Client Success Stories

Zak"Zak started off seemingly mellow and easy going but then decided to exert his Alpha male to the neighbors puppy. It could have been very serious and escalated to a hurt puppy so we were lucky but I didn’t want to see or fear as his owner that it could happen again and he wouldn’t listen. Also he didn’t seem to want to settle – he wanders all the time.

From moment one Christine embraced our dogs and showed us things we hadn’t noticed before. We were given very specific tools and methods to follow after the training session and Christine would check on our progress. In such a short time Zak was a different dog, he could socialize and even eat with other non household dogs, he would greet you at the door and then lie relaxed. He would look at us and respond with just a one word command. Brilliant!

Christine is a first rate trainer, she is professional and you can tell her love is not only for the animal but in seeing the owners succeed. She wants there to be understanding and synergey in the household with not only a master and pet but in helping to create a great additional well-mannered family member who you can trust, love, play with and overall be proud to own. As we most certainly are of our babies.
Christine also looks after our Siberian Husky ( we have had her since she was 10wks) but new dogs create new dynamics and its fun to see how they relate and how we can recognize as owners the hierarchy. In dog world. And if Christine can teach our Husky to return on command she can teach anything!" ... Kimberly*

Chewie"Pulling on the leash and barks at other dogs when we’re out walking. Also, housebreaking was a major issue. We’re making some progress on the leash on the street. I can keep him from barking at other dogs if I’m on it fast enough.I think we’ve turned the corner on the house breaking.

There hasn’t been an accident in about 3 months, and Chewy even wakes me up during the night if he has to go out. When I tell him to go outside and go potty, he does. This was a huge issue for me and I was terribly discouraged. Timing his habits was the key and it’s made all the difference.

It was a very enjoyable experience. Christine taught me a great deal about dog behavior and now it’s up to me to consistently apply the positive reinforcement for 'good behavior'. We still have a few things to work on, but we keep making progress." ...Noel

PJ - Pomeranian

"P.J.’s behavior was just out of control. Barking in the cage, barking at people when they knocked on the door (uncontrollably), jumping on people (he jumps very high—high enough to kiss your lips to say “hello”), taking advantage of me—sometimes biting my pant legs if he wanted something, barking at me, urinating in the home. I had already taught him all basic commands, but that wasn’t enough to control him.

I LOVE CHRISTINE!!! Through my training with Christine at WHATADOG, I now have a much calmer dog, who is happy and healthy. I have learned how to react to my dog by staying calm, and how to deal with situations that may arise. He no longer jumps on people at the door, he has learned that his crate is a safe zone and that I will come back home. By staying positive with my daily activities with him, he no longer is urinating in the home." ...Nikki

 

Sasha - Border Collie

"Sasha had a bad habit of barking at other dogs when we passed them on walks, and exhibiting extreme herding behaviors or “lashing out” when she was around other dogs. Sasha is also deaf, and it was difficult to figure out how to tell her that her behavior was not okay. Christine taught us how to modify Sasha’s behaviors with positive feedback. She was recently on a boat with 15 other dogs and actually enjoyed herself! We now feel much safer having her around many other dogs.

Christine is wonderful. She is accommodating, and really listens to the issues we’re having. Christine was not at all intimidated by the fact that Sasha is deaf, but found creative ways to work with her. Sasha loves her! We’ve seen such a difference in Sasha – she’s so much happier now – that I recommend WHATADOG to everyone who tells me about their dog’s behavioral issues." ...Stacy

 

 

Dublin "I adopted Dublin as a puppy from the Battle Creek Animal Shelter. I had never raised a puppy before, nor did I understand how much impact my actions had on Dublin at such a young age. At first I thought it was silly to call for a dog trainer when my puppy was so young, but Dublin learned quickly and it was imprinted that I was in control as he grew up.

Although Dublin is a very hyper-active lab mix, he now listens to commands, heals, recalls, and has turned out to be the best dog I’ve ever owned. I have learned from Christine that no matter what animal I’m working with, I must demand respect. I’ve even used that theory with my horses with success.

Christine is extremely educated about dog training. She is extremely motivating, energetic, and professional. If you have a dog, I would highly recommend calling WHATADOG for expertise." ... Jackie


Griffin"Griffin was having frequent "accidents" in the house. After several unsuccessful attempts to re-train him, the problem was only worsening! He also barked excessively at our houseguests and anyone who walked by our house.  Christine showed us how to make some very simple changes in the manner in which we interact with Griffin to establish firm boundaries and clear expectations. We learned that he needed firm and consistent leadership and Christine showed us how to provide it. Griffin is now happily following our command. Progress is continuing and after just a few short weeks, his behavior has already improved significantly.

We were particularly pleased that the training took place in our home where Griffin was most comfortable and where Christine could witness firsthand how we were interacting with him in his natural environment. We were thoroughly impressed when she was commanding his obedience in just a few short minutes, but we were astounded by the fact that she taught us how to replicate that behavior within the same evening!" ... Jason & Kathy

 

Buddy - Lab Mix"Buddy was not leash trained and would become very aggressive toward other animals, bikers, skateboards and sometimes people. He became uncontrollable when he would encounter these things on his walk. He would bark and carry on so much so that I could not control him at all. The training we both received was clear and concise, with encouragement and direct attention to detail.

Christine was always positive, focusing on what I did right, and directly correcting what I did wrong, without making me feel embarrassed or discouraged. Results happened quickly due to her extreme ability to be consistent with both me and my dog. And her ability to zero in on small details in regard to my handling the dog helped tremendously! There were things I would never have noticed, but with some minor corrections I was able to fix quickly. To sum it all up, the process was fun and easy and the results were quick and immeasurable! I never expected such extreme results!" ... Aaron*

*For the privacy of my clients, last names are withheld.