In early 2009, my wife and I decided to buy a dog for our kids, all 6 years of age and under. We decided to buy a German Shorthaired Pointer, mainly because I knew that the dog would become mine after the newness ran out for the kids. After getting our new pup, my wife and I were somewhat surprised with the amount of energy the dog had. Like all pups he chewed on anything he could get his mouth on, including our kids. We (especially my wife) were ready to get rid of the dog.
After some thought, we decided that the pup needed a more suitable outlet for his breed that would require professional training. After a long search, I emailed Shelmar to get more information on their programs. They promptly responded to my email and I made an appointment to see their operation that same weekend. During my visit, Martin spent over 45 minutes with me talking about his program and demonstrating the results he has achieved with two of his students. I was impressed not only with his dog behavior knowledge, but also with his results. Equally as impressive was the facility, built for dog training in my opinion. I stopped searching after that first visit.
Happily, we enrolled our GSP in Shelmar's 4 month gun dog program and WOW...what results! Our dog is not only a great hunter but also a great family dog. My wife could not believe the transformation...he left our home an unruly pup and returned a well behaved softie that our kids are no longer afraid to play with.
We cannot say enough good things about the Bells. They did great with our dog and would recommend them in a heartbeat not only for training, but for boarding as well. Shelmar is the first place we think of when we have to travel and will certainly return for further training.
Pros: Great dog trainers, responsive to owners concerns
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