By My Side Canine

We adopted a 9 year old deaf Chihuahua from the shelter about a year ago. It was evident right away that she would require training. Due to her deafness she would let out ear piercing cries to demand attention and could keep this up all night if you put her in a crate. It must have been a behavior that worked with her previous owners. We contacted Theresa and she said she thought she could work with her even though she had never trained a deaf dog. We agreed to a week long training session. After the week, Theresa was not satisfied with the results and asked to keep her a few days more which turned into two weeks. She didn’t charge us for the extra time. Lily had learned so much and was a dog we could enjoy. Anytime we had issues, Theresa was always available by text, phone or even inviting me to her house for additional help at no extra charge. I highly recommend her if you need training for your dog.

This service is provided by a family living on our cul-du-sac. Both next door neighbors have been bitten by two different dogs that they own. The most recent occurrence was an attack by their German Shepard of an adult, male next-door neighbor walking his two dogs on leashes. The man came to our house showing us his wounds where he bled from two fingers and the forearm of one sleeve of his jacket was completely shredded where the dog attacked him. Another neighbor adopted an adult dog that did not get along with other DOGS but enjoyed petting and attention from people. After a couple weeks of training by this service the dog growled when around neighbors and attacked the owners wife in their home. The neighbor had to end up putting down the dog because it had become too aggressive around people, especially women. As a neighbor who lives across the street from this service I fear the possibility of one of their dogs attacking either me or our miniature schnauzer. We neighbors do not appreciate the presence of non-resident dogs being on the street that runs in front of our house, especially given the dog violence that has already occurred on this street. It appears a concerned neighbor reported the incident to Animal Control and now they video tape my dog just because we walk to our next door neighbor’s house without a leash. They should spend more time policing their own dogs instead of my harmless fur baby! In summary, if one of your dogs should harm anyone in my family while being trained on Bottisham Lane I guarantee that you will be a party to a very costly lawsuit if an attorney should agree to represent us.

Apparently my Golden is one of the few that is stubborn! Theresa has helped me understand that I need to be the leader, not the "mommy". When we took Jaspar at six months old for a three day course, she kept him a week for the same price. He came home completely kennel trained, quiet all night, sitting on request, and heeling nicely on our daily walks. A few times he has regressed and Theresa has been By MY side, answering texts, calling, and even inviting me over for a refresher....turns out his behavior has a great deal to do with my training style. Theresa is a wealth of information and is kind and firm with both of us! I highly recommend Theresa for all dog training needs. Deborah Janicke

I was almost at the point of trying to re-home my 6 month old Bichon. She much preferred the "indoor facilities" rather then outside. I have some mobility issues and had a piece of artificial turf situated on my back deck. It came with a spray that was meant to encourage her to use the turf. We struggled daily with the potty issues. I had read that this breed was known for their resistance to being trained. Even encountered another Bichon owner at the veterinarian office and I inquired how they had managed to potty train. Imagine how discouraged I was when the owner replied that the dog was not really potty trained! They had been cleaning up after the dog for 11 years!! I found Theresa and By My Side Canine online. I called her and she talked with me for almost an hour. I felt really comfortable with the things she mentioned and the methods used. She took Chloe and her artificial turf and worked her magic! Chloe returned home with a totally different demeanor and attitude. She uses her turf easily and within a very short time both jobs are accomplished. She also heels, sits and walks perfectly on her leash. She is a much calmer and happier little dog. Theresa worked with me for several hours when she brought Chloe back home. She showed me the methods she had been using and explained how I needed to learn to become the leader. All this is still new to me but I know it will benefit me and Chloe. She is much happier and calmer, which in turn makes me happier! I highly recommend this type of training for anyone struggling to teach their puppy good manners.