FirstBark
There aren't enough words for me to describe how grateful I am for Melania. Some of my friends recommended working with her, and I am so happy they did. I rescued my first dog earlier this year, and, while he is largely a very good dog, he can be OVERLY friendly and excitable. I…Read full reviewClose full review
There aren't enough words for me to describe how grateful I am for Melania. Some of my friends recommended working with her, and I am so happy they did. I rescued my first dog earlier this year, and, while he is largely a very good dog, he can be OVERLY friendly and excitable. I tried a different training program previously, but the group was so large and everything felt very strict without any room for understanding that each dog is unique. Instead of feeling supported or empowered to help my dog, I left each week feeling frustrated and like a bad dog owner. I started with private lessons with Melania then did group training. Private lessons were wonderful to help my dog and I BOTH build our confidence and skills, and moving into group lessons was helpful for building on those lessons AND helping both him and me interact with other dogs we may see in the wild. Group sessions were also so special to see how much her training helped others and seeing those dogs flourish. She SO clearly loves dogs and her community, and they love her. I really appreciate her approach to training, and I appreciate that her training format feels like an encouragement to continue to pursue more, not all just a sales attempt to get us to sign up or pay her a ton of money for a board-and-train program. Melania genuinely cares - you and your dog are not just a number to her, and this is so clear with all the former clients and neighbors you will see excitedly greet her when you see them out and about in Downtown Celebration. It's a testament to her genuine care that so many former clients work with her to help out with training. Plus, every single phone call I got from her started with a greeting then immediately asking how my dog is doing. While my dog and I still have plenty to work on (training is a lifetime commitment!), it's so wonderful knowing Melania is in my corner. She truly takes the time to understand each of her human and dog clients and gives them actionable advice based on their situation. There aren't black and white recommendations, and she made me feel supported. She gave me the confidence I needed to tell people how to interact with us because we are training (all guests in my house get a text ahead of time to ignore my dog if he jumps on them and to only pay attention if he calms down). I know I need to work harder with his training (and to have patience because he's still technically a puppy and he has a big, silly personality), but I also know it's possible to get results and I know we have made significant strides since our training began. Melania has been my lifeline in this and the driving force in all of it. My dog is still super friendly and can get excited, but he is much better at settling himself (seriously, I can see him catch himself that he needs to chill). He still wants to say hi to every dog on the street, but he can do a better job of staying calm and not pulling. We are working hard, but, because of the confidence Melania helped us both build, I know we can keep going, and I know she is always there when I need more help with training. Celebration Dog Training with Melania is worth every single penny and every minute in the car if you're coming from a different area of Central Florida. Thank you, Melania!!!