HappyGentle Dogs

The team at BTNT is truly exceptional. I had the opportunity to rescue a seven-year-old Boston Terrier named Gator, who previously tended to hide in rooms, stare at walls, and become anxious when faced with fences or other dogs. While Gator is a very sweet dog, he was often overwhelmed in stressful situations. Recently, my brother’s two large dogs, weighing 70 and 85 pounds, came to live with us. Gator, who is 28 pounds, reacted unexpectedly and bit the most submissive of the larger dogs, drawing blood—an incident I deeply feared. Concerned for the safety and well-being of all the animals, I sought assistance from BTNT and was connected with Dale and his team. Over the course of eight weeks, Dale helped me understand that Gator's behavior stemmed from fear and social awkwardness, and taught us how to help him learn to play safely. Gator has now completed his training with Dale and has become a much happier and more attentive dog. His improved listening skills and our better communication have made a noticeable difference. During one of the final training sessions, Gator played with six new dog friends, including two larger dogs. One of them, another Boston, attempt to bite Gator’s face, but he calmly moved away and checked in with me. Gator remains alert and consistently checks back with us, demonstrating his trust and confidence. Moreover, Gator no longer bites my nose when excited, which is greatly appreciated. The team also assisted my brother’s dog, Otis, who was experiencing severe anxiety and aggressive outbursts. Otis is a large dog, and it was frightening when he became upset; although he never harmed me, he would sometimes attack the other dog and draw blood. We discovered that Otis was dealing with intense fear and anxiety, and required new tools to help him manage loud noises and establish safe, calming spaces. Otis also completed the program and has transformed into a joyful, well-behaved dog. He responds enthusiastically when praised and remains focused, which helps us ensure his safety and calmness. Ultimately, our goal is for our dogs to listen, be safe, and be happy. The dedicated team—including Tracy, Maddie, Dale, and all the trainers and staff—are extraordinary individuals passionate about animals. Their strategies for working with my two very different dogs have resulted in significant positive changes in their behavior and in how we care for them. For the rest of their lives, if we require behavioral assistance or boarding, Happy Gentle Dog will be our first and only choice. I am immensely grateful for this community of experts who came together to support us. Finally, I am confident that Gator and Otis would agree—their joyful runs to the trainers and brightened expressions are a testament to the patience, love, and dedication these professionals bring to their work.

Happy Gentle Dog has done wonders for our dogs. We have a boxer mix and a pitbull who both had reactivity issues. Dale and his staff are amazing to work with. They answer all of our questions and go above and beyond to help make your training journey a success. Madi has been so great to work with. The HGD team is extremely knowledgeable and have solutions to any issue that comes up. I would highly recommend HGD training to anyone!

Dale, Tracy and Madi were fabulous to work with. I brought my super hyper and reactive puppy to Happy Gentle Dogs and I’m so glad I did. Bodhi worked hard with his training and he is growing into a very well trained dog. Everyone was very responsive to my questions and Bodhi was well taken care of during his stay with Dale. I learned a lot to become a better dog owner myself. I was looking for a trainer that was gentle and loving and I found it!