Client Testimonials

When we decided to add a dog to our family, we really had no idea just how in over our heads we were about to get. We adopted a young puppy, cute as could be, and quickly fell in love with her. Everything went great until our adorable baby girl had to go potty. She only knew how to go, and we were completely lost on how to teach her where to go. Soon our little girl grew, and with her increased size, the messes she was leaving behind got bigger, too. Holly (our puppy) is a Great Dane, so she really did start leaving big messes all over the house in short order. By the time we had Gerard make his first home visit, we had to ask him to wear plastic bags over his feet to protect himself from any puddles we may have missed! It was completely humiliating. As much as we adored Holly, we were at the brink of giving her away because we simply didn’t know how to train her. Gerard was our last hope. Within 30 minutes Gerard had asked lots of questions to get to know Holly and where we were at with her. He knew exactly what we needed and just how urgent the situation was. The next hour was spent with Gerard showing us how to correctly interact with Holly, in a less confusing way for her, so she would get the message and understand what we wanted of her. He showed us what to do, and then he watched us as we did the same things. Gerard was incredibly patient and never seemed discouraged by our frustrations. It was our surprise to see Holly learn her first basic commands during that initial visit with Gerard. Holly is now 9 ½ months old, weighs about 100 pounds, and while she is still very much a puppy, she is a manageable and a permanent part of our family. She hasn’t had an accident in the house in many months, and she only had a couple after Gerard’s first visit! Even Holly is a happier girl since we have learned how to communicate with her in a good and consistent way. She knows what we want from her, and it makes her proud to fulfill our wishes. It really is thanks to Gerard that we still have Holly. We wouldn’t have made it much longer with the way things were going before he came to our rescue. Now we get all the good out of being dog owners, without all the bad that comes from a poorly trained dog.

Venessia R. - Vail July 25, 2015

By the time our dog Buster was 6 months old it was obvious that my wife and I needed assistance with his behavior. We had purchased Buster from a breeder in Missouri, when he was 8 weeks old. The purchase and the delivery were super. He was a beautiful, lively, loveable, and healthy little bundle. As time went on he remained all of these things, but seemed determined to become the alpha animal in the home and everywhere else. He was afraid of nothing and definitely had a mind of his own. He learned simple commands but was pretty choosy when he would comply. Discipline of any kind was something to be challenged. Rolled up newspapers were to be attacked and shredded. Some commands were obeyed only if there was a food reward present. Buster still remained the lovable little guy he had always been but it was definitely on his terms. Outdoor walks were a battle from start to finish. Other dogs and people were something to be rushed at and jumped all over. It had become obvious to us that we were headed in a direction with Buster that could not be continued. I found Gerard Raneri online. Buster’s misbehavior began to change with Gerard’s first visit. Gerard’s methods made sense to both Buster and his owners. Gerard could get Buster to halt his misbehavior and more importantly, he taught us how to deal with it and redirect it. Buster is a joy to walk with. There are times when he still thinks the world is his but he will comply when directed. Life for Buster and his owners is much more pleasant and placid. I think Gerard’s personality, knowledge, and skills combined to accomplish this. I would not hesitate to recommend Gerard Renari to anyone needing help with a pet.

Vern and Mona B. - Tucson July 25, 2015

Gerard, we can’t thank you enough for taking the time to teach us how to properly train Lucy. You answered all of my questions and made yourself always available if we had any problems. We were very lucky that Lucy, by nature, is a very smart, loving and easy going Goldendoodle pup. After just a few 5 minute sessions a day, she is already responding to all of the commands (and several cool tricks, which have impressed all of our friends, since she is only 6 months old). She still has selective hearing when she is given the command to come, especially while at the park with all of her friends. We will keep working on that one. Thanks again Gerard for getting us off to a great start

Jane S. M. - Tucson July 25, 2015

Working with Gerard was such a great experience for not only our dog but for our whole family! He went above & beyond to make sure we all had the best chance possible for success! I would definitely recommend him to anyone who wants to feel less frustration with your dog & see a positive change in their dog's behavior as well!

 

Cami Dixon McFarland Vail, AZ. June 26, 2017

We have a rescue dog, Luci. She is a Shepherd/Doberman mix. When we adopted her she was scared and needed constant reassurance. But she was a love who wanted nothing more than to sit close and get hugs from her family! She also loved playing with other dogs that came to our home. There was never a problem until she was attached by two dogs in our home. Since that time, she became aggressive to other dogs in our neighborhood. After the second time, we knew we needed to find a solution to our problem. We loved Luci so much and wanted our loving dog back! A friend suggested we call Gerard to help --- What a blessing he has been to our family! After only 2 weeks of training US, we made life better for everyone! Gerard helped us understand that we needed to be in charge and show Luci the way! WOW! What a difference. Luci has learned that we are the leaders and she is much happier following us. It is now a pleasure to take our dog out into the neighborhood knowing that she will follow commands and is under control. Thanks is hardly enough to Gerard! We are able to keep our beloved Luci without worrying that she will harm another dog. You would be very lucky to have Gerard help you with your beloved dog!

Donna, Don & Mari - Tucson July 25, 2015

I adopted a 4 year old German Shepherd Lab back in 2007 and couldn’t believe my luck as “Sadie” was turning out to be the perfect dog: Well behaved, very obedient and incredibly sweet and gentle. Then I took her to the dog park…Turns out she had a serious aggression problem toward other dogs and it became more evident why she was at the pound. As returning her to the pound was not an option for me, I called Gerard, and Sadie and I began working with him immediately. Together, we were able to apply techniques to curb her behavior and creatively manage the loop holes as they became more evident. For example, to remove all risk and to calm my own developing anxieties about ending up on Judge Judy, we added an extra Halti leash to the heavy duty 6 foot cotton leash and then topped it off with a muzzle. That way, throughout the process, if something didn’t go well, everyone remained safe. As I sit typing this, Sadie is politely sharing a rawhide bone with my boyfriend’s black Lab on the living room floor. Thanks to Gerard’s help, we averted the crisis and so far, are coexisting quite happily.

Wendy April 19, 2015

Gerard has proven to us that you can “teach an old dog new tricks.” We are grateful that the “tools” Gerard gave us to train our 7-year-old Jack Russell Terrier, Katie, made such a big improvement in her behavior in just a month. In just a few short weeks she changed from an aggressive, anti-social, fearful barker to an obedient, calm, friendly, social dog. The change in her has amazed our friends and neighbors. And Katie is enjoying all the extra attention because she is so well-behaved. Thank you, Gerard!

June, Skip & Katie -Tucson July 25, 2015

Please, visit my FaceBook Reviews. Thank you, Gerard

Facebook Reviews

Gerard Raneri Owner Tucson, AZ June 26, 2017

I have a 7 year old rescued dog, Boomer, who had some fearful nipping behavior which started to escalate. I moved from Guam to Tucson, AZ with 4 rescued dogs and a cat and although Boomer is the biggest of the pack, he is the most insecure and fearful. I contacted Gerard and he came to my house to meet Boomer and the pack. With Gerard’s patience and firm, but assertive way of training both me and the dog, I could see a marked change in Boomer’s behavior when walking on a leash as I don’t get pulled into the cacti. We are still working and meeting Gerard as needed, but every time I can see a difference in Boomer and we seem to understand each other better. Gerard’s techniques are wonderful and I will recommend him to all families with dogs with “issues.”

Noni D. - Vail July 25, 2015

Bindi is doing great. We all enjoyed the training and are so excited and relieved. We ran her through a few more “come” commands and even when she had her babies, she paid attention. A few times I had to advance toward her, immediately she was submissive and came to me. I just can’t wait to see how this will change our family … it already has

Kathy R. - Tucson July 25, 2015

I would recommend Gerard to anybody with a problematic dog. We have an Australian Shepherd that was unpredictable, snappy, fearful, and generally anxious. This training was well worth the money, and we can now enjoy ourselves with our dog without constantly worrying about him getting out of control in social situations. Thank you!!!

G+G and Bricey (not “Beastly” anymore!) - Tucson July 25, 2015

I used Gerard Raneri for my dog Emma last year. We participated in the one-year program. She (and I) had some issues and we needed help. I called a few dog trainers in Tucson and was not given any hope. Emma has aggression issues and had, in the past, bit someone. Her aggression came out of her need to protect me. I was told that either it would cost a lot of money for the help and she would have to stay in a place for 1 month with no visits from me, or she was a hopeless case and could not be helped. This is all from a 3 minute conversation over the phone. I spoke with Gerard and explained what I needed. He was professional and willing to help and we talked for about 30 minutes. He did not rush me off the phone. He did not make me feel like Emma was a hopeless case. Instead he told me he could help us. He came by the house about 4 times in the first 2 months for about an hour each session. And each time he taught me how to teach Emma. I know her issues are my fault. So I needed to let her know that I was in charge and okay and she did not need to protect me all the time. With his help, I have learned how to make her less stressed and worried about me. She still has a bark and lets people know she is there but the difference is in how I react. Thanks to Gerard, I have less fear about taking her into new situations around people. I would recommend his training to anyone who needed help for a “hopeless case.”

Stephanie G. - Tucson July 25, 2015

I have an older Bassett hound who is a handful. We had just had a baby and my dog Sam’s behavior was getting worse. He had no respect for us and was getting more and more aggressive. I researched a bunch of dog trainers and chose Gerard Raneri. It is the best decision I could of made. Gerard listened to our problems and worked with us on how to help Sam. Sam will be never be the perfectly behaved dog because that’s just not who he is, but with the training techniques we were taught we can all love together happily. My favorite thing about Gerard was how accessible he was. When I emailed him about a serious problem regarding aggression he called me in less than 10 min. He truly cares about animals and helping people.

Christina & Terry - East Tucson July 25, 2015

My husband and I moved to Tucson from New Mexico. We contacted called Gerard soon after we moved here to help us with our 2 Scottish Terriers, and he responded very promptly. Scottish Terriers are very independent and these two were not very well socialized with other dogs. Our male was refused admission to a doggie daycare. Gerard was very patient and determined with me and them. I can now take them both on a walk together and they both will walk beside me. We have worked at dog parks and my female is no longer aggressive with other dogs and my male is much more in control of himself. If he can’t control himself, then I have good tools to use to get him under control. Gerard is very good at taking the dog’s breed into consideration when working with them. He showed me how to help our male dog, who is not confident to not act aggressive and to correct him in a gentle way. My husband and I both are very happy with how the dogs have progressed. They are a pleasure to live with and well behaved. Our female will soon test to become a therapy dog.

Sue and Steve S. - Tucson July 25, 2015

There are no words to express how happy we are to have Gerard training us to train our dog! We’ve only had two sessions with him so far, but our dog has stopped jumping up on us, stopped jumping on the couch, stopped making messes when we leave, heeling… not only heeling, but WITHOUT A LEASH!, coming on command, and stopped darting off towards other people or dogs. People stop me on our walks almost daily to comment on how well behaved our dog is already! We have been able to develop a way of communicating with our dog. We didn’t have to buy any training equipment or gorge our dog with treats. One of the biggest problems was that she would have anxiety when I left and would soil the carpet (even if she just went and I was only gone for 2 minutes!), but she's doing so much better now! I can now throw away the trash without worrying about cleaning up a mess when I get back! Our dog loves when Gerard comes, she warmed up to him immediately, as did we. The sessions are full of great tips and help with a friendly and laid back feeling. Out of all the training options out there, I am definitely happy we chose Gerard!

Michael and Noelle D. - Tucson July 25, 2015

My shepherd mix, Echo, was having some minor behavioral issues that were beginning to become major issues. Not only did Echo need to be trained but I also needed to be taught how to properly train and handle my dog. Gerard did a wonderful job teach Echo and me to get her behavior under control. Gerard would meet me pretty much where ever and whenever I wanted which made things very easy. I would recommend Gerard to anyone who wants to train their dog.

Ryan - Tucson July 25, 2015

Gerard was such a help! My rescue shepherd mix, Penny, is extremely fearful, particularly of men. She also was aggressive towards other dogs. Gerard worked with my dog and gave me tips and tricks to help Penny get over her fear of men. He gave me training exercises to do with Penny and then followed up on each. Each time Gerard came he provided more training exercises. WOW – what a difference! After three lessons, Penny is a much better behaved dog and the aggressiveness to other dogs is almost completely gone. Penny walks better on a leash, obeys commands more readily and is more fun to be around. She is much, much better around men and no longer ducks behind me to hide from them. She may not be enthusiastic about men but at least she isn’t so scared and she gets better every day. Thanks Gerard! 🙂

Pam H. - Tucson July 25, 2015

Gerard is a patient, knowledgeable, gentle trainer who can get my dog, Maddie, to do anything. Since I am in a wheelchair, he used innovative and creative ways to train Maddie. He taught her to be able to walk alongside my wheelchair without jumping or getting tangled in the leash. He also trained her not to bark when the doorbell rang, not to jump on people, to walk off leash and to respond when I call her. He did it in a positive, loving way.

Michelle L. - Tucson July 25, 2015

We have three Australian Shepherds (1 is 14 months, 2 are 12 months old) that were out of control.

My husband and I would say “they make you laugh but at the same time you want to cry”. I finally said enough and started looking for dog trainers on the internet. I came across the Dog Training Mobile site and liked what I read about Gerard. I also like the fact that he came to your house and worked with the dogs in their environment. I contacted Gerard and made our first appointment. Now the only thing I had to do was tell my husband I had hired a dog trainer.

Before our first appointment my husband was not completely on board with hiring a trainer. After our first appointment, he thought it was the best thing we could have done. Gerard came to our home and and explained his philosophy and methods of dog training. One of the things that made an impression on my husband was while he was talking to us he was observing the dogs and their behavior.
Each dog has very different personalities. Gerard was able to hone in on each of their personalities and determine what would work best with each dog. What worked on one dog did not necessarily work on another. Gerard worked with each dog individually as well as in a pack setting. I will say that he did train my husband and me how to work with our dogs. This way we are in control not the dogs.
After each lesson, Gerard let us know what we should work on during the week with our dogs. Daily we would see improvement in their behavior. Even when Gerard is not physically with you he is always available if you need him. He would check in with us to see how the week’s training homework was progressing.

We could not have asked for a better trainer. His friendly, easygoing manner put us and our dogs at ease. Training three dogs at once is not easy but he made it look that way. We understand now that consistency and practice is the key. They are by no means perfect but with consistency, practice and patience they improve each day all thanks to Gerard and the methods he taught us how to use. 

 

Diana S Vail, AZ Vail, AZ January 17, 2017

I want to thank Gerard for the excellent training that has helped me and my dog, Honey. My (adorable shelter) dog had grown very possessive and fearful of other people and dogs causing both her and me stress anytime we ventured out into the public. After our first session and with diligent homework practices, I noticed results within a week. Gerard also worked with our leash walking techniques (walking my dog is a joy again, not a constant battle of wills) and helping us with our first dog park visit. Both my dog and myself are more relaxed in public and at home and I attribute that to the gentle yet authoritative “pack” leader training that Gerard teaches. Gerard was worth every penny and I look forward to my continuing training with my dog and to see how much we can learn and grow together. I am comforted in knowing that I can call, e-mail or meet with Gerard for any additional training or questions that may arise in the future. I highly recommend Gerard!

Natalie J. W. -Tucson July 25, 2015