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Tanis & Ramona
The canifitness challenges are some of the most fun I’ve ever had. From scavenger hunts and monthly themes to doggie bootcamp and group hikes, I’m usually enjoying myself too much to notice that I’m getting great exercise and training with my dog. Ramona and I have both made new friends and explored so many new places. We can hardly wait to see what the next challenge might bring!
Ann & Mabel
I cannot say enough about Jess and the dog family she’s created through all of her classes and especially the outdoor adventures. Mabel and I are huge fans and cannot wait to get started trying some new ones this spring.
Meaghan & Missy
I wanted to let you know that yesterday was one of those days when reality really hit me regarding how far Missy has come since starting FC1. Through a combination of check-in, open bar, proper distancing and treats, Missy had zero reactions the entire 40-minute walk. This was an incredible feat for her, especially with so many loud noises and so much movement going on. Our walk ended with us passing a total of four dogs, all sitting next to their owners while they watched their kids play soccer. No barking, no lunging, no staring. All good focus on me!
Seeing her walk with confidence past other dogs and loud children has been extremely humbling for me. Before we began classes with you, there were days where I felt completely hopeless. I resented people who “lucked out” with dog-friendly dogs. But today, I have so much more confidence in Missy than I’ve ever had. Thanks to you, I know how to spot situations and figure out ways to cope with them properly before Missy goes over threshold. I also feel more empowered to handle Missy’s reactivity in a productive way.
Today, most people we encounter wouldn’t even know that Missy is reactive. That’s all thanks to the skills I’ve learned in your classes. I no longer feel ashamed or embarrassed to have a dog that struggles with certain triggers and situations. Missy is much happier and more confident too, which was my main goal in starting training.
Jess, I’d like to send a BIG thank you to you in helping Missy be the best dog she can be. I never realized her true potential until it came out through training.
Jacee, Denys & K’ori
The training we’ve done this year has been very successful. No more counter surfing; he greets politely; he waits patiently while I prepare his food; he does not pull on leash as much as he used to. He is a very well-behaved, loving, happy dog. His daycare staff calls him “snuggle bug.” Thank you again for all your help and support.
Jen, Cody & Leo
Here’s the deal… do yourself and your pup a favor and GO TO JESS at Local Dog. We moved back from the East Coast and our Ridgeback Leo had increased behavior issues with the ensuing changes… we have done just about every type of training with him with varied success and were desperate to find something positive in Madison to get us back on the right foot (paw). By another dog owner’s recommendation, we called Jess and asked for a private consult. Let me tell you…. she came into our house, listened to our story, and somehow made us feel like the problems were not as big as they seemed. It’s exactly what we needed.. confidence and hope that we could be successful following a positive program for us and our amazing dog. We did a few private sessions but decided we wanted to give group classes a shot. We have done programs that were either not challenging at all or far too risky and moved way too fast. This is where Jess is different. She starts slowly but guess what? You build the groundwork and THEN she moves you and your dog forward to challenge the skills you’ve acquired. Always learning. Always progressing. Leo LOVES going to classes.. as evidenced by his wagging tail and essentially pulling us into class. Furthermore, Leo can be an A+ student but struggle outside so when another classmate wanted to try a pup date with their dog Oreo, she offered to help us! I mean come on.. who does that? She knows I’m someone who needs positive reinforcement and instills that confidence in us when doing new things. She is always available and always teaching us new things. We love her and we promise your dog will too! Xoxo
Stef, Kevin & Luna
“Local Dog Training & Adventure came recommended to us by our pet rescue, Underdog of Madison, and we couldn’t be more grateful. We have been working with Jess for over a year now, taking group classes, doing one-on-one sessions, and are a part of the Focus and Confidence Social Club. Before finding Jess, Luna was leash lunging after every squirrel and bird and barking at everything moving outside the window. We were also nervous to have guests to our home. Luna has come a very long way and we continue to use the tips and training methods we gained every day. We appreciate and support Jess’s positive reinforcement philosophy and have sent many of our friends her way! We look forward to continuing to grow with Luna and Jess and working with Local Dog Training & Adventure.”
Anna & Rizzo
“Our rescue dog, Rizzo, is finishing class, which offered great practice on important foundation behaviors around the distraction of other dogs and people. We also just wrapped up three sessions of one-on-one training with Jess to improve his focus and walking skills. I cannot express how wonderful our experience was. Jess brings such an incredible energy to each lesson and truly cares about your dog and how training is progressing. Her lessons are well-planned, but keep the dog engaged and having tons of fun. If you are debating signing up for a class or one-on-one — do it. You will not regret it! We can’t wait to sign Rizzo up for more”
Janeen & Alfred
“I just want to give a big thank you to Jess and Local Dog Madison. Finding Jess has been the best thing for my dog Alfred and of course me. We have taken classes and private lessons and will continue to do so. We have both learned so much! Jessica’s love of training is contagious and inspires me to work more and more with Alfred. I love to watch Alfred in class or when we are out and about training and see how he is learning and enjoying it.
Thank you!!”
Thank you!!”
Lisa & Koda
“We’re so happy we found Local Dog and started training our dog, Koda, with her! We took the Focused and Confident class and are in the Focused and Confident Social Club. Both have helped make huge improvements in Koda’s reactivity. Jess brings lots of energy to every class and took time to make sure each activity was adjusted to Koda’s needs. The Social Club is amazing and great way for Koda to continue improving. We’ve worked with many other trainers in the past and never found anything as great as the Social Club walks or someone that was so willing to work with each dogs needs individually!”
Ani, Alex & Camila
“A few months after we adopted Camila, we started noticing that she struggled with reactivity toward other dogs and strangers. We struggled with walks, trips to the vet, and having people over our apartment. It was very isolating and overwhelming. Since working with Jess at Local Dog, we’ve seen such big changes in Camila’s confidence and happiness (and ours)! We started with one-on-one lessons, and then took the Focused and Confident level 1 class. Jess is extremely knowledgeable, a great listener, and so full of passion for what she does. Her lessons are practical, engaging, and she tailors them to fit your dog’s needs and personality. It’s been such an invaluable learning experience for us, and we can’t wait to come back for more. Thank you!!”
Chris & Oreo
“Jess does an amazing job with our dogs! She is understanding in what each dogs needs and works with each owner to get the best out of each training experience. She has worked with us outside of the classroom to do walks and introductions to help one of our reactive pups become friends and great walking partners with another dog. WE are so happy that we found Local Dog and will continue to use their services and go to as many pup events as we can! Highly. highly recommend!!”
Ellen & Bailey
“Taking classes and doing one-on-one training with Jess have made an incredible difference in Bailey’s behavior, and I’m grateful for everything we’ve learned! Jess’s patient, positive attitude makes class fun while teaching practical skills for you and your pup! She’s engaged with every dog’s needs and progress and has answered my questions even when we’re not in a class. Both Bailey’s confidence and mine have grown tremendously by using positive reinforcement to learn new skills and shape behaviors. Highly recommend!”
Marsha, Sam & Riley
“Before we got Riley as a rescue, he had some training in Oklahoma in a
prison program where inmates train rescues to make them more desirable for
adoption. Riley was very skittish when originally found as a stray, and
though he had improved by the time we adopted him, he (and I) had a lot to
learn. The classes we took were informative and the time flew. It was a
fun setting and Jess made it something we all looked forward to!”
prison program where inmates train rescues to make them more desirable for
adoption. Riley was very skittish when originally found as a stray, and
though he had improved by the time we adopted him, he (and I) had a lot to
learn. The classes we took were informative and the time flew. It was a
fun setting and Jess made it something we all looked forward to!”
Justin & Maia
“I just wanted to give you a huge thank you for everything you’ve done for us so far. With Maia being my first dog, I felt like(and still do a lot of the time) I had no clue how to handle any issues that came up. You have been so incredibly helpful at making me feel more equipped at handling these problems and are definitely one of the biggest reasons Maia has been as successful and has come as far as she has. Thank you so, so much from both me and Maia. You have been an immensely positive impact in Maia’s life and I can’t thank you enough.”
Gillian & Paulie
“We started working with Local Dog because our dog, Paulie, was struggling with fear-based leash reactivity. We have taken the Focused and Confident class twice and have noticed a drastic change in the way he responds to stressful or scary situations. In addition to offering truly effective classes, Jess is friendly, supportive, and genuinely cares about every dog’s success. We will continue to take classes at Local Dog and highly recommend them to anyone looking for a fun way to train and bond with their dog”
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