The Dog Talker - Charleston's Leading Aggression & Dog Behavior Expert

Samantha, thank you so much for his heartwarming review! I am beyond thrilled to see how much progress you all have made with sweet Wembley & Bea!! It's all thanks to the dedication and commitment you guys have shown from the beginning - a clear testament to the love you have for both dogs! Thank you for allowing me to be part of your journey, for being such wonderful dog parents, and for being open to a new way of thinking about, and engaging with, dogs! Be well!!

Lori, thanks so much for this wonderful review and account of what it's like to work with a Family Dog Mediator (as opposed to a Dog Trainer). You're absolutely right, it takes a lot of work on the human's part, which is what is needed if we are to succeed in helping our dogs navigate life better in the 21st century. Life is changing at a rapid pace for us humans and as a result, our dogs are more lost than ever, which is why we are seeing such an enormous growth in dog behavior problems. Dog 'Training' is outdated. Our dogs need us to guide them in a different way now, which is why Family Dog Mediation is the FUTURE of Dog training. Lori, you and your husband have both been great students together with JJ. I know the process was challenging at times, but I am glad you feel it was all worth it in the end and that you now have valuable insight, the right tools to work with, and a better understanding of WHO JJ really is and WHY he does what he does. It was a true pleasure to watch you grow on your journey together! I wish you all the best in the future!

Thanks so much, Janine, for this amazing testimonial of our work together!! I have thoroughly enjoyed working with you, your husband, and your sweet Great Danes! The progress you have experienced would never have been possible without your dedication and willingness to learn and really SEE + acknowledge WHO your dogs really are - and to be open to stepping away from the outdated way of thinking of dogs and training - in order to embrace a much more nuanced way of communicating and understanding your dogs and their needs. I shall miss the wet kisses from Maia & Sam and feel honored to have been allowed to get to know their goofiness and to meet such wonderful human beings as you & your family truly are!! Be well! Thank you for the photo of the three musketeers (lol) - so happy to see sweet Phoebe who is now playing with all the dogs over the rainbow bridge!

Thank you, Melinda, for this awesome review! I truly enjoyed helping you & your family navigate life much better with Nugget. You have shown true dedication to wanting to understand Nugget’s perspective and helping him gain confidence. It has been wonderful to be a witness to how much happier life with Nugget is for all of you now. I wish you all the best going forward!!

Lavinia, I know this journey has been tough and when you called me back in September 2023, I honestly thought this case was going to be one of my most challenging so far, which of course it has been. I told you back then there were no guarantees that these 3 girls could live together - but here we are 7 months later, and only thanks to your ability to comply with my recommendations and instructions, and your strong commitment to wanting to help your dogs ( and keep all three) - we are now witnessing that Chica & Missy can navigate life better together. Like you said, they may never become best friends, but the most we could hope for (them coexisting together) is a successful goal we have reached now. We humans have to remember that dogs have likes and dislikes too and personality clashes just like we do - and that it's ok. We cannot change all dog behavior, and we should ALWAYS understand their WHY first and ask critically if indeed we SHOULD change a dog's behavior. In any behavior case, there are so many factors and variables affecting aggression, and Missy's age of social maturity is in itself a factor. Most aggression cases happen around the age of 2- 3 years in dogs. Had she been a few years older, things might have looked very different. Also remember that a dog's 4 L.E.G.S.® (Learning, Environment, Genetics, Self) is always influencing the dog's behavior at all times. As we know, neither Chica nor Missy have had the best start in life and their past experiences of abuse and neglect certainly have left life-long scars, understandably. As in most aggression cases, we humans can never sit back and relax and think a dog is 'cured'. Aggression is a NORMAL emotion, both in humans and animals - but understanding the dog's triggers is KEY to navigating life BETTER and knowing when and how to intervene to prevent further altercations. You have demonstrated a willingness to learn your dogs' body language and I have faith that you are fully capable of preventing any future altercations with all that you have learnt and the tools at your disposal.