Fun & Effective

Stephen has helped us create and implement training plans for our pups over the years to address various fear-based issues, and some over-excitement issues. He is very knowledgeable about the science of learning and also takes a holistic approach to solving problems. In addition to a training plan to address problem behaviors, Stephen recommends appropriate management (gates, muzzles, etc.) and enrichment (doggy fun times). And, of course he is excellent at teaching dog and human how to communicate through training. 5 stars!!! Highest of recommendations!!!

Finbarr and I still use our very first lessons from ten weeks old - the week after we got our sweet fuzzy pup that was going to grow to 150lb. trim weight at warp speed. I still refer back to the basic training because when you get stuck, we were told to go back to something we knew well. Finbarr uses that all the time in his water rescue training. The COOLEST thing was to see Finbarr catch himself when he was about to act wild , almost as if in slow motion, and CORRECT HIMSELF!!! and pull back and control that impulse. It was like seeing the thought bubble over his head. All of the training was effective, done with love, and working with Finbarr's desire to play but redirect to welcomed behaviors. He has a PERFECT "take and hold" in his water training. I have no doubt he will not drop the bumper until he has beached the boat and delivers to hand. If he drops accidentally, he picks back up and delivers. This is all from his first lessons. There are dogs with advanced water titles that hear the boat scrape and think the job is done rather than follow the direction they were taught. Those lessons with Stephen transfer to others - it's "GOLD". We will be signing up for some different lessons. We miss working with Stephen and Finbarr will enjoy every bit of it.

We loved working with maniac mutts! While working with maniac mutts we received a lot of education to better understand our dog’s motivators and how to elicit behaviors we are looking for. Despite working with dogs our trainer was very person centered, validated our concerns, never passed judgement, and helped us better understand our dog through a stressful time in her development. Our trainer gave us treatment plans to do outside of training sessions to help make gains with our dog. We enjoyed learning a fear free approach and our dog looked forward to her training sessions!

I had a great experience working with Stephen. He was always very responsive with different techniques in working with my rescue, Blondie. Sometimes it was a challenge because there were a lot of different obstacles we always faced, but whatever the challenge, he always gave me a proper response or queue for how to work through those. Each week, I saw major differences in her. I would recommend Stephen to anyone.

We loved working with Stephen! We learned a lot from working with him and would recommend him to anyone working with highly energetic and intelligent dogs. He was very honest and transparent, providing great advice and tips for how to work with challenging dogs.

When I adopted Olive, my whole world changed. She was a happy, playful, energetic puppy who had significant trauma. We went to obedience classes, private training, and a behavioralist vet to help manage her anxiety. She wasn’t treat motivated, so we learned to respect each other. Then we were attacked by off leash dogs in the park a month apart. Olive’s anxiety went through the roof and my body hurt from holding her back. We were both terrified to leave the house. Stephen came to our rescue. He helped reinforce the good habits and training we had in place, and gave us some new tools. He helped us repair our trust, and even got her to start taking treats! Olive is starting to show her adventurous side again and I couldn’t be more thankful for Stephen’s help. I recommend his training and adventure services, especially if you have a high anxiety pup who needs a little extra support.

I have a very reactive pit mix rescue and after just one training session and some communication over phone and email, I am already seeing an improvement in training with reactiveness to other dogs and people, as well as more of an eagerness to learn and respond to new skills. I feel like my questions were always answered promptly and patiently. I appreciate how I was able to ask for the information and instructions to be explained to me in my learning style so that I could have the best chance to teach my dog the skills he needs to learn. I’m very grateful to Maniac Mutts.

Words cannot describe the level of gratitude I have for Stephen and the work he has not only put into my dogs, but also teaching me the best ways to set them up for success. I have a 7 year old extremely selective Tibetan terrier and a 7 year old anxious/fearful/easily overstimulated pit. Stephen came recommended to me when my pit was showing some concerning behaviors as a puppy. I firmly believe that it was his positive/non-aversive methods that were the key to my pit learning to adjust to a human world that he sometimes struggles to understand. He has helped both of my dogs with resource guarding, reactivity, loose leash walking, and most recently, adjusting to a third dog in their home. When my boyfriend and I decided that it made sense for he and his 2 year old German shepherd to move in, my own anxiety went through the roof thinking of how my dogs would manage. We did a few sessions outside of the home, and then at the home, and by some miracle, just a few weeks later, all three are now well adjusted. I’m not sure who has learned more from Stephen over the years, myself or my dogs, but I will say, I trust him more than anyone else with them and I could not more highly recommend his services.