Meet Newton

Meet Newton!

What was the reason you contacted Stephanie for training?

I contacted Stephanie for training for my 1-year-old corgi, Newton, when he ripped apart pieces from a door that he accidentally had access to while we were out. We take many precautions when we leave our dog alone, so when this happened, we realized we didn’t have a good understanding of his needs or why he did what he did, and we needed help badly!

Newton had only been to training at Petsmart, where he completed the beginner and intermediate classes, but that training only provided us with simple commands and didn’t help us where we needed real assistance with certain things that were happening, specifically with his home experience. He bit some family members, he bolted for any open door, he was resource guarding some items, we couldn’t pass a single dog on a walk without him wanting to react/bark, and along with other bad habits he picked up, we needed help to provide him with a happier and healthier home life.

How has training helped Newton?

Training with Stephanie has helped Newton tremendously and I can’t recommend her enough! Throughout the training process, I saw Newton transform and truly blossom into a confident and trusted dog. I was provided the tools I needed in order to understand his wants and needs to better our relationship and provide a solid foundation of trust and mutual respect that was initially missing. I can walk him confidently with no pulling or distractions of other dogs and no more resource guarding.

What’s the most valuable training you and Newton have received from Stephanie?

The most valuable thing that Newton and I received from Stephanie, was a different perspective on training and the goals we wanted to achieve throughout the process. I remember stating I want to better control of my dog, and Stephanie immediately shifted my thinking from control to understanding my dog. I didn’t realize we had to repair our relationship from the core, which brought initial pushback from Newton, but ultimately helped set new boundaries and gain trust from my dog in me as an owner. I definitely had to trust the process, because I was at a loss with Newton and kept doubting if we would be willing to change his habits that he grew accustomed to. My fears and doubts were heard from Stephanie, and this change in perspective from control to understanding has made all the difference!