Hello Yelpers! I have 2 dogs (German Shepherd mix and Chow mix) who have been fed kibble most of their lives. One of my dogs, Duke, had been experiencing several health related problems so I started researching pet nutrition and home cooked diets and this is when I stubbled across Patti Howard. I met with Patti and she educated me on the best way to feed my animals. I was a little scared at first to take the leap but as I began to see real health benefits in my pups I knew what I was doing was the right thing to do. Here is a quick summary of some of the positive health changes I have seen in my two dogs- Duke and Lola- from moving off kibble and to a part home cooked/part raw diet. Dukes "special" conditions: I took Duke completely off the Cyclosporine and the Pannus in his eyes has not come back. This was of course against the doctors orders but I truly believe with a healthy diet and the Chinese herbs i am giving him he can completely recover and not have to be on a prescription drug (with side effects) for the rest of his happy doggy days. This is truly amazing to watch and makes me so happy i know that I am doing the right thing for his health. In addition, Duke was having his annual glands expressed manually every month at the vet because his body was not expressing naturally. Of course the vet said they don't know why this happens to some dogs and gave me no direction on how to help his poor glands. Well, I am happy to report his glands have been expressing naturally ever since I started the home cooked diet.So no more very uncomfortable visits to the vet for us! Teeth: Both Lola and Duke's teeth have never looked better. All the brownish plaque is completely gone and their teeth have never looked more white. The best part is I used to attempt to brush their teeth with a tooth brush and some "tooth paste" the vet gave me. I haven't had to brush their teeth once since I started the new diet. Fur: Feels the softest its ever felt! Their ears especially feel like velvet :-) Duke the picky eater: is no longer picky and loves his food. He gets excited for meals and sometimes he even finishes before Lola! Which is quite the challenge. I know the softer coats and shinier teeth are outward expressions of the inward health changes that have occurred for my dogs. The biggest success is that Duke's Pannus is no longer in issue- which all traditional pet medicine told me was not possible. I know diet plays a huge part in this so I am so thankful for Patti sharing her wisdom with me. read more

If you need help with your dog, Patti is the one to go to! My husband and I have seen 3 different trainers and none have worked for my boy Kobba. I have a reactive German Shepherd who is incredibly sweet and smart. But walks, fence barriers, and car rides when he sees another dog quickly become stressful and not fun. We have been given some advice by the other trainers, the worst being just put a muzzle on him. Their advice didn't sit well with me because it felt like just managing the problem, it wasn't helping Kobba learn to correct his behavior. We found Patti's website and if you think all the information on her website is impressive, wait until you meet her in person! She is a wonderful and sweet trainer who is incredibly passionate about communicating with the dogs. Her knowledge about nutrition, a dogs lanuage (body and otherwise), and how dogs learn is astounding. It's made us excited about training and given us hope for the first time! She spent almost 2 hours observing Kobba's behavior and assessing what approach would be best for him. None of the other trainers had ever done that! Patti gave us a personalized training plan and demonstrated with us while working with Kobba. What's best? She follows up with an in-depth review of everything we went over and helpful suggestions and idea's to try! Patti makes it known she is always available to you for questions or even to share in little victories you've had with your fur baby! I simply cannot say enough good things about Patti and Your Canine Resource. read more

My initial e-mail to Patti started: "I'm at the end of my rope..." I was seriously considering finding homes for my two "attack" Miniature Schnauzers. Patti immediately initiated a phone call to me where we talked (I *might* have cried) and we set up our first appointment. Patti was caring, knowledgeable and kind toward me and my dogs. Patti inserted humor (when appropriate) and she was always tactful. When I would complain that my husband 'un-did' EVERYTHING I'd been working on, Patti would explain that it was a step backwards, but certainly not the end of the world and we were still moving forward each time I started a new training session with them. When I think my training is two steps forward and a step backward, the step backwards is ALWAYS due to MY lack of follow through. As soon as I get back on the program Patti set up for us, the steps are all forward again. The best part is that yesterday I had four friends over for a few hours who have known my dogs and they were amazed at their calmness (after the door greeting - which we're still working on) and hearing that put me back into the training mode. Thanks to Patti, my dogs no longer need to worry that they'll be shipped off to another home - although they were totally unaware of that fact. We worked with Patti for five sessions and she is still available to answer my questions by phone, text or e-mail. HIGHLY RECOMMEND Patti at Your Canine Resource. read more

Our rescue dog Rusty was anxious and constantly on guard against the world. Any exposure to his triggers meant a LONG cool-down time and lots of work to distract and reorient his attention. It was exhausting and stressful. The first time Patti came to our house, I could see she was the person I wanted to work with! She was intuitive, clear, and so calm and capable. She was also completely upfront about fees, and at the first consultation/evaluation, simply recommended that we change Rusty's food and then re-evaluate his behavior. We started training sessions in December 2013 with the goal of having a relatively harmonious visit with the in-laws (5 people staying at our house!) in February 2014. Due to scheduling conflicts on both sides, we had fewer training sessions than I had hoped, and I was really worried that we hadn't made enough progress to achieve what I wanted in February. But Rusty was AMAZING with my husband's family - there was not a single bark in the first 20 minutes, and even when the chaos got to him, he was easier to calm down. Since then, I've continued to work with Rusty based on Patti's methods, and the difference is just amazing. Rusty can walk away from one of his triggers with just a little encouragement and can greet people at the door without barking. He will always be an anxious dog, but he is SO much happier and calmer, and it's all thanks to Patti's expertise and patience. read more

We hired Patti for one-on-one dog training sessions with our new mini dachshund. Before we brought our puppy home, Patti did a home assessment to help us prepare for our dog's arrival, addressed safety and nutritional issues and answered the myriad of questions new doggy parents usually have. She also gave us a lot of information about puppies, developmental stages, and what to expect during upcoming months. Our puppy was a bit fearful and anxious in the beginning, but Patti changed that. She taught us techniques to eliminate fearful behavior and help build the little guy's confidence. Patti also instructed us on how to read the puppy's body language, how to identify possible problem behaviors (sock thieving and shoe munching) and prevent them from developing further. Even though our formal puppy training has ended, Patti generously answers any questions that we may still have and sends useful information pertaining to dog training and nutrition. Patti's expertise, patience, and love for animals make her the consummate professional that she is. My husband and I are very happy we had the chance to work with Patti and recommend her services wholeheartedly to those in need of knowledgeable, experienced, and very personable dog training services. Johanna K. read more

We were beside ourselves with concern over our almost year old wirehair fox terrier because she ignored our calls to come, barking at new people & things happening around her, was jumping and barking when folks came to visit and generally pretty tuned out to any command. We knew she is plenty smart because I would work on 'training' every day and she had those commands (sit, down, stay, wait (for a treat) down pat, as long as we were in our training mode. Patti came out, did an assessment and said she felt she could help the three of us and she certainly did just that. Patti gave us techniques to use to help in the many areas of concern, leaving us with homework to work on after each session. Happy to say we now have a pup who comes when called, is doing well when we have guests, watches workers around without barking, and we are all happier because of these behaviors. We say, "We are a work in progress" and that means all of us still practicing those techniques daily. Though we no longer have sessions, Patti is a phone call or email away and will help answer questions/concerns or come back for another session if we need one. We are now a happy wirehair fox family and with on-going work will continue to get even better. Thank you Patti! read more

I am a 72 yo man who has had many dogs and had no difficulty training them, some puppies, some rescues. My latest rescue was a different story. He had been in at least 4 different homes/trainers in his barely two years of life. Needless to say he had some issues and was very independent. My wife and I were not making the training gains we were looking for. A chance encounter brought Patti in to the picture so we thought we would give her a try. That was a very good decision. Patti came to our home and worked with us and Burt at the same time.Her training style is very gentle and very effective. We are using what we learned to making going for a walk so much more enjoyable for all. We will be doing more sessions as soon as Burt has mastered his current commands, which is moving quickly. Patti has been there for us by email both before and after our session and takes time to check in with us on our progress. To condense all this, I don't think you can find a better dog trainer in the Olympia area. She knows dogs and is extremely easy to work and be around. read more

My fiance and I have 2 chihuahua-mix pups that have struggled with obedience and anxiety no matter what we've tried on our own. So we felt it was time to call in the big dogs and that is where Patti came in. From the first meeting, our pups took to her immediately. We had never seen them so well behaved and so eager to learn! We couldn't believe the improvements made in just 4 training sessions. Our pups have been so much happier and obedient since we started with Patti. Our experience with Patti was incredible. She's highly knowledgeable and really took the time to make sure that our needs were met (to include our pups' needs as well). She provided us with individualized training programs for our dogs (done throughout 4 private sessions), valuable reading material to help us understand our pups more and always made herself available if we needed any additional help. Our pups happiness meant as much to her as it does to us and that makes all the difference in the world. Thank you, Patti! read more

Patti is an incredibly knowledgeable and gifted trainer! She came into our lives when we were contemplating rehoming our 6 month old golden retriever puppy. At 70+ pounds, he was becoming more than we could handle. We had tried puppy classes but our "boy" didn't ride well in the car so traveling to classes was not a good option. Patti came into our home and worked with us and Theo to the point where he now has much better manners and has become an enjoyable member of our family. He is by no means perfect but we now feel as if we have the tools to know how to work with him. She has a wonderful understanding of dog psychology and I'm sure that she worked some of that on us as well:). I would totally recommend her without any reservations. We are lucky to have her expertise in our area!! read more

After bringing our new aussiedoodle puppy Rowdee home, we worked with a trainer plus applied our limited knowledge from other dogs we had owned and it just was getting nowhere. That's when I called Patti to come meet our now 2 yr. old rambunctious furry guy. We discussed before hand our wish list and she designed a plan after meeting him. Her demeanor, quick wit and amazing world of knowledge brought out more than we thought possible. Her expertise taught both us as parents and Rowdee to be an amazing trio. Passion, love and deep understanding of canines pours out of every cell of her being. You'll always be our canine angel. Also miss seeing you :) Paula & David read more

Patti is wonderful helping us with our little rescued dog. Our dog had some socialization problems, like growling, barking and trying to "get" people and dogs, and she was also using our rug for a toilet. Our dog is doing SO much better, and we are learning what to do to help her with her behavior and build her confidence. Patti is great with our dog, but most important, she is great with us. She always makes us feel confident and teaches us skills that help us believe in positive outcomes. She has encouraged us when we get discouraged, and is so kind and understanding, as well as a very good listener. She is a natural dog counselor (human too). I am so glad we found her and I give her 5 stars because she has earned them! read more

I can't say enough great things about this awesome human being. Patti has been a Godsend for us. We were struggling with some leash reactivity from one of our dogs, as well as high anxiety she had in our neighborhood, Patti swiftly came to our rescue and taught us how to better evaluate and assess what our girl needed. When we got our new puppy, we made sure to schedule time with Patti right away, to help us to integrate the pup in to our pack properly, and to give us the steps we needed to help recondition her to a sense of safety from the pound environment we received her from. Patti is patient, kind, empathetic, warm, and really knows her stuff. This isn't just our opinion either, our dogs and cat love her! read more

I wish there were more stars! I have known Patti as a friend and colleague since 2010. Patti has a stellar reputation among our colleagues, and is the "go to" on canine nutrition. I have also had the privilege of being a client over the past year, needing help with my own dog's behavior and nutrition plan. Patti is so knowledgeable, warm and funny too! Patti is a rare gem, and her obvious compassion for both dogs and their people shines through in both her words and actions - no judgement here! Patti helped me come up with a nutrition plan I could wrap my head around, and gave me the boost I needed to move forward. If you have the opportunity to learn from Patti, grab it! read more

We have been working with Patti for a month now and all I can say is WOW! Considering whole food nutrition for your pet is one of the best investments you can make for your fur family. I highly recommend Your Canine Resource to guide you on this life changing journey. She has a wealth of knowledge, is easy to talk to, and is so supportive through the transition from kibble to home cooked meals. She was essentially there for us 24/7 during our first month when there were a gazillion questions and a few poop pictures (only those who are in the know....KNOW :)). We are now on the right track for a happy and much healthier pup. Thank you Patti! read more

I can't say enough wonderful things about Patti and Your Canine Resource. Our Ridgeback mix puppy Sherman was super anxious/reactive and previous training I'd done with him only exacerbated his behavior. Then came Patti, and from the second she walked in I could tell she had the right touch. She helped me understand what was going on with Sherman in a way no one else did, and improved my communication with him and the trust between us. Between some behavior modification and a better diet that Patti suggested, he's doing great. Patti is always there for me if I have worries or questions-- she's simply the best. read more

Patti is amazing!! Our Maltese dog was reactive toward other dogs on a leash, uncontrollable when someone rang the doorbell or knocked on the door and he just didn't like one our friends. Now people comment that we have a "well behaved dog". She accomplished this in four visits to our home. She has given us the vocabulary and skills to communicate with our dog. He is much calmer overall. . .and so are we!!!!! We continue to work with him ourselves to achieve the goals we set during our first meeting with Patti. We just couldn't be happier with the results. read more

She's not just teaching your dog during her sessions, she's teaching *you* how to build on what she's doing so that you can keep working with your dog outside of her sessions. She did 3 sessions with our dogs, and during the last session she said they were doing really well and that we could probably take it from here, though she'd be happy to come back and help with any other issues. No pressure to keep her coming back, although I definitely will call her again if we run into other issues. read more

Patti is fabulous! So kind and patient with us humans. She doesn't make you feel like you've scarred your dog for life by improperly training him. She has that quiet sense of interaction with animals that makes you sure she's part dog! Patti has a great sense of humor and her follow-up is timely and thorough. This is actually our second round of training as we had her work with our poms from years ago. Highly recommend Patti! read more

Our new rescue Belgium Malinois has so much potential and is wonderful in most ways. As the behavioral issues show themselves we have turned to Patti Howard at Your Canine Resource for solutions. Patti has given us directions that are working beautifully. She is our go to problem solver and connecting through FaceTime perfect for quickly getting help. 5 Stars doesn't even come close, it should be a perfect 10. read more