Thank you for helping me with Annie, we are practicing! You have helped both of us build a lot of confidence and I could not thank you enough! Your guidance and efficiency was nothing I could of expected, everything was very clear. It was so relieving seeing Annie play and walk with Sky so well and just be a “normal” dog instead of being so intense. All of your advice has worked for Annie and myself.
Clara Lou
We are so happy with the puppy training we did with you for Milo. He is doing so well and we have had many comments from people who are surprised to learn he is only five months old because of how well-behaved he is. I tell them all about you and how effective your method of stopping problems before they start has been for us. Your emphasis on proper socialization was also right on target -- as you know he went from being a fearful puppy who was afraid to go out on the front porch to a happy, confidant dog who truly seems to love every person and dog he meets.
As you also know, Swiss Mountain Dogs are prone to barking, which concerned us a great deal living in an urban environment. Aside from the occasional alert when he is surprised by someone, I find it remarkable how little he barks and I credit your system of positive reinforcement whenever he spotted a new person, car, bicycle, etc. Even our UPS man has commented how surprised he is that Milo doesn't bark at him (as long as he is allowed to greet him)!
Finally, and most importantly to us, he is absolutely wonderful with our daughters and all of their friends. As you may recall, when you first met Milo he was treating them as litter mates, knocking them down and mouthing them repeatedly. Using your techniques, he quickly learned that kids are not puppies and now is their constant (and much gentler) companion. It seems the more children there are running around our house, the happier Milo is, which is such a pleasure to see.
Lara, Greg, Mallory, Mia and Milo Otsuka
Just wanted to send a sincere thanks for helping us through the dog & baby transition. Galt is handling Gabe really well! As I type this, they are both snoozing soundly in close proximity. Galt has been able to sleep through a few cryfests unperturbed, and Gabe napped peacefully through a mailman window attack. Galt has been gentle as he confronts his curiosity, and he responds to commands when he's checking the baby out. Though we are remaining vigilant, and know that each new context requires training & management, we can say that we are at ease and not stressed as our family hangs out together. Thanks for helping to facilitate that!
Our best, Katie, Justin, Gabe and Galt
Hi Jeff,
I thought you might like to see this photo of my dogs. They have come so far since you first came to work with us. The attached picture is a close up from this morning. They are getting along great. Thanks to your training tips Evie even successfully managed a party I had last night without running and hiding. Thank you so much!
Kim K
Hey Jeff,
My spirited llil puppy Archie is doing great. I actually thought about you right at new years as I was taking stock of things that were goig well and things I'm grateful for. Archie is a terrific dog and I know our work with you really got him off on a great start in life.
C.M.
Hi Jeff,
You worked with me, my husband Doug, and our Dachshund in December. One of the things we have been working on is barking and lunging on the leash, and I just wanted to tell you that he's started consistently looking at whomever is holding the leash, before we click, when a dog or a person approaches. I was so excited the first time he did it before I thought I might be imagining things! Of course he has his moments but I feel like everything you taught us is really working so well. Thank you so much -- we'll be in touch sometime soon for another session.
Michaela
Hi Jeff,
I wanted to drop you a note, to let you know how encouraging and helpful Buzz and I found your Stop Barking and Separation Anxiety! I found myself going back to the guide countless times in trying to help Buzz (and my neighbors). I found the most insightful point about the relationship between barking and separation. The more I worked on barking, the better Buzz was at handling separation. I had worked with "sonic" bark sensors, a citronella color, etc...but following the steps you outlined, has finally enabled me to leave the house! As the commercial says, "Priceless".
Thank you,
Liz R.
Hi Jeff,
I just wanted to follow up with you and thank you for the training session last week. Things with Fonzie are going SO much better! We are taking all necessary precautions, but he seems to really be getting used to baby Avery. Jamie and I are really feeling better that it is all going to work out. I also wanted to apologize for being such an emotional basket case when you were here, but you know how it is with these hormones. You were so helpful and patient and I just really love that dog!
Thanks again, and I will be sure to be in touch in the future if/when we need more help!
Best,
Jenny, Jamie, Avery, and Fonzie
Jeff,
Your Stop Barking and Separation Anxiety book was so helpful! I have been thinking about sending you an email about it. I could do a one-word review of your book: SUCCESS!
The book was easy to understand, simple explanations. Excellent job reiterating information to explain things a different way or drive home an idea. No fluff - just getting it done. This was the impression I had from your website, so I was not surprised by the effectiveness of your writing. But the test I suppose is whether my dog is any better off. To that I give a resounding YES!
I was totally convinced of your training expertise when after just 24 hours of yes/treat, I got this result: Artie was across the room when a neighborhood dog howled in the distance. He immediately looked at me and came for a treat without barking. My wife saw this happen, and both of our jaws hit the floor. It's been one giant train-a-thon. We work at home, so I can train him a lot thru the day and we're getting really fast results. He did some tricks before, but your book showed me how to harness his learning power and thought process to make him a calmer dog. My entire household is calmer now.
But the best benefit so far has been connecting with my dog. I am listening for the things that set him off. I am watching him closer than ever, trying to get inside his mind. There is no better way to get to know someone than to put yourself in their place. As if I didn't love Artie before - now I'm totally engrossed in this relationship and no one could pry him out of my heart.
I did not mention the crate training... I have also had immediate results. I think Artie had mild separation anxiety. But now he is starting to actually carry his kong into his crate on his own and spend time there without prompting. And he is up to two minutes of leave time without so much as a whimper. This morning he was noticeably calmer after we left him for 90 minutes. He is exhibiting much less anxiety.
Best money I ever spent! As you suggest, I'll be revisiting the book on my iPhone as Artie hits plateaus or new situations. But for now I'm riding a wave of dog training euphoria. So, please know that your work and experience is making lives more enjoyable, peaceful, and QUIET.
Josh
Hi Jeff,
Thank you so much for your amazing work on our two dogs Chloe and Doug! We previously tried other trainers and "boot camps" which were very unsuccessful and we thought we had lost all hope until we found you!
Your training techniques are GREAT with 100% positive reinforcement. Chloe being 1-1/2 years old, used to beg for food, eat everything off the ground during walks, barked at other dogs, got distracted easily and was not potty trained. Now, after your training she is fully potty trained, no longer bothers us while we eat and is very trained during her walks.
We recently adopted Doug, our 3 year old pug who had no previous training and barely knew his own name. Now, after your training Doug is very alert, listens to all his commands and knows how to sit, down, stay, give paw and so much more! You not only taught our dogs basic training skills, but you taught them life skills. You taught them how to be patient and get along with each other which is one of the best things we could have asked for! You were great with scheduling appointments and are extremely flexible.
My husband and I both work and have very busy schedules and you were able to accomodate us. You would come during weekday evenings and even on the weekends! I think it is great that you offer in-home training where our dogs are in their own environment where they are most comfortable. Thank you so much for all of your hard work. You can really see your passion for training and it shows how much you care about making peoples lives happier by training their dogs to their specific needs. Thank you so much!!! Doug and Chloe say HI!
Jessica and Jonathan Aaron
We couldn't be more pleased with how our training went with Jeff and our dog Murphy. Results so far: our little puppy can now already consistently sit, lay down, stay, wait for food until prompted, stay off the coffee table, and take treats from our fingers without biting one bit. All of this using only positive-reinforcement traning methods!
It was clear from Day One that Jeff is a true lover of dogs and a fabulous dog trainer (and Murph absolutely LOVED him). But I think his special sauce is that he's also a fantastic people trainer - Jeff knows that the time spent together isn't just about training your dog, but more importantly training YOU how to train your dog with a lot of hands-on "now you try it" moments.
Thanks to this, we better understand how to consistently shape desired behaviors (even those not directly covered in our sessions), and why what we're doing works. Murphy isn't perfectly trained on everything (yet ;), but Jeff has given us comfort that we're making great progress, and confidence in how to keep moving forward on our own.
To play on an old adage: Teach a man's dog, and you'll have a good pup for a day. Show a man how to teach his dog, and you'll have a great dog for life!
Our dog Fred had numerous behavioral problems, what we like to call 'idiosyncrasies'. Fred had a leash aggression problem when he found himself near larger dogs. He would bark like a maniac when we would open or close our garage door. On specific occasions he would pull the leash to such a degree when walking home that he would look like a sled dog. But our biggest concern was Fred's nervousness around children. He had snapped at a couple of young children which led us to keep him away from kids. We were nervous ourselves, which in turn fed Fred's insecurities. Not a great combination when your friends have children. None of these problems were apparent when Fred was a puppy. They had developed at about age 4 (still a mystery). We were worried that he would be too old to train without an immense amount of effort (and expense) on our part.
Without hesitation, our wonderful vet recommended Jeff. From the first meeting it was clear that Jeff was not merely a skilled dog trainer, but that he had entered his profession because of an overwhelming love for dogs. His training philosophy is based on positive reinforcement so Fred loved Jeff and enjoyed the training sessions from the outset. We worked with Jeff and Fred and achieved excellent results immediately. During the very first session Fred stopped barking at other dogs. The very first session! Subsequent sessions taught us how to work with Fred on his other idiosyncrasies, techniques that we still use to this day because they're fun for Fred and for us.
After a few weeks we took Fred to our neighbor's house to visit them and their 1 year old boy. Despite nervousness on our part, Fred loved it and so did the little boy. No issues! Since then, I can proudly say Fred spent 3 days in the same house as 2 young children without incident. He played with them. Fantastic.
Jeff is an excellent trainer, dogs love him and we can say without reservation that if you have a dog with an idiosyncrasy, Jeff is your man.
Thanks Jeff "Life is good"!
Rachael Adams, Greg Emery and Fred
We adopted our dog, Jack (who is a rescue), knowing he was full of energy with some well-documented anxieties. After several months passed he became increasingly reactive to the slightest sound, new people, etc. For instance, if he heard a faint noise down the hallway of our condo, he would charge our front door barking. To try to prevent his behavior from escalating, we contacted Jeff, who came highly recommended from three friends who have worked with Jeff on issues ranging from dog-to-dog aggression to resource guarding to barking.
We were immediately impressed by Jeff. He took the time to understand Jack's issues, to develop strategies to resolve those issues, and to work with us, step-by-step, on training exercises that encouraged positive behavior rather than penalized negative behavior. Jack responded quickly to Jeff's approach. From week to week, Jack's general stress level seemed to diminish and overall (not just in response to his anxieties), he became a calmer dog. By the end of our second session (of four) with Jeff, Jack had made such great progress that we were able to address other issues, like leash pulling, that we hadn't anticipated working on with Jeff. We spent almost the entirety of our final session with Jeff working on mental stimulation exercises (e.g., differentiating between toys) and less on working on behavioral issues.
We are confident that Jeff has well-equipped us with the tools to continue to achieve positive results with Jack. Particularly we are grateful for the effectiveness of Jeff's philosophy to use positive reinforcement / association rather than physically or mentally penalizing unwanted behaviors. Jeff has remained responsive even after our sessions ended and continues to be a much appreciated and valuable resource. We highly recommend him.
Loren and Louani
Jeff was recommended to us by friends of ours. On the human side, he responds to emails/calls promptly and follows up with a confirmation email/call before each session. He's very interested in what we want out of the sessions, but also gives guidance when we aren't really sure what we should want or expect.
Jeff's knowledge and experience is vast; from dog food ingredients, to training tips, to canine friendly businesses. In "training" us (the humans), he gives directions clearly, explains why we are doing what we are doing, and is patient when we ask him to repeat certain steps. On the canine side, it's clear that Jeff loves dogs. There seems to be the right amount of play and work when he comes to work with our dog, Sophie. He makes her work for her treats, but can also assess when she might be getting frustrated and we need to take a break or move on.
Jeff's expectations are realistic and it's amazing to watch Sophie go from not really comprehending the "down" command to staying "down" while he walks to the other side of the room. What's even more amazing is then when we try it and it works for us, too! At each session with Jeff, Sophie's obedience has increased- and so has our confidence as dog owners.
Erin Petron Gosser
I just wanted to update you on Vicky's progress. Today she finally had a long and very vigorous play session with my sister's German Shepherd. It was so great to see them rough and tumble - for a couple of hours, in and out of the house. She wore that German Shepherd out! One of our neighbors has a Bichon which Vicky has gotten to know pretty well.
The other day, there was a doggy birthday party, and there were about seven little fluffy dogs and Vicky. She was quite excited, and I didn't let her sniff any of the dogs but the birthday dog. But she got quite close to the group and her barking was all of the excited variety rather than the aggressive kind.
She was also very well behaved, in general, at the block party. People continue to ask who our trainer is, because they're so impressed with Vicky's progress.
Thank you,
Diane, R. Johnson
Jeff Millman is a trainer who combines knowledge, patience, ability, and kindness -- qualities that are hard to find in one dog trainer.
He has helped me with a few difficult cases, and his advice has always been right on the money.
I have worked with other trainers that attempted to instill obedience through strong discipline, with little success.
Jeff's unique approach has not only been supremely successful with my two dogs but has also made me look at the way I deal with the world in a different way.
Thank you, Jeff
Justin Kelly
We got our dog Lily when she was three months old. Our six-year-old daughter had been asking since she learned to talk for a dog, my wife and I last owned dogs as teens, so we thought it important that we all learn how to handle Lily. I thought it would be enough to up for training at a pet store chain near our house. After three lessons of sit, stay and leave it with a terribly distracted Lily, I started to research other trainers online. I came up with a list that included Jeff Millman.
A couple of days later my wife came in from a walk and mentioned a women she talked to on the street with a well behaved young dog who said her dog turned around in a few days after she started working with Jeff. I figured that was good enough for now so we called Jeff to train our dog. Lily took to his instructions immediately and it was also then we first realized that it wasn't just the dog that needed training, but was our family that needed it more. We learned to turn situations that use to be problems into training opportunities for Lily. Lily's biggest problem was getting too excited and jumping on guests coming to the house strangers who wanted to say hello. It took about two minutes for Jeff to show us and Lily how to correct that behavior.
He does a combination of showing you his training techniques, thoroughly explaining them so you understand as well as talking to owners all about the importance of socialization for your dog. We are inexperienced dog owners and this training put us well ahead of most with just a few sessions. We know what we are doing now and Lily is a better behaved dog because of that. The woman on the street that originally told my wife the Jeff was an amazing trainer was right and if we ever see her again, we need to thank her for the referral.
It's the best investment to date we have made in pet care.
Ron Schofield
We have a two year old sheltie that Jeff has helped us with when he was a puppy and on the occasion when needed as he has grown. You may or may not be aware that shelties are a highly active/nervous breed and we had issues with anxiety and excessive barking that Jeff helped immensely in treating.
He came very highly recommended from some VERY particular people in our building and we found him to be very effective with a commitment to always using positive methods and never, ever using punishing or otherwise negative treatments. He is a gentle, thoughtful person with a true love of dogs and his work reflects it.
I cannot recommend him highly enough. He is simply one of the best in the field. I have even called him when our dog was attacked, which was really out of his domain, just to have some support in the issue. He spent a considerable amount of time talking to me. I have done this on a few occasions and there is never a charge or even though his advice was, in reality, very billable.
Roberta Livingston
Lucy went from being a playful puppy to a traumatized little dog after being attacked by another dog. Walks were no longer fun and the dog park was completely out of the question. Basically, owning a dog wasn't rewarding and had become a stressful part of everyday life. After only one session with Jeff, Lucy began to respond to the click and treat method and I could immediately see the potential of his training methods.
By the end of our fourth session, Lucy had made so much progress that we were even able to spend time on tricks and fun activities instead of behavior modification. Because of our training sessions, our quality of life has improved, and I'm so grateful to Jeff for helping us get there.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Beth Huber
Hi Jeff, I hope you are doing well. Celie and Atticus are doing great. We just got back from two weeks in Arizona, and they were both great in the car on the two-day drive. Their training has been going well (although I know we could do better).
They eat three inches from each other and have zero issues! Celie is also doing much better with her barking, largely due to the tips provided in the eBook that I purchased. Now if she gets fired up and starts the demand barking, we tell her timeout, and she leads the way to her crate.
It's actually pretty hilarious. Needless to say, we have recommended you to every dog owner we know! I hope you and your family are well and that you enjoyed the holidays. I'm sure we'll be calling you soon for some training updates!
Shelby
We called Jeff after adopting our 2 young Chihuahua Mixes. We learned fast that it seemed they not only had minimal exposure to being outside but most importantly to other dogs. The leash aggression was too much for us to handle and Jeff's techniques really helped us show Ollie and Rocco that seeing other dogs is a positive experience from the outset of the meeting, and that made the all the difference in our walks with them.
We continue to work with our boys and reinforce the training as well as the thought that other dogs can be friends and nothing to be scared of. Jeff's patience and love of animals comes through in all aspects of his training and we would highly recommend his services.
Meredith Griffin & Tom Castro
We reached out to Jeff Millman regarding puppy training for our 3 month old Great Dane Maximus.
That is by far the best decision we could have made. Living in the city we knew it would be a challenge adjusting a puppy to his new surroundings. And due to Max's potential size, we wanted to ensure we started working on behaviors, such as socialization, as early as possible.
Jeff's positive reinforcement training methods and his patience with animals (as well as their owners) really helped us understand the tools we needed to continue working with Max once puppy training was complete.
The resources he provided during training have also been extremely helpful. What a great experience for Max!
Mary Kay and Mike Prather
I would highly recommend Jeff Millman for all your dog training needs! Jeff has been working with Cooper, our Mini Australian Shepherd, since he was 8 weeks old and it shows. Cooper is our first dog and Aussies are tough enough to manage for experienced dog owners!
Jeff helped us tailor a socialization and training plan that really worked for us and gave Cooper many of the necessary tools to be a well behaved dog. He has ALWAYS been available when we needed him. From answering a quick question via the telephone to helping us introduce Cooper to our new baby, Jeff has always come through.
The best part about Jeff is that he taught us, not just Cooper. This instruction and information has always allowed us to continue the repetition necessary to really solidify a skill or modify a behavior. Jeff has been fantastic and an invaluable part of his development.
Matt Kucharik
Jeff has been working with Basil for almost a year now and I have nothing but high-praise for him and his training methods. A few of Jeff's many strengths include his patience (Basil can be a bit stubborn and he has made excellent progress with her), organization (every session he came with ideas on several different ways to work with Basil), responsiveness (he always makes himself available both night/day for phone calls and emails) and his skill as a trainer (as mentioned above, he has had good success with Basil).
Without reservation I would recommend Jeff from Chicago Paws to any dog owner.
Christopher A. McVety
Jeff,
Mimi and Lily and I wanted to thank you for all of the time that you spent with us to achieve our training goals. You first met Mimi and Lily three years ago. We just moved to the city and the girls needed to learn to cope with the noises in the city and spending time alone during the day. They were so spoiled and were hardly ever alone before moving to the city. Needless to say, all they knew was to be with me and have all of the attention imaginable.
Well, not realizing that I was creating monsters by spoiling the girls rotten, and not taking the time to really work with them and teach them general skills, I soon sought your help. Our biggest issue was terrible separation anxiety, and Mimi developed such demand behaviors that I never thought she would learn to respond to me. Lily coped a bit better, but still needed some help. It broke my heart to leave the girls at home while I was at work, but you helped us get through.
You assured me that working with the girls would certainly help and curtail the spoiled behaviors and the anxiety -- When I didn't get the results that I really wanted, and quickly, I became lax about the training. I really thought it was a quick fix to have you help us. I let it go for a while and called you again. I knew that the reason I didn't get results is because I was not practicing the tools that you shared with us. The separation anxiety subsided, but we still had issues with the demand barking. I just couldn't let it go and made the commitment to work hard with the girls to help them get over the demand behaviors and only responding to me when they felt like it. You began to work with the girls and me again, at their ages of three and four, and it is tremendous how they have really excelled.
Mimi, who I never thought would be responsive and enjoy her lessons, is doing so well. She finally sits, stays, and comes on command. The demand barking is something that we are still working on, but it is very seldom. Lily really did well with the training too and knows her general commands. They do it consistently!!
You even got the girls to deal with separation anxiety -- this was huge! We are so thankful for how kind and patient you have been over time. Your techniques and ability to communicate with the girls has been so helpful. The time that you spent perfecting the techniques that we were using to fit them best with the learning program, was more than expected.
You responded to all of my questions, concerns and wanted updates on the girls progress in between sessions. You have a gift in how you convey the lessons both to me and in how you work with the girls. You really took an interest in the girls and how well they were doing and this is so important. You really have a connection with the girls and I know they have enjoyed working with you. You truly are dedicated to your work and helping to achieve training goals. Even during the times that the girls regressed or needed a little push to learn their lessons for the week, you stuck with us. We thank you for everything. The girls look forward to continuing to work with you - they get so excited when I tell them it's time to "Practice!" They have come such a long way - and I am so happy with the results!
With Most Appreciation, Mimi, Lily and Elena
We would highly recommend Jeff Millman for dog training. He worked with our dog, Margie, on her issues with anxiety and leash aggression. Margie was an excessive barker, and she always lunged and snapped at other dogs while on a leash. After just 4 sessions with Jeff, Margie has stopped barking, and she is now able to play with other dogs in the neighborhood!
Jeff is patient and incredibly knowledgeable. It is obvious how much he loves what he does. He taught us to identify triggers in the environment and how to stop her anxiety before it starts. Jeff uses only humane methods for training dogs. Margie absolutely loved whenever Jeff came over! He has taught us strategies we will continue to use with Margie for years to come. We literally feel like we have a different dog now.
Thank you for all of your hard work, Jeff!
Melissa and Daniel Webber
Hi Jeff,
I have been meaning to follow up with you to let you know Caesar is doing very well. Nick has not been traveling over the last few months, and Caesar is a different dog. He is calm, not growling at people and plays well with other dogs. Don't worry when I walk him alone, I never let him get close to another dog (just because there is no reason to take unnecessary risk).
In fact, Nick and I make a concerted effort for me not to have to walk him alone because we know he remains an aggressive Akita at heart (by breed), even though he's been well behaved lately. When I do walk him alone, I feel comfortable though - I've worked on my commands and training and he is more settled so the situation is better.
Thanks again,
Clare Connor Ranalli
Dear Jeff,
I just wanted to tell you how wonderful life with an energetic 7-month-old lab can be when he is properly trained. Thanks to your training you have saved the day and our sanity! Fetch was a crazy high-energy puppy but with your guidance he has calmed down and become a wonderful member of our family.
It was imperative that he would walk calmly on a leash with my children and he does now ~ which is nothing short of a miracle. Even though Fetch weighs more than each of my children, they can easily walk him down the street. Only with your help were we able to manage Fetch's behavior during his crazy puppy hours. Your simple, straightforward insight made a world of difference in our home and we are grateful!
Thanks ever so much.
The Sutoris Family
Hi Jeff,
I wanted to thank you again for everything during training with Rosco. I know it seems I've had a lot of trouble, but I expected that and am very happy overall with Rosco's progress and my sanity with a new puppy!
You made things not seem overwhelming at all and I really appreciate that. I do hope people contact me with questions about you as a trainer, because I would recommend you to every new dog owner I meet.
Thank you for everything and take care,
Amy Williams
Jeff was extremely helpful with my dog Percy and his leash aggression. I highly recommend him - it's important to do a consistent # of sessions to really instill preferred behavior.
It's not just your dog that needs the training. It's true, I definitely needed some training as well, and then of course training together as a team.
The sooner you get a handle on the aggression the better for all of you! And that feeling of being afraid of what might happen if another dog approaches dissipates as you all get more training.
Jeff is a fantastic dog trainer who truly cares about his clients (both dog & human) and he's a great guy!
Daisy & Percy
We have done training with Jeff for the past few months, and I can't believe the difference it has made with my two dogs, Sammy and Tobey. They are both around one year of age, and filled with an extraordinary amount of exuberant energy! Sometimes it gets the best of them, and I have had challenges with leash walking, basic commands and over-excitement around other dogs.
I had worked with another trainer in the past, and unfortunately some of that individual's methods leaned towards physical punishment. Over time, this training exacerbated Sammy's excitement around other dogs, turning it into frustration and aggression. Leash walking became a nightmare, as she (and sometimes Tobey) would lunge and growl at any dog we encountered.
This was disheartening, because Sammy had always been so playful around other dogs and now I was terrified to let her within an inch of them. By the time I started working with Jeff, I wondered if I would ever be able to enjoy a pleasant walk with my dogs again! I had begun to almost dread our daily walks.
Jeff's positive reinforcement method made a difference within two training sessions. Â It was hard to believe, but in a very short period of time, Sammy reached the point where she could see another dog, and calmly turn and look at me. There are still times when she will hop up and down to get closer, but now it's with excitement to go play instead of aggression!
Jeff has given me great tools to use while I continue to work with my dogs on my own. I will definitely continue to work with him going forward, as we make progress on more advanced commands. Sammy and Tobey absolutely love Jeff and nearly turn themselves inside out when they see him, and have responded so well to the positive training.
I would not hesitate for a moment to recommend Jeff as a skilled and caring trainer for anyone's dog, no matter the sort of behavioral challenges you might be facing.
Leah Moser
Hi Jeff,
I just wanted to drop a note to give you an update on Sammy and Tobey. It's now the exception, rather than the rule, that Sammy shows any leash aggression. She is able to greet other dogs on our walks. Sometimes she gets a little too playful, but it is very rare now that she will growl and lunge. She is playing nicely with dogs off leash again, and we played with several dogs over at the park yesterday. Tobey is doing better with other dogs as well. It's so amazing to walk now without all the stress of running into other dogs!
Thanks again.
Leah
Jeff has been a great trainer and very patient with my puppy Baylee and with me. There are lots of things going on when a puppy is 8 months old and I didn't know where to start.
Jeff came in with teaching plans that were perfect for our situation after only a short phone interview. Baylee made real progress and continues to do so even after "graduation." I would recommend him to anyone!
Leslie Smith
Chicago, IL
Dear Jeff:
We would like to commend you for a job well done!
Our session with you has proved invaluable for training and communicating with our dogs, Toby and Louie. We now have the appropriate techniques in place to teach our dogs how to enjoy their walks and meet new "friends."
As always, you were very kind and gentle with Toby and Louie. We were amazed at how they responded to your teaching commands! One of the most important skills you taught us was the correct use of positive-reinforcement with the clicker. Thank you again for your guidance and training. We would highly recommend you to anyone who is considering training or behavior counseling for their dog.
Sincerely,
Charlene Simurdiak and Linda Falk
I highly recommend Jeff Millman. He recently trained my bulldog Louie and he made a world of difference. Jeff really turned Louie from a menace to a cute, funny, lovable dog. He showed us that Louie was bright and very trainable. Following Jeff's training has helped Louie: become potty trained, stop chewing up the furniture, stop chewing on us, stop jumping up on people, and keep him from being agressive.
We will use his training forever. Additionally, I always recommend Jeff to my friends with dogs.
Natalie Ozguna
I retained Jeff's services for personal training of my then 2 1/2 month old Portuguese Water Dog "Chimi" To say I was blown away by the results would be an understatement. Eight months later and Chimi is just the most delightful dog I could have hoped for.
What really made Jeff's personal classes such a success for Chimi and me was more what Jeff taught me as opposed to what he taught Chimi. This is very clear in Jeff's private instruction.
Without that knowledge, I could not have carried on the instructions and reinforcement. Training a dog is process and Jeff has defined and made that process easy to understand and use. Chimi is my 5th dog and the first that has benefited from professional training. She is still a puppy at 10 1/2 months but is much better behaved and reliable than any of my previous dogs in their mature years.
John Nicastro