Sherry/Laurie, Thank you for the outstanding training classes that Duncan and I just attended. Over the past several weeks, I can see a major change in Duncan’s listening and obedience skills. Given that Duncan is still a puppy at 6 months I am expecting additional improvements. You have the best training techniques as they are easy to understand and use on a daily basis. We are looking forward to additional training classes in the fall.

Michael Della Rosa

I have had several puppies that have gone through the Start Them Right classes. Each animal I have had as part of my family has been completely different. The trainers have recognized what has been special about each of my puppies and treated them like individuals. The years of training experience show in each trainer’s ability to choose the best techniques for each dog. It never fails that every class I have attended I have learned something new. What has been most important to me is I have become much better at reading my dogs’ (and other dogs’) body language which has helped me become the kind of owner my dogs deserve. This skill allows me to see the world from my dogs’ perspective and helps me each and every day. So many times I see owners with their dogs and think; I wish they had some of the same information I do. I wish everyone was able to take your classes and see the potential of what they could do with their dogs and the kind of relationships that are possible. Thank you for all of your help and advice.

Sincerely,

JaneVignovic

I recommend Start Them Right dog classes. My wife and I have taken two very different canine family members through the entire series of classes, beginning with Puppy Kindergarten and culminating in Advanced Obedience and Canine Good Citizenship. The classes were informative and enjoyable, great experiences for both dogs and owners. Although my wife and I each grew up with dogs as pets, we benefited greatly from understanding how dogs learn and from the socialization that the classes prompt. Our Boykin spaniel is high strung and more than a bit hard-headed. Sherry Dodson’s patience and teaching methods helped us avoid conflict while molding the pet’s behavior to fit our family’s needs. With the wonderful foundation Start Them Right classes provided, the Boykin has progressed to certification as a therapy dog. She was a particular comfort to my wife’s mother in the final stages of a terminal illness. We will always credit Sherry and her classes for enabling those very special moments. Our Labrador retriever is completely different. He’s as confident a pet as I’ve ever known, even from his first day at class. Sherry provided instruction and motivation to maximize his tremendous potential. My dogs recognize Sherry as an authority figure, one to be followed. To my wife and me, Sherry’s a friend whose insightfulness with our pets has tremendously enhanced our enjoyment of them.

Don Dalton
Vice President, Public Relations
North Carolina Hospital Association

December 18, 2007

Dear Sherry,

This letter of gratitude is many long years overdue. I have thoroughly enjoyed the past 8 ½ years with my wonderful, loveable Angus, and I thank you for helping me make him the well-mannered dog that he is. From that first puppy class through the Canine Good Citizen classes, I learned more about dog behavior and training from you than I ever learned in veterinary school.

Your teaching methods make the classes fun for both people and dogs, and the lessons you teach are easy to understand and put into practice. Above all, you emphasize the importance of the human-animal bond and demonstrate how that bond is strengthened when the dogs have been taught basic manners.

I strongly recommend your puppy classes to my clients with new puppies. A proper beginning will set into motion the best chance for a dog and its family to enjoy a long and happy life together.

With much gratitude,

Holly

Holly L. Weston, DVM
Jordan Lake Animal Hospital
Pittsboro, NC

Sherry Dodson is one of those rare dog trainers who has a knack for quickly seeing what motivates each dog. Fortunately for us, she also understands their humans! Her knowledge of canine and human behavior plus her intelligent and positive training methods, guarantee successful results for each canine-human team.

Her love of dogs is apparent, and they return the affection. She is an enthusiastic, cheerful, patient and knowledgeable teacher. She instills confidence in both members of the team. And she is always available to answer questions and to discuss challenges.

We were fortunate enough to enroll our Westie pup in a beginning obedience class with Sherry -- it was his first class. Not long after that, he surprised us one day by shooting out the front door, on his way to a busy street. Before our class, I would have yelled and chased after him, which would have made him run faster. Instead, I calmly and firmly gave two commands, then walked in the opposite direction; he stopped, turned around and followed me to the door, getting there before I did! We gratefully attribute that happy ending directly to our attendance in Sherry's class!

Lynda Burgiss
Cary, N.C

In 1992, I found myself in need of help as I was trying to train our new 7 week old Miniature Schnauzer, Amy. It was a happy moment when my Vet told me about a dog-trainer named Sherry Dodson. I immediately enrolled in her beginner class and thus began a great association that would last through the years. Not only did the “Start Them Right” puppy class help train ‘Amy’, but soon I needed help with ‘Susie’. Then there was ‘Lucy’ and then ‘Moses’ (who went all the way to the “Good Citizen’ Class) and now I am enjoying the challenge of training ‘Josie’. The classes have been helpful in so many ways. Not only do I have effective training methods introduced to my own dog, I also have the opportunity to see how these methods work with other dogs. The fact that each dog is treated as an individual with attention given to his/her particular breed enhances the training. And when I am faced with a seemingly insurmountable problem, there are always insightful suggestions given and demonstrated. And all this training is done in a gentle, patient way. You never go home without something to work on and in my experience, when I did what I was told to do, then my puppy did likewise. These classes have been great fun and I would never consider trying to raise a puppy without the help of the “Start Them Right”.

Dottie Stamm,
Apex, NC