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Testimonials
Finley
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Donna Culbert has been a godsend to us in our first 8 months of Westie puppy partnership. (Westies will not be 'owned'. They're very spunky little creatures!) Having grown up with Westies and Cairn Terriers, I thought I knew exactly how to handle our little man, but he surprised me again and again, with everything from the very typical puppy nipping to some more exotic unwanted behaviors like fruit stealing. We attended Puppy K at the New England Dog Training Center, where we first met Donna. That class was wonderful for basic manners and socialization, but I found myself frustrated afterwards when Finley would alternate between pulling at his leash or laying down on the pavement on walks. A consummate Westie, he was hard to train to recall with distractions. I decided to do a few one-on-one lessons with Donna. These sessions have been wonderful! Donna gives very clear and usable advice, with targeted 'homework'. We started with basic attention commands and have been working up to more constant control of this little guy's impulses. Targeting ('touch' commands) and consistent reinforcement have really helped us corral Finley's boundless energy and get his attention focused on us, though he'll probably always have a weakness for foolishly friendly squirrels. One of the most important things in training a dog is training the human, and Donna has patiently helped me help Finn, in a very friendly and caring way.
We haven't had any major behavioral issues to contend with, in part because we started working with Donna early on. I'm excited to continue to work with Donna on more sophisticated obedience commands and I would recommend Donna without hesitation to anyone looking to improve one of their most important relationships, the one with the dog!
-Stephanie, Alan, and Finley
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Bosley
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I found myself in the very challenging situation of having an 18-month old male shelter dog on my hands who needed enough exercise for 3 dogs and was convinced every unknown person and dog on the street was out to get him. I had no experience in this type of circumstances but needed a ton of very well-informed professional help in a hurry. Donna came to the rescue in a big way. She had not only the bravery to step in and work with a pretty beefy dog that had directed some pretty ferocious barking at a very experienced trainer, but also had a soft touch and a positive outlook that made an enormous difference in our poochs life. We wouldn’t have made it without her help. Not only is his level of problem behavior much diminished, but we can take him out any time and be confident we have the tools to get him in the right state of mind before trouble starts.
-John D., Cambridge, MA
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Fergus and Penuche
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Fergus is a rescued, happy-go-lucky terrier mix who adored Donna and her CGC class. He loved to "perform" and aced his CGC test.
Conversely, Penuche, a rescued hound mix, came to the CGC class a doggie wallflower. She was shy and fearful of strangers, and would rather have ducked behind her humans. With so much baggage, she needed to take the class two times before passing her CGC test. Fortunately, Donna has a great "bag of tricks" and knew how to help us calm and coax and treat our shy girl into shedding some of that baggage and letting her inner happy puppy shine through. Penuche and I had a lot of fun!
Donna was knowledgeable, calm, kind, and patient - and not just with the dogs!. She offered clear instruction and demonstrations, and was very helpful in customizing her training to the needs of the dog. The class environment was always organized, safe, personal, positive and respectful of the dogs. We have recommended Donna to other people and will continue to do so.
-Ellen G., Quincy, MA
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Tess
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We have been boarding our Golden Retriever, Tess, with Donna for three years and could not recommend her more highly. Tess loves staying with her, and we love knowing that Tess is getting the best possible care in a warm, comfortable, friendly environment. Tess truly feels like she is at home, or at least the next best thing. Donna has gone above and beyond for us, taking Tess to the vet, and even taking care of her after a surgery. The funny pictures Donna has taken of Tess at her house demonstrate to us just how happy Tess is there, and are some of our favorite shots of our silly girl.
Donna also helped us prepare Tess for the birth of our first child 2.5 years ago. Her training methods were effective and Tess is now a wonderful "big sister" to our 2.5 year old daughter and her 5 month old brother.
-Kiera C., Boston, MA
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Tucker
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Donna has been working with us and our 3 year old Pitbull, Tucker, for over two years. She worked for a year with Tucker on training walks, as well as doing individual training/body handling sessions and has had him as a “house guest” many times when we’ve been out of town. We could not be happier with Donna – upon meeting her it became clear to us almost instantly that she was going to be professional, devoted and caring – and we were right! Her calm demeanor is a perfect fit for Tucker’s high energy and it’s shown in his improved behavior. Whether in a training session or dropping him off at Donna’s house for the weekend, we always know he’s in good hands. And don’t just take that from me – one glimpse of Donna and Tucker’s tail practically wags off his behind! Suffice to say, we love working with Donna and are so glad we found her.
Diane & Greg
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Elsa
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Our dog is an energetic crazy girl. We tried other trainers who threw up their hands. Donna got her to behave and even do tricks! She has helped trouble-shoot how to deal with certain behaviors and how to change bad habits. Our dog loves her. She even recognizes the sound of Donna's car!
-Alexandra H., Belmont, MA
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