I wish I had known about Kristin of Cognitive Dogs training program when I first rescued Charlie…read more The poor guy struggled with severe leash and fence reactivity, and every time he saw another dog, the barking was deafening. People would literally come out of their homes to see what was happening. After nine months, seven different trainers (yes, seven), and wasting a ridiculous amount of money, I felt helpless. With our honeymoon just a few weeks away and nowhere to board him, I tried a couple Rover daycare places that also did boarding, but we were turned away because of his reactivity. Desperate and super sad for him, I scoured the internet for trainers and dove into every single review. That's when I came across Kristin of Cognitive Dogs and decided to reach out. I was skeptical after so many disappointments, but during our consultation, she was so thorough, patient, and confident in her abilities that I decided to schedule an 8-week board and train.
In the weeks leading up to when we handed Charlie off to her, she sent very thorough, organized emails with instructions on what to pack and what to expect. During the training, she answered texts promptly, sent photos and progress videos, and kept us updated without overdoing it. It was clear her focus was on actually training my dog, not just sending staged pictures and video updates.
When she brought Charlie back, I was nervous but hopeful. The difference was unbelievable. He's still the same silly boy, but now he's attentive, obedient, and can calmly handle seeing and passing by other dogs. His leash manners and overall confidence have completely transformed him into the dog I could only dream of since we rescued him almost a year ago.
Kristin's program is the only one that truly worked for us, and I can't recommend her enough. Dog training is always an investment, but this one is absolutely worth it.