, down, stay in one spot while we eat, and heel. I don't think I was consistent enough and in addition he was very smart. Tigger would listen when I was focused on him, but most other times he was wild and crazy. He had hobbies such as jumping up and grabbing branches off small trees with his paws then pull with his mouth until he broke them off. Rugs in my house were just something to crumple and then use as a dog toy. I was beside myself. What was I going to do? There were also some issues with resource guarding. I had looked for a puppy class and did not find one that wasn't over an hour away. When Tigger was 9 months old I asked at my vet clinic if they knew of any trainers in the area. They shared the name of Mayhem to Manners. I watched the M2M video on the different types of training available on their website. After meeting with Kelly, I signed up for the You Train lessons. After the first training session I immediately saw positive changes in Tigger and myself. Kelly's style of training worked wonderfully. The light bulb went on for Tigger and we began to make progress. My training improved and became more consistent with Kelly's guidance and support. Tigger quickly picked up on what was expected from each command. Tigger's focus dramatically improved, along with his confidence. His overall behaviors improved also. We now have fun training together. I still have a high energy dog, but he uses better judgement on what to use that energy for. We still have plenty of room for improvement and will continue to go to Mayhem to Manners for the excellent support and training that I know we will continue to receive. Instead of the dog I was ready to ask the breeder to help me find a new place for, I have a dog who brings me joy and hope for a wonderful life together. Thank you Mayhem to Manners.

I had the best experience with Kelly and my German Shepherd. We started out with puppy class and then at 4 months signed up for the “You Train Program” which is weekly private lessons with Kelly. We learned so much in these sessions..Things like sit, place, down, heel, wait at doorway and come when called. After sessions Kelly emailed a summary of what we did and the things we needed to work on. Thanks to Mayhem to Manners I have a dog that is a delight to be around.

From the start of the process, Kelly has been so quick to respond and so patient and kind with our dog, August. We did the Fast Train program and were so impressed with Kelly's attention to details--she made sure that we understood what August had been taught, how to reinforce his new skills at home, and she even had him bathed and nails clipped when we arrive to pick him up! We appreciate the follow up visits with Kelly and look forward to the group outings. Kelly treated August like he was her own and we love the bond he created with her. I know that he felt safe, loved, and HAPPY while in her care. The best decision we made was to dedicate time as a family to the training program--August learned so much and we are so grateful for Kelly and her expertise.