Dog Training Testimonials

 

Sammy (Golden Retriever)

Hey Carrie,
I had to send you another e-mail about Palmer, he's doing SO GREAT! He's heeling, sitting, "placing" and following all of the rules. We have been able to take him to so many new places, he walks beside us and we have been working off leash too!!! Today while I was walking him he made friends with a sweet Westie (girl) and it was the most amazing thing! He sat and wagged his tail until I released him, then he sniffed her and started playing!! I couldn't believe it! He is now a frequenter of starbucks, petsmart, and I'm planning to take him to the dog park (only outside the fence to meet and greet) tomorrow morning. It makes all of us so happy that he's a "good" dog now and again I just cannot thank you enough for your help! I've come to realize that he may not like every person or every dog but that he will follow every rule and that's fine with us! :) We have been working using the same correction method with our smaller dog, and she now heels and "places" as well. Please keep me up to date regarding any other socialization classes/anything you think would benefit Palmer.
Jennifer Parent, Tampa , Florida

 

Sport (professional puller!)

My adorable puppy is now adult size. He weighs about 73 pounds. I keep Sport exercised by playing frisbee in the fenced side yard. He loves to catch the frisbee while it’s still in the air and will play this game as long as I have the strength to keep tossing. While this is fun for him, I am not getting the exercise I need so I decided to begin walking him on a leash. This was not fun for me. Sport did not understand the meaning of the word “heel”.  I also tried “stop”, “slow down”, and even “help”.  He is strong enough to pull me over and drag me across the front yard . At this point I began to look for a dog whisperer, someone who could help me train Sport.. As luck would have it, I found Carrie Silva from the Doghouse LLC.  She is amazing. After just three weeks of training, Sport could heel like a perfect gentleman both on and off the leash. He can sit/stay, down/stay, and place. Everyday I reap the benefits of the training Carrie instilled in Sport.. I enjoy walking with my four legged friend who stays in perfect pace with me. I hope my doctor will see positive health changes in me during my next checkup. ;Click to see VIDEO
Linda Hunter, Tampa , Florida

 

Trey (Lakeland Terrier)

Carrie,and TheDogHouse Staff,
A GIANT thank you for all you and TheDogHouse have done for Trey. To say he has changed is a huge understatement. Having spent all of my professional life teaching and coaching physical skills to adults I know it takes a thorough knowledge of subject content, an ability to break it down to a logical progression of skills and commands (key phrases or words) that build on each other to provide a successful outcome. I believe TheDogHouse has a proven method of teaching skills to dogs that ensures success. Your success with Trey has been wonderful and I am pleased and overwhelmed to think that he will have a much happier life because of your efforts!
After meeting with Carrie, whom I found to be subject knowledgeable, friendly, and with just the right measure of discipline and fun.....for Trey as well as for me!...I had no reservations about sending him for training UNTIL, I heard the words...staying in an OUTSIDE kennel.. All I could think of was, will he be to cold, to hot, bitten by a snake, and all kinds of other wildly imagined harms. The overriding need to help Trey get over his fears and learn some obedience, which I came to understand was an essential part of helping him with his anxiety, pushed me to make the decission to send him to camp. He loved the outside, the companship of the other dogs, the sun bathing and of course the fresh air. (All the things everyone comes to Florida to enjoy!) Before, he was not content to be outside alone. Now he wants out to lay in the sun and play in the grass especially early in the morning. It all seems to give him life!
Trey, a Lakeland Terrier, was sent to TheDogHouse not so much because he was uncontrolable, or had many bad habits, although he did need obedience training, but because he had a fear and anxiouty about loud semi trucks, UPS trucks, garbage trucks, motor cycles and other loud vehicles and sadly a fear of some human treatment of him prior to my getting him. These all created a problem in the car for him. He liked to go in the car, but with the first passing of a truck he would duck or try to hide. He would start panting, whinning and trying to get out of his crate. Even more disconcerting was the fact that when traveling he would not get out of the car at rest stops to go to the bathroom, he would not drink water or eat....no matter the distance or length of the trip. He was afraid of little children and cautious of many adults.
The problems Trey had are being solved everyday as he continues to train. I am so pleased with what you,Carrie, Ivan and TheDogHouse staff have been able to accomplish with Trey. He is so much happier, not so anxious and I am elated. Trey, who is not easily won over by people, clearly trusts you, has a respect for you and he will go to you and let you cuddle him, pat him and look expectantly for you when we visit for follow up lessons. I greatly appreciate the care and respect you have shown to Trey.
I realize that Trey, and I, have a ways to go in our learnings but I am so grateful for how far we have come. If I were someone thinking about training for my dog I would think......TheDogHouse!
A big thank you.
Lona Lesh/ Sebring, Florida

 

Tyson (Rottweiler)

I own and operate my own restaurant and one morning when I was opening, a robber broke in and robbed me at gunpoint. After that horrible experience, I didn’t feel safe anymore and decided that I wanted a protection dog. And that’s how my beautiful boy Tyson came into my life. When Tyson was about 5 months old, I knew it was time to find the right trainer. After much research and many phone calls, I found The Doghouse. I was amazed that I had found such accomplished world class trainers so close to home. Without reservations, I sent Tyson to full service training. I was amazed to see how fast Tyson learned and soon he would sit, stay, and come without any hesitation. After the 3 week session, I brought Tyson back home and he was a completely different dog, well behaved and confident. Now, when I bring him out in public, I get so many complements on what a nice well behaved dog he is. After letting him grow up a little bit, it was time to go back to The Doghouse. This time for advanced obedience training and some protection work. Tyson loved his bite training . He was doing so well during this session that we felt that it was time for him to compete for his first working title. At the age of only 16 months, Carrie successfully handled him to complete his German style Obedience (BH) title. That was an exciting and fun day. I was so proud of my boy. During one of our training classes, Carrie remarked “you know you could show this dog if you wanted to, he is a good looking dog and has nice movement”. Then I thought about it and thought “that would be fun, now how do we get started?” So back to the doghouse for conformation training. This time, Tyson had to learn stacking, showing his teeth, and we even taught him how to work out on a treadmill. Now we travel to different dog shows all over the United States and are having a blast doing it. Tyson has completed two championships and is working on his third. His first title competition was the UKC Championship which he won by winning multiple best of breed and group placements in one weekend. Then he went onto compete for his international championship winning 4V1 ratings under four different judges. Now we are working on his AKC championship which he has halfway completed by winning numerous best of Winners and Winners Dogs titles. He is now known as “International Champion, UKC Champion, AKC Major Pointed, MultiV1 rated King Tyson von Evman, BH CGC” I know this is long overdue, but I wanted to send you a letter to express my heartfelt gratitude to you for everything you have done for Tyson and me. You guys have become great friends and have been there for us every step of the way and for that I am truly grateful. Our future plans for Tyson include completing his AKC championship and then we are once again back to The Doghouse to finish his protection training. I also have a new puppy named Raven who will be coming to see you guys really soon! I have and will always recommend The Doghouse to coworkers, friends, and family members. Thank you again for everything!
Sincerely,
Durenda H. and Tyson  Tampa, Fl

 

Maggie (English Pointer)

Our family adopted an English Pointer from a dog rescue 3 years ago. We realized our dog was very aggressive to people and other dogs, not to mention the many other issues she has. We tried several other dog trainers including franchises. Even our vet at the time who was supposed to be a dog behavioral specialist was afraid of our dog. Returning the dog was never an option, so when a co-worker suggested the Doghouse LLC we immediately brought her in to be evaluated and signed her up for their bootcamp. To say that we are satisfied would be an understatement. Carrie and Ivan are amazing at what they do. The transformation in my dog is incredible. We have even taken several training (refresher) classes since then with other graduates (which I highly recommend). The changes in all of these dogs is impressive. The Doghouse is the only place that I would ever board my dog. I have referred other coworkers with difficult dogs and they too have been impressed by Carrie and Ivan's vast knowledge of dog behavior and expertise training.
It means a lot to our family that they also bonded with our dog and were able to see the sweet noble side of her that only we knew. Thanks Carrie and Ivan for everything you've done for Maggie and for always making yourselves available to us.
Sara and Leo Martinez.  Tampa, Fl

Sammy (Golden Retriever)

Dear Carrie, I just wanted to drop a note to let you know that Sammy is doing an excellent job. We even have him heeling, sit, and down without a leash on now. Found a great field area within walking distance to our place and we go every day to play fetch. He comes right back to us with his toy. I have taken him to Fort De Soto Park, Pinellas Trail, and anywhere I go that I know he can tag along. We spent the day in Downtown Dunedin a few weeks back and had him down/stay right along the sidewalk. People and dogs came by constantly and he didn't make a move. It amazed me! I feel that thank you doesn't come close to how much I appreciate you working with Sammy. You taught Sammy so much more than I expected, it was a dream come true. Don and I are still saying I can't believe it on a daily basis. We are so happy when we play fetch with him because we know before he would've just ran off without paying attention to us. Sammy is so much happier now too. He has the biggest smile on his face when we are outside or when he knows were going in the car together. He accepts any challenge we give him and is eager to take on new things. Thank you so much for all that you have done. I would recommend sending anyone in need of dog training to you
Shannon Sear.  Tampa, Fl

 

Barron (German Shepherd)

The Doghouse LLC has been the most wonderful investment in my German Shepherd puppy Barron for obedience training and protection training. Prior to Carrie and Ivan working with my 1 year old GSD, he was nearly impossible to take on walks without him pulling where he wanted to go and he had a mind all his own without interest in my commands to sit, heal, stay. I took him to the local pet store with in-house training using the "clicker" and it had limited success. Carrie had Baron following all commands perfectly and walking with me instead of dragging me where he wanted. He is perfect with other dogs and especially children and I can actually walk him off leash with the best obedience to my commands. People always ask me where he was trained and they love his happiness and responsiveness. He is PERFECT for me and our neighborhood! Thanks to Carrie and Ivan, I have a strong and beautiful German Shepherd dog which is now great to walk in public and he behaves at home equally well! Thank you both!!!
Keith Clark, Forth Worth, TX

 

Juno (Dutch Shepherd)

We initially took our dog Juno to meet with Carrie and Ivan for a behavior consult. Juno was a 16 month old Dutch Shepherd that was out of control. He terrorized our family with frequent bites and random acts of aggressive behavior toward us on a daily basis. He was virtually uncontrollable on walks as well. Pedestrians, bikes, other dogs etc.. were also fair game for his aggressive behavior. He continually lunged at the end of his leash, barking at his victim, and when he couldn't get them, he turned his frustration on whoever was walking him. The final straw was when he learned he could pull away from us. I was truly afraid of my own dog and what he might do to somebody. He had already been to two different trainers with absolutely no results and if not for The Doghouse Juno would have been euthanized . They had the knowledge and insight to see through these behaviors, and uncover a misunderstood dog that just needed direction. Juno is now a wonderful companion that is reliably obedient every where I take him. Whether its on leash walking around town or off leash hiking/jogging in parks and trails I am confident in Juno's solid training and obedience in all situations. We both look forward to working together daily and Juno loves it!. Ironically, Juno and I are looking forward to personal protection training .The Doghouse is the real deal for you and your dog. True professionals in every way.
Laura P.  Lakeland  Fl

 

Zeb (Australian Cattle Dog)

I would like to especially thank Carrie. My expectations when I brought my Australian Cattle Dog for full time training were fairly high. I needed my Zeb to be able to mingle calmly around people, dogs, and other distractions in a busy FBO without the usual jumping and running around like a mad man. It seemed like it may be an impossible task since zeb is like the energizer bunny on steroids.
Not only were my expectations met, they were exceeded two fold. Zeb now listens to multiple commands and is much more pleasant to be around. My experience with Carrie at the Doghouse has been informative and pleasant, and I would without question, recommend anyone to the Doghouse for training or to rectify a problem you may be having. You will see results! Thanks Carrie, you are the best!
D. Vandenberg, Candia NH

 

Gracie (Shetland mix)

Dear Carrie I wanted to take a little time to send a heartfelt thanks to you, Ivan and the entire Doghouse LLC team for all you have done for our family and our dog Gracie. Gracie in a nut shell is a very intelligent, energetic and vibrant, sheltie/Papillion mix. We knew very little about her past experiences when we rescued her from the shelter, we also love her very much and wanted the best for her, which is why we decided to entrust her to the most qualified and professional trainers available. Yes, I did my research before making my decision . (The Doghouse LLC) We as a family decided the "Full Service Training" was going to be the most appropriate option for us; our schedule is very busy, as you know, and we new Gracie would most benefit from the everyday structure and decades of experience you bring. We were correct in that thinking. Just as the web site says "you will be glad you found us" We sure are! Although a very happy and loving dog, Gracie often showed signs of rebellion and arrogance which had the potential to put her in danger, when her unwillingness to recall/curiosity joined forces. This is something we knew would never be good for her as well as for us, as I bring her to work with me every day at a very busy airport. We wanted to give her all the freedom she deserves, but we also wanted her to be clear with her role within the family structure and understand the boundaries we would need her to adhere to. Our family/Gracie received all that we expected and far more, from you, Ivan and your team! Gracie came home with not only a larger variety/understanding of important commands, she also came back to us a more relaxed and clearer minded part of our family, willing and ready to learn whatever we asked of her. We can´ say enough, we can´t thank you enough! This I´m sure will be for us, only the beginning of our relationship. We would love for Gracie to continue to develop many skills and quit honestly after bringing her to you once, we can´t ever imagine having the need to bring her anywhere else.
S. Vandenberg, Ft Launderdale, FL

 

Bella (the Yorkie)

Our darling "dog delinquent" Bella was on her way to a Yorkie rescue group. Between five and six months of age, she had become more puppy than we were capable of handling. Definitely an alpha type dog, she ruled the house. Jumping off of everything including the back of the couch.
Bella was quick as lightening, darting out doors and refusing to come back. Chasing her was a daily exercise for both of us. We had taken her to two puppy schools where she succeeded in biting the trainers and not much else. By the time she came to The Dog House, she knew how to sit, retrieve a toy, and generally boss me around. Bella attended what I called, "puppy bootcamp" for three weeks at The Dog House. Wow - - what an amazing difference between the dog we picked dropped off and the dog we picked up. This is the puppy I always wanted.
We wouldn't dream of giving her away now. In the three weeks she spent with The Dog House team, she learned basic obedience and then some. She walks on a leash, sits, stays, down/stay, goes to her "place" (I just love "place") knows what "no" means. Bella is no longer a doggie delinquent as she is an expert now at coming when called.I heart-felt THANK YOU to the Dog House training team for making our dreams come true!!!! We wouldn't dream of adding another dog without sending it thru "puppy bootcamp" first.
Bob and Esther White, Apollo Beach, FL

 

Cowboy (the black Lab)

In June of 2006 we almost had to put down our beloved family dog, Cowboy. Not because he was sick, or old, it was through our own ignorance of dog behavior that our 6 year old lab had become so aggressive that he was a liability we no longer felt we could control.
You see, we treated him as a friend and child instead of treating him as a dog. Because there was no "alpha dog" in our house, he was confused and stressed about his role. Therefore he was constantly stressed and in protection mode for our children. It was to the point where the kids could not even swim around him because he would try to pull them out of the pool. There was no place to board him, as he detested other people and dogs. We were sick with what we thought we had to do. You see, this dog had so much heart in him. With advice form our vet, we found the Doghouse, LLC. That was a turning point in our life with Cowboy. I can honestly say it saved his life.
He lived with Carrie at this facility for almost a month. It was quite an adventure for all of us. I had to learn how to be an alpha dog. Cowboy needed to be completely trained again. We had been to classes before, but this was intense work to retrain his behaviors, as well as our won. As the month wore on, I began to meet Carrie, Ivan and Cowboy at different places as well as the Doghouse, LLC facility, to learn how I was to work with him when we were on our own. When ready, he dame home and Carrie met us at home to make sure the new behaviors were transferring to life at home. It was a life changing experience for us all.
It is now July 2007 and we have a wonderful relationship and understanding of our dog, Cowboy. He is well trained and most of all happy!. We all definitely learned the importance of dog psychology and the importance of an alpha person in the home for the dog. Cowboy loves to go into what we call training mode and be worked with all his commands. It is obvious this exercises his mind as well as his body and reminds him he does not need to be in charge. We look forward to many more wonderful years with Cowboy as we continue this very special relationship with him. We are so thankful for Carrie, Ivan and the Doghouse, LLC for saving this important member of our family.
Cowboy and Family

 

Hildy (the Australian Shepherd)

We have two dogs, both 21/2 years old; one is a black lab mix named Sasha, and the other is an Australian Shepherd mix named Hildy. One could consider this to be both ends of the dog personality spectrum, with Sasha being more laid-back and easy-going, and Hildy being wound up nearly 99% of the time. Being our first dogs, we had no clue what we were doing, and for two years went through two previous trainers, one being very well renowned locally-neither methodology worked whatsoever.
Over time, Hildy´s behavior became problematic, in that she became insecure around young children and began to chase them at will-this, in addition to birds/cats/anything that ran past her line of sight. We knew this couldn´t continue (chasing Children, etc.) and we met Carrie and Ivan through a referral of a friend who had put her dog through the three-week boot camp dog training program.
I cannot stress how impressed we were from the onset, wherein we spent nearly 4 hours interviewing with Carrie to help her understand Hildy´s behaviors=down to what she and when, etc. Carrie knew exactly what she was dealing with, and we determined we would in fact take both dogs through the boot camp-the results literally speak for themselves.
As of this writing, we can execute any number of commands to control both of our dogs- Hildy in English, and Sasha in German, to prevent confusion. The methodology works perfectly (although Hildy is quick enough to pick up on the German commands now), and thanks to Carrie´s constant attention after their initial stays at the Doghouse, our leadership has only continued to grow. I can say without a doubt that Hildy is much more at ease now, realizing she´s a working dog and has a job to do, and knows when to do it; she understands that we are in charge, and we understand more about how important it is for US to remain consistent with her training.
No longer does she feel she must bark and chase everything, and Sasha is no longer the lazy stubborn mule she was before...Overall, it´s like night and day looking back-the day we watched Hildy from the car for the first time in two weeks was so overwhelming to witness, it literally put shivers down our spines. We only wish that we´d gone to Ivan and Carrie from the start, and saved our time, efforts and money on previous trainers that didn´t work; I cannot commend them enough for their dedication to helping us with Hildy and Sasha-constant phone calls and emails, even when on the road-it´s dedicated personalized training at it´s very best, and anyone who isn´t a believer is more that welcome to come see our girls in action.
Brian and Lucretia Junge, Land O Lakes, FL

 

Boomer (the Maltepoo)

We purchased Boomer (an adorable Maltepoo) from a breeder at the age of 4 months. From the time he came into our lives, he was "the boss." We pampered and spoiled him, not realizing we were creating a "monster pup." After wanting a dog for such a long time, we soon began to regret the decision.
Our lives were no longer out own. Because of his behaviors, we were no longer living our own lives, which had previously included peaceful meals, T.V. watching, and even reading books or magazines. All of our attention was dedicated to Boomer and his mischievousness. We were not even able to bend down, pet him or pick him up which was frustrating!
Boomer was enrolled and we turned him over to Maureen, and for 3 weeks he lived and was trainer by her. She was great about keeping us informed regarding his progress. When we saw him on "you Tube", which Carrie had posted, we couldn´t believe it was the same dog!
When we went to get Boomer, Maureen gave us a personal training sessions. She shared training techniques and follow-up training ideas for him once he returned home. The role of boss had now passed on to us!
Boomer has now been home with us for several months and has been a different dog. He has retained his spunky and bright personality, but now we can really enjoy him. One of the most beneficial commands is when he is put on "his place" where he will remain until he is "released." He now follows commands and will play by himself. It is wonderful to bend down and pick him up without him backing sway. He is my shadow, but one I am happy to have around!!
We would highly recommend this full service program for any family that has a dog with "bad behaviors." It is also great to educate the owners...obviously it was not only his problem! The staff is highly professional and knowledgeable. It is also very apparent that they are Dog Lovers.
Kim and Nan Norquist, Boomer´s Mom and Dad