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| Happy Tales
Paws up to our clients and friends who have learned and continue to learn ways to communicate, appreciate, and grow with the canines in their lives.
China Rose What I did on summer vacation...My name is China, I'm a Chinese Crested - just not hairless and my coat is just gorgeous if I do say so myself. When my mother packed me up for the summer and left Illinois for Massachusetts she talked about the lake and relaxing and all the wonderful things we would do. She never mentioned a "trainer". I was just a wee-pup when we made the trip. Once I arrived and became comfortable I enjoyed barking at other dogs and everything else going on at the lake. Jumping on all the people that visit at the lake was great fun as well. I was a bit shy and my self confidence needed a little boost when it came to strangers and other dogs. I completed 3 private lessons, and boy what a difference it made. I look all visitors confidently in the eye and am learning to sit instead of jump. I made a great new friend that I love to tease from under my deck chair, but I also learned how to relax around other dogs. I no longer bark when I hear other dogs bark. Oh, and I also enjoyed lounging on my deck all summer in between training. I'm heading back to Illinois soon, but will look forward to next summer on the lake with my new friends.    Hi Michelle, Thanks for the email, and the wonderful write up about China Rose. I wouldn't know what we would have done without you. She is continuing to learn with the instructions you left with us. Not only did I learn a lot, I learned to convey it to China Rose, the right way. She is so excited about learning more and more. It is such a joy to see her smile when she has accomplished her task. I am sure that there are other trainers out there, but, in our book, you are the best. We thank you and Cody!!! We will certainly keep in touch as to our progress. Best, Deri Pedersen and China Rose
Gus and Bailee Don't let the calmness in our picture fool you...we are fully loaded with energy and we love exuberant greetings. Come to our home and we would greet you with lots of barking, running, jumping, kisses, and all kinds of fun craziness. Then our trainer came and we learned a whole new way of dealing with our impulses, greeting people, and passing other dogs on walks. Our parents were a little nervous when they heard that we were going for a walk with a training dog to improve our behavior with other dogs. We even overheard them telling our trainer that it was not going to go well. We admit that we generally put on quite a show whenever we saw other dogs, and scared them and their owners right off - secretly, we thought it was kind of fun. Our parents did not think it was fun. So we each took turns being introduced to Cody, our training dog. All our usual antics did not scare Cody off or entice him to bark or react in return. Off we went for a very successful walk together. Our parents could not believe it! After our well-behaved walk, we even got to play with Cody for awhile. Now we are invited on the weekly Walking Club walks with all the other dogs. Our last walk on the Millbury Bike Path we did not bark at people walking, rollerblading, riding bikes, other dogs - we were pretty impressed with ourselves. We even stayed calm when a passing bike trailer actually had a barking beagle in it instead of a child. We did all this in only 3 in-home private lessons! 
- - We loved Gus and Bailee before, but we loved them even more after Michelle came to the rescue! Through in-home training my husband and I were able to learn how to correct every day (unwanted) behaviors. Both Gus and Bailee have come a long way, and walks/house and visitors are no longer stressful situations. Michelle's expertise made a world of difference in our house!
Sydney Yes, I'm a natural blue...blue Doberman that is. I just finished puppy class at The Barkwood Inn and I had a great time playing with my new friends. I also attend Daycamp at the resort and boy does it tire me out. I'm looking forward to taking Backyard Agility because I love to run through things, around things, under things, over things - my parents are going to wear their shoes out keeping up with me! 
- - HI Michelle. I got some great pics of Syd today with her new toy:) I will send them soon. Thanks again so much. We all learned a great deal from you and we look forward to working with you again soon.
Brady Boy, when I was leaving the shelter I had visions of chewing up my new home, chasing the 4 children around until they shrieked, and pouncing on any human who dared move in the family kitchen...those were my plans - until the lady with the treats showed up. Something called positive reinforcement happened. I resisted, I rebelled, I did my best to continue to harrass my family. But alas, my family has a background in education and they had other plans for me - plans I was totally unaware of. I've since learned to have manners, walk nicely, and respect Mom's space in the kitchen. I'm still wondering what happened to the lady with the treats though.... 
- -Thank you so much for all your help. We do think Brady has come a long way. We'll keep working with him and hopefully when you see him at a group class after the holiday's, he'll make you proud! Enjoy the holidays.
Eli During my in-home training I had to learn all the things I should have learned as a puppy. I came to my new family after having very little attention during the first year of my life. I did not learn how to behave in the house because I spent most of my time in a crate and did not receive adequate exercise. My new family gives me tons of attention and exercise and I have grown much stronger and learned a lot. My sister Fay (the Queen Bee) had to straighten me out a bit, but I am sure she really does love me. I'm so smart I emailed my trainer myself...see below. 
- - Eli here.....Just wanted to give you a quick update and thank you once again for your wisdom and knowledge on all things dogs. Without you I'm not so sure things would have worked out in my new home. I've made, and continue to make fantastic progress....Stephen and Marjorie continue to work with me... and adjusting to my new life and surroundings is becoming easier and easier. Again Michelle, without you coming into our home (yup...it is my home) and working with us, who knows where I'd be now. By the way Fay and I have also settled in with each other...she's a pretty cool dog, and is teaching me a thing or two also.
Thanks,
Eli
Fenway Hi, I'm Fenway, the cattle dog on the right in the picture. I had a really big problem with moving cars and other dogs. My behavior was getting worse and worse. I completed 3 in-home lessons with Cody, my training dog, and here we are together in the picture. When we first met, I was not too happy. However, my owner and I learned how to manage my anxiety, set up successful greetings with other dogs, and improve my tolerance of moving vehicles. My trainer said my owner and I made AMAZING progress during our lessons. 
- - Update from Fenway - Hi! Thanks to Michelle & Cody, my owner no longer dreads taking me on walks. I walk nicely with her and am less and less anxious about trucks and other dogs. I even have made friends in my neighborhood! Between you and me, I think my owner was ready to run away! Thank you again Michelle & Cody - I am one happy pup!
Brandy and Buddy During our in-home training we learned that collars and leashes are a good thing! We prefer to run around free outside, but there are times when we need to go places safely on leash and now we can! 
Mason During my in-home training I made a new friend and learned some new behaviors to help reduce my anxiety. I've had a lot of medical issues and am a bit cautious as a result. I was not too sure of making friends with Cody, the big goofy Swissie, but he put me at ease and I learned to be comfortable and even invite him to play. I've reduced a lot of my anxiety, continue to swim at Aqua Dog for exercise, and am really working hard on my greeting behavior at the door. I'm planning on teaching little sis Grace a thing or two. 
- - Our family found Michelle Payson by reading information on the site PT PET SUPPLY where we purchase our dog food and pet supplies. We have an 18 month old awesome yellow lab named Mason with multiple congenital anomalies and a 6 month old beautiful precious chocolate lab Grace. Mason had been going thru some very rough issues and we thought it was best to seek a professional trainer. Honestly we were very skeptical at first. Michelle has made such a TREMENDOUS impact for our family unit, both humans and canines. Our lives have CHANGED SO VERY POSITIVELY. You see Michelle's training involves everything being positive. She has not only worked diligently with our dogs but she has also worked with us. She has taught us that there is a definite connection between how the owner responds and how the owner carries out tasks and in turn getting a more positive response from your dog. Her knowledge base is SUPERIOR, her ability to interact with our dogs has been PHENOMENAL, and the way she treats her clients TRULY EXCEEDS ANY EXPECTATION WE EVER HAD. If you are reading her site and wondering what shall I do , give her a call. It truly will be the BEST INVESTMENT you can make for you dogs and yourself. Michelle truly is the BEST MEDICATION you can give your dog and yourself. Michelle would be a WONDERFUL MENTOR for other dog trainers. Most Sincerely, The Frederick R Loconto Family
Sam Boy, when my mom first took me to group training class, I was not very excited about it. I've got some physical issues that make me a little wary of other dogs. I took some special in-home lessons with Cody to help me learn proper greeting behavior. Apparently, showing my teeth and staring wasn't making the other dogs very comfortable. Cody and I became great friends and now I even welcome other dogs coming over to see me at my house. 
- - I can’t thank Michelle & Cody enough for everything that you have taught us! I’m continually impressed with Michelle’s knowledge and competence. She works with the dog and the owner, I learned so much from working with Michelle and can’t wait to continue with classes. Sam’s first class was spent mostly panting and walking in circles as he was very anxious being around other dogs, I really didn’t have high expectations. With Michelle’s patience and understanding Sam and I completed Paws in the Park and went on to schedule sessions to work with Sam one on one. Cody and Michelle showed up at the house and I was truly a nervous wreck, because of Sam’s medical issue he has a tendency to put up a big bully front when really he’s a big softie at heart. With Michelle’s guidance and Cody’s wonderful nature Sam was won over and I became much more confident handling Sam. He learned how to properly greet other dogs and even bows to invite Cody to play with him. I look forward to working with Michelle again in the spring and would recommend her as a trainer wholeheartedly! - - Suzanne and Sam
Koda During my in-home training I learned all the basics, a few tricks, and even mastered the bar jump and agility tunnel. I love all the exercise and have a great time learning anything new! 
- - We want to thank you for helping us with her, she now listens to us and we have much more fun together. As much trouble as she has had with rolling over she is now a rolling fool.
Thanks again, Nigel, Tara and Koda
Trot My shirt says it all "Too Cool for Obedience School." Yes, I walked into a sea of "big" dogs in group class, but I stood tall. I was a bit shy at first, but by the end of class all those big dogs were noticing my improved skills and my very funny personality. I charmed them all! 
- - Trot is like a new dog after doggie school, he can now walk on a leash, sit and stay, and some new tricks. At the beginning of the program he was the class clown, by the end the other dogs were looking up to him. He was one of the smallest dogs in the class but did really well. Thank you Michelle for everything you taught Trot and his mom.
Cody I just finished puppy class at Bay Path and am planning my next big adventure -Paws in the Park class. My specialty in class was my Down/Stay - I love lying down, and rolling in the grass, and people, and - the list goes on and on! 
- - Michelle, you are an awesome trainer!!! We loved the class and learned a lot! We were so happy that Cody was taught with positive reinforcement/praise. He really enjoyed the socialization with other dogs and is so much easier to handle. It was a very positive experience and we have recommended your classes to everyone we know. We are excited to continue on with more of your training. Janet and Mike
Iris and Ivan Once you get past our overwhelming beauty you realize we are sweet and smart as well - what a package! We just graduated from basic obedience group class at Bay Path where we learned to walk nicely on leash and stop pulling our parents all over Charlton! We are not stopping there - Iris is going to try Backyard Agility and Ivan is going to Paws in the Park classes. .JPG)
- - Your class helped make a big difference in our lives. Ivan and Iris are both starting to be a joy to walk with, both separately and alone. I have even started to take them both by myself and they are doing great. I was nervous about teaching them a trick at first but it was a lot of fun. Ivan will now walk down the dock and get on the boat. I find myself trying to think of new tricks to teach them. The information that you sent me on managing the pack was very helpful. We tightened up a bit and it has made a big difference. Thanks for everything. Looking forward to our new adventures. Marcy
The Webster Lake Pack Say hello to Callie, Otis, Taz, and Webster a multi-family pack that summers on Webster Lake together. In addition to being super cute, yes...we are super smart. In just 3 easy lessons we learned how to stop barking at visitors arriving by boat, come as a pack, stay at the door until released, stop attacking the vacuum cleaner and hair drier, and a few other general manners. We taught our parents a thing or two while we were at it!!! 
- - Working with Michelle was a great experience for all of us!! Our dogs run in age from 1 1/2 to 11 years old, and to answer anyone's question, yes you can teach an old dog new tricks!! We never would have believed it, but it's true. Not only were we able to train our dogs, we were also trained ourselves, after all they only know what we've taught them or what they have learned on their own and what they can get away with!! Michelle was more than accommodating, she came out to our house, even got on the boat to get there and worked around our schedules. It was so much easier than taking all four of them on the boat, then into the car, then to class some where. We recommend her to all of our friends on the lake. I'll tell you what, she gives the dog whisperer (Cesar) a run for his money. We call her our own local "Dog Whisperer." Thanks again for helping us, life on the lake is much quieter and so much fun, now if you can only teach them how to waterski!!! ha ha Sincerely Deb, Cheryl, Otis, Webster, Callie and Taz
Cali Truth is...I have a teeny, tiny, wee-little barking problem - that is actually about five times as big as I am. My family has never had a good bark, so they just don't appreciate how much fun it can be. However, I am so smart, that I refreshed my basic obedience commands, learned a couple new tricks, and significantly decreased my barking in only three lessons. I am continuing to work on eliminating my barking at the TV when Animal Planet is on, and I'm off to agility classes to run off some energy and learn some new tricks. 
Kasha Who's up for some running in the snow?? I am planning on trying cart pulling this summer with a couple of those short-haired relatives...the Swissies. I'll show them how it is done!! .JPG)
- - This is Kasha a 2 1/2 year old Bernese Mountain Dog. She is finished her training, or I should say I am. Michelle was great, when I felt like giving up she always had very encouraging words for me to keep going. Thanks for your help! Karen
Kaiser My parents are trying to keep up with me, but I am so excited that I am known to sit, down, and roll before anyone even asks me to do anything. I have perfected the "Kaiser Roll," yes the humans coined that phrase, HA, HA, very funny! .JPG)
- - We just completed our 6 wk training session with Michelle and our experience was WONDERFUL! Having Michelle come into our home to get our family on the same page was exactly what we needed for our new pup! Michelle is a very experienced trainer of people as well as dogs. She is very patient, knowledgable and addressed all of our training questions. (Especially since Kaiser displayed his bad behavior for her everytime she came over - bitter apple spray - Kaiser just loves it! HA HA).
Everything we learned was basic and very easy! Kaiser is a piglet about training treats, so he learned alot very quickly, including his signature "Kaiser Roll". And when we haven't practiced in a while, he will let you know about it! He sits by the snack counter and barks for treats, looks at you, barks, then looks to the treats again! He's very persistent!
Consistency and practice is what it took for us, so we will continue to do it every chance we get even if it is only 5 mins here or there. Now, we can't wait to get him outside during the nice weather and train him all over again! Look out Franklin and Otis, Kaiser can't wait to meet you down at the pond! Kristie and Steve
Dewey I began training at 7 weeks and have completed intermediate obedience with a fantastic stay and leave-it command. I am looking forward to progressing to off leash work in the spring. 
- - Thank you very much for your help. I appreciate the time and flexibility you've shown with me and Dewey. I will keep working with Dewey while keeping you posted on his progress. Jeff
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