Nero visited me for an intensive puppy camp when he was young and I still get to see this big lug yearly. It’s incredibly gratifying to see pups that came through my program grow up to enjoy life and be able to be apart of a healthy, active lifestyle with their owners.
Thank you Susan and Animal Minds for helping us when we were at our wits end! At 12 weeks old, our Giant Schnauzer puppy was hyper energetic, stubborn and over all very difficult to control. Like the naïve puppy parents we were, we initially thought it would be possible to train him based off the material we found on Google/YouTube… Let me just say, the training techniques that may work on a Corgi are NOT going to help you with a working line breed. I knew we had to intervene in our dog’s behavior before he turned into a 100lb problem. I initially was hoping to find a training solution in the Bay Area, but after reviewing the options, it became clear that driving to Sacramento was worth the extra mileage to board our pup in the 4 week sport puppy camp.
Here’s why: Animal minds is not a dog kennel. It’s super hard to leave your baby behind, but for us it was tolerable because Susan kept in constant contact with us sending videos and updates every day. We were also required to participate in 1-on-1 training sessions throughout the month where Susan would teach us how to handle our dog so we could maintain his newly instilled good behavior on our own. Every session we would drive up from the Bay to Sacramento and each time we could see more improvement in his behavior. The puppy camp really gave us time to decompress after the initial very stressful 8-12 week phase.
Bottom line-
Is it easy? Not at first. The training just begins with the boarding process and continues when you’re back home. Susan will give you the tools you’ll need to have an excellently trained dog, but it’s your responsibility to stay consistent with using the tools and building a routine. Also love that Susan kept in contact with us after the boarding camp and we could rely on her advice for any new concerns over the past year.
Is it expensive? Yes. Be prepared to drop a few grand. If you’re uncomfortable with the price tag, then ask yourself if you’re more comfortable with having a problem dog that’ll cause you and your family stress for possibly the next decade.
Our dog just turned 1 years old. Here’s what we were able to accomplish by investing in Animal Minds + maintaining training:
- Completely potty trained by 3 months old
- Stopped biting hands around 3 months old
- No pulling on leash/walks by our side
- Can walk off leash with him by our side
- Doesn’t pull on the leash when other dogs are around
- No aggression towards other dogs (boarding also = socialization)
- Comes immediately when called
- Stays in sit/down even in public
- No tearing up furniture
- No excessive barking
It was worth it for us.