Pawfect Manners Dog Training

Very disappointing! We paid Stephanie $ 1500 up front at her recommendation to save money that way. We paid for her package that offers 25 sessions with no time limit. We did so because we needed flexibility with kids sports schedules and school. She took our money but did not deliver on the 25 sessions because she said she didnt «tally» the sessions. In addition, her training consisted of coming and siting and talking for an hour while her dog sadie ran around the yard with our two dogs. No other training outside of that? Not impressed to say the least. We know that our younger dog was more dominant. Other trainers have told us that was the case. Stephanie wanted to take her for the weekend to prove that was not the case. She told us she was not going to charge for that because she felt it was not a dominant issue. Stephanie recommended after that weekend that she was not dominant but that we give her back to the breeder for another dog that would be a better temperament with our older dog. However, we did not take that advice since we were already attached to our younger dog. Guess what? As the younger dog as matured she gets along great with our older dog so we are SO glad we never took her advice on that. At the end of the day, regardless of what Stephanie may say, we signed a contract and have a credit card receipt for $ 1500. I have texted her and she says there was a time limit when the package we signed up for was 25 sessions… no time limit. I have texted her again asking to deliver all 25 sessions or provide a refund for sessions not accounted for. She is not responding which is not good business and is a poor reflection on her creditability and business. The least she could have done in good faith was honor the very contract she wanted us to sign. She is not providing a refund for lost sessions. We have had crazy schedules with the kids along with the death of a family member. She insists we are out of luck because she says there was a timeline when we choose and paid for the 25 session package so we were not held to a timeline. Anyhow, initially it seemed like this was a good way to go. I saw another review on thumbtack dated July 2013 where another individual stated Stephanie just came to the house and just sat and talk. Stephanie’s response was that she never knew her. LOL. All I can say is that $ 1500 was alot of money for our family to spend on training and wish we would have spent it with someone who honored their agreement.

When I got Nara, an Australian Cattle/​German Shorthaired Pointer, I had every intention of training her and raising her with discipline. I was NOT going to let this dog run the house.
What I discovered when I brought her home the first day was how many factors I hadn’t considered and I had no idea what I was doing. This 10 pound little canine was not at all like the felines I was accustomed to her, and neediness astounded me. I felt like Tom Selig in 3 Men a Baby. Only this baby had teeth, and was walking and barking.
My initial attempts to train her through a large training business were moderate at best. They taught me a few key tricks, things Stephanie later backed up, but overall the experience was extremely lacking and most work we did was talking, not working with the dog. For the money I spent, I felt my dog wasn’t much better off, and I was not given the skills needed that later became a very serious attitude problem.
I was able to curb some of Nara’s tendencies by the time Stephanie met Nara. However, her high energy and dominance issues were oppressing the lighthearted play that she and Sadie instantly began upon meeting. In that first session, Stephanie taught me the invaluable lesson how to correct my dog several different ways, why, and what it all meant. And I didn’t have to be violent or throw my energy off course. In fact, defusing my anger and frustration was her first accomplishment. Not to mention, I was no longer a parent of one, but part a team in this dog-​rearing mission.
In the months and now years following, our work has expanded to new levels that allow me to connect more deeply with my dog than I ever thought possible by breaking down barriers. Together, my Nara and I have learned and taught each other our own languages, and we have found this non verbal communication I envy in many of my human relationships.
To say Stephanie saved my relationship with my pup is an understatement I can only hope to begin to express someday. For now, I can only utter a humble thank you. Anyone would be lucky to get an opportunity to work with her as I’m sure she will radically transform your canine connection.

If you are hiring Stephanie to «train your dog», you’re not doing it right.
If people could just «hire someone» to «train their dog», we’d all have perfect dogs, now wouldn’t we? The first thing you’ll learn when you hire Stephanie is that it’s not your dog. It’s not necessarily you! Well, it’s mostly you, but there are so many other factors that come into play when raising an intelligent animal. There is no quick fix, and no, Stephanie cannot do it for you. It’s going to take work. But she will hold your hand through the entire process as long as you let her.
(I have what Stephanie refers to as the most aggressive dog she has ever worked with. So please consider the credibility of this review.)
If you want to learn why your pet behaves the way it does, then hire Stephanie.
If you want to learn why what you’re currently doing isn’t working, then hire Stephanie.
If you’re willing to invest time, energy, and a modest amount of money into giving your pet the best life possible, then hire Stephanie.
This is the beauty of working with her. She is so passionate about what she does, so dedicated to her field, that she will explain to you in full detail, with real life examples, scientific evidence, and historic data, why your pet is the way it is. The education she shares is the primary foundation for being able to alter the behavior in your pet. Then, and only then, do you get to techniques.
The first thing Stephanie considers is safety, and she immediately fitted my dog for a custom muzzle, which not only keeps other animals and people safe, but put me at ease immediately. This also allowed Stephanie to introduce my dog to challenging situations. The muzzle has been a door opener for me and my aggressive dog. We can now safely be around other people and dogs, and often walk with other muzzled dogs that Stephanie has introduced us to. It is this basic precautionary method that make Stephanie so very important to the local dog community. If more people hired Stephanie or someone like her, we wouldn’t be reading about dog bites in the paper every single week. We would know better, and know how to see the signs that our dogs are uncomfortable and might snap. Though it is a business, I think of Pawfect Manners as a paid community service in my dog-​loving mind.
In my case, my dog is extremely scared, and acts on a pattern of instinct she has developed over years of fearful reaction. So the process for us is a lot of exposure to challenging situations, patience, and exercise! Stephanie didn’t tell me this, send me a bill, and ditch me. No, I see Stephanie ALL THE TIME. I join her for group walks with other clients with aggressive dogs, all muzzled. We meet regularly to expose my dog to new challenges. And more often than any of that, I am in constant text contact with Stephanie, asking questions about dog behavior, celebrating my dog’s successes, ranting the failures, and referring my bad-​dog neighbors. She’ll even help you out when your dog has digestive issues! Hell! How many «dog trainers» do that? As long as Pawfect Manners is in business, I will be a client.
And how’s my dog? She snuggled with Stephanie for a brief moment last week. Recently, she was OK with another dog being in my house (this is a big step!). She allows new people to pet her (occasionally). She walks calmly, shoulder to shoulder, with other muzzled dogs on a weekly basis.
But more importantly, Stephanie has taken me from desperation about my bad-​dog situation, to hopeful. Stephanie is a gift to dogs and their loving owners like myself.