"Rex"

The Medici Family – "Rex"- German Shepherd

Rex our German Shepard had an attitude problem that was getting him in trouble.  He was a sweetheart in the house but outside he was out of control.  He had a two sided personality.  He needed manners and control.  We enrolled him in the beginner training class at the Oxford center.  The week before class was to start I called Lisa in a panic.  Rex was getting worse and I was afraid that I would not be able to handle all 94lbs of him in class.  Lisa and I talked about the Off-Leash Program and she setup and appointment for my husband and I to go over all that was involved in off leash training.
It was a long 6 weeks and we missed Rex a lot.  I really enjoyed he progress reports each week for Gretchen and the pictures that came in the mail.
Rex has been home one month and what a wonderful dog he is and I tell him that every day.  I can’t say enough about the training and people involved.  Our very handsome and loving German Sheppard now has manners and best of all I can walk with him and take him almost everywhere we go.  We all love that the most.  Thanks again Lisa and all the trainers.
Bridgett Medici

"Bear"

The Spearing Family - "Bear" - Rottweiler

Bear is a completely changed dog since graduating from the Off-Leash Program.  The tools he was taught have made our relationship with him more enjoyable and stress free.  We feel secure exposing Bear to large groups of people knowing he will be pleasant and well behaved.  He has become a confident, friendly and obedient companion.  The Off-Leash Program has provided our family with comfort and ease knowing that as a large dog, we are able to manage Bear in any situation.  We have been able to take him on walks and to local parks knowing with or without his leash; Bear will stay by our side.
Our experience with this program has been more beneficial than we could have anticipated.  We highly recommend this training to all our family and friends.  We are so thankful to have found the Canine Academy and it trainers.  The Canine Academy has become like a second home to Bear and the trainers like a second family.

"Buffy"

The Nuckols Family  - "Buffy" - Shepherd Mix

Buffy began the Off-Leash Program at 10 months of age.  When we picked her up in December, our entire family attended the training appointments.  We all left with our mouths hanging open, especially my husband.
Our dog, at only one year old, is a well-mannered and perfectly trained dog!!  We are going to have an entire lifetime to enjoy this perfect dog.
Whenever we are out with our dog or have guest to our house, the common comment is “I want that dog”.  We laugh and say there is no amount of money anyone could give us for our mixed breed, adopted puppy, not even a million dollars!!!

"Maxamillion"

The Putman Family - "Maxamillion" - Doberman Pincer

Six years after loosing my last dog and after months of researching breeders, I brought home my dream dog; a 9 week old, black & tan male Doberman; Maxamillion.
My excitement soon dwindled.  Max chewed everything and chased people, dogs, and cars.  He got into the trash, and even stole our food from the table as we were eating!!
I was at my wits end when a friend referred me to the Canine Academy.
The six-week program was the best thing that could have happened for both Max & me. Since training, Max now goes everywhere with me.  He goes to the office, he goes to my nail appointments, he is invited into my friend’s homes, we take walks every chance we get.
I could continue forever bragging about what a confident, respectful and pleasant dog Max has become as a result of his training.  I cannot even begin to thank  Canine Academy for all the help and support they have given.  Without it, I don’t know that Max would still be with me and I certainly would not have discovered how special Max is and what a pleasure it is to have him in my life.

"Havoc"

The Smith Family - "Havoc" - German Shepherd

Havoc, our almost 2-year-old German Shepard, is a January 2003 “graduate” of the Canine Academy’s Off-Leash Obedience Program.  Never in almost 60 years of dog ownership have we had such a superbly mannered dog!
Havoc now goes everywhere with us.  He is a member of our Yacht Club, we stroll downtown together, and he even has his very own spot in the hardware store in town.
Never have we had a dog that would break off from the joy of chasing a rabbit when we said, “come” and gladly return running at full tilt to see what we wanted.  He looks to us for approval of everything that he does.
Although we were somewhat hesitant to enroll Havoc in the Academy due to the cost of the program, we have no doubt now that it was a solid investment that we will reap the benefits from for many years to come.  We will not hesitate to enroll our next pup in the training program.
The slogan from the Academy sums it all up:  “Have a good dog?  Want a great dog”™ The Academy keeps its promise to deliver a great dog to you!!

"Murphy"

The Pixley Family - "Murphy" - Cockapoo
Our puppy was 9 months old when we called the Canine Academy… we were desperate.
Our home was not our home.  Murphy grabbed things from the tables, stole dirty laundry, chewed shoes, knocked lamps off the tables, and so much more!  We had been to an obedience class that was based on food motivation.   Murphy had his nose in our pockets the entire time.
He entered the Off-Leash training in December.  It is a miracle.  He was a different, lovable dog when he came home in January.  He no longer has to be tethered in the yard.  He responds to all his commands he learned at “camp”.  He is a lovable dog with good manners now, and a pleasure to have in our company and the company of others

"Max"

The Mason Family - "Max" -Lab Mix

My 9 year-old son and I fell in love with a small, cute, 3-month-old pup that wasn’t supposed to exceed 50 pounds.  Max grew to be about 70 pounds and is extremely strong, fast, and determined.  We completed our Puppy Obedience Class and ended up with a well-behaved dog in the classroom, but awful elsewhere.
On the suggestion of my vet, we enrolled Max in the Canine Academy’s Off-Leash Program.  It was six weeks of peace in our home!!  Upon his return home, it took about three days before I was willing to let go of my death grip on the leash.  Our friend s were amazed, they couldn’t believe it was the same dog.  He was just as friendly as he had been before, but well mannered and well behaved.  My parents, in their seventies are now willing to have him visit them in Ohio, an invitation that was never extended before training.  Max now goes to my son’s football and baseball games.  He goes to church meetings with me, sitting at my feet with 50-60 people surrounding him.
Max is truly the “great dog” that Canine Academy said he would be

"Bella"

The Jefferes Family - "Bella" - Jack Russell Terrier

We got Bella when she was 7 months old.  The runt of the litter, she was the last pup left.  Often on her own, on a horse farm, she obviously had no discipline.  Needless to say she was a handful.  We tried a local obedience trainer but to no avail.  We then searched the internet and came across a link for Canine Academy.  We made the 5 1/2 hour drive from Ohio to Michigan to check things out.  The staff was awesome and we were immediately sold!!
Canine Academy did wonders for Bella’s obedience and disposition.  High strung and nervous when we got her, she is now a calm and confident dog.  We take her everywhere without worry.  We enjoy showing her off for people and get numerous comments on how she is so well behaved.  As a Jack Russell, many said she could “not be tamed.”  Well, they have been proven wrong thanks to Lisa and staff.
We would recommend the “Off-Leash Program” to anyone.  We plan on sending our second Jack Russell to Canine Academy for the Program this summer.  It has definitely been a worthwhile investment.

"Cooper"

The Martin Family - Copper - Boxer Mix

We received Copper from the Michigan Humane Society when she was about 6 months old.  We immediately fell in love with her intensity and her never-ending amount of energy.  We had had Copper for about 6 months when she began to display signs of dog-to-dog aggression, and with us being new pet owners, we knew we needed the help of a professional.  At the recommendation of our Veterinarian, we immediately signed Copper up for obedience classes at Canine Academy, and since she completed her training a little over a year ago, we are now able to  take her with us just about everywhere we go.  Copper has truly become a part of our family thanks to Canine Academy.

"Izzy"

The Bossardet Family - Izzy - Vizsla 
Our sweet little Izzy was a good dog. Really, she was. She could sit, stay and walk on a leash without pulling. She just couldn’t do any of it consistently. But her real problem areas were the couch, our two cats (aka our first babies), and coming when called.

Izzy was such a great cuddler that we started letting her get on the couch as soon as we got her at 8 weeks old. By the time she was 30 lbs heavier and able to launch herself like a rocket, it was too late. Izzy flew onto the couch at our house — or others’ — when it was empty or full of people.

As far as the cats were concerned, Izzy is a born pointer/retriever, so how could she NOT be fascinated by them? But she policed those poor cats so badly that they started living upstairs in our guestroom like second-class citizens.

Then there’s Chicago. When Izzy was 6 months old, we relocated there from Detroit. Once, she got off of her leash while leaving the dog park. I was horrified as she ran around happily ignoring my calls and darting between parked cars, just feet from the busy traffic. And when we had her off her leash in our parents’ backyard in MI, she saw a squirrel and took off. Luckily we found her about 6 houses down, unharmed.

Thinking about the next 10-15 years, we couldn’t imagine living the way we had been. To have our cats holed up in a spare room? To never allow her off the leash? To be terrified of her running away, getting hit by a car? That’s no way to live — not for us and not for Izzy.

Sending Izzy to the Canine Academy has been life changing for all of us. Not until you have a well-trained dog do you realize just how bad it was before. You begin to notice that many dog owners have to cross the street and hold on for dear life if they see another dog heading their way. You become all too aware that most dog owners do nothing but make excuses and apologize for their dog rather than engaging in pleasant conversation.

Here are some highlights of our life, post-training: 

  • Every time we take her out, at least 2 people stop us to rave about what a well-behaved dog she is, especially considering her age and breed.
  • She is one of the most well behaved patrons of various neighborhood bars/restaurants
  • At street fairs and festivals, she calmly heels and patiently inches her way through crowds without stress
  • She is sooooo fast and often outruns other dogs chasing after a ball. In the event that she grabs another dogs ball, we need only tell her to drop it and she lets go of it so that the other dog can pick it up
  • When the parks are full of sunbathers and readers some (very odd) people clearly do not want to be bothered by a very social dog stopping by to say hello. In those instances, we simply call out for Izzy to "leave it" and she will leave the person alone to meet and greet a friendlier park-goer.
  • We've been able to take her up north, where she walks off leash in the country, woods, and on the beaches of the Great Lakes

The real gift, however, is that her training allows Izzy to lead a more natural and energetic life. Even though we live in a city, she spends the majority of her time outside, off of the leash. SHE IS A VERY HAPPY, LOVING DOG.

Infinite thanks to Lisa and the caring staff at the Canine Academy!

Have a good dog? Want a GREAT dog? ™