Testimonials

Cocoa, Board and Train, 2014

Hey Sylvie,

Misha, Board and Train 2014

I’ve been a dog lover all my life and have had numerous dogs well loved and cared for over the years …. most recently two Golden Retrievers and a Lab/Chow mix. It took me three years after the last one passed away to feel the need to have another companion in my life. After a lengthy search for my ‘new’ dog I was lucky enough to find a gorgeous Samoyed puppy from a breeder in Wisconsin.

Misha came home with me to Texas at 8 weeks old. She was easily potty trained and was the joy of our family life. Hundreds of photos taken would prove she was the latest and greatest baby who graced the earth. However, as she grew in size and stature, she became quite a handful. I’d done extensive research on the breed and found nothing but glowing words that indicated a Samoyed would be a great fit …. wonderful family dog, smart, lots of energy, loving and caring.  however, as the Samoyeds are sled dogs by nature … my walking Misha was not so much the case as Misha walking me … or rather pulling me like an arctic sled. Those long, leisurely walks I’d dreamed of with my new best friend were not so much

walks as pulls and jerks and near disaster every time.  And the energy she had on walks was evidenced in the house as well. Misha had become a 55 lb. terror  of sorts … running our lives at every turn … chasing our sweet middle-aged cats, digging up the back yard, urinating on the floor and furniture with excitement when someone came home, jumping on people and bowling them over with her weight and excitement, nipping and yipping and barking like crazy. She was

and still is a powerful beauty with a strong will.

I took her to Puppy Kindergarten but she was so out of control, the trainers cordoned us off in the corner so she couldn’t see anyone or interact with the other dogs and they’d ‘treat’ her frequently to keep her barking down. It was a complete waste of time and money – she was the worst puppy in the class and we evidently needed much more help than they could provide.

And then we found Sylvie Nuzzolilo and Top Class K9.

At 8 months, Misha spent a month with Sylvie and came back transformed. When I dropped her off, she was pulling and barking and jumping and acting the crazy way she had been at home. When I picked her up, she was well-behaved, waited in a Sit at the door to be invited to come in or out, she walked with me without pulling on the leash, she went to her crate when commanded and waited to be invited out.  All that energy, drive and intelligence was channeled into a controlled animal who enjoyed the structure, routine and rules that had not been imposed on her until we found Sylvie.

A key part of our training experience was not only training Misha but training me as well. No matter what Sylvie taught her, if I was not able to learn and transfer the structure and rules from Sylvie and her facility once Misha got home, we’d be back in the same unruly boat.  However, Sylvie spent a great deal of time with me as well as Misha. I made numerous trips to her superb facility while Misha was boarded there, learning how to work with her, how to command and expect results from her. Sylvie gave me insight into what made her tick, her thought processes and her expectations from me as her pack leader. I practiced – with Sylvie observing – so she could critique as Misha and I worked as a team to help me help Misha be successful, giving me guidance and hints and insight so we could spend a life together in harmony …. not chaos.

We have been back home for about a month now. Sylvie sent me home with a DVD of her training Misha so I could see how she handled and instructed her as a refresher course whenever I needed it. She’s called me several times to see how Misha has progressed and I’ve been able to ask her advice when I’ve had questions or problems transferring techniques to our home setting. We practice what she learned daily. I’ve learned that training a dog is not a once and done job. It takes perseverance, patience and practice on everyone’s part.

The Misha we have at home now looks to me to be consistent, to give her boundaries and rules and to make her comply when she’s not ‘feeling it’. And Sylvie has given me the tools and insight into dog behavior – and Misha’s personality – so I know what Misha is expecting and can deliver as the pack leader. She was 2″ from my face when I was doing floor exercises a few weeks ago but after giving her the Get Back, Down, Stay commands … she calmly watched me work out from a distance. She is the best behaved dog at the Dog Park we go to. She no longer chases the cats nor digs in the yard. We’ve learned how to handle her when we come home or have guests so we have peace and calm. She goes to her crate on command. She lays at our feet while we eat. This past week, I changed from athletic shoes into ‘work’ shoes (heels) and knowing the drill, as soon as she heard the heels walking down the hall, she crated herself waiting for me to shut the door and leave to go to work.

We have Sylvie to thank for this success and our new life together! We both love you Sylvie!! And we’ll be back to visit and keep learning together.

Halen and Hendrix Obedience classes 2012

Spent the last three days in Rendon at the Happy Hounds Agility Trial. On Friday, took Hendrix for the day and he came home with Qs in Gamblers and Snooker.

Saturday and today I took Halen, who came home with Qs in Jumpers, Standard, Gamblers and Snooker, plus she got to chase a pigeon both days ;~)

I want to thank Sylvie Nuzzolilo of Top Class K-9 for our Qs this weekend in Snooker. On both Hendrix’ course on Friday and Halen’s course on Sunday, the only way I could figure out to make a course with good flow to it was to lead out across the arena to the far Red Jump, use my Rally “Call to Front” and just before they got to me I turned and asked for the Red Jump…then we were off. It was successful both times.

Elizabeth, Hendrix and Halen