Training Testimonials

Puppy testimonials

Our young lab puppy, Maggie, was an adorable loving dog. Unfortunately, her exuberance for life and unbridled excitement were driving us absolutely insane by the time she was 3 months old. We had previously enrolled her, and "completed", two separate group training programs. The first of which she was so uncontrollable, that the trainer basically stopped allowing her to participate with the other young puppies and the second of which she was relegated to "time out" sessions. To our credit, we tried to live by and practice the methods that these training programs had recommended. But, it seems, these methods just did not work for our Maggie. By the time Maggie was 10 months old, her bad habits had become dangerously out of control. She would also jump up on visitors causing bruises and deep scratches, "mouth" everyone she met, and bark for long periods of time when she was crated. The most serious problem was when she would bolt out of the front door whenever it was opened a crack, allowing her to race down our street to a very busy and dangerous thoroughfare.
When Mariah came into our lives, her tips allowed us to make progress with Maggie immediately. Seeing her interact with my dog sold me on her unbelievable insight and skills as a trainer. Maggie is now consistently obedient on or off leash and we do not have to worry about her running out the door or injuring our guests. The happy ending to the story is that we have just returned from a week's visit with my elderly and frail mother. Maggie was completely manageable and enjoyable on the 15 hour drive up and the 15 hour drive back, as well as during our stay at my Mom's home!
Thanks Mariah!
Karen Janee Manley & Janet Thrane

Mariah, Thank you so much for your patient spirit with us and our dogs. As you know, we are retired couple, but Carl really wanted a Siberian husky puppy, so I bought him one for his birthday. After 6 months of chaos, we realized that we needed help. Through my son's friends, we heard about Mariah. At the first lesson, Raisa (our dog) learned not to jump on people and not to knock us over by rushing through doorways- she now waits until we cross the threshold and kindly follows us. She also taught Raisa and showed us how to stop Raisa from chewing on our Bichon's head and to leave him alone, even off leash.
With Mariah's help, Raisa and our Bichon also stopped running out the front door, attacking the doorknobs when the doorbell rang and the incessant barking when guests arrived. Additionally, she taught both of them sit, lay down, stay (even with toys and treats flying across the room) and come. All of this she accomplished in 5 lessons. Mariah, you are a miracle worker and a natural. Thank you for giving us our sanity back.
Sue & Carl Hanks 407-862-6988


I bought a very cute female English bulldog puppy (Annya), but unfortunately learned very soon, that this sweet puppy had many bad habits. First, she would pee everywhere even on the furniture, she also liked to bite people when they played with her and she used to jump on everyone around. As days passed I enjoyed this 5 month old puppy less and less. Instead of bringing happiness into our house, she added so much work to my daily routine (I washed the floors in the kitchen 3-4 times a day.) I crated her and tried everything that books recommended in order to raise a well-behaved puppy.
I almost gave up all my hope and was thinking about giving my puppy to someone else, when I heard about Mariah's dog training business. I called her and she gave me a free consultation (she did not even pressure me to sign up) and I decided to go ahead and enroll my dog into her training program. We worked out a pee-pee schedule and my dog's water intake. I followed her recommendations and Annya's behavior improved. She stopped peeing her bed and her crate and it was such a huge relief to me.
Mariah also taught my dog different commands. It was a lot of fun and pleasure to see my dog change and become a well-behaved dog. She taught me how to communicate with my dog- how to tell her what I want and what I do like her doing. In addition to learning the basics, Mariah also taught my dog to stay out of the street and walk nicely without the need of a leash. I highly recommend Mariah for her professional approach and her unbelievable love for dogs. If you would like to confirm my testimonial by phone, please call Galina at 321-297-9572. Mariah is very reliable, responsible, hardworking and fun to be with. She will address all your needs and will work around your schedule to deliver the best training to your dog.
Sincerely,
Galina Dix

Jasper, a cute, loving puppy, had just graduated from Petsmart's group classes but was exhibiting a few behaviors at home that were not addressed during his initial training. For instance, he would bite my hands while doing my evening workout and would selectively listen to commands. I noticed Mariah's card while at the groomer's and thought maybe she could show me what it was that I needed to do.
The first time Mariah walked in the door, he respected her and did not act up. It was as if she were his owner and he held a high level of respect for her. I wondered, "how does she do that?" Mariah taught us in a fun and entertaining way how to get him to behave without the presence of treats. Initially it was hard to work on changing his behavior because he was always so good for her, but finally, on our last visit, he acted up and she showed us how to fix the problem. In fact, the hand biting wasn't really an aggressive behavior as originally thought, Jasper just wanted my hands to play with and throw the ball again. He has been better ever since. We implemented the techniques she showed us and remain consistent with them. He is much more pleasant now and so much of a joy to be around. In fact, I used the same techniques on my sister's dogs and they work every time. Thank you Mariah!!!!
Amy Parizo

Lola is a typical Boston Terrier: bouncy, playful, bossy, and easily excitable. We called Mariah because Lola seemed to need 24 hour a day 7 day a week attention. She wouldn't just lay down and relax with us, and her constant barking and jumping was out of control. Mariah commanded Lola's attention from the moment she walked in the door. Mariah helped us practice calm leadership and training skills that have equated to Lola being not only more well-mannered and trained but more relaxed and at ease. She can be walked on a leash, taken to the dog park, and she will relax at home. She is happy now to just be the dog and not the leader of the household.
Meghan Harte

Mariah was wonderful with our Doberman puppy, Tandy. Mariah helped us out ALOT and taught us quite a few things we did not know and Mariah was always very patient and had time to answer our questions. Tandy is now even more of a joy than ever. Also, Tandy LOVED Mariah. In fact, Tandy wants to add this: Mariah was so nice and cool. She set rules and boundaries for me and although we never had cuddle time, I thought she was awesome. I loved playing fun games with her and at the same time, I was learning new things. My favorite game was playing hide and seek (the come command) with Mariah- boy was she ever happy and surprised when I found her! I cannot wait to see Mariah again. Hugs and cookies,
Tandy
Love,
Kerry and Aaron

So good to hear from you. Cooper is 9 months old today and he is so very sweet and funny. He and Bella Wella are still crazy when they first get together but love each other so much. Cooper is great with the come command and he is very good at sit, stay and lay down. Cooper is still pulling on the leash and I am guilty since I let him. I cannot wait to start your 'Keep it Fresh' group class in January and I hope to hear from you soon. Thanks for staying in touch.
Debra Hudson

As a busy mother of three little girls and another on the way, I had very little time to train my schnauzer, Max. Mariah taught Hannah, my 10 year old, the proper way to walk him. She also made teaching him to stay and come exciting to teach. As a parent I know that making work appear like fun for a 10 year old is a serious task, but Mariah was completely successful. Max stays and he comes and he no longer barks and lunges at cars driving down the road. Thanks Mariah!
Beth Aleil

We bought a bulldog puppy a few months ago with the belief that they are easy to train and potty training is a snap. We quickly learned otherwise when Baccus started peeing on everything. Our doctor gave us Mariah's phone number. We called and she immediately coached us through the process of potty training. We decided to get some basic training for him and he learned so quickly with her techniques. He was walking on a leash, sitting, laying down and staying with intense distractions in no time at all. Mariah also taught us lots of games to teach him that coming when called is very exciting. Now, he is so well mannered that we can have him off leash with the garage door open and even when his dog friends come by, he listens. Thanks for everything!
Dana & Chip Castagnos


Hi Mariah, It was great to hear from you! I had just this week said I needed some new games for Miss Celeste. She gets bored so easily. She loves the hula hoop; all you have to do is get it out and say jump, off she goes. She does well on the stays, the walks and coming when we call her. However, she is still very treat motivated and stubborn. We look forward to getting back together with you for the next group class.
A Celeste update: After going to group class with Celeste, she is 100% consistent in the house and in public. Thank you so much for all your help, Mariah! Geri & Fred Layne

Thanks, Mariah for teaching Paulie all the cool tricks. We went to my Grandma's for the 4th of July and she was thoroughly impressed.
Jennifer Martuscello

Thank you, Mariah for being so kind to my husband and I. We appreciate the helpful tools and tips that you patiently provided.
Michele Bastone

Oh, patience. I named her that for a reason. I was going crazy with this puppy. The endless crying and peeing in the house were unbareable. My groomer had heard several success stories with Mariah's help from other customers, so I gave her a call. She showed me how to walk Patience and how to get her to stop chewing on my fingers. She still cries some, but even that is improving. At 5 months old, this puppy rearing experience has been better due to Mariah's help.
Mary Ellen Feidelman

It's Never too late testimonials

My dog, Lucy found me by running away from her home. She would not walk on a leash and every time the door opened, she would run away. Now I am not a novice at training dogs. I have 2 other dogs that have no issues at all. They behave on leash or off, but what to do with Lucy I did not know. Mariah taught me how to get Lucy to walk nicely on a leash. She also taught me how to eliminate her other annoying behaviors in addition to her 'escape-ism'. With consistent training, I now have the tools to get Lucy to behave on and off-leash.
Bill Dunn

Chip and Teddy were absolutely going crazy when people rang the doorbell. If anyone in the house was on the phone, it was deafening. If people came over, it was embarassing. Also, Teddy would bite my husband if he tried to give me a hug. It was not pleasant. Using Mariah's techniques they improved drastically. We have not really kept up with the training,
but they are still much better than before.
Janet Ingleton

We have always absolutely loved our poodle, Sugar. The only command she knew was sit and she has been biting us when we give her a bath. We decided it was time to get her trained. Mariah told us about dog psychology and we realized that Sugar was the boss of the house and that she had the 'Princess complex'. She told us when she wanted to play, when she did not want to leave and so on. Immediately, we shifted our perspective and decided that she was going to follow our lead. Her biting while being bathed, slowly improved. Now, we don't even have to muzzle her. She is so much more content at home and at the office. Our co-workers saw a difference very quickly and although they didn't like it at first, she has become a more welcomed sight. She listens to everyone and we enjoy our time together more now then ever. Thanks, Mariah!
Doug & Hilda Polosky

Thankful. Appreciative. Grateful. That's us, thanks to you. Thank you so much for everything you have done to help us with Miller & Dixie. I never thought our dogs would be the kind of dogs that could walk nicely, but now they are. Thank you!
Katie & Johnny

Aggression banished testimonials

Prince is a 4 1/2 year old Cairn terrier. His behavior was unpredictable when meeting other dogs, joggers or cyclists. There were certain dogs in the neighborhood that he would growl, snarl and turn somersaults in an attempt to get at. Under Mariah's guidance, I learned how to modify my behavior and how to anticipate his behavior and correct him using the proper techniques. I was amazed at how his behavior has improved. He listens and follows commands now. Our walks are more enjoyable and relaxed. His behavior is not perfect but not nearly aggressive and as I am more confident we get the situation under control before it gets out of hand. It is an ongoing process and daily I have to remind him who is in charge, it also took homework time and practice, but it has been worth it to have a calmer and more obedient dog. Thank you, Mariah.
The Walker Family

Mariah has been walking my 4 dogs for over a year. I seriously doubted her training abilities- until I gave her the chance to prove me wrong. A few months ago, I rescued a German Shepherd and took him to the local German Shepherd Rescue coordinator. At her home, she had two dueling shepherds. They could not be in the same room without bloodshed. Mariah agreed to 'take a look and see what she could do'. After we arrived, Mariah quickly got the fearful aggressive female to trust and follow her leadership. Then she had the dominant aggressive female do the same and lay down in the presence of humans- a feat no other trainer had been able to accomplish.
After 45 minutes of working with each dog individually, she was walking them both at the same time. Then she had them both lay down and she dared to step out of the middle between them. They did not fight and the rescue coordinator and myself were so impressed.
Mariah continued to work with them and although there was a set-back once inside the home, we were amazed at the progress. As per Mariah's advise, the coordinator placed the fearful aggressive dog in a home with the balanced male that I rescued. She now has a leader in him and her fearful aggressive side has dissipated. I am thoroughly impressed with Mariah's skill in working with dog aggressive dogs and I would recommend her to anyone facing this problem.
Heidi Sondi

I rescued a 4 year old bichon from a rescue group under the pretense that he was a very well mannered dog. He was not. He was very aggressive toward strangers and I fear what he would do to them. I was about to return him to his foster home if he did not make any improvement but in an act of desparation, I called Mariah. She came to my home and showed me that the way I was responding intensified his aggression. She explained to me that if I get fearful, Andy's instincts tell him that he needs to take control of the situation. I now understand that as long as I remain in a leadership state of mind, Andy willingly follows me and I can easily stop his aggressive outbreaks. We are still working on it, but there has been a lot of improvement. I am so glad she is just a phone call away.
Sonia Colon


I found a Rottweiler underneath the 408 a few months ago. We nursed him to health and found out that he was very territorial and dog aggressive. I hired Mariah to socialize him enough that we could find him a nice home. She worked with him and sent us pictures of him playing with other dogs off-leash (Shown to the right). As long as we establish ourselves as his leader, he can now be walked around other dogs on leash reliably and without any aggression. We decided that his forever home should be with us. So, he now happily shares his home with our other dog and is no longer aggressive toward people (in public or in our house) or other dogs. He is a happy guy now with our family to call his own.
Jane Upton

I had two fighting Jack Russell terriers. Madagan, the newer little man screeches when he is scared. Ginger immediately attacks him and then he fights back. Add Mariah. Mariah helped me practice calm leadership and she showed me techniques to help Madagan gain confidence and at the same time get Ginger off her high horse. I trust them together when I can supervise them and I have not had an incident in over a year.
Colin & Tili