Pooch Academy : Dog Training : Testimonials Reviews
Client Testimonials
Ollie, Private Lessons As a novice dog owner I had to admit that I was overmatched by my extremely willful and spirited Cairn Terrier puppy Ollie. I was at a loss on how to deal with behavioral issues, how to get the most out of obedience training, and how to instill Ollie with good manners. Jessica was a big help. Over the full set of individual lessons she provided me with tools and techniques to address issues. By the end of the course Ollie was walking on a leash and understanding and obeying basic commands. Jessica showed me how to effectively intervene when Ollie misbehaved and how to redirect his attention in an acceptable way. Jessica had lots of useful tips and she always made the training fun. Ollie’s behavior improved. Jessica was always available to answer follow up questions and volunteered to help with ongoing issues. I highly recommend her services. Greg Lankus - Johnston, Iowa |
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Dante, Private Lessons I have a six year old Bichon Frise named Dante. He was extremely aggressive, dominant and his behavior was so severe I was considering placing him on medication. I felt that calling Jessica Lohry of The Pooch Academy was my very last resort before subjecting him to a life that would include daily doses of medication. I do admit I was unsure that anything could be done but after three” in home” private lessons, Jessica trained me on how to train my dog. I started implementing the methods that Jessica had shown me on a daily basis and he was like a new dog. Jessica made me realize that how I was interacting and reacting to and with Dante was only increasing the levels of these unwanted behaviors. She taught me that the first thing was to adjust my actions therefore setting proper boundaries that would allow Dante to be a better behaved and happier dog. Many thanks to you Jessica, for helping me have a dog that is as well behaved as he is adorable!
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Atlas, 4 Week Board 'n Train Dear Jessica, I wanted to take the time to write you a note about the training you did for our English Bulldog, Atlas. I cannot express how great our experience with you has been. Before we came to you, we were at our wits end with Atlas. We got him as a six week old puppy and for the first two months he was a bulldog dream come true. However, as he grew in size the problems also grew. We first tried to use another dog training company, Bark Busters, and that training was simply not for us. Their method was entirely dependent on training us and hoping that things worked out all right. As we shared with you, we were not able to take the time to implement those strategies and were terribly unsuccessful in training young Atlas. His bad behavior continued to grow worse and so did our headaches. By the time we reached out to you, we had a 65 pound bully that was impossible to control around house guests, was showing signs of aggression in certain circumstances around other dogs, would chase young children, and would NEVER come, sit, lay down, place, or fetch on command. We loved him to death, but he was our worst nightmare. Upon a recommendation from our vet’s office, we reached out to you for your four-week doggie boot camp, as we called it. While we missed Atlas dearly when he was gone, we felt as though this was needed so that we could have a manageable pet. You sent us regular weekly updates as to how he was progressing and also sent us pictures via text messages of him showing off his new skills. With each week, we grew more excited about the prospects of having a well-mannered family member. At the end of the four weeks, we met with you and also met our “new” Atlas. You very clearly showed us the commands that he new as well as some training tips to keep him on path when adjusting to life back at home. We have diligently followed your instructions and six weeks later still have a very well mannered Atlas. We have had many friends that have visited and have commented on how much better Atlas is when they visit. He still gets very excited when we have guests come to visit, but his behavior is night and day different than prior to your training. Your professionalism and help in training Atlas has been invaluable and we cannot recommend your services enough. Thanks for everything! Sincerely, |
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Otis, Adopt-A-Trained-Dog Program Having been lifelong dog owners, our family of six was saddened to have lost two dogs in a very short period of time. We were anxious to add a new pet to our family. After going through a 9 month, “wrong fit for the family,” over-energetic dog experience, we swore off any pets for our household...EVER. After recovery, we started to realize that it may not have been that we couldn't handle ANY dog but instead needed a dog whose temperament and training fit in with our hectic lifestyle. With a focus on finding the right dog for our family, we not only found Otis but, along the way, also found Jessica Lohry and Pooch Academy. Knowing we couldn’t adopt and give up another dog, we enrolled Otis in Jessica’s "Adopt a Trained Dog" Program. Every time we stopped by during Otis‘ 24-7, month-long training stay, we were impressed with his progress and the ease and speed at which he was learning and executing commands. Jessica’s knowledge, training and calm, cool, approachable demeanor made her an easy fit for our new dog, Otis, as well as with us and our 4 kids. We were also very pleased with Jessica’s work with our entire family to make Otis' transition to our home a very smooth one as well as with Jessica‘s follow-up over those first few critical weeks. We had such a great experience with Jessica and Pooch Academy that we continued Otis’ training by enrolling him in "Therapy Dog Training" through Pooch Academy. After a very rewarding training and examination period, Otis is now a certified therapy dog. From our neighborhood walking trail, to trips to see friends and family, to visits to senior residential facilities and in our own back yard full of energetic neighborhood children, we and others reap the benefits of Otis’ training each and every day! Thank you Jessica and Pooch Academy! (from Ann and family--Johnston) |
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Sophie, Private Lessons and Basic Obedience Class I have experienced Jessica’s training program in both a class setting and an in-home personal training session. I can tell you without a doubt that she has completely transformed my dog into a happy, social and confident dog. Six months ago, I adopted a Pomeranian named Sophie. She is three years old and was rescued from a puppy mill about a month before I adopted her. Sophie had spent her entire life in a puppy mill. She was very timid, lacked confidence, had severe trust issues and hated being in her kennel. She began crying loudly in her kennel while I was at work and having accidents in her kennel while I was gone. Sophie was also terrified of men and would cower whenever a man would walk near her or approach her. I live in an apartment complex with thin walls so the crying needed to stop immediately. After seeing an article in the paper about Jessica specializing in training adopted dogs, I emailed her asking for help. I met with Jessica for an in-home training session with Sophie. I was so impressed with Jessica’s knowledge and training advice that I enrolled Sophie in Jessica’s basic obedience class to socialize her and help her to learn basic commands. Jessica’s class did wonders for Sophie. By observing Jessica’s dogs and the other dogs in class, Sophie learned what it meant to be a dog. She learned basic commands, watched how other dogs played with toys and developed quite the social personality. By the end of the 6-weeks she was greeting everyone when they came to class! Within the last few months, Sophie is now playing with toys, dogs and loves being around my dad and brother-in-law. She doesn’t hesitate for a second to jump up into their laps and give them kisses. She hasn’t had an accident in her kennel for over four months now. She actually loves being in her kennel now and goes in it without hesitation. Sophie’s confidence has grown immensely. Today, she takes great pride in herself and prefers to be around people instead of hiding. I credit much of this transformation to Jessica and her ability to not only train Sophie but more importantly her ability to train me to be a good dog owner and trainer. I would highly recommend Jessica to anyone looking to help their dog to be the best dog that they can be! Kelsie--Des Moines |
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Henry, Classes and In-home Lessons Over the last few months, I have had the opportunity to work with Jessica Lohry of Pooch Academy, and I am happy to recommend her as an excellent dog trainer. Our dog Henry and I took the Basic Obedience Class, and I was so impressed with everything we learned. Pooch Academy classes are enjoyable and are tailored to fit the needs of the dogs that are enrolled. Henry is a high-energy dog with a short attention span, so working with him can be a challenge. On walks, he often pulled on his leash, and he repeatedly ran away trying to catch squirrels and other small animals. Jessica gave me the tools to communicate better with Henry and to train him to do what is expected. By the end of the class, Henry could consistently sit, lie down, stay, come when called, and walk well on a leash. I also worked with Jessica when we had another dog in our home temporarily. This other dog showed some serious fear aggression, and Jessica came to our house to help us with that issue. I had never had an aggressive dog, so she worked with us on an emergency basis, giving me extensive information on how to deal with this kind of behavior. She was very comforting and helpful in that situation. Not only is Jessica good with dogs, but she's good with people too. She wants each owner to have the skills to train their own dog. I highly recommend Jessica and The Pooch Academy. We will definitely be taking other classes from her in the future. Lisa H. (and Henry) |
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