Chad is fantastic. His knowledge of dogs, training, dog owners, bad habits is incredible. He helped us with our dogs, including the new deaf dog. We would be lost without him. He is a pleasure to work with. We highly, highly recommend him read more

I found Thriving Canine shortly after adopting my high energy, smarty pants young dog, Lola. I was literally in tears the first time I went. I was super stressed and overwhelmed and we were both frustrated. She was bouncing off the walls, stealing everything, I was trying not to yell but my vibe was not good. I purchased Chads book about separation anxiety, it's the best 10 bucks I've ever spent. It's a quick, easy read that helped me tweak some little things that made a big difference, and to better understand Lola's thinking. We've only done 2 sessions so far, and I'm blown away by the change in behavior. Enough so that I came on here to write this review. We did one in home session, that was really helpful for learning tips on how to greet guests, counter surfing, and basic manners and boundaries in our home. I think I needed the training more than Lola did! Chad has a really great energy, he's calm and patient but has firm boundaries. He's able to explain what he's doing in a way that makes it easy to understand and execute. I felt like he really understood our situation, and didn't just give me cookie cutter advice. Lola loved him. Seriously, her new best friend. I'm excited for our journey with training and extremely grateful we found Thriving Canine. read more

Thriving Canine - Lola being the GOODEST girl! - Pet Training Near Me

Chad runs a great introduction to agility for dogs. He has all the equipment necessary and shows you how to approach it. We liked this so much we started buying ourselves agility equipment. read more

I reached out to Thriving Canine after receiving several recommendations from the Nextdoor app. My alpha maltipoo, Zelda, barks and nips at my mother-in-law's golden retriever in our home and we needed help to correct her behavior. I could feel Chad's calm and confident energy the moment he walked through our door. Our dogs LOVED him! He took his time listening to our situation and provided feedback appropriately. We did a few practice scenarios in our home in which he showed us how to correct/control the bad behavior. Chad is actually quite funny and had us laughing throughout the session. His passion for dogs is evident in his work and we plan to see him again in the weeks to come. read more

Yesterday, my daughter got married. She wanted "her" dee o at the wedding and in the pictures. Very worried "me"; all of the people dee likes, all dressed up and a special white dress, all great chances to ruin the day.... We took her to rehearsal. She did better then ever with the group, walked the aisle, downed during the lunch and didn't jump up. Big day, my daughter told me she definitely wanted dee there. New distractions and horse ( horses are one of her triggers) drawn carriage. So many opportunities to go wrong.... One "leave it" to have her stop barking at the horses, she walked down the aisle and laid at my feet through the whole ceremony, posed for pictures. Greeted people "appropriately", laid at our side through the dinner and toast... she went home before the dancing started. All of the work and things you taught us over the last three years, allowed us to have a great day with everyone and memories for a lifetime. Thanks from dee and me, for giving the confidence of knowing that she was ready to share this day with my family (Dee is definitely included) and friends. Training with Chad gave us the confidence and knowledge, that i could take a high energy Aussie, to a major event with no issues. read more

Please continue to watch out for Chad. After I posted my review he created several fake accounts to send me threads and insults. Chad is super petty and I can't imagine how anyone will let him put his violent hands on your dogs. I feel very bad for those poor creatures. Please if you are brave enough to try him, do not lose sight of your dog. I've heard from some owners that when they have returned to pick up their dog, they somehow showed up "injured" in a leg or with some scratches, some seem traumatized/scared. If you really care about your dog, please GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. See screenshots about his insults and get an idea of how petty and aggressive Chad is. Imagine what he'll do with your dogs who can't speak up. If you want to get an idea of Chad's fake accounts, just look at the huge amount of "4-5 star" reviews that even Yelp is not recommending at the bottom of the page. That's how fake his business is, created out of fake accounts read more

Thriving Canine - Pet Training Near Me

Recently did a 5 session pack with Chad and the experience was AMAZING. He was really flexible with his schedule and even drove out to Morgan Hill to provide some "in-home" training as I potty-train my new puppy. Overall, solid choice! read more

Chad was amazing. He is very direct. I was giving my shepherd anxiety about meeting other dogs. He gave me great advice. His socialization and training classes gave me the confidence to let my dog off leash to meet other dogs. We live in Tahoe and I can now take my dog anywhere in public on or off leash when allowed and be confident in her training. Great training and socialization makes a huge difference. Thanks Chad! read more

Chad's been great with Spud and its only been three weeks. Spuds been a handful but with the puppy social and obedience class Spud has been able to sit, stay, lie down, heel and most importantly knowing his name and when to come. Spud and I have a couple more sessions and will likely be giving Chad at Thriving Canine visits with his open class Mondays to make sure Spud is on the right track. Update 10/3/13 - I have a bully and he's full of energy, sometimes a little too much for me to handle but I knew that making the decision to adopt him beforehand. Anyways, Spud finished his Puppy Class and Chad instructed he move on to Basic Obedience, which I did. Let me tell you it was a different experience and very rewarding. Spud has so much energy that in Puppy Class he was all over the place and it was good socialization and great learning as an owner how to handle my pup. I knew that this guy would test my patience and Puppy Class wasn't going to be enough so making the second trip by taking Basic Obedience was definitely needed and Chad offers it at a very affordable price - think about how the $$$ you will save once you learn from the stuff from Thriving Canine. Basic Obedience was an excelled version of Puppy with much more. I believe Spud thrived on it because of the fact it keeps your pup involved and is paying attention to you. Spud and I gained a bond and trust from each class that has really made having him around very enjoyable. Here on out I just need to apply the methods that Chad at Thriving Canine and will probably visit him in the future. read more

Thriving Canine - Spud relaxing. - Pet Training Near Me

I hired Chad to assess my 2 Beagles (one of which is a rescue from a laboratory); he exceeded my expectations. My rescue Beagle has had stranger anxiety (among other issues) especially toward men. But when Chad walked through the door, both of my dogs ran right up to him and sniffed him enthusiastically! I agree with someone else's observation that he is indeed a 'dog whisperer'. I really appreciate Chad's middle of the road approach to dog obedience. Sometimes one needs to draw a tougher line in disciplining their dogs. Not being abusive of course but it's reassuring to know that sometimes you can raise your voice an octave and say "No" to get your dog to listen. (BTW, can't believe someone slammed Chad. I can assure you I never encountered any type of negativity in dealing with him--some people just want something for nothing lol). You can really tell Chad loves animals (all types of dog breeds) and is passionate about what he does! I plan to enroll in some of Chad's obedience training courses. Thanks Chad! read more

I highly recommend Thriving Canine! Chad helped us so much with our 7 month old puppy. We adopted him from a shelter and he was aggressively going after other dogs while on walks. He was quickly becoming unmanageable for us. Chad was amazing and his combined method of positive reinforcement plus consequences was exactly what my dog needed. We went from a puppy ready to attack every dog he met to being able to easily walk him around dogs and even let him attend doggy day care. We could not have done this without Chad's help. We definitely plan to continue our training at Thriving Canine. read more

So I have a pitbull dog (yes. I said it -- a PITBULL and he's the biggest TEDDY BEAR of a dog I have ever owned!) who had been experiencing some behavioral issues. I researched online to come up with training strategies, but everything I found online seemed to be written by people who value the dogs feelings over objective reality. So, I decided to track down a dog trainer in my area who I could work with one on one. I found Chad at Thriving Canine. What I love about Chad is he combines BOTH the positive, reward-system approach to dog training with the CONSEQUENCE/DISCIPLINE approach necessary to demonstrate to the dog the difference between what is right behavior and what is wrong behavior. YOU, after all, should be the pack leader -- not your dog... His class sizes were very manageable and he makes a great effort to work with each student in the class to address their specific issues. His fees are very reasonable and, most importantly, the techniques were EFFECTIVE. Because of Chad, my relationship with my dog is so much more enriched. His behavior issues are now a thing of the past. Most importantly, I learned how to communicate with my dog in a way he can understand so I can get him to obey when I need him to. I highly recommend Chad if you need some basic training for you and your dog. His classes are great and his private coaching is also affordable and very worthwhile! Highly recommend! read more

Im updating my review in response to the professional way that Chad approached my original review. After understanding how I felt about class, he has offered me a refund for my dissatisfaction. This really put my mind at ease especially because I did not complete the program (I believe I had 3 classes left that I decided not to attend). He mentioned that he does not want to be a rude person and apologized that I felt that way. He mentioned that sometimes in group classes it is difficult to give everyone attention at times and maybe thats why I may have interpreted his approach for rudeness. Im very pleased with the fact that both he and his wife Dawn kindly contacted me both via email and voice mail to offer me a refund. With that said, dog training methods really are a preference thing. Some people may prefer the hands on methods of using physical pressure and others may prefer only using positive reinforcements. Its almost like raising kids. Everyone has a difference of opinions of what is right and wrong. Unfortunately, his methods did not match my philosophy (I should have realized that on the first day, but I thought I'd give it a try since I was a new dog owner and still learning). As I mentioned in my earlier review, I have since then found a trainer that matches my style. Thank you Chad and Dawn for responding so professionally. I will email you my address for a refund. read more

I have a 7 month old doberman and I did the puppy obedience class and chad has help us learn great techniques and skills to work with Yondu. I am still continuing classes because I hope one day to have my dogs as good as Chad's dogs. read more

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My dog was having an issue with going for walks and being on a leash. Chad came out and gave us some tips on how to handle our fur baby! He does need to be reminded time and time again when we walk him. But we had a major improvement with him. I would recommend Thriving Canine if you need help with your dog!! Who will also receive monthly newsletters and tips! read more

Since moving to Gilroy, CA, many of the local friends we've made have come from folks we've met at the dogpark. Dog people just seem to generally be good people. One of our good friends from the dogpark always spoke highly of Chad/Thriving Canine. We'd often talked commiserated about several friends who desperately needed someone like Chad/TC to assist with their dogs' aggressive issues (dog to dog), but sadly they never took us up on the recommendation. Btw, the friend that recommended Chad/TC called him the Cesar Millan of Gilroy. So, naturally we were excited (we love the work Cesar does). We have two dogs, both pound rescues, Kumo and Danica. http://www.flickr.com/photos/benhirsch/5379531854/ (kumo is the foreground, Danica in the background) Kumo is almost 3, Danica 6 months younger. When we adopted Kumo at 3 months, we'd done our research, watched a lot of cesar, and ended up also taking a puppy training course at Petsmart. It got him on his way (sit, stay, down, wait, take it, leave it, etc). However, one thing that Kumo never seemed to pick up from us was how to walk without pulling. We were doing everything that we'd been instructed to do, but it just didn't seem like it was enough. My wife recently started running again, and she can take Danica (she heals so well, we didn't teach her to be that good). Kumo on the other hand, he's all over the place, pulling, etc, and as a result, my wife's shins hurt (Kumo's behavior unbalanced her). Enter Thriving Canine / Chad Culp We booked a 2 hour at home private training session this last saturday. I was able to set it up via the website, and Chad confirmed in email. Upon request, Chad billed up so we could use paypal to pay for his services. The Session went like this: Hour 1: History/Q&A We gave him the history, answered questions, became acquainte Hour 2:Training work We agreed to let Chad take Kumo on leash and watch what he was doing to compare what we had already done. Without going into full detail, Chad had him walking with more structure, essentially healing, in the first 5-10 minutes. Yesterday, and this morning, I took kumo for short 5-10 minute walks to practice with him, and with our new method, Kumo is so much more responsive. I can already see it's going to work, and for the first time since we've had kumo (several years), we'll be able to walk him without him pulling. It warms my heart. Chad is professional, and a true gentleman. He understands dogs and their behaviors, not just what he has been told, but what truly works. he clearly explained what he was going to do before he did it, ensuring we were okay with his methods. he even brought his own dog Nikita out to assist with the training (walking by other dogs, etc). Now, if only we can convince our other friends to use his services! Also, Chad offers several additional continued education courses for dogs and group exercise activities. He has Monday night group training in Morgan Hill ($10), and Dog Agility coures on Saturdays (weather permitting, etc). My wife is going to start bringing the dogs to the Monday night drop in courses. In short, Chad understands dogs. He truly is like a local cesar Millan (except, you don't have to be a star!) Thanks Chad! read more

My dogs & I have been working with Chad for a couple of months. Up until about 4 months ago, I was doing fine with my 2 dogs - one XL "smarty pants" collie/shepherd/retriever mix and one L happy-go-lucky Labrador. I consider myself an informed & engaged dog "parent" - exercise, discipline, affection - we walk/run/exercise at length every morning, play ball every afternoon, and walk every evening. Then, I moved to the city and in the process, happened to pick up a small terrier mix (who had been dropped off in the fields where the 2 big guys are boarded). Following the move, there was a "disaster" every week (e.g., one dog was skunked, the dogs locked themselves in the car). Needless to say, I was stressed. Then, my mother came to visit & had a not-great encounter with Mr. Smarty Pants, which made me more stressed. I needed help! Chad was recommended by Carmela at Creature Comfort (she knows my dogs really well). He worked with my dogs at Creature Comfort and has worked with me and my dogs there and at home. Having Chad in my house was super helpful. One - it gave me a new perspective on my situation and two - he zeroed in on some simple things that I could be doing, things that I can lost sight of in the move. While my over-achiever Mr. Smarty Pants still needs "work" I feel encouraged because we've been able to figure out some subtleties that are unique to him. Chad is successful because he is persistent, unflappable, and genuinely interested in the dogs. Also, because he takes the time to work with my dog in different circumstances: with me alone, with the other dogs, with Carmela, and with him alone. Chad even took Mr. Smarty Pants to Petco and hung out with him for over an hour to see what motivated him and what made him nervous. Super helpful observations! I highly recommend Chad. If I was closer to Gilroy, I would take his classes and go on the hikes. read more

Because of our work schedules, we were not able to get our dog into a puppy class in time, so we decided to book Chad for a 1:1 session. Chad's personal in-home session was like a month-long puppy class rolled into a two hour session. Teaching gentle play? Yup! Walking on a leash? Yup! Going down stairs? Yup! Consistency of commands? Yup! Sit, stay, down, and leave it? Yup! He gave constructive feedback. Was firm with our pup, but playful as well. Definitely worth it. read more

We called Chad because our dog shows signs of fear towards children, and we wanted to address it before the behavior escalates. He also helped us work with her reactivity/excitement in the car. Our dog isn't a really challenging or problematic case, but we needed a little guidance to nip it in the bud, and Chad was fantastic. What we liked most about him: his energy and communication style. Obviously he is also very knowledgeable about dog psychology, but he's so skilled at training/getting through to the humans--and that's really what it's all about. He's affordable, too, in comparison with other trainers we researched and talked to on the phone. But let's be honest--price doesn't really matter when your dog has behavioral issues. His expertise is worth a lot more, in my opinion. If for any reason we need a dog trainer in the future, he's our guy. Thanks, Chad! read more

Me and my girlfriend both have pitbull mixes that are awesome with people but not the best with other dogs. We have been trying for weeks to complete a day without a dog fight between them. Im glad to say that after working with Chad after one day we were able to sleep in the same room with both dogs unleashed. The improvements don't stop there either, ultimately we've been able to enjoy a more peaceful house. We cant wait to see what else is possible now that we have a better understanding of our dogs. Thanks Chad, you are the best. read more

My 6 month Boston Terrier just graduated from Chad's Beginning Obedience class in December. I was pleased with my overall experience in the class. My dog learned some basic skills - and mastered walking on a leash (!) and started being more sociable with other people and other dogs after he completed the class. These were my main goals going into the class. Chad is great at giving advice on how to help dogs with specific problem behaviors. I like that he uses the different dogs in the class to demonstrate specific skills. The class was organized and was a pleasant, fun, positive atmosphere. I would be open to taking more classes with Thriving Canine in the future. read more

A few months ago, Chad came out to San Leandro to help with my roommate's two Shih Tzu puppies, Bella and Buster. Chad was awesome! He sat with us and asked about the puppies, what type of issues they were having and what we were hoping to accomplish. We really appreciate that Chad doesn't have an hourly rate, as he was with us and the pups for almost three hours. He really cares about helping you and your dogs - not the money. He has a very relaxed style, which we really appreciated since Bella is pretty timid. By the time Chad left, he has provided us with a ton of useful information (he has a great way of laying everything out), some great tips and had the puppies doing a couple tricks! He also thoroughly answered all of our questions. Overall, I highly recommend Thriving Canine dog training services. It was a great experience! read more

After getting jerked around by another training company, we thought we would give Chad at Thriving Canine a call. I was very impressed that he had somebody else (the wife) taking calls and booking appointments instead of trying to do it all himself. She managed to squeeze us in for that week, and we could not have been happier. Even though it was only an hour session (less than a normal one, but we were thankful none the less), he was VERY effective with helping us with our boy. It has actually been many months since we have seen Chad, but he has left a lasting impression on our boy, and are so happy we seeked him out! read more

I have grown up with dogs my entire life as long as I can remember. I moved out of my parents house at 18 and just a couple years ago decided I was ready for my own. I got an Australian Shepherd (which, if you know the breed, they are working dogs and require a lot of attention and exercise). He was such a handful, but my fiancé and I researched the best dog training in the area and everyone at our local dog park referred us to Chad Culp of Thriving Canine. What a blessing!! He not only helped us use the right technique at home to help him train, his classes were more than helpful in getting him out of the house to exercise his mind and body! Often, he would let the dogs socialize in the beginning of class to get the dogs a social exercise which was a huge plus. We wanted our dog to become a service dog, so the more socialization he got with both dogs and people, the better. He also has many different options in classes so we were able to go check him and out and see what class we should get into before wasting our money on a class we didn't benefit from. Chad is so great at communicating and understanding what each person in our classes wanted to achieve from it. Everyone knows that people have different wants and needs for their dog, and as ours needed a job and a challenge, others just wanted their dog to behave appropriately when having guests over, or taken for a walk. He offers one-on-one classes to further this opportunity, but he also does as much as he can in class to benefit each and every dog. Unlike other trainers, he cares about your dog succeeding. We did a "sit-in" on another dog trainer in town and they were just reading by a binder, praising every dog whether they did the right thing or not. We knew our dog was too smart to go through this, and needed him to be an obeying dog that was loyal to both me and my fiancé as owners. Chad has the perfect mix of techniques to achieve that goal and I have not met anyone who was not happy with the results! Thank you Chad, for making Grizzly one of the best dogs I've had! I continue to take him everywhere I can since he is now a successful service dog and loves to hike, swim and play with others! He is now almost 2 and I still take him to his agility classes he offers when we can for a great exercise and Grizzly loves them! I will continue to recommend Chad Culp as a dog trainer. Both my fiancé and I are extremely happy to have met him and help make Grizzly not only an awesome dog, is a irreplaceable part of our family. Thanks Chad! read more

We took a Foster to Chads' Adult class, and she did great. We now have 2 of her babies in the puppy class. They are progressing nicely. Chad instructions are very precise and clear and "to the point". He starts off with treat rewards, then eventually no treats are needed, which is awesome! I like how he includes "Puppy Play Time" before class starts so some of the distraction of new puppies together is lowered. I would definitely recommend Thriving Canine for training your dog. read more

I've been training my dog with Chad since my dog was almost a five month old puppy. He was at an age where Chad was on the fence whether to have him participate in puppy or basic obedience class, we elected to go for the basic obedience class and I couldn't be happier. That was last summer, I'm still training almost every week with Chad in the advanced classes. Chad isn't just a dog trainer, he's a behavior specialist. He can teach us how to be responsible dog owners and handlers so that our dogs behave the way we want them to, not they way they feel like. His process is simple and makes sense for both me and my dog, and somehow (at least I believe) it has become a fun learning process for my dog!! Thanks Chad!! read more

Eight months later, and Indie and are STILL coming back for more. Chad's classes and real life methods have given my rescue dog a new lease on life. His confidence has overwhelmingly approved, and, almost as important - I officially have a dog with great manners! Imagine telling your dog to sit and having him stay there until you let him know that he can get up - it's totally do-able! Not only has my dog turned into a model citizen (this from a dog that used to pee on everything in Petco), but we've had a blast doing it! Thanks Chad! read more

I got this very nervous dog from the shelter. I couldn't even get her out of the house for walks. We would have to cross the street when we walked my people. After doing 2 private trainings, basic training, and advance traning. She has been coming out of her shell. Before she would choose a dog over me any day! Now her recall and commands are great! Things you should know: Chad is training the owner... Not the dog. Chad will tell you what you are doing wrong... He will not sugar coat anything! Chad is pretty spontaneous with his training. For the advance training he put spaghetti out for leave it training. Once my dog came out of her shell... She is nuts... Like cray cray... He knew how to handle the situation. He is great with shy and cray cray dogs! Honestly, get passed the basic training to get to the advance traning! That is when it gets fun! My dog was horrible at the advance class but Chad said ,"I am getting my moneys worth". He is right! His training does not cost an arm and a leg! Definitely recommend! read more

I ran into a problem with my three dogs and a new rescue dog. I didn't have any history on the rescue dog but she was hard for me to train and understand. I was nervous with her around my other dogs. One visit from Chad and I felt like I had a handle on next steps with the pack. I highly reccommend Thriving Cannine ! read more

I cannot say enough about Chad, he is so knowledgeable with dog behavior. I have learned so much from him in just our first visit. If you are tired of choosing between positive or negative reinforced training, Chad is your guy. He balances out the two perfectly, and my dog quickly took to him. My pup is quite nervous around strangers, but Chad did not force her to meet him. While my pup got use to his presence, we talked about her behavior issues and what I wanted to work on. Chad gave me the tools and confidence I needed in order to help my dog through her behavioral issues. PLEASE NOTE: Something I would like to make clear is that he is NOT a positive reinforcement trainer. He believes in a balance between positive reinforcement and correction. Please make sure you are okay with this BEFORE you begin training with him. It clearly says all of this on his website too. He WILL correct your dog and if you aren't okay with that, he is not the right trainer for you. I personally agree wholeheartedly that this is the best way to train a dog but I respect that every pet parent has their own beliefs about how they want to bring up their dogs. What really makes me upset is when people go to him, and get upset when he uses his techniques that were clearly stated on his website. Do your research! He is a great trainer, but not for everyone! :) read more

I am updating my review based on reading the horridly inaccurate (and may I say ONLY 1 star review) Chad received. There is one statement in that review that proved to me how falsified this story is. Chad would NEVER recommend euthanizing an aggressive dog. EVER. He is a firm believer that any dog can be rehabilitated with enough time and effort. If this woman knew anything about him or his program she would know that Nikita, his dog he takes to all sessions, is a rehabilitated dog. We recently graduated from his training with our second rescue, and were just as pleased with his techniques and the results as were the first time. I personally recommend him all the time to people and will continue to do so. Also, there is nothing fake about me or my reviews. read more

Wow, Wow, and yes... Wow! Very impressed with Chad and the things he helped teach me about my dogs! We had an in home session for my 3 dogs, and I must admit, they were better dogs after he left! We went over many problems i was having with them, food aggression, not listening and jumping up. Chad worked with us on all these and left homework for us to do to continue the training! The dreaded 3 dog walk is no more! Today we went out for our walk without Chad and it was Amazing!! It's like i have different dogs, they are so well behaved on their walk now i could honestly cry! Whomever said in another review that Chad is the Dog Whisperer of Gilroy was spot on! Highly recommending Thriving Canine for anyone needing obedience classes or any training! Miracle worker!! Thanks You, Thank You, Thank You!!! =) read more

Our 1 1/2 year old crazy, wild dog that never listened to us can now sit, stay, down, come, and heal!! He graduated basic obedience class last night! We are very happy with Chad and Thriving Canine. He did an amzing job training us and our dog. He was very helpful and had alot of tips for us to try. All of them have worked on our little stubborn pug mix. His facebook page is very informative as well. He starts off with treat based training which then tranforms into command training with positive reinforcement. We can't wait to do a 2nd training or agility class.This guy knows what he's talking about and anyone could benefit in a training sesh with him. Also, I work at a Veterinary hospital and we recommend him all the time! Bunsen says "Thanks!" read more

We hired Chad to come to our house to work with our new pup. We have 3 dogs ranging in age from 12 years to 9 months. Adding the 3rd dog to the group completely the dynamic at our house and we needed some help. So we called Chad! He was great with all of our dogs and by the end of the training session they were all asleep. He showed us some great activities to do with the puppy where we still get to play rough with him. We also went on a walk where Chad helped us with that. He training technique is the right kind. Your dogs will listen!! Highly recommended and we look forward to working with him in the future. read more

This review may be unfair, coming as it does many years after Chad spent a session with our dog Cooper. I have given a lot of thought to his methods, and think a review given our 6 years of experience with Cooper since then might be useful. (But perhaps only to folks who are wrestling with what they perceive to be dominance or threatening behaviors. My concerns are unlikely to arise when teaching the dog to come.) First, the many positives: Chad is personable, well-spoken, has a lot of good advice about training dogs, and really effectively demonstrates training skills like teaching your dog to heal through effectively timed corrections. He gave Cooper a correction mid-squirrel chase that pretty much solved that issue permanently. So, he has lots of exceptional skills. And I absolutely *love* his videos. (All of which is why I ultimately give him 4 stars even with our non-idyllic experience.) So, about the training. Cooper's main issue was significant leash reactivity and a tendency to 'go after' smaller dogs that got him excited. There were two corrections Chad performed in our one session as Cooper got snarly with a volunteered neighbor dog, and I had two issues with the process. First, Chad gave a correction using an alpha rollover, as he had told us in advance he might. I watched the process closely, and in the end I did not believe the process was teaching Cooper anything useful. I know it was only one session and multiple sessions might have been needed, but I do not think it was effective for 4 reasons. (A) it was my sense Cooper was terrified by the maneuver and clueless about what it meant, so, not in any position to learn anything. (B) I did not see any favorable impact on his behavior, later in the session or thereafter. (C) Separately and later, another method of correction I tried, using a well-timed correction from a prong collar, very clearly made him more out of control, not less. (I know this method is arguably more about pain than control; it is just suggestive about the mental state Cooper was in during these episodes.) (D) What I believe to be the best recent science-based recommendations explicitly recommend against this training method, or other methods based on applying alpha/dominance hierarchy in a confrontational way. (I won't try to argue that point here; a few references are at the end of the review if you are curious. And I don't fault Chad for using it in our case specifically; he asked permission and we said yes. In retrospect, we wouldn't do it again.) The second concern is that after Cooper did his snarly threatening thing with the volunteered dog, and Chad gave him a correction (not sure if the alpha rollover correction came first or second), Chad gave Cooper another opportunity to socialize with the neighbor dog. This went equally poorly or more so. The problem with this is that it really was traumatic for the neighbors (though we didn't realize that in the moment), and hurt our relationship with them. I think I trusted Chad to manage the dog interactions in a way that would keep the other dog more obviously safe, and the owners more comfortable, and it just didn't work out that way. We since had many other training sessions in many classes and private sessions with Cooper, and have made major strides for some annoying behaviors (sometimes very quickly--he's mostly quite biddable, and is now loaded with tricks), and overall he is a lovely mostly-matured dog. But he still wants to let other little dogs know what he thinks is good for them. We have learned over time how to manage his interactions very carefully, and I don't expect he'll ever get that kind of chance again, but the behavior does seem to be pretty hardwired in his core. So I can't claim that Chad's way was wrong and our way is right (and I don't even know if Chad still uses that philosophy, but the web site suggests he does). I just think it is important to have our experience out there for others to consider, and of course Chad to respond to if he wants. References: * American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior position statement: https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Dominance_Position_Statement_download-10-3-14.pdf * https://www.thelabradorsite.com/dog-dominance/ * https://positively.com/dog-training/myths-truths/pack-theory-debunked/ read more

We have been going to Chad at Thriving Canine for almost a year now. We started out with home visits, and now do group classes. It took a while for it to sink in, that these classes were as much about coaching us as the dog! We wouldn't be where we are without Chad and his consistent, patient instruction. He really has a wonderful way with people and dogs, and I cannot speak highly enough of him. Our dog Star almost knocks us off our feet dragging us toward his class each week! It has also really paid off in the show ring for him, as he is able to get into the zone, and stay focused with all the distractions around him going on. read more

I just had to add my two cents worth. We got Skippy at 8 weeks. My husband and I hadn't had a puppy for years. We were really challenged. Our vet recommended Chad and we took Skip to puppy classes. What a change. We need to go back for the adult classes to continue the growth. What I really think Chad does is train the dog owner and then the dog. We learned a lot in a fun environment and Skip was socialized with all the others puppies. read more

Only one word can describe his service, amazing. Spent two hours with him, and there is a 100% difference. I am blown away by what he was able to accomplish and also teach us in only 2 hours. He will be the only trainer I go to from now on. read more

We had Chad come out for a 2 hour overview of your 8 month old German Shepherd. The on-line contact was great. Dawn got back to me quickly and we set up the initial training. Chad was on time (actually was parked out front when my wife arrived home a few minutes before 3 PM) and entered with the house with her. Interesting to see the interaction between Koa and Chad. With-in a few minutes Chad had Koa stop his jumping on him and was playing with his toys. Koa was pulling when on walks and after introducing him and us to a training collar, problem solved. I would highly recommend Chad to anyone. PS: In reference to Diana C.'s review on 04-18-13 THIS IS NOT A FAKE REVIEW. read more

We hired Chad for a private session to help us out with our 5 year old Chihuahua. Our little dog has some behavior issues and the typical chihuahua nervousness about him. Some of the things we wanted to address was him snapping at people, freaking out when someone on a skateboard or bike goes by.. The UPS truck syndrome.. (He goes CRAZY when he sees a UPS truck) his behavior when on a leash and some potty related issues. Chad's tips and coaching was amazing. He armed us with skills and knowledge that we implemented right away. We went on a walk with our dog and he fixed the walking and leash issue right away.. We went to the skate park and worked on his nervousness around skateboards and bicycles.. Chad was very patient with us and showed us everything multiple times to make sure we feel comfortable. He was also very attentive to the dog.. It's like they spoke the same language. We were so proud of our little guy once the training was done. Chad understands dogs and the psychology of dogs. I think he can be a psychologist for humans as well, but that's a different topic. He is a great guy with an amazing skill set. I recommend you write a list of all the issues you would like to address regarding your dog so you can prepare a game plan with Chad. We have had 2 private sessions and will be signing up for his public training classes in the summer time to socialize our little guy some more and teach him additional skills. I highly recommend Chad and his program. He is not only a great guy but has been a huge help for us with our dog. read more