TESTIMONIALS

Testimonial

 Kay is both a lovely human being and an effective dog trainer. We struggled with our Havanese puppy's potty training, crate training, and socialization. Kay returned Kobe back to us as a dog that had the same spunk, but had learned to potty outside, give cues for his needs, was much easier to physically handle, and calmer outside of playtime. It is so important to trust your trainer with an impressionable puppy, and Kay exceeded our expectations. Highly recommend her!

Testimonial

After working with The Mindful Mutt before, we had Kay take another one  of our rescue dogs, Piper, into a board and train. We had learned that she would need more work and time than what a typical foster parent could  give.
 

She came into rescue with fearful behaviors of people, dogs, a leaf  blowing by, you name it. She was very insecure and needed the structure  and confidence to get her ready for her next home. The first week Piper  was with Kay, they got right to the basics as well as confidence  building exercises with objects and tunnels. By the end of the board and  train, Piper was a pro in all her commands, loose leash walking and  overcoming distractions with simple focus exercises. Because her  confidence was up, she wasn’t barking at everything like she used to and  was more attentive to the person handling her while she went on walks.
 

Kay communicated with us regularly to let us know her progress, took  before/after videos and also let us visit. Kay was kind enough to help  us screen applicants for us who had applied to adopt Piper, and was  present for her meet and greets as well. This helped us ensure that  Piper was being placed in the right home by the interested adopters  talking to Kay, who communicated her progress, behaviors and suggested future training goals for the adoptive parents. 

Melani - The Doberman Rescue Pack

Testimonial

 Arthur came to us with significant impulse control issues. As a young dog with no training or discipline under his belt, he was a lot to handle and not a candidate for safe adoption. Arthur would get easily over-stimulated and would get very mouthy with whomever was handling him. 

The main focus for Arthur’s training was on basic skills such as sit, stay, down, come as well as teaching him to be more calm and control his excitement. During a three-week board and train process, Arthur received a solid foundation that allows us to continue working with him and that will eventually enable him to be adopted. 

Kay was great to work with. She is very transparent in her process and invited us to spend time with her and Arthur to see the mechanics of the training process. She is patient and kind with the animals and is able to explain concepts clearly so that a dog’s owner can understand why and how to repeat the skills.   We received frequent updates with pictures and videos to show Arthur’s progress. He was well taken care of and was provided with structure and routine that is crucial to his success.  

We spent several hours with Kay to transfer the knowledge and skills we needed to continue to help Arthur. This transfer of skills is very important as training is not only for the dog but also for the humans who care for them.  

Jacintha - Saving Great Animals

Testimonial

My  deaf and blind foster Rowan trained with Kay. She was extremely helpful  in getting him transitioned into a new forever home. Her expertise with  blind and deaf dogs helped Rowan excel. She took time to make sure I  could continue the training once he was back at my home. 

I was impressed  with Kay's attention to detail in learning about Rowan, and learning what  we both needed. She had a detailed plan after gathering lots of  information on Rowan. She was kind  and very easy to talk with. 

Rowan  was able to retain all he learned while in training. When he did find  his forever home, this transition was easier for him after the training.  I highly recommend The Mindful Mutt for deaf, blind and deaf blind  dogs. 

Monica - iRescue

Testimonial

Kay put in countless hours with one of the foster dogs in our rescue. Daisy struggled with reactivity to just about everything outside the home, but especially to other dogs. Over many months, Kay worked closely and patiently with Daisy and her foster parents to work through her reactivity issues. Kay provided our rescue with regular updates on Daisy’s progress and videos from her training sessions. Kay is thoughtful and attentive to the needs of both the dog and handler. After spending 14 months in our rescue, Daisy found her forever family this summer thanks to Kay’s training and management guidance. Our rescue is so grateful to have found Kay. If you’re looking for a LIMA trainer offering board & train in the Seattle area, we highly recommend The Mindful Mutt. 

Marie - PNW Cattle Dog Rescue

Testimonial

 Our rescue came to Kay with The Mindful Mutt after we had picked up a 6-year-old Doberman, Koba from the shelter. He was there for 6 months and wasn’t finding a good home due to his behavior issues, so our rescue stepped in to help. He was dog reactive, leash reactive and had no leash skills – at 91 pounds, walking Koba was quite a task. His obedience commands were very sparse and was quite an anxious boy. 

Koba was the kind of dog that needed a lot of work and Kay was up for the task. She came up with a training plan to work on basic obedience in all distraction levels, loose leash walking and reactivity work. 

During Koba’s program, Kay was absolutely amazing to work with. She sent constant updates, photos and videos as well as invited me over for a few training sessions. The training sessions were great because it gave us a better idea of what he was working on and how to continue his training when he finished. We loved being able to see Koba’s progress and knew that he was in great care with her the entire time. 

After completing his board and train, Koba had basic obedience down to a T as well as maintaining focus in high distraction areas, which was non-existent before he started his training. He got more exposure and positive experiences around other dogs and was even able to go on walks with dogs after a slow introduction. Going on walks with him is much more enjoyable – he is less anxious, more confident and does much better with dogs nearby. In the house he is calmer and loves going to “place” to relax while I get things done around the house. 

Koba is quite the well-mannered boy and I am so grateful to have found Kay with to give Koba the time and patience that he needed before finding his forever home. And yes, Koba has been doing so well that he is now being adopted   Thanks again Kay & The Mindful Mutt Training!

Melani - The Doberman Rescue Pack

Testimonial

 We got Abe from Animal Services in February 2020. From February to April, Abe went through 3 foster homes; due to his resource guarding of his person against other animals. He is dog friendly, never outwardly aggressive, but would bark or get in between other animals and whom he saw as "his person." 

Kay reached out at just the right time and introduced me to her Board and Train program. Kay herself was very easy to work with. She was always friendly and she made sure to fully understand what the issues were, and asked defining questions to get the full picture. Kay sent videos and pictures and sent me updates often. She gives clear instructions and explains why the instructions should be followed and when you ask questions she answers very respectfully even if you ask a silly question. 

Since having Abe back in my care, the behaviors he learned has helped immensely. You tell him 'place', and he goes to his place. He's not perfect but we've been working on it. At least once a day we go through little training sessions. 

Overall, I would highly recommend Kay. If not for her care for Abe as one of her own, her completely professional attitude will have me reaching out to her in the future.  

Alaina - The Prez Foundation