Duncan, a 75 lb rhodesian ridgeback cross, was adopted as an adult by empty nesters David and Terry. Sweet disposition but rambunctious and very strong. Here is their story.
Since one never knows what type of temperament an adopted dog will have, we were extremely surprised to find out the shy, mild-mannered dog we had to pull out of the Humane Society kennel turned out to be a whirling dervish who did nothing we asked him to do.
He ate our back door when we left him in the yard too long; he shredded his bed and pulled the fringe off of the Oriental rug; and jumped on everyone he saw, including our precious grandchildren. Since we knew he could become a better boy, we searched the Internet for help and found Tod. We quickly pleaded for his help. He gave us some immediate suggestions (buy an indoor kennel and give him a bone to chew on). He came for one in-home session and did a great job of helping us with the basic sit/stay commands but it quickly became obvious that Duncan needed Tod’s 3-week board and training course which we dubbed ‘boot camp’.
What a miracle worker Tod is. Duncan came home a very different, delightful dog. He does not jump on us; he stays beside David when they go for a walk (almost all the time); he plays ball without being chased all over the yard; and the best part – he comes when called and sits/stays when asked. We know his training will be an on-going process, but we feel our family life is much richer and definitely happier.
We love Tod!!!
Terry and David K, Fort Worth
Maggie
Maggie had already been written off by another trainer - told the owners to return the dog to the shelter. I evaluated the dog at the shelter and saw a very fixable dog, owners took dog back home. Below letter is after one 3 hour consultation and one follow up consultation.
I wanted to update you on how things are going with our Maggie. One word: GREAT!
She is doing so wonderfully in our family!! It is hard to believe our previous trainer advised us to return her to the Humane Society due to her "dangerous behavior". Our puppy (6-7 months at the time) was nipping at and jumping on our kids, barking at us trying to demand treats, pulling on her leash during walks, scaring our guests with her barking, and only getting worse with our previous trainer and her "all positive training" methods. Anyone who met this dog now would be shocked and swear she is one of the most obedient and sweetest dogs they have ever met! What a difference a good trainer makes!
Maggie's on-leash walking is phenomenal! The collar you gave us along with the tricks to keep her attentive to us when walking her have transformed our daily walks!! She walks casually at our side with the leash nice and slack...even when the children are on scooters or bikes or running around her! And now, it is the other dogs we meet on our walks that pull on their leash, and bark, and act out-of-control, not Maggie! She hardly seems to notice the distractions at all! Now, she is just a normal, relaxed dog out for a leisurely excursion with her family!
As you know, before your in-home training session, we could not trust Maggie out in public. She would bark and pull on the leash, etc. Now, she goes to the pet store with us, the Farmer's Market, the park, etc. We feel comfortable taking her anywhere.....because she is trustworthy now and we all know who is in charge....us! We even had her at an open green space one Saturday and were going to let her have some "free-running" time. But, when we dropped the leash, she still stayed right at my side....no matter if I ran, walked, changed directions, went in circles, or just stopped. We couldn't even make her run away from us!! :)
She is doing much better at the door as well. She still barks when people come, but she responds well to being "backed up" by us walking toward her and "stays" (with reminders) while we answer the door. She now greets our guests with eagerness to meet them instead of meeting them with fear and nervousness.
She is not nipping at the kids anymore and responds well to our commands both inside and outside our home.
Honestly, words cannot explain how grateful we are to you and the teaching and encouragement you have given us!! You were able to step into our desperate situation and get us back on track so that Maggie is now a permanent, secure, loving member of our family!
Thank you from the entire family and from our faithful companion!!
What good is obedience training if the dog only minds when it wants to? Below letter was received from Rosemary, her Australian Shepherd Roxie had already been to a board and train program with someone else but still was not reliable - so she came for my board and train program.
After we lost our first dog, Addie, we were fortunate to find Roxie and bring her home with us. Addie was a fabulous, smart girl, but we spoiled her and never made her mind. We were determined that we would do a much better job of socializing and training Roxie.
Our priority for Roxie was that she came when called. Her first board and train was in Houston with a well respected obedience trainer. She used only positive methods of training, mostly with food as a reward. Roxie did extremely well. The trainer thought she was brilliant!! She knew all of the commands and as long as you had treats, she would respond. And she was smart enough that when you didn't have treats, she wouldn't obey.
Next I tried several local training facilities, none of which worked out. So I started looking for a local trainer who could come to our house and help us teach Roxie to come when called. That is when I found Tod!!
I have to admit that I was somewhat skeptical of his training methods and his use of an e-collar. Not anymore. After we talked about it and we researched it, we felt it was the best for us. That proved true when we were in Houston this Christmas. My mother lives in the country with an acre of fenced in yard.
Roxie and I were out playing ball one afternoon and she disappeared around the corner. As I called her I saw that she was chasing an armadillo. The amazing thing is that when I called her she came!!!!!
Thanks to Tod!
Rosemary M.
Sara at FHS adoption event May 2010
Letter received from Kristin, a foster for the Frisco Humane Society. All three of the littermates Kristin referenced had various fear/aggression issues.
To most people seeing a picture of a dog standing relaxed amoung a crowd of people and other dogs may not be impressive but if they a had seen poor Sara earlier this year they would be amazed. I know I am. Sara was terrified of strangers, unknown dogs, new places, pretty much everything. She would behave so badly that we quit trying to take her to adoption events. She would bark if anyone even looked at her. She snapped at anyone wanting to pet her or even if a friendly dog came to meet her. We had no hope of ever finding her a forever home. I cannot come close to the describing how wonderful it is now to be able to walk Sara into any crowded event and have her be the life of the party. She now allows strangers to pet her, she meets new dogs with eagerness, we even caught her sitting in a young girls lap at our last event. Sara followed up her this performance with a visit to a nursing home and even there she behaved beautifully. We never would have believed it was possible but with Tod's training Sara now has a future. By following Tod's training we saw Sara improve in leaps and bounds. The very best news is that Sara has done so well she has a potential family waiting for her. That was only possible with Tod's help. The methods Tod showed me for training are also doing wonders for Sara's brother and sister, they too are improving daily. I cannot recommend Tod and Redeeming Dogs enough. What I have learned will not only help the dogs I have now but many more in the future.
Thank you Tod!
Kristin Riebel
The Frisco Humane Society
Badger (front) and Mamadog (back)
Badger and Mamadog had been feral dogs, Mamadog's aggression was about to cost her her life.
Guess
it's been a little over a year since you came out and helped us with
Badger and Mamadog. As you remember, Mamadog (Badger's mama) was a
rescued feral dog...vicious and aggressive to people and other dogs. I
was ready to have her put down, but Sally convinced me to give you a
call. What an amazing transformation after that one visit!
I
struggled to walk them one at a time before your visit, because either
one was strong enough to pull me face down, and both together was like
tying the leashes to a horse... that bites!
Thank
you for taking the time to show Sally and me how to take control.
You'll be happy to know that Mamadog has become a well mannered lady,
but is still an awesome watchdog. I walk them everyday TOGETHER, with
no pulling. There is still a little leash aggression if another dog
gets closer than about ten feet and lunges, but that has only happened
once in over six months. No aggression whatsoever to people.
I
still tell friends about you putting a leash on Mamadog! Sally had 9-1
dialed, and her finger resting on the 1. I was pondering whether the
ambulance could get there before she ripped open an artery or ate a
vital organ. In less than a minute, however, she was calm
submissive. Unbelievable.
Thanks again for your help, Tod. You have a gift.
Dwight
Dodger at home
Letter received after one in home consultation - Dodger was close to losing his home!
Tod,
I cannot recall how long it has been since you came to our home and helped us with Dodger, maybe 6 months or more! If you recall he is a high-spirited, high-energy, dominant guy who looks like a yellow lab mix and bossed our whole family. I just wanted to update you on the long-terms effects of your training for us all. It did not happen overnight, but the concepts you gave us about how to communicate with him and how to place the humans in the dominant position in our household have slowly but surely turned Dodger into a joy for our family. This is remarkable because, as much as I loved the cute guy, I was very close to finding him another home when we met you.
Dodger is now a very popular friend to the neighborhood, and many people have commented on how much better behaved he is than when they first met him. He plays with several neighborhood dogs on an almost daily basis. He "checks in" with me for approval more than any of his doggie friends! He is so much better on the leash that I can jog with him now. Best of all, Dodger seems exceedingly happy that the family pack is in the proper order.
I just wanted you to know that your work with us was a success. Thank you so much.
Sincerely,
Amy Milligan
Beau relaxing in pool
Letter received after a two week board and train program. I worked closely with this family from the start and the results were exactly what they wanted!
Our family loves Tod!! From the very first time we talked to Tod about getting a dog, he began directing us in the best choice of dog for our family. Knowing we wanted a lab, he told us which breed would fit our family perfectly…an English lab. He was wonderful in helping us locate a high quality breeder as well.Once we had the breeder that we all approved of, we began to wait for our sweet puppy to be born. Beau was born on December 23, 2007. Tod encouraged us to go see him as often as we could and even helped us to know how we should all behave and interact with our puppy. This was especially helpful to us since we had never owned a dog before as a family. Our visits were wonderful with the breeder. We always knew what to ask because Tod prepared us before we went. Before we brought Beau home, Tod brought a 6 month old puppy over to our house so we could all see what a puppy this age was like. We could all tell from that visit that Tod was going to be wonderful with our dog. Tod shared with us his testimony that day and we grew to love him even more….we knew that he had a love for animals that was so incredible and that he was going to be a wonderful trainer for our dog.Beau came to live at our home at 9 weeks old and Tod began to come and visit us as well as answer lots of emails….even though Beau was still so young, Tod let us know quickly some behaviors that needed changing and came to help us.
When Beau was 6 months old, he went to board and train at Tod’s house. Our family took a trip during this time, but Tod emailed us often and even put Beau on YouTube for us to see him!!….we were all amazed at how much he was learning. When we returned from our trip, we went to see Tod work with Beau at the Shops of Highland Village. We all stood back in amazement at what all Tod had taught our dog to do!! Lots of people watched and noticed he was such a good, little doggy!! After the two weeks he stayed with Tod, Beau came home a very different dog. He minded us better and followed commands with just simple hand gestures and words Tod taught us to use. He walked with all of us wonderfully and no longer yanked our arms off!Since he has been home, there have been some things that we have still called Tod for help on. He is quick to come over and nip those unwanted behaviors in the bud before they get bad!Tod continues to let Beau come for visits with the other dogs he owns and boards.We love Tod and so does Beau…we will always be grateful to him for helping us to find the perfect dog for our family!!
The Nicholson Family
Lira and her happy family!
Letter received after a two week board and train program. Lira is a beautiful Portugese Water Dog, before she came to me she had already been through a 6 week board and train program elsewhere with dismal results. Her main problem was hyperactivity.
Dear Tod,
Thank you so much for all of your hard work with Lira.
We had been wanting a Portugese Water Dog for several years. We researched the breed & were put on a waiting list for a year before we were finally able to adopt one. But with all of our research we still were not prepared for how active this breed truly was. We sent her to an obedience school when she was 6 months old. Lira came home from that school with an eye infection & she actually became un-housebroken while she was there. She did learn to 'sit' (sometimes) during her 6 week stay with them. We were frustrated, she was unhappy & we wondered if we had made a mistake by adopting her.
Then we discovered you. You told us that we would see a complete change in her behavior in only 2 weeks. And we did. It was more than just 'sit' & 'stay'; you taught her to listen to & follow us. You taught her how to look to us for guidance & approval. You taught us how to communicate our desires to her; whether it be not sitting on the sofa, or leaving the cat alone, or staying in her place while we have company over. She truly has become a part of our family now. And we feel comfortable and look forward to taking her out with us. She is everything we had been anxiously waiting for.
Thank you making our dreams of a true canine companion possible.
Love the Salimbene Family
Bailey at the mall with new confidence!
Letter received after a two week board and train program (Bailey was one of the rare dogs that needed a third week). She is an English Pointer, and her new family found she had severe fear issues.
Bailey is a two year old English Pointer we adopted from Frisco Humane Society to be a friend to our other dog (Coach). The two of them were fast friends but she was timid, shy, shaking all the time and had no obvious obedience training. After researching Tod and the e-collar method we thought he could really help us figure out how to get Bailey to listen and respond to us.
Bailey spent three weeks with Tod and came home a different dog. She is more confident and willing to listen and learn. He taught her several basic obedience skills that we can continue to build on. Coach is so happy to have his friend back and we were delighted to see the change in her behavior so quickly. Tod has a special talent for training dogs and we would recommend him to anyone. He has a passion for what he does and you can tell he truly cares about your dog.
Thanks again Tod! God Bless Scott, Tracey Coach & Bailey
Thor and his happy owners
Letter received after a two week board and train program. Thor is an adult Siberian Husky, until his board and train he was an outside dog only.
We have a Siberian Husky named Thor that weighs 67 pounds.When Thor met Tod for the first time, he left 2 paw prints on his shoulders.Thor jumped on people and we really didn’t have a lot of control over him.He basically ruled us.Indoors Thor was just okay and outdoors havoc all the time.We have 2 children who are 6 & 7 years of age and were hesitant to go outdoors with him as he loved to play and run into them.
After we sent Thor on vacation with Tod for 2 weeks, we were amazed with how well Thor responded and acted at our home.Thor no longer jumps on people, creates havoc outdoors, or charges out the front doors.Thor will do all things on command with little or no correction at this time.BIG achievement from when he left our house.Thor now sits down on the floor while we watch TV or while we are at the dinner table eating dinner without any resistance.If there is a correction to be made, it is minimal with the remote and collar.I use setting 1 and no higher when I go to the park with him, in public with him, or just walk to the main roads from the house.Our children now play outdoors with Thor and he doesn’t bother them a bit.He still plays with them when they are sitting at his level, but he no longer chases them down and they are no longer hesitant.Blessing in disguise and money well spent!!!!!
We also have a Maltese that is 4.75 pounds that plays with Thor daily for up to 30 minutes maximum in a confined area and they are amazing together.Thor is now a redeemed dog that respects us and we respect him.
So hats off to Tod with so much respect for how well he works with dogs.
Many Sincere Thanks and Blessings!!
The Cotton Family and Thor, the Siberian Husky
Who could turn down this face?
Letter received after a two week board and train program, Angus is a Dogue De Bordeaux (French Mastiff) that came for training at 6 months old.
Angus just came back today from Redeeming Dogs and we are so impressed. We signed Angus up for his board and train program for 2 weeks. Tod actually kept him 3 week because Monte was going to be out of town the end of the 2nd week and Tod felt he had a couple more days he wanted to keep him for training (no extra charge either) so he kept him until Monte came home. In 2 weeks, Tod taught Angus the following commands:
Sit, Down, Stay, Place (to go to a pad or bed in the house-not the kennel), Kennel Up, Load Up, Out(when he has something in his mouth and you want him to spit it out), Leave it, Come(to come to you), Come On(when he's with you and you want him to follow you),
And he Heels perfectly now! Angus is a 6 mo old Dogue De Bordeaux and was starting to drag us after him when we tried to walk him and it started to scare us - if this is what it was like at 6 mo........ well, you get the picture! When Tod brought him home today, he showed us everything he had taught Angus, and then showed us how to give him the commands and had us go through everything as well.
Then we went to the park by our house, where there was baseball practice, soccer practice, a play ground and tennis courts and people and kids galore. He showed us how to keep his attention and not have him worry about everything going on around him, just to focus on us.
Angus was very happy to see us and his home. But you could tell he was very attached to Tod also. I was a little apprehensive about how he would do when Tod left us, but Tod gave him a hug and a rub and walked out and Angus came over and laid down by Monte and I so it was fine! After Tod left, we put him through all the paces again and he did great!
Tod uses hand commands and voice commands. He also uses the e-collar which he spent a lot of time talking to us about when we interviewed him. I thought they were the old time 'shock collars' that I had heard about. The e-collar is a buzz on his skin or a noise, depending how you have the collar set, and it does NOT hurt them, it gets their attention. Tod had us hold it in our hand and let us feel what the different levels felt like. The e-collar he chose for us has 5 settings, 1 being low and 5 being high. In the house, Angus is on a 1 and when we are outside at the park or walking etc. it is on a 2. The e-collar is included in his fee. I just can't believe the difference in Angus, we are all very happy and pleased with Tod's training.
I had researched a trainer for about 3 months. I did not like the idea of Angus going to a kennel place/trainer, where he would be crated and by himself for 12 hours a day, 6 at night to 6 in the morning. Tod was the only one I found that actually brings your dog into his home with his family, including children, and his own dogs. Talk about excellent socialization! And, since he only takes 1 or 2 dogs at a time, you are assured of very one on one training.
I can tell you right now that I will do this again with our next DDB or Mastiff - it is incredible what he did with Angus in this short amount of time.
Taree
Tod training Pit Bull Brouskie
Letter received after a two week board and train program, Brouskie is an adult Pit Bull.
Hi Tod,
I would like to thank you for helping us and Brouskie to get to the bottom of his bad behavior( our bad behavior) .
As per your advice and guidance, we helped him understand that he is NOT the pack leader , but he still has a safe place in our family.
We (humans) became the pack leaders and he has been given boundaries that at first were hard for him and us to understand , but with time and practice we have all benefited from these rules. Now he really is a happy dog. Knowing what he can and can't do makes him feel extremely safe and protected.
We did not realize that having rules for him will actually help him feel safe and protected. Allowing him to make decisions that he is not capable of making only hurts him in the long run. Making these decisions for him makes him feel secure. All these things we learned from you. And we thank you for the dicipline that you brought to our family. Now we know exactly what to expect and how to deal with Brouskie as we are learning about his limits, what he can and cannot handle.
This has brought stability as well as new sense of responsibly to the way we handle our puppy and now we are able to give him a safe and secure environment were he and us can live an uneventful life.
We thank you for all your help and skills that you have brought to our family. We had different trainers before, but none of them loved and understood Brouskie as you do.
We will always stay in touch since you have become a member of our family.
Thank you again for making our lives and the lives of our pets much more enjoyable. We are recommending you to many of our friends that have issues with their dogs.
Sincerely you friends,
Riki , Ike and Elan
Miley and her owner Ashley
24 hours after Miley's consultation for dog and animal aggression
Tod,
We just wanted to thank you so much for helping us yesterday! What a difference a day makes! We have done what you asked us to do, including moving her crate out to the dining room and keeping her off the beds. She is doing great and seems to be handling the changes well! We took her out for a walk last night and ran into a couple of dogs and had Ashley's friend bring her dog out so we could practice. Miley did well. She got a little excited but John was able to handle her with no problem! This morning's walk was even better. We took her to the apartment complex's dog park and encountered about 5 dogs. We each took turns walking her while the dogs were out there. She did well with each of us and we felt victorious. Ashley was walking her when a woman came out with two small dogs off leash and she handled it like a pro and so did Miley!
We are so excited that the training you gave us is working. We are amazed and thrilled that we can see hope in our sweet puppy. We're actually enjoying the walks together. It has become more of a family activity for us now!
Thanks again for all your help! We are all much happier!
Have a great day!
Jamie, John and Ashley
Ike is so civilized now!
Letter received after a two week board and train program. Ike is a young adult Doberman owned by a retired couple.
Dear Tod:
We are writing to you to express our appreciation for all you did for our friend Ike and for us. We had acquired Ike when he was 4 months of age from a breeder because we wanted a dog for companionship as well as protection and a Doberman seemed to fit the bill best. We recognized the fact that he would do best with professional training and when he was 6 months old he went to a highly recommended 10 day board-and-train school, He returned, having learned the basic “sit-stay-come” routines but still retaining the tendency of jumping on us (by then he weighed 50 lbs), and trying to keep us from leaving the patio after we had played with him. He also had developed the habit of using the patio as his toilet. Although we followed all instructions we had been given by the trainer and attended 3 refresher sessions, Ike's behavior deteriorated so that he obeyed commands only when he felt like it. We returned him to the original trainer for an additional 10-day board-and-train course: his behavior had improved upon his return but within a week he was back to his own self. Again we had followed all post-discharge instructions carefully. He became increasingly difficult to walk because he pulled hard on his leash and he is very strong. At this point in time, we were very discouraged, ready to give up Ike for adoption because he seemed too much for us to handle. We loved Ike, despite his behavior problems, he was an exceedingly gentle, loving, and intelligent animal and therefore decided to give it one more try.
We has heard about Tod and the ”Redeeming Dogs” approach from the Internet. What appealed to us was the fact that Tod never trained more than 2 dogs at a time and that these trainee dogs live in his house with his family and his own dogs. This obviously results in a far more realistic situation for the visiting dog, who basically trains 24 hours a day. We invited Tod to meet Ike and it was obvious that the two hit it off immediately. The two took off for Tod's home. Over the next two weeks we received Emails, and photos (and even one film clip) documenting Ike's progress.
On the 14th day Tod and Ike returned to our home. The great change in Ike was immediately obvious: he was polite, followed instructions willingly, no longer picked up napkins and other small objects off tables, didn't carry off our shoes to chew on them, went into his crate willingly without protest, walked readily in the “heel” position without pulling, and did his business in appropriate locations. Right now, he is a true gentleman with us and visitors. Interestingly enough, he seems to be much happier and more relaxed than before and has become the dog we've always wanted.
Heinz and Linda
Oscar and Mugsy
Oscar Likes Everyone But Daddy…
Oscar is our adopted terrier mix and was an absolute delight when we met him at the Adopt-a-Pet.When we first met Oscar, he really loved our kids and especially liked my wife.
Everything went terrific after we got Oscar to our home but over a two day period he became very possessive of my wife and was actually aggressive with me!Yes, aggressive.He would run at me and hatefully bark, nip, and try to run me out of any room he was in with my wife.Over the period of just a few days, Oscar was no longer manageable from my perspective and yes, he bit me.It was not an option to allow Oscar to live with our family if I couldn’t get in my own bed without being growled at and attacked!Every time I came into the house from work, Oscar was there to greet me with a vicious barking attack.If that wasn’t enough, the little “dictator” would actually block me from entering a room where my wife was at and stare at me as if to say, “You’re not going in the room with her”.I could stand no more and decided to call Tod.
Tod helped my wife and I understand Oscar quickly and explained the reasons that he behaved the way he was behaving.After a few hours of work and a trip to the dog park with Tod on point (and endless phone calls to Tod) we had a happy, balanced dog.He was getting better every day with me and I enjoyed seeing his progress.
Then came Mugsy.Mugsy is a Poovanese (half poodle and half Havanese) and was only 11 weeks old when we brought the little “Q-tip” home from the pet store.We thought we could introduce the two dogs in the comfort of our own home.Apparently Oscar hadn’t received his copy of the memo and attacked Mugsy almost immediately.Tod was called within minutes and came right to the rescue.Believe it or not, Oscar has accepted Mugsy and they are great buddies now.
I can’t tell you how much Tod has helped our dogs and my family.I have recommended Tod and his services to several dog owners already and would recommend him to ANYONE that has any training needs.
The Farrier Family
Boris and baby Noah
Baby Noah (with dog Boris) - 6 months after visits:
Tod,
I had to write you a note and say thank you for the guidance, knowledge and tools you gave us to feel confident and secure enough to let our very newborn baby hang out with our German Shepherd Boris. Of course as you know I was nervous about this situation just for the sheer fact that Boris is so big. But after you worked with us and observed Boris and gave us some tricks and tools to use before Noah was born I became confident and knew everything would be ok. As you can see now, they are quickly becoming best buds and Boris has taken on the responsibility of keeping a very close eye on Noah. It has turned out to be a wonderful environment and I couldn't be happier or more thankful for your help and guidance!
Best Wishes,
Rick, Karen, Noah and BORIS ; )
Tod with Benson & Missy
Suely - 30 days after visit:
We had Benson (white dog) since birth and got Missy (dark one) a little over a month ago rescued from a breeder and then three months with the best foster mom before we got her. Benson is 11 months and Missy is 10 months old and both are labradoodles. So, not only did we have things to correct individually, they also had to adjust to each other. I could not believe the difference that two hours of training made with both dogs. Although we were doing a lot of the right things, my husband and I struggled to control them on our walks and I would be tired because of all the pulling. Now it is a pleasure to go on walks with hardly any pulling. And when they do, we know how to stop it. I have even taken both dogs to the dog park by myself without any problems. And other bad behavior, such as jumping on guests has gotten so much better. Now we all know (dogs and humans) who the leader of pack is and it has made our relationship with the dogs much more fun and rewarding. I have already told our friends and other people I met in the Denton dog park about Tod and the positive results we got from the training. But this is only the beginning....I plan on future visits with Tod to prepare both Missy and Benson to be therapy-assistance animals. Thank you Tod for helping to restore peace in our pack.
Suely
Cynthia with Bruno
Cynthia - 24 hours after visit:
Just wanted to let everyone know what a great visit I had this weekend with Tod McVicker. He came to Beaumont to work with my pack of 8 and my family to help us get better control of the dogs. I, like many people who rescue, have a heart for dogs but am not the best at being pack leader and it was showing up in the behavior of my dogs. SO, along comes Tod and within 1 day we have a different household! My kids and I have learned to walk the dogs properly. My husband was already doing it (for the most part correctly) but with 8 we need to split them up and because I had dogs who didn't respect me as dominant they would pull me and misbehave on the walks. Same for my kids, age 9 and 13. Not any more...I can safely walk my dogs with my kids in my wheelchair and not worry about hurting them or myself. Then the behaviors at home. With some very simple corrections we are making HUGE strides on gaining control over the pack. Important to do when you have 8 dogs (or 1 dog I suppose, LOL!). My husband Robert's biggest concern with Tod coming and working with the dogs was, "I don't want Robot dogs!", well if anything...they are now allowed to let their personality shine through because they are not fighting for position in the pack. They are now much more relaxed and seem happier. I KNOW we are much more relaxed and happier. I realize that we are just begining this new journey and am excited that we have been blessed by Tod. Not only my dogs and family will benefit but our foster dogs also will benefit and their new families. Just had to share our great experience with everyone.
Cynthia, Robert, Devin, and Austin Strait
Beaumont, TX
Tod with Coco & Chanel
Ed (dogs Coco and Chanel) - 4 days after visit:
Tod quickly understood the relationship we had with our dogs and showed us some invaluable tips on how to earn their trust and respect. After just two hours, I felt like a true pack leader and the dogs were excited to see what they could do next. I now know I have control over their behavior and understand my responsibilities to them. Our pack has learned the difference between good and bad choices, and we all get along brilliantly. Thanks for everything Tod! I would definitely recommend you to my family and friends.
Sincerely - Ed, Michelle, Coco & Chanel
Terri and Taryn, with dogs Lola & Sophie
Terri (dogs Lola and Sophie) - 48 hours after visit:
Wow, Tod made a difference in my two dogs just within a couple of hours. I did not know the correct technique on teaching appropriate behavior to dogs. I tried continuously but basically got no where. Sophie, my Chihuahua, used to run out the front door every chance she got and run rampant through the neighborhood. My son of 5 years old is the only one she would come to after about 30 minutes of chasing. Now, Sophie just looks at the front door and does not dare try to escape. This is such a relief because the kids are always opening the door. Lola, a shepherd mix, is a rescue dog I was considering adopting. Lola had some areas of concern for me that needed corrected. Lola walked me, charged me to the door every time, over powered me at feeding time, investigated the trash can on a regular basis, dug holes in the yard, etc. Tod worked with her and within a day I was amazed because Lola was a different dog. My kids (7 & 5 yo) walk her now, she allows me to go to the door first, and she waits for her food, she is still excited about the food but sits anxiously awaiting. Tod taught me several techniques and how important it is to give a larger dog exercise on a daily basis and not just time in the backyard. I continue to work with my dogs daily by using these techniques and they continually improve. I made the decision to adopt Lola based on her new behavior. I am blessed that Tod provided his knowledge and talent to me and my precious dogs.
Terri
Tod with Daisy, a border Collie mix
Suzanne (dog Daisy) - 48 hours after first visit:
Tod truly has a gift! My 3 year old border collie mix Daisy was scared of everything. I mean everything - flea medicine, trash bags, cameras, paper plates - you name it. Walking her was a nightmare, when we encountered children, strangers, sprinklers, cars starting, anything - she would freak out. Because of her behavior we began to pander to her. All of that has changed now! Tod showed us the real Daisy, the Daisy behind all the fear and anxiety. He showed me how to be the leader of my pack and keep Daisy in line. He taught both Daisy and I so much and by the end of our session I was proud of our accomplishments and I think Daisy was too. Daisy now meets strangers, takes her flea medicine without incident, and has a whole new outlook on life. I took Tod's teaching and have applied them to my other dogs as well. What made me a believer in Tod's abilities? He made the impossible ... possible. If Tod can help Daisy he can help your dog.
Suzanne
Tod with Buddy (chihuahua mix) and his own dog, Major
Beth (dogs Buddy and Annie) - 24 hours after first visit:
Tod,
Thank you so much for coming over last night and showing us how to interact with Buddy and Annie! We have had dogs all our life, and they have always been running the show. No one ever taught us how to the "leader of the pack!" Now that we, the humans, are in control, we have two very different little dogs! In less than 24 hours both dogs are now walking appropriately on a leash, and not jumping uninvited onto our laps and furniture. They are calm and happy, if not a bit bewildered about the changes in their good masters! They remained in the crate for the entire night, (although there was some whining and scratching until later in the night) and did not make a sound until I let them out at 7:30 this morning. They did not even whine and scratch to get out of the crate when they heard we were up and about! I am already seeing so many changes in us and the dogs and it is wonderful! I know the situation with continue to improve now that we have a much better understanding of what the dogs need and want from a master. Annie is still being a bit obstinate about a few things, but once she remembers that we are in control, she is compliant. I look forward to giving you updates over the next few days. You are truly blessed with a gift from God in your ability to interact with and understand not only dogs, but their masters as well!
Sincerely, Beth
Tod with Harper
Kimberly (dogs Harper and Oliver) - 24 hours after first visit:
Tod,
You're too kind. It is us that must thank you. Harper was a different dog last night. He went to bed in his crate and slept all through the night. Didn't wake up until 4:30 this morning when he went out to the bathroom and then right back in his crate. He's been in his crate most of the day, as has Oliver. Did I mention that Harper has been resting QUIETLY in his crate? You have no idea what a difference that is from the dog who had, in the past, been flinging his body against the side, gnawing on the bars and screaming to high heavens! It's such a dramatic change that I can only call it a miracle!
I cannot thank you enough for coming to help with these guys. You have given me so much more confidence and I can't tell you how great it is to have someone to talk to about how to have a balanced pack. I was just thrilled!
You have already made a mammoth difference to both Oliver and Harper, and I know you did to my husband and me. You truly have a gift for this work.
Gratefully yours, Kimberly
Tod with Oliver
Kimberly (dogs Oliver and Harper) - 48 hours after first visit
Scene: 10 days ago: Oliver's vet visit for heartworm test/neuter appointment
On the car ride to the vet's he was back and forth and back and forth across the back seat. He would not (could not?) settle. When I opened the back door of the car to let him out, he dove for it and I was barely able to grab him as he leapt to get away. We enter the vet clinic and he goes ballistic. Barking and growling so badly at the other dogs and the people that I had to wait for the vet behind a half-closed door until they had a room ready for me (and he still growled and barked at the closed door). He growled and barked at the vet attendant incessantly. We had to muzzle him. BTW - he's been muzzled every time he's been to the vet - which is 6 for 6 up until this time.
Fast forward to today - stitches removal
He calmly sat on the back seat and looked out the window. We arrived at the vet. He patiently waited for me to invite him to leave the back seat. He trotted up to the door. I entered first , his tail was wagging. No growling. Not even a peep. No staring at anyone, just calmly looking up at me. No barking. He sat quietly by my side in the waiting room across from two other dogs. He was a bit uncomfortable, but before he sat, I touched his tail and he lowered it. We were called into the exam room. He was fine. The VERY loud assistant burst into the room and although she startled us, Oliver made absolutely no aggressive moves at all. As a matter of fact, nothing even closely resembling a growl, just a happy face and a happy tail (wagging, wagging). We lifted him on the table, turned him on his back (a submissive posture - he on his back with two relative strangers heading for his private parts). However, not a peep from the dog-formerly-known-as-a-growling-snarling-mess. The vet, with the attendant's assistance, calmly removed the stitches. We were done. Did I mention no muzzle required???? They could not believe it was the same dog and they asked me what I had done. I then got to spend the next 10 minutes talking about you.
It was a joy to take Oliver to the vet today. Just amazing. Thought you'd like to know.
I am a dog trainer for these areas: University park dog trainer, Highland Park dog trainer, Grapevine dog trainer, Coppell dog trainer, Addison dog trainer, Allen dog trainer, Richardson dog trainer, The Colony dog trainer, Argyle dog trainer, Carrollton dog trainer, Dallas dog trainer, Denton dog trainer, Flower mound dog trainer, Fort Worth dog trainer, Frisco dog trainer, Highland Village dog trainer, Lantana dog trainer, Lewsville dog trainer, Plano dog trainer, Trophy Club dog trainer, Bartonville dog trainer, Westlake dog trainer, Colleyville dog trainer, Southlake dog trainer, North Texas dog trainer, and Decatur dog trainer. People call me for University park dog training, Highland Park dog training, Grapevine dog training, Coppell dog training, Addison dog training, Allen dog training, Richardson dog training, The Colony dog training, Argyle dog training, Carrollton dog training, Dallas dog training, Denton dog training, Flower mound dog training, Fort Worth dog training, Frisco dog training, Highland Village dog training, Lantana dog training, Lewsville dog training, Plano dog training, Westlake dog training, Trophy Club dog training, Bartonville dog training, Colleyville dog training, Southlake dog training, North Texas dog trainer, and Decatur dog trainer Common dog problems are house breaking, house soiling, potty training, jumping, biting, barking, digging, chasing cats, aggression, aggressive dogs, nervous, shy, fearful, disobedience, not coming when called, not behaving in the house. I have done akita dog training, boxer dog training, collie dog training, border collie dog training, mixed breed dog training, poodle dog training, rottweiler dog training, pit bull dog training, german shepherd dog training, doberman pincher dog training, springer spaniel dog training, labrador retriever dog training, golden retriever dog training, irish setter dog training, bichon frise dog training, chihuahua dog training, blue heeler dog training, dashund dog training, yorkie dog training, maltese dog training, jact russell terrier dog training, corgi dog training, rat terrier dog training, puppy dog training,and many other dog breeds, Some people call dog training behavioral training, dog school training, board and training. dog consultations, dog obedience training, dog whispering. but they are all simply ways to describe changing dog behavior for the better. I use e-collars (also known as electric collars, electronic collars, remote collars, training collars), and traditional collars and leashes to do dog training, After my two week board and train program your dog will behave!
