03 December 2019

Just  wanted to send you a quick note to thank the groomer who looked after Lark,she looks great and was not traumatized at the grooming at all,so many thanks for a great job.

20 November 2019

Thanks for a great groom! Shadow looks great, many have remarked on what a great cut and how good he looks.

24 Oct 2019

Ellie and I are thoroughly enjoying and learning leaps and bounds!!! Thank you for your calm kind approach.

10 Oct 2019

Bernadette is an absolute treasure! My puppy Luci and I are thrilled to have attended a class and had private lessons. We learned a tremendous amount. I'm so impressed with Bernadette's incredible wealth of knowledge and ability to adapt to each new dog and owner, depending on their specific needs. As an individual with complex health issues, I wouldn't have the amazing relationship with my beautiful puppy without Bernadette's help. You are such an amazing person!! We love you, Bernadette!!!!

15 Sept 2019

WOW !  

Thank you for the notes, audio file and ALL the information.  I have glanced thru all of it and feel like I have a years worth of training ahead of me !!!  

However, I am also VERY excited to get started, as all of this information is AMAZING !  Such clear instructions and explanations and absolutely what I need to feel confident I am working with them correctly !  It all makes perfect sense to me (on paper) and I could not be more grateful !! I am so excited !!  (I may even be able to train my husband with all this info !! YAY !)

Truly, I cannot thank you enough -  even for this much so far !! It has been a very frustrating and difficult journey adding Teddie to our household, with many people suggesting we re-home him. This is not an option we would ever consider, but you have truly given me new hope that we can have the 2 dog household we envisioned !! 

SOOOOO glad I found you !! And I look forward to training these little fluffers with your guidance. 

​

THANK YOU !!! 

23 May 2019

Just wanted to take a moment to thank you so much for grooming our cat two weeks ago … although I didn't get to speak with the specific groomer afterwards, once we got our kitty home … he was hilarious to watch … he loved his new hair cut!!! … he wiggled and squirmed and showed off his newly clipped belly non stop for about a week! I am so grateful to have found your services! We look forward to coming again soon!

19 May 2019

Attending the good manners class was the very best thing I could have done for Mimi shortly after adopting her. I will always be grateful to Bernadette for teaching me the training tips I never knew before. They will not go to waste and Playskool, here we come!"

09 October 2018

Bernadette helped my new cat and I from having to return her to the SPCA. Iris started peeing outside the litterbox the 2nd night I had brought her home. From there the peeing escalated, peeing on anything and everything soft or not. Through virtual assistance from Bernadette, we were able to stop this behavior, and now 2 months on, Iris has not reverted back to the behavior and I have a beautiful and affectionate cat! I would encourage other cat Moms and Dads to contact NanaimoPet Services, before considering surrendering your kitty. Bernadette replied quickly and professionally to my initial email for help as well as ongoing follow up and questions. Try it out! Your kitty doesn't need the stress and mistrust that surrendering causes.

04 October 2018

You are a patient and very caring instructor. Thank you for everything. We will register for level 3 when Prince ‘s reactivity is under control.

04 October 2018

Thank you, Adriana, for the Canine Good Manners classes over the past four weeks! I learned new things and appreciate your instructions and effective communication. I'm looking forward to more classes, e.g. agility. Thank you for teaching the Good Manners classes!

31 Aug 2018

After years of having dogs, Emma was different she and we were struggling, she was frustrated, she was eating sticks and had to have surgery, we did not know how to manage.

Our vet recommended Bernadette and Playskool . 

We felt better after the first meeting such a friendly professional team.

Dedicated and committed to training through safe play.

We have seen a great improvement in Emma she is calmer and happier and loves to be able to play in a safe environment.

Thank you

Mick and Helen

30 July 2018

A big thank you for the groom of Misty last week. She had a lot of mats (even though my mom cuts them out alllll the time....including when I visit). This was her first groom and my mom says she has seemed more happy and relaxed. So she will definitely bring her down again to maintain now that we know she handled it okay! 

Thank you so much. 

19 July 2018

04 July 2018

I really  can't  thank you enough  for your time here and great advice,   it made an immediate,  positive difference.  Tate and I  will be attending  our first class this evening  -  excited  to continue  our learning  experience! 

6 July 2018

We are experiencing great success. Today i was able to change the cage bottoms with Shadow watching at the barrier with no reaction. He, also, had a real test when we went to a bird hotel. There were four birds, macaws and Amazons, he was curious but behaved well given the level of excitement. 

Thanks so much!

​

23 April 2018

 I would like to thank Adriana for the wonderful time Oliver and I had at trick training classes. Everyone in the class was great! Nice to meet other other owners with there babies (dogs). We had so much fun and the bonding is great! So many more things to do through out the day and night. Can hardly wait for our next classes Fran and oliver

18 March 2018

Thank you Bernadette for the recall class. Oliver and I had a lot of fun and looking forward to our next class teaching tricks! You are so patient & we really appreciate it. Oliver is a busy little man. All your staff are amazing and have helped me out with so many,many questions. I have to give a huge thank you to Stephanie, I’m always asking her for advice and she graciously gives it. So grateful for your playskool! He can hardly wait to get there and sometimes does want to leave. See you Wednesday for trick training. Thank you, Fran and oliver

01 February 2018

I am so happy with the care, training, and personal attention given to each dog by Bernadette and the other instructors at agility and obedience classes at the Nanaimo Pet Training Centre.
I have had my two mexican rescues in private sessions as well as agility and obedience classes and these classes are the best.

Bernadette has been super supportive and helpful with private  sessions with my dogs and i appreciate this greatly and would highly recommend classes here.

11 December 2017

​Hi Bernadette – Thank you so much for the session on Friday.  I can’t tell you how much this has put my mind at ease.

I love Chevy so much and want him to be as happy and anxiety free as possible.  I have already seen a change in him since we have started implementing your training techniques! 

You are an angel and I cannot thank you enough.

11 December 2017

Thank you so much Bernadette for all your help and support with Emma’s training!

I know we still have work to do  but with  your help I know the journey will be fun and rewarding!

10 December 2017

Thank you so very much Bernadette! Murphy and I really appreciate being in class and learning in a positive environment!

10 November 2017

Thank you so very much for the extra time you gave to us and thank you for the  notes attached which I have already started working on. I totally appreciate all that you and your staff do for us.  Where would we be without you?

06 November 2017

Penny and I want to express our heartfelt gratitude to Bernadette for the life-changing grooming visit. She is so much more lively and enjoying life that she seems five years younger! Whatever the secret is (maybe a massage??)... Thank you for your love & care of Penny. See you again soon!

24 July 2017

I was in today having Lilly tested for the CGN….. I had Ty tested on the 11 of this month.  …

Thank you SO VERY much for being a calm individual.  I’m certain it makes a difference in how the pups behave and respond…..

I think your set up/grounds/facility is fantastic!!

My pups thank you also for your kindness and being friendly and welcoming….

So, thanks much for everything!!

22 July 2017

Thanks to your class we had a really good time when family came to stay. Darn few barking episodes over the 4 days.  Of course, she got a ton of treats from all, so now we are cutting back.  We will return to our Wednesday play school slots, and continue the good  work you started. Thanks again for saving my sanity! 

15 July 2017

Just wanted to thank you so very much for all your help with Bruno and I:)

He'd like to thank you for telling me to give him more leash, much improved.

My boy is definitely a work in progress but you have given me so much confidence, I'm so proud of him.

Thanks again, I'll keep you posted I'm sure we'll be needing your input again.

14 June 2017

Thanks to Bernadette (aka "Grandma" as the dogs know her) we were connected to our Fur-babies Charlie in 2012 and Gracie in 2016. Starting from the very beginning she has been an intricate part of their development and well being. We have participated in many of her behavioural classes, where she offers us a patient hand and a customized program for each of my Bernese mountain dog's needs. When its time for grooming we can count on her care from nose to tail. Without her dedication and loving nature I can honestly say my dogs wouldn't be who they are today. Thank you Bernadette we are looking forward to many more years of working together.

03 June 2017

​
 Thank you for your message of hope.  It is a relief to hear that I did not create the behaviour issues!  Both family and acquaintances seem to feel that I have done something wrong in my treatment of Missy.  I am encouraged that I can control  the issues with patience and persistence.  We both learned a lot from our classes.  Missy and Rosemary.

06 FEB 2017

The the ICU class provided us with many tools and skill development to help us work with our dog on her reactivity to distractions. Bernadette was able to understand the needs of all the individual dogs in the class but also customize the instructions to our specific needs to work with our dog. Thanks you to Bernadette and Nanaimo Pet Services.

26 March 2017

Hi all! Just wanted to say a big thank-you for the wonderful job you did grooming Jinks. She was very dirty and long-haired but you got her looking (and smelling!) wonderful. Thank you for doing her nails and teeth, etc but I am especially grateful you found and removed a tick from her. Thanks again.

25th October, 2016

Thanks Bernadette. I really valued the ideas behind the training. We are committed to helping Charlie want to show us how smart she is and how well she can listen.

Thanks for all your help and knowledge. 
Nicole

21st October, 2016

Thankyou Bernadette! I only do thankful for your ICU course. Finally... I feel like I can help Nova over come her fears and make progress towards feeling comfortable myself when taking her for walks! Your class has helped me think outside the box so Nova can trust me to do the right thing when she is in a situation that makes her scared!

10th August, 2016

The DAWG amazing recall training has proven to be very usefull as well as the weekly notes and we are getting great results. I have started bringing Swiffer to Playskool as well. I plan on bringing her for other classes as well!

10th August, 2016

Thank you so much for the great course. Your approach is non judgmental and reminds us of the joy our pets can bring if we just learn how to recognize how they are communicating with us. I especially liked the follow up emails that reminded me to do my homework and  provided so much guidance and extra information. I really felt your support. Really Great Value! Thank you!

6th July, 2016

All my life I wanted a dog. Finally I realized I better get one soon or I may outlive it. I spontaneusly chose my male golden retriever and then started researching what puppy parenthood was all about. Wow! I faced some tremendous challenges.  I  was concerned about properly socializing Cooper when Oliver's Pet store suggested I contact Nanaimo Pet services and get him into puppy playskool. I had no idea how lucky I was to get the referral that day. Since then, you and your staff have helped me up a very steep learning curve and  shaped Cooper into a well mannered dog that is  welcomed by my family and  friends wherever I bring him.  Apart from the playskool,  the classes I've taken have taught me how to communicate effectively with Cooper and forge a strong bond with him. You and your staff have generously extended help and advice beyond the scope of the playskool and the classes. I feel confident knowing whatever struggles I may face with Cooper,  we have an extended family at Nanaimo Pet Services.  You are an invaluable resource for me and Cooper. Our community is fortunate to have your services available. Thank you all for your patience , kindness and generosity.

26th May, 2016

"We were nervous to have our dog in a classroom with other dogs, but we really wanted to learn more tools for managing her reactive behavior. There was no need to be nervous. Bernadette and Nanaimo Per Services put so much thought into how to keep the dogs safe and owners sane during the classes and I felt welcome and relaxed. We learned such great tools and having the opportunity to practice those tools in a safe space was invaluable. I would recommend this program for anyone who is frustrated with reactive behavior, and are looking for support."

Thanks Bernadette

20th May, 2016

Bernadette, your patience and vivid passion training us dog owners is truly remarkable! Hopefully Dingo stops sighing so much as I stumble through my learning steps, simultaneously teaching Daddy the valuable lessons you've shared. Thank you so much.

30th March, 2016

We just wanted to check in and say thank you for your help. We used your ideas for introducing Maddie to  other dogs and it worked great. We are so relieved to know that we can go to visit  other people with dogs  and Maddie can  now get along with dogs that have an attitude  and space issues !  She was such a star. We were really impressed with how well Maddie has learned to calm herself down and refocus.

30th of March, 2016

Awesome class ,  thank you! You guys are all amazing and truly went above and beyond my expectations! You guys really care and that is rare!

Thank you so much for all your time and expertise!

31st of October, 2015

Thanks Bernadette for the great Recaller class. You have a wonderful way of teaching the material . Making dog and human understand and better communicate with each other. I will definitely enroll Heidi and I in another class.

22nd of October, 2015

Hello, thank you so much for the wonderful

class. Best training I have ever done.

I'm very interested in the real life outdoors class, would love to sign Lucy up for full 6 weeks if it does go ahead.

Thanks!

31st August, 2015

Hi Bernadette,

Thank you for seeing what Kevin could do. He's been such a nervous little guy & although I knew he's come a long way, I never thought this would be possible.

This weekend I entered him into 4 intro agility runs - regular & touch n go - his first two runs Saturday went so well, I added tunnelers & an extra run today.  6 runs at his first trial & he did amazing.  He was happy, engaged, tail up the entire time.  He even managed to pull out a Q in his last run of the weekend.

Thank you for all of your help over the last year! 

24th August, 2015

Amadeus and I have attended several classes with DAWG. As an owner I have learned many skills to manage my reactive dog. All our work is supported by the amazing training team and our involvement in the Play Skool. The team always knows what my puppy needs to work on, what other dogs he plays best with and they never fail to inform me of how his day went. I feel so blessed that we found this team. I truly believe that without the skills they have taught me I would not have had this kind of success. Many thanks.

18th August, 2015

My Yorkie’s name is Rosie she is a year and a half old. I love her very much but she was driving me crazy. Her separation anxiety was at the point where I couldn’t even go to the bathroom without her sitting on the other side of the door barking like mad. It was also embarrassing when friends would come over, she would  act like a spoilt child, running around, jumping on them and basically just wanting to be the centre of every ones world. I am so thankful that I found Nanaimo Pet Services! I had completed other training but I still had a little dog that was so worked up I didn’t know what to do. After 1 one on one session and 1 class Rosie is a different dog! Now when I leave the house she is calm and relaxed and it is better for both of us. We communicate a lot differently now and we are both calmer and happier! Thanks Bernadette (and staff).

14th March, 2015

Thank you Bernadette for holding your Raw Food Discussion...It was very informative and

you have been a huge help in teaching this process...I thank-you but most of all my Dogs thanks-you....Wanda

14th March, 2015

Thanks for hosting the Raw food info sharing session,  I was so pleased to get the updated information , but I didn’t know I would also learn how to simplify things, so that was a real bonus!!

11th March, 2015

I wanted to thank you for your kind care this morning when we had Kiwi's nails clipped. She went for a walk with us for the first time in months. .
See you in a few weeks.

29th February, 2015

I had signed up for your news letter the last time Spiffy was groomed, and soon after I received your first info-mail with all the topics present and past.  What a wealth of knowledge right at my fingertips.  I was really blown away - it was much more than I could have hoped for,  and I learned an awful lot.  Thank you so very much for putting in all that extra time to inform and teach all of us, who have four legged family members.  I am still going back and forth through the various topics, learning more as I go along.

thank you.

22nd February, 2015

Note: Lucky is a small rescue dog with severe fear issues, that have led him to bite people and react severely to dogs and to change.

He is learning to trust, be calmer  and accept changes in his life through the Control Unleashed program

Just had to share.....and this made me nervous the whole time after I made the appointment. 

I took Lucky for his first vet visit since I've had him (9 months), and while he was a little nervous getting in the door, had a minor reaction to another dog that came in, he sat calm as could be on the scale, waited like a champ in the room for Sylvia, he accepted the muzzle with ease and then let Sylvia exam him. WOW, came to mind while I held him on the exam table. He was a little nervous and stressed of course, but no growls or aggression at all, but I have to say, without your help and guidance we would have never been able to get him in the door, never mind a full exam (minus the teeth of course).  This made my day, and confirmed we are on the right path with him. He may never be adoptable, but that's okay. I just want him to be comfortable in his own skin. 
Just wanted to say thanks so much for all your help and wisdom from me, Dwayne and Lucky. 
 

13th February, 2015

We would like to thank Bernadette and her staff at Nanaimo pet services for all their help with our reactive german shepherd. She has attended both your Control Unleashed class along with attending Your supervised Playskool - we see so much progress with her in a short period of time. We feel Bernadette and her staff are genuinely sincere in both you and your dog's success - having a well trained dog is so much more enjoyable for everyone!! Thank you!!

13th February, 2015

Hi Bernadette,

I've taken a number of different DAWG training classes with my dog Abbey, with our most recent being the 6-week Recallers program. It might be easy to assume that a set of classes focusing on foundational skills would be boring, but this couldn't be further from the truth. This was one of the most fun classes Abbey & I have taken, and Abbey clearly enjoyed herself immensely with the games we learned each week. The homework was easy to incorporate into our day-to-day life and I've already noticed an improvement in Abbey's ability to focus on me when we're out on our walks in the park. In fact, we've been (finally!) able to really start working on our loose-leash walking - in very large part because of the work we did in this class.

Marina 

11th February, 2015

I have just completed the 6 week puppy class and the Control Unleashed class with Bernadette ( and Chris). I have a 17 week old shepherd and an 8 year old pug with leash aggression, so did not want my pug passing her bad habits onto the new puppy. I am so happy that I chose to do both classes at the same time. Both dogs have benefited from both classes. I have been able to use the games and tools to train the dogs together, making it fun for both of them and making the transition of having a new puppy in the house so much easier on my older pug. She's slowly coming around to the idea!! Thank you so much, it has made life with a new puppy that much easier!

28th of November, 2014

Hi Bernadette,

Just wanted to thank you for the marvellous groom you did on Chi the other day.
He looks and feels fabulous, thank you.

21st of November, 2014

Hi Bernadette,

Quincy and I would like to thank you for your kindness and patience in training me

how to work with him and teach him  to be a well rounded and behaved

dog.  The eight week “Recallers” course that we just completed was excellent

and taught in a relaxed environment with a good group of both human and

canine students.  We will continue to work on our homework with the excellent

notes that you provide each week.  As you say “it just takes a few minutes EVERY DAY!

Quincy & Pat

14th November, 2014

• pet name(s) : "Fergus"

• Breed : Scottish Terrier

• Subject : Grooming

• Message : Just a note to thank you again for your incredible service yesterday, for accommodating our arriving late, and the great professional job you did with his grooming. You are a great team. See you in January ! 

23rd October, 2014

Dear Christine & Stephanie,

Thank you both so much for the guidance and fun training over the last few weeks. It has been wonderful to see the changes in Nova and we are enjoying a new depth in our relationship with her.
Our plan is to continue building on what we have achieved and consider another class in the new year maybe.

22nd October, 2014

Dear Bernadette:

Our dog Tyler, my family, and I would like to thank you for the Control Unleashed classes! Tyler is a rescue dog we’ve had for about four months now, and sometimes he exhibits some pretty bad manners. Pulling on leash, reacting badly to other dogs he meets on leash, and seeing rabbits and deer as potential dog treats are amongst his greatest hits.   

The Control Unleashed classes gave us some simple but effective tools and techniques to help keep Tyler’s focus on us and to calm him down in stressful situations.  We can watch out for the signals he sends when he becomes agitated, and are more aware of how to prevent escalation. The result is a much more relaxing walk, run, or play period both for Tyler and us. Best of all, we now have the tools to take him almost anywhere, knowing that we can now handle most surprises. Thanks a million! 

20th October, 2014

Bernadette, thank you for being such an incredible instructor. FIN and I have learned so much in the CGN class we just finished. I accredit a lot of his good behaviour to your excellent staff in the Dog Skool program.  I simply cannot thank you enough for having the patience with both him ( as a 18 month yr old male) and me.

Thank you for offering such a great selection of programs!

19th October, 2014

“As a person who moves differently and is very uncoordinated and awkward, Bernadette and her team are not only thoughtful but eager to provide methods that work for me and my dog. Willie and I have connected on an incredible level as a team because of Bernadette and I am so very grateful to her for bringing that experience to us.  All of her instructors are kind, encouraging and oh so very good with the dogs. I don’t think I would take classes from any other instructors.”

1st September, 2014

Thanks for your newsletter everybody.  I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed reading all your news and viewing all the colourful photos.  Great layout too!
What gives me pleasure above all is that I am starting to feel a part of one large caring family devoted to the welfare of our wonderful pets. Before you moved to your new location, I enjoyed bringing Gilby and Brooksy in for their grooming knowing that they would be well treated and properly groomed.  But now the icing is on the cake (or dog bone!)  We have finished a set of 6 lessons dealing with trust and socialization, and I have learned that I am NOT out here alone trying to deal with our issues, that there is an amazing wealth of knowledge and assistance that you can offer me for the asking. What a great feeling I've had every Tuesday carrying the crate to the door ready to place in my car while Brooksy bee bopped for joy knowing we were headed to your facility.
And thank you, Bernadette, for your amazing patience and leadership, and good humour, to boot! 
With much appreciation,

17th July, 2014

Hi Bernadette,

I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciated you organizing this 
walk group this evening, it was a pawsitive experience for Ben and I. 
Thank you for taking the time to work thru  Ben's fear/aggression  at 
the end..it was very helpful!! See you next week.

17th July, 2014

Hi Bernadette,  I was so grateful for the help the girls gave me at your shop yesterday.  I feel more comfortable with getting my puppy started on kennel training on Friday when I pick him up and maybe we will both get some sleep that night.

06th April, 2014

So, here we are, six weeks later, and a lot less stressed! 

During the first set of classes, we learned to recognize the levels of arousal or stress in our dogs, many games, and how to redirect our dogs.  We also learned how to perform the Tellington Touch to relax our dogs and that has been useful many times.

For Benny, it has become a project involving everybody in our home to be aware of what causes a reaction then using management to prevent it by offering options such as going into another room and playing a game.  It is an ongoing process and plenty of opportunities arise to practice the techniques we’ve been learning.  We realize that there are still some situations which we need to avoid, but we have made progress.   Before this, I dreaded it when a visitor would come to our home, but recently, not only were we able to have a conversation with a visitor, we were able to get Benny to touch them and accept a cookie from them.

Please sign us up for Control Unleashed level 2.

1st April, 2014

what a successful day Noomi had today!! She actually stood /lay down by me while a neighbor talked with me for about 10 mins (this alone would have previously triggered a round of barking/mid level reactivity), and not only that, but the neighbor's two dogs inside her house were barking the whole time ...normally this in itself would have set her right off...a) barking dogs; b)dogs she cannot see....

I was shocked - Noomi never made a sound. She looked around anxiously, but then lay down again when I told her to..but the biggest change was that she never barked, pulled, that sort of thing!!

I am starting to think that her calmer demeanor we are seeing is b/c her general adrenalin levels are being kept quite low every day...so there is no 'build up', so she is less sensitive/?? to her usual triggers.

What do you think?

I love to report good news so tht I would share it with you.

My neighbor even said, ' wow is that Noomi? She is being so quiet' !! too funny.

talk soon, I am feeling better now and back to normal, whew!

10th March, 2014

Bernadette, we want to thank you for your clear and positive approach to helping us manage our pair and our pack given the JRT's more aggressive tendencies with our shelties. We have always accepted that we have responsibility for the results of our management, but we were at a bit of a loss as to how to proceed given that we had not been successful in dealing with this situation with the tools and approaches we have been using with our family dogs for decades.

We learned so much during your program about changing our assumptions and our approach towards the ongoing, immediate vigilance in preventing Digory's 'red' response to her 'high risk' situations.  In retrospect it is clear we weren't being assertive or creative enough in providing safe situations/options for her.  We learned that we can help her make more positive choices. 

We also appreciate the attitude adjustment you consistently guided us to in accepting that things such as separation of the pack members (for their ease and during specific situations) and changing the dog's mind-set/expectations (LAT) would work wonders (and they have), and that occasional use of instruments such as the muzzle can actually be to the benefit of the individual as well as the pack.  If we feel Digory 'ramping up' or experiencing anxiety, we use the muzzle for a little while and she seems to settle down.  I also use the TTouch.

Specific to the details of our current status, Digory has not had a 'red zone' event since the end of the course -- although we could see on several occasions that that could easily have happened.  We muzzle her to go outside loose with the pack or when the dogs are together in a vehicle (we do not have room for crates); we use head halters during leash walks, and have no off-leash walks at this point; we use LAT and TTouch as well as gates within the house to focus/separate her when there are 'alert' situations that could generate 'at the door' scrums; family members text when they are going to approach the house so that we can put these procedures into play; and when we leave the dogs at home we put her in a tall x-pen by herself (with a frozen nut butter-filled Kong) in a room with the larger dogs.  This all requires constant awareness but has become second nature.  I have no confidence in her ability to manage her stress points when with other dogs without this approach.  I believe both Panda and Digory would be less timid/aggressive on meeting dogs on the trail if they were on their own with their person -- this is a lot more difficult to put in place given our primary recreation of hiking together.  I will continue with LAT on the trail, and as summer comes and we travel to more populated locations we should get more practice.  Hope it improves.  All suggestions welcome :)

Thanks again.

3rd March, 2014

I took your advice about stopping aggressive wrestling and have had success. Foxy no longer is as intense about play, she takes no for an answer and 
of course it helps that Rex is such a big boy now. I also keep on foxy with other dogs and see what her weakness is, and its the chase and take 
down of other dogs, so I just dont let her engage at that level. She still has the odd aggressive noises or intances...but they seem to be 
only in one location and its where most of the dogs and her have been friends for years and so she is comfortable there and is called off easily.
thanks for all your great training tips.

March 1st, 2014

Hi Bernadette,

Just wanted to share with you the positive and amazing changes Nico has made this week, it's like it is finally sinking in "I'm ok, I'll be ok, my mom is here"..

He has NOT barked once at neighbours, mailman, when I leave,  or when someone comes to the door..(Carlos still barks when someone comes to the door).  He seems to look to me and say, is it ok?  I always say it's ok, shsh..

it's fine.

Yesterday the most amazing thing happened.  When I am cooking he is TERRIFIED of the fan, usually runs into the farthest bedroom and lays up against the wall shaking.  Yesterday he just went around the corner and when I sat down again at my computer, he came and asked to be picked up.  It was

as if he knew he was going to get a massage and comfort.  He calmed right down.

I know it has take a long time to get here, but, he is gaining confidence, I started out skeptical because he was always shrieking and screaming and now I see a shy little dog who is most importantly starting to believe in himself and to believe in his mom and that she is always there for him.  He trusts me.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!

February 11th, 2014

Hi Bernadette

I really want to send a great big “thank you” for everything you taught Holly and me over the last 6 weeks.  It has certainly been a pleasure and a rewarding experience for us both.  I am looking forward to the next 6 weeks !!