03/20/09

Wonderful puppy/dog training courses

by Miko

PAWS 4 Training offers a fantastic array of courses in terms of puppy obedience training and socialization. As a first time puppy owner, I couldn’t have asked for a better experience; as I entered into something that could have been challenging and frustrating, I was pleasantly surprised to find this experience not only educational, but also enjoyable!

Susan, the teacher and founder of Paws 4 Training, is incredibly well versed in dog care and dog training. She has a natural ability with animals and her techniques and tips have been incredibly useful when preparing to train my puppy. One of the best parts of the introductory course (puppy kindergarten) is the fact that it’s a wonderful way to ease your puppy into socializing with other dogs. The beginning course is also a rolling admission, which makes it extraordinarily convenient for newcomers. Susan’s courses are well structured, easing puppy parents, new and old, into training so that you can reap the benefit of a well behaved adult dog. Susan has gone above and beyond for my puppy, researching some of my puppy’s bad behavior on her own time and then presenting the information she’s found to us in class.

Paws 4 Training is also extremely reasonably priced, which makes it that much better in my opinion. I would highly recommend Paws 4 Training to anyone who would like to implement positive behavior in their puppy or dog.

• Pros: Educational, fun, good for you and your puppy!
• Cons: N/A

06/17/08

Your puppy will thank you!

by indiepup

So little Myra was a bit of a surprise. She was a rescue puppy that somehow found her way into our lives without sufficient planning on our parts. But it was love at first sight and we knew she had found her forever home with us. With two other (very large) dogs, we knew that we had a lot of work to do. After reading numerous books and working with Myra a little on my own (after all, I had trained dogs in 4-H as a kid!), I came to realize that Myra was desperate for some socialization. Susan's puppy kindergarten was just the ticket. She began her transformation at the very first class: Stepping cautiously into the room with her tail between her legs, I was a little worried about her warming up to the other dogs. Before I knew it, only minutes later and with some very good guidance from Susan, Myra was fully engaged and playing with a puppy 4 times her size! Then a smaller puppy got into the mix, and she walked away exhausted and satisfied. Since then, we have taken her to many other sessions of the kindergarten and we are about to finish basic obedience. Susan REALLY knows her stuff. She teaches us how to train our dogs by example and with excellent instruction. It's simple, but it takes practice: be consistent, say the command once clearly, and reinforce good behavior. Myra LOVES Susan and she has learned so much from taking these classes. I think the thing I love the most about Paws 4 Training is the positive interaction that our puppy has had with other doggies and people of all breeds and manners. There is no doubt in my mind, after all my research and the power of observation, that the BEST thing you can do for your new puppy is to make sure they are well socialized when they are young. And I highly recommend you start with Paws 4 Training. You'll be pleased with Susan's expertise, her talent for teaching both humans and dogs, and the convenience of these classes. I imagine Paws 4 Training is more personal and satisfying than other classes.

• Pros: Convenience, expertise, talent

09/06/06

Rescued our Rescue

by tonytnt

When my wife and I got our Golden Retriever Zoe she was already 6 months old and lived in someone's backyard in the country her whole life. When we picked her up and brought her to our small home in Ballard, we almost went crazy... until we found Susan. She helped us with Zoe through Basic and Intermediate training. We even scheduled some private sessions with Susan at Greenlake to help us socialize Zoe with other dogs and people. When we started class, she couldn't even play friendly enough with the other dogs to be taken off the leash. Susan's willingness to answer questions and help you work through problem behaviors is why her class will always be the best one in Seattle. Thanks to Susan training US we were able to train Zoe. She is now a loving member of our family that we love to take for coffee or to the farmer market on the weekend. Now Zoe is great with other dogs and people. We highly recommend this class to all dog owners; however, it is a must if you want a friendly and polite City dog.

• Pros: Caring, listens, willing to help
• Cons: none