My puppy and I had a lot of fun in Heather’s Confident Puppy class. Learning to play games with my puppy to grow his confidence and build our relationship was empowering. I especially enjoyed the relaxed style of instruction that Heather brings to each class and appreciate her openness to answering the myriad of questions which inevitably arise
We have taken two classes online at Proud of my Dog - puppy and adolescent - and we have all learned a lot from both of them. We especially liked that the classes were online. When we went to in-person classes she was easily distracted by the other dogs. Heather is very knowledgeable and provided us with all sorts of practical tips and training to help our puppy and adolescent dog deal with the world - in a fun way! We now have a bank of games and strategies that we can continue to use in our day-to-day life.
We were very happy with our classes with you and are thinking of taking another class in the new year. One of the most helpful things we learned was how to use positive feedback by creating success for peaches and rewarding her for it. We are already extending this technique in various parts of our life with Peaches. I think we were very lucky to have the one on one zoom call, and feel like we learned so much more than we would in a full busy puppy class. The online course materials provided so much information and are a great reference for when we need it. It’s great that you provide a variety of easy to read and visually appealing sources. And it’s good to know that we were watching videos that have been vetted by an expert, there is so much on the net that could be created anyone trying to make a buck. Your class has set up the first steps to our lifetime puppy/doggo routines.
Prior to the Puppy class our pup Rosie was somewhat out of control but Heather's patience and instructions were extremely valuable and easy to follow for both us and Rosie! In particular, prior to the class, Rosie's recall was frustrating as much as we tried but with Heather's instructions and coaching she is now very good with "come" and listening even with distractions. She will actually even stop to run after another dog or car when told to sit (leashed) which was a worry! We highly recommend doggie training with Proud of my Dog trainer Heather Fox, she is excellent and provides so much written/video information for an ongoing basis. Thank you so much Heather and look forward to our next session in April.
Thanks again for your efforts in helping me with Beau. I can’t think of anything I would change about your course. One thing I would do differently if I had a do over (which we don’t get in a situation where your puppy is literally changing by the day, or hour in some cases) is talk to you prior to adopting a dog and start your course sooner. One of many things I learned in your course is I completely under-estimated the importance of rest for a puppy’s ability to learn or socialize. I would advise anyone adopting a puppy to pick the dog up in a crate containing favorite treats and toys so a positive association with being confined in that crate started on minute one! That would provide dog and human for the best possible chance for the rest and recharge needed to make the best of the times conducive to training or socialization. Another is the need for patience and reading the dog’s body language to determine attention span necessary to practice skills or learn new ones. Some of our best successes were borne of very short training or conditioning sessions where my previous inclination would have been to push the issue to point of possibly being counterproductive.
Heather your classes are great. First of all I really appreciate how calm you are! And calm puppies is what we want! Teaching my little one and my big one, calm is essential. After the classes I come home and am so motivated and inspired. Any 'situation' that comes up always make me think and problem solve and I seem to "get it". I can't think of anything different or additional that you can add to make the classes better! Your web-site is also excellent! So easy to maneuver in and find classes, etc. Likewise, the videos are great. The bingo card is an excellent idea!
Through Heather's help, Flora went from a wild, untamed puppy, to one who was able to direct some of her energy towards tasks learned during class. Flora did not have difficulties with many of the tasks, but she had severe difficulties with others! Heather was able to help me teach Flora to associate things she did not like in a positive manner, which has allowed me to get her into my car and house without anxiety. One of the more important elements I learned was how to read my puppy's body language better to understand her needs. She was also there to help answer any questions I had for what was "too much", and what was normal for her learning and responses.
Heather helped us learn how to understand Floki’s needs and give us the tools to work with. So many important exercises! I feel much more confident in observing his behavior and responding with just the right action now. He always comes when called and that is a huge bonus! So many of the exercises have turned out to be the best games for bonding and keeping his attention. He loves the cookie trails, a fun way to slow down his meals. There is so much information on your website and I look forward to exploring it more this winter. Thank you for keeping the course information available to us, there is so much to cover and catch up with. We are very fortunate to have your expertise in our community, thank you so much for having the puppy classes available. I can’t imagine what would have happened without you! THANK YOU!
Heather’s Confident Puppy class was invaluable. She covered all puppy issues! Heather was great at providing feedback on specific problem areas as well. She followed up with resources and helpful tips. I think what was evident was how passionate Heather is about raising a happy healthy pup. She prioritized what was most important and kept us grounded on this. Her zoom sessions were well organized, she checked in with everyone at the start and was available for support following as well. The sessions were a good mix of virtual face to face, videos and practice. I think the most important thing I learned was to be positive and patient... to use positive reinforcement ... treats and praise... to create positive experiences. I am now able to bathe , groom and nail trim my pup. I may have given up on the nail trimming without Heather’s support and resources. Thank-you Heather! Forrest is a happy healthy pup!
Thanks so much for helping Ron and I learn how to work with Chai. We found your classes to be welcoming, insightful and wonderfully relaxed. There were many things we learned but one of the most helpful was using a braided rope to dangle beside us when walking in the yard. Chai loves to herd and nips to your legs are not all that pleasant! The braided rope really works! Treats are definitely the answer to teaching and I was amazed how quickly behaviors could be grasped. Keeping Chai focused on us and his mat was such a great example of the power of treats! It was such a pleasure to see Chai and the other pups and puppy parents enjoying the classes. I think we all came away proud of our dogs!
We noticed a steady improvement in our dog’s behaviour throughout the class. My biggest take away was how my actions and behaviour influence our dog and what I can do to help promote calmness.
Heather is an excellent teacher for dog parents at any stage of their training journey. Her classes were fun and engaging, and she was more than happy to answer any questions I had about raising a young dog. She covered all the bases in her course, and her training helped me and my dog connect more. He is far more confident and responsive to me since we took Heather's course. Thank you so much Heather for your patience and care throughout this experience.
The single biggest thing I gained taking this class was increased awareness around my relationship with my puppy. I feel I have many more tools/games that promote positive interactions between us than I did prior to taking this course. Every time I interact positively with my puppy or we have a positive interaction with the outside world, I notice an increase in both of our levels of confidence. Love watching the joie de vivre that my puppy has for life!
We highly recommend the Becoming Adolescent Class! Skeptical at first as it was online however I had a young dog that I needed to keep busy and out of trouble so figured we had nothing to lose. Mocha is a high energy dog and was 6 months old when the course started...truly an adolescent dog who some days listened and other days seemed to forget what was already taught. After the first class I saw the value of online and was thrilled to have 5 more classes! The advantage of the online was being able to focus during the class and then being able to go back and watch the replay. This allowed me to see if I missed anything and make sure I was doing the proper techniques...and much easier to take notes and reminders. The online proved to be very important for us as in the middle of the class Mocha was not able to participate but I was still able to join and get instruction and start Mocha when she was able. Also at the end of the course our family had lots going on and the training was minimal for almost a month. Once able, we could easily look back and go through the training again with the aid of the homework sheets, the online resources and the end Tracking Sheet. The sheets are great reminders and help you to keep on track. Hard to decide but probably one of the best things we learned in the course were the calmness strategies. Very important and needed for an adolescent dog to keep the household happy. The other idea that continues to help is that some days or times a particular activity may work with your adolescent dog and other times it may not. That’s OK! Try again later. We continue to be thrilled with the training and look forward to another class. In the meantime we have lots of activities and games to keep us busy and having fun.
I enjoyed the class and it gave our family skills to work with our new, young dog. I appreciated your willingness to adapt the class focus on what we were experiencing / struggling with at home.
We got a lot out of the Adolescent class... initially we had hoped for more ‘obedience’ training, but we now understand that building the bond with Charlie is so important, and is foundational for things like obedience. The games we learned from you have certainly built that bond. We notice differences... she listens better, and she comes to us when she needs something. The three of us are enjoying a new ‘closeness’. When we moved to the Kootenays this year, we never expected to find dog training of such high calibre. We recently completed the Adolescent program; Heather’s approach to training is effective, and we found the classes to be very supportive. We learned skills that deepen the bond between us and Charlie, help her focus on us, as well as useful games to calm her down when she’s overly excited. Two paws up from us!
Thank you Heather for the Becoming Adolescent" Class. My puppy and I are now utilizing the skills from your training program. She is starting to listen a lot better and focus when around other dogs. Couldn't ask for a better class.
My 2 year old Frenchton and I participated in Becoming an Adolescent class with Heather. We really enjoyed the training sessions. Heather made it fun and very informative. I appreciated that Heather tailored the exercises to the level that each dog needed depending on their abilities. Little tweaks on handling your particular dog can make a huge difference. The classes are well thought out and move along even though Heather makes sure to answer all the questions participants might have. A big benefit to us was using a calming word and this has resulted in a big change in my dogs behavior. This course was in person and we had previously done "90 Days to get Well Behaved Dog" over Zoom. Both courses benefited my dog greatly and I unreservedly recommend anyone interested in working with their dog to check out Heather's courses.
Juniper and I learned a great deal by attenting the becoming adolescent class! Thank you Heather for communicating your passion and caring so much about our success, it made a real difference for our everyday life. It felt great to understand what is going on in Juniper's head and how to react to it. You provided me with some great tools and online support that made it all easier. I'm using a lot of the tricks you taught us everyday. The DMT was the most striking result: now everytime Juniper hears or sees another dog in the street, she makes a little sound and turns at me, like she's looking for support to handle the exciting situation, and thanks to the course I'm able to respond well and give her that support properly.
Your Becoming Adolescent class exceeded my expectations. Starting one week after bringing Pippi home helped immensely with integrating her into our lives and us into hers. Without your guidance I now know we would have made some critical errors. As a retired Registered Veterinary Technologist, my big a ha moment was learning Ditch the Walk which was contrary to what I previously believed. I value and appreciate every skill I learned to help Pippi, especially the calming games which we use everyday. Before and in the early stages of the class, also the early stage of joining our home, Pippi's arousal level dimmer switch was dialed up as high as it would go for about 75% of her awake hours. On a challenging day she is down to, give or take, 25% of the time. On a good day, like today, it's much less than that. I also use the DMT layers every day. I find most of the skills and games are easy to incorporate into our day without the need to set aside a specific time and place to practice. A success to celebrate: We were off leash at the lake when another person and dog appeared. I did not want Pippi following them down the beach and she came back when I called, treats in one hand and collar grab with the other. This was not possible before building my relationship with Pippi through Becoming Adolescent. I'm grateful for the lifetime access to the class resources. Thank you Heather for always asking about other challenges we're having and always providing a solution or recommendation. I look forward to learning more to help Pippi navigate our world in the next class.
Heather's Becoming Adolescent class was a big help in supporting an improved relationship with my dog at a time when it had been heading downhill because of her adolescent behaviours. I'm really grateful for Heather's positive attitude, her great listening skills, and the way she helped me to understand where my dog's behaviour was coming from so I could support my teenage dog to do better.
My pup Scooter and I loved the becoming adolescent classes! Scooter was struggling with confidence and focus, but he is doing so much better and is a calmer, happier pup. The online information was critical for us so we could practice what we learned during class at home. We have loads of resources yet to be explored. The relationship tracker helped me focus on all the goals Scooter and I were able to achieve and what still needed some work. Thanks for everything,
This course was great for our energetic young dog. We learned many games that helped with her focus and built up her interest in us rather than other distractions. I would recommend this course to anyone who is looking for ways to engage their dog and learn skills that reinforce positive behaviours.
In the "Becoming Adolescent" course, I learned a great thing: how to calm down my large puppy and how to re-direct his attention towards me when there are too many distrations around! It's a "must"!
Being with Heather and the other Adolescents was such a treat! Our first training as dog and dog owner, Heather responded to each of my questions with such professionalism. She has a way of relating the human-to-pup experience in such a way, that I too, felt reinforced. As a result of our work, Rosie seems more confident in me and I as her owner. Before this training, I didn’t think I had what it took to be with Rosie because, as so many folks attested in passing, I am not an “Alpha” type personality nor am I so ambitious that I needed Rosie to do tricks. I am deeply grateful for the games and the positivity of this experience. Also, hot dogs. Always have hot dogs
Quince is definitely a much calmer dog after taking the “Becoming Adolescent“ class. We learned lots of new games to play together that will exercise both his body and his mind.
First of all, thank you so much for all your help with Holly, she has grown into a nice, well behaved dog. All of the tips and tricks have trained Adonis and I fairly well. Most everything you talked about and showed us is working really well, like teaching her how not to look at us when hearing the word "nice", her coming when called is working really great in the yard, we are now expanding on that out in the field with a long leash. Also the calming techniques are working nicely like the zig zag and figure eights. Overall, we had a wonderful and positive training experience, and you were a wealth of information if we had any questions.
Heather Fox helped set up our lifelong relationship with our puppy. A Husky/Mastiff requires a good foundation to help meet its needs for exercise and healthy social skills, and I knew it was our responsibility to set it up for success. I was a bit intimidated at first with such a large breed, but Heather helped both us and our dog gain confidence and skills. Heather is very experienced and delivers her course in a manner that is flexible and informative. She is calm, grounded, and easy to work with, her teachings are priceless.
I thought the class was taught well. I appreciate that you asked multiple times if I had any questions during the class. The class was very helpful and informative. Joey was starting to become more reactive after he got neutered and as he was going through adolescence. After the classes I definitely notice more improvements with his behaviour and the skills taught during class has helped calm him down a bit during fearful situations. The most practical skills I always use going on walks with him is "find it", "DMT", "magic hands", "Two Paws On" and "A to B". I find those the most successful. Joey now listens better to commands, I'm more engaged with him and he seems to be getting better even though it will be a long journey. I'm glad I started now rather than later. Doing something is better than doing nothing at all. Thank you Heather for teaching me valuable lessons that I can implement to help Joey's behaviour long term :-)
Thank you so much for your help with Sitka.We both enjoyed your Reactive Dog Fundamentals class.I found the way you presented information clear and easy to follow. I really appreciate that there was lots of time for questions during the class and that you are available for questions during the week via email. I felt supported spending time with yourself and other people having similar challenges with their dogs; I called your class my Saturday Sitka therapy session. We learned a variety of skills that made life easier for both Sitka and I. Distraction Mark Treat (DMT) both in the house and when encountering other dogs really helped to reduce the level of chaos. In the house Sitka will start barking at something and if both dogs are not immediately DMT’ed, Luna will join, and once they have crossed a certain threshold, the only thing that will calm either of them is time in their kennel. Learning that time in the kennel is an ‘approved’ management strategy was good to hear because we definitely use it pretty much daily. Although Sitka still appears really uncomfortable when we meet another dog, between DMT and A to B, there is no more lunging and barking. I feel a large part of this is because she is on-leash; I don’t think she is in a place to respond to DMT off leash. The most helpful games were, all things DMT, A to B, leash pressure, magic hand, and middle.We practice a variety of the games you taught and although the others are fun as well, I am not sure they have made a difference to Sitka’s life yet. Canine communication was huge - I honestly think one of the only times Sitka was truly happy with us was when she was running through the bush off-leash with no other dogs around.....except Luna; for some reason she has always loved Luna. I also enjoy your instructional videos.They are easy to comprehend and break the skill down into manageable steps. Thanks again for a great class.
I thank you for your help in solving our problems with Steven who was very reactive to many life situations ! Your course has drawn to our attention that not only is it a problem with our dog but a problem with the owner and the corrective steps we can all take to avoid these situations . Your approach is a super way of managing very common situations your dog may be faced with and a very stress reduced solution . Both my wife and I thank you for your help!
We have learned so much from you and all the resources you have offered us. We thoroughly enjoyed our time spent with you and appreciate you taking on both dogs during the training classes. When I look back on how worried we were that we made a wrong decision in adopting Tucker, I realize how far we have come in the past couple months. Thank you so much for your insight and assistance.
I recently worked with Heather for three sessions to help my reactive dog, Rupi, who struggled with leash behavior, barking at passing cars, and reacting aggressively to other dogs. I’m thrilled with the progress we made! Heather provided effective tools, activity games, and resources that really helped Rupi and me build better habits. I noticed positive changes quickly, and I feel much more confident managing Rupi's behavior. Highly recommended for anyone looking to work through similar challenges!
Ebony came to my life at 6 years of age, coming from a breeder where she had several pregnancy throughout those six years. I do not know more details of how her life was prior to coming with us. She is a standard poodle, very beautiful, calm and a great guardian. However, despite those great qualities, she demonstrates a huge amount of anxiety and fear. Being playful is not in her repertoire of behaviour either and she shows no interest in going into the water. I contacted Heather to help me with developing a relationship with Ebony because she would not come in the house, showing signs of extreme anxiety. She also did not seem to have any interests in treats as if it was something she did not know about and most of the time, I just could not approach her without her jumping away quickly and going in the opposite direction. I was very discouraged for not being able to develop a healthy relationship with my new wonderful Ebony. The three sessions I had with Heather were spread apart because of many factors, including my busy schedule, and dealing with Ebony being with my husband when I was away. The first session, Ebony stayed at a safe distance and barely interacted with me (and us) despite the various technique and imaginative ways Heather came up with. But I learned about tools to use everyday to reinforce the bond and giving my dog a deeper confidence. In between sessions, Heather always stayed in communication with me with encouragements and ideas for me to try and reinforce the management strategies we had learned during our session. I applied her techniques to the best of my ability and in the third session, that is when we saw the progress Ebony did from the first time to that one was incredible. It was night and day. Heather is a true lover of those extraordinary sentient beings, our dogs. Her enthusiasm and passion comes through when she shows us the various ways of how to interact with our pet friend. She succeeded to bring hope to my despair and she made a joyful reality of what I thought was a situation with no positive outcome. She has been very generous with her time and effort always exercising compassion and understanding while keeping aim at the desired outcome. The different recipes on the website that I get to enjoy (it comes with the sessions) are amazing. I get to learn how to make my own treats (that Ebony now adores…). It is economical, healthier for my dog and I know what is in them. The website is fun, interactive and super well organized with videos and ebooks that teach us many things I never thought of doing for my dog. Finally, I would like to say also that I have learned that just like human being, pets can develop new neurons, develop their confidence furthermore and learn new things throughout their lives, Having a pet can be so much more!!
Overall Komo is a much calmer dog since the start of all the training. Before the sessions, he did not look to Rob for instruction on walks and frankly ignored his name when called. Komo has demonstrably improved behaviours since you helped us address the five major concerns we discussed at the outset of the individual training. An example is that Komo is calm when Rob is working in the yard or adjacent to the fenced areas. Komo likes to know where he is but no longer frets if he is out of sight or works for a long time in another area. We do not take him for a walk between 4 and 6 and spend more time doing training games and playing ball before supper. Komo responds well to the training games and commands in the yard but still needs work when outside of the yard for walks. He is less reactive when Rob changes direction to return home during walks, which is reinforced with treats. He does not seem to have a "full bucket" very often and seems to be much more appreciative of us as human parents. There are still areas to improve on but Komo`s behaviors have vastly improved since starting the training. We were impressed with your observations and your toolbox of ideas - some of which were in the '90 days to a Well Behaved Dog' and some were new. We appreciated that you individualized your training and focused your skills and knowledge on our specific needs.
During our sessions, Heather listened to each of our concerns and provided us with strategies to deal with them. We’ve seen a lot of progress with Theo in terms of biting, listening to commands and his anxiety. Heather taught us to use small treats to distract, occupy and calm our anxious puppy for a variety of situations. She detailed effective strategies for different scenarios and provided us with some great games to play with him! Heather was very calm and clear in her approach. She packed a lot of information into our sessions. At the end of each class she walked us through a review of the topics covered to support our memories in implementing her suggestions. She also provided us with resources to further our understanding of the training strategies she covered. Heather quickly gained the trust of our anxious puppy and was able to read and respond to his needs on the spot. We loved working with Heather and would highly recommend her.
Taking 90 Days to a Well-Behaved Dog was an essential course for our adolescent woofer toofer! Even though Dolly has a long ways to go for recall, she has come so far in learning to be calm in a distracted environment! I truly appreciate Heather's patient and positive attitude in trying different layers in all the activities so Dolly could take part in baby steps! The most important thing Jeremy and I learned with Dolly is marking what she is noticing and giving her praise with "nice" when she barks and alerts us. Using the word "come" and "go see" have also been key phrases in our training and putting it in practice at home. Parking our dog has been crucial when we are out and about and come across people we know. Thank you so much Heather!!
My Frenchton Jaxx was 10 months old when we started Heather's "90 Days to a Well Behaved Dog" course via Zoom. And, yes, without question Jaxx is a better dog! Jaxx is a very sweet easy going dog but was showing signs of not always coming when called and being overly excited about visitors. I wanted to bring out his potential and make sure that I was confident in my handling of him and his responses to important commands. Working with Heather gave me the tools to successfully build on the important foundational commands and leash techniques. Heather is very easy to work with. She is knowledgeable in training and dog behavior. Very importantly Heather is also a great teacher. She listens to any questions or concerns you may have, provides helpful feedback and suggests resource material to learn more. The course is interesting and challenges the owner as well as the dog. Jaxx really enjoyed our training sessions. We have incorporated training into our daily routine and the mental stimulation is great for Jaxx. Needless to say I highly recommend taking this course.
Mango is doing well but still struggles with wariness. We enjoyed the class and you have certainly given us loads of advice, training tips and games that we use routinely. She is currently learning middle and seems to be having fun with it!
From my time with you, from day one, I felt really enthusiastic about all the potential embedded in your lessons and framework. I felt that with your lists and itemized points of interest, I could easily comprehend what you were sharing. Which led to confidence. And assurance. And over time - with that confidence and those bit-sized teachings - I could see how things built upon the different segments of your lessons. The little things, painting for me near the end, a fuller depth of picture for how Oliver could interact with my wife and I. Also, these bite-sized pieces helped me to decide for myself what to focus on in terms of what would be a good fit for Oliver. With some training bits being less important than other training bits. In terms of Oliver's learning, I was thrilled and nearly in awe with how engaged he became through what was being taught each week. It was a pleasure to see him think and play and respond with zeal. I know that he had trouble with some things each week, but his awakened thirst for class each week, from day one, was really a compelling motivator for me to have fun and pay attention, too. And, from lessons in class, there was so much carry-over at home. Oliver took to cues and commands, and systems that came from class. And it seemed like he nearly expected home to be no different. He was engaged!!! Some basics were more important than others, in terms of training. Both for me as a dog owner. But also, for how Oliver integrated things and adapted to being a well-behaved dog. Major changes include: increased calmness, increased attention and response to my wife and I, and it seemed too, his trust in other dogs and his surroundings. Major things I learned in class were the techniques and practices around verbal commands, and gestures. Some of the more complicated things seemed out of reach for us, but learning how to command Oliver for his attention, calmness, sitting, play, or scolding, etc., (what to do and what not to do) has really led to better behavior. And predictable behavior. That framework is something so crucial to us now. Also, I appreciate that at some point we talked openly about what our respective dogs do and don't do, in terms of behavior. That vulnerability on your end of things, in terms of your dog's limitations or your limitations as a trainer, helped me feel a sense of levity to the course. That, I wasn't there to get things just "right." That, it's okay that some things are missed. Or lost. Or just unattainable. It resonated at a great time for me.
Heather breaks down the fundamentals of how a dog learns. Knowing how my puppy learned was extremely helpful in training me on how to be a present and efficient dog trainer. Heather allows you to teach new skills from the ground up in a way that will generate reliable and consistent results. In the beginning, I had to un-learn many training methodologies that I thought to be beneficial. Understanding how my dog's cognition worked allowed me to learn and teach in a more productive format. I learned many things that made my life as a dog owner easier. Notably, the most instrumental skill was simply learning how to teach me and my puppy to relax. Learning how to pick up on specific cues from my dog about when she was aroused or stressed, helped me control her environment and temperament. Having the ability to work on relaxation with my puppy, not only helped reduce my stress but made my day-day routine much smoother. While it was a group class, It was still very individualized. Heather worked with the specific abilities and temperament of each dog and their human. She made accommodations for each dog in order to promote a more relaxed learning environment. For example, my extremely hyper 7-month-old puppy was given a special pen with blankets in order to minimize distractions. Heather provides a learning experience for both humans and dogs. Her online resources and in-person support are exceptional. She also is extremely understanding of how challenging the training process can be. She is flexible with her training and will cater it to where you and your dog are at. Your dog will undeniably fall in love with her, I can confidently say that she is among my pups, favourite humans. It could be the smell of her fabulous homemade dog treats or perhaps the fact that my pup always has fun in her classes!
Hartley was a typical puppy before we started classes. He jumped up on people, nibbled on hands, feet, and pretty much anything that fit into his mouth. You could tell he was smart but was not yet good at responding to commands. After taking him to his first class, I noticed a difference in his behavior immediately. He was responding to me and commands with a 90 percent success rate, and our training experience became much more FUN. The positive reinforcement not only benefited him but made me feel good too. Saying "yes" to all his wanted behaviours instead of saying "no" to his unwanted behaviours was so refreshing and uplifting. I was proud, he was happy, and I feel it helped build a healthy, loving bond between us. I learned so much, but I think what stands out to me is learning how to read my dog and noticing what things are his stressors and what things are his motivators. I also learned that the quality of my treats matter and varying my treats is the best way to keep him interested. Most of all, I loved how organized Heather was for every class. Everything practiced in class was laid out step by step on a chart for us to refer to back to in our training at home. If we missed a class or forgot what to do, Heather provided videos of each layer of the training. I used the training cheat sheets and videos frequently! Heather went above, and beyond any trainer I have worked with, and her training techniques work. Thank you, Heather, for making our training a success! Hartley is a better dog because of the training, and I am surviving puppyhood and adolescents with more ease!
Nimbus improved greatly in class but we still have work to do outside of class. I was amazed at his progress for "mat" and "down" which were near impossible before taking this course. Nimbus' big thing is reacting to other dogs. Although he became comfortable in class with Selkie, outside of class is a mixed bag. There's more work to be done on my end and perhaps we need to make more dog owner friends who can help me work on this in different settings. We also still need to work on recall in more distracting settings. Nimbus doesn't care about a zen bowl and we needed to replace this with other things more distracting to him throughout the course. A scent trail, a dog or a person he likes would be good substitutes. The recall layers are really helpful but daunting for a beagle owner. Given how difficult training a beagle to come is, I found myself fearing failure which prevented me from using my "special recall cue". I took the "if you can bet $50 that they'll come use the call" to heart and ended up not using it enough. Again the progress in class is awesome and I just need to transfer it more into the real world. I really appreciated all of the catered, personalized feedback and resources you were able to provide even in group class. The resources on barking out the windows, or startling when woken were super helpful. I'm not sure if my relationship with Nimbus changed but it's nice to know that a lot of what he's going through now is likely puberty and natural instinct and not entirely my fault.
We have always had dogs in our life. Can't imagine mine without a pal. But I have never had help with training, until now. I didn't really appreciate all 'my' flaws! Heather has provided great insight, & totally changed my thoughts & expectations. The #1 thing I will take away from this course is that dogs are extremely intelligent, exceptionally willing to learn & please- but that they need context. Understanding that just changing the environment in which you are training greatly affects results has helped me better understand how I can better help Selkie to learn. So I look forward to our adventures.
This course has offered positive and practical skills for me to train Arley and my new puppy, Phoebe. Although I was not able to attend all the on-site classes offered for this spring session, the course material offered clear and easy to follow directions to practice at home. I also enjoyed the videos and online course content. I’ll be referring to these often to reinforce the positive behaviour. I feel that this has been a great investment and could tell that Arley clearly enjoyed experiencing the fun activities.
Thanks for your expertise, and instruction on the course ’Proud of My Dog - 90 Days to a Well Behaved Dog’. It has made a world of difference to our dog Norbu, and, Ross and I. We truly became proud of our dog as we marveled at his capacity! Before class Norbu was anxious, inattentive and unfocused. After class more relaxed, attentive, and, relaxed. All the learning and training fit together nicely. Everything seemed important. Seeing and learning about the big picture - How dogs perceive their world, a dog’s intelligence and their capacity to learn went a long way when using tools and techniques in supporting our dogs learning. My increased awareness towards our dog’s capabilities helped me train more effectively. In turn Norbu learned new behaviours quickly. My day with Norbu is better as I don’t fear him biting me or others; he doesn’t chew personal belongings and furniture (still working on outdoor furniture); he stopped stealing food from tables and counter tops; he waits for his meal patiently on a mat; doesn’t beg (too much); sits to be leashed and unleashed, or, dried off; he behaves on walks, and, is more easily controlled from jumping up to strangers and children - just to mention a few. He’s only 6 months old so we look forward to more progress! I enjoyed meeting other dog owners, Norbu meeting new people and dogs, practicing with the instructor and getting feedback, observing how other dogs learn, and, the casual conversations about dogs with instructor and participants. Thanks again we are so pleased.
I really enjoyed the course and found it very informative. It was definitely the right approach for a high energy, mind of his own dog like Chip. We’re so pleased with the progress he’s made, both Chip and I are happier for learning how to work and play together. I’ve learned patience and consistency and lots of exercise are keys to getting the best from Chip. He’s quick to capitalize on my overlooking a wrong behaviour or not giving him a clear request, so he keeps me on my toes. Having your resource materials to reference for the coming year will be a huge benefit, thanks for that Heather. I will recommend your 90 days to a Better Dog Program to everyone I can, I am totally satisfied with Chip’s and my progress, having completed it. Also I would like to thank you for all the effort and resources you have helped me with over and above the course materials. So much appreciated.
I recently completed Heather's course "90 Days To A Well Behaved Dog" program with my puppy Gino. Her course was very detailed, thorough and simple. The course is set up to help your dog succeed in a very positive way. I learned how to understand my dogs body language and how to better communicate with my dog in order to have the best results for his training. Heather's training techniques are simple and they work. As long as I am consistent with what I learned in her program Gino shows constant improvement. I see huge changes in his behaviour in the house and on walks. I'm very glad I took the step to invest in this course for myself and Gino. Heather is a very caring and knowledgeable dog trainer and I highly recommend her!
In regards to your training, it was TOP NOTCH! We didn’t know what to expect due to Frankie’s excitement levels, lack of self control and our unrealistic expectations. Before training, Frankie was quite rambunctious, hyper and energetic. As we progressed through the classes, we learned valuable knowledge of a dogs habits, needs and behaviour. We also learned a lot about ownership and the relationship between owner and dog. The games taught in the class are invaluable ! They work extremely well and Frankie loves them! We now use them for training, distraction and play time. Frankie is able to self regulate better now and it gets better each day. We’ve all learned that quiet time is a good thing and Frankie enjoys it. It is a great technique to bring his arousal down. His recall has gotten better but leaves something to be desired. We look forward to more classes in the spring!
The Beginner Tracking course that we did with Heather was so much fun, for both Satchi and me. It was wonderful to see my girl going from treat to treat, using that precious nose of hers, exploring the grass and bingo! there it was,the treat that she smelled! Heather is such a great teacher, so patient with me, whenever I got the steps wrong or gave Satchi some unintended clue. Working with my dog is such an enriching experience for me, I just love it -as does Satchi. And the joys to see when she realizes what she needs to do; when she ‘gets it’. Thank you Heather for sharing your knowledge and skills and for guiding my dogs and me along the way into a deeper and stronger relationship.
Truffle and I have taken two online classes from Proud of My Dog, and if we lived closer than 2642 miles from New Denver, we would also sign up for in-person classes in a heartbeat. Before the pandemic, I never considered taking an online class, but we tried it because we were stuck in lockdown, and quickly found that Proud of My Dog’s Zoom learning worked well. The classes were well-planned in advance, but still flexible enough to address Truffle’s quirks and any challenges along the way. For example, Truffle was absolutely awful at catching treats in the air. I cannot tell you how many treats I bounced off her forehead. On the fly, Heather diagnosed the problem (owner error), gave tips to help us - and by the next class, Truffle could catch treats at least 75% of the time. Adjectives to describe Heather would include, but not be limited to, creative, experienced, knowledgeable, patient, and, best of all for Truffle - fun! It was clear that before class, Heather had spent time thinking about Truffle and her needs individually. (I also especially like that Heather has a Toller of her own - but that won’t work for everyone.) Bottom line, I cannot recommend classes with Proud of My Dog enough.
I really like the format of learning used by Proud of My Dog! I feel like I am setup for success... before class, we get an email that tells us what to expect and what to bring. The actual class time is used to introduce new material, and then practice (while getting feedback from the instructor). And then there’s a homework sheet that outlines what to practice in the following week. And the online resources are great for refining the skills, and then advancing them to the next level.
Heather, your classes are the best! You are! You are so positive and understanding and you have a wealth of knowledge that you share with us, your students. And you are patient...something I have to practise! You have loads of knowledge and you have the ability to share it in a very constructive, personable and positive way. The classes always stimulate me to do more with my dogs, to learn more and explore more. The games make my dogs respond more and easier to me; and the more they engage with me, the more I engage with them. A win-win situation. We - Misha-Satchi and I- have come a long way and we are always growing...and I love it! It is so interesting to see my dogs' growth; During the last class we did some weaving between the legs, I call it "dancing". Misha was not going to participate at all - which was odd, since we have done it before. We came home and I tried it again - and she was more than willing to participate...and we do it regularly! Just not in class!! Another one: during the Tricks class we did the Target Stick - and Misha did not want to be part of that at all - she was totally uninterested. A few weeks ago, I decided to try again - and Bingo-Misha got really excited! Now she loves it and now we are working on using the target stick to weave around two poles- like a figure 8 kind of thing! It is awesome! I am luring her with the stick! Another one you showed me was for Misha to go through/under stuff.. she is really good at "crawling" on her tummy! That's a fun one!