Client Testimonials

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

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

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

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

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

Love Gerard and I'm on a positive road with my 5 month old Jack Russell Phoebe! This is my 3rd Jack and she was kicking my butt! We'd give him more then 5 stars!

Jan H Benson, AZ 6/2017

Jan H June 26, 2017

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

My dog, Ms. Dolittle, was afraid to come up the stairs to my apartment. I had to carry her up the stairs every time we went outside. She is overweight and my back and knees hurt badly. I almost moved to a downstairs apartment and then I found Gerard. It took Gerard two visits before she was going up the stairs and does it every time now. He was the best thing that ever happened in our lives. Thank you for your patience and the love you show in your training.

Jackie F. - Tucson July 25, 2015

I love how our trainer interacts with our Chihuahua, Nena. Nena is a 7-month-old puppy who displays many puppy behaviors that, as an individual trying to train her on my own, I could not get under control. She still has a long way to go, but in the short time our trainer, Gerard, has been with us, has come to show the proper way of dealing with Nena’s bad behaviors, and has been very patient with my learning of how to properly train Nena. One of our major accomplishments in the short time our trainer has been here is getting Nena to walk down the stairs of our home. From the time we got the dog, she would not go near or even walk down the first step. In one visit, Gerard was able to get Nena to walk down and up the stairs with ease, and she was not afraid of the steps anymore. Our trainer is very personable and always willing to lend a helping hand.

Joe 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

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

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

A few years ago, I rescued a little Boston Terrier in Tucson who was found by a couple of young women who found him wandering around downtown and thought he was a Boxer. A friend from a Tucson Boxer Rescue group brought him to my home. He has been an experience! Charlie had many, many issues, he was distrustful, frightened of everything, aggressive and always moving, never quiet…always on alert. I went the route of obedience and pet training, but nothing was effective, and he was not a very lovable little guy. Then my vet gave me Gerard’s card, this was after an aggressive incident occurred at her office. Calling Gerard’s number was the best move I’d made to that point. From the very first visit, I was encouraged that there was hope for Charlie and me! I learned at the first visit that I had to become more calm and assertive in my actions….growling back at him was certainly a new tool…It’s been a long road, but Charlie has finally become a pleasant roommate, and tries very hard to please me. He is a little fireball, still very intense, is on medication to calm and relax him. I can’t credit Gerard enough, he has been our rock through this whole process. He has gone the extra mile, going to the vet and groomer with us. Always available when we had problems or questions to be dealt with. I feel so good that I know I can be in touch with him at any time and he will always get back to me right away. We would recommend Gerard to anyone who has a dog with issues they don’t know how to deal with. He will be the answer to your prayers! We love you Gerard, thanks.

Charlie and his Mom, Glenna S. - Tucson July 25, 2015

I was very happy having Gerard train my dog, Diva. He is patient with me and the dog. He comes up with original ideas for each individual dog and owner. He is responsible, returning calls and answering questions. He always arrived on time for lessons and no matter what problem I was having with my dog, he figured out a way to resolve it.

Kirk S. - Tucson July 25, 2015

We had tremendous success with Gerard. Within two sessions, the major behavior problems we were having were resolved (barking and pulling on the leash) and we were able to move on to sitting, staying, coming on command and even working off the leash. Gerard was flexible, always working around our schedule and really went the extra mile to get to know our family and our dog to tailor his training to our dog’s specific personality and needs.

Marianne R. - Tucson July 25, 2015

Like many rescued dogs, Susie came with temperament problems. When I first brought her home, she barked so much when I was at work that the neighbors complained! She was so excited to wake up every day that she nearly bit my face off with good morning kisses. She ate toilet paper. She jumped up on everyone. When the doorbell rang, she went berserk! She was just plain anxious and needy. . . . I checked out Gerard Raneri and was impressed by his philosophy and testimonials. That night, I called his number and within a short time, he called me back. We talked for quite a while and set up an appointment for the next weekend. After a few sessions with Gerard, Susie is a much happier dog, and I’m a much, much happier mom. After our first session, her barking cut in half. After the second session, it cut in half again. She now sits politely [when the doorbell rings] and waits for me to say ‘okay’ before greeting guests. She used to take me for walks, and now I take her. Within just a few moments’ training, she was heeling. My friends and family have noticed how Susie has calmed down. She still has her moments, but the change is remarkable. I realize that it’s up to me to be the leader. It was so awkward for me to growl and be assertive with Susie, but I knew it was the key to success. ~ I would recommend Gerard to anyone in need of dog training (or people training, which it really is). . . . Thanks, Gerard!

Cary D. - Tucson July 25, 2015

Gerard was absolutely top-notch working with our Lab Scout. We were amazed with what he could do with an over-exuberant 6-year-old dog. He is extremely knowledgeable, very patient, and clearly adapts his training methods to the individual dog and his/her tendencies, issues and personality. We saw tangible results on Gerard’s first visit with us. We would absolutely recommend Gerard to any of our friends looking for a highly effective dog trainer.

Scott & Kim C. - Tucson July 25, 2015

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

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

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