V3 Gun Dogs & Canine Academy

My Shepherd was a stray when I adopted him at nine months. For two years afterwards I dealt with intense separation anxiety, property destruction, reactivity, dog aggression, poor socialization, territoriality, and resource guarding. He is intensely smart, as most Shepherds are, and he would learn things on the fly, but his anxiety, and not to mention his own excitability and cheekiness, always made serious behavioral change a slow and rather difficult process. I was recommended various Doggy Bootcamp style places. Though after everything I'd been through with my boy, I wasn't willing to shell out, especially with that high level of risk, for something that felt dubious. Several places I contacted had a very suspicious "you're not allowed to see your dog in our facility" rule, which was a non-starter to me. And when I looked into them further, I found even more suspicious things. So when I was recommended V3, I was nervous. Seeing that they had 5 Star Reviews and little else on Google and Facebook, I decided it was worth a try. I called Jeromy, and we brought our boi for a free consultation. Even when our dog almost bit both Jeromy and Mike, they did not freak out (as a previous vet did) but were able to recalibrate their expectation and understanding of his behavior. What won me over was this intense respect they have for the animals in their care. The guys are not cuddly, lovey-dovey, dogs are just like people, nor are they "dogs are animals and you force them to your will." They are very clear with the animals their boundaries and what is considered acceptable, and Shepherds and other working breeds, especially, *clearly* respond to that level of direction and authority. In almost no time at all in their care, our Shepherd was taking direction, cuddling with them on the couch, staying in his "place" without moving, even when other dogs were in the room, and was clearly having a good time. He began to dislike going into the kennel only because he knew that that meant time to hang out, to engage, to play and exercise was over and he would need to chill. I witnessed this twice in my training sessions (once a week while he was up there). Once when Jeromy put him away in the kennel, and once when I did. It's not that bad things happen in the kennel (they are incredibly clean, and the dogs are very well cared for) just that playtime is quite literally over. Wanting to remedy that, Jeromy pivoted and did engagement with him *in* the kennel. At home, everything has changed. He's still the same boi, but the whole atmosphere of the house has changed. Our two old dogs (not well socialized themselves) are no longer afraid of the beast ten years their junior and 70 lbs heavier. He greets people calmly, and even waits on his place to see if it's someone he knows (boring) or someone new (exciting!). He walks very nicely on his leash, even when I don't have the e-collar fully charged. And when it *is* charged, and we're walking in a public place, even his "bad" behavior is phenomenally improved over the way he was prior. He's bit dog reactive, particularly in public. So we'll be returning to V3 to practice activity around other dogs. Still, even when he's upset, he listens to me and calms down four or five times faster than he used to. Overall, what convinced me was the respect they have for the animals in their care. And seeing the incredible change in realtime - through pictures, videos, and visits where we learned the techniques with him - has been a life changing experience for our household, and he is certainly a happier dog because of it.

I was in the market for a gun dog trainer for my 6 month old GSP and was recommended V3 by a friend. After the 6 week boarding program I’m very pleased with the results. Jeremy’s a great guy and the program is phenomenal. I got my dog back and he’s well trained in hunting commands as well as obedience. I can walk my dog with no leash and no problem whatsoever. The time and effort that was put into my dogs training you can tell is special. I’d recommend anyone if they’re looking for obedience training, gun dog training, or both to go here it’s well worth it at the final product. Darryle & Rowdy