Reviews and Testimonials for Dog Ventures
Most dog trainers really know dogs and are great in reading them and communicating with them. But not all dog trainers know how to translate that to people or know how to pass on techniques and teach dog communication to humans. Jay is exceedingly good at both – dog and human communication. He has a keen eye for dog body language as well as giving me feedback on what I am inadvertently saying to my dog with my speech and body language. He is a skilled teacher and an avid animal/bird/nature enthusiast, a great combination. He helped me take my wound-up, super prey-driven rescue dog who would drag me around the block, pinch collar or not, to be able to be off-leash, return on command, and be happy and confident in her little life. This is who you want working with you and your dog.
Jay at Dog Ventures is a truly gifted trainer and makes the training experience wonderful for both owners and dogs. He has helped our family achieve results quickly and methodically with our corgi. We are seeing results that we never thought possible. Jay is incredibly knowledgeable and tailors the training to your unique needs. Jay is 100% committed to achieving the results that you want, and he really listens to what your individual goals are. Jay is always responsive by phone and email. He bends over backwards to make the training sessions convenient to his clients. Jay is a pleasure to work with. I would recommend him to anyone. He is a top-notch professional that has a lifetime of experience. I highly recommend him to anyone looking for a dog trainer.
Jay is a top notch dog trainer! He helped us with our brand new Portuguese Water Dog pup and has been involved in every stage of her puppyhood. She’s now almost a year and half and a complete pleasure! My husband and I talk about how well trained she is on a regular basis and how thankful we are that we invested in her training from an early age. It has made her more enjoyable for us and I believe has also made her a much happier dog. I’m a firm believer in training even more since working with Jay. He has a calm and confident way with animals. He works on teaching pets things that are important for not only handling your dog, but making them a pleasure in social settings and keeping them safe! There is a specific reason for everything he does and what he starts in the early stages are still applicable and useful as the dog advances. He teaches you as the owner how to interact with your dog and how best to handle problems or correct bad behaviors. He definitely empowers the owner to learn their animal and how to keep training consistent and ongoing between training sessions (this part is obviously the key and he is great at enabling the owners). He has a lot of experience and has so much to offer his clients. He has given us so many ideas and resources specific to our dog and her tendencies. Training is an ongoing process and an important way to communicate with your dog. I can’t think of a better trainer to help with that! Jay loves animals and it is obvious in how much pride he takes in his role in your dog’s life. It is clear that Jay is in this profession for the good of each and every animal he works with, he wants to set up each dog for success in their family so they have a long, healthy life together.
At just 10 weeks old, my new puppy was giving me all that I could handle. I contacted Jay for help and he took the time to understand my problems and training goals. He’s been an integral part of my dog’s life from teaching basic commands to managing her teenager phase to more advanced off leash work. Jay has given me the confidence and tools to overcome any struggles that come our way. I am forever grateful that he helped improve the bond that I have with my dog. Jay is also one of the few people that I completely trust to care for her at the same level I do. I have nothing but positive things to say and really feel like our training with Jay changed our lives for the better. My experience with Jay has been nothing short of amazing!
There are not enough words to express how thankful I am for Jay Hemmingsen of Dog Ventures Training! When we decided to embark on our puppy journey we knew that we wanted to get a Rhodesian Ridgeback. The more research I did the more I realized a very common theme among Ridgeback owners and breeders; everything we read confirmed the necessity of finding a good trainer as Rhodesians have a tendency to be very independent and stubborn, they do not live to please their people like Labs or Retrievers! However, there was also a lot of research about properly approaching Ridgebacks as they do not respond to typical (intimidating) forms of obedience training! So, before even looking for a puppy, I started trying to find the right trainer for her and came across Dog Ventures Training’s Facebook page! Even without having a puppy or a general date to start lessons, Jay was kind, responsive, and had tons of options and information for me! I knew right away that he was the trainer for us and our future pup! When we finally got our “Mouse” we decided to start puppy training at 12 weeks and from the beginning Jay helped us to understand the expectations we could have of her and what we were committing to! Throughout all of our sessions Jay would listen to my new concerns of the week, he would explain every detail of how to combat my concerns, and how to prevent the new ones that would arise as she developed into her own! He is truly an encyclopedia of knowledge on training and dog behavior! I can legitimately say that, without Jay, we would not have enjoyed this crazy stage of puppyhood as much as we have! He was (and is still) always available, even outside of our sessions, to chat with, to council, and to encourage me! After we completed our puppy course we decided to do e-collar training with Jay as well and once again I was blown away by his knowledge and how differently he approaches training! Jay has a real love for his dogs and always approaches them in the kindest and most loving of ways! With Jay’s approach to training, Mouse has not only become obedient and safe, but she has also retained her sweet nature, is so loving, and a true addition to our family! People are constantly commenting on how amazing our Mouse is, and it’s all because of your knowledge Jay and your unwavering dedication to her and our family! Thank you so much!
Where to begin, Jay has brought obedience and order to my household. He has the patience of a saint and knows his breeds of dogs. Jay goes the extra mile to work with each individual dog as well as in a group. He spent the time needed to focus on what each dog needed to be more successful individually and as well in a group. Mixing a household of four dogs and having two dogs with similar personalities was not an easy task. With Jay he helped to correct the challenges that were presented as well as presented new and different ways to have harmony in the house. I have experienced several different obedience training classes and have to say that without a doubt, Jay’s techniques and advice and teaching ways have been the most successful and fun and lasting. He has made a huge difference in my life and the life of my dogs! Thank you Jay. I am looking forward to working with you again soon!
Working with Jay was a great experience. Training involves more than just the dog, the owner is an integral part and Jay works well with both. Our almost two year old Golden Retriever, Rusty, is a big boy and can be very pushy. Each week after working with Jay we could see improvement in his behavior. With Jay’s training tips and practice I am able to take Rusty on walks some places without a leash. Both my wife and I wish we had started working with Jay sooner.
Having a very needy, untrusting dog, had me at my wits end. I wanted to enjoy walks instead of being walked, I wanted to be proud of my dog instead of embarrassed because his barking made me feel as if I was a “bad mom”, I wanted my Fluffy to just enjoy laying/sitting at my side when I had to work from home, I just wanted to be able to be out of his sight and know he will be ok instead of him getting “crazy eyed” if I stepped into another room. Although we both still have some work to do, Jay taught us both ways to work through these issues. I am now in control of our walks, I get to work and enjoy having Fluffy relaxed at my side. We have both learned to not react when we see other dogs, he longer goes wild with barking & pulling, I no longer feel the overwhelming need to protect instead of teach. We still have work to do but we finally have a foundation to build on and we couldn’t have done without Jay!
Jay is nothing short of AMAZING! We made all the mistakes possible in getting our first puppy – got two males at the same time, a breed that was way more than we could handle and very different parenting approaches from the two of us. We didn’t know how to get on the right path with our puppies. We have encountered aggression, fighting, excessive barking, fear, disobedience, destruction of all our belongings and more. Jay has gone above and beyond all expectations to help us get our home back to a happy, healthy environment. He has spent countless hours with us in our home, out in public places, learning new dog sports and on the phone talking us through handling behavior issues. Jay has not only taught us how to work with our pups but why we do the things we do so that we can continue to be better parents to our pups and prevent future issues. Jay is not only our most trusted resource when it comes to all things dog related, he has become a cherished part of the family. Our pups LOVE him and it is so fun to watch them light up whenever he pulls in the driveway. Regardless of the reason you are searching for a dog trainer, call Dog Ventures! You will not regret it.
I have loved working with Jay. My puppy is about to finish her last session, and because of her training she is a delight to be around. I cannot believe all she has learned as a very young puppy and am confident that, as long as I continue to reinforce her training, she will remember the training provided. Jay is so knowledgeable and has helped train me to observe my dog and recognize what motivates her behavior rather than applying human behavior to a dog. All of this is done in a very positive atmosphere. In the past with previous dogs, have gone the route of pet store group training, and there is no comparison to the individualized training provided by Jay in my home and my puppy’s everyday surroundings. My puppy will be with me a long time, so the cost of individualized training is minimal for the long-term reward.
Jay has done an amazing job with Jax, our 1 1/2 year old French Bulldog, in getting us to better understanding him and giving him the manners he needs. Jay was very easy to work with and taught us things that we can use in helping Jax. Jax enjoyed working with Jay, as well as us, we all looked forward to our training sessions. Jax is definitely a different dog and much more well behaved and now that we understand how much he wants to learn it will be easier for us to keep him busy. Thank you Jay for your patience with a little stubborn headed French Bulldog and helping us with him. I would definitely recommend you to our friends and anyone else who is looking for some training.
We can’t say enough good things about Jay and Dog Ventures! We first hired Jay to help us with our new rescue puppy. We started training when she was approximately 3 months old. Jay was awesome and helped train us so we could train her! Jay comes to your house and works with the dogs in their environment which is key to getting the most out of training. He takes the time to get to know the dog and adjusts his training based on the dog. He is very patient and caring, with both the dogs and the humans! His knowledge and training techniques are very effective. Everyone who meets our puppy is amazed at how well behaved she is. 🙂 We had just finished up our 6 weeks of training when we decided to rescue a 10 month old puppy.The first thing we did was call Jay so he could evaluate the new addition and help us with his training! Jay immediately gave us the help and guidance we needed with having 2 puppies. His assistance brought order to our chaotic home! You can’t go wrong with Jay and Dog Ventures training!
Jay is great at what he does! We had no idea where to begin back in January when we adopted our rescue pup. We never considered ourselves dog people and wanted to make sure we did things right. I would text or call Jay all the time and he was more than happy to help me with whatever it was. He totally helped boost my own confidence with learning how to raise a puppy. Even though we are finished with training I can still reach out and know that he will be there for us. Highly recommend you give Jay a call!
Jay is phenomenal. Extremely patient with Sake who is a Shiba Inu but also with us as owners. Thanks Jay!!
Jay is talented and gifted. Met him during continuing education for professional trainers. Contact him, your dog will thank you! -HPR Working Dogs
We have been having Jay work with us and our two female golden retrievers now for about three months or so. One is four and the other one 11. They are both very sweet dogs, as goldens are. However, the young one has some behavioral quirk which causes her to attack the older dog at certain times (typically resulting in a bloody ear and hurt feeling – that would be us!) – usually when there is something they are both interested in. Jay has opened our eyes to identify those situations and the warning signs that lead to a vicious confrontation. He has also been working with us to “desensitize” the younger one and to control her impulses. We have had much success and are amazed by Jay’s ability to understand and work with dogs. We would highly recommend him to anyone with a dog issue.
Jay has been absolutely amazing with our small dog Ralf and I would always recommend him! He has brought Ralf so far in just four short sessions. We will be using him with all of our future help we might need!
What can I say about Jay, he is amazing. We got our little, mixed breed dog Taz when he was 5 months old. Little did we know he wasn’t socialized as a puppy which is crucial for proper socialization with people & other dogs. We noticed within a year of having him he started to become fearful of other people who came into the house. He would hide under the table & bark the whole time they were there. He started to become aggressive to strangers then he started to become aggressive towards us. I called Jay & he took the time to explain Taz was fearful & he could help..Jay did just that. Jay has the patience of a saint! He worked with Taz on building his confidence thru obedience training. Jay gave us the skills to help Taz in new situations so he isn’t so fearful & fleeing. We still have work to do on meeting new dogs but with Jay’s training, we will be able to handle anything. Thanks Jay!!
Jay is really aware of what type of dog (and owner) he is working with and what their strengths and weaknesses are. The training we have done and continue to do have made my dog and I both more in tune with each other, making it a more pleasant dog owning experience. I had a troubled Sheltie who enjoyed doing his own thing and there seemed to be a bit of a disconnect between him and myself. The training we have done with Jay has not only made him a better behaved dog, but we enjoy the time we spend training and bonding. He has become more obedient and seems more relaxed in general, allowing us to have a much more pleasant dog/owner relationship. Thanks Jay!
Jay has been working on training Luke, my 6 month old smooth collie for the past six weeks. Luke loved every minute of his training! Jay has more patience than anyone I have ever met and his love for dogs is unbelievable. His last lesson included teaching Luke not to panic when vacuuming. He patiently walked Luke around while he ran the vacuum, rewarding his calm behavior. Today my cleaning lady is here running the vacuum and Jay, he hasn’t barked once!!!! I would highly recommend Jay. Thank you Jay.
I can’t recommend Jay highly enough. His work with Gonzo, our now 1 1/2 year old Chesapeake Retriever, but more importantly, with me, has made such an enormous difference in Gonzo’s behavior and our whole household is so improved because of it. Jay’s insights were so valuable — he really understands how dogs communicate, and he taught me so much about how to change my own behavior and attitude in such a way that my dog and I (and my husband) now have a much more meaningful and understanding way of dealing with each other — and it really makes a difference! Go to Jay if you want long-lasting, positive changes in your dog’s attitude and behavior!!!
We are taking care of my daughter’s dog for a while and knew that being undisciplined for 3 years was going to be a problem and she needed help. Our neighbors referred us to Jay and I’m so glad they did! Jay is so caring, knowledgeable, professional and patient. Daphne was a bit timid and fearful, liked to fence fight, pulled really hard on walks and had some bad habits in the house. Jay recognized several things to work on right away, gave her (and us) new skills, which naturally gave her confidence. After 4 sessions, we now have a dog that listens, enjoys doing the work and obeys commands. Thanks Jay for all your help and we’ve referred you to our other neighbor.
Jay is so much more than just a dog “trainer.” While he has shown me the basic principles of training my dog, Emma, he has also shown me something much more powerful, and that is how to change my fundamental relationship with her. I want her to be a balanced and happy dog, and Jay has shown me how I can help her achieve this. He has tremendous insight into the nature of people and dogs. Because of this, he was able to point out ways in which I needed to step up and give Emma what she really needs- not more love and attention, which I so easily give, but leadership- which doesn’t come so naturally for me. Through his encouragement, instruction, and advice, I have been able to move into this role for her, and consequently have been having a more incredible time with her than ever before. I can really see that both myself and she are becoming more balanced together. For example, she used to be the worst at pulling on the leash during our walks. I tried every technique I could think of- stopping when she pulled, putting her on a harness, using a prong collar. After working with Jay, I am able to walk her with a simple nylon leash around her neck- no gimmicks, no stress. We are now having the most incredible walks together!
Thank you so much for your efforts with Sera! I really appreciate all that you have done and suggestions for her future success, and for checking in on her. She is already a happier and more confident dog than she was a month ago. I’ll definitely be recommending your expertise to others!
I was given a Pit Bull Terrier and was scared because of things I’ve heard about pits. He seemed to be a loveable, happy dog. But, he was exhibiting some aggressive behaviors such as barking, growling and charging at guests in a threatening manner, shredding (everything), and was supremely protective over my nine year old daughter. I talked to Jay via the Internet for a few weeks about Duke’s behavior and we agreed that Duke needed a trainer with experience in these areas. Jay was great! He had Duke’s attention and willingness within a half an hour. Jay worked with the whole family and Duke. He gave us information and tips I would have never thought of. Duke is doing very well, he no longer feels threatened by people coming in the door, and is much easier on things in the house. He walks well on a leash, no pulling or stopping. I have been able to breathe a sigh of relief knowing that Duke is on his way to good behaviors and not being a threat. Duke breathes a sigh of relief as well because he knows he is pleasing his family. Jay spent a lot of time explaining things to us and working with Duke. He is very patient and kind. The fact that he loves dog is apparent and he was absolutely a God-send for us. Thanks Jay, you are truly wonderful!
Jay Hemmingsen is an absolute gem. He is a leader in the world of dog behaviorists because he truly cares, not only about each and every animal he works with, but about their people as well. Jay empowers his clients (furry or otherwise) through the art of listening–his ability to pay attention combined with his vast knowledge of both dogs and humans and his time-tested, creative behavior modification applications culminate in a training experience that surpasses expectation and imagination. Jay loves his work and it is apparent in every aspect of interaction with him–from initial contact to actual session time with you (your family) and your dog(s). My beautiful dog, Scout, had an insecurity issue when we first brought her home from the Boulder Humane Society. Although we had the best intentions, we didn’t have the knowledge or the experience to ensure her adjustment and integration into our family. We called Jay for help. When he came out to meet with us he and Scout bonded immediately. We could see that she trusted him and recognized him as a leader. (Our boys immediately liked him too, and were eager to participate in the process.) In a manner that was intuitive and inspirational Jay taught us quickly and efficiently how to create a harmonious home for everyone. Because of Jay, Scout is able to get the most out of her family situation and we are able to enjoy our dog to her full potential. She even goes on assignment with Jay occasionally, assisting him by demonstrating her confidence and stability for the benefit of other dogs so that they may also become the happy, well-adjusted pack members they are meant to be. I highly recommend Jay and his methods, and I am thrilled to see the positive results brought about by his obvious skill. Thanks, Jay!
Dear Jay, I just have to tell you there is no way I can thank you enough for what you have done for me and my daughter, (4-year old boxer – Emily). She was the most social dog ever until her attack, and then she couldn’t even be near other dogs. It was such a difficult time, and we had several unpleasant experiences with other trainers, then a caring pet owner recommended you and it was the best thing that could have ever happened. Your gentle touch with her and your kind words for me has made all the difference in the world. We even did the Furry Scurry this year! I can never truly repay you for giving me back my warm loving friend Emily. Thank you!
Jay Hemmingsen is an excellent dog behaviorist and trainer. I have found him to be reliable, responsible, considerate, and conscientious. He is very knowledgeable regarding dogs needs and is willing to do what is necessary to help owners see and meet these needs so they can get the most benefit from training their dog. Dogs seem to like him very much and are willing to follow his lead. After one visit, my friends and I could see a change in my dog. I am handicapped and Jay has helped me compensate for this handicap in training my dog so I can handle her. I would recommend Jay to anyone having behavior problems with their dog in a minute.
Our puppy behaved in a way that felt like a constant battle of wills at eating time, on a leash, even as we simply moved throughout our home. Jay taught us about how a dog thinks and communicates. He taught us how to convey that the people are in charge and how to teach her acceptable behavior by changing ours. We had a puppy with an attitude now we can’t imagine our home without her.
Before my owners met Jay, they were not very happy with me. Some of my bad habits included getting out of the yard and running away, jumping on people and chewing on things I shouldn’t be chewing on. Jay came over to my house and helped me and my owners learn how to work together and form a new and improved relationship. Things are much better now and we have Jay to thank! Thanks so much for your help with Bella. It’s made a huge difference!
I think Jay is fabulous. He gently let me know most of the issues are with me, not my dog! His insight is invaluable in my many areas of my life including parenting my kids! If you are thinking of paying for dog obedience training to overcome some dog issues, I suggest you invest in behavior training first. The trust you build with your dog is the most important thing. And Jay is the best!
Jay worked with my dog Rudy, an Australian Shepard with aggression toward human strangers, and also even with some people he knew. He would always act overly protective of me, and anytime I went to hug someone goodbye he would lunge at their ankles. I saw incredible results after our first session with Jay, and my family couldn’t stop commenting on how much better Rudy had become once our training was complete. Jay has a way with both animals and people and is very pleasant to work with. Thanks Jay!!!
I needed our dog Kiowa to get tested for his Canine Good Citizen certificate. Jay worked with us to fine tune some behaviors in order to be tested. Jay was patient and was very knowledgeable. I would recommend him to anyone!!!!
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