FirstBark
I boarded my Bloodhound, Wiley, for a three-week train-and-board program. Before training, Wiley was highly reactive to wildlife, lunging, barking, and pulling on leash, and he also struggled with giving small dogs space, often attempting to chase them. At the time, I didn’t know…Read full reviewClose full review
I boarded my Bloodhound, Wiley, for a three-week train-and-board program. Before training, Wiley was highly reactive to wildlife, lunging, barking, and pulling on leash, and he also struggled with giving small dogs space, often attempting to chase them. At the time, I didn’t know how to effectively communicate with him, especially since he had very little food motivation outside. I was repeatedly told that Bloodhounds could never be fully reliable off leash, so my original goal was simply to improve his focus and responsiveness. After speaking with Trent, I immediately felt at ease. His experience with Bloodhounds was clear, and he walked me through the program in detail before he picked up Wiley. He was patient with my many questions and had a training philosophy I really appreciated. Throughout the three weeks, Trent sent daily photo and video updates, which made my day! When the program was complete, Trent spent about four hours working with both Wiley and me to ensure I felt confident using the e-collar. I had initially been nervous about not being involved during the training period, but he did an excellent job teaching me from the ground up and making sure I understood how to maintain Wiley’s progress. Wiley came back as the HAPPIEST dog. I had never seen so much personality from him before. He now gets the zoomies, loves to run, wags his tail constantly, and actively plays with me in a way he never did prior to training. He seems to enjoy both his independence and his communication with me. Most importantly, he is now reliably off leash. He stays within eyesight, waits at trail splits, and has a strong recall, even around high-value distractions like deer (I still can't believe it). We now hike off leash every day. He even gets excited when he sees the e-collar because it means adventure. Trent also continued to check in after the program, which I really appreciated, and he has remained available for follow-up questions. I’m very grateful not only for the training Wiley received, but for the confidence and relationship it built between us. I’m looking forward to returning for future tracking work.