VANGALIS'S STORY
Our Puli came to us at 8 months old. He had completely missed out on socialization, and was very nervous, fearful and difficult to bond with. Over the course of the first year, he did come out of his shell and bond with us but was very reactive towards any perceived threat, such as a new car on the street, new people and other dogs. We were able to make some headway with him, but most of our strategies involved managing the environment and keeping a close eye on the dog, ready to intervene and remove him when he reacted. The most frustrating part for us was the unpredictability of his behavior, he would suddenly lunge or erupt in ferocious barking for no apparent reason. Karen was recommended to us, and we began working with her in the early summer of this year. Karen has been able to explain his behavior allowing us to really connect with him and start teaching him new coping skills, instead of just managing his environment. As a result, he is much more confident in new situations, and we are able to recognize subtle cues as to how he is coping. Although we had managed to build some confidence, he still lacked trust in our abilities. Karen taught us how to establish ourselves as the leaders in the family, and he was finally able to let his guard down and relax. Now, we are able to introduce him to new environments, and see his comfort zone expanding. It is so nice to see him become curious and actually engage willingly with new people and other dogs. The difference is amazing, and we are really beginning to see the dog he was meant to be.
Emily and Mike,
Ayr, Ontario
Our Puli came to us at 8 months old. He had completely missed out on socialization, and was very nervous, fearful and difficult to bond with. Over the course of the first year, he did come out of his shell and bond with us but was very reactive towards any perceived threat, such as a new car on the street, new people and other dogs. We were able to make some headway with him, but most of our strategies involved managing the environment and keeping a close eye on the dog, ready to intervene and remove him when he reacted. The most frustrating part for us was the unpredictability of his behavior, he would suddenly lunge or erupt in ferocious barking for no apparent reason. Karen was recommended to us, and we began working with her in the early summer of this year. Karen has been able to explain his behavior allowing us to really connect with him and start teaching him new coping skills, instead of just managing his environment. As a result, he is much more confident in new situations, and we are able to recognize subtle cues as to how he is coping. Although we had managed to build some confidence, he still lacked trust in our abilities. Karen taught us how to establish ourselves as the leaders in the family, and he was finally able to let his guard down and relax. Now, we are able to introduce him to new environments, and see his comfort zone expanding. It is so nice to see him become curious and actually engage willingly with new people and other dogs. The difference is amazing, and we are really beginning to see the dog he was meant to be.
Emily and Mike,
Ayr, Ontario
TIMBER and CHIP'S STORY
I met Karen about 1.5 years ago when I was searching for a dog walking group to join with my three high energy Australian Shepherds. I quickly learned about Karen's many talents - dog training, grooming and boarding. I had recently moved to the Waterloo region after living in a rural setting for many years. Coming to the city was an adjustment for all of us! Two of my Aussies had become very reactive to other dogs and it had become quite a struggle to walk them in the city. Their issues even resulted in them pulling me over and I sustained a concussion. Karen came to the rescue by giving me the tools I needed to help my dogs relax in the presence of other dogs. The transformation in their behavior has been dramatic and I now feel comfortable walking all three dogs together in any setting without fear of being injured. I highly recommend Karen for anything from teaching basic dog manners to dealing with major behavioral issues.
Jenn,
Kitchener, Ontario
I met Karen about 1.5 years ago when I was searching for a dog walking group to join with my three high energy Australian Shepherds. I quickly learned about Karen's many talents - dog training, grooming and boarding. I had recently moved to the Waterloo region after living in a rural setting for many years. Coming to the city was an adjustment for all of us! Two of my Aussies had become very reactive to other dogs and it had become quite a struggle to walk them in the city. Their issues even resulted in them pulling me over and I sustained a concussion. Karen came to the rescue by giving me the tools I needed to help my dogs relax in the presence of other dogs. The transformation in their behavior has been dramatic and I now feel comfortable walking all three dogs together in any setting without fear of being injured. I highly recommend Karen for anything from teaching basic dog manners to dealing with major behavioral issues.
Jenn,
Kitchener, Ontario
DAWSON'S STORY
My name is Lindsay and Dawson is my 6 year old Yellow Lab. Dawson was a challenge since day one – wildly protective of me he was often aggressive on a leash. Pulling me down the street and often would lunge at other dogs. I hit my breaking point a couple years ago as I began to be afraid I could not control my own dog. Dawson is just the sweetest most loving boy at home, but on a leash I just couldn’t predict his behavior. I reached out to Karen at a time when I was pretty upset about the situation and feared losing my 4 legged best friend. Karen was eager to jump in and work with me and my dog to find a solution. After meeting Karen once, I knew we would be a good fit. I explained to her I did not want to use any sort of tactics such as shock collars etc. as I have previously been told by other trainers this was my only solution. Karen agreed and was more than accommodating to my requests as she also believed there are effective ways of training that do not involve painful punishments. Karen and I met and came up with a plan to begin working together weekly. I was absolutely shocked at how quickly I began to see changes in my dog. I think Karen likely did more training on my mother and I than she ever did on the actual dog (we were a big part of the problem), but Karen was able to teach us how to be more effective. I have worked with Karen individually, and in group classes, I trust her judgement and advice completely. Her kindness and compassion towards animals comes through in her work. Karen has become someone very important to us and was a major factor in allowing me to keep my dog. Dawson is a wonderful dog. I have learned the type of dog he is, and the type of dog he is not. Although Dawson will never be a dog that I will send out in the yard to play with a bunch of kids, he IS the kind of dog that walks gently on his leash, interacts with other dogs politely, is VERY obedient, and can even engage in some off leash activities now. His behavior at home has completely changed, and although he still often likes to snoop around the counters and catch me when I leave bread out…. (hes a lab… what can you do?), his obedience overall has increased tremendously. Karen is creative in her approach and will include different training strategies to reach your personal training goals with your dogs. I am absolutely thrilled with the services Karen has provided from training, to grooming, to boarding. Karen listens to my concerns and works through them with me. My dog is the most important thing in the whole world to me, and there is no one I trust more than Karen Gallant and Common Scents K9. I would recommend this business to ANYONE. Thanks to Karen, I truly enjoy my dog more than ever. Thank you Karen !
Lindsay and Dawson,
Kitchener, Ontario
My name is Lindsay and Dawson is my 6 year old Yellow Lab. Dawson was a challenge since day one – wildly protective of me he was often aggressive on a leash. Pulling me down the street and often would lunge at other dogs. I hit my breaking point a couple years ago as I began to be afraid I could not control my own dog. Dawson is just the sweetest most loving boy at home, but on a leash I just couldn’t predict his behavior. I reached out to Karen at a time when I was pretty upset about the situation and feared losing my 4 legged best friend. Karen was eager to jump in and work with me and my dog to find a solution. After meeting Karen once, I knew we would be a good fit. I explained to her I did not want to use any sort of tactics such as shock collars etc. as I have previously been told by other trainers this was my only solution. Karen agreed and was more than accommodating to my requests as she also believed there are effective ways of training that do not involve painful punishments. Karen and I met and came up with a plan to begin working together weekly. I was absolutely shocked at how quickly I began to see changes in my dog. I think Karen likely did more training on my mother and I than she ever did on the actual dog (we were a big part of the problem), but Karen was able to teach us how to be more effective. I have worked with Karen individually, and in group classes, I trust her judgement and advice completely. Her kindness and compassion towards animals comes through in her work. Karen has become someone very important to us and was a major factor in allowing me to keep my dog. Dawson is a wonderful dog. I have learned the type of dog he is, and the type of dog he is not. Although Dawson will never be a dog that I will send out in the yard to play with a bunch of kids, he IS the kind of dog that walks gently on his leash, interacts with other dogs politely, is VERY obedient, and can even engage in some off leash activities now. His behavior at home has completely changed, and although he still often likes to snoop around the counters and catch me when I leave bread out…. (hes a lab… what can you do?), his obedience overall has increased tremendously. Karen is creative in her approach and will include different training strategies to reach your personal training goals with your dogs. I am absolutely thrilled with the services Karen has provided from training, to grooming, to boarding. Karen listens to my concerns and works through them with me. My dog is the most important thing in the whole world to me, and there is no one I trust more than Karen Gallant and Common Scents K9. I would recommend this business to ANYONE. Thanks to Karen, I truly enjoy my dog more than ever. Thank you Karen !
Lindsay and Dawson,
Kitchener, Ontario
BERKLEY'S STORY
Berkley is a 5-year-old Terrier X that I adopted from the SPCA in the fall of 2015. I had been warned that he pulled on the leash when walking but I thought this was something I could deal with. Otherwise, Berkley seemed like a nice dog, a bit of a goof, a quiet companion in the house and good at meeting other dogs on the street. But after 4 or 5 weeks with me his behaviours changed. Now I had a dog that yanked me around the countryside, lunged at people on the sidewalk and became a whirling barking dervish at every bus, pick up truck, dog or raven that passed us. Going for a walk was not pleasant and it upset me to be so frustrated. A friend told me there was a new dog trainer in town so we joined Karen Gallant’s beginner class. What a difference that made!
Karen’s approach is calm, kind, practical and uses voice for praise. Always encouraging and positive, Karen pointed out good things happening with Berkley, things that I couldn’t see. This changed my view and gave me hope. She taught me about communicating with my dog and ways of handling him. Berkley & I signed up for the next level of training classes and learned more. I am pleased to say that our walks are on a relaxed leash and we pass strangers and buses without concerns. Berkley is still a dog ‘in progress’ but I am confident because I see improvements every day. Without hesitation, I recommend Karen and her training methods.
Joanne,
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
Berkley is a 5-year-old Terrier X that I adopted from the SPCA in the fall of 2015. I had been warned that he pulled on the leash when walking but I thought this was something I could deal with. Otherwise, Berkley seemed like a nice dog, a bit of a goof, a quiet companion in the house and good at meeting other dogs on the street. But after 4 or 5 weeks with me his behaviours changed. Now I had a dog that yanked me around the countryside, lunged at people on the sidewalk and became a whirling barking dervish at every bus, pick up truck, dog or raven that passed us. Going for a walk was not pleasant and it upset me to be so frustrated. A friend told me there was a new dog trainer in town so we joined Karen Gallant’s beginner class. What a difference that made!
Karen’s approach is calm, kind, practical and uses voice for praise. Always encouraging and positive, Karen pointed out good things happening with Berkley, things that I couldn’t see. This changed my view and gave me hope. She taught me about communicating with my dog and ways of handling him. Berkley & I signed up for the next level of training classes and learned more. I am pleased to say that our walks are on a relaxed leash and we pass strangers and buses without concerns. Berkley is still a dog ‘in progress’ but I am confident because I see improvements every day. Without hesitation, I recommend Karen and her training methods.
Joanne,
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
LUNA and CINNAMON'S STORY
I own two female Lab/Rottweiler mixed siblings, Luna and Cinnamon. I allowed both my teenage daughter and son to purchase puppies for our household. Started out great, kids took responsibility and then wanted to take the dogs back and forth to their dad’s house on their week there. Two different homes, sibling females, no one dominant master was the perfect mix for needing Karen’s training help. Karen changed my outlook on raising these dogs, and gave me permission to have the freedom to say no. Her training changed our lives, and gave me back the joy of having these dogs. I originally started taking the dogs to doggy day camp to give them some social time with other dogs, and a chance to run around as our yard was too small. I also struggled to walk them, especially together. They both pulled like crazy, especially my black lab Luna. I worked long hours and often felt guilty not providing more for them. But doggy day camp although good, didn't address the issues I was having to deal with every day. So I asked for help. We set up training sessions on separate days as I needed to work with each dog individually. The first day with Cinnamon showed how nervous this dog was. Karen taught me about the warning signs of fear and anxiety that Cinnamon was showing and how to ease those for her. Over the 4 weeks of training, Cinnamon became quite easy to walk and much more behaved. Cinnamon loved to please and be praised. She is totally respectful of me, and the house rules that we implemented and much happier because of it. Luna, well that’s a different story. Luna in the beginning showed absolutely no respect. In the first session it was quite clear that Luna ruled the show. It was when Karen took the lead and totally controlled the walk with Luna, we both knew instantly it was “the human” that Luna didn’t respect. Ouch, yup that hurt! The next 3 weeks with Luna were harder, it was a lot of emotion and training. More training for me than her. Karen taught me so much I can’t possibly write it in a few paragraphs. Luna still needs reminders about her behaviour but I am able to walk her and take her places as she listens and respects my commands. As I write these words and relive these times, it brings a ton of emotion back. It was tough times with my dogs and my kids and Karen helped put some sense and enjoyment back into having a pet and life. From the bottom of my heart I can’t thank her enough.
Julie,
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
I own two female Lab/Rottweiler mixed siblings, Luna and Cinnamon. I allowed both my teenage daughter and son to purchase puppies for our household. Started out great, kids took responsibility and then wanted to take the dogs back and forth to their dad’s house on their week there. Two different homes, sibling females, no one dominant master was the perfect mix for needing Karen’s training help. Karen changed my outlook on raising these dogs, and gave me permission to have the freedom to say no. Her training changed our lives, and gave me back the joy of having these dogs. I originally started taking the dogs to doggy day camp to give them some social time with other dogs, and a chance to run around as our yard was too small. I also struggled to walk them, especially together. They both pulled like crazy, especially my black lab Luna. I worked long hours and often felt guilty not providing more for them. But doggy day camp although good, didn't address the issues I was having to deal with every day. So I asked for help. We set up training sessions on separate days as I needed to work with each dog individually. The first day with Cinnamon showed how nervous this dog was. Karen taught me about the warning signs of fear and anxiety that Cinnamon was showing and how to ease those for her. Over the 4 weeks of training, Cinnamon became quite easy to walk and much more behaved. Cinnamon loved to please and be praised. She is totally respectful of me, and the house rules that we implemented and much happier because of it. Luna, well that’s a different story. Luna in the beginning showed absolutely no respect. In the first session it was quite clear that Luna ruled the show. It was when Karen took the lead and totally controlled the walk with Luna, we both knew instantly it was “the human” that Luna didn’t respect. Ouch, yup that hurt! The next 3 weeks with Luna were harder, it was a lot of emotion and training. More training for me than her. Karen taught me so much I can’t possibly write it in a few paragraphs. Luna still needs reminders about her behaviour but I am able to walk her and take her places as she listens and respects my commands. As I write these words and relive these times, it brings a ton of emotion back. It was tough times with my dogs and my kids and Karen helped put some sense and enjoyment back into having a pet and life. From the bottom of my heart I can’t thank her enough.
Julie,
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
WOODY'S STORY
As a dog lover, and the adopter of Woody, a nearly adult, oddball little dog from an animal shelter, I naturally wanted to do the best for him. I provided for his physical needs - food, shelter, daily exercise - but Woody was a behaviour problem. He only listened when he wanted to, he was badly behaved when people came to visit, and he tried to control all the action during our walks, lagging behind so he could walk at his own speed, frequently stopping to take his time to sniff clumps of grass and telephone poles. He was always pulling on his leash, was sometimes obnoxious, and seemed anxious and afraid of the world, covering his fear with aggressive barking. Love wasn't enough; I needed a new vocabulary to "talk" to Woody to help him understand his place and role in our shared world.
I'd read books, checked out websites, talked to other dog owners, but couldn't seem to find the right way to train Woody. Then I signed up for lessons from professional dog trainer Karen Gallant. Karen changed my approach to training Woody.
He is a much happier dog now. He walks on his leash like a pro, and stops to take only quick sniffs of telephone poles. He is still somewhat anxious when company comes, but he is gradually learning to accept the presence of others.
Attending Karen's training sessions made a positive change in my relationship with Woody. She loves dogs, offers practical advice, is very supportive, has a good sense of humour and is very happy when dogs and humans learn to live together. I highly recommend Karen Gallant to anyone wishing to train a dog, even a problem dog like Woody. He is still an oddball, which is part of his charm, but he is not nearly as anxious and fearful as he used to be thanks to Karen's very thoughtful advice and professional training.
Sunny Munroe,
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
As a dog lover, and the adopter of Woody, a nearly adult, oddball little dog from an animal shelter, I naturally wanted to do the best for him. I provided for his physical needs - food, shelter, daily exercise - but Woody was a behaviour problem. He only listened when he wanted to, he was badly behaved when people came to visit, and he tried to control all the action during our walks, lagging behind so he could walk at his own speed, frequently stopping to take his time to sniff clumps of grass and telephone poles. He was always pulling on his leash, was sometimes obnoxious, and seemed anxious and afraid of the world, covering his fear with aggressive barking. Love wasn't enough; I needed a new vocabulary to "talk" to Woody to help him understand his place and role in our shared world.
I'd read books, checked out websites, talked to other dog owners, but couldn't seem to find the right way to train Woody. Then I signed up for lessons from professional dog trainer Karen Gallant. Karen changed my approach to training Woody.
He is a much happier dog now. He walks on his leash like a pro, and stops to take only quick sniffs of telephone poles. He is still somewhat anxious when company comes, but he is gradually learning to accept the presence of others.
Attending Karen's training sessions made a positive change in my relationship with Woody. She loves dogs, offers practical advice, is very supportive, has a good sense of humour and is very happy when dogs and humans learn to live together. I highly recommend Karen Gallant to anyone wishing to train a dog, even a problem dog like Woody. He is still an oddball, which is part of his charm, but he is not nearly as anxious and fearful as he used to be thanks to Karen's very thoughtful advice and professional training.
Sunny Munroe,
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
SOPHIE'S STORY
Sophie is our 1 1/2 year old Lagotto Romagnolo. She is a great little dog and likes to 'talk'. She however goes over the top with the talking when a stranger arrives and is also quite timid and afraid of strangers we encounter when doing our walks. She often barks at strangers too. Enter Karen Gallant. We enrolled Sophie in Karen's beginner and then her intermediate obedience classes. Both were great investments and the whole family took lasting value away from the experience. Karen teaches a winning combination of environmental exposure and correcting that had the desirable influence and result for Sophie. I could go on with more positive examples but suffice it to say we are highly pleased with the results and take away that Karen provided us through the training.
Ray and Denise
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
Sophie is our 1 1/2 year old Lagotto Romagnolo. She is a great little dog and likes to 'talk'. She however goes over the top with the talking when a stranger arrives and is also quite timid and afraid of strangers we encounter when doing our walks. She often barks at strangers too. Enter Karen Gallant. We enrolled Sophie in Karen's beginner and then her intermediate obedience classes. Both were great investments and the whole family took lasting value away from the experience. Karen teaches a winning combination of environmental exposure and correcting that had the desirable influence and result for Sophie. I could go on with more positive examples but suffice it to say we are highly pleased with the results and take away that Karen provided us through the training.
Ray and Denise
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
MAGGIE'S STORY
After taking Maggie, our female Chinese Crested/Maltese, to several trainers we got lucky when we where introduced to Karen Gallant by a friend. She was the answer to our prayers.
Not having been socialized for the first few months of her life, Maggie came to us extremely terrified of new people and dogs. This behavior morphed into aggression, reactivity and resource guarding. The behavior continued to spiral downward despite consulting a number of trainers until we met Karen when Maggie was over a year old. Where others had failed, Karen succeeded. She had the right approach to help our family deal with these issues. With Karen's training and counseling, Maggie was transformed from a scared rescue to a more confident and well-mannered pet. We learned we could trust Karen for all of our pet's needs. Karen also groomed and proved quality day care for our pets who loved going to see her. No small feat considering Maggie did not warm up to anyone she didnt know well. With Karen's help we were also able to introduce a second dog into our life and couldn't be happier with the result.
Judy and Terry
Kitchener, Ontario
HOLLY'S STORY
My name is Lisa and I have a two year old female Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog named Holly. I did not pick her from the litter as she was the last puppy left. I was told at the exchange with the breeder that she was the most dominate puppy of the litter.
Before I met Karen I was at my wits end with Holly. Holly considered herself the pack leader and was continually biting myself and my daughter if we showed any kind of control. She would not listen to us at all and we spent most of our time fighting with her to do the simplest things. We knew she didn't respect us in any form. That and our frustration made it difficult to enjoy our time with her.
We met Karen in October 2014 when we were looking for somewhere to board Holly. Holly began going to Doggy Daycare with Karen and we began talking about the issues we were having. So we started personal training sessions to learn how to deal with dominance. As we started to have more confidence in our abilities we noticed that Holly was gaining respect for us. The biting stopped, she started listening and our home life improved greatly. We were no longer afraid of her and could see the respect she had for us.
In May 2015, Karen started a seven week group training class. I immediatley signed us up as I knew we could always learn new things. At the end of the seven weeks I had even more control with Holly and saw that she had even more resect for me.
I know that with Holly she is always going to try to push to see what she will get away with. She is very vocal but she listens so much better.
I am very thankful that Karen came into our lives. She has made an impact and I believe that without her I don't think we would have been able to keep Holly. She has tought me so much and has changed our lives for the better.
Lisa
Kitchener, Ontario
My name is Lisa and I have a two year old female Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog named Holly. I did not pick her from the litter as she was the last puppy left. I was told at the exchange with the breeder that she was the most dominate puppy of the litter.
Before I met Karen I was at my wits end with Holly. Holly considered herself the pack leader and was continually biting myself and my daughter if we showed any kind of control. She would not listen to us at all and we spent most of our time fighting with her to do the simplest things. We knew she didn't respect us in any form. That and our frustration made it difficult to enjoy our time with her.
We met Karen in October 2014 when we were looking for somewhere to board Holly. Holly began going to Doggy Daycare with Karen and we began talking about the issues we were having. So we started personal training sessions to learn how to deal with dominance. As we started to have more confidence in our abilities we noticed that Holly was gaining respect for us. The biting stopped, she started listening and our home life improved greatly. We were no longer afraid of her and could see the respect she had for us.
In May 2015, Karen started a seven week group training class. I immediatley signed us up as I knew we could always learn new things. At the end of the seven weeks I had even more control with Holly and saw that she had even more resect for me.
I know that with Holly she is always going to try to push to see what she will get away with. She is very vocal but she listens so much better.
I am very thankful that Karen came into our lives. She has made an impact and I believe that without her I don't think we would have been able to keep Holly. She has tought me so much and has changed our lives for the better.
Lisa
Kitchener, Ontario
WIMSEY'S STORY
When we brought our Golden Doodle puppy home almost 3 years ago, I thought my previous dog experience would be enough to see me through. Wrong! Each dog is an individual and one forgets a lot about puppy training in a decade. My puppy was a super sensitive, easily anxious, and very enthusiastic boy dog. (I now understand why so many 18 month old male dogs end up abandoned.)
I worked with Karen in various ways over 2.5 years-from quick phone consultations about specific behaviors, to individual and group basic obedience training. Three things about Karen's training approach stand out to me:
Wimsey's Owner
Kitchener, Ontario
When we brought our Golden Doodle puppy home almost 3 years ago, I thought my previous dog experience would be enough to see me through. Wrong! Each dog is an individual and one forgets a lot about puppy training in a decade. My puppy was a super sensitive, easily anxious, and very enthusiastic boy dog. (I now understand why so many 18 month old male dogs end up abandoned.)
I worked with Karen in various ways over 2.5 years-from quick phone consultations about specific behaviors, to individual and group basic obedience training. Three things about Karen's training approach stand out to me:
- We practiced in real situations-busy sidewalks and streets, in dog-friendly stores, and in places I planned to take my dog, such as work. Karen always explained dog development, thinking and communication to put training tactics into a meaningful context.
- For obedience training, Karen teaches straight-forward voice/hand commands and uses praise as reward. This approach is very important to me largely because my dog interacts with a wide range of people who need to be able to make their boundaries clear to my animal; but also because I lack a third hand, and find holding a leash, poop bag and delivering treats every time the dog behaves a really complicated, mind-boggling manoever.
- Karen gets people as well as dogs. Karen pointed out successes and learning opportunities for human and canine in ways that consistently gave me hope, a sense of structure, and an awareness of our accumulating victories. What's more she taught me how to communicate this to my puppy. And, Wimsey utterly adores Karen.
Wimsey's Owner
Kitchener, Ontario