Master's Way Dog Training

I can't sing enough praise for Rick and Master's Way! Don't waste your time or money anywhere else!! When I decided to seek a dog trainer, I was walking a very fine line. Having dogs before and researching home training extensively, I could not understand why my dog was acting aggressively towards adults, other dogs, and children. If I did not seek help I knew I ran the risk of someone becoming injured or my dog being put down. I had difficulty maintaining control on walks, and my dog only answered to commands on his terms. If I separated him when guests were over he would become very vocal and tear up the room he was in. I felt so sad that this beautiful dog brought me more frustration than joy! Rick opened a whole new world to me. I worked with Rick about once a week for about 2 months, and with my dog every day. Within the first week the improvement in my dog's behavior was noticeable. Since completing my official training with Rick, my dog is more comfortable around strangers, is friendly to dogs and walks with a loose leash. He knows commands like "stay", "wait" and Rick's version of "come" and does this all without treats, bribes, or harsh punishment. I've even learned to pick up on subtle cues, and can read when my dog is nervous or happy or feels safe. Rick stresses that in order to find success in training you must earn the respect of your dog. This is not something that is won overnight or even within a few weeks (depending on your situation). Even now that the training is over I still practice what Rick has taught me and continue to see improvements. Rick is unlike any other trainer I have ever met and it is with great confidence that I recommend him to anyone!!!

Rick at Master's Way Dog Training helped teach us how to have an outstanding canine companion. I would highly recommend Rick for any size or breed of dog. He uses methods that you have probably never heard of but most trainers do not really know how to foster a good relationship with your dog. Dogs need to be shown leadership and people need to develop a strong relationship with their dog in order to have the dog trust that their human owner is the leader and to respect them. We adopted our dog as a 12 week old puppy at DeWitt Animal Hospital. She is a Pit Bull mix and she is very energetic. We went from having to have her in her crate most of the time the family was around, because she was so energetic , to having her a part of our family the entire day. Rick does not use treats to reward your dog's every move and he does not harshly punish the dog. He teaches the dog to be a calm and obedient member of the household and a joy to have around. We had a hard time with her mouthing our family and visitors, chasing the cat, and jumping on visitors or us when we got home. Rick was able to train her first then he spent the next five weeks training the owner. He gave very individualized service and was available more than weekly if we had any questions or needed to practice. She no longer jumps, chases the cat, or mouths people. Rick can help the most frustrated dog owners who have already tried other trainers because his methods are not run of the mill, I have truly never met anyone so naturally in tune with what you and your dog need to have a good relationship and an enjoyable member of your family. He is able to work with dogs with problems with aggression to puppy education and has excellent advice and training for how to housebreak your dog. I wish we would have had Rick pick our dog up from the shelter for us and help us start off on the right foot with our new addition. This is a service that he provides! Rick is an expert in the field of dog training and he really helped us to develop a well-trained dog and owner in order to help us really enjoy our puppy! His training was more than worth the investment.

The vet who referred me to Rick said he was worth every penny--and he was! Bingo, our 20 pound cavalier king charles spaniel, totally "got it" after Rick worked with him for one day, the rest of the lessons were to teach me to communicate clearly with my dog. Rick responded to my calls for extra help right away, and put in extra time to make sure I wasn't messing up everything he had already taught my dog. Bingo was always thrilled to see him, and the behavior issues I was concerned about (tendency towards bossiness and snappiness) diminished immediately when I understood our family's role in the problem. Watching Rick work with dogs is incredible, and I look forward to more advanced "owner obedience" training.

Amazing experience. Rick was extremely knowledgable about dogs in general and about the relationship between dogs and humans. He was very approachable and clear in his directions which resulted in immediate improvement for me and my dog. Is it expensive, perhaps, but is it worth every penny ABSOLUTELY. Fawn, my 1 year old mutt, was my first dog ever. I spent hours online reading on how to properly train your dog. I thought I was doing everything right except my dog wasn't listening and pulling his leash so hard I could barely take him on a walk. After the first day with Rick, Fawn was a new dog. Rick helped me develop a real relationship with my dog. I can honestly say now that I believe Fawn loves and respects me and I love and respect him.

Provided unbelievable results, immediately. My dog was returned to me perfectly trained on the first day and we continue to have a wonderful relationship. Rick was extremely knowledgeable, helpful and encouraging; very clear and direct in his technique; professional, personable, fair and serious about his training. He brought 100% to every lesson, and expected the same from me. He genuinely cared about my dog, and I left each time feeling confident and successful. People compliment me on how well-behaved my dog is, and it couldn't have been possible without Master's Way! It was the best money I ever spent, and I can never thank Rick enough for what he did for me and my dog.