By far the best trainer in town.

My wife and I rescued an 18 month old German Shepherd Dog in February 2007. The dog was very shy and malnourished yet had keen eyes that always seemed to be watching us, and a very sweet way of cuddling up to my wife’s feet. The dog came from a house of 4 kids and 5 dogs and acted as if she may have been beaten.



We contacted Ohio State K9 College, from a trusted referral, and followed the owner's instructions to do nothing but give the dog love and affection for the first three weeks that she was in her new home. She is a German Shepherd of European lines, and after getting used to her new home, her shyness was replaced with the stubbornness and a high drive dominant attitude that is typical of working line GSDs. My wife said that if the dog didn't improve it would have to go, and I am guessing that this would have been a death sentence because no one else in their right mind would have taken this dog. We went to Ohio State K9 for an evaluation and started the Total Control course ASAP after he determined that her temperament is sound (we had to make sure she wasn't vicious or a fear-biter).



Over a year has passed by and our dog is now absolutely wonderful. Not only did OSK9 teach us 40+ commands- on and off leash -but he gave us invaluable advice on nutrition, grooming, exercise, and toy selection. He was even available for last-minute boarding at a fair price when a dog sitter canceled right before we left for vacation. We get compliments on her appearance and behavior almost everywhere that we take her, especially from our neighbors who have witnessed her complete 180. More importantly, my wife and I share an indescribable bond with our dog, who seems to have an almost human intelligence. Best of all the training was completed without any cruel methods life choke/spike collars or "gentle" leaders.



The money that we’ve invested in the training is a bargain when averaged over a GSD’s 12 year life expectancy, and as a bonus my wife and I are confident that we will be able to use what we’ve learned to train the dog which we will adopt this summer by ourselves (but I have a feeling we’ll call OSK9 for pointers a time or two).



I am confident that OSK9 helped us save this dog’s life, and I recommend his Total Control course to anyone who wants to be a responsible dog owner of a large breed dog. The owner is passionate about what he does and he will make you read his Web site before you have a further conversation, but this is vital to learn about his philosophy and what separates him from the incompetant "student trainers" and dog chokers at some of the other schools.