“Sandy is a lifesaver! We adopted a rescue dog that was VERY high energy. And to say that we were feeling overwhelmed is an understatement. Convinced that we were in way over our head we began searching for a professional to help. After a brief phone interview (and lots of questions) Sandy arranged to come to our home.
From the moment she arrived, it was clear that Sandy was the right one to call. Immediately, she took calm charge of “Nala,” showing us how to interact with our dog in a way that was as positive for her as it would be beneficial for us. Sandy explained what our dog was looking for, and how we could provide it. She worked with each of us (and our kids too) in practicing the basics of dog-human interactions. Sandy was extremely generous with her time as she wanted to make sure she answered all the questions we had. Additionally, Sandy even provided handouts of everything she had done during our session, making it easy to review and practice later.
A few months went by and when some new issues began to develop … Again, Sandy came right to our home. She identified where we were falling down in our practices and what needed to improve. She again provided small but critical details in why dogs behave the way they do – and what we need to do about it. Sandy’s confidence helps to build our confidence, making it so much easier to move forward. Happy pet = happy house. Thanks Sandy!”
Jarrod Thallheimer …. and Nala
Kelowna, BC
From the moment she arrived, it was clear that Sandy was the right one to call. Immediately, she took calm charge of “Nala,” showing us how to interact with our dog in a way that was as positive for her as it would be beneficial for us. Sandy explained what our dog was looking for, and how we could provide it. She worked with each of us (and our kids too) in practicing the basics of dog-human interactions. Sandy was extremely generous with her time as she wanted to make sure she answered all the questions we had. Additionally, Sandy even provided handouts of everything she had done during our session, making it easy to review and practice later.
A few months went by and when some new issues began to develop … Again, Sandy came right to our home. She identified where we were falling down in our practices and what needed to improve. She again provided small but critical details in why dogs behave the way they do – and what we need to do about it. Sandy’s confidence helps to build our confidence, making it so much easier to move forward. Happy pet = happy house. Thanks Sandy!”
Jarrod Thallheimer …. and Nala
Kelowna, BC
“Amara has been getting over her fears and has become a totally different dog from the time you met her. So far her listening and communication has been incredible. She now has an “off button” and has learned how to stop living in fear and has started relaxing. She is no longer scared of the water . . . Also the metal clanking is almost a non issue anymore. We found that doing training while running water keeps her calm. She has become very good at leaving it. She has learned how to relax ( as much as a border collie can) and enjoy being with us. She seems to be feeling more comfortable and happy.
We are very excited about how fast and how well she’s changed. We actually wake up excited every day to wake her up and not have to brace ourselves! Thank you for all of your research, and sending us in the right direction with our little girl.”
Karlee & Adam Bergstrom …. and Amara
Kelowna, BC
We are very excited about how fast and how well she’s changed. We actually wake up excited every day to wake her up and not have to brace ourselves! Thank you for all of your research, and sending us in the right direction with our little girl.”
Karlee & Adam Bergstrom …. and Amara
Kelowna, BC
“Sandra is a kind and calm presence around dogs, and applies her knowledge of dog training to provide concrete strategies to improve behaviour and bonding with your pet. She took great care to assess all aspects of the home, behaviour and owner/dog parent variables to set proper boundaries and rules for our dog. She also provided fabulous personal care for our dog while we were away, which created the opportunity for additional insights. She has a lovely demeanour and is a pleasure to work with. Many thanks!”
Matt and Natasha…and Huxley
Kelowna, BC
Matt and Natasha…and Huxley
Kelowna, BC
“We have had our dog Billy for approx. 4 years and about a year ago got a new dog Maya. We have had continuing issues with Billy since then. We finally contacted Sandy who took a look at the dynamics of our pack and made some suggestions . . . Sandy is very knowledgeable and was able to suggest a number of different behaviours that we humans needed to do to get the pack back in its proper order. Sandy was pleasant, hands on, and taught us ways to work with the dogs that would result in the proper behaviours. We saw positive results that day and are continuing to see more positive results as time moves on. Sandy is great to work with, very knowledgeable, has great people skills and is excellent with dogs. If you are looking for a knowledgeable person to assist you with dog training, we recommend that you contact Sandy. You will be happy you did.”
Jerry and Lyle Isenor…and Billy & Maya
Kelowna, BC
Jerry and Lyle Isenor…and Billy & Maya
Kelowna, BC
“Ember has been doing amazing! I have been practicing our walking together on walks just the two of us and she is really listening when I say “Ember Heel” or “Ember sit.” She also has been eating her meals really well . . .”The biggest thing I think that has made all the difference is having the leash on her collar. She does once in awhile pull or try to go the other way when we start a walk but after a minute or two she gives up and comes along, where as with the harness I had no luck whatsoever.
I am so grateful for the initial consultation with all the tips and tricks you gave me. Mum and Dad have also noticed a big improvement and I’m sure as the months go on, once I’m situated back home, Embers progress will only continue forward!”
Laura Goodrick….and Ember
Peachland, BC
I am so grateful for the initial consultation with all the tips and tricks you gave me. Mum and Dad have also noticed a big improvement and I’m sure as the months go on, once I’m situated back home, Embers progress will only continue forward!”
Laura Goodrick….and Ember
Peachland, BC
“We feel that Ruby is making great improvements in all areas. What we really notice is that we have a much more relaxed dog who doesn’t continually go into bark fests. I don’t think Ruby liked being the alpha dog and is now quite happy that we have taken control and released her from that role.
She now sleeps through the night whereas before she would be up 3 or 4 times going out to bark. We sleep better too. Before she would bark when we were having coffee or a meal and now she will lay down beside our chair and wait her turn.
People who know her have seen a difference in her behaviour. When we walk her along the beach . . . she has cut down a lot on the barking at other dogs and people.
We are very proud of Ruby for all that she is accomplishing. We are really happy to have a more relaxed and happy dog. Such a change for sure. With such a positive response from Ruby we will be sure to keep up with the training.
Thanks again for all your help with Ruby. We truly appreciate the work that you have done in helping us make Ruby a better dog!”
Patricia and Mark Boden….and Ruby
Peachland, BC
She now sleeps through the night whereas before she would be up 3 or 4 times going out to bark. We sleep better too. Before she would bark when we were having coffee or a meal and now she will lay down beside our chair and wait her turn.
People who know her have seen a difference in her behaviour. When we walk her along the beach . . . she has cut down a lot on the barking at other dogs and people.
We are very proud of Ruby for all that she is accomplishing. We are really happy to have a more relaxed and happy dog. Such a change for sure. With such a positive response from Ruby we will be sure to keep up with the training.
Thanks again for all your help with Ruby. We truly appreciate the work that you have done in helping us make Ruby a better dog!”
Patricia and Mark Boden….and Ruby
Peachland, BC
“. . . As Tigger grew so did his attitude and he began to develop a stubborn streak. He started showing signs of wilfulness, even aggressiveness toward us; very worrisome especially with children and visitors around. Sandy’s first task was to teach us how to be good pack leaders. We had a terrific first session covering a lot of basic skills and strategies for managing delinquent doggie behaviours. Sandy showed us a variety of techniques for redirecting Tigger’s energy and helping him understand what we expected of him. With each session Tigger was improving very noticeably; he has retained his playful and affectionate nature but he seems happier taking direction from us. The feeling is mutual. Even though not fully grown, Tigger is already 85 lbs and strong enough to pull an adult off his feet, yet it is now a pleasure to walk Tigger through the neighbourhood. We were quite worried about Tig and the way he was developing and it is very clear to us that Sandy was instrumental in helping us be better leaders for Tigger and helping him be a happier dog. We are very glad that we found Sandy, and we really appreciate her patience, expertise and natural rapport with dogs…and dog owners. The difference is undeniable. On top of all that, we like Sandy. She’s nice!”
Stephen and Fiona…and Tigger
Port Coquitlam, BC
Stephen and Fiona…and Tigger
Port Coquitlam, BC
“Ruby is our family’s second dog. We bought her from a breeder in Aldergrove. She was the last of her litter and her parents had started to “shun” her when we got her. She was 4 months old. Immediately we realized she had trust issues and was very skiddish. So we decided to look for a trainer and walker (since she is a big dog and would be left in the house the majority of the day). Sandy immediately calmed our nerves and provided us with skills to adapt to the new addition to our family. She has been walking Ruby daily for the last 3 years. She is always reliable, honest, dependable and extremely knowledgeable! What’s best is that our Ruby adores her! We don’t know what we would do without Sandy!
Sincerely,”
Vanessa & Jason Wice…and Ruby
Port Coquitlam, BC
Sincerely,”
Vanessa & Jason Wice…and Ruby
Port Coquitlam, BC
“Our Buddy is a beautiful Golden Retriever. Unfortunately, he was kept in his kennel for too long by his ‘Breeder’ before he came to us. He has “Kennelosis”, which is basically like human post-traumatic stress disorder. He will never be cured, but Sandy helped him immensely; with his startle reflex, his extreme fear, and his trepidation and avoidance of scary situations. He is much more confident now, and his beautiful temperament is now front and centre. Thank you so much Sandy, for giving Buddy joy of life!
Sincerely”,
M & J…and Buddy
Port Coquitlam, BC
Sincerely”,
M & J…and Buddy
Port Coquitlam, BC
“My wife and I sought out Sandy shortly after adopting an 8 week old ShepherdX puppy from the SPCA. Although we both had experience with dogs, Sandy’s initial consultation made a world of difference in Piper’s adaptation to our home. Sandy was particularly helpful in discouraging Piper from “nipping” at us and our 3 year old son. As the months passed, we have continued to use Sandy’s walking and training services, and have learned a great deal from her regarding proper technique. We highly recommend Sandy for her expertise and relaxed coaching style (with owners).”
Adam & Sonja Madsen Mills…and Piper
Port Coquitlam, BC
Adam & Sonja Madsen Mills…and Piper
Port Coquitlam, BC
“My husband and I contacted Sandy to assist us in acclimatizing our 5 month old Morkipoo, Charlie. Sandy met us at our home, asked lots of questions and closely monitored our interaction with Charlie. She told us what efforts to keep up, which might be hurting progress, and what else we can try. Sandy went beyond Charlie’s anxiousness, showing us how to begin training her in all aspects for her to be a more confident dog. Sandy provided a written handout in case there was anything we forgot or misunderstood, and she regularly followed up and answered any questions we may have had about Charlie’s progress. When we met with Sandy, Charlie was unable to be in a different room with us for more than a few seconds. Now she is confident for long periods knowing that we will return! Thanks, Sandy.”
Katie and Alex Wall…and Charlie
Kelowna, BC
Katie and Alex Wall…and Charlie
Kelowna, BC
“I have a 6 year old pup and a 7 month old pup. Both are at very different learning stages and Sandy certainly proved you CAN teach an old dog new tricks! Our past dogs have never been trained but having a new puppy I wanted to see what a difference having a trainer could make. Both pups took to Sandy quickly and she was able to share her knowledge and guidance with me and my husband (both very new to proper dog handling) patiently and persistently. The dogs loved the training sessions as they were fun and enjoyable for everyone. We loved that she had flexible times as it was important to have both my husband and I at training. Most of all we absolutely loved the difference she has made in our pack. We are the leaders and we will continue to promote proper direction for our dogs! Thank-you.”
Eden and Mike Derickson…and Gunther & Olive
West Kelowna, BC
Eden and Mike Derickson…and Gunther & Olive
West Kelowna, BC
“We recently moved to Kelowna and were in need of some help with our 3.5 yr Border Collie X Aussie Shepherd . . . he was having some reactive issues with power struggles, mainly with walks or playing with his toys. Sandra was patient, observed us with Tucker and showed us solid training methods. Her calm demeanour put us at ease. It was great to see her work hands on with Tucker and demonstrate each command. We had lost sight . . . having it reinforced made all the difference. And it worked!! Her advice made sense and using her training skills has made a huge difference in Tucker. He is no longer getting mixed commands or messages. He is more relaxed and no longer confused as to his place in our pack. He is happy to please and looks to us for direction. Folks who have come over have commented on how different he is. Be prepared to do the work and commit to the training. We would recommend her service to anyone with dog behavior issues.”
Brenda, Peter & Nicki Howard…and Tucker
Kelowna, BC
Brenda, Peter & Nicki Howard…and Tucker
Kelowna, BC
“We first used Sandy’s services 7 years ago for our golden retriever . . . She offered some great advice and we were amazed how quickly we were able to revert back to using a regular collar as she provided excellent strategies for the pulling we had endured. We trusted Sandy implicitly and she never let us down. Our loss is Kelowna’s gain!
We now have a Leonberger puppy and used Sandy right from the beginning for training. Again, she provided sound advice and never judged us or dismissed our practise or ideas . . . I felt so motivated and able to work through challenges after every session with Sandy. She really made the training manageable which is a must for a giant breed! Now at 1 year old, our Leo just made it into Pets and Friends, a charity who provide visits from dogs for people in a variety of facilities. The assessor was surprised how well Geneva did as few so young make it into the programme. We attribute a lot of this to Sandy as she showed us how important consistent training is to build trust and attachment. Sandy offered so much more than training . . . it was always a pleasure working with her. I would struggle using any other trainer now after Sandy. I highly recommend Sandy for training, dog walking and sitting . . . Happy trails
Sincerely”,
Rachel Farley and Joseph Richard… and Geneva
Port Coquitlam, BC
We now have a Leonberger puppy and used Sandy right from the beginning for training. Again, she provided sound advice and never judged us or dismissed our practise or ideas . . . I felt so motivated and able to work through challenges after every session with Sandy. She really made the training manageable which is a must for a giant breed! Now at 1 year old, our Leo just made it into Pets and Friends, a charity who provide visits from dogs for people in a variety of facilities. The assessor was surprised how well Geneva did as few so young make it into the programme. We attribute a lot of this to Sandy as she showed us how important consistent training is to build trust and attachment. Sandy offered so much more than training . . . it was always a pleasure working with her. I would struggle using any other trainer now after Sandy. I highly recommend Sandy for training, dog walking and sitting . . . Happy trails
Sincerely”,
Rachel Farley and Joseph Richard… and Geneva
Port Coquitlam, BC
“We are the owners of a male chocolate lab, Joey. We grew to care and love him everyday, but . . . at the age of 5 months, we started to see the behavioral problems that we had read about. I phoned Sandy and she sounded very professional but yet very pleasant to talk with. I felt comfortable the moment we began to chat. In our first meeting, we learned so much. Sandy did say that we were on the right track, but would need to correct some of our bad habits. After meeting with Sandy weekly, we learned to be good pack leaders, and that consistency and daily practice does pay off. Joey has come a long way from when we first met Sandy, and thanks to her great knowledge and teaching skills, we feel our goal that we set out is working. Thanks so much Sandy!
Sincerely”,
Bob & Angie…and Joey
Port Coquitlam, BC
Sincerely”,
Bob & Angie…and Joey
Port Coquitlam, BC
“It was the first time for us owning a dog and we did not have much knowledge about raising a dog. However, we wanted to raise our dog Nana in the right way, like our own kid. We researched to find the best trainer for Nana. We chose Sandy because she seemed to have more caring, personal touches when we talked to her over the phone. When we met her, we were happy about our decision. Sandy first educated us to become good and responsible parents to Nana, and then trained Nana to bring out all of her qualities. We have totally enjoyed the sessions with Sandy not only because she is a good dog trainer, but also a very pleasant and likeable person. Thank you Sandy! We will cherish the memory and time spent with you.”
Rick & Kyung Mickel…and Nana
Coquitlam, BC
Rick & Kyung Mickel…and Nana
Coquitlam, BC
“Sandy came highly recommended to us by some very good friends who have used her services for years. We are the owners of a black Labradoodle named Mika. We got Mika when she was an 8 week old puppy and Sandy was helpful from the very beginning, teaching us all the right things to do. Mika is always a pleasure to take for walks or anywhere outdoors, as we know she will always be on her best behavior. It is such a relief to know that we have someone that we can totally trust to come into our home when we aren’t there, and take Mika for a walk.”
Doris, Dean, Sam & Natalie…and Mika
Port Coquitlam, BC
Doris, Dean, Sam & Natalie…and Mika
Port Coquitlam, BC
“It’s amazing to see what Sandy has done with our dog Lucas. She has taught us all the basics and to practice daily obedience. Sandy has a very kind and gentle manner that works very well for teaching and dogs. Sandy has become an important person to our family and we will continue to work with her. Thanks, Sandy!”
The Buicks…and Lucas
Port Coquitlam, BC
The Buicks…and Lucas
Port Coquitlam, BC
“Everything about my experience with Sandy was pleasant. E-mails were answered promptly. She asked pertinent questions about what I was hoping to achieve with my older dog. She set up a program of one-on-one training for both me and Dozzer because we both needed training. Sandy helped change the pet/owner dynamics in our home and we are now on the road to having a pet that is fun to walk and responds once again to basic commands. Dozzer responded well to Sandy’s calm, quiet but firm presence. I would not hesitate to recommend Sandy to anyone. Thanks for your help Sandy!”
Darlene Zukewich…and Dozzer
Port Coquitlam, BC
Darlene Zukewich…and Dozzer
Port Coquitlam, BC
“I used Sandy to help with my new 4 month old CockerX, Oreo. I was incredibly impressed how she trained me to correct Oreo’s bad behaviors. There were simple, yet very effective techniques. She also gave me handout resources and made herself available for questions and advice. She is very skilled, nonjudgmental, and super knowledgeable. I would definitely use her again. Thank you Sandy!”
Catherine…and Oreo
Coquitlam, BC
Catherine…and Oreo
Coquitlam, BC
