“Well I’m here to say Christian made it possible to teach an old dog new tricks & and that includes us too! My husband and I needed help with our beloved 12 year old cock-a-poo.

Our goal was to have our dog accept our daughter’s new puppy into our extended family.  Our 1st introduction did not go very well.  That is what led us to contact Christian.

Christian met us at our daughter’s home in Whistler and taught all of us (adults and kids) about the nature of pack order. His teachings were logical and clear, not difficult to follow. We all learned how to be calm assertive leaders to our senior dog and their new puppy.  We also learned when to show love and praise. 

What Christian taught us has taken our relationship with our dogs to an even higher level. Our dog now accepts our daughter’s puppy and is much calmer as a result of us understanding pack hierarchy and where we all fit in. 

We would highly recommend Christian to assist you with teaching your new puppy or helping with difficulties you may be having with an older dog…it’s never too late!

Christian loves and understands animal behavior and is an excellent teacher - conscientious and reliable.

Thank you Chrisitan! We only wish we had met you sooner!”

Sincerely,
Lynn and Lorne Mattson
West Vancouver, B.C.

Ilo left and Olive on the right.

Widget

"We called The Dogfather out of desperation, we needed an outside opinion about whether our “very spirited” snarly puppy was going to be a good fit for our family after the breeder suggested perhaps she was “just too much dog for us”.  Christian made time to come over and meet with us as soon as I called.  Within minutes of meeting our pup, her demeanor changed.  I could see all we needed was some guidance and support.  It’s amazing how much Widget loves Christian, he has a very unique and special way with dogs and has been 100 percent available for any of our questions and concerns.  I’m so thankful that I called him and am looking forward to working with him as our puppy grows up."


Shelly A.
Whistler, B.C.

Ruby

“My husband and I rescued Ruby approximately 4 years ago.  She had previously lived in a home with drug addicts and had never been exposed to anything and never walked before coming to the foster home.  When we first adopted Ruby, she was scared of everything…birds, bikes, cars, wheelchairs, baby strollers, skateboards.  You name it, she reacted to it but lunging and barking.  Overtime and with more exposure, she reacted less and less to everything except other dogs.  We were that couple that had to switch sides of the street to avoid other dogs or have the embarrassing dog meltdown.  We had taken a variety of classes, which helped some but never quite “cured” the problem.  Ruby would get used to the other dogs in the class and stop reacting.  Then we would go for a walk in our neighbourhood and Ruby would go back to being reactive again.  

We were recommended Christian by a friend.  After learning how to “pin” Ruby, it was like we had a different dog.  She stop patrolling and started actually enjoying our walks.  We saw her wag her tail while out….a sight that neither my husband or I had ever seen.  Ruby still has the occasional reaction (running dogs and big fluffy dogs are still her nemesis) but she is doing so much better.  And my husband and I are more calm and confident out on walks which also helps.  I cannot recommend Christian enough to anyone who has a reactive dog.”


Kevin Hart
Golden, BC

Sheila

“Boy - where do I start?

I came to Dog Dad with a timid dog who never let anyone approach her. She would snap, run, or shut down anytime another dog got too close. Walks were stressful, and dog parks were completely off-limits.

Working with Dog Dad changed everything.

His methods aren’t “fast-food training”. This is school not for your dog, but for you too. You have got to want to become your dog’s leader. Dog Dad’s homework takes real involvement, consistency, and leadership- but it works, and it feels like the way dog training should have been all along. No bribing. No treat bag strapped to your hip. No constant micromanaging. Just clear communication, calm guidance, and a relationship built on trust.

Today, my girl walks confidently by my side. When we meet dogs on trails or in the park, she doesn’t panic or hide anymore. She welcomes sniffs, play, bows, and even a friendly face lick. She’s relaxed, open and actually enjoying the world her leader ( apparently now me finally…) allows her to be free in.

I save money on treats, I worry less, and I have a happier, more secure four-paw best friend. I can’t thank Dog Dad enough for giving both of us our confidence back. You’re the man Christian.”


Troy McGerry
New Glasgow, Nova Scotia

Lucy

“ A second chance for Lucy is what I say, when they ask about Dog Dad.

I adopted Lucy from the Dog Dad, when he was re-home training her. When I first heard about her, I was told she had survived more than most dogs ever should. She was terrified of touch, guarded anything she considered “hers”, and reacted strongly toward men. She couldn’t be near people or other dogs without shutting down or defending herself. She lived in a world where everything felt unsafe. Then came Christian…

He welcomed Lucy into his own home and into his pack, using his two wolf dogs as calm, steady liaisons to show her what real leadership and safety look like. It wasn’t overnight. It wasn’t easy. I witnessed her first day arriving to Dog Dad rehoming program, to the day came into my arms - it took 5 solid months of consistent structure, bonding, and clarity- but slowly, Lucy began to trust again.

She learned she didn’t have to guard every toy, blanket, or bowl. She learned hands could be gentle. She learned men didn’t have to be feared. She learned how to be part of a pack, how to walk with other dogs, how to rest without panic, and how to let someone guide her instead of trying to survive alone.

By the time she came to me, she wasn’t the shut-down, defensive 1/10 dog she once was. She was a 7/10 integrated, open-hearted little Lucy girl, ready for a home and ready for love.

Now she climbs into bed with me at night, greets visitors without snapping, walks proudly beside other dogs, and lets people approach her with curiosity instead of fear. She still has quirks- the kind that make her unique- but she has a life again.

Dog Dad didn’t just train her. He rehabilitated her. He gave her back the chance to be a dog-and gave me the gift of knowing her. I’m forever grateful for Christian.”


K.L.
Rossland, British Columbia

Harriette

“Dog Dad completely changed our life. We adopted a tiny rescue dog from Cuba who was sweet with me but reactive, agressive in public, and very hard to handle when guests came over. I didn’t want to give up on her, so we hired Dog Dad- and it was the bet decision. His calm leadership and guidance helped her feel safe, confident and so much easier to manage. I finally feel proud taking her out in Whistler. Highly recommend!”


Darcy E. Harvy
Whistler, British Columbia

Rick

“Dog dad is AMAZING! Seriously. Upon meeting Christian, we learned of his lifelong experience and study of wolves, pack mentality, and bringing into the everyday K9 owner’s home. He took Ricky, our very sensitive, aggressive towards men, farm dog and did a 360 on us all. Ricky had serious trust issues, guarded his toys and food ( like her farm animals), and didn’t like men approaching the property, leaving for interesting ( stressful) encounters for myself.

Thanks to Christian’s unbelievable patience and initial consultation that assessed why Ricky was behaving the way he was ( it came from over-use of treats -learned this from another dog trainer which I had to unlearn my doggo- , not enough positive-dominance from my end as the male owner, and not taking the time to teach the approach towards humans in a safe manner.) Now Ricky has learned to bond, feel safe in me being the leader and commanding in trust.

I am not going to sugar coat it, the work is not easy comparing to “non-traditional” dog treat methods… but this felt the right way and I was excited to put the work into the assignments he gave us. Ricky now welcomes men 8/10 times I would say, and is far more relaxed to have around in general. I learned something new too, not only about K9’s but about myself and my relation to the animal kingdom. Thank you Christian, Ricky & the family are so grateful for your training.”

Greg McBrood
Elora, Ontario

The Travelling Pack

“He took on my entire pack of adopted stray dogs, each with their own challenges. Two had dominant personalities and constantly clashed, while one was always bullied and struggled to find her place in the pack. On top of that, some had fear-based aggression toward humans, resource guarding around food and toys, and ….general anxiety from past trauma. PHEW! I only realized what I got myself into once too late. Here comes Dog Dad to the rescue.

I live in a super remote location of northern BC. We did the initial free consultation by video due to distance, and he was confident he could change the pack mentality. I took the chance, flew him out, and BAM. Within 2 weeks of training …you could honestly observe every waking day the progress. It teared me up…dogs are misunderstood and more sensitive than we think and have their own world of thinking. Christian took the time to educate me on all these aspects and left my home with a joyful, co-operative pack. I only had 2 run off on me since, and they always come back now, whereas before it was 4 of them running off and I would have to spend hours searching.

I attached you some photos of my babies having fun last winter- if only you could see the chaos before Dog Dad. Thank you thank you thank you Dog Dad. Best money spent in a while.”

Sheryl Petters
Winter Harbour, BC