Barer Pet Behavior and Dog Training LLC

I can’t speak highly enough of Barer Pet Behavior and Dog Training, or of Dawn Barer, who has been working with me and my Jetta. I would recommend her to any one who asks. Here’s why… From day one, when I contacted Dawn, almost in tears of worry and frustration over my Border Collie’s troublesome behavior, I was given a calm, compassionate, understanding ear “to bend”. None of my concerns were treated as trivial; no questions I asked went unanswered. Dawn herself asked pertinent and probing questions about Jetta, her history, our history together, and why I had concerns. I was offered encouragement and hope, information about her philosophy and program, with explanations of possible causes for my Jetta’s behaviors. Dawn also discussed various techniques that could be used to modify them. By the end of that first conversation, I had learned several things about dog behavior, about my own misconceptions of dog behavior, and more specifically, about Border Collie behavior. And, I accepted an invitation to arrange a meet and greet, an assessment and a consultation. I am so glad that I did. It was during that initial visit with Dawn that I saw first hand what I had come to believe during our phone conversation: she is knowledgeable, experienced, compassionate, and kind and gentle with animals. Jetta and I have worked with Dawn on and off for over a year. With her constant and continued support and guidance, I have learned to recognize Jetta’s body language and her anxiety triggers, and to firmly, gently control her actions should she become anxious. Dawn has always explained the rationale behind her suggested behavior modification techniques, has always modeled them repeatedly for me, and has kept a watchful eye on me as I practiced with Jetta. Her one-on-one attention to what I do, to how Jetta reacts to what I do, along with her constructive suggestions and reminders, has been the key to our success. Dawn continues to support me while I train Jetta to trust and follow my lead instead of her own instincts when she gets anxious. Jetta has learned that letting me “call the shots” has taken all the anxiety out of coming face to face with strangers and unfamiliar dogs. I believe that Dawn is true animal lover, one that has the training, the knowledge, the experience, and the patience to help owners identify and smooth the rough edges on their pets. She knew exactly how to help me learn to rehab and socialize a certain little Border Collie, a rescue dog with an unknown checkered past, who came to me with a few rough edges of her own.