References & Past Case Stories

Pet Owner References:

Owner: Lisa and Rick Seely
Phone: 261-5230
Pet(s): A 5 year old and 4 year old.  English Springers.
Concern(s): Leash pulling, aggressive towards other dogs, dominant, bad manners, jumping on guests, and separation anxiety.
Owners Comments: Our dogs have had several fights resulting in injuries to both dogs and owners…I  am considering re-homing one of the females if we can’t resolve the issues. I have elderly parents living with us and first grand baby on the way- can’t tolerate aggression. In general they don’t respond to commands, pull on leash, jump on guests. We have three dogs in the house now. A neutered male Springer (rescue) age 3, just moved in with us when my parents moved in. I am worried that we have too many people in the home, and couldn’t be consistent with techniques to ensure ongoing safety. My Dad was already bit at feeding time. this, we can’t tolerate.
Results: All issues resolved in one session! In a months time all is peaceful and harmonious in the Seely household! Every one is 100% confident and know all is safe now. Most importantly we took 2 aggressive and stressed dogs, made them happy and stress – free. Hat’s off to the Seely’s, they did a wonderful job of implementing and staying with the plan, magic happens when you learn “Dog Talk”.  

Owner: Veronica Witt
Phone: 306-0331 or 521-5282
Pet(s): Age range from 9 mths to 7 yrs old. 4 dachshunds and 1 chihuahua  (all 5 are rescues)
Concern(s): Leash pulling, bad manners, jumping on guests, barking when cars, bike’s, and people go by the house. Accidents in the home or crate. Digging outside, trying to escape, scared of  thunderstorms, separation anxiety, fearful of loud noises, sudden movements, shy, skittish, not trustworthy to be out of crate when home alone, jumping on the table for food, nipping at fingers, barking at neighborhood dogs.
Results: All issues resolved in two months – Truly amazing  

Owner: Dustin Thoreson 
Phone: 216-5667
Pet(s): 6mth old. German short-haired pointer/English Springer Spaniel, Sherman  (Humane Society)
Concern(s): Pulls badly on leash, bad manners, jumping on guests, chewing on furniture, shoes, etc. Digging outside, trying to escape, separation anxiety, not trustworthy to be left out of crate when gone, doesn’t come when called.
Comments: Main issue they didn’t think could be resolved was that he was so obsessed with reflections, shadows, and laser lights, that he would  search them out. The worst part, was he would go Ape every time they turned the TV on. The green light at bottom of the TV would go on when they turned the power on, Sherman would go nuts. Also the two lamps downstairs, whenever they turned one or both of them on, again, Sherman would go crazy. At the session when we were working on the leash-pulling, there was drifting snow and when I stepped through the snow Sherman would actually try to chase the shadows produced by the wind blowing and producing a shadow under the street lights.
Result: All issues resolved, most within weeks. Much to my surprise the obsession with the TV power light, lamps, and laser lights, I was able to cure in mere minutes. I also must say on my 2 month follow up report, he was still starting to chase incidental sudden movements and shadows but much less intensely. They were able to correct the behavior rapidly by implementing the technique I provided them. This amazingly quick recovery from this very difficult to solve behavior amazed even myself.

Owner: Nicole Omundson
Phone: 351-5950 or 988-0668
Pet(s): 10 month old, Yellow Lab, Lucy (Breeder)
Concern(s): Aggressive toward family members, aggressive toward strangers, aggressive when you tried to take his food, water, treat or that special toy away from him. Barked when people, dogs, cars or bikes went by the house. Chewing on furniture, shoes, etc. Shy, skittish and isn’t trustworthy to be left out of her crate when  gone. Comments:Lucy is growling frequently at our 3 year old. It is very unpredictable, as she will be playing with her tail wagging and then start to growl. At times with my 7 year old, the hair will raise up on her back when he tries to take away a toy. She does not do this behavior with my husband, myself, or my 11 year old. She is very skittish with other people entering our home. We feel, for safety reasons, we may need to get rid of her. A few times we have seen her teeth when she growls at our 3 yr old. This is our last resort. Lucy was nipped, by our since deceased, Golden Retriever at “R Place Kennels”.
Result:One session, all issues resolved. We saved yet another dog from a possible sad ending.

Owner: Sara Carothers 
Phone: 553-0141 or 247-1507
Pet(s): 8 yr old, Beagle, Rupert
Concern(s): Pull on leash, accidents in crate, separation anxiety, jumping on guests, begs at dish all day long, and all night long, whines, scratches, clinks the bowls together.
Result:One session, everything solved in one month

Owner: Darren Ysselstien,Rock Vally Ia. 
Phone: 712-470-3640
Pet(s): Dobie/Maya/Mollie – 6mth old Doberman,5yr old GSD, 3yrold GSD
Concern(s): Doberman wouldn’t go for a walk at all, separation anxiety, chewed things. Other dogs, dog aggressive; aggressive toward other animals; bad manners;jumping on guests;excessive barking; accidents in crate;digging outside,trying to escape; wanted to be trustworthy to let out of crate;
Comments:Other issues. “Doesn’t respond to her name as soon as I put a leash on her she gets very scared,and won’t move unless you have a treat, and then very timidly. She pees when she gets excited to come in the house. She won’t stay. She is running off with the female Shepard to the neighbor’s place and the road. The female Shepard is probably the main problem dog. She isn’t well-behaved at all. I was wondering if we could fix both dogs, my doberman and the Shepard, Molly who just had pups a couple of months ago, she seems to be the main culprit and is a pretty aggressive dog around people if we could keep them all and have a friendly ,safe, cooperative pack.
Result: One session, all issues solved in 2 months!

Owner: Deb Grady
Phone: 332-8703 or 261-1917
Pet(s): West Highland Terrier-puppy mill dog
Concern(s): Little or no human contact for 5 years had continual litters: scared too death of everything
Result: 1 session

Owner: Jim Darkow
Phone: 335-7447 or 359-6907
Pet(s): Pappion
Concern(s): “Psychotic”; aggressively growls at owners in certain situations when they approach him; had attacked and nipped all family members drawing blood twice On mom and dad respectively; Growls every time they attempt to put harness on; Very bad on walks-pulls on leash lunges and tries to attack other dogs and other misc. targets.
Comments:Had tried several other trainers-The Dogs Listener was bandit’s last hope
Result:1 session!

Owner: Kay
Phone: 201-5088
Pet(s): Border Collie
Concern(s): OCD-barked incessantly at television for 6 years.
Comments: "I bet I’ve got one you can’t fix; I’ll be amazed if you can!"
Result: The Dogs Listener solved the problem in one half-hour session.

Owner: Casey Hanson
Phone: 212-6568
Pet(s): Great Pyrenees
Concern(s): Bad on walks; barking; doesn’t listen; can’t be alone follows Casey everywhere; jumps on people and owner; rudely demands attention from everyone.
Result: Total turnaround within 1-2 weeks/1 session.

Owner: Matt Rodgers
Phone: 507-348-7022 or 212-8258
Pet(s): 6 German Shepards
Concern(s): Pack Dynamics-fighting within the pack: some had to be separated, two were particularly stressed; jumping and barking; escaping the fence; a little growling and mild aggression toward owners in the case of one or two of them.
Result: One session since they live in MN, but provided a framework and foundation for them to make slow but steady progress and are now one big happy family.

Owner: Karen Hernandez
Phone: 690-0892
Pet(s): Great Dane
Concern(s): Bad on walks; runs away, bad manners when greeting guests
Comments:Was shocked and thrilled with the training.
Result: Complete 100% turnaround in just weeks.

Owner: Laura May
Phone: 351-6485
Pet(s): “Annie” -Chow; “Billy”-Lab; Jay-large Bichon-terrier mix.
Concern(s): Jay growls at owners and Annie and Billy-also attacks Annie and Billy. When not growling and attacking (all fear based aggression) he hides all the time, anywhere he can find; Food aggressive around the other dogs. All dogs bad on leash-hard pulling and lunge at dogs and other targets. All attacked the door when doorbell rang and at anything passing by front window
Comments:All needed to learn specialized stay and come command -specialized means only as taught by The Dogs Listener-they stay comfortably for as long as you want them to. Come running with vigor on 1st command.
Result: 1 session, with a one month turn around. They didn’t believe Jay would ever get along with Billy and Annie. They are now like family and have since added two more dogs to the pack. Check out Laura’s comments on the “guest book” link on the home page.

Owner: Frank Howe
Phone: 582-2551 or 5538484
Pet(s): “Benson”- Newfoundland.
Concern(s): Wants to be in front incessantly on leash, tries to run. Not trustworthy enough to leave out of crate; potty’s in crate; not house-broken at 8 mths old; does not get along with cats. Chews on things and digs outside. They also wanted him to learn the boundaries of his home which would consist of part of their acreage as they were near a highway. We also taught him to go on bike rides.
Result: 1 session – some behaviors corrected within weeks or months, all behaviors were totally solved in a 4 month period.

Owner: Kyle Howard
Phone: 212-4248
Pet(s): Bronx”-Lab/Shepard mix 2 1/2 yrs. Zara-Bichon/Shitzu mix 5 1/2 yrs old.
Concern(s): Zara was fearful, had anxiety, compulsively licking floor, and herself. Was put on phenobarb- is now off it. Older dog died a month before I got the call – Bronx had changed became aggressive towards their small child and other children, also bit their aunt once. Both scared of fireworks, thunder, loud noises.
Result: 1 session all behaviors resolved within 2 months

Owner: Taylor Corcoran-Huron
Phone: 605-461-8784
Pet(s): “Jackie” -English Bulldog 2yrs old.
Concern(s): Very aggressive at people or dogs going by the fence. Very dog aggressive on walks; charges at door when bell rings and jumps and crowds people; Needed stay and come command. Chases cat.
Result: 1 session, very quick turnaround, most behaviors all but resolved, except chasing cat, which was improved but would probably require a second session.

Owner: Nancy
Phone: 366-1646
Pet(s): “Charlie” – Maltese, 5yrs old
Concern(s): Barking, jumping all over the place in the car; Afraid of thunderstorms; needed stop, stay, and come commands.
Result: 1 session , very satisfied with results, just a little fine-tuning left.

Veterinarian References:

These rotate just as the client references so they don’t get called too much, but don’t hesitate, not that many people call and most of the receptionists can vouch.

Angela Anderson DVM
Heather Ridge Pet Hospital
5901 S Remington Place
Sioux Falls, SD 57108
605-371-1600

Samuel Lukens DVM
Lukens Animal Clinic
3505 W 49th St
Sioux Falls, SD 57106
605-361-1955

Doug Brost DVM
Animal Medical Clinic
1102 E 10th St
Sioux Falls, SD 57103
605-338-3223

Matt Stork
All City Pet Care West
3400 S Holbrook Ave
361-3537