Gemini K9 Obedience in Toronto, ON Closed now

Reviews about Gemini K9 Obedience

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  2020-06-17, by Margaret Song
  Our 1.5yo Doberman came to us not knowing how to go for a walk without pulling in every direction and wanting to chase other animals, humans, or bikes. He is easily excitable and slightly fearful of new situations. As for obedience, he could not complete a Sit past the driveway. We also noticed that he fought any dog that growled at him, which happened on two occasions because he had obnoxiously charged the other dogs. After two months of trial and error at home (including a Gentle Leader and body harness), we decided to go in for a free evaluation after being recommended by two friends who had been previous clients. The evaluation was very thorough, with questions about the dog's behaviour as well as the owner's. The dog was tested on its reaction to both new humans and new dogs, and then a recommendation for a course was given at the end. We decided to go with the behavioral counselling course designed for dog- and human-aggression to cover all our bases. After the first class, the pulling stopped. Lunging after dogs and bikes stopped after another week. In two weeks, he had gone from barking at our bike at home to trotting next to it for our walks. We are currently at our halfway point of five weeks (there are 10 weeks/classes in total, though other courses have 8 classes) and working on obedience. I highly appreciate that the owners are given homework to do every week. First half of class has been about addressing any issues noticed from the previous week. The second half of class has been teaching new skills and then answering any further questions. Though all classes are private, we have had small group classes to teach obedience around other dogs in a controlled setting. At times, other trainers will also walk through the training room. In all instances, the strangers are introduced in a highly-controlled setting. Nobody is allowed in and out of rooms until the trainer has ensured everyone's safety in each room. I appreciate the detail, and especially appreciate the work that goes into the classes. While I understand that not everyone agrees on a single style of training, Gemini K9 has helped us and our dog. No longer will we be dragged on the sidewalk nor will our dog try to run across the road at another dog. He is still the same happy dog but now he pays attention to us on the walk. We simply believe that, like raising a child, discipline is needed; we just required a professional to teach us how/when to discipline and how/when to reward. Though there is still work to be done, Gemini K9 has helped us step-by-step with tangible weekly goals that ultimately lead to a happy dog and a happy family.