MY OBEDIENT DOG

We love Sho Papazian's training method: positive reinforcement with brief corrections, when necessary (to not be confused with punishment, Sho is 100% against it). Like Cesar Millan, she promotes a calm, assertive energy in being benevolent -but firm- pack leaders for our dog. We trained our Dalmatian with Sho in three different group obedience training classes, during our puppy's first two years of life: one for beginner and two for intermediate level, for a total of 34 weeks. Our entire family participated in the training, as it is very important that all of us use the exact same techniques and that we are consistent with each other. I am convinced that we, as owners, have in fact learned more from Sho than our own pet, during the classes. We did a lot of homework, practicing the commands dozens of times a day. This continuous repetition and practicing (inside and outside of the house) has never ended and will never end, as long as we continue to own dogs. It is hard at times, but it fully reflects our level of our commitment, as a family.
Thanks to Sho, we have a very well-trained, well-mannered and happy dog. Dalmatians are a very high-energy breed and require a lot of exercise and mental stimulation (Sho calls our dog "the Ferarri of dogs", no wonder!). She has also trained our dog to use the treadmill in complementing the daily walking, which never seems to be enough for a Dalmatian. We kept going back to Sho for more training and for boarding and we will keep doing so, from time to time, as we continue to learn new things and -sometimes- to correct any unwanted behaviours. Sho is absolutely amazing for us and we are very grateful to her for all her help throughout the last four years. We fully trust her with our dog and we recommend her to other dog owners. We are also happy that our dog has been able to assist Sho in helping out a client to heal from fear of dogs - this was only possible due to the excellent training our dog has received from his beloved trainer!

Monica & Family.

We rescued a dog back in November 2014. We first visited the shelter to assess the dog and we noticed some behaviours that made us go back home and think about it. We knew that Blue would need professional training, so the very same night we researched trainers in our area. I found Sho's website. The next morning, we went back to the shelter and adopted Blue.

First call I made when I got home was to Sho. It was by then 7 pm on a Sunday night and I expected to leave a message but to my surprise, Sho answered and took the time to question me on Blue's behaviours and started to give us some tips and do's and don't' to ensure we would be successful in integrating Blue in our family.

Sho then came for the first appointment to meet us and Blue, and assessed Blue. Right from the start, it was very noticeable that she knew what she was doing as Blue responded to her instantly. Blue is a big dog (greyhound,Great Dane, retriever mix). He had spent two months in a crate at the shelter so he had anxiety issues, and was pulling and barking on walks. Sho recommended treadmill training to enabled Blue to get rid of his built up energy. She trained him on the treadmill and this has proven to be extremely helpful.

Sho has worked with us and Blue as well as with Blue on his own. I can say that Blue is now a well balanced dog because of the work she did with him and us. Blue loves spending time at Sho's as he can socialize with the other dogs of her pack. This is actually what helped him overcome his anxiety when he was seeing our dogs on walks. As Sho is offering a boarding service, Blue always goes there when we have to go away which is extremely convenient and reassuring as we know he is well taken care of, and happy!

Sho was instrumental in making sure Blue's integration to our family was a success. She was there when we introduce Blue to my son's girlfriend dog Bella (dominant husky). As the introduction was done properly these two dogs are getting along amazingly. This was extremely important for us.

Blue went from being the over excited barking and jumping dog from the shelter to a gentleman. Blue is now calm, and gentle. Shophisticated even! Rarely barks other than to notify us there is someone approaching the house(which is a good thing). We absolutely love him and we are very happy we decided to adopt him regardless of his behaviour issues at the time.

We have been using Sho's services regularly since we got Blue and I couldn't thank her enough for everything she did for us and Blue.

Sho Papazian is the best dog trainer I have met, and I have met several. She is a true professional in her approach to handling dogs and teaching their owners. In the short time I have known her I have graduated from needing Sho's help to wanting her to help me teach my dog new things. One of my favourite things about Sho is that there is no cookie-cutter approach. she assesses the situation and knows what to do. I never had a dog before and I was pretty stressed for my first year. Now I am completely at peace with my dog and it feels like he is a part of my family. I have I high energy dog and I didn't know how to handle him. Now he obeys all of my commands and I can walk him around my neighbourhood with no leash. You can't accomplish these results without an in-depth understanding of how to handle dogs and knowing how to teach the dog's owners. Sho Knows! If you need help with your dog, call her. you'll be glad you did.
Steven

Our 2 year old visla,cooper was pulling on the leash and was completely out of control on our walks.She would pull us to the ground if she saw a squirrel or a passing dog.
We were referred to Sho through a close friend who had also used her services and had great success with her dog.
when Sho began working with us, she helped address the behavior and showed us step by step of how to take control of our dog .
cooper now follows us on a loose leash and our walks are so much more enjoyable. thanks for all your help Sho. Mandy and Rob

Sho has been working with our German Sheppard dog Tucker who had been demonstrating dog aggression towards other dogs. Sho has helped him overcome his aggression through her humane methods, along with her calm and firm assertiveness over the dog. Our dog now is able to walk by other dogs with no reaction, as well as made a few new friends, with whom he interacts and play with.
Thanks Sho for all your help

This women has no clue what she's doing. She insists that all dogs regardless of size be fitted with a metal prong collar. Her own dog wears one of those electric shock collars. I'd be curious to see if it would listen to her at all without it.
She pushes the idea of being the "pack leader" as if she's cesar milan and to cure my uneasiness, a quick google search confirmed that these methods are long out of date and counteract with all available scientific studies.
I've instead began working with a positive reinforcement trainer who is helping me to train my dog what i want her to do using rewards instead of punishing her for making mistakes.
I guess like everything else, you need to do your research before jumping into anything. I just wish Sho had.

Sho does an excellent job at training the trainer. If you are looking to create a strong bond of trust with a dog that respects and acknowledges you as the pack leader, this training will deliver results. Our high-energy dog is now an obedient, well socialized and loyal family member.

Karen & Ennio

We enrolled our young miniature schnauzer in Sho's course which was an intensive 10 week course. Our dog Connor finished the course understanding and obeying all of the basic commands. Since taking the course, Connor has become a very enjoyable dog to have with us. Sho is very knowledgeable and had ready suggestions to address problems as they came up. I cannot recommend My Obedient Dog enough. If you are willing to work with your dog, Sho will get you the results you seek.

Bryan and Lee-Anne

Sho Papazian is a confident and experienced trainer that is able to deal with dogs at all levels of difficulty. Her method of training is extremely successful and her patience with, and positive and reassuring attention to each individual was most evident. I would highly recommend her.

Our 2 year old shichon had developed some bad habits! Being a little dog she got away with a lot!
Our classes and the training methods at My Obedient Dog have made a big difference. Our Dog is very well behaved now and really pays attention to our commands. It has allowed us to walk her with confidence and no stress when meeting other dogs!