Hemlock K9 Training

We recently adopted two pit mixes that and needed some serious help. Both dogs did not know how to walk on a leash, reacted toward people and dogs on walks as well as redirected towards each other. We tried other behavior training programs without much success. We sent both dogs to Melissa for the 4 week day train program and could not be happier with the outcome, we can now safely walk the two dogs together in a heal position without pulling on the leash or reacting, have the dogs outside playing with us with the ability to recall them immediately, both dogs know how to place, down, and sit on command until released and most importantly our dogs now know how to control their emotions in stressful situations. I highly recommend Melissa to any dog owner!! You will be so much happier with a well behaved dog :)

We are forever grateful to Melissa for the work she did with our dog Ellie during her board and train program. Ellie had a lot of issues with reactivity and resource guarding causing us to consider rehoming her which was breaking our hearts, as Ellie is our first baby. However after Melissa’s training program Ellie is a completely different dog. Melissa took the time to truly understand Ellie and find the root cause of why she was so reactive in certain situations. She then recreated a lot of these situations and taught Ellie to make a better choice and remove herself instead of lashing out or trying to use her teeth when she felt uncomfortable. My husband and I now have the tools to feel confident bringing Ellie into public settings and around family and friends which are things we couldn’t do prior. Following training Ellie’s entire demeanor is much more calm and neutral, allowing us to feel confident keeping her as part of our family and within our home with our young daughter. We highly recommend Melissa to any family struggling with behavior issues with their dog. She is the reason we are able to keep our dog within our home and we couldn’t thank her enough for that gift.

I reached out to Melissa due to my rescue pup having huge issues with separation anxiety, barrier frustration and crate training. My puppy would scream for HOURS, throw himself around, bite at the crate, poop/pee in crate even after ~ 2 months of having him. He was glued to my lap anytime he was out of the crate and would bark/cry if left in a play pen or tethered on leash. After many sleepless nights, worrying that he was going to hurt himself, and cleaning a poop/pee filled crate every day- Melissa offered to take my pup off my hands for the week to buckle down on the crate training. She sent me frequent updates and was always super responsive. I got daily pictures and videos of my pup and his progress! I was so anxious about the idea- but it was the best decision I could’ve ever made! She walked me through the step by step plan she had for my pup and updated me on how each “step” went. He returned back to me a week later and was able to settle in his crate in less than five minutes! This was unbelievable for a dog that would cry for hours! I never thought this was possible for my pup. Learning to self soothe is so important and being able to have him be in a safe space (crate) while I get things done around the house is such a relief! I would recommend Melissa to ANYONE. She is so knowledgeable about dogs, their behaviors, and why they do the things they do (and how to fix them!) THANK YOU MELISSA! 🙏🏻🙏🏻

Posting some praise on behalf of a friend, whose dog made serious leaps and bounds thanks to Hemlock K9 Training. I got to witness the results (from skittish to serene!) and could only marvel at the work well done. Here is my friend's review: My White Shepherd Puppy and I began Training with Melissa in Summer of 2020 when my puppy was less than 12 wks old. After a few months we were competent on-leash and off-leash. It was thrilling to experience our progress and gain insight into this subtle language with dogs. Melissa has this gift. As my puppy grew up right at the beginning of the pandemic, and as she and I live alone in the woods together, we began to notice anxiety around public situations and/or other dogs, so Melissa designed curriculum for us to navigate this, which we’ve incorporated. Today, my 3 yr old Shepherd has doggie friends she plays with off leash and on, goes with me inside to every appt I have : the bank, my lawyer, my Drs' appts, pet friendly shops... And she goes on weekly hikes and adventures with her other friends in Melissa’s Program. We are also looking forward to beginning a Scent Tracking Course soon that Melissa recommended for us. There are several reputable Dog Trainers much closer to where I live, but my Shepherd and I drive a fair distance to work with Melissa in Avon. She is professional, personal, and speaks the language of dogs, taking into consideration each unique dog at all different stages of their life. Thank you Melissa !