Dogability Dog Training

I highly recommend Dogability for training your dog and you. It’s been a month since my dog, Rhelli, has been home after being in the High Reliability Obedience program. It was important to wait to post my review because the hallmarks of any excellent training program are the fact that the behaviors stick with your canine and more essentially, stick with you. Rhelli was a challenge. And as life went by, that challenge grew exponentially. She was scared of seemingly everything but yet was quick to react and lunge at other dogs. At one hundred pounds, if my guard was down, she could easily overpower me. Walks became fewer to nearly non-existent because I had to check first if it was “safe,” meaning that nothing was around. Rhelli is my fifth dog, so I was in some denial that I was inadequate for her since the others are and had been “normal.” Considering she was a great house dog and companion, it did take awhile to finally come to the realization that we needed help. After all, she deserved it. I loved her and she shouldn’t have life just sheltered in the home and not knowing how to deal with the world. At the end of the program, the owners are trained on how to work with their dogs and their new skill set, which may seem basic at first, but then you come to realize these are the essentials and what really matters when it comes to safety and control. Upon seeing Rhelli again, I could see what strides Juan and Gene had accomplished with her. She was no longer cowering or reactive – she was out of her shell. That was worth the price of entry in and of itself. Juan and Gene are very knowledgeable in what they do and you can tell they care about all the dogs they train. I know that I was probably a frustrating owner to work with because I was so sensitive with not getting it as naturally as others. But didn’t I say that my dog was challenging? Seriously though, Juan was great at motivating me to continue working and keep my eye on the prize and Gene was quick to tell me when I was doing something wrong. They were also realists in the fact that her life will continue to be work. You have to maintain what they’ve given your dog. You are the key to your dog’s continual success – Juan and his team provides the foundation and the tools so that you can be successful. I have a nervous dog, that is fact, and she got to practice being one for years and I will have to work with her the rest of her life so that she doesn’t revert to how she was. But I can tell you that it is so worth it. Rhelli’s life now is a daily walk no matter what is outside. Is there another dog, a baby stroller, a school bus? That’s not a problem. We’ve gone to parks and greenways and she has performed remarkably. Does she still require correction? Sure. And I know she will from time to time forever, but it keeps getting better and better and we have a freedom I never thought possible. For those who may be hesitant seeking the needed training for you and your dog, all I can say is don’t wait. There is no downside, just go for it. And if you were worried like me that your dog’s personality may change, it doesn’t, you’ll have the same dog you came in with. Only better.

Juan is a true k9 professional that has a deep and thorough knowledge the dog psyche with the experience to back it up. We've now had him work with both our Siberian Huskies and could not be happier with the results. I would advise anyone considering working Dogability not only to do so but to pay strict attention to the instructions they will give you in how to maintain a well behaved and happy pet. There are so many misconceptions about dogs and dog training and I'm willing to bet you have been indoctrinated with some of them. Keep an open mind and be willing to be coached and you will see the greatest results as we have! Thank you Juan (and company) for a fantastic and lasting experience!

Sending my german shepherd, Xena, to Juan and Gene is the best decision I've ever made. Just as some background, Xena has a working dog drive and energy level. As a first time dog owner, she's always been a lot for me to handle. I sent her off to do some e-collar training a little over a year ago. The training they did with her made a big improvement. She was relatively reliable off leash, and I felt like I had a good way to control her (the e-collar). The only problem was I felt like I was constantly shocking her to get her to do what I wanted. I felt like there was a divide in the line of communication. What I was trying to tell her versus what she was hearing were two different things. However, I could manage things with the collar. The real problem was when the collar came off. I had absolutely zero control of her if she wasn't wearing the collar. It seems like an easy fix, right? Just leave the collar on her is what you're probably thinking. And that is a valid approach, but if your dog only listens when she has the collar on, that's not really a trained dog. In addition to this, Xena had some dog aggression problems. I didn't know how to handle or manage her aggression, and I only became more and more frustrated. As you can imagine, these types of problems started to hinder our relationship. Enter Juan and Gene. I'm not going to go into too much detail, because I really want to encourage you to call or email them so that you can talk to them directly. But just as a brief overview, they use e-collars but in a completely different way than I had previously learned. It's a much more intuitive and logical process. I no longer find myself needlessly shocking my dog and her not understanding what the hell is going on. The e-collar is used simply as a tool because of its easy use. With this new process I no longer have issues of a dog that only listens with an e-collar on. No collar, no problem, she listens and responds the exact same. The way Juan and Gene have taught me to handle my dog has 100% cleared up the communication divide I spoke of earlier. I feel like Xena and I are on the same page now, and she understands the messages I'm trying to get across. Clearing up this communication issue has essentially solved all of our problems. Juan and Gene teach the dogs and the owners a method of communication, which allows you to solve virtually any behavioral issue that may arise. This isn't a program to teach your dog to sit and lay down and roll over. Any trainer could do that in a day. Juan and Gene teach a functional system of communication that allows for you and your dog to understand each others' wants and needs. I have bonded more with my dog in the past week since completing the training than I have in the past 2 years of having her. Being able to build that relationship with your dog and really feel like you're connected is an incredible feeling. I know this is getting long, so just to touch on the dog aggression piece, Gene brought me out one day, and I stood outside with Xena and 3 other dogs while they ran around playing frisbee together. Xena has always been very protective of me and any resource (especially a frisbee!). A simple thing like watching my dog play with a toy with other dogs and not try to attack them if they got to close to me was amazing (also, none of the dogs had ecollars on, and they didn't need them). Juan and Gene not only corrected her aggressive behaviors when she was around them, but they taught me how to manage those types of situations, which is the crucial aspect of the whole system. In closing, Juan and Gene are phenomenal. They've improved my relationship with my dog 100-fold, and through their teaching I have learned patience and an understanding of her behaviors, which is the whole reason the process works once you take your dog home. I can't recommend these guys enough. If I could give them more than 5 stars I would! If you have any issues with your dog or feel like you're dog isn't living up to it's potential, please give Dogability a call, you won't be disappointed!!

If you are reading these reviews, it is probably because you are getting desperate for help with your crazy dog... Go ahead and stop reading, call Juan, the money is worth it, your life will change. Seriously, call right now! If you are still interested in reading another success story here you go: One of the greastest loves of my life is my little Eloise. Ellie is a 65 pound lab mix who we rescued as a 12 pound puppy. Even at 12 pounds, she was uncontrollable enough to sprang my ankle (1 month before needing to walk gracefully down the aisle at my wedding), was formally uninvited from every family and friend's house we knew, and became a danger to herself and our house when she busted through her metal crate and turned my living room into the world's biggest snowglobe of couch fluff. She knew all sorts of commands and "tricks," but my husband and I could never teach her the few commands that really mattered... the ones like, don't run out in front of cars, don't eat your way out of your crate, stay there and don't move, come back here now, no means no! As she grew bigger and bigger, the three of us became housebound, as we couldn't leave her alone in the house or her crate, and we couldn't take her with us anywhere without 65 pounds of leash reactive muscle bouncing off every surface of the Earth. Our family said she was too dangerous, and to "put her down" or at least "get rid of her," but she was my baby and I would rather stay home with her then do anything without her... Life goes on and we get a second smaller, calmer dog. He became just as reactive as her, and again we were homebound. Life goes on a bit more, and surprise! Now I'm pregnant with 2 dogs that I can't control. I couldn't bring a baby home to that!! I didn't know what to do, and thought that nothing could be done! I desperately searched the internet for a miracle, and found it in Dogability. They always say you can't teach an old dog new tricks, well "they" have never met Juan! He can teach a fish to braid hair! We dropped Ellie off when I was 8 months pregnant, and came back for handler training at 9 months. I kid you not... the dog who swept me off my feet at 12 pounds, who kept me trapped at home for 3 years, was walking right by my side at 9 months pregnant without my even touching the leash. We both just needed a common language to communicate the rules, and then everything was cool! We walked for miles in bliss because we were finally enjoying each other out in the world how I always dreamed that we could! I firmly believe that I could walk her through the parks at Disney and she wouldn't bat an eyelash toward misbehaving now. After 6 months of having her home, I wish I had done it right from the start. After the baby was born (a few days after we came home from her training camp), we decided to send our smaller dog as well. He has been done for about 4 months now, and doing just as well. What I want you to know is that your life should be made exponentially better by the relationship you have with your dog, not restricted and a sorce of stress. There is no dog "too far gone" for Juan. I have seen at least 40 other dogs that he has worked with and they are all miracle cases, too. You have to be willing to commit to the upkeep of the training, but if you put in the time, it is a sustainable lifestyle change for both you and your dog. So yes, it is a lot of money. Yes, it is a long time away from you. Yes, it is an e-collar and you are worried about how your dog will psycologically respond or whatever. No, stop that. They crave the safe parameters you can create with the collar. My two get so excited when the collars come out because they know that adventures are in store (or that grandma is coming :))! Every dime is worth it. I will do it again from day 1 with every dog I ever own as long as this man is in business. 4 weeks away from your best friend seems like an eternity, but the increbile life you will share for the rest of your days together will be so extraordinary that you will also be kicking yourself that you didn't do this sooner!