I got a 6 months old Kelpie puppy in Feb from the RSPCA. As he was a rescue puppy I was unsure how best to train him. I looked online and Alessina from Good Dog Training Tips called me the next day.

One of the things that impressed me the most was not only did Alessina ask about my dog Mitchell she also wanted to know about my family needs as well. I have a child with a few disabilities and Alessina researched these so she could understand our needs as a whole family that now includes a very boisterous puppy. We had one on one training at home that enabled Mitchell to be comfortable. Every week Alessina would explain certain aspects of dogs behaviour which helped explain why Mitchell did certain things. After a few weeks Mitchell would be so excited to see Alessina and I had a dog that was becoming more and more relaxed at home. I now have a dog that is easier to walk and play with. Mitchell is a huge part of our family now and I thank Alessina so much for her patience and understanding. My daughter loves working on getting Mitchell to learn the tricks that Alessina left for us. It is wonderful to watch the two of them play together.

Thanks Alessina for all you have done for us - your training methods by voice commands were fantastic and easy for the whole family to use. Thank you so much.

Firstly I'd like to thank Alessina for the fantastic job she did in helping our children, my wife and I to understand what is required to raise a happy, respectful, well mannered and fun dog.

Alessina walks you through the steps needed both from a practical and theoretical perspective. Having children it was particularly important for us to make sure they grew in confidence when handling our dog and we now can say that both our 6 and 10 year olds know exactly what to do to gain the behaviours we want.

As we stepped through each session, gradually layering practical tips and techniques for all your major needs when handling your dog, we also received written information that added to our understanding. While teaching and reinforcing good behaviours is obviously a long term task, we are now very confident of exactly how to handle this and it makes
having a dog, especially one as active and lively as ours, so much more fun and manageable.

Thanks again Alessina and we'd highly recommend anybody having you teach them.

I contacted Alessina, regarding my Japanese Spitz puppy Atreyu, who was very strong-willed, excitable, and wasn’t responding to my attempts to train him.

Alessina was prompt in responding to me and was very flexible about times and location. When she first came I explained to her what I wanted out of the training experience and she was very happy to cater to this. The style of training based on not giving treats was something that was foreign to me but I was pleasantly surprised to see how well it worked and now I cannot imagine any other way of doing things.

It was also very reassuring to see how much Alessina really does care for the wellbeing of dogs and that really came through in the way she dealt with Atreyu. My dog Atreyu immediately responded very well to this method and continued to progress more and more every lesson. Now my once reckless puppy is a well-trained and behaved dog. And if I ever get another puppy I will definitely be using Alessina to help me train again.

To say I was sceptical is an understatement. I really had doubts about this working on my mischievous puppy. BUT before my eyes and within 1 hour I could see the huge benefits and change and it made me fall in love with my pup again! I couldn't recommend this service any higher.

Love your training tips Alessina, since we have been training with you l have gained more confidence in walking Chief around the streets. Your method is so gentle and he has responded to it so well. With me having two knee replacements within 12 months of each other, then getting myself a Border Collie pup, OMG I thought what have l done. Then l found you. Wow, the help and my confidence you have giving me! Can’t thank you enough.

Hey! Well, that was a round about way of letting you know that Stacey and I were really happy with how today went! Sampson and I have been practicing, so… hopefully it will be ‘paying off’ and you will notice the results yourself, next week – Posted on Facebook after one lesson with a Great Dane puppy

Alessina has worked wonders with our English Staffies. These dogs are fun but are very boisterous and uncontrollable if not trained. They were a real handful to walk and deal with in general. Alessina has helped us greatly with them and is very supportive beyond just the training and the walking she has provided. Such passion for what one does is rare these days and Alessina loves what she does and goes beyond the call. Thanks heaps.

Dear Alessina,
Alli, my American Staffie, has come such a long way since you began training her, Thank you for also showing ME, how to better understand my pup. It has been a real learning experience. You are truly a godsend!!
Once again, thank you for your expertise.
Look forward to seeing you soon.

We have only had 3 lessons with Alessina so far and I am absolutely delighted with the fast progression our 11 month old Maltese x has made. Alessina is a pleasure to work with and has a clear affinity with dogs, which shows in her firm but kind manner – they really listen to her and retain the training.
We (us and our dog!) have learned so much already and would highly recommend Good Dog Training and Alessina to anyone looking to train their dog. Thanks so much Alessina!

I cannot thank Alessina enough for all the help, guidance and training that she has given me for my much loved Cavoodle. With Alessina’s guidance I was able to understand where I was going wrong in letting Molly be the leader. Molly is five and had not been socialised when she was young so when I got her some months ago while her being a sweet dog she had developed some anxiety and fear aggression with overprotective tendencies so learning how to deal with this has been a great help. Molly also pulled on the lead so her learning to heel has made walking her a pleasure. Molly has also learnt not to rush in the door ahead of me, to use her kennel which she wouldn’t go into, to learn how to play with a ball and dog toys which she didn’t do at all. She has also leant how to drop, how to stay as well many other things. Although I am still working on her barking when she sees someone walking past I feel more confident in my ability now to continue my training of Molly and would highly recommend Alessina to anyone having problems with their dog however big or small. Thank you Alessina.

Prior to training, my Chinese Crested dog Winston was problematic; he was snappy towards strangers, aggressive, barked like mad at the door bell, growled at family members, and yet easily intimidated and lacked confidence. He was disobedient and clearly had dominance over the household and our family members. Alessina quickly identified these issues, and with baby steps and a range of training techniques, we regained control over our dog and our issues have depleted immensely. The training Alessina provides is clear, simple and easy to practice at home, yet did absolute wonders for our dog. Winston is now much more affectionate towards strangers and all members of the family, and we now have the resources and capabilities to continue his development in the future. Thank you Alessina!

04/03/2016

I first contacted Alessina after I picked up one of her cards at my dog groomer’s. I enrolled my miniature poodle puppy and me in her “Five Sense Obedience Lessons”.

Alessina came to my home to give the lessons. In addition to being very convenient for me, I felt it was a much better way to train the dog. Alessina could see what the dog was doing wrong and train us both on how to stop the puppy doing it in her actual environment. One-on-one sessions are also a very effective way to do dog training. No time spent worrying about other dogs. Alessina was always punctual for her appointments and flexible in scheduling the lessons.

Unlike other dog trainers I have worked with, Alessina’s training techniques included discussions about the physiology of dogs and how it affects their behavior and explains their needs. They clearly showed how much Alessina loved dogs.

These discussions were very interesting and did help me to realise how best to treat my dog to get the most out of her training.

Alessina’s calm training manner, using her voice and body language was very effective on my poodle. We learnt all the basic commands which the puppy picked up very quickly. It is now up to me to maintain Alessina’s good work.

In summary: I was very pleased with the way Alessina trained my dog (and me). It was effective, fun and hassle free. I willingly recommend her and her work to you.

Gillian Wood