Stephen Sharpe – A Dog’s Life

I have a 1.5 yr old Bernese Mountain Dog — known to be a lovable but insanely stubborn breed (especially at this age). I read all the books, all the blogs, and figured it was time to get some professional help when it came to recall and some signs of food aggression.
I was hesitant to go to a dog trainer for fear of them using negative reinforcement or a few other tactics i disagree with — but Stephen did not disappoint. He’s kind and really has a way of teaching YOU (not the dog). He gives you the tools you need to improve your dog’s behavior as long as you’re willing to put in the work. There’s no magic recipe, just lots of hard work and he helps you get there. He tough me a few techniques that would really help to calm Sammy down and get her into a state where i could trust her to be better behaved and receptive to commands. Just seeing her in that state on day 1 of training I knew i was missing a few steps when it came to training. From that day I’ve used those techniques day in day out and she has come more accustomed to obeying. There’s some dog psychology to it and lots of repetition.
A few months later I’m happy to say that Sammy’s behavior is improving and it will keep on improving!

I have had the pleasure of knowing Stephen for 2 years; first as a trainer for our Standard Poodle pup and now as a park friend. He has an innate ability to read a dog/​owner team and coach them to a more satisfying relationship. He is very generous with his knowledge and always kind and calm. Dogs respond to him immediately and he expertly conveys his methodology to the owner. Dogs are eager to please their people and Stephen will give you the tools and techniques for how to ask.
Like anything however, it does take a lot of practice to ingrain it all into your everyday lives. You will be so happy you chose Stephen to show you the way!

If you have a new year’s resolution to train your dog, I highly recommend Stephen! He has been the most positive influence on my standard poodle, Volt. I watched as he magically trained my one year-​old puppy in such a subtle, compassionate way. In just one meeting with Stephen I knew (for the first time) my dog had potential to be trained. Stephen emphasized the importance of teaching me how to better take the lead/​control. In turn, this allowed Volt the opportunity to do his job and follow. I learned that some things are not negotiable– when it comes to interacting with my dog. :) I am so grateful for the opportunity to work with Stephen and gain the skills to better understand my dog. Volt is now a pure joy and we truly have a stronger bond. He is no longer pulling on the leash when we walk and stays right by my side. I am able to safely socialize him with other dogs and we keep meeting new friends every time we go out.
The most dramatic shift has been Volt’s transformation from an anxious, high strung, rebellious poodle who nipped all the time to becoming a more calm, confident, loving, friendly dog. Stephen entering into my life has been a true blessing! Hands down he is the best dog whisperer ever!

I have worked with Stephan off and on for six years. Stephan successfully trained all our dogs and me so that I can walk two dogs at a time, heeling, and deal with «dog conflict» and the unexpected, safely. We hired him in 2008 to work with a lab/​pit rescue that was a strong, dominant, untrained dog. She is now a great fun, relaxed, well behaved dog. He volunteered information to us about a Great Pyr puppy that we’d adopted and has helped train her and us about this strongly territorial, protective breed. He has shown lots of patience with our two fun loving, strong willed Samoyeds. He evaluated: behavior, problems, breed issues, level of proficiency of basic dog skill for each of my four large (70 lbs. plus), young dogs. Spent time talking to us about what we wanted to achieve with each dog. Shared information about breed specific issues. Trained dogs by himself and then went out with us to train us, refine our skills and work on on mental attitude in seeking a calm, cohesive pack. Stephan has also assisted with walking our dogs when we were out of town or when we had schedule conflicts. Stephan is a great listener, very calm, helpful with advice about training devices, and the mental state you should strive for to have a calm, well behaved dog. I have watched him work with everything from a pint sized out of control Yorkie to giant breeds. He is reliable, responsible and professional. When I’ve had a dog problem, he has always been generous with phone time to listen and provide suggestions. Oh… and all my dogs love Stephan!

Stephen is a Dog trainer magician! He gave us some incredible pre-​training tips for our two adopted rescue 3 month old girls, who responded to him immediately. He’s intuitive, patient, understanding. He views dogs in a holistic way, offering insight to us about their behavior, wants, needs. In addition to appointments, Stephen is totally accessible all of the time, by phone or email to help solve problems and answer questions.
Do not think twice before hiring him. You simply won’t regret it.

Stephen provided outstanding training for me and my dog Sienna. I was in a very challenging spot, having adopted a dog with pretty severe separation anxiety. His expertise allowed me to establish a healthy and positive relationship with my new four-​legge
Stephen quickly returned my initial phone call and scheduled a time to meet with me. He arrived on time and went right to work assessing the needs of me and my dog. I noticed instantly he had a special way with dogs, as my dog responded to him in a very positive way.
Stephen listened to our story, answered every question thoroughly, and was very sympathetic to our situation. He then proceeded to provide detailed instructions on how to cure the separation anxiety. It’s not an easy task, but he assured me there was hope. Stephen also provided the theory behind the instructions, giving me the background to make decisions on the fly as necessary. This proved to be invaluable throughout the process of curing my dog’s separation anxiety.
Thanks to Stephen I have a dog that I can leave alone without any problems. I also have a dog that sits, shakes, lays down, and stays when asked to do so. She also walks cooperatively on a leash and has a healthy and delicious diet. We are even working on off-​leash training at this point that will make hiking so much fun for me and my dog. Finally, Stephen shows his high level of commitment to his clients by making himself available via phone and text. This was especially helpful in the first two weeks.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Stephen to anyone considering dog training services.