In June 2022, my rambunctious Irish Doodle, Archie, and I began our journey with Sit, Stay, ‘N Play (SSNP) after becoming obedience-school dropouts at another school. To provide some context, I got Archie from a rescue when he was 12 weeks old—a bouncing ball of chaotic energy. Even at such a young age, it was clear someone had been rough with him, and it took months to desensitize him from his fear of hands and people carrying objects.
When Archie was five months old, I enrolled him in a beginner obedience class at a dog school in New Jersey that used "balanced" training methods. From the start, the environment was stressful—about 15 dogs, including two reactive ones, packed into the class. The trainer barely had time to answer questions, running the sessions like a training assembly line. Worse, the trainer advocated aversive corrections, including corrective collars and leash pops (quickly yanking the leash to get a dog’s attention). Against my better judgment, I tried the leash-pop method on Archie, which only scared and confused him.
After two classes, the trainer suggested I use a prong collar on Archie. I politely declined, explaining that I preferred positive reinforcement, which clearly annoyed her. She insisted on demonstrating "proper" training techniques. When she popped Archie’s leash, he became frightened and jumped away. She yanked his leash with two hands, jerking his neck down hard. I was horrified. Archie’s terrified eyes stared back at me, and I felt deep shame for allowing it to happen. We never returned to that school.
Desperate for a better approach, I researched positive-only training programs and found SSNP. After emailing them about their training philosophy, Dagan promptly responded and invited me to call. I ended up interrogating him for 30 minutes about SSNP’s methods. Dagan assured me they used only positive reinforcement and emphasized that I would set the training goals. This starkly contrasted with the rigid, assembly-line approach of the other school. Feeling hopeful, I enrolled Archie in beginner obedience with Dagan, and we finally completed a training class.
Dagan’s approach was refreshing. He regularly checked in with each handler, asking about our goals, and emphasized building positive relationships with our dogs. The relaxed, supportive atmosphere helped Archie stay focused and learn. For the first time, I felt we were in a place where trainers genuinely loved and advocated for dogs.
We progressed to intermediate obedience with Kathy. While Archie had made great strides, he was still a whirlwind of energy. I envied the well-behaved dogs in class and nervously asked Kathy, “Are we in the wrong class?” With her characteristic humor and encouragement, Kathy assured me we were in the right place. She highlighted our progress each week and helped me regain my confidence as a trainer. Kathy reminded me to stop comparing Archie to my previous dogs or others in the class, encouraging me to focus on incremental progress and celebrate small victories.
One of the things I love about SSNP is the ability to continue beyond a single six-week session. Archie and I definitely needed the extra support, so we kept going. Eventually, Kathy suggested we join a more advanced class. To my amazement, Archie had transformed into one of the most well-behaved dogs in the group.
Looking back, it’s incredible to see how far Archie has come. Kathy recently told me she believes Archie is ready for the AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test, a goal we’ve been working toward and plan to achieve soon.
I’m deeply grateful to Dagan, Kathy, Dane, Lisa, and the entire SSNP team for their unwavering support, positivity, and commitment to dog training. They not only helped me transform Archie but also gave me the tools to continue training our new puppy, Luna. Thank you for making training a truly positive experience!