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TL;DR: Barak's 35-day Board and Train program is…read morea major investment, but it completely transformed my sweet but highly reactive dog. It fixed his severe leash reactivity, his 4 AM barking, and his total lack of recall when distracted. The cost includes 35 days of boarding and unlimited weekly group classes. One month later, the results were surprising: we went from a stressed caretaker dynamic to true companions. I can now take him on errands without fear, and finally having the power to tell him "No" has been game-changing. Highly recommended.
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DREAM DOG
Totoro is what you might call the dream dog. He is incredibly kind, loyal, and mostly well-behaved. However, he had a "Jekyll and Hyde" personality. Indoors, he was docile and lazy. Outside, he was possessed by his excitement. He is so gentle he couldn't even get food out of a Kong! But we had three major stress-inducing issues:
ZERO RECALL WHEN DISTRACTED: I spent a lot of time training him with high-value treats like bacon and ribeye. When it's just the two of us, he would shoot out of a cannon when I called him. But the moment he played with another dog, those ingrained habits were completely forgotten. He went totally deaf, which was a major safety concern.
LEASH REACTIVITY: When he's leashed, he gets frustrated at times when he sees other dogs, and he might lunge and growl at passing dogs, making walks a bit of a chore.
SUDDEN BARKING: He developed a habit recently of waking up at 4:00 AM and rush out the room barking like the house was on fire.
Before Barak, I only used positive-reinforcement training. Totoro knew the commands, but positive reinforcement simply could not compete with his intense excitement around other dogs. Barak is a balanced trainer, using proper corrections alongside rewards to teach boundaries that hold up under extreme distraction.
I was hesitant about negative reinforcement, but Barak showed me his high-quality e-collar. I used it on myself and could barely feel the low-level stimulation, which put my mind at ease.
Enrolling in the 35-day Board and Train program was a significant investment. However, I factored in that I was getting 35 days of boarding included (which I planned a trip around). More importantly, the cost includes unlimited group training classes afterward. You don't just drop your dog off and forget it. The weekly classes give you structure so your money doesn't go to waste. Barak was also incredibly responsive via text whenever I have questions (and I had many).
The results are night and day. It is like the show Severance :) there is no more "Outie" Totoro, just the well-behaved "Innie" Totoro! He isn't brainwashed; he is still his happy self, just infinitely better behaved. Barak figured out his leash reactivity was just him frantically checking if other dogs were "safe." Now, we walk past other dogs peacefully.
Update: One Month Later
MAN'S BEST FRIEND
Barak's training has unexpectedly transformed our relationship. Before, I would never consider taking Totoro on errands. Even with only a 1-in-20 chance of him being reactive, I didn't need the stress. On walks, I was constantly on guard, which can turn dog ownership into a one-sided, anxiety-filled chore.
Today, we have genuinely become companions. Instead of leaving him behind, I actively look for dog-friendly breakfast spots. The fear of taking him out has completely dissipated. I enjoy his company, and I can feel our bond grow, even in year 5. He is much happier now that he doesn't feel my stress radiating through the leash.
THE POWER OF NO
Previous trainers taught specific commands like "leave it," but never the general command "No." For example, Totoro has a habit of licking his ankles raw, leading to expensive vet visits, Cytopoint shots, and the dreaded cone of shame. Now, I can simply say, "No." He stops, looks up, and tries to figure out what he is doing wrong. Imagine being a parent without the ability to tell your kid "No." Having Totoro understand that single word is game-changing.
