Success Story #21: Valerie Jeffers

"This is our Siberian husky Juno. We bought him when he was 4-months old. His previous owners didn't have the time to train him and kept him outside. We have two other dogs already in the home, so we thought it would be routine when it came to training Juno. At first it wasn't so bad, we had to housebreak him which was moving along smoothly and he had to learn his place in the "pecking" order of our home. As he became more comfortable in his new surroundings, the more problems we began to have. Keep in mind, Juno is already a 29 pound puppy at 4 months old.

I had to start putting things up out of his reach to keep him from chewing on them. He started using the bathroom in the house again. Then he started chewing on anything he could get in his mouth including our furniture, the carpet, and the kitchen floor. It was turning into a nightmare, nothing we was doing was helping. I finally had enough when he dug up my yard, including my vegetable garden. I finally got online looking for answers. I kept getting directed to the Secrets To Dog Training site and decided to buy the book. I was so excited to see so many answers to so many problems. The first thing we addressed was his digging and he quit immediately. It was so amazing.

He is six months old now and he is doing so much better, thanks to the information in the Secrets To Dog Training book. I don't know what I would have done. The thing I like is that the training tips are fairly quick and efficient. Time is something we don't have alot of here lately between my husband working, me going to school, and raising two children. I can't believe the wealth of knowledge in these books from training tips to how to be alpha dog. Things I would have never thought of. Best of all, I can teach my old dogs new tricks. They are already good dogs, but now they are becoming exceptional dogs.

Thank you so much Daniel Stevens for making Secrets to Dog Training available to us and at an affordable price. It definitely beats having to hire a trainer, which we thought we were going to have to result to, but really couldn't afford. I have already recommended this book to several people and I continue to recommend it to all those who are having any kind of issue with their dog."
-- Valerie Jeffers (Tennesse USA)

Success Story #22: Tahara Lo

"Hi Daniel, I am actually using your expert advice this week. A while ago I wrote in that my mother's dog, a four year old brown lab named Molly, was coming to stay with us for a week. My husband and I have a 1-year old beagle named Bernie. Bernie is very playful. And Molly is receptive at first but after a little while, she tires of Bernie and her constant source of energy. Molly is very much "Let's rest a while" and Bernie is "Play with me! Look at me! Why aren't you playing or looking at me!" When it gets to be too much, Molly tries to show her dominance in creative ways.

I feared that I would have to keep them apart the entire week Molly was visting. So I wrote to your site and was advised that by already treating Molly like the dominant dog (even though it was Bernie's house) Molly wouldn't have to take matters into her own paws. By greeting Molly first and feeding her first, both dogs would get the hint. And it's been working!

Bernie still loves to play but thanks to your techniques, my husband and I have been able to give Molly some relief and keep her from acting out too aggresively when she has had enough of our Bernie. Now Bernie and Molly can pal around without much trouble. Attached is our picture with Bernie. I can send one of Bernie and Molly if you'd like. Thanks and best wishes."
-- Tahara Lo (USA)

Success Story #23: Kirk Brill

"My wife was interested in Yorkie terriers. She e-mailed a lady (Sharda Baker) about Yorkie's. Sharda sends her info on Yorkie's and other dog topics. One of her e-mails mentioned your Secrets to Dog Training web site and your e-mail book. I recently ordered it from you and the other booklets. I was very pleased with it. I have done extensive training of our extremely bright female Jack Russell.

When it comes to (fetch) she is tops. She will "fetch" till she drops. I have set up a complete agility course in our yard, I have used the Trick and Treat device from Sharper Image for teaching her tricks. She does Frisbee and has also had several outings doing Lure Racing (almost to perfection).

I have several "dog" neighbors that are not having as much luck with their pets. They have dominate issues. One of them has over aggressiveness issues and food and toy guarding problems. I told them about your web site and book. Their dog (while I was talking over the fence) tried to attack, through the fence, our dog. ...I highly recommend that the buy your book, and sign up for your weekly tips.

We leave tomorrow for a three week vacation to Leech Lake Mn (picture above). We will bike, canoe, hike, play frisbee and fetch (Sparky loves camping, all we have to say is were going camping, and she grabs a fetch toy and runs to the door). We will be gone for 3 wonderful weeks. I have all your materials already in the trailer for reading and using while gone. After receiving my down loads, I e-mailed all our friends (several of whom are trainers) about your books.

I will be working with the book and Sparky while we are gone. I have been busy since getting your book, getting ready for our vacation. I have been assimilating the information, but have not had the time to apply it. I will give you another report upon returning.

Thanks for taking the time to write such wonder training materials, and providing your e-mail tips. If more people would just take the time to purchase your materials, we would put the local Animal Control officers out of business, and the shelters would end up with far fewer animal "rejects"."
-- Kirk Brill (USA) (thanks on behalf of Sparky also)

Success Story #24: Lee & Bev Daly and the M&M's

"Hi Daniel, Wanted you to know how very happy we are with our purchase of Secrets to Dog Training. With the price of fuel continuing to rise, it is more important now than ever before for a well trained pulling team for our family sled. Your book allowed us to do what others thought impossible (see picture)! We now have a very fuel efficient, two-dogpower engine for our truck!

All kidding aside, We have been most happy with the results of your books. As my wife continues to spoil our two little treasures, I continue to use the techniques illustrated in your book keep them under control and make well mannered little citizens out of them. First, of course, came the house training task. I found your book invaluable for this most important task. 100% success but not without effort! Being watchful and persistent, as illustrated in the House Training Methods and Tricks section of Secrets to Dog Training, was really the key but the tips and tricks you shared made the task quicker, easier and more tolerable. Then came the basic commands which we found, as you suggested, are critical! I used your book as a bible here and, little by little, our babies are responding to all our commands. We're still not confident to walk them without a leash but I do believe that there will come a day that we will be comfortable with that. Persistence and patience once again! But the biggest task and accomplishment of all was in the establishment of the pecking order of our pack (family). I have become the "Alpha Dog" and I must admit that educating my wife to this concept was a much bigger challenge than educating King Midas and Sir Micro.

She thought that this was the meanest, cruelest thing I have done to the boys since my use of the infamous crate during housebreaking. My salvation was in finally convincing her (forcing her actually) to read the sections of your book pertaining to these concepts. Once she got through that, she became so enthralled that she couldn't put the book down until she finished it. Now we are a team in our training efforts and the results are amazing. Of course, I have maintained my position as Alpha Dog but she is now Second in Command.

Thank you so much for your book. All our efforts previous to it were in vain with very little success. Our little guys are still babies (10 months old and 15 months old) and we realize that training is an ongoing and long term process, but we already have two little guys that we are very proud of. Just like well behaved children, they are a joy to be around and a pleasure to show off to friends and strangers alike.

Although we both have read your book and supplements from cover to cover, we now use them as an excellent reference as new problems and challenges appear.
Keep up the great work."

-- Lee & Bev Daly and the M&M's (Midas & Micro)

Success Story #25: Jane Gordon

"Hello, I began this new adventure in dog training due to my deep love for homeless kids and dogs, whom I believe yearn a childhood full of love and care and fantasy no matter they have lived a crueler and harder life than any of us will ever know. My dream is to bring both together under one roof and Im sure I have taken the correct path in investing my money in dog training courses such as Secrets to Dog Training. I want to be the last last opportunity for many and the first for some in this country where animals are still not treated with respect nor are the kids known as "disposables". One day I will be able to raise the funds I need since I believe in the human species and definitively God is with me.

I live at the moment in Colombia, South America. I am an extremely happily married person, mother of 3 kids, and 7 dogs, for now, (schnauzer (4 yr old), golden retriever (2 yr old), 2 German shepherds (4 yr old and a 6 month old), Rhodesian ridgeback (4 month old) and 2 crossbreeds - between the German shepherd and the golden retriever. I am 39 years old, I caught leichmaniasis in Africa 22 yrs ago when I fell in a puddle of stagnate water while participating in an ostrich race and its side effects are still an every day reminder that nature takes and gives but provides the cure if you let it. When my pain seems unbearable and I curl up in a ball, my dogs manage through their vigorous licking and persistence to make me accept their offer, I uncurl and let them in my arms. How can I deny them the best training methods offered?? I still have a long way to go to recover my health and sleep, but yet its a wonderful life this, so much to do, so much to see, so much to learn, so many people to help, so many creatures to save. I love spending time with these street wise kids with more painful experiences than I. They will sit with me for hours under the shadow of a tree while holding their box of cigarettes and sweets, effective labor force at low cost, and and a bottle of glue in the other, listening to my tales of historic events and stories about my dogs while patting the lucky one whose turn it was to hop up in the back of the car and come with me.

I want my dogs to be lovable no matter who touches them, to obey without the use of violence so we can open doors together and prove that they can help these kids find a place away from drugs and violence. Thankyou for being a great stepping stone towards my dreams and the dreams of many others."
-- Jane Gordon (USA)

Success Story #26: Margaret & Jeze Richardson

"My first contact with Jeze was when I spotted a dark shape moving under a pile of rubble whilst I was out doing street ministry one night. I didn't even know what kind of animal she was at first, but reasonned she wasn't a fox because of the absence of the distinctive smell. I began leaving small amounts of food, and after a few weeks, my new friend had enough trust to remain out of her hidey while I was near. She was given the name Jezebel by a street friend of mine, who attempted to speed the process of getting her from her hidey, and was nipped by a terrified animal for his trouble.

Jeze, as she is now known was terribly emaciated when I could eventually check her over properly, and extremely timid. I noticed she appeared to have had her tail docked, although later, when I managed to gain her confidence enough to take her to a vet friend of mine, I discovered that she was in fact tail-less, she is a schipperke. We bathed and de-flea'd her and gave her as much of a health check as we could without causing her too much stress, and then she adopted me. She proved to be quite intelligent and quickly learnt to walk with me when I was using my frame (I have decreasing co-ordinated movement in my right side, the result of a brain tumour), and loved riding with me on my scooter, although she remained extremely nervous. I then heard about the Secrets To Dog Training series of books, and purchased a copy. Through using Daniel's suggested training techniques, Jeze began to overcome her nervousness as well as becoming more responsive to the requirements imposed on her by my own disability.

Jeze is now a member at my Church, where she sits quietly beside me, and accepts the attention and tributes from everyone in the congregation, (although we do have to limit the number of 'just one' treats surreptitiously given to her). She is also a favourite when I'm out street ministry and quite often it is she that manages to break through the barriers of some of the more abused of the street folk. It's sometimes hard when Jeze is introduced to others ahead of me, but it is wonderful to see the change that a little patience, gentleness and training have made in her. Now that I am finding it even harder to walk, we rely on my scooter a lot more, on the occasion when it breaks down and we are forced to walk any distance, she remains seated on the seat with an expression on her face that clearly exhibits her displeasure. I even have to remember now to disengage the key to the scooter when we're stopped chatting with people, because Jeze has been known to decide it's time to move on, and depress the lever to move us forward.

I recommend the Secrets To Dog Training Training series to any dog owner, but particularly for those with rescued dogs, which often have behaviour problems, for which the reason is not truly known."
-- Margaret & Jeze Richardson (Blackburn South, Victoria, Australia)

Success Story #27: Debby Karp

"When I brought home my puppy Skylar at 8 weeks of age, I literally had no idea how to take care of her, let alone train her. I was a first time dog owner and very overwhelmed! I searched the internet and bookstores on useful books and training tips. Of all of the books I purchased (there were quite a few), Secrets to Dog Training was the most comprehensive, well written and easy to read. I read through more than 1/2 of the book on my first sitting and still use it as a reference. I would recommend this book to any new dog owner who not only wants to train their dog but also understand her."
-- Debby Karp (La Porte, India)

Success Story #28: Dee & Nickey

"I highly recommend this book to all pet owners. Dogs are so trainable but can get confused if you try too many different methods out on them. Reading how to do it and do it right the first time is the way to go! I taught mine to fetch and sit by the time he was 12 weeks old."
-- Dee & Nickey (USA)

Success Story #29: Sabine Saunders and Quincy

"My name is Sabine Saunders and this is my 2 year old, female, German shepherd, Quincy. She was the only female in a litter of six pups and proved to be a domineering girl early on. I knew I had to do some quality training with her in order to keep my leader position in her eyes, or she would try to become the alpha in our family. By the time she was 8 months old, she had the strength of an adult German shepherd. Heeling had to be practiced every day in all kinds of different environments and among people and other animals - especially cats and squirrels.

Through continous practice Quincy now heels wherever I go, keeping a constant eye on me. Teaching her the sit and especially the down was very important to keep her with a submissive attitude. She fought it for a while but I consistantly showed her that there are no options when I give her a command. After completing her basic obedience classes (heel, sit, stay, down, come) she also certified in tracking in 2005. Quincy and I enjoy visiting schools in our area and we show the kids and teachers how much Quincy has learned with English and German commands, and obeying handsignals. We teach the kids safety around dogs and what makes a good dog owner. Having an obedient dog is a joy to have around because the dog has learned how to behave in every day situations. Consistant obedience training is hard work, but if you endure with patience, love and an understanding of how dogs learn, you end up with the dog you deserve."
-- Sabine Saunders and Quincy (USA)

Success Story #30: Kirsty Halleran

"The Secrets to Dog Training books have been a tremendous help to me in gaining more control over my two dogs Neo & Molly especially as they were rather defiant at times.

Both dogs are very loving, fun and loyal but I've had to get a dog behaviourist out in the past as Molly's a rescue dog, has a nervous disposition and a habit of going bonkers through fear by barking, growling and trying to nip/bite. I think she was abused before I got her as she is extremely scared of children and doesn't particularly like strangers and other dogs. She loves the family and those she knows but it was/is really worrying so the fear biting section has been great for
tips on dealing with that.

They know now who's the alpha and don't try nearly as much nonsense as they used to. Obviously I'm not expecting them to change overnight, I realise I have to be rigorous in the re-training but so far they're coming along great!

I really wish I'd heard/got the Secrets to Dog Training books years ago, in my opinion no dog owner should be without a copy. They're brilliant, very easy to understand/follow and they results are amazing! Please find attatched my photo of myself and the dogs."
-- Kirsty Halleran (UK)