We adopted Aiyla, a 2.5 year old seventy pound former street dog who was extremely reactive when on…read morea leash, if she saw or heard another dog while out walking she would lunge, bark and snap at the leash. Reactivity is a notoriously hard behavior to break, we had already worked with two other trainers on this problem without success and were beginning to get discouraged when we called Bark to Basics. Melissa did an excellent job explaining the root of the reactivity, made practical suggestions such as a different harness and more motivational treats and came up with a clear training plan. We signed up for four training sessions over a couple of months and did a lot of homework with Aiyla in between and she has improved greatly. Melissa met us where we were and made us feel like we could succeed, she is very calm, patient and knowledgeable about dog behavior. While reactivity was the main issue, Melissa also helped us improve basic obedience skills that have made our lives much easier. She provided clear feedback and good notes after every session and reached out to reschedule when the weather looked questionable, knowing that Aiyla hates being out in the rain. While we still have work to do, thanks to Melissa we have the foundation and skills to keep making progress.

From the owner: Bark to Basics has been changing the lives of pets and their owners since 2007! Melissa is a…read morecertified behavior consultant with the Certification Council for Pet Dog Trainers and the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. Bark to Basics offers services ranging from basics to advanced behavior consulting for issues such as aggression, separation anxiety and fears. All training is customized to your unique needs and goals. You will learn how to communicate more effectively with your dog to help them become a better best friend!

So first there should be an option for ten star because Reaba deserves that. This was by and far…read morethe most amazing experience my dog Smokey and I have had. First, this happened to fall the weekend of Hurricane Michael when everyone lost power including Reaba. It was very last minute as my trip plans changed and I had to leave earlier than expected and could not reach the place originally scheduled for my dog. I quickly search engines somewhere and Reaba popped up and I called explained my situation and though slightly off her normal stipulations she agreed to help me. Of course none of us expected the storm at this point as it was Thursday. We left, and I am always super apprehensive leaving Smokey bc he was a rescue and I always worry he thinks I am abandoning him. Well storm hits and sure enough Reaba lost power the entire time I was gone as did everyone here in Saxapahaw. When we returned Sunday we weren't sure what we would return to at our house so Reaba was gracious enough to offer if we needed to pick him up the next day that was fine. Fortunately we did not. We picked up Smoky and I was expecting the usual, my dog to be anxiously waiting for me jumping up to see me , jumping in my car, jumping and running. What I got was similar to a mopey child being picked up by mom to early I seriously could not believe it. My dog did not want to leave!! My dog came home with more manners, quieter, more well trained than I sent him!!! I am still in disbelief!!! I cannot reccommend NO BARKING BACK enough!!!! Honestly!!! I feel like my dog has made friends with Rebea's kids and can't wait to visit again! Even if you live in G'boro or Mebane it's worth the distance for the complete TLC your dog will get from Reaba will give to your furry family member -kerri D

From the owner: Our specialty is personalization! Our mission is to train no more than one or two dogs at a time,…read moreto ensure your pet is treated like it's at home!

Great private fenced dog park in Mebane. Book through Sniffspot app. We went for an hour on…read moreSunday. Our service dog loved it. It is so clean and well cared for.

This is a small shelter on the same grounds with an education center to work with owners and their…read morenew dogs, a dog park, and a nearby vet offering low-cost spays/neuters. From what I understand, the APS of Orange County started this shelter but I'm not sure if it's still part of APS. It's become a place for animals transferred from nearby county shelters. If you're lucky, you'll have the grounds cat escort you from your car to the front door just to make sure you don't get lost or take a wrong turn. The day I was there it was relatively quiet and I had the opportunity to spend as much time as I wanted with the animals. Like most shelters, the cats are separated by age group and placed in three decent sized rooms with lots of toys and beds. Only one of the rooms was an interior room with no view outdoors. The cats get to free roam within their rooms. Paws4Ever has dogs, too, but I didn't go back into their area. The woman working allowed me to take my time but was very quick to answer any questions. In fact, since I was the only one there at the time, even the cats seemed to like the attention. Unfortunately, that made it even harder to leave them all behind. My only criticism would be the smell. The rooms were clean, I didn't see any litter boxes, but it smelled like litter boxes that needed to be cleaned. It's an okay shelter, seems relatively low-key, and that probably makes it a nice place to check out if you're in the area.

Pamela has been SO incredible at getting our lovely but very active and somewhat addictive (to…read moreballs, sticks, anything she can put in her mouth) golden retriever puppy to learn to let go, to calm down, and to behave. She has also helped us to be better at understanding Darby's motivations and emotions. Fun and effective training for everybody!

Pamela is the best!!! I just adopted a second dog this week. My new dog Chance has been through a…read moreterrible tragedy in his life. His owners were killed in a double murder. There were three dogs in the home when it happened. One of the dogs was also shot and killed. Chance and his brother Champ survived the attack and were taken to an animal shelter in rural NC where they have been for the last month. I felt compelled that I need to adopt one of the dogs so they would know love once again. A good friend of mine is looking to adopt Chance's brother. I reached out to Pamela after I had a disaster in trying to crate train Chance. She was able set up a consultation in a very timely matter. She was so kind and you can tell she really cares about helping Chance make the transition to his new home. I really can't say enough good things about Pamela, she is a special person for sure. She has helped lift a huge weight off of me knowing we can work through things with Chance as he gets used to his new home and his second chance at love in his life.

I highly recommend Russell May, A Dog's Direction Dog Training. He has been working with my young…read moreshelter dog, Ozzie, who I adopted four months ago. Ozzie had been left to fend for himself and spent much, if not all of his life outside as a small mixed breed. He suffered from extreme anxiety and debilitating fear. On Russell's first visit to our home, Ozzie hid behind the sofa for 30 minutes. Before Russell left, Ozzie was eating out of his hand and rolling over for belly rubs. We've been working together for over a month now, and it's like I have a different dog. The techniques that Russell has taught me to use with Ozzie as well as explaining how my actions and reactions influence his behaviors has been invaluable. A genuinely nice person who truly cares about your dog's progress.

From the owner: My passion is dog training. Building a better relationship between you and your dog is my purpose…read more Here at A Dog’s Direction, I offer customizable training plans for owners and their dog. Plans are designed to teach you how to build better behavior in your dog and a better relationship with your furry friend. You, the owner, are the real trainers for your dog. I teach you how to do just that with your dog in your home. You will learn reward and positive reinforcement strategies to help build engagement and aide the process of learning new behaviors for your dog. Give your dog the direction needed to eliminate unwanted behaviors using fair techniques while getting the most out their training. I work with you building the confidence needed so your dog will follow direction in any situation. Be the best thing in your dog’s life so they look to you for information and focus on you no matter the distractions . Learn to be your dog’s best friend and leader. Evening sessions and weekend sessions. Call, text, or email for consultation or appointment.

Adam was PHENOMENAL! I just rescued a 9 month old puppy and he was super reactive to anyone new,…read moreespecially men. He would bark nonstop whenever someone new was near him. His foster before I adopted him had been working with him for months with little improvement. I tried everything I could find online and was starting to lose hope. In just ONE session (an hour and a half), Adam not only helped alleviate his barking, but also taught me and my family exactly what to do and how to do it and made sure we were fully equipped with the proper techniques to continue training on our own. Adam is extremely caring and considerate of his clients. He not only did an amazing job in just one session for a pretty significant issue, but he also made sure he gave us reasonable suggestions that wouldn't take up a lot of extra time/money/energy. I'm astonished at the improvement in just one day! 10/10 recommend!!

Adam was wonderful! We adopted our dog from a shelter last year and he got super anxious on his…read morewalks especially when he saw other dogs walking the same route. He also wasn't great with visitors coming into our home. Adam was exceptionally patient with him and showed us the best way to have him interact with new visitors. He also reassessed the equipment that we were using with our dog, and might I say that he is doing great as of today! Our dog has gotten so much better at ignoring other dogs on our walks and he has become a little more comfortable having guests at home. We look forward to continue working with Adam!!

We adore Good Human Dog Training!! When we first adopted our dog and noticed his reactivity issues,…read morewe immediately began to research dog trainers. We happened upon Good Human Dog Training, and Jen has been so great to work with. She's very patient and well-versed in humane training practices that are effective. Our dog (and our cats) love her, and we have seen such improvement in our dog's reactivity over the year and a half we've worked with Jen. If you need a dog trainer, Jen is your person!

Ms Jennifer was so kind, calm, and so very helpful! We wanted to try some training to polish our…read moregirls and were excited that she was willing to work with both of them at the same time. She took us through all of our concerns and demonstrated the appropriate training and commands. Our girls caught on quickly and we feel very supported as we continue on this training journey with the plethora of resources she sent us after!

Erin James-Crook, CPDT-KA is a compassionate genius. She is extremely alert to the signals a dog is…read moresending and is able to coach effectively and efficiently. She also recognizes human signs of stress and/or confidence and responds appropriately. The most valuable result of the training for me was her ability to build my confidence in both myself and my dog, which resulted in a trusting and relaxed dog. Erin understands the importance of the bond between person and dog and she clearly knows how to improve it. She uses many of the skills a child therapist uses with parents to validate experiences and feelings and teach effective strategies. She uses praise both effectively and accurately with dog and person. She clearly has passion and knowledge for this work. My pup and I were very fortunate to work with her.

From the owner: We provide in-home dog behavior services to those living in Durham, North Carolina and the…read moresurrounding areas. We take pride in being able to assist clients with everything from house training challenges to dog-dog aggression and other complex behavior issues using scientifically proven, dog-friendly methods.