Fortunate K9 Dog and Owner Training

I have trained at Fortunate K9 with Tom on a weekly basis for years now. He is every bit the miracle worker so many of his students say he is. I brought him an adolescent cattle dog knowing how to do the alligator death roll to escape any form of restraint, had to be sedated orally to be vetted because 2 vet techs and a vet couldnt give her an injection or draw blood, was reactive on leash, would pick a fight with other dogs over food/toys/territory, and she didnt have any semblance of a clue what obedience was. He helped me turn her life around in about 4 private lessons. After the first lesson, she was never sedated to be vetted again and veterinarians started asking where I trained. Within the first month, she was holding a down so reliably that the family dog could stand over her attempting to dominate her and she wouldnt react. Through the years, Tom has helped me understand how my feel, timing, intensity commitment and genuineness/authenticity impact not only my dogs obedience but also my relationship with that dog. The masterful way that I have seen Tom assess what seems to be a complicated situation and offer a simple effective solution, challenge handlers beyond what they thought possible to build trust and confidence between dog and handler, and teach his students in a manner that they strive to emulate his feel are the reasons I train at Fortunate K9.

My pup Lolabelle, my husband and I attend the class with Shosha and her beautiful Doberman. Our experience is quite different. Lolabelle is a Mountain Cur and she is confident and assertive. We waited almost 18 months for her and subsequently I thought this was not the right breed for us and that we would not be able to raise this pup properly. We listen closely to Jen and watch her work with the dogs; under her guidance Lola has blossomed and we can see that Lola will become her best possible self and our loyal and loving companion. Yes we are using the prong collar for training. Jen is efficient and expert with the collar. The only time I feel badly is when I don't use it as proficiently. It is far better than having Lola straining and choking at the end of her leash on a nylon collar. But Lola is a hunter dog and she has plenty of time in the woods on a check cord and regular collar. Perhaps some breeds don't need a prong collar for training but it is working for us and I am happy to have found Jen and Fortunate K9.

This review is so long overdue. My husband and I have a wonderful, mini-labradoodle named Cooper who we both adore. He is smart, loving, has never chewed one of my shoes or nibbled on a piece of furniture. So what possibly could be the problem you may ask. Since the time Cooper was a pup and I began the training process, I would tell Cooper to sit and Cooper would look at me and I swear in dog language say, “Ya right.” Cooper would not sit, lay down (unless it was his choice), stay on command and when he saw a dog outside he could not pull me fast enough to get to the other dog. I actually developed a problem in my shoulder because Cooper pulled on his leash so hard. On top of all of this Copper was skittish. If a big truck or fire engine drove past him he would literally jump out of fear. I put him on anxiety medication but it did not agree with him. I really was at my whit’s end. Then one day, I noticed one of my neighbor’s dog in the elevator. He was calm, he listened to her every command she gave, never pulled or tugged on his leash…he was amazing. I had to ask where she trained her dog. She told me Fortunate K-9. So I looked into it. The reviews were great, the school looked great but in order to get the best results for Cooper, the owner Rick told me Cooper should stay there 3-4 weeks. 3 to 4 weeks I said to myself – that is a long time to be away from my Cooper…I can’t do that. How could anyone do that I said to myself. So I waited and the months began to past. Cooper kept tugging on his leash, pulling me towards any dog that came in his sight, he would not sit, lay down or even come when I called him…unless a treat was at the other end. Finally, I got sick and tired of being sick and tired of Cooper’s behavior – or lack thereof and I called Rick again and set a date to bring Cooper in. Having Cooper trained at Fortunate K-9 Dog training was the BEST thing I ever did for my family and my shoulder! When we came to pick up Cooper, my husband and I sat in a large room and Cooper walked in with Rick. The old Cooper would of went ballistic. But the new Cooper, as much as I knew he wanted to come over to us, was calm, cool and collected. Rick went through a routine with Cooper having him sit, stay in place, lay down, etc. I could not believe that this was my dog. Rick had Cooper walking right next to him – there was no pulling of the leash going on here! Rick would give Cooper command after command and Cooper would execute the command without hesitation. Then Rick gave Cooper permission to come over to see us. After our wonderful reunion, Rick showed my husband and me how to do everything he did with Cooper. I thought I was with a different dog. I would tell Cooper to sit and he would sit - lay down and he lay down! I was walking around with Cooper and he was by my side – no pulling of the leash! Although Cooper is still a little skittish (this is part of his genetic makeup), he has gotten so much better. People that knew him before cannot believe the changes in him. One person who knew him prior to my sending him to Fortunate K-9 is sending their dog for training next month so they can take their leash back. Cooper can now have a fire truck pass him and he has no reaction to it and so much more. So if you are sick and tired of your dog training you, take your leash back and contact Fortunate K-9. The new, better, loving bond you that is created with your dog as a result of this training is priceless. But the training does not stop after you leave…Rick has drop-in classes several times a week if you need a little help (and who doesn’t). Mary and Ed Glazer Boston, MA

I'm following up on my husband's original review and the inaccurate response from the owner. We did in fact pay upfront for sessions of training that we did not schedule. We asked for a refund, almost immediately after the initial consult. We did our homework and changed our minds and went with another trainer we met with a few days later that turned out to be fantastic! You refused to refund our money for classes that we NEVER scheduled and instead sent out a certificate of completion for our dog. ALL of your response is wrong and your a rip off.