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"How can I help you with your unique situation?"
See for yourself what clients have to say about their experience with Happy Buddha Dog Training over the years.
2024 Testimonials
Kristin G. (Oregon, WI)
Training & Behavior Modification
“Dan was recommended to us by the manager at the doggy daycare that our Piper attends a few days a week. Piper has a lot of anxiety, and it is hard to take her in public (or dog walks sometimes!). She is also afraid of boys and older men. This came on in adolescence; before that Piper loved everybody! As first-time dog owners, we were at a loss. We had taken Piper to classes and had a dog trainer in the past that helped, but her anxiety was still causing a lot of stress in our household.
We have had 6 sessions with Dan, and I doubt we are done yet! However, Piper has improved immensely, and Dan taught us ways to keep working with her in public situations as well as working on other things that scare her. Dan has an incredible amount of knowledge about dogs, and I doubt he has ever come across a dog he didn't adore. He has stories that help explain what Piper is going through, as well as resources and videos he shares (some written by him!). Dan is also extremely calm and low key, and Piper loved him right away. In fact, she seemed to know when he was coming for a visit, because she would sit near the door about 10 minutes before he would arrive!! My family highly recommends Happy Buddha Dog Training!”
Training & Behavior Modification
“Dan was recommended to us by the manager at the doggy daycare that our Piper attends a few days a week. Piper has a lot of anxiety, and it is hard to take her in public (or dog walks sometimes!). She is also afraid of boys and older men. This came on in adolescence; before that Piper loved everybody! As first-time dog owners, we were at a loss. We had taken Piper to classes and had a dog trainer in the past that helped, but her anxiety was still causing a lot of stress in our household.
We have had 6 sessions with Dan, and I doubt we are done yet! However, Piper has improved immensely, and Dan taught us ways to keep working with her in public situations as well as working on other things that scare her. Dan has an incredible amount of knowledge about dogs, and I doubt he has ever come across a dog he didn't adore. He has stories that help explain what Piper is going through, as well as resources and videos he shares (some written by him!). Dan is also extremely calm and low key, and Piper loved him right away. In fact, she seemed to know when he was coming for a visit, because she would sit near the door about 10 minutes before he would arrive!! My family highly recommends Happy Buddha Dog Training!”
Steve U. (Sun Prairie, WI)
Behavior Modification
"Dear Dog Owner,
I am writing to recommend that you commit to using Dan Antolec as the trainer for your pet. Dan possesses the knowledge, skill, and ability to work with just about any dog to create an enjoyable and worthwhile experience for both you and your “furever” friend. I say this based on our recent personal experience with Dan and his work with us and our Lab, Simba.
Simba was a rescue from Tennessee. It is our understanding he was surrendered by his owners because they could no longer afford to feed him. Simba suffers from anxiety, fear of loud noise, and from a lack of socialization with other dogs. We worked with Dan on all three issues and Simba’s progress has been in our minds remarkable. He seems much calmer and is clearly less anxious around home and the immediate neighbors. We live in a home without a fenced yard and we take numerous walks every day.
We credit Dan with much of Simba’s improved behavior because he was always very calm with Simba, consistent and committed to improving Simba’s quality of life. I believe Dan brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the training of dogs, and he certainly did a good job training us. I think every dog deserves a high-quality life; Dan helped us to understand that and taught us ways to make that happen.
I urge you to take the time to meet with Dan and discuss his philosophy of training and listen to his success stories. I am certain you will find him to be an excellent trainer and a truly decent human being. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at 608-xxx-xxxx."
Behavior Modification
"Dear Dog Owner,
I am writing to recommend that you commit to using Dan Antolec as the trainer for your pet. Dan possesses the knowledge, skill, and ability to work with just about any dog to create an enjoyable and worthwhile experience for both you and your “furever” friend. I say this based on our recent personal experience with Dan and his work with us and our Lab, Simba.
Simba was a rescue from Tennessee. It is our understanding he was surrendered by his owners because they could no longer afford to feed him. Simba suffers from anxiety, fear of loud noise, and from a lack of socialization with other dogs. We worked with Dan on all three issues and Simba’s progress has been in our minds remarkable. He seems much calmer and is clearly less anxious around home and the immediate neighbors. We live in a home without a fenced yard and we take numerous walks every day.
We credit Dan with much of Simba’s improved behavior because he was always very calm with Simba, consistent and committed to improving Simba’s quality of life. I believe Dan brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the training of dogs, and he certainly did a good job training us. I think every dog deserves a high-quality life; Dan helped us to understand that and taught us ways to make that happen.
I urge you to take the time to meet with Dan and discuss his philosophy of training and listen to his success stories. I am certain you will find him to be an excellent trainer and a truly decent human being. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at 608-xxx-xxxx."
Renee L. (Stoughton, WI)
Dog Training
“I cannot say enough good things about the dog training that Dan provides! He was incredibly patient with me and my dog as we learned the techniques he was teaching us. He took extra time to explain the research behind the difficulties my dog was displaying and why each technique was effective with correcting my dog’s behavior. Dan also took the time to follow up with providing additional literature regarding topics we discussed during the training time. He certainly knows his stuff about dog training! I would highly recommend his services to anyone struggling with any type of dog-related issue!”
Dog Training
“I cannot say enough good things about the dog training that Dan provides! He was incredibly patient with me and my dog as we learned the techniques he was teaching us. He took extra time to explain the research behind the difficulties my dog was displaying and why each technique was effective with correcting my dog’s behavior. Dan also took the time to follow up with providing additional literature regarding topics we discussed during the training time. He certainly knows his stuff about dog training! I would highly recommend his services to anyone struggling with any type of dog-related issue!”
Rachel B. (Madison, WI)
Puppy Manners
“We just spent 5 amazing sessions with Happy Buddha Dog Training (i.e. Dan Antolec) to train our 4 month old puppy, "Spoon." Dan came to our house and sat in a large circle in our living room with my husband, my 2 daughters and me. We were "wowed" from the very beginning, which is ironic because Dan's demeanor is incredibly low-key. Despite his soft-spoken manner, he explains and demonstrates concepts thoroughly and clearly. Whatever he taught, Spoon learned quickly, and we did too. After the first visit, Spoon could "touch" our hand and sit. Within a few visits he could lay down, sit again, come, stay, leave things alone, drop a toy, and more.
Dan also gave excellent guidance on many topics such as puppy socialization, play, etc., sending articles and videos for our reference. He was incredibly generous with his time, coming early and staying late, and sending us thorough written summaries after each session. It's January now and our puppy doesn't like to go outside, but we're looking forward to our next group of sessions with Dan in the spring.”
Puppy Manners
“We just spent 5 amazing sessions with Happy Buddha Dog Training (i.e. Dan Antolec) to train our 4 month old puppy, "Spoon." Dan came to our house and sat in a large circle in our living room with my husband, my 2 daughters and me. We were "wowed" from the very beginning, which is ironic because Dan's demeanor is incredibly low-key. Despite his soft-spoken manner, he explains and demonstrates concepts thoroughly and clearly. Whatever he taught, Spoon learned quickly, and we did too. After the first visit, Spoon could "touch" our hand and sit. Within a few visits he could lay down, sit again, come, stay, leave things alone, drop a toy, and more.
Dan also gave excellent guidance on many topics such as puppy socialization, play, etc., sending articles and videos for our reference. He was incredibly generous with his time, coming early and staying late, and sending us thorough written summaries after each session. It's January now and our puppy doesn't like to go outside, but we're looking forward to our next group of sessions with Dan in the spring.”
2023 TestimonialsICK image to view the testimonial video
Linda T. (Stoughton, WI)
Reactivity
Hi Daniel,
I thought it was time to give you an update on Miles. Miles is doing well. Training is three steps forward and one step back and we can handle that!
His groomer for nail clipping says he is getting a little better each time. At the vet he still is madly in love with Dr. Stevenson no matter what the vet has to do to him.
I have learned that Miles is more reactive inside the car than outside the car. If we see a dog and he is inside the car, he reacts more than if we are outside on a leash and he sees the dog. I use the scatter feed (Find It) when out on a walk and it works like a charm. In the car I put a pillow case up on each side window in the backseat. This way Miles can see out the front window of the car, but it has stops his rehearsal of racing to the side window and barking. He gets treats for calmly watching dogs/bikes/big trucks out the front window and car riding has become much more enjoyable for everyone. We only practice car riding in low traffic areas since our back/side windows are covered.
Our favorite place to practice seeing other dogs is out in the field to the west of Oregon Vet between the vet office and Culvers. It gives us plenty of room to distance ourselves, yet dogs go in and out of both the vet office and the doggy daycare. Miles can now see a dog from the distance, be interested, yet not lunge or bark. Again, we do a scatter feed during these times. I have also learned to not park in the vet parking lot but instead park out on the street. If we park in the parking lot, inevitably a car with a dog will pull in next to us and before we can get out of the car to move our way out in the field, Miles is triggered and it starts our practice off on the wrong foot.
Miles is much calmer when visitors arrive. He has learned to curb his enthusiasm. Thanksgiving was a houseful and Miles was as good as gold. His halo was glowing the entire time.
Our challenge is at night. He is tired and we have those big windows. He is afraid of the reflections in the windows so we have made sheets to cover the lower half of the window come dusk, and that has helped him to not rehearse his barking at movements he perceives in the dark windows. We also use a nightlight near his dog bed at night.
Thanks for all of your help with Miles. I love your calm way and think of your advice often, especially when we have had a three steps forward/one step back moment. I also pull out your handouts periodically and refresh my memory on further advice, which is also inspiring during tougher stages.
Hope all is well with you. Miles says hi! He dreams of your wonderful treats! :)
Reactivity
Hi Daniel,
I thought it was time to give you an update on Miles. Miles is doing well. Training is three steps forward and one step back and we can handle that!
His groomer for nail clipping says he is getting a little better each time. At the vet he still is madly in love with Dr. Stevenson no matter what the vet has to do to him.
I have learned that Miles is more reactive inside the car than outside the car. If we see a dog and he is inside the car, he reacts more than if we are outside on a leash and he sees the dog. I use the scatter feed (Find It) when out on a walk and it works like a charm. In the car I put a pillow case up on each side window in the backseat. This way Miles can see out the front window of the car, but it has stops his rehearsal of racing to the side window and barking. He gets treats for calmly watching dogs/bikes/big trucks out the front window and car riding has become much more enjoyable for everyone. We only practice car riding in low traffic areas since our back/side windows are covered.
Our favorite place to practice seeing other dogs is out in the field to the west of Oregon Vet between the vet office and Culvers. It gives us plenty of room to distance ourselves, yet dogs go in and out of both the vet office and the doggy daycare. Miles can now see a dog from the distance, be interested, yet not lunge or bark. Again, we do a scatter feed during these times. I have also learned to not park in the vet parking lot but instead park out on the street. If we park in the parking lot, inevitably a car with a dog will pull in next to us and before we can get out of the car to move our way out in the field, Miles is triggered and it starts our practice off on the wrong foot.
Miles is much calmer when visitors arrive. He has learned to curb his enthusiasm. Thanksgiving was a houseful and Miles was as good as gold. His halo was glowing the entire time.
Our challenge is at night. He is tired and we have those big windows. He is afraid of the reflections in the windows so we have made sheets to cover the lower half of the window come dusk, and that has helped him to not rehearse his barking at movements he perceives in the dark windows. We also use a nightlight near his dog bed at night.
Thanks for all of your help with Miles. I love your calm way and think of your advice often, especially when we have had a three steps forward/one step back moment. I also pull out your handouts periodically and refresh my memory on further advice, which is also inspiring during tougher stages.
Hope all is well with you. Miles says hi! He dreams of your wonderful treats! :)
James D. (Watertown, WI)
Dog Manners
“Dan Antolec’s meeting with me and my dog Whiskey at Happy Buddha Training was nothing short of miraculous!
In about a half-hour, Dan had Whiskey doing things I’d not been able to accomplish in 6 years! All through positive reinforcement, no negativity at all. Dan has given me and Whiskey the tools from his exceptional background, and the follow-up necessary for Whiskey to grow within non-punitive training engagement in which he is fearless and happy to do as I suggest! It has always been my desire to train a dog without punishment, only to encourage good behavior and ignore that I don’t like.
Whiskey is smart and highly responsive to the reward system even as I wean him from the rewards frequently. Dan has been generous with his time, his resources (both online and otherwise) and has been quickly responsive with suggestions and details to any questions I may have, probably as he is a consummate professional and doesn’t want to see me headed down a path that will get Whiskey a bad habit harder to break!
I would recommend Dan to anyone with the desire to have a well-mannered and obedient best friend!
Here is a shot of Whiskey with his BFF Moses the cat!”
Dog Manners
“Dan Antolec’s meeting with me and my dog Whiskey at Happy Buddha Training was nothing short of miraculous!
In about a half-hour, Dan had Whiskey doing things I’d not been able to accomplish in 6 years! All through positive reinforcement, no negativity at all. Dan has given me and Whiskey the tools from his exceptional background, and the follow-up necessary for Whiskey to grow within non-punitive training engagement in which he is fearless and happy to do as I suggest! It has always been my desire to train a dog without punishment, only to encourage good behavior and ignore that I don’t like.
Whiskey is smart and highly responsive to the reward system even as I wean him from the rewards frequently. Dan has been generous with his time, his resources (both online and otherwise) and has been quickly responsive with suggestions and details to any questions I may have, probably as he is a consummate professional and doesn’t want to see me headed down a path that will get Whiskey a bad habit harder to break!
I would recommend Dan to anyone with the desire to have a well-mannered and obedient best friend!
Here is a shot of Whiskey with his BFF Moses the cat!”
Melissa S. (Oregon, WI)
Puppy Manners
Ringo, our Saint Bernard puppy, is doing so much better since Dan came into our lives. He is an exceptional dog trainer who transformed Ringo's behavior and our relationship with him. He even taught our kids techniques on how to act when our pup gets excited. His patience, expertise, and positive reinforcement techniques made training so enjoyable for everyone! In just 5 sessions Ringo learned to sit, look, touch, leave it, find it, drop it/take it, down, and wait. He also learned how to loosh leash walk.
When we first got Ringo I wasn't sure what we were going to do about him pulling on his leash, considering his size. Now he is absolutely wonderful on the leash. And when he sees another dog, he sits and waits instead of pulling.
Dan also got him over his fear of a kennel and his fear of water! And best of all, RIngo doesn't jump on anyone when he greets them anymore!
I highly recommend Dan to anyone in need of a highly skilled and compassionate dog trainer.
Puppy Manners
Ringo, our Saint Bernard puppy, is doing so much better since Dan came into our lives. He is an exceptional dog trainer who transformed Ringo's behavior and our relationship with him. He even taught our kids techniques on how to act when our pup gets excited. His patience, expertise, and positive reinforcement techniques made training so enjoyable for everyone! In just 5 sessions Ringo learned to sit, look, touch, leave it, find it, drop it/take it, down, and wait. He also learned how to loosh leash walk.
When we first got Ringo I wasn't sure what we were going to do about him pulling on his leash, considering his size. Now he is absolutely wonderful on the leash. And when he sees another dog, he sits and waits instead of pulling.
Dan also got him over his fear of a kennel and his fear of water! And best of all, RIngo doesn't jump on anyone when he greets them anymore!
I highly recommend Dan to anyone in need of a highly skilled and compassionate dog trainer.
Gail S. (Stoughton, WI)
Puppy Manners Training
“Tina’s manners have improved dramatically since we started working with Dan this summer. Tina came to us as a rescue with a sunny personality but no training. I feel more confident in her behavior, and it is much more pleasant to take her for walks now. Dan is very patient and thorough, and generous with information. His instructional videos help me with a refresher when we need it. His gentle, non-punitive approach works well to encourage the behavior we want to see, without ruining her happy disposition! I would recommend Dan to anyone.”
Puppy Manners Training
“Tina’s manners have improved dramatically since we started working with Dan this summer. Tina came to us as a rescue with a sunny personality but no training. I feel more confident in her behavior, and it is much more pleasant to take her for walks now. Dan is very patient and thorough, and generous with information. His instructional videos help me with a refresher when we need it. His gentle, non-punitive approach works well to encourage the behavior we want to see, without ruining her happy disposition! I would recommend Dan to anyone.”
Janet and Kristian Z. (Oregon, WI)
Puppy Manners
"A few years ago, we were looking for a trainer to help us with our reactive dogs. Our veterinarian suggested Dan (Happy Buddha Training) so we contacted him and set up a few appointments. He gave us so much information about dog training and reactivity and helped us with ways to help our dogs cope with their fears and become more confident. When it was time for us to get a new puppy, we knew exactly who to call for puppy manners training.
Dan worked with Delta during 5 sessions of puppy manners training this summer. During our sessions, his calm demeanor and modeling of how to go about teaching Delta helped us to understand how dogs learn and the best ways that we could go about teaching him new things. We understand that dog training is really about training the people! In just five sessions, Delta learned how to sit, lie down, touch, look, take it and leave it, find it and stay. We are still working on making all of these part of his daily routine, but he has a great start! Dan also helped us work on getting him used to his crate and using the Dremel to file his nails.
We are confident that with this great start to his training, Delta has really figured out how to learn and we've had a great coach in how to teach him to learn. We will definitely call Dan if we need help with Delta (or another puppy) in the future.
Thanks again for your help with Delta! We'd love to bring Delta to more small dog play groups if you host them in the future!"
Puppy Manners
"A few years ago, we were looking for a trainer to help us with our reactive dogs. Our veterinarian suggested Dan (Happy Buddha Training) so we contacted him and set up a few appointments. He gave us so much information about dog training and reactivity and helped us with ways to help our dogs cope with their fears and become more confident. When it was time for us to get a new puppy, we knew exactly who to call for puppy manners training.
Dan worked with Delta during 5 sessions of puppy manners training this summer. During our sessions, his calm demeanor and modeling of how to go about teaching Delta helped us to understand how dogs learn and the best ways that we could go about teaching him new things. We understand that dog training is really about training the people! In just five sessions, Delta learned how to sit, lie down, touch, look, take it and leave it, find it and stay. We are still working on making all of these part of his daily routine, but he has a great start! Dan also helped us work on getting him used to his crate and using the Dremel to file his nails.
We are confident that with this great start to his training, Delta has really figured out how to learn and we've had a great coach in how to teach him to learn. We will definitely call Dan if we need help with Delta (or another puppy) in the future.
Thanks again for your help with Delta! We'd love to bring Delta to more small dog play groups if you host them in the future!"
Mike and Gail E. (Stoughton, WI)
Puppy Manners
"I would like to thank Dan at Happy Buddha Dog Training for helping us over the last 11 years and our two pups. His experience helped us to understand our pups and how to deal with and continue his training exercises with them. We especially enjoy his dog socialization gatherings that he sponsors, which help in their social growth. We would highly recommend anyone looking for dog training to contact Dan."
Puppy Manners
"I would like to thank Dan at Happy Buddha Dog Training for helping us over the last 11 years and our two pups. His experience helped us to understand our pups and how to deal with and continue his training exercises with them. We especially enjoy his dog socialization gatherings that he sponsors, which help in their social growth. We would highly recommend anyone looking for dog training to contact Dan."
Meaghan M. (Oregon, WI)
On-Leash Reactivity
“Moose is doing so well. Our 1-hour lesson made more of an impact on Moose's behavior than the three group classes I've enrolled him in.
I've been trying to take him on at least one dedicated training walk every day. I've figured out one brand of soft training treats he really likes, so that's helping a lot.
I also decided to experiment with using a clicker, and that really seems to work for Moose instead of "Yes!" Missy likes a verbal marker, but Moose seems to be more engaged with a clicker. I am totally alright with that.
I've been walking Moose on a hands-free leash and just his flat collar. I never would have done that before.
He's really understanding that I want him to stay on my left side. He's also offering more "Look" and sitting when I stop. It's seriously amazing! He also gets back into position easily with the touch command.
Today I took Moose on an early morning walk, and he was willingly engaging and disengaging with a dog up ahead. The distance is still pretty large, but at least he was willing to look away! He has never been able to do that.
It's so nice to have more of a relationship with Moose. He's been harder to train than Missy, which used to make me frustrated. I like that you emphasize that training can take the form of games and fun. It's not demanding they listen, popping the leash, using force, etc.
Walking Moose is actually FUN now. Thanks for all the help!”
On-Leash Reactivity
“Moose is doing so well. Our 1-hour lesson made more of an impact on Moose's behavior than the three group classes I've enrolled him in.
I've been trying to take him on at least one dedicated training walk every day. I've figured out one brand of soft training treats he really likes, so that's helping a lot.
I also decided to experiment with using a clicker, and that really seems to work for Moose instead of "Yes!" Missy likes a verbal marker, but Moose seems to be more engaged with a clicker. I am totally alright with that.
I've been walking Moose on a hands-free leash and just his flat collar. I never would have done that before.
He's really understanding that I want him to stay on my left side. He's also offering more "Look" and sitting when I stop. It's seriously amazing! He also gets back into position easily with the touch command.
Today I took Moose on an early morning walk, and he was willingly engaging and disengaging with a dog up ahead. The distance is still pretty large, but at least he was willing to look away! He has never been able to do that.
It's so nice to have more of a relationship with Moose. He's been harder to train than Missy, which used to make me frustrated. I like that you emphasize that training can take the form of games and fun. It's not demanding they listen, popping the leash, using force, etc.
Walking Moose is actually FUN now. Thanks for all the help!”
Melanie T. (Oregon, WI) 2023
Puppy Manners
Dan provided us with the all tools we needed to help our 5 month puppy learn basic obedience and socialization skills. Zen loved his visits with Dan and his confidence grew with each session. Highly recommend Dan for any of your training needs.
Puppy Manners
Dan provided us with the all tools we needed to help our 5 month puppy learn basic obedience and socialization skills. Zen loved his visits with Dan and his confidence grew with each session. Highly recommend Dan for any of your training needs.
Kelly H. (Stoughton, WI) 2023
Dog Walking
"We have been so blessed to have connected with you and Faye. It gave us such peace of mind while we were at work to know that you would be stopping in to spend time with our crazy Maizey. Your heart, passion, wisdom, and experience made it easy to trust you completely with our pup. I hope you know how much I appreciate you and aspire to be more like you. I'm so excited for the pups and families that will be meeting you soon.
Maizey says she misses you already.
With love,"
Dog Walking
"We have been so blessed to have connected with you and Faye. It gave us such peace of mind while we were at work to know that you would be stopping in to spend time with our crazy Maizey. Your heart, passion, wisdom, and experience made it easy to trust you completely with our pup. I hope you know how much I appreciate you and aspire to be more like you. I'm so excited for the pups and families that will be meeting you soon.
Maizey says she misses you already.
With love,"
Cindy M. (Brooklyn, WI) 2023
Puppy Manners
"Thank you for bringing out the best in our Brooklyn during her adolescent puppy stagee, while adjusting to her new home. We have learned a lot as well!"
Brooklyn and her family proved to be my ideal clients. I loved their dedication to their dog, their willingness to consider new information and new equipment, and their dedication to dialy practice with their dog. Brooklyn is a very smart dog and responded eagerly to force-free methods.
It has been a win-win-win situation, woohoo for Team Brooklyn!
Puppy Manners
"Thank you for bringing out the best in our Brooklyn during her adolescent puppy stagee, while adjusting to her new home. We have learned a lot as well!"
Brooklyn and her family proved to be my ideal clients. I loved their dedication to their dog, their willingness to consider new information and new equipment, and their dedication to dialy practice with their dog. Brooklyn is a very smart dog and responded eagerly to force-free methods.
It has been a win-win-win situation, woohoo for Team Brooklyn!
2022 Testimonials
The pandemic hit hard to home, with the loss of five beloved pets. Happy Buddha Dog Trianing virtually shut down for a long time...
2021 Testimonials
Alice J. (Madison, WI) 2021
Puppy Manners
“Dan came recommended to us by a trusted friend and when our new puppy began showing signs of apprehension and fear, we knew we wanted professional help to build her confidence. From the start, Dan's gentle and positive techniques prompted change in our puppy. He is calm, professional and understanding to both the needs of the owners and the dog. The training games and behavioral expertise Dan provides are easy to adapt into your daily routine and incredibly effective.
Not only will Dan meet you at your home for training, but he sends thoughtful follow-up emails after each session outlining the progress of the dog along with numerous educational documents, videos and journals. If you want to go from overwhelmed and frustrated to calm and in control with kindness and positivity, we wholeheartedly recommend Happy Buddha Dog Training.”
Puppy Manners
“Dan came recommended to us by a trusted friend and when our new puppy began showing signs of apprehension and fear, we knew we wanted professional help to build her confidence. From the start, Dan's gentle and positive techniques prompted change in our puppy. He is calm, professional and understanding to both the needs of the owners and the dog. The training games and behavioral expertise Dan provides are easy to adapt into your daily routine and incredibly effective.
Not only will Dan meet you at your home for training, but he sends thoughtful follow-up emails after each session outlining the progress of the dog along with numerous educational documents, videos and journals. If you want to go from overwhelmed and frustrated to calm and in control with kindness and positivity, we wholeheartedly recommend Happy Buddha Dog Training.”
David W. (Brooklyn, WI) 2021
Puppy Manners
“Working with Dan was great. He helped us train a 12 week old puppy that was nippy and followed no commands. Although a nice puppy, our five year old son was afraid of the dog because she kept knocking him over and occasionally nipped too hard while playing. Dan was very patient, obviously knowledgeable, and quickly had the dog responding to "touch" "sit" "come" and "leave it" commands. He was also able to explain how to use these commands to redirect the puppy from undesirable activity. For example, using the "touch" command to stop the dog from getting too rough with our son. Dan was very patient and it was clear that he always had the puppy's best interest in mind.
Dan followed up on lessons by providing access to supplementary materials on everything from leash walking exercises to dealing with a puppy that gets car sick. In addition, Dan was willing to come to our house, or allow us to train a his residence - where he has a large fenced in area that allows for dogs to burn off a little energy and train off-leash in a safe environment. We were very happy with his training.”
Puppy Manners
“Working with Dan was great. He helped us train a 12 week old puppy that was nippy and followed no commands. Although a nice puppy, our five year old son was afraid of the dog because she kept knocking him over and occasionally nipped too hard while playing. Dan was very patient, obviously knowledgeable, and quickly had the dog responding to "touch" "sit" "come" and "leave it" commands. He was also able to explain how to use these commands to redirect the puppy from undesirable activity. For example, using the "touch" command to stop the dog from getting too rough with our son. Dan was very patient and it was clear that he always had the puppy's best interest in mind.
Dan followed up on lessons by providing access to supplementary materials on everything from leash walking exercises to dealing with a puppy that gets car sick. In addition, Dan was willing to come to our house, or allow us to train a his residence - where he has a large fenced in area that allows for dogs to burn off a little energy and train off-leash in a safe environment. We were very happy with his training.”
Devlina R. (Madison, WI) 2021
Puppy Manners
“My fiance and I were referred to Happy Buddha with glowing recommendations, and we completely understand why. Dan helped us understand the best ways to effectively train our boisterous and energetic puppy, who absolutely loved attending his training sessions and running around. Every concern we had was addressed in a way that was digestible and practical for new puppy owners, and the behaviors that were seemingly the most difficult were slowly becoming easy to redirect - it was amazing watching our puppy respond to cues and commands which he would often ignore before. Watching Dan exhibit training methods and techniques was like magic - all with a positive reinforcement method that allowed both the puppy and owner to learn about each others needs. I can't recommend Dan enough for your training needs; he is truly one of the most knowledgeable trainers we have encountered and will always have your dog's best interest in mind."
Puppy Manners
“My fiance and I were referred to Happy Buddha with glowing recommendations, and we completely understand why. Dan helped us understand the best ways to effectively train our boisterous and energetic puppy, who absolutely loved attending his training sessions and running around. Every concern we had was addressed in a way that was digestible and practical for new puppy owners, and the behaviors that were seemingly the most difficult were slowly becoming easy to redirect - it was amazing watching our puppy respond to cues and commands which he would often ignore before. Watching Dan exhibit training methods and techniques was like magic - all with a positive reinforcement method that allowed both the puppy and owner to learn about each others needs. I can't recommend Dan enough for your training needs; he is truly one of the most knowledgeable trainers we have encountered and will always have your dog's best interest in mind."
Lori W. (Stoughton, WI) 2021
Manners Training
“We're so glad we found Happy Buddha. Dan helped us to develop a common language with our unruly pup and we are all calmer and happier for it. He is both knowledgeable and compassionate and continues to provide additional research to address any lingering issues. Our dog looked forward to lessons and responded so well. "
Manners Training
“We're so glad we found Happy Buddha. Dan helped us to develop a common language with our unruly pup and we are all calmer and happier for it. He is both knowledgeable and compassionate and continues to provide additional research to address any lingering issues. Our dog looked forward to lessons and responded so well. "
A play session with Ellie (L) and Gandhi (R) for socialization.
Melissa S. (Oregon, WI) 2021
Puppy Training
“Dan is an extremely skilled, knowledgeable, caring, and patient trainer. Our puppy absolutely adores him and so do we! It has been a tremendous help to have Dan guide us through the stages of puppyhood. Our neighbor recommended Dan and we feel so fortunate to have had the honor to work with him. We have two young children and needed to ensure that we put our best foot forward with our puppy.
From the beginning Dan has freely shared information that would help us navigate puppyhood in a happy and positive manner. He has always listened (and addressed) each of our concerns. Our puppy completed puppy preschool and we have been so happy with the results that we are continuing sessions so that we can continue to learn and grow. Dan has gone above and beyond helping us to ensure that our puppy is properly socialized so that she has a bright and happy future. We highly recommend Dan and cannot say enough good things about him and the techniques that he uses.”
2020 Testimonials
(The Covid-19 pandemic required Happy Buddha Dog Training to close for most of 2020 and into 2021)
Nancy V. (Middleton, WI) 2020
Puppy Training
"Working with Dan was a blessing. He taught me a patient and loving way to redirect my very excitable and nippy puppy. This new way of redirecting his energy has caused him to stop hoarding and running away with things. He is so much better at listening, and I was amazed at how quickly he could learn. When my puppy started training, he was a very nervous dog (he had experienced a trauma so he was not very trusting if others). However, when he met Dan he immediately ran to him and was so playful. Dan worked so well with my little guy and I walked away feeling confident that I could do this."
Puppy Training
"Working with Dan was a blessing. He taught me a patient and loving way to redirect my very excitable and nippy puppy. This new way of redirecting his energy has caused him to stop hoarding and running away with things. He is so much better at listening, and I was amazed at how quickly he could learn. When my puppy started training, he was a very nervous dog (he had experienced a trauma so he was not very trusting if others). However, when he met Dan he immediately ran to him and was so playful. Dan worked so well with my little guy and I walked away feeling confident that I could do this."
Alex K. (Verona, WI) 2020
Manners Training
"We went with Happy Buddha Dog Training. Daniel was great. He came to our house and made a plan for us on how to train our dog and what we wanted. He showed us what to do and then let us do the training. Our dog loved him. It has been almost a year since training and our dog is still doing great and we are still utilizing all the tools he gave us."
Manners Training
"We went with Happy Buddha Dog Training. Daniel was great. He came to our house and made a plan for us on how to train our dog and what we wanted. He showed us what to do and then let us do the training. Our dog loved him. It has been almost a year since training and our dog is still doing great and we are still utilizing all the tools he gave us."
2019 Testimonials
Chuck S. (Madison, WI) 2019
Manners Training
"From the minute Dan came into our house, our dog started to improve.
I highly recommend him. His approach to proactively training a dog rather than resorting to any discipline works well. I highly recommend Happy Buddha Dog Training."
Manners Training
"From the minute Dan came into our house, our dog started to improve.
I highly recommend him. His approach to proactively training a dog rather than resorting to any discipline works well. I highly recommend Happy Buddha Dog Training."
Pete N. (McFarland, WI) 2019
Puppy Training
"Dan came recommended from another friend when I reached out to ask who they would recommend for puppy training and I’m SUPER glad I went with him! Dan is very knowledgeable in his practice and worked extremely well with my puppy Ryder. Not only was Dan super accommodating for scheduling sessions, but you can tell he connects very well with your dog and my puppy Ryder picked up on the training sessions with Dan great! Having Dan do the training at my house was very convenient and I found it very beneficial that Dan provided additional reading material and DVD’s that talked about training tips.
Thank you Dan for working with Ryder. I’m looking forward to have Dan work with Ryder in the future, as he continues to grow up to keep him on track. I’d highly recommend Dan! Thanks again Dan!"
Puppy Training
"Dan came recommended from another friend when I reached out to ask who they would recommend for puppy training and I’m SUPER glad I went with him! Dan is very knowledgeable in his practice and worked extremely well with my puppy Ryder. Not only was Dan super accommodating for scheduling sessions, but you can tell he connects very well with your dog and my puppy Ryder picked up on the training sessions with Dan great! Having Dan do the training at my house was very convenient and I found it very beneficial that Dan provided additional reading material and DVD’s that talked about training tips.
Thank you Dan for working with Ryder. I’m looking forward to have Dan work with Ryder in the future, as he continues to grow up to keep him on track. I’d highly recommend Dan! Thanks again Dan!"
Lisa Y. (Fitchburg, WI) 2019
In-home Pet Sitting
"I'm now home from my vacation out of state, and just had to write a quick note about Faye and Dan's services. I am so fortunate to have this team! Dan has helped me may times over the past year or so with training and working through some behaviors with Min and Scarlett. Recently, Min has developed some anxiety around walking the neighborhood. When I went to visit family out of state and Faye watched my pups, Faye assured me that if there were any issues while I was away that she had questions about, she would ask Dan.
How many people have such a team in their corner!? Pet sitting, training, and behavior management all in one.
Having full trust in the team that's caring for my pups allows me to fully relax and enjoy my time away from them. I can't speak highly enough of Faye and Dan. Min and Scarlett being able to stay in their own environment while I'm gone is fabulous. Faye taking Min and Scarlett to the private dog park for extra exercise while we work on Min's anxiety about neighborhood walks is fabulous. As I said in a previous post, their services are phenomenal. If you are looking for an alternative to boarding your pets, don't hesitate to call on this team. Happy Buddha rocks!"
In-home Pet Sitting
"I'm now home from my vacation out of state, and just had to write a quick note about Faye and Dan's services. I am so fortunate to have this team! Dan has helped me may times over the past year or so with training and working through some behaviors with Min and Scarlett. Recently, Min has developed some anxiety around walking the neighborhood. When I went to visit family out of state and Faye watched my pups, Faye assured me that if there were any issues while I was away that she had questions about, she would ask Dan.
How many people have such a team in their corner!? Pet sitting, training, and behavior management all in one.
Having full trust in the team that's caring for my pups allows me to fully relax and enjoy my time away from them. I can't speak highly enough of Faye and Dan. Min and Scarlett being able to stay in their own environment while I'm gone is fabulous. Faye taking Min and Scarlett to the private dog park for extra exercise while we work on Min's anxiety about neighborhood walks is fabulous. As I said in a previous post, their services are phenomenal. If you are looking for an alternative to boarding your pets, don't hesitate to call on this team. Happy Buddha rocks!"
Megan P. (Monona, WI) 2019
Puppy Manners Training
“LOVE Happy Buddha Dog Training!!! I highly, highly recommend them. Our whole family, including our little pup would be so excited for days that Dan came to our house. He is so gentle and sweet with dogs. Mugsy loves to play with him, AND loved to show off all his new tricks and training he learned!
Dan made it very simple and gave such practical ways to practice with our dog and he had so many ideas of how to include my two little kiddos in the fun! He gives wonderful resources including a training tips DVD (which we have already watched twice) and a great packet full of helpful information.
It was so convenient having him come to our home instead of getting my kids, pup and myself to a puppy class. We were able to tailor the training time to the specific things my dog needed. Getting this training can literally save your dog’s life if he ever decides to bolt out of the house and you are able to call him back before he would run into a road, God forbid.
I was sad when our 5 class puppy session came to an end, and we plan to sign up for more just so we can continue to stay on the right track with our new family member, Mugsy. We really just could not be more pleased with this experience. All puppies should be so lucky to be trained in such a fun and positive way!”
Puppy Manners Training
“LOVE Happy Buddha Dog Training!!! I highly, highly recommend them. Our whole family, including our little pup would be so excited for days that Dan came to our house. He is so gentle and sweet with dogs. Mugsy loves to play with him, AND loved to show off all his new tricks and training he learned!
Dan made it very simple and gave such practical ways to practice with our dog and he had so many ideas of how to include my two little kiddos in the fun! He gives wonderful resources including a training tips DVD (which we have already watched twice) and a great packet full of helpful information.
It was so convenient having him come to our home instead of getting my kids, pup and myself to a puppy class. We were able to tailor the training time to the specific things my dog needed. Getting this training can literally save your dog’s life if he ever decides to bolt out of the house and you are able to call him back before he would run into a road, God forbid.
I was sad when our 5 class puppy session came to an end, and we plan to sign up for more just so we can continue to stay on the right track with our new family member, Mugsy. We really just could not be more pleased with this experience. All puppies should be so lucky to be trained in such a fun and positive way!”
Dianna H. (Oregon, WI) 2019
Manners Training/Reactivity
"We reached out to Dan to help us with a newly adopted rescue puppy and also had some concerns about our other dog. We had a long list of questions and training behaviors to work on. Dan is extremely patient, kind, and makes training fun for the dogs and the whole family. He provided us with information and videos about each of our issues, and was very thorough in following up to make sure we had all the tools we needed. Our dogs made a lot of progress in just a short time, and the experience was fun and convenient since we did not have to travel to a class. Our dogs are walking better on their leashes, are better behaved when visitors come to the door, and less reactive when encountering another dog while on walks. Dan was very caring towards our dogs and it’s clear he enjoys what he does. I highly recommend Happy Buddha Dog Training!"
Manners Training/Reactivity
"We reached out to Dan to help us with a newly adopted rescue puppy and also had some concerns about our other dog. We had a long list of questions and training behaviors to work on. Dan is extremely patient, kind, and makes training fun for the dogs and the whole family. He provided us with information and videos about each of our issues, and was very thorough in following up to make sure we had all the tools we needed. Our dogs made a lot of progress in just a short time, and the experience was fun and convenient since we did not have to travel to a class. Our dogs are walking better on their leashes, are better behaved when visitors come to the door, and less reactive when encountering another dog while on walks. Dan was very caring towards our dogs and it’s clear he enjoys what he does. I highly recommend Happy Buddha Dog Training!"
Lisa C. (Brooklyn, WI) 2019
Puppy Manners Training
We loved Dan and our puppy loved Dan as well. I really appreciate his gentle approach to discipline and insight to what makes our dog happy. He also provided us with many additional resources, articles, videos, etc. He clearly has a lot of experience and education in this field and I feel lucky to have spent time with him. We plan to follow up with another dog in the future.
Puppy Manners Training
We loved Dan and our puppy loved Dan as well. I really appreciate his gentle approach to discipline and insight to what makes our dog happy. He also provided us with many additional resources, articles, videos, etc. He clearly has a lot of experience and education in this field and I feel lucky to have spent time with him. We plan to follow up with another dog in the future.
Alex K. ( Verona, WI) 2019
Anxiety and Fear
We had a wonderful experience with Happy Buddha dog training. He listened to our training goals and tailored all of the sessions to meet those goals. Our dog was so excited to see him every time and he and he made all the training sessions a game. Our dog made tremendous progress and we can't believe that in 5 sessions, our dog is not pulling on walks and pretty consistent with all the cues we give her.
He also gave us great advice about our dog's fear of the car and in one session, she was putting her front paws onto the back seat of the car. We would happily recommend this trainer to everyone. We feel like not only has our dog learned a lot, but we have learned so much about training our dog.
Anxiety and Fear
We had a wonderful experience with Happy Buddha dog training. He listened to our training goals and tailored all of the sessions to meet those goals. Our dog was so excited to see him every time and he and he made all the training sessions a game. Our dog made tremendous progress and we can't believe that in 5 sessions, our dog is not pulling on walks and pretty consistent with all the cues we give her.
He also gave us great advice about our dog's fear of the car and in one session, she was putting her front paws onto the back seat of the car. We would happily recommend this trainer to everyone. We feel like not only has our dog learned a lot, but we have learned so much about training our dog.
Angela S. (Sun Prairie, WI) 2019
Puppy Manners Training
"As first time puppy owners we were very unsure of how to train our new puppy, Ollie, and honestly to train ourselves. We reached out to Dan at Happy Buddha Dog Training for his help and guidance with Ollie.
Dan made numerous trips to our house to help us train Ollie in his own environment. Dan also brought with him information for us about food, appropriate leashes and harnesses, and much more. The moment Ollie met Dan we knew we met the right person to work with Ollie and our family.
Dan is so knowledgeable in everything about dogs. Dan is very patient and caring with Ollie. He truly knows how to work with dogs and their behaviors. It’s almost as if Dan “speaks dog”. With Dan’s help Ollie now listens to commands, walks on his leash, and is a happy puppy.
If anyone is interested in hiring a dog trainer, Dan of Happy Buddha Dog Training is the person for you."
Puppy Manners Training
"As first time puppy owners we were very unsure of how to train our new puppy, Ollie, and honestly to train ourselves. We reached out to Dan at Happy Buddha Dog Training for his help and guidance with Ollie.
Dan made numerous trips to our house to help us train Ollie in his own environment. Dan also brought with him information for us about food, appropriate leashes and harnesses, and much more. The moment Ollie met Dan we knew we met the right person to work with Ollie and our family.
Dan is so knowledgeable in everything about dogs. Dan is very patient and caring with Ollie. He truly knows how to work with dogs and their behaviors. It’s almost as if Dan “speaks dog”. With Dan’s help Ollie now listens to commands, walks on his leash, and is a happy puppy.
If anyone is interested in hiring a dog trainer, Dan of Happy Buddha Dog Training is the person for you."
Cyle H. (Mt. Horeb, WI) 2019
Puppy Manners Training
"I highly recommend Dan and Happy Buddah Dog Training. Dan is very knowledgeable and passionate about what he does. He uses positive, force free techniques that are fun and easy to learn. We really enjoyed working with him as did our puppy Lily. I would gladly do business with Dan again and will certainly be reccommending him to others."
Puppy Manners Training
"I highly recommend Dan and Happy Buddah Dog Training. Dan is very knowledgeable and passionate about what he does. He uses positive, force free techniques that are fun and easy to learn. We really enjoyed working with him as did our puppy Lily. I would gladly do business with Dan again and will certainly be reccommending him to others."
2018 Testimonials
Amy G. (Verona, WI) 2018
Puppy Manners Training
"Dan, with Happy Buddha Dog Training, is so knowledgeable! He has a professional and comfortable manner when training. He does a great job explaining the psychology behind his practices. He gives excellent examples of why to do things a certain way or why not. Our time with him was absolutely worth the investment! I learned as much as my puppy did! I am so glad I decided to do my puppy training with Happy Buddha.
I had done training classes elsewhere with our previous dog. I found Happy Buddha's training to be more enjoyable for me and my puppy. Also, I found we were able to cover more material in a shorter amount of time. Dan focused on the needs of my puppy and what I wanted to accomplish with her.
If you are on the fence about starting a dog training program, I highly encourage you to do the individual training with Happy Buddha Dog Training. I constantly get compliments on how well behaved my puppy is (she is only 4 1/2 months old). I attribute a lot of that to what we learned from Dan."
Puppy Manners Training
"Dan, with Happy Buddha Dog Training, is so knowledgeable! He has a professional and comfortable manner when training. He does a great job explaining the psychology behind his practices. He gives excellent examples of why to do things a certain way or why not. Our time with him was absolutely worth the investment! I learned as much as my puppy did! I am so glad I decided to do my puppy training with Happy Buddha.
I had done training classes elsewhere with our previous dog. I found Happy Buddha's training to be more enjoyable for me and my puppy. Also, I found we were able to cover more material in a shorter amount of time. Dan focused on the needs of my puppy and what I wanted to accomplish with her.
If you are on the fence about starting a dog training program, I highly encourage you to do the individual training with Happy Buddha Dog Training. I constantly get compliments on how well behaved my puppy is (she is only 4 1/2 months old). I attribute a lot of that to what we learned from Dan."
Lyn H. (Oregon, WI) 2018
Behavior Modification: Fear (Project Trade: Prong Collar)
"I don't think 5 stars are high enough to rate Dan!! I started working with Dan in the spring of 2018 with my year old German Shepherd, Finn. We had completed several group classes, he had good manners with the basics but Finn had a hard time focusing in group classes. I was looking for a one on one dog trainer to help me understand some of Finn's behaviors without using force.
Finn had developed a fear of passing cars when we were walking, his anxiety would rise and he would bolt as the car passed.
Dan gave me the tools, guidance, and knowledge to help Finn overcome his fear of passing cars, all with non-force, positive reinforcement methods, no choke, pinch collars or e-collars. Dan, Finn and I work as a "team". Dan has helped me understand why Finn might be afraid of cars and encouraged me to not give up when Finn has had a few set backs. I highly recommend Dan!!"
Behavior Modification: Fear (Project Trade: Prong Collar)
"I don't think 5 stars are high enough to rate Dan!! I started working with Dan in the spring of 2018 with my year old German Shepherd, Finn. We had completed several group classes, he had good manners with the basics but Finn had a hard time focusing in group classes. I was looking for a one on one dog trainer to help me understand some of Finn's behaviors without using force.
Finn had developed a fear of passing cars when we were walking, his anxiety would rise and he would bolt as the car passed.
Dan gave me the tools, guidance, and knowledge to help Finn overcome his fear of passing cars, all with non-force, positive reinforcement methods, no choke, pinch collars or e-collars. Dan, Finn and I work as a "team". Dan has helped me understand why Finn might be afraid of cars and encouraged me to not give up when Finn has had a few set backs. I highly recommend Dan!!"
Ann R. (Madison, WI) 2018
Leash Walking Update on Jackson (See the video, above)
"I hope are well! Jackson is so happy with these cooler temperatures, and now is just anxious for more snow! We continue to work on manners (always a work in progress - right!?). Chad capture this moment of very good eye contact and thought you might enjoy seeing it! We are forever grateful for the work that you did for Jackson and for us!"
Leash Walking Update on Jackson (See the video, above)
"I hope are well! Jackson is so happy with these cooler temperatures, and now is just anxious for more snow! We continue to work on manners (always a work in progress - right!?). Chad capture this moment of very good eye contact and thought you might enjoy seeing it! We are forever grateful for the work that you did for Jackson and for us!"
Eric K. (Madison, WI) 2018
Puppy Training Update
"Lincoln is nicely socialized with all kinds of people and dogs. His manors and commands are stellar, especially for a 9 month puppy. He’s an awesome loved member of our family."
Puppy Training Update
"Lincoln is nicely socialized with all kinds of people and dogs. His manors and commands are stellar, especially for a 9 month puppy. He’s an awesome loved member of our family."
Julia A. (Madison, WI) 2018
Anxious/Fearful
"Hi Dan,
Thank you so much for helping us along in this journey and through this rough patch with Zissel. We are thrilled at her progress and look forward to making even more improvements and continuing to work with her. Thanks for the photos as well!
I wanted to share with you more fantastic news for today – we had some guests over this evening and Zissel did amazingly well! She had almost no fear in her reaction. She barked maybe once, and then went straight to wiggles and our guests stood still and didn’t give her attention until she calmed down, which she did pretty quickly. Fast forward 20 minutes and Zissel was asleep in one of our guest’s lap for the remainder of the evening. We are so proud and happy!
Thanks again for everything,
Julia"
Anxious/Fearful
"Hi Dan,
Thank you so much for helping us along in this journey and through this rough patch with Zissel. We are thrilled at her progress and look forward to making even more improvements and continuing to work with her. Thanks for the photos as well!
I wanted to share with you more fantastic news for today – we had some guests over this evening and Zissel did amazingly well! She had almost no fear in her reaction. She barked maybe once, and then went straight to wiggles and our guests stood still and didn’t give her attention until she calmed down, which she did pretty quickly. Fast forward 20 minutes and Zissel was asleep in one of our guest’s lap for the remainder of the evening. We are so proud and happy!
Thanks again for everything,
Julia"
Lisa Y. (Fitchburg, WI) 2018
Ongoing Progress Report
"I signed up with Dan shortly after I adopted my rescue dog. Not only is he fabulous with my dog Min, I learn as much at each session as Min does, if not more. Dan is a wealth of information on much much more than sit and stay. Min totally enjoys her sessions (play time) with Dan. Dan has pinpointed certain behaviors and helps me brain storm on why others are happening, and then helps turn any negative behaviors around with force free teaching.
I trust Dan 100% with Min, and I know I'm getting up to date, accurate, scientifically proven information from him.
Dan dog sat for me while I was away for a day. Min was wiggly, content and happy when I got home. The picture Dan sent of Min snoozing away after a good walk was great! Faye is going to dog sit for me while I'm out of the country for several weeks next year. Min took to Faye right away when they met. If you're looking for someone who will train your dog to behave and then walk away, Dan is not your man.
If you're looking for someone who will bond with your dog and teach both you and your dog how to be healthy and happy together, Dan is what you're looking for."
Ongoing Progress Report
"I signed up with Dan shortly after I adopted my rescue dog. Not only is he fabulous with my dog Min, I learn as much at each session as Min does, if not more. Dan is a wealth of information on much much more than sit and stay. Min totally enjoys her sessions (play time) with Dan. Dan has pinpointed certain behaviors and helps me brain storm on why others are happening, and then helps turn any negative behaviors around with force free teaching.
I trust Dan 100% with Min, and I know I'm getting up to date, accurate, scientifically proven information from him.
Dan dog sat for me while I was away for a day. Min was wiggly, content and happy when I got home. The picture Dan sent of Min snoozing away after a good walk was great! Faye is going to dog sit for me while I'm out of the country for several weeks next year. Min took to Faye right away when they met. If you're looking for someone who will train your dog to behave and then walk away, Dan is not your man.
If you're looking for someone who will bond with your dog and teach both you and your dog how to be healthy and happy together, Dan is what you're looking for."
Jessica S. (IMadison, WI) 2018
Dog-Dog Reactivity
"Hi Dan,
Just wanted to share a “Find It” success story that happened with Juniper yesterday. We were walking (on leash) on a trail and I could see a person with their large dog. Luckily the trail was fairly wide, but it had tall grasses bordering either side so I couldn’t go off it to let them pass. I started the “find it” game as they passed us and she stayed focused on that and did not bark! We have had good success with that game in the city when I have a parked car barrier, so I was so pleased. Hurrah!
Many thanks,
Jessica"
Dog-Dog Reactivity
"Hi Dan,
Just wanted to share a “Find It” success story that happened with Juniper yesterday. We were walking (on leash) on a trail and I could see a person with their large dog. Luckily the trail was fairly wide, but it had tall grasses bordering either side so I couldn’t go off it to let them pass. I started the “find it” game as they passed us and she stayed focused on that and did not bark! We have had good success with that game in the city when I have a parked car barrier, so I was so pleased. Hurrah!
Many thanks,
Jessica"
Lisa Y. (Fitchburg, WI) 2018
Better Business Review (posted 8-31-18)
"I give Dan a 10 star rating as a dog trainer.
I rescued a one year old dog that was transferred to a Wisconsin shelter from an over crowded shelter in Alabama. The staff at the shelter told me she loved everybody and was a joy. Other than her being a joy, and knowing she most likely was a mix of some kind of herding dog, I knew little about her. Having a family daycare in my home, it was important to me that my dog, Minton, have good manners with the kids and their parents.
I initially looked into a dog training organization I'd seen lots of advertising for that claimed they had a high success rate for teaching dogs to be well behaved. When I got to the interview, I was shown the e-collar they use. Absolutely not. I don't care if it's used as just a "nudge." I decided that since my pup seemed to have some nervous and anxious qualities, and because I knew little about her background, an in home, one on one trainer would be a better way to start out.
In walks Dan of Happy Buddha. Minton was a little bit of a puzzle at first, but within just a few sessions, she was responding well to Dan, and I was learning a wealth of information myself. I have to say, the information, support, and guidance Dan gives me is just as helpful, if not more so, than the training he gives Minton. Most of the people around me tell me that I need to be the pack leader, and be more forceful with my attitude toward Minton. For one, that's just not my personality. Secondly, I just don't believe that's true. I want a dog that I coexist with. A member of my household that I guide, but certainly not one that I need to feel some dominance over.
Dan supported me 100% whenever I felt pressure from others and was in doubt. We've had many discussions about the evidence that force free training leads to a well mannered, adjusted pup. Dan sent me articles and the scientific research that backed that up. Minton and I had so much success and fun with our first set of sessions, that we signed up for a second set. By the time we finish this set, I know she'll be ready to move into group training, such as rally and agility.
Minton's whole body wags when Dan walks in the door. His calm demeanor and method of training is exactly what we both needed. I'm so happy and comfortable with Dan, that I'm going to use his and his wife Faye's pet sitting serves as well. Minton took to Dan's wife, Faye, right away. I know Minton will be in good hands while I'm out of the country for several weeks. She will have consistent, force free care in her own environment with people who understand her and who she adores.
Dan listens to his clients, is flexible, understanding and compassionate. I get the impression that dog training is not just his job, but it's his passion and what he breaths each day. If you want help training a well behaved, happy, joyful dog, contact Dan. He's your man!
Better Business Review (posted 8-31-18)
"I give Dan a 10 star rating as a dog trainer.
I rescued a one year old dog that was transferred to a Wisconsin shelter from an over crowded shelter in Alabama. The staff at the shelter told me she loved everybody and was a joy. Other than her being a joy, and knowing she most likely was a mix of some kind of herding dog, I knew little about her. Having a family daycare in my home, it was important to me that my dog, Minton, have good manners with the kids and their parents.
I initially looked into a dog training organization I'd seen lots of advertising for that claimed they had a high success rate for teaching dogs to be well behaved. When I got to the interview, I was shown the e-collar they use. Absolutely not. I don't care if it's used as just a "nudge." I decided that since my pup seemed to have some nervous and anxious qualities, and because I knew little about her background, an in home, one on one trainer would be a better way to start out.
In walks Dan of Happy Buddha. Minton was a little bit of a puzzle at first, but within just a few sessions, she was responding well to Dan, and I was learning a wealth of information myself. I have to say, the information, support, and guidance Dan gives me is just as helpful, if not more so, than the training he gives Minton. Most of the people around me tell me that I need to be the pack leader, and be more forceful with my attitude toward Minton. For one, that's just not my personality. Secondly, I just don't believe that's true. I want a dog that I coexist with. A member of my household that I guide, but certainly not one that I need to feel some dominance over.
Dan supported me 100% whenever I felt pressure from others and was in doubt. We've had many discussions about the evidence that force free training leads to a well mannered, adjusted pup. Dan sent me articles and the scientific research that backed that up. Minton and I had so much success and fun with our first set of sessions, that we signed up for a second set. By the time we finish this set, I know she'll be ready to move into group training, such as rally and agility.
Minton's whole body wags when Dan walks in the door. His calm demeanor and method of training is exactly what we both needed. I'm so happy and comfortable with Dan, that I'm going to use his and his wife Faye's pet sitting serves as well. Minton took to Dan's wife, Faye, right away. I know Minton will be in good hands while I'm out of the country for several weeks. She will have consistent, force free care in her own environment with people who understand her and who she adores.
Dan listens to his clients, is flexible, understanding and compassionate. I get the impression that dog training is not just his job, but it's his passion and what he breaths each day. If you want help training a well behaved, happy, joyful dog, contact Dan. He's your man!
Lisa Y. (Fitchburg, WI) 2018
Manners Training, Dog-Dog Reactivity
"The knowledge I've gained about my dog's body language through my sessions with Happy Buddha Dog Training LLC, as well as the body language of dogs we meet, has been just as valuable, if not more, as sit, stay, down, wait, loose leash walking... Being able to understand a dog's body language helps keep everyone safe and happy!"
Manners Training, Dog-Dog Reactivity
"The knowledge I've gained about my dog's body language through my sessions with Happy Buddha Dog Training LLC, as well as the body language of dogs we meet, has been just as valuable, if not more, as sit, stay, down, wait, loose leash walking... Being able to understand a dog's body language helps keep everyone safe and happy!"
Shanna O. (McFarland, WI) 2018
Manners Training (newly adopted)
“Daniel is the most kind, professional, enthusiastic dog trainer around! I instantly felt his Interest and compassion for our dog on the first day of training. I highly recommend him to everyone! Daniel truly loves bonding with dogs and is an excellent trainer.”
Manners Training (newly adopted)
“Daniel is the most kind, professional, enthusiastic dog trainer around! I instantly felt his Interest and compassion for our dog on the first day of training. I highly recommend him to everyone! Daniel truly loves bonding with dogs and is an excellent trainer.”
Ange M. (Oregon, WI) 2018
Puppy Training
"Our family decided it was the right time for a new family member, and we adopted our first puppy, Winston. Since we had never had a dog before, we did our research on training books, puppy classes, and dog trainers. We received information on Happy Buddha from our friend Krista.
Before picking up our new pup, we set up an appointment with Dan and he gave us helpful reading material so that we were prepared. Once we picked up Winston, we could see right away that he was having a hard time adjusting his new family. Dan was kind enough to come on a Saturday and spend the necessary time with us to acclimate him appropriately.
I was especially anxious that Winston's new home would not work out for him, and that my 3 children would have a bad experience with their first dog. Thank goodness for both Happy Buddha and the puppy classes!
Within a week, things were starting to get better. By the end of the 5 sessions, our sweet Winston was none other than a "regular" puppy and happy to be a part of our family. The puppy classes were helpful to learn basic commands and socialization, but Dan was there to reinforce our own behaviors to train him appropriately.
The one-on-one time he spends with us is invaluable. He was able to teach my children how to play with Winston in a way that is fun for all of them. I would recommend Dan to everyone that owns a dog to have a family member.
There are so many "easy" fixes for impatient people that have zero benefit for the dog. We took the time and patience to work with our puppy. Although he is not perfect by any means, he adjusted to a fun-loving member of the family. Thank you Dan for your time and patience with all 6 of us."
Puppy Training
"Our family decided it was the right time for a new family member, and we adopted our first puppy, Winston. Since we had never had a dog before, we did our research on training books, puppy classes, and dog trainers. We received information on Happy Buddha from our friend Krista.
Before picking up our new pup, we set up an appointment with Dan and he gave us helpful reading material so that we were prepared. Once we picked up Winston, we could see right away that he was having a hard time adjusting his new family. Dan was kind enough to come on a Saturday and spend the necessary time with us to acclimate him appropriately.
I was especially anxious that Winston's new home would not work out for him, and that my 3 children would have a bad experience with their first dog. Thank goodness for both Happy Buddha and the puppy classes!
Within a week, things were starting to get better. By the end of the 5 sessions, our sweet Winston was none other than a "regular" puppy and happy to be a part of our family. The puppy classes were helpful to learn basic commands and socialization, but Dan was there to reinforce our own behaviors to train him appropriately.
The one-on-one time he spends with us is invaluable. He was able to teach my children how to play with Winston in a way that is fun for all of them. I would recommend Dan to everyone that owns a dog to have a family member.
There are so many "easy" fixes for impatient people that have zero benefit for the dog. We took the time and patience to work with our puppy. Although he is not perfect by any means, he adjusted to a fun-loving member of the family. Thank you Dan for your time and patience with all 6 of us."
Ellen R. (Madison, WI) 2018
Puppy Training
"We had another wonderful experience with Happy Buddha! Dan worked with our previous dog who had severe separation anxiety. We now have a new puppy and Dan did a wonderful job with the nuts and bolts of puppy training. He is calm, engaging, and helpful and used only positive reinforcement which has helped create a sweet and well adjusted puppy. He offers gentle suggestion, never judgment, and worked with our family to figure out what teaching tactics would work best. His training is affordable and flexible, and we would highly recommend him for any dog. He really excels and has special interest in pets with anxiety. We are so grateful to have Happy Buddha in our area--Madison is so lucky to have such a skilled and compassionate dog trainer. Highly recommend."
and...
"HI Dan, Thank you again for everything!!!
This experience was everything we hoped it would be. We are so much better prepared to be puppy owners than we were when we got Gabby! You were very patient with us and incorporated your Zen-sense of dog-knowing into every session. Gabby adores you and each visit really helped us to move mountains! Your service is complete, compassionate, and affordable. We so appreciate you being generous with bringing treats and toys for Gabby and our daughter! We are very grateful. We hope to see you in the neighborhood again soon!!!!"
Puppy Training
"We had another wonderful experience with Happy Buddha! Dan worked with our previous dog who had severe separation anxiety. We now have a new puppy and Dan did a wonderful job with the nuts and bolts of puppy training. He is calm, engaging, and helpful and used only positive reinforcement which has helped create a sweet and well adjusted puppy. He offers gentle suggestion, never judgment, and worked with our family to figure out what teaching tactics would work best. His training is affordable and flexible, and we would highly recommend him for any dog. He really excels and has special interest in pets with anxiety. We are so grateful to have Happy Buddha in our area--Madison is so lucky to have such a skilled and compassionate dog trainer. Highly recommend."
and...
"HI Dan, Thank you again for everything!!!
This experience was everything we hoped it would be. We are so much better prepared to be puppy owners than we were when we got Gabby! You were very patient with us and incorporated your Zen-sense of dog-knowing into every session. Gabby adores you and each visit really helped us to move mountains! Your service is complete, compassionate, and affordable. We so appreciate you being generous with bringing treats and toys for Gabby and our daughter! We are very grateful. We hope to see you in the neighborhood again soon!!!!"
Jessica S. (Madison, WI) 2018
Puppy Training
“Having personal training sessions was an enormous success for us, as our dog Juniper is very sensitive to stimuli. She learned so fast without the distractions and unfamiliar setting that would have been a part of a group puppy class, and Dan was generous and flexible to tailor things specific to the needs of our home and family.
The breadth and variety of training materials he provides are very valuable too — and if you have a question, Dan will most likely not only answer it, but send you written materials or resource referrals. He is extremely thorough and professional, with a warmth and approachability that puts everyone, dog or human, at ease.
Juniper truly loved connecting with Dan — from playing the joyful “play bow” game she adored, to helping her overcome her anxiety about her crate and harness, she was ready for whatever he had in mind! Dan’s deep respect and care for dogs is his greatest gift — it shows in his gentle manner, his respectful problem-solving, and experienced, compassionate perspective.”
Puppy Training
“Having personal training sessions was an enormous success for us, as our dog Juniper is very sensitive to stimuli. She learned so fast without the distractions and unfamiliar setting that would have been a part of a group puppy class, and Dan was generous and flexible to tailor things specific to the needs of our home and family.
The breadth and variety of training materials he provides are very valuable too — and if you have a question, Dan will most likely not only answer it, but send you written materials or resource referrals. He is extremely thorough and professional, with a warmth and approachability that puts everyone, dog or human, at ease.
Juniper truly loved connecting with Dan — from playing the joyful “play bow” game she adored, to helping her overcome her anxiety about her crate and harness, she was ready for whatever he had in mind! Dan’s deep respect and care for dogs is his greatest gift — it shows in his gentle manner, his respectful problem-solving, and experienced, compassionate perspective.”
Lesley J. (Stoughton, WI) 2018
Separation Anxiety, Hyperarousal
Henry, our 2.5 year old (95 pound) chocolate Lab has separation anxiety. He's never liked his crate and becomes anxious if he has to go in it when we (rarely) both leave the house. Although he relates well to dogs on walks and at the dog park, he prefers his humans to be close by. He's had a puppy training class and a reactive dog training class.
However, my husband and I felt Henry needed specialized training to address people coming to the door and greeting guests appropriately. We also were preparing for our daughter and her fiancé (who is afraid of dogs) to return to the states. Dan Antolec of Happy Buddha Dog Training was our answer!
Dan is very professional, friendly and knowledgeable. Our appointments started on time, were focused and very productive. It was fun to see Henry choosing to exhibit the desired behaviors! Dan has a wealth of information, and great suggestions for tools to keep Henry calm. In addition, he facilitated a consult between our vet and a behaviorist to modify Henry's medication.
Dan met with our daughter and her fiancé to help acclimate him to dog behavior. Henry is doing well focusing on his "place" instead of reacting to people coming to the door. He's sitting as visitors enter the home instead of jumping on them. More long term, we'll be working with Henry on establishing a safe room to relax in when we leave the home instead of his dreaded crate. We won't hesitate to contact Dan for additional training!
Separation Anxiety, Hyperarousal
Henry, our 2.5 year old (95 pound) chocolate Lab has separation anxiety. He's never liked his crate and becomes anxious if he has to go in it when we (rarely) both leave the house. Although he relates well to dogs on walks and at the dog park, he prefers his humans to be close by. He's had a puppy training class and a reactive dog training class.
However, my husband and I felt Henry needed specialized training to address people coming to the door and greeting guests appropriately. We also were preparing for our daughter and her fiancé (who is afraid of dogs) to return to the states. Dan Antolec of Happy Buddha Dog Training was our answer!
Dan is very professional, friendly and knowledgeable. Our appointments started on time, were focused and very productive. It was fun to see Henry choosing to exhibit the desired behaviors! Dan has a wealth of information, and great suggestions for tools to keep Henry calm. In addition, he facilitated a consult between our vet and a behaviorist to modify Henry's medication.
Dan met with our daughter and her fiancé to help acclimate him to dog behavior. Henry is doing well focusing on his "place" instead of reacting to people coming to the door. He's sitting as visitors enter the home instead of jumping on them. More long term, we'll be working with Henry on establishing a safe room to relax in when we leave the home instead of his dreaded crate. We won't hesitate to contact Dan for additional training!
2017 Testimonials
Sarah K. (Madison, WI) 2017
Training
"Thank you so much for all your help and creating an even more positive relationship with me and Arty. He is still very sassy but everyday recall gets a little better. He is also getting better at meeting new people at the house. He did GREAT on Halloween. We only had about 10 treat-or-trickers but he was busy playing find it with of my friends and enjoying his bone that he wasn't even phased. I was so proud of him. I know he is missing his pork and cheese treats. Thanks again for all your help."
Sarah
Training
"Thank you so much for all your help and creating an even more positive relationship with me and Arty. He is still very sassy but everyday recall gets a little better. He is also getting better at meeting new people at the house. He did GREAT on Halloween. We only had about 10 treat-or-trickers but he was busy playing find it with of my friends and enjoying his bone that he wasn't even phased. I was so proud of him. I know he is missing his pork and cheese treats. Thanks again for all your help."
Sarah
Dr. Manette Kohler (Wisconsin) 2017
Helping Hand Veterinary Behavior Counseling
"Daniel is an inspiration to the world of dog training and behavior consulting. He is truly dedicated to furthering his education and has taken the challenging steps to become certified and accredited in behavior and force free training. He is a great teacher and promoter of force free, science based methods and is a true advocate for the animals and their bond with their humans. When I refer folks to Daniel I know they'll be in great hands."
Helping Hand Veterinary Behavior Counseling
"Daniel is an inspiration to the world of dog training and behavior consulting. He is truly dedicated to furthering his education and has taken the challenging steps to become certified and accredited in behavior and force free training. He is a great teacher and promoter of force free, science based methods and is a true advocate for the animals and their bond with their humans. When I refer folks to Daniel I know they'll be in great hands."
Sarah Kalnajs, CPDT-KA, CBCC-KA
Sarah Kalnajs, Blue Dog Training & Behavior (Madison, WI) 2017
Professional behavior consultant and dog trainer
"Dan is an excellent dog trainer who is committed to excellence and continuing his knowledge and education in this field (which is much more complex than most people realize). While technically he could be considered my "competitor", what is most important to me (and to Dan I'm sure) is that the dog owners of Madison (WI) get quality, capable, educated and compassionate assistance with their dog training needs and that is what you'll get with Dan!"
Professional behavior consultant and dog trainer
"Dan is an excellent dog trainer who is committed to excellence and continuing his knowledge and education in this field (which is much more complex than most people realize). While technically he could be considered my "competitor", what is most important to me (and to Dan I'm sure) is that the dog owners of Madison (WI) get quality, capable, educated and compassionate assistance with their dog training needs and that is what you'll get with Dan!"
Bella
Chris M. (Madison, WI) 2017
Reactive Behavior
“When I first contacted Dan, I was feeling frustrated and hopeless with my highly reactive Airedale, Bella. Bella was growling, barking and lunging and at other dogs, people and moving objects she encountered in almost all situations I was exhausted. I felt her behavior would never change and I saw myself as a failure. I was seriously considering finding a new home for her.
After my first meeting with Dan, I started to become hopeful. Dan showed me his portfolio and explained his training philosophy. I was very impressed by his knowledge of dog behavior and the high level of training certifications he possesses. I immediately felt comfortable with Dan. He spent a lot of time talking with me about Bella and her needs. I was excited to start our training sessions together. Each meeting I learn a ton about Bella, dog behavior and new training techniques. It is exciting to see my dog become less reactive and better mannered. I couldn't be more thrilled. Both Bella and I feel calmer, happier and more confident as a result of our training sessions. My relationship with Bella is getting stronger and I no longer feel the need to re-home her. I look forward to working with Dan for many future sessions.”
Chris
Reactive Behavior
“When I first contacted Dan, I was feeling frustrated and hopeless with my highly reactive Airedale, Bella. Bella was growling, barking and lunging and at other dogs, people and moving objects she encountered in almost all situations I was exhausted. I felt her behavior would never change and I saw myself as a failure. I was seriously considering finding a new home for her.
After my first meeting with Dan, I started to become hopeful. Dan showed me his portfolio and explained his training philosophy. I was very impressed by his knowledge of dog behavior and the high level of training certifications he possesses. I immediately felt comfortable with Dan. He spent a lot of time talking with me about Bella and her needs. I was excited to start our training sessions together. Each meeting I learn a ton about Bella, dog behavior and new training techniques. It is exciting to see my dog become less reactive and better mannered. I couldn't be more thrilled. Both Bella and I feel calmer, happier and more confident as a result of our training sessions. My relationship with Bella is getting stronger and I no longer feel the need to re-home her. I look forward to working with Dan for many future sessions.”
Chris
Julie W. (Oregon, WI) 2017
Stay Safe! dog safety class
"Thank you so very much for the class. We enjoyed it. I learned quite a bit that I ended up using just 24 hours later when meeting dogs I've not met before. The were fearful and I was able to read that quickly and act accordingly. Really appreciated your time. Thank you again."
Stay Safe! dog safety class
"Thank you so very much for the class. We enjoyed it. I learned quite a bit that I ended up using just 24 hours later when meeting dogs I've not met before. The were fearful and I was able to read that quickly and act accordingly. Really appreciated your time. Thank you again."
Arya
M. and K. (Evansville, WI) 2017
Dog-Dog Reactivity & Project Trade
“Our younger very high energy dog, Arya, was having some troubles with displaying dog-dog aggression, pulling on the leash, and jumping. We were extremely frustrated and disappointed that our sweet girl was becoming such a nuisance. We were referred to Dan at Happy Buddha Dog Training by Jenna at Golden Paw Pet Boutique. Turns out it could not have been a better match.
Dan took the time to talk with me about our concerns and discuss the root of Arya’s issues. He came out and spent a great deal of time talking with us. Our concerns were very real to us, as we love our pets very much and want to have dogs that people and other dogs feel safe around. We had previously tried everything we could think of, including a pinch collar. We were uncomfortable with the idea, but were told by several people that it would work. Dan took the time to explain the unintended consequences of the pinch collar.
His techniques proved to show a much better and quicker result than anything we had tired previously. AND our girl was happily responding. Dan also provided us with several tools, resources materials and references to dog supplies that would benefit, not just Arya, but our other dog as well. We want our dogs to succeed and be happy. Dan has certainly given us some relief to our stress and we now have a more calm home.”
Dog-Dog Reactivity & Project Trade
“Our younger very high energy dog, Arya, was having some troubles with displaying dog-dog aggression, pulling on the leash, and jumping. We were extremely frustrated and disappointed that our sweet girl was becoming such a nuisance. We were referred to Dan at Happy Buddha Dog Training by Jenna at Golden Paw Pet Boutique. Turns out it could not have been a better match.
Dan took the time to talk with me about our concerns and discuss the root of Arya’s issues. He came out and spent a great deal of time talking with us. Our concerns were very real to us, as we love our pets very much and want to have dogs that people and other dogs feel safe around. We had previously tried everything we could think of, including a pinch collar. We were uncomfortable with the idea, but were told by several people that it would work. Dan took the time to explain the unintended consequences of the pinch collar.
His techniques proved to show a much better and quicker result than anything we had tired previously. AND our girl was happily responding. Dan also provided us with several tools, resources materials and references to dog supplies that would benefit, not just Arya, but our other dog as well. We want our dogs to succeed and be happy. Dan has certainly given us some relief to our stress and we now have a more calm home.”
The Doodler Brothers
Jill H. (Stoughton, WI) 2017
Pet Sitting
"We recently went on an 18 day vacation and had Dan and Faye watch over our home and dogs. We have three dogs, one of them being a 5 month old puppy. Being familiar with Dan’s excellent approach to dog training, we had confidence we were leaving our boys in good hands.
Every day we received an email of the boys with photos and notes on what they did during the day. Not only did they have plenty of physical activity but just as important, their minds were exercised. Our home was in great shape when we returned. We were very pleased in the care given to our boys and home. We highly recommend Dan and Faye as house and pet sitters.
Pet Sitting
"We recently went on an 18 day vacation and had Dan and Faye watch over our home and dogs. We have three dogs, one of them being a 5 month old puppy. Being familiar with Dan’s excellent approach to dog training, we had confidence we were leaving our boys in good hands.
Every day we received an email of the boys with photos and notes on what they did during the day. Not only did they have plenty of physical activity but just as important, their minds were exercised. Our home was in great shape when we returned. We were very pleased in the care given to our boys and home. We highly recommend Dan and Faye as house and pet sitters.
Thor
Vicki D. (Oregon, WI) 2017
Pet Sitting
"Whew! We finally found a professional dog sitter! Faye Antolec. We first met Faye through her husband, Dan Antolec, when we signed Thor and ourselves up for dog training. I continued to see Faye socially and asked one day if anyone knew of someone who would dog sit. Our trusted friend who usually took care of Thor was unavailable. Faye piped up and said, “me!”
So-the story begins.
Our Thor is tightly bonded with us and it takes him awhile to warm up to people. To help with the dog sitting, Faye came to our neighborhood and house so Thor could gradually get to know her. Her treats were a hit!! After three visits, a bond started to form. We also shared Thor’s habits and schedule so his anxiety would be minimal and he could enjoy his weekend with Faye.
It worked! We had a stress free weekend and Thor and Faye had a fun weekend. She sent messages and pictures and let us know she was giving him cuddle time.
We highly recommend Faye!!"
Pet Sitting
"Whew! We finally found a professional dog sitter! Faye Antolec. We first met Faye through her husband, Dan Antolec, when we signed Thor and ourselves up for dog training. I continued to see Faye socially and asked one day if anyone knew of someone who would dog sit. Our trusted friend who usually took care of Thor was unavailable. Faye piped up and said, “me!”
So-the story begins.
Our Thor is tightly bonded with us and it takes him awhile to warm up to people. To help with the dog sitting, Faye came to our neighborhood and house so Thor could gradually get to know her. Her treats were a hit!! After three visits, a bond started to form. We also shared Thor’s habits and schedule so his anxiety would be minimal and he could enjoy his weekend with Faye.
It worked! We had a stress free weekend and Thor and Faye had a fun weekend. She sent messages and pictures and let us know she was giving him cuddle time.
We highly recommend Faye!!"
Steven A. (Madison, WI) 2017
Training
"Daniel's expertise and knowledge of positive dog training has been invaluable to my girlfriend and I in training our rescued Pit Bull. He has incredible resources that he's provided to us to keep us constantly informed and learning about dog psychology and behavior. The fact that he can come into our apartment, meet a new dog, and evoke such a positive, attentive response from our dog was a true testament to the power of positive training.
He conducts a thorough investigation into each animal he works with to be able to provide the best training and resources. We're excited about continuing training with Daniel to improve our dog's attentiveness to the handler while around other dogs on-leash and reduce reactivity and fear. We intend to train our Pit Bull to continue to be an advocate for the breed and demonstrate the power of responsible ownership. We have every bit of confidence that Daniel can help us achieve and surpass all our training goals."
Training
"Daniel's expertise and knowledge of positive dog training has been invaluable to my girlfriend and I in training our rescued Pit Bull. He has incredible resources that he's provided to us to keep us constantly informed and learning about dog psychology and behavior. The fact that he can come into our apartment, meet a new dog, and evoke such a positive, attentive response from our dog was a true testament to the power of positive training.
He conducts a thorough investigation into each animal he works with to be able to provide the best training and resources. We're excited about continuing training with Daniel to improve our dog's attentiveness to the handler while around other dogs on-leash and reduce reactivity and fear. We intend to train our Pit Bull to continue to be an advocate for the breed and demonstrate the power of responsible ownership. We have every bit of confidence that Daniel can help us achieve and surpass all our training goals."
Jackson, after a walk
Ann R. (Madison, WI) 2017
Pet Sitting (in-home)
We are so pleased that Happy Buddha is offering dog walking and other services! I was coordinating a business trip and felt uneasy about how to ensure my Bernese Mountain dog Jackson would get the attention, time outside and potty breaks that he has grown accustom to with our regular routine. Then I saw a post that Happy Buddha was now offering dog walking skills! Dan to the rescue!
I felt completely confident leaving for my trip knowing that Dan would be helping us out. Dog walking allowed my husband and I to focus on our work commitments and know that our pup was enjoying some social time with his buddy Dan. Dan's service is above and beyond superior! Dan didn't just walk Jackson, he re-enforced training that was already learned. He also gave our pup plenty of love and play time. And the pictures and updates were greatly appreciated. I highly recommend Happy Buddha for dog training and now dog walking/attention time!
Pet Sitting (in-home)
We are so pleased that Happy Buddha is offering dog walking and other services! I was coordinating a business trip and felt uneasy about how to ensure my Bernese Mountain dog Jackson would get the attention, time outside and potty breaks that he has grown accustom to with our regular routine. Then I saw a post that Happy Buddha was now offering dog walking skills! Dan to the rescue!
I felt completely confident leaving for my trip knowing that Dan would be helping us out. Dog walking allowed my husband and I to focus on our work commitments and know that our pup was enjoying some social time with his buddy Dan. Dan's service is above and beyond superior! Dan didn't just walk Jackson, he re-enforced training that was already learned. He also gave our pup plenty of love and play time. And the pictures and updates were greatly appreciated. I highly recommend Happy Buddha for dog training and now dog walking/attention time!
 Charlie
Bonnie V. (Oregon, WI) 2017
Pet Sitting (in-home) "I would like to highly recommend Faye Antolec to anyone who would possibly need someone to care for their dogs if they were to need to be away from home. She recently cared for our dogs, Ziva and Charlie for 15 days during our trip to Switzerland. She stayed in our home, honoring our dogs' routines, as well as getting mail and watering plants, etc. We were sent charming daily updates and photos via email and were thrilled with her attention to our dogs' every need for attention, exercise as well as basic needs. We were pretty sure that they did not miss us! I learned of Faye through her husband, Dan Antolec, who has Happy Buddha Dog Training. He was very helpful with our dog training needs last year and has a very calming effect on dogs (and people)." |
Ziva
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Liz P. (Brooklyn, WI 2017
Training
"We had a great experience with Happy Buddha Dog Training. Daniel’s gentle and positive approach to training dogs was exactly what we were looking for in helping us with our three dogs. We asked him to work with the male dog we adopted a couple of months before. He is 70 pounds, outweighing the other two by 20 pounds each. We had next to no knowledge of his history and he had no manners at all! We were most concerned that he would run off and we wouldn’t be able to catch him easily.
With Dan’s guidance, we quickly learned how to approach this bigger guy and learned that we can trust him. He taught us to praise the dog’s natural behaviors that we wanted, and ignore the behaviors that we didn’t want.
We also appreciated all the information Dan shared about the latest research in dog psychology and behavior, as well as natural world knowledge. Using Dan’s techniques with all three has helped create peace in the house."
Training
"We had a great experience with Happy Buddha Dog Training. Daniel’s gentle and positive approach to training dogs was exactly what we were looking for in helping us with our three dogs. We asked him to work with the male dog we adopted a couple of months before. He is 70 pounds, outweighing the other two by 20 pounds each. We had next to no knowledge of his history and he had no manners at all! We were most concerned that he would run off and we wouldn’t be able to catch him easily.
With Dan’s guidance, we quickly learned how to approach this bigger guy and learned that we can trust him. He taught us to praise the dog’s natural behaviors that we wanted, and ignore the behaviors that we didn’t want.
We also appreciated all the information Dan shared about the latest research in dog psychology and behavior, as well as natural world knowledge. Using Dan’s techniques with all three has helped create peace in the house."
Buddy
Krista D. (Oregon, WI) 2017
Fearful and Reactive Behavior - Update
I wanted to share this article again and attach my own success story with Buddy. My main goal with sharing this story is to show progress is possible, even with the most reactive of dogs. The training methods we discuss here really work.
Working with a force-free trainer (Daniel Antolec of Happy Buddha) has been crucial for me to understand what Buddy was going through. Walking your dog everyday where they are exposed to what scares them pushing them over threshold isn't going to work, the negative physiological effects last for days, and can physically harm your dog.
Several months ago, I completely stopped trying to walk Buddy in public. I began walking him only at secluded areas once or twice a day for only 10-15 minutes at a time. Buddy got plenty of mental stimulation inside with toys, playing find-it and practicing basic training commands.
After a few weeks with no outbursts, I noticed Buddy was calming down inside and outside the house. He wasn't shaking anymore and when outside, he didn't seem to be "on alert" as much, he was more focused on me and seemed to enjoy sniffing. Soon, we were at one month with no violent outbursts, then two months. His behavior everywhere was improving, even in the car. He seemed loose and relaxed. Three months came with no outbursts.
Then this past weekend, I took Buddy for a ride to the Oregon library. All the baseball diamonds were empty, no one was around. It was a beautiful day so I gathered up my courage and went for a walk with Buddy. He put his head through the harness on his own and seemed happy to go, smelling everything he could, trotting ahead with a very relaxed body. He volunteered lots of "looks" and we practiced "sit" and "touch."
As we continued walking, I saw a dog being walked across the street, about 25 feet away. Buddy's previous threshold was 50 yards.
My first reaction was panic but I saw the dog before Buddy. I threw some treats in the grass, Buddy sniffed them out, while I breathed deeply trying to calm myself. Buddy looked up, saw the dog, and immediately looked at me and sat waiting for more treats. No growl, no bark, no indication he was even thinking about it. I threw some treats into the grass, he sniffed them out and didn't give the dog a second look.
We continued on our way, walked a full loop around and made it back to the car safe and sound. It was a sob-worthy moment and never have I felt so proud of another living being as I was of Buddy.
It seemed that spending three months replacing the habit of barking and lunging with find-it, looks, sits and touches made Buddy forget to bark and lunge, as if his brain was calming down. Eight months ago, Buddy could hear a dog barking and react without seeing it.
I never thought I'd be able to go for a walk and get within 25 feet of a dog without a violent and embarrassing scene being made. Since I figured Buddy endured some stress during that walk, we spent the rest of the weekend at home resuming our normal training protocol. But I am encouraged and am looking forward to trying it again. I'm not looking for perfection, I'm sure Buddy will react again but I'm hopeful his reactions won't be as bad or as frequent.
Fearful and Reactive Behavior - Update
I wanted to share this article again and attach my own success story with Buddy. My main goal with sharing this story is to show progress is possible, even with the most reactive of dogs. The training methods we discuss here really work.
Working with a force-free trainer (Daniel Antolec of Happy Buddha) has been crucial for me to understand what Buddy was going through. Walking your dog everyday where they are exposed to what scares them pushing them over threshold isn't going to work, the negative physiological effects last for days, and can physically harm your dog.
Several months ago, I completely stopped trying to walk Buddy in public. I began walking him only at secluded areas once or twice a day for only 10-15 minutes at a time. Buddy got plenty of mental stimulation inside with toys, playing find-it and practicing basic training commands.
After a few weeks with no outbursts, I noticed Buddy was calming down inside and outside the house. He wasn't shaking anymore and when outside, he didn't seem to be "on alert" as much, he was more focused on me and seemed to enjoy sniffing. Soon, we were at one month with no violent outbursts, then two months. His behavior everywhere was improving, even in the car. He seemed loose and relaxed. Three months came with no outbursts.
Then this past weekend, I took Buddy for a ride to the Oregon library. All the baseball diamonds were empty, no one was around. It was a beautiful day so I gathered up my courage and went for a walk with Buddy. He put his head through the harness on his own and seemed happy to go, smelling everything he could, trotting ahead with a very relaxed body. He volunteered lots of "looks" and we practiced "sit" and "touch."
As we continued walking, I saw a dog being walked across the street, about 25 feet away. Buddy's previous threshold was 50 yards.
My first reaction was panic but I saw the dog before Buddy. I threw some treats in the grass, Buddy sniffed them out, while I breathed deeply trying to calm myself. Buddy looked up, saw the dog, and immediately looked at me and sat waiting for more treats. No growl, no bark, no indication he was even thinking about it. I threw some treats into the grass, he sniffed them out and didn't give the dog a second look.
We continued on our way, walked a full loop around and made it back to the car safe and sound. It was a sob-worthy moment and never have I felt so proud of another living being as I was of Buddy.
It seemed that spending three months replacing the habit of barking and lunging with find-it, looks, sits and touches made Buddy forget to bark and lunge, as if his brain was calming down. Eight months ago, Buddy could hear a dog barking and react without seeing it.
I never thought I'd be able to go for a walk and get within 25 feet of a dog without a violent and embarrassing scene being made. Since I figured Buddy endured some stress during that walk, we spent the rest of the weekend at home resuming our normal training protocol. But I am encouraged and am looking forward to trying it again. I'm not looking for perfection, I'm sure Buddy will react again but I'm hopeful his reactions won't be as bad or as frequent.
Bruiser
Molly and Ben S. (Madison, WI) 2017
Reactive Behavior
"We have seen much improvement in Bruiser!
He loves the touch game and "find it" comes in handy when he is getting extra excited. Yesterday I saw 5 dogs on our walk and he only yelped once and was quickly redirected. We did cross the street if they were coming towards us, but he seems to be catching on to the "treats are better than barking" arrangement! I know it will take time to become more permanent and more consistent, but I'm happy with the progress.
Thanks much,
Molly"
Reactive Behavior
"We have seen much improvement in Bruiser!
He loves the touch game and "find it" comes in handy when he is getting extra excited. Yesterday I saw 5 dogs on our walk and he only yelped once and was quickly redirected. We did cross the street if they were coming towards us, but he seems to be catching on to the "treats are better than barking" arrangement! I know it will take time to become more permanent and more consistent, but I'm happy with the progress.
Thanks much,
Molly"
Antonella A. (formerly of Madison, WI) 2017
Fearful and Reactive Behavior
My dog Meeko has extreme fear aggression and has many triggers. I have worked with Daniel Antolec in the past and he was wonderful to work with. I learned a lot about further work that needed to be done with Meeko. I also worked with the Behavior Dept at HAWS. Dr. Claudeen McAuliffe, who helped me put my dog on a couple prescription medications. Previous to that, I tried every diet and holistic solution available, and worked with a holistic vet in Madison to figure out additional options. When these did not make as big of an impact as Meeko needed, we moved on to prescriptions.
Meeko is about 30lbs. He's on 20mg of Prozac daily, and a total of 300mg of Gabapentin (split into two 150mg, twice daily). He's also on Tuna Fish Omega 3 perils, twice a day. And one adrenal gland support supplement. He stays on a low protein diet, and we have now switched to dehydrated food, as these typical have less protein concentrated into servings. On top of this, we stay away from "hot" or "warming" foods under the direction of his previous Holistic vet. This includes lamb, venison, raspberries, etc (there are guides online for those interested). We may most attention to the protein source when it comes to the "temp" of the foods.
Under the above regimen, Meeko has made incredible improvement. His behavior is now in a manageable state where behavior modification can actually take place, whereas before he was not. He was constantly recovering and never at base.
I am so thankful to Bad Dog Frida, Dan, Full Circle Vet and HAWS for all the support and knowledge they have provided me. I am happy to be apart of a (support) group like this and will happily share my experiences and continual struggles of living with a very reactive dog.
Fearful and Reactive Behavior
My dog Meeko has extreme fear aggression and has many triggers. I have worked with Daniel Antolec in the past and he was wonderful to work with. I learned a lot about further work that needed to be done with Meeko. I also worked with the Behavior Dept at HAWS. Dr. Claudeen McAuliffe, who helped me put my dog on a couple prescription medications. Previous to that, I tried every diet and holistic solution available, and worked with a holistic vet in Madison to figure out additional options. When these did not make as big of an impact as Meeko needed, we moved on to prescriptions.
Meeko is about 30lbs. He's on 20mg of Prozac daily, and a total of 300mg of Gabapentin (split into two 150mg, twice daily). He's also on Tuna Fish Omega 3 perils, twice a day. And one adrenal gland support supplement. He stays on a low protein diet, and we have now switched to dehydrated food, as these typical have less protein concentrated into servings. On top of this, we stay away from "hot" or "warming" foods under the direction of his previous Holistic vet. This includes lamb, venison, raspberries, etc (there are guides online for those interested). We may most attention to the protein source when it comes to the "temp" of the foods.
Under the above regimen, Meeko has made incredible improvement. His behavior is now in a manageable state where behavior modification can actually take place, whereas before he was not. He was constantly recovering and never at base.
I am so thankful to Bad Dog Frida, Dan, Full Circle Vet and HAWS for all the support and knowledge they have provided me. I am happy to be apart of a (support) group like this and will happily share my experiences and continual struggles of living with a very reactive dog.
Buddy
Krista D. (Oregon, WI) 2017
Fearful and Reactive Behavior
(From a Facebook conversation about the cost of not socializing a puppy)
Krista DeBellis After having adopted an adult unsocialized dog and seeing his struggles, I'm saddened by how many people who I know have had their dogs since the dog was 8 weeks old and they act like Buddy, very scared and anxious and the owners act surprised or blame the dog. Buddy was robbed of a good puppyhood and now struggles as an adult. I would give anything to have had Buddy when he was a pup.
Happy Buddha Dog Training LLC Buddy is lucky you adopted him. Now he has his best chance for a good life.
Krista DeBellis Last week, at the dog park in Oregon, Buddy played great with a well-behaved 10-month old dog. I commented to the guy how polite his dog was. He said they used Happy Buddha for training. We both shared our training stories. Nothing but good things about Happy Buddha.
Fearful and Reactive Behavior
(From a Facebook conversation about the cost of not socializing a puppy)
Krista DeBellis After having adopted an adult unsocialized dog and seeing his struggles, I'm saddened by how many people who I know have had their dogs since the dog was 8 weeks old and they act like Buddy, very scared and anxious and the owners act surprised or blame the dog. Buddy was robbed of a good puppyhood and now struggles as an adult. I would give anything to have had Buddy when he was a pup.
Happy Buddha Dog Training LLC Buddy is lucky you adopted him. Now he has his best chance for a good life.
Krista DeBellis Last week, at the dog park in Oregon, Buddy played great with a well-behaved 10-month old dog. I commented to the guy how polite his dog was. He said they used Happy Buddha for training. We both shared our training stories. Nothing but good things about Happy Buddha.
Bruiser
Lisbeth K. and Steve R. (Oregon, WI) 2017
Fearful of Visitors
"Hi Dan,
We can't tell you how very helpful and interesting that session was. After you left within 1 hour we had a delivery man drop some items in our basement. Bruiser started barking as he heard him on the basement stairs going through the garage to downstairs. I grabbed a couple of treats and quickly said touch. He stopped his barking and happily ran over to participate beautifully in the game. I'll walk him this morning and use what I've learned. I've seen Steve using what he's learned also. I'll let you know how New Years Eve goes over here!
We were both impressed with you and the knowledge you have along with how respectful you are of Bruiser and us. We are anxious to continue practicing what we've learned.
Best Regards and Happy New Year!"
Fearful of Visitors
"Hi Dan,
We can't tell you how very helpful and interesting that session was. After you left within 1 hour we had a delivery man drop some items in our basement. Bruiser started barking as he heard him on the basement stairs going through the garage to downstairs. I grabbed a couple of treats and quickly said touch. He stopped his barking and happily ran over to participate beautifully in the game. I'll walk him this morning and use what I've learned. I've seen Steve using what he's learned also. I'll let you know how New Years Eve goes over here!
We were both impressed with you and the knowledge you have along with how respectful you are of Bruiser and us. We are anxious to continue practicing what we've learned.
Best Regards and Happy New Year!"
2016 Testimonials
Ziggy, nice and relaxed
Leah K. and Bryan E. (Madison, WI) 2016
Anxious and reactive behavior
"I'm writing to tell you that Leah and I are feeling very comfortable with Ziggy's training, and we both feel that we no longer need our regularly scheduled training sessions at this time. She's progressing well with all that we've been working on using your training methods, including displaying calmer behavior in the vehicle and displaying less fear at passersby! Should the need arise, and we discover a new issue we need help with, we would love to be able to reach out to you again.
I want to thank you for all that you've done for us. To be honest, we were feeling extremely overwhelmed when we first brought Ziggy home, and you were instrumental in helping the three of us. Your approach, advice, and training helped Ziggy to relax and trust us, and it helped us to be more patient and understanding of her emotions. We will continue to work with her!
If a new issue comes up with Ziggy, or if any of our friends and family in the area ask for a referral, you'll be the one we call. I would also be happy to submit a referral for your website.
Thank you again."
Anxious and reactive behavior
"I'm writing to tell you that Leah and I are feeling very comfortable with Ziggy's training, and we both feel that we no longer need our regularly scheduled training sessions at this time. She's progressing well with all that we've been working on using your training methods, including displaying calmer behavior in the vehicle and displaying less fear at passersby! Should the need arise, and we discover a new issue we need help with, we would love to be able to reach out to you again.
I want to thank you for all that you've done for us. To be honest, we were feeling extremely overwhelmed when we first brought Ziggy home, and you were instrumental in helping the three of us. Your approach, advice, and training helped Ziggy to relax and trust us, and it helped us to be more patient and understanding of her emotions. We will continue to work with her!
If a new issue comes up with Ziggy, or if any of our friends and family in the area ask for a referral, you'll be the one we call. I would also be happy to submit a referral for your website.
Thank you again."
Buddy
Krista D. and Sean P. (Oregon, WI) 2016
Anxious and reactive behavior
"It's very hard to articulate our feelings after the training session. We were so impressed with you and your demeanor and approach. We did not know what to expect going into this and you gave us exactly what we were looking for. You showed us how to help Buddy but you also gave us the reassurance we so desperately needed and the confidence to believe we definitely can help Buddy succeed.
We both also felt a tremendous sense of relief when you confirmed we were asking too much from Buddy too soon and we need to start with smaller, baby steps. It took a lot of pressure off all three of us. We also feel good that if we do run into a jam with Buddy, I can call you and know that you can help us with probably any situation that arises. Buddy did pass out for a few hours after you left and again after dinner so we picked up training this morning and whenever we're just hanging out and Buddy is nearby, we do some touches and looks. He's really getting the hang of it.
I'm also very grateful for the amount of materials you provided. I have started reading Patricia McConnell's book and Sean and I are having a Buddha Training DVD watching session this afternoon."
DAY ONE AFTER OUR SESSION:
"Just today a neighbor was mowing his lawn. Buddy became very afraid but we started playing some training games and Buddy totally forgot about the mower. Today was the first day that Buddy has not sought refuge under the couch. Can't wait to see how he progresses as time goes on. I will recommend you to anyone who needs an experienced force-free dog trainer."
DAY FIVE AFTER OUR SESSION:
"Hi Dan. Buddy is still continuing to make great progress. We're able to break his concentration when he's barking at kids going to school. He's learning focusing on us gets him a better payout. Still fearful outside by the house but at a park, his recall has improved greatly and I no longer have to spend an hour trying to corral him to go home. The training exercises have definitely increased his trust in us."
Anxious and reactive behavior
"It's very hard to articulate our feelings after the training session. We were so impressed with you and your demeanor and approach. We did not know what to expect going into this and you gave us exactly what we were looking for. You showed us how to help Buddy but you also gave us the reassurance we so desperately needed and the confidence to believe we definitely can help Buddy succeed.
We both also felt a tremendous sense of relief when you confirmed we were asking too much from Buddy too soon and we need to start with smaller, baby steps. It took a lot of pressure off all three of us. We also feel good that if we do run into a jam with Buddy, I can call you and know that you can help us with probably any situation that arises. Buddy did pass out for a few hours after you left and again after dinner so we picked up training this morning and whenever we're just hanging out and Buddy is nearby, we do some touches and looks. He's really getting the hang of it.
I'm also very grateful for the amount of materials you provided. I have started reading Patricia McConnell's book and Sean and I are having a Buddha Training DVD watching session this afternoon."
DAY ONE AFTER OUR SESSION:
"Just today a neighbor was mowing his lawn. Buddy became very afraid but we started playing some training games and Buddy totally forgot about the mower. Today was the first day that Buddy has not sought refuge under the couch. Can't wait to see how he progresses as time goes on. I will recommend you to anyone who needs an experienced force-free dog trainer."
DAY FIVE AFTER OUR SESSION:
"Hi Dan. Buddy is still continuing to make great progress. We're able to break his concentration when he's barking at kids going to school. He's learning focusing on us gets him a better payout. Still fearful outside by the house but at a park, his recall has improved greatly and I no longer have to spend an hour trying to corral him to go home. The training exercises have definitely increased his trust in us."
Penny
Sheri and K. (Oregon, W) 2016
Puppy Training
"Thanks SO much Dan! Penny is already improving behavior very quickly.
The look/touch technique is like magic! ;) We'll keep you posted and probably like to move to the next phase in a few weeks.
We REALLY appreciate all your help!!! and so does Penny!"
Puppy Training
"Thanks SO much Dan! Penny is already improving behavior very quickly.
The look/touch technique is like magic! ;) We'll keep you posted and probably like to move to the next phase in a few weeks.
We REALLY appreciate all your help!!! and so does Penny!"
Doc
John* and Pen B. (Oregon, WI) 2016
Puppy Training
“My wife and I have an energetic standard poodle pup and asked for Dan’s help in getting us started on training. Dan has an excellent owner-responsive approach to training using positive reinforcement. He spent much of his time teaching us how to do the training ourselves which is important when we realize that we’re really the ones that have to do it on a day to day basis. Although my wife and I were both familiar with the psychological principles involved, his teaching about how to apply these to the canine mind was most useful. It was much better to do it in our home with us then just “sending him to school”.
*A student of B.F. Skinner, the father of operant conditioning
Goldy
Ellen R. (Madison, WI) 2016
Separation Anxiety
“Thank you so much, Dan, for treating our dog and whole family with kindness and patience. Your experience and expertise are unmatched and you offered so much hope for our sweet rescue dog Goldy. You spent so much time with us (more than promised) and took care to make sure we will be comfortable. You gave us much hope that he can recover from his separation anxiety. We are so grateful you could come to meet us urgently, and so thankful for the wealth of resources you gave us. You are a truly special person in the world of dog training and our family would use and recommend you in a heartbeat.”
Separation Anxiety
“Thank you so much, Dan, for treating our dog and whole family with kindness and patience. Your experience and expertise are unmatched and you offered so much hope for our sweet rescue dog Goldy. You spent so much time with us (more than promised) and took care to make sure we will be comfortable. You gave us much hope that he can recover from his separation anxiety. We are so grateful you could come to meet us urgently, and so thankful for the wealth of resources you gave us. You are a truly special person in the world of dog training and our family would use and recommend you in a heartbeat.”
Daisy
Sara M. (DeForest, WI) 2016
Puppy Training
“Me and my children recently adopted a yellow Lab puppy. Having never had a dog before we had a lot to learn and knew next to nothing about training a puppy. However, it was extremely important to me that the training be done force free and that she be a very well behaved dog in order for her to be a good fit for my family.
We had Dan come out the week after we brought her home and each session showed such remarkable improvement and Daisy learned so quickly. As she’s gotten bigger and harder to control just from a sheer size and weight constraint (at 5 months, she now outweighs my 8 year old), the training we had with Dan when she was very young has made a big difference. We may not be able to pick her up when we need to move her but thanks to her training early on, she comes to “touch” when asked, walks on the leash without pulling, sits when told, lays down and will leave it (most of the time).
Not only was Dan invaluable in Daisy’s training but he also taught my children some very valuable dog safety skills that they needed to remain safe around our dog as well as other strange dogs. Thank you Dan for all of your help with our yellow Lab puppy, Daisy.”
Puppy Training
“Me and my children recently adopted a yellow Lab puppy. Having never had a dog before we had a lot to learn and knew next to nothing about training a puppy. However, it was extremely important to me that the training be done force free and that she be a very well behaved dog in order for her to be a good fit for my family.
We had Dan come out the week after we brought her home and each session showed such remarkable improvement and Daisy learned so quickly. As she’s gotten bigger and harder to control just from a sheer size and weight constraint (at 5 months, she now outweighs my 8 year old), the training we had with Dan when she was very young has made a big difference. We may not be able to pick her up when we need to move her but thanks to her training early on, she comes to “touch” when asked, walks on the leash without pulling, sits when told, lays down and will leave it (most of the time).
Not only was Dan invaluable in Daisy’s training but he also taught my children some very valuable dog safety skills that they needed to remain safe around our dog as well as other strange dogs. Thank you Dan for all of your help with our yellow Lab puppy, Daisy.”
Heidi
Sharon and Dean S. (Evansville, WI) 2016
Puppy Training
"We had enrolled our pup in a (group) class. She was too anxious and rough on her meet and greets. We sensed there was too much stress to focus and learn.
We were very blessed to find the Happy Buddha Dog Training site. After initial consultation with Daniel we decided that his individual attention at our house would bring out calm, quiet and relaxed learning. Daniel stresses positive reinforcement, no harsh methods, choke chains, shock or loud commands.
Daniel's gentle and consistent cues makes your dog happy, confident and willing to learn. It only takes a short time to realize how you and your pup get very connected to Daniels force free methods.
Daniel provided DVDs and other educational materials and taught us how to interact, using his wife Faye and dogs Buddha and Gandhi in a positive way. That was exactly what we wanted. Daniel is the utmost professional. We were extremely pleased with the results and we are sure you will be too."
Puppy Training
"We had enrolled our pup in a (group) class. She was too anxious and rough on her meet and greets. We sensed there was too much stress to focus and learn.
We were very blessed to find the Happy Buddha Dog Training site. After initial consultation with Daniel we decided that his individual attention at our house would bring out calm, quiet and relaxed learning. Daniel stresses positive reinforcement, no harsh methods, choke chains, shock or loud commands.
Daniel's gentle and consistent cues makes your dog happy, confident and willing to learn. It only takes a short time to realize how you and your pup get very connected to Daniels force free methods.
Daniel provided DVDs and other educational materials and taught us how to interact, using his wife Faye and dogs Buddha and Gandhi in a positive way. That was exactly what we wanted. Daniel is the utmost professional. We were extremely pleased with the results and we are sure you will be too."
Cole
Jean and Allen R. (Madison, WI) 2016
Training and Behavior Modification
“Hi, Dan --
Since your last visit, Cole has continued to show interest in the training exercises (and we bought him a bigger bed with sides). He also is showing increasing calm (without aids) around Allen's presence, as well as our comings and goings. I think your observation about Cole growing up with a lack of mental stimulation is spot-on -- everything was alarming to him. We enjoy watching him develop; he has arrived in his forever home.
Thank you for all the educational materials and CDs. At some future visit we can return the CDs to you to have for other beginning clients. I will give you a call when we are in need of further instruction, as I'm sure we will be. We have benefited enormously from your guidance.
Thank you so much,
Jean”
Training and Behavior Modification
“Hi, Dan --
Since your last visit, Cole has continued to show interest in the training exercises (and we bought him a bigger bed with sides). He also is showing increasing calm (without aids) around Allen's presence, as well as our comings and goings. I think your observation about Cole growing up with a lack of mental stimulation is spot-on -- everything was alarming to him. We enjoy watching him develop; he has arrived in his forever home.
Thank you for all the educational materials and CDs. At some future visit we can return the CDs to you to have for other beginning clients. I will give you a call when we are in need of further instruction, as I'm sure we will be. We have benefited enormously from your guidance.
Thank you so much,
Jean”
Leo
Behavior Update: Jeff F. and Sally K. (Oregon, WI) May 2016
Training and Behavior Modification
"Leo is getting along a little better each day. We go to the Jaycee dog park Tues. thru Fri. most mornings before work.....around 7AM or so. He loves it there. We spend about 35 minutes and do a nice 1 3/4 mile loop. All around us are big earth moving machines! He notices them but doesn't freak out. Probably gets within 35 feet and just carries on with his usual sniffing routines. Big progress! Usually comes when called.....there may be a slight hesitation if he needs to sniff out a new dog....then back to me in a minute.
He trots on the sidewalk when heading to the shop.Comfort level is increasing.....maybe around 50%..All good progress. He is such a sweet,delightful dog. He also comes out to the shop front area 60 % of the time when the door buzzer rings. He wants to see who is there. He is hoping it might be some of the people he now sees as friends....and still likes getting treats from people who are not friends yet(cautious but usually wants the treat). All in all things are good there. He really did not like going out during the day with Jeff for his afternoon potty. So we tried skipping that .He now is fine staying inside all day with me.
Hope all is well with you. As always grateful for your work with Leo.It has made a huge difference for all of us.
Sally"
Training and Behavior Modification
"Leo is getting along a little better each day. We go to the Jaycee dog park Tues. thru Fri. most mornings before work.....around 7AM or so. He loves it there. We spend about 35 minutes and do a nice 1 3/4 mile loop. All around us are big earth moving machines! He notices them but doesn't freak out. Probably gets within 35 feet and just carries on with his usual sniffing routines. Big progress! Usually comes when called.....there may be a slight hesitation if he needs to sniff out a new dog....then back to me in a minute.
He trots on the sidewalk when heading to the shop.Comfort level is increasing.....maybe around 50%..All good progress. He is such a sweet,delightful dog. He also comes out to the shop front area 60 % of the time when the door buzzer rings. He wants to see who is there. He is hoping it might be some of the people he now sees as friends....and still likes getting treats from people who are not friends yet(cautious but usually wants the treat). All in all things are good there. He really did not like going out during the day with Jeff for his afternoon potty. So we tried skipping that .He now is fine staying inside all day with me.
Hope all is well with you. As always grateful for your work with Leo.It has made a huge difference for all of us.
Sally"
Leo
Jeff F. and Sally K. (Oregon, WI) 2016
Training and Behavior Modification
"Dan, thank you so much for helping Leo find his inner dog!
We started out with a very frightened and timid Leo ( a rescue from Houston TX) at 10 1\2 weeks old. We expected that we could train him just as we had with our prior dogs. Very soon it became apparent that Leo needed extra help! Our vet suggested that we bring you into the picture.
On your first visit Leo was as frightened of you as he had been of being introduced to new rooms in our home, cars, people in general, loud noises or sudden movement....the list could go on. By the second visit it was clear that the techniques you were using were having an impact on him.
We watched gentle and consistent cues which were easy for him (and us) to follow after some repetition. Soon he loved seeing you come through the door! Then more work on all above mentioned issues and in a couple months we have a fairly comfortable Leo!
I believe that if we continue on with your techniques he will become an even happier and confident dog. Thank you for all your time, direction and sincere love of dogs in what you do.
With great appreciation."
Training and Behavior Modification
"Dan, thank you so much for helping Leo find his inner dog!
We started out with a very frightened and timid Leo ( a rescue from Houston TX) at 10 1\2 weeks old. We expected that we could train him just as we had with our prior dogs. Very soon it became apparent that Leo needed extra help! Our vet suggested that we bring you into the picture.
On your first visit Leo was as frightened of you as he had been of being introduced to new rooms in our home, cars, people in general, loud noises or sudden movement....the list could go on. By the second visit it was clear that the techniques you were using were having an impact on him.
We watched gentle and consistent cues which were easy for him (and us) to follow after some repetition. Soon he loved seeing you come through the door! Then more work on all above mentioned issues and in a couple months we have a fairly comfortable Leo!
I believe that if we continue on with your techniques he will become an even happier and confident dog. Thank you for all your time, direction and sincere love of dogs in what you do.
With great appreciation."
Banjo
Lisa B. (Madison, WI) 2016
Basic Manners Training
“Dan has been working with our 2-year old rescue beagle mix for about 1 month. Over the course of 3 visits, Banjo has developed very good manners for greeting new guests, not racing out of open doors, sitting, staying, and lying down. She is also learning how to heel without pulling on the leash, even when faced with tempting distractions (like squirrels). Banjo loves Dan and is very connected to him. His training approach is gentle and kind. We have been so thrilled with her progress.”
Basic Manners Training
“Dan has been working with our 2-year old rescue beagle mix for about 1 month. Over the course of 3 visits, Banjo has developed very good manners for greeting new guests, not racing out of open doors, sitting, staying, and lying down. She is also learning how to heel without pulling on the leash, even when faced with tempting distractions (like squirrels). Banjo loves Dan and is very connected to him. His training approach is gentle and kind. We have been so thrilled with her progress.”
Hazel
Rebecca D. (Oregon, WI) 2016
Puppy Training/Behavior Modification
“We are so pleased with the Happy Buddha! Dan the trainer and owner of Happy Buddha is truly a "dog whisperer." We invested in personal training with Dan and held off on puppy classes and we could not be happier with the decision. Our puppy had a lot of fear with strangers, and with Dan we were able to make real progress resulting in our dog learning several commands, including touch, sit, down, kennel, stay, leave it and free. Our 5 month old puppy happily goes to her kennel on command and is quickly learning to wait in a designated space when someone comes to the door. Dan had a fair price and always gave us more time and tips than we expected. He is the utmost professional and a joy to work with. We highly recommend the Happy Buddha to anyone who wants to have a happy, disciplined dog.”
Puppy Training/Behavior Modification
“We are so pleased with the Happy Buddha! Dan the trainer and owner of Happy Buddha is truly a "dog whisperer." We invested in personal training with Dan and held off on puppy classes and we could not be happier with the decision. Our puppy had a lot of fear with strangers, and with Dan we were able to make real progress resulting in our dog learning several commands, including touch, sit, down, kennel, stay, leave it and free. Our 5 month old puppy happily goes to her kennel on command and is quickly learning to wait in a designated space when someone comes to the door. Dan had a fair price and always gave us more time and tips than we expected. He is the utmost professional and a joy to work with. We highly recommend the Happy Buddha to anyone who wants to have a happy, disciplined dog.”
2015 Testimonials
Bentley
Bridget S. (Oregon, WI) 2015
Puppy Training
"Dan with Happy Buddha Dog Training was a godsend!
We had our very first family puppy that we had no idea what to do with besides cuddle and snuggle, but our baby boxer Bentley was a little more feisty than we expected. We called Dan and after the first 10 minutes of meeting Bentley, they were best friends. Dan taught us how to train Bentley using positive reinforcement in our own environment. Bentley learned touch, look, sit, down, leave it and to walk nicely on a leash in 6 short sessions! We couldn't be more happy with the training Dan had given us and have referred Happy Buddha to many of our friends and family.
Bentley still responds to all of his commands and still loves to snuggle.”
Puppy Training
"Dan with Happy Buddha Dog Training was a godsend!
We had our very first family puppy that we had no idea what to do with besides cuddle and snuggle, but our baby boxer Bentley was a little more feisty than we expected. We called Dan and after the first 10 minutes of meeting Bentley, they were best friends. Dan taught us how to train Bentley using positive reinforcement in our own environment. Bentley learned touch, look, sit, down, leave it and to walk nicely on a leash in 6 short sessions! We couldn't be more happy with the training Dan had given us and have referred Happy Buddha to many of our friends and family.
Bentley still responds to all of his commands and still loves to snuggle.”
Diesel
Patrick C. (Cottage Grove, WI) 2015
Puppy Training
"Happy Buddha Dog Training was a Great Experience.
Very Professional and the Best part is that he Came to my home, worked with my dog (Diesel). Diesel learned so much and to this day (almost 3 years later) remembers almost all of his training which has been so helpful in so many ways. I could not say enough good things about this trainer. I am very pleased. Also, Happy Buddha was referred to me by my X wife who used them and was pleased as well. anyone I have talked to that has used Happy Buddha has nothing but Great comments about them.
I highly recommend Happy Buddha Dog Training. 5 star from this happy family!"
Puppy Training
"Happy Buddha Dog Training was a Great Experience.
Very Professional and the Best part is that he Came to my home, worked with my dog (Diesel). Diesel learned so much and to this day (almost 3 years later) remembers almost all of his training which has been so helpful in so many ways. I could not say enough good things about this trainer. I am very pleased. Also, Happy Buddha was referred to me by my X wife who used them and was pleased as well. anyone I have talked to that has used Happy Buddha has nothing but Great comments about them.
I highly recommend Happy Buddha Dog Training. 5 star from this happy family!"
Zeppelin’s Legacy (2015)
(Originally posted on Facebook/Happy Buddha Dog Training"
“Looking for a reputable, super amazing dog trainer in the Oregon area? Check out Dan at Happy Buddha. He's the best and offers affordable in home private training.”
(Originally posted on Facebook/Happy Buddha Dog Training"
“Looking for a reputable, super amazing dog trainer in the Oregon area? Check out Dan at Happy Buddha. He's the best and offers affordable in home private training.”
Ruby
Linda B. (Oregon, WI) 2015
Puppy and Advanced Training
"I would trust my precious Luna to my dog trainer at any time. We had the privilege of seeing Dan, our trainer recently. With trust and affection, Luna brushed back and forth against Dan, looking in his eyes, and remembering all the love she has for him. Happy Buddha Dog Training is the best gift you can give your dog, and your family!"
Puppy and Advanced Training
"I would trust my precious Luna to my dog trainer at any time. We had the privilege of seeing Dan, our trainer recently. With trust and affection, Luna brushed back and forth against Dan, looking in his eyes, and remembering all the love she has for him. Happy Buddha Dog Training is the best gift you can give your dog, and your family!"
Kenna
Justin K. (Oregon, WI) 2015
Dog-Toddler Safety (One-year update)
"Things are going well around our house. We have since had another baby, a girl born April of this year. We have chosen to gate the living room and dining room off for kids only access unless they are being held closely or in bed. We have allowed interaction between Kenna and Xavier (now 2 years) for a few minutes at a time, monitoring her closely for her stress signals, and giving Xavier clear guidelines on how to approach and touch her. This has been working well, and we have not had another scare.
We are SO thankful for the lessons you taught us on how to spot Kenna's stress signals, and have praised you to our friends and family on many occasions! Just recently, we had a friend over who lives in the Milwaukee area, who told us of how their small dog has nipped at her almost 2 year old several times. I know not to force my opinions on her, but Brian and I both mentioned how having a trainer come in helped us tremendously."
(Kenna is a senior dog that was never socialized with babies and toddlers, yet her owners have done an OUTSTANDING job with Kenna and their children, to ensure a safe and stress-free environment for all. I am so very grateful to this family for being such wonderful parents and pet stewards!!!)
Dog-Toddler Safety (One-year update)
"Things are going well around our house. We have since had another baby, a girl born April of this year. We have chosen to gate the living room and dining room off for kids only access unless they are being held closely or in bed. We have allowed interaction between Kenna and Xavier (now 2 years) for a few minutes at a time, monitoring her closely for her stress signals, and giving Xavier clear guidelines on how to approach and touch her. This has been working well, and we have not had another scare.
We are SO thankful for the lessons you taught us on how to spot Kenna's stress signals, and have praised you to our friends and family on many occasions! Just recently, we had a friend over who lives in the Milwaukee area, who told us of how their small dog has nipped at her almost 2 year old several times. I know not to force my opinions on her, but Brian and I both mentioned how having a trainer come in helped us tremendously."
(Kenna is a senior dog that was never socialized with babies and toddlers, yet her owners have done an OUTSTANDING job with Kenna and their children, to ensure a safe and stress-free environment for all. I am so very grateful to this family for being such wonderful parents and pet stewards!!!)
Bentley
The S. Family (Oregon, WI) 2015
In-Home Puppy Training
"Working with Dan was the best thing we could have done as new puppy owners! We were hesitant to believe that our adorable little Bentley would need training at such a young age, but were we wrong! Dan worked with Bentley through 6 sessions and he has totally changed the attitude of our little guy. Dan taught us how to work with Bentley as a family so we were all actively involved in using the same words and commands. Bentley was so willing and eager to learn but we did not know how to properly train him. We were blessed to come across such an amazing trainer. Bentley says, “Thanks Dan for teaching my new family how to communicate with me! Also, since I graduated, I have been such a good boy, my family just got a new doggy bed for me!” We will highly recommend Dan with Happy Buddha Dog Training to everyone and anyone!”
The Scalissi Family
In-Home Puppy Training
"Working with Dan was the best thing we could have done as new puppy owners! We were hesitant to believe that our adorable little Bentley would need training at such a young age, but were we wrong! Dan worked with Bentley through 6 sessions and he has totally changed the attitude of our little guy. Dan taught us how to work with Bentley as a family so we were all actively involved in using the same words and commands. Bentley was so willing and eager to learn but we did not know how to properly train him. We were blessed to come across such an amazing trainer. Bentley says, “Thanks Dan for teaching my new family how to communicate with me! Also, since I graduated, I have been such a good boy, my family just got a new doggy bed for me!” We will highly recommend Dan with Happy Buddha Dog Training to everyone and anyone!”
The Scalissi Family
Badger
Maggie S. (Madison, WI) 2015
In-home training
"I rescued my Corgi/Terrier mix, Badger, from a local shelter when he was about four months old. I grew up surrounded by dogs and thought training my very first puppy would be easy. However, I did not consider that many new puppies (rescues especially) could potentially require specified training. Sometimes the basic training commands are not enough to teach a puppy proper social behaviors.
I decided to reach out to Dan for help. I needed an experienced trainer who could help me teach my puppy to grow into a well mannered dog. I was referred to Dan through a neighbor in my apartment complex who knew I was struggling to train Badger alone. I was extremely pleased when I learned Dan would drive to my home to work with both Badger and me. Badger is an extremely smart boy, but began to display some social anxiety (specifically with children and other dogs). I realized that though Badger understood his basic commands, he lacked manners when it came to interacting socially.
When I tried socializing Badger with other dogs, he did not come when called and sometimes displayed signs of aggressive behavior. Dan taught me how to use patient and compassionate methods of training to ease Badger's anxiety and to teach him how to interact in a positive way with other dogs. Dan and I practiced teaching Badger to "look" each time he noticed another dog or a child. Each time Badger made eye contact with either of us during our training session, he received a reward. This created a positive image of other dogs or children and confidence within Badger which has helped immensely as he and I continue to practice his daily training.
I would recommend Dan to any new dog owner! Specifically owners like myself, who are training their first puppy. His force-free methods of training have taught me to be patient and compassionate with Badger. I now feel self assured that the ever-growing bond between Badger and I will only continue to strengthen.
Thanks Dan!
Maggie and Badger"
In-home training
"I rescued my Corgi/Terrier mix, Badger, from a local shelter when he was about four months old. I grew up surrounded by dogs and thought training my very first puppy would be easy. However, I did not consider that many new puppies (rescues especially) could potentially require specified training. Sometimes the basic training commands are not enough to teach a puppy proper social behaviors.
I decided to reach out to Dan for help. I needed an experienced trainer who could help me teach my puppy to grow into a well mannered dog. I was referred to Dan through a neighbor in my apartment complex who knew I was struggling to train Badger alone. I was extremely pleased when I learned Dan would drive to my home to work with both Badger and me. Badger is an extremely smart boy, but began to display some social anxiety (specifically with children and other dogs). I realized that though Badger understood his basic commands, he lacked manners when it came to interacting socially.
When I tried socializing Badger with other dogs, he did not come when called and sometimes displayed signs of aggressive behavior. Dan taught me how to use patient and compassionate methods of training to ease Badger's anxiety and to teach him how to interact in a positive way with other dogs. Dan and I practiced teaching Badger to "look" each time he noticed another dog or a child. Each time Badger made eye contact with either of us during our training session, he received a reward. This created a positive image of other dogs or children and confidence within Badger which has helped immensely as he and I continue to practice his daily training.
I would recommend Dan to any new dog owner! Specifically owners like myself, who are training their first puppy. His force-free methods of training have taught me to be patient and compassionate with Badger. I now feel self assured that the ever-growing bond between Badger and I will only continue to strengthen.
Thanks Dan!
Maggie and Badger"
Jackson
Ann and Chad R. (Madison, WI) 2015
In-Home Puppy Training
Our Bernese Mountain dog Jackson was 6 months old when we contacted Dan with Happy Buddha Dog Training. A friend of ours had referred us to Happy Buddha. We had taken Jackson to puppy classes but realized that training with several other dogs was distracting to Jackson.
We were very pleased and surprised to learn that Dan would come to our home and do one-on-one training with us and our dog. During the next 6 weeks Jackson learned to look, touch, sit, lay down, heel, leave it, back-up, walk without pulling and to wait at the door when guests arrived. But most importantly he learned self-control and good manners. As owners we learned that our smart dog was anxious to learn and show us what he could do.
We really appreciate Dan’s training style. He is patient, rewarding, kind and uses methods that are proven to work. Dan really understands dog behavior and psychology. As owners Dan gave us a lot of information on how we could better understand our dog and what drives them to do the right things.
We would highly recommend Dan to any dog owner! We inquired about Dan’s services when Jackson was a puppy but we know that Dan works with all dogs at all ages. Dan helped to create a training schedule that reinforced what Jackson learned each week. This schedule was very manageable and it helped us to create a stronger bond with our dog.
Dogs are a big investment and a big part of our lives. Why not invest in good training and help to ensure your dog has good manners. We just can’t say enough about Dan’s work. He has truly made a difference in Jackon’s life and in ours!
Chad, Ann and Jackson
In-Home Puppy Training
Our Bernese Mountain dog Jackson was 6 months old when we contacted Dan with Happy Buddha Dog Training. A friend of ours had referred us to Happy Buddha. We had taken Jackson to puppy classes but realized that training with several other dogs was distracting to Jackson.
We were very pleased and surprised to learn that Dan would come to our home and do one-on-one training with us and our dog. During the next 6 weeks Jackson learned to look, touch, sit, lay down, heel, leave it, back-up, walk without pulling and to wait at the door when guests arrived. But most importantly he learned self-control and good manners. As owners we learned that our smart dog was anxious to learn and show us what he could do.
We really appreciate Dan’s training style. He is patient, rewarding, kind and uses methods that are proven to work. Dan really understands dog behavior and psychology. As owners Dan gave us a lot of information on how we could better understand our dog and what drives them to do the right things.
We would highly recommend Dan to any dog owner! We inquired about Dan’s services when Jackson was a puppy but we know that Dan works with all dogs at all ages. Dan helped to create a training schedule that reinforced what Jackson learned each week. This schedule was very manageable and it helped us to create a stronger bond with our dog.
Dogs are a big investment and a big part of our lives. Why not invest in good training and help to ensure your dog has good manners. We just can’t say enough about Dan’s work. He has truly made a difference in Jackon’s life and in ours!
Chad, Ann and Jackson
Agnes enjoys a shock-free life with her family!
Erin C. (Stoughton, WI) 2015
Update
“Hi Dan!
"I was just strolling through some Facebook feeds and saw a friend of mine posted her dog at "Sit Means Sit" dog school…I thought it was wearing a special collar and in researching it, it was. So I had to find out what this collar was and how it was used. The website states that it is to “simply nudge the dog to get it’s attention”.
It made me smile and want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to you, for teaching me and Agnes to simply say and respond to “Look”. I’m so glad we have such an easy, fearless approach to her behavior, and grateful to you for your knowledge and easy teaching techniques.
By the way J. and L. are doing a presentation on dog safety for their (March) 4-H meeting. They are studying the DVD you brought for us when you taught them. Thank you for doing what you do and being so GOOD at it!”
Erin
Update
“Hi Dan!
"I was just strolling through some Facebook feeds and saw a friend of mine posted her dog at "Sit Means Sit" dog school…I thought it was wearing a special collar and in researching it, it was. So I had to find out what this collar was and how it was used. The website states that it is to “simply nudge the dog to get it’s attention”.
It made me smile and want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to you, for teaching me and Agnes to simply say and respond to “Look”. I’m so glad we have such an easy, fearless approach to her behavior, and grateful to you for your knowledge and easy teaching techniques.
By the way J. and L. are doing a presentation on dog safety for their (March) 4-H meeting. They are studying the DVD you brought for us when you taught them. Thank you for doing what you do and being so GOOD at it!”
Erin
Jack
Michelle and Dan W. (Oregon, WI) 2015
Separation Anxiety/In-Home Training
“We are so happy to have found Dan to train our rescue dog, Jack. Jack has severe separation anxiety. He's an angel when we are home. He's such a loving sweet dog.
When we leave it's been a different story. In a large outside run, if we were gone, Jack tore siding off of the garage and ripped apart metal fences. Inside, we initially left Jack out....... that lasted one month. The first month was great, then something changed. We needed to crate him. Jack destroyed one crate and tried destroying another. When he escaped, he would move his metal crate, tip over the table, move a large sofa across the room and destroy a couple pub chairs. We thought having our other dog (Pete) with Jack would help, it didn't.
We were at our wits end and needed to find someone to help because while we knew we would love him and keep him, we didn't want him so stressed and anxious. It must have been awful for him.
From the first session with Dan we noticed a difference in Jack. Jack is also fearful of new people and animals. Dan helped us understand our dogs. We could see how Jack was learning and more importantly, we were too.
My husband was pretty skeptical about the whole training thing, but that soon changed. Dan provided a lot of insight and really instilled an understanding of patience and repetition. My husband's comment was "you can really tell that Dan truly loves the dogs and what he does."
I've noticed such a huge difference in my husband’s approach with Jack now and I think he truly loves following through with Jack on what we've learned. We continue to work with Jack and he improves every day. We put Dan's advice and tips to use every day and know that it will help us with our dogs forever.
While we've learned so much, we may use Dan in the future to enhance Jack's training and/or if needed for future pups. Thanks Dan, you've been a Godsend!”
Separation Anxiety/In-Home Training
“We are so happy to have found Dan to train our rescue dog, Jack. Jack has severe separation anxiety. He's an angel when we are home. He's such a loving sweet dog.
When we leave it's been a different story. In a large outside run, if we were gone, Jack tore siding off of the garage and ripped apart metal fences. Inside, we initially left Jack out....... that lasted one month. The first month was great, then something changed. We needed to crate him. Jack destroyed one crate and tried destroying another. When he escaped, he would move his metal crate, tip over the table, move a large sofa across the room and destroy a couple pub chairs. We thought having our other dog (Pete) with Jack would help, it didn't.
We were at our wits end and needed to find someone to help because while we knew we would love him and keep him, we didn't want him so stressed and anxious. It must have been awful for him.
From the first session with Dan we noticed a difference in Jack. Jack is also fearful of new people and animals. Dan helped us understand our dogs. We could see how Jack was learning and more importantly, we were too.
My husband was pretty skeptical about the whole training thing, but that soon changed. Dan provided a lot of insight and really instilled an understanding of patience and repetition. My husband's comment was "you can really tell that Dan truly loves the dogs and what he does."
I've noticed such a huge difference in my husband’s approach with Jack now and I think he truly loves following through with Jack on what we've learned. We continue to work with Jack and he improves every day. We put Dan's advice and tips to use every day and know that it will help us with our dogs forever.
While we've learned so much, we may use Dan in the future to enhance Jack's training and/or if needed for future pups. Thanks Dan, you've been a Godsend!”
Winnie
Amy M. (Evansville, WI) 2015
Private In-Home Training
“After attending a group puppy class with our then 6 month old Schnoodle, Winnie, I was discouraged. I felt that Winnie was smart but just had a hard time focusing with so many other dogs present. It was clear she was too distracted to get what she needed out of the class. I knew we needed to continue her training but was hesitant to return to another session of classes.
And then we found Dan!!
The idea of someone coming into our home to work one on one with us and Winnie was so appealing. I gave him a call and within the first few minutes of our conversation I knew this would be a good fit for Winnie. She has learned so much in our sessions with Dan, responding quicker than we would have thought.
We have more work to do but Dan has given us the techniques and confidence to continue to help Winnie learn and grow. We plan to have him come back in the spring to work on some outside things, leash walking, boundaries in the yard, etc. I would highly recommend Happy Buddha Dog Training! It has been such a wonderful experience. Thanks Dan!!”
Private In-Home Training
“After attending a group puppy class with our then 6 month old Schnoodle, Winnie, I was discouraged. I felt that Winnie was smart but just had a hard time focusing with so many other dogs present. It was clear she was too distracted to get what she needed out of the class. I knew we needed to continue her training but was hesitant to return to another session of classes.
And then we found Dan!!
The idea of someone coming into our home to work one on one with us and Winnie was so appealing. I gave him a call and within the first few minutes of our conversation I knew this would be a good fit for Winnie. She has learned so much in our sessions with Dan, responding quicker than we would have thought.
We have more work to do but Dan has given us the techniques and confidence to continue to help Winnie learn and grow. We plan to have him come back in the spring to work on some outside things, leash walking, boundaries in the yard, etc. I would highly recommend Happy Buddha Dog Training! It has been such a wonderful experience. Thanks Dan!!”
Caesar
Vicki and Mark B. (Evansville, WI) 2015
In-Home Training
"In the five years since our beloved black lab, Caesar, passed away, our family had talked about getting another dog. I monitored rescue websites, hoping to find the right dog, but something always held us back. Until we found Bailey.
Bailey was a small, 65 lb female black lab. The Humane Society estimated she was around 7 years old (although our vet thinks she might be younger). By the time we met her, she had been bounced around to multiple homes and at least two shelters in a relatively short amount of time so even though she greeted us, she quickly became aloof and detached. But our daughter was instantly smitten so Bailey came home.
As Bailey settled into the family, we began working with her but quickly realized we would need some help. Although she already knew some commands, she would get easily distracted and had little to no recall. Living in the country, we knew good recall was essential, both for Bailey’s safety and our sanity. Luckily, some friends recommended Dan Antolec and Happy Buddha Training.
On his first visit, Dan immediately worked on establishing a rapport with Bailey. He also spent time finding out what training needs were most important to us so we could focus our activities on those needs. During each visit, Dan modeled training techniques grounded in positive reinforcement and offered suggestions and tips for working with Bailey. He introduced training games so we could play with Bailey and helped identify her highest value treat (Angus beef hot dogs). Dan talked a great deal about dog behavior so we can recognize when Bailey is feeling anxious.
Dan also spent time with our daughter, helping her recognize various signs of dog behavior so she could identify when it is safe to approach a dog. They also talked about how a dog could be approached safely and how to react when approached by an excited dog (stand like a tree).
Over the course of the six weeks we worked with Dan, we saw Bailey become more confident and trusting of us as well as secure in her new home. We have additional work to do, but know the skills and techniques Dan has shown us will be a great benefit to us going forward.
We would wholeheartedly recommend Dan and Happy Buddha Dog Training."
In-Home Training
"In the five years since our beloved black lab, Caesar, passed away, our family had talked about getting another dog. I monitored rescue websites, hoping to find the right dog, but something always held us back. Until we found Bailey.
Bailey was a small, 65 lb female black lab. The Humane Society estimated she was around 7 years old (although our vet thinks she might be younger). By the time we met her, she had been bounced around to multiple homes and at least two shelters in a relatively short amount of time so even though she greeted us, she quickly became aloof and detached. But our daughter was instantly smitten so Bailey came home.
As Bailey settled into the family, we began working with her but quickly realized we would need some help. Although she already knew some commands, she would get easily distracted and had little to no recall. Living in the country, we knew good recall was essential, both for Bailey’s safety and our sanity. Luckily, some friends recommended Dan Antolec and Happy Buddha Training.
On his first visit, Dan immediately worked on establishing a rapport with Bailey. He also spent time finding out what training needs were most important to us so we could focus our activities on those needs. During each visit, Dan modeled training techniques grounded in positive reinforcement and offered suggestions and tips for working with Bailey. He introduced training games so we could play with Bailey and helped identify her highest value treat (Angus beef hot dogs). Dan talked a great deal about dog behavior so we can recognize when Bailey is feeling anxious.
Dan also spent time with our daughter, helping her recognize various signs of dog behavior so she could identify when it is safe to approach a dog. They also talked about how a dog could be approached safely and how to react when approached by an excited dog (stand like a tree).
Over the course of the six weeks we worked with Dan, we saw Bailey become more confident and trusting of us as well as secure in her new home. We have additional work to do, but know the skills and techniques Dan has shown us will be a great benefit to us going forward.
We would wholeheartedly recommend Dan and Happy Buddha Dog Training."
2014 Testimonials
Bindi
Brenda Z. (Oregon, WI) 2014
Private In-Home Training
“Hi Dan,
We are having a lot of fun with re-learning the tools we need to have a happy fun life with Bindi. I think we got a little lost along the way. She did really well today using our new word "Come" at the dog park. I think between us we actually had a 100% success rate today and there were a lot of dogs there to distract her! She was doing really well with "Sit" and "Down" as well. She's really good with "Touch" at home, but that wasn't as successful out at the park today.
It still was amazing to see her respond so quickly with so much distraction. We're both really excited to see how much farther we will go with her as she's (and we) come so far in only 2 sessions. Thank you for all the insight you are providing and all 3 of us look forward to seeing you on Saturday.
Brenda”
Private In-Home Training
“Hi Dan,
We are having a lot of fun with re-learning the tools we need to have a happy fun life with Bindi. I think we got a little lost along the way. She did really well today using our new word "Come" at the dog park. I think between us we actually had a 100% success rate today and there were a lot of dogs there to distract her! She was doing really well with "Sit" and "Down" as well. She's really good with "Touch" at home, but that wasn't as successful out at the park today.
It still was amazing to see her respond so quickly with so much distraction. We're both really excited to see how much farther we will go with her as she's (and we) come so far in only 2 sessions. Thank you for all the insight you are providing and all 3 of us look forward to seeing you on Saturday.
Brenda”
Stryder
Deidre O. (Oregon, WI) 2014
Private Training, Child Safety
“We recently had to put down our 10 year old Jack Russel. It was heart breaking but after some time passed we decided it was time to get another dog. We adopted another Jack Russel named Stryder. He was about two years old and had not been socialized with people very much.
He loves women and children but shows fear around men. He was friendly but didn't really know any commands. I didn't even know if he knew how to sit. We decided it was in our best interest and his to get some training.
Dan was amazing. It took a few visits for Stryder to warm up to Dan and with the added distraction of our three year old son it is no wonder. We had a couple of scares with bites to our three year old which made us consider taking Stryder back.
Dan was so great with reassuring me that with proper training and guidance Stryder would make a great pet. He was never aggressive toward anyone he was just scared. I think I was really the one that needed the training. I feel so much more comfortable knowing how to read a dogs body language.
This was a very great eye opening experience for me and is not only useful for our own pet but great around any dog. Dan was so patient and answered any questions and concerns I had. It has been a few months now and Stryder is doing great. My son is only three but he has learned so much as well.
There have been no more incidents and I can tell that Stryder feels right at home now and continues to gain confidence. Training with Dan was a positive and very educational experience that will come in handy the rest of my life. Thank you.”
Private Training, Child Safety
“We recently had to put down our 10 year old Jack Russel. It was heart breaking but after some time passed we decided it was time to get another dog. We adopted another Jack Russel named Stryder. He was about two years old and had not been socialized with people very much.
He loves women and children but shows fear around men. He was friendly but didn't really know any commands. I didn't even know if he knew how to sit. We decided it was in our best interest and his to get some training.
Dan was amazing. It took a few visits for Stryder to warm up to Dan and with the added distraction of our three year old son it is no wonder. We had a couple of scares with bites to our three year old which made us consider taking Stryder back.
Dan was so great with reassuring me that with proper training and guidance Stryder would make a great pet. He was never aggressive toward anyone he was just scared. I think I was really the one that needed the training. I feel so much more comfortable knowing how to read a dogs body language.
This was a very great eye opening experience for me and is not only useful for our own pet but great around any dog. Dan was so patient and answered any questions and concerns I had. It has been a few months now and Stryder is doing great. My son is only three but he has learned so much as well.
There have been no more incidents and I can tell that Stryder feels right at home now and continues to gain confidence. Training with Dan was a positive and very educational experience that will come in handy the rest of my life. Thank you.”
Han Solo
Molly M. (Madison, WI) 2014
In-home Puppy Training
“We had a great time working with Dan. As first time dog owners, we were a little nervous on where to start until we called Happy Buddha Dog Training. Dan’s positive training methods and knowledgeable advice really helped us bond with Han Solo from the start! I highly recommend Happy Buddha Dog Training, and we can’t thank him enough for giving us the best start to our new lives with Han Solo!
Thanks again, Dan! Give Buddha and Gandhi a big puppy hug for us. :)
Molly
In-home Puppy Training
“We had a great time working with Dan. As first time dog owners, we were a little nervous on where to start until we called Happy Buddha Dog Training. Dan’s positive training methods and knowledgeable advice really helped us bond with Han Solo from the start! I highly recommend Happy Buddha Dog Training, and we can’t thank him enough for giving us the best start to our new lives with Han Solo!
Thanks again, Dan! Give Buddha and Gandhi a big puppy hug for us. :)
Molly
Cooper
Sara and Tim B. (Madison, WI) 2014
In-home Behavior Modification and Training
“We contacted Dan originally because our yellow lab, Cooper, showed isolated aggressive behavior and we were not sure how to control it. If left uncontrolled, we thought we would have to find a new home for our dog. This was very heart breaking and we knew something needed to be done.
All of the sessions were done privately in our home and Copper was able to act like he normally would. Dan was very patient and knowledgeable while walking us through different exercises in the training. He informed us of the many triggers (people/other dogs, dog walking on a leash, door bell, etc.) that cause excitement and stress. Dan also explained how these triggers could provoke a negative reaction. Through his hands-on approach, he left us with the ability to continue Cooper's learning and success. We have already noticed an extreme improvement in our dog towards these triggers.
We would highly recommend "Happy Buddha Dog Training" to anyone looking for an experienced dog trainer. Dan is very reasonable and takes the time to really get to know your dog. He will also quickly become your dogs best friend!”
In-home Behavior Modification and Training
“We contacted Dan originally because our yellow lab, Cooper, showed isolated aggressive behavior and we were not sure how to control it. If left uncontrolled, we thought we would have to find a new home for our dog. This was very heart breaking and we knew something needed to be done.
All of the sessions were done privately in our home and Copper was able to act like he normally would. Dan was very patient and knowledgeable while walking us through different exercises in the training. He informed us of the many triggers (people/other dogs, dog walking on a leash, door bell, etc.) that cause excitement and stress. Dan also explained how these triggers could provoke a negative reaction. Through his hands-on approach, he left us with the ability to continue Cooper's learning and success. We have already noticed an extreme improvement in our dog towards these triggers.
We would highly recommend "Happy Buddha Dog Training" to anyone looking for an experienced dog trainer. Dan is very reasonable and takes the time to really get to know your dog. He will also quickly become your dogs best friend!”
Lucky
Patrick K. (McFarland, WI) 2014
Behavior Modification
“It is indeed my pleasure to strongly endorse the dog training methods of Happy Buddha Dog Training. Daniel is very insightful into dog behavior, particularly dogs that are aggressive with other dogs.
Lucky is a two year old Golden Retriever who became very aggressive when meeting other dogs on walks. I consulted Daniel on the advice of a cousin who utilized his services for their dog. I found him to be most effective in improving this aggressive behavior using alternative strategy that disrupts the dog’s attention (from the other dog) and focuses attention on the handler.
Daniel has keen insight into dog behavior and how to enhance it for the positive. He engages the dog in a most positive and instructional manner to help the dog relax and move forward toward accepted behavior. He utilizes an effective deterrent by distracting the dog with healthy treats!
It has been most refreshing to see him work with Lucky, who quickly trusted him, and Daniel helped me understand the mannerisms to use. I have been a dog owner for most of my life (I am 80) but have learned so much from Daniel in dealing with a variety of dog behaviors. I am now working independently with Lucky and keeping in touch with Daniel to check on his behavior improvement.
Needless to say, I highly recommend Happy Buddha Dog Training.”
Behavior Modification
“It is indeed my pleasure to strongly endorse the dog training methods of Happy Buddha Dog Training. Daniel is very insightful into dog behavior, particularly dogs that are aggressive with other dogs.
Lucky is a two year old Golden Retriever who became very aggressive when meeting other dogs on walks. I consulted Daniel on the advice of a cousin who utilized his services for their dog. I found him to be most effective in improving this aggressive behavior using alternative strategy that disrupts the dog’s attention (from the other dog) and focuses attention on the handler.
Daniel has keen insight into dog behavior and how to enhance it for the positive. He engages the dog in a most positive and instructional manner to help the dog relax and move forward toward accepted behavior. He utilizes an effective deterrent by distracting the dog with healthy treats!
It has been most refreshing to see him work with Lucky, who quickly trusted him, and Daniel helped me understand the mannerisms to use. I have been a dog owner for most of my life (I am 80) but have learned so much from Daniel in dealing with a variety of dog behaviors. I am now working independently with Lucky and keeping in touch with Daniel to check on his behavior improvement.
Needless to say, I highly recommend Happy Buddha Dog Training.”
Baxter
Vicki S. (Oregon, WI) 2014
Status Update 9-28-14
"My daughter had a friend over today, and his mom commented on what a... friendly dog Baxter is. She even got to pet him more than once! Does not sound much like the Baxter we had when we started working with you does it?"
Status Update 9-28-14
"My daughter had a friend over today, and his mom commented on what a... friendly dog Baxter is. She even got to pet him more than once! Does not sound much like the Baxter we had when we started working with you does it?"
Trooper
Lori Nelson M. (Wausau, WI) 2014
In-home Training
“Thank you for the training, Dan. For all of us, we learned so much from you! We're enjoying working with Trooper and are amazed at how fast he learns! You are the best!”
In-home Training
“Thank you for the training, Dan. For all of us, we learned so much from you! We're enjoying working with Trooper and are amazed at how fast he learns! You are the best!”
Max
Ingrid H. (Madison, WI) 2014
In-home Training
“I was inspired by something that happened last night. A group of kids on bikes and razor scooters whizzed past us. No barking! None. Prior to working with Dan, our dog Max would have become very agitated and had a LOT to say about something like that. Walks have become a real pleasure now!
Thank you again, Allen and I are so pleased with the progress we’re making!”
August Update
“Walking last night, we came near a couple walking 2 Golden Retrievers. We owners gave each other the “Is your dog going to go bananas?” eyes and proceeded with caution. Max and I sat down and worked on observing them and keeping our cool while having some treats. He only chuffed once - - no barking. As the Goldens passed us on the other side of the street, I heard one of the couple say “That’s a good dog.” I am so very proud of Max and the progress we are making. Thank you Dan!”
In-home Training
“I was inspired by something that happened last night. A group of kids on bikes and razor scooters whizzed past us. No barking! None. Prior to working with Dan, our dog Max would have become very agitated and had a LOT to say about something like that. Walks have become a real pleasure now!
Thank you again, Allen and I are so pleased with the progress we’re making!”
August Update
“Walking last night, we came near a couple walking 2 Golden Retrievers. We owners gave each other the “Is your dog going to go bananas?” eyes and proceeded with caution. Max and I sat down and worked on observing them and keeping our cool while having some treats. He only chuffed once - - no barking. As the Goldens passed us on the other side of the street, I heard one of the couple say “That’s a good dog.” I am so very proud of Max and the progress we are making. Thank you Dan!”
Buddha says "Stay Safe!"
Officer Cindy Neubert
Oregon Police Department (2014)
Oregon Safety Camp
"On June 17th 2014 you assisted us with Oregon Safety Camp. I would like to thank you for teaching Animal Safety. It is very important that children understand when it is safe or unsafe to approach a dog. At the ice cream social, I always ask the children what they learned at Safety Camp and many of them talked about dog safety and what they should do or not do. This is so very important and I am very grateful that you are willing to assist us."
Officer Cindy Neubert
Oregon Police Department (2014)
Oregon Safety Camp
"On June 17th 2014 you assisted us with Oregon Safety Camp. I would like to thank you for teaching Animal Safety. It is very important that children understand when it is safe or unsafe to approach a dog. At the ice cream social, I always ask the children what they learned at Safety Camp and many of them talked about dog safety and what they should do or not do. This is so very important and I am very grateful that you are willing to assist us."
Officer Cindy Neubert
Roscoe
Rhonda H. (Brooklyn, WI) 2014
Training Follow-Up
"Hello Dan,
I don't know if you recall Roscoe or not. He is a small black and white terrier that you worked with a year or so ago. As a former police officer, I imagine you enjoy the occasional follow up.
I would like to share a story: John and I were up north at our other home. Roscoe and Ember were outside with me. Our house is close to a road. On this particular day, there was a family walking on the road with the family dog. He was on a leash. roscoe and ember were not. roscoe and I saw the people walking close to our house, on the road, at the same time. I saw Roscoe tense up as if he was going to react. I called out the command "LOOK". With me, I had treats. Roscoe continues to LOVE his treats. The moment I said Look, Roscoe and Ember turned their attention away from the other dog and family and looked at me for a treat. I provided a reward and then assisted the dogs into the house where they were rewarded again.
A near tragedy avoided. I continue to work with Roscoe on the commands. An unexpected result of all this work in training, is that after training and play, he becomes calm and likes to cuddle in my lap. Just as a cat does.
Thanks again for the jumpstart to success that you gave Roscoe."
Best Regards,
Rhonda
Training Follow-Up
"Hello Dan,
I don't know if you recall Roscoe or not. He is a small black and white terrier that you worked with a year or so ago. As a former police officer, I imagine you enjoy the occasional follow up.
I would like to share a story: John and I were up north at our other home. Roscoe and Ember were outside with me. Our house is close to a road. On this particular day, there was a family walking on the road with the family dog. He was on a leash. roscoe and ember were not. roscoe and I saw the people walking close to our house, on the road, at the same time. I saw Roscoe tense up as if he was going to react. I called out the command "LOOK". With me, I had treats. Roscoe continues to LOVE his treats. The moment I said Look, Roscoe and Ember turned their attention away from the other dog and family and looked at me for a treat. I provided a reward and then assisted the dogs into the house where they were rewarded again.
A near tragedy avoided. I continue to work with Roscoe on the commands. An unexpected result of all this work in training, is that after training and play, he becomes calm and likes to cuddle in my lap. Just as a cat does.
Thanks again for the jumpstart to success that you gave Roscoe."
Best Regards,
Rhonda
Stella
Nadja L. (Albany, WI) 2014
In-Home Training
“This spring we adopted 2 dogs, Cally the Belgian Shepherd and Stella the Chihuahua. They were both approximately a year old, so some behaviors and habits were already established. I read about Dan online while looking for training classes, and I'm so happy I did! Dan came to the house for the training sessions, and was able to identify issues with both of the dogs during the first visit. He is a very astute observer of dog behaviors, and was able to calm some of my concerns as well as setting us on a path to better dog behaviors! His experience and education were evident throughout our sessions, and both of the dogs have come a long way. My daughter and I have learned so much from Dan about our dogs, and how to train and condition them. I highly recommend Dan and his methods to anyone who is truly interested in positive changes in their dog.
Dan is educated and experienced, and is definitely not the typical "dog trainer" that you will find at the local pet store or in training classes. He is patient, calm, and kind, and is always positive in his reinforcement of desired behaviors. His willingness to come to our home for training made the process much simpler, along with allowing him to observe the dogs in their own environment, which I believe is key to improving behaviors that are exhibited at home. With Dan's help, and a commitment to follow training advice, you too will see a positive change in your dog.
Thank you again Dan, we are all much happier and well adjusted as a result of your sessions!"
In-Home Training
“This spring we adopted 2 dogs, Cally the Belgian Shepherd and Stella the Chihuahua. They were both approximately a year old, so some behaviors and habits were already established. I read about Dan online while looking for training classes, and I'm so happy I did! Dan came to the house for the training sessions, and was able to identify issues with both of the dogs during the first visit. He is a very astute observer of dog behaviors, and was able to calm some of my concerns as well as setting us on a path to better dog behaviors! His experience and education were evident throughout our sessions, and both of the dogs have come a long way. My daughter and I have learned so much from Dan about our dogs, and how to train and condition them. I highly recommend Dan and his methods to anyone who is truly interested in positive changes in their dog.
Dan is educated and experienced, and is definitely not the typical "dog trainer" that you will find at the local pet store or in training classes. He is patient, calm, and kind, and is always positive in his reinforcement of desired behaviors. His willingness to come to our home for training made the process much simpler, along with allowing him to observe the dogs in their own environment, which I believe is key to improving behaviors that are exhibited at home. With Dan's help, and a commitment to follow training advice, you too will see a positive change in your dog.
Thank you again Dan, we are all much happier and well adjusted as a result of your sessions!"
Agnes
Erin C. (Stoughton, WI) 2014
In-Home Puppy Training
"I have to tell you that a friend of ours was over last week & could not believe that Agnes was only 9 months old. She mentioned how quickly she was able to calm down & that she wasn't hyper, but alert to my cues. How awesome is that! Of course we know that we started off with a pretty smart dog, but without your training I know we wouldn't be where we are today with her.
Normally I let the dogs outside or in their crates when we sit down for our meals. One day last week (our other dogs were sunbathing outside) Agnes was in the kitchen while I served lunch to the girls. Agnes appeared to be handling herself well, so I let her stay in the kitchen with us. She did go over to the table where the girls were eating, but I said, "Agnes, leave it" & she immediately sat down & put her head down. No begging, no jumping up on the table to help herself; she left it & didn't bother anyone! Again - I know without your help that would have NEVER happened. "
In-Home Puppy Training
"I have to tell you that a friend of ours was over last week & could not believe that Agnes was only 9 months old. She mentioned how quickly she was able to calm down & that she wasn't hyper, but alert to my cues. How awesome is that! Of course we know that we started off with a pretty smart dog, but without your training I know we wouldn't be where we are today with her.
Normally I let the dogs outside or in their crates when we sit down for our meals. One day last week (our other dogs were sunbathing outside) Agnes was in the kitchen while I served lunch to the girls. Agnes appeared to be handling herself well, so I let her stay in the kitchen with us. She did go over to the table where the girls were eating, but I said, "Agnes, leave it" & she immediately sat down & put her head down. No begging, no jumping up on the table to help herself; she left it & didn't bother anyone! Again - I know without your help that would have NEVER happened. "
Kenna
Justin K. (Oregon, WI) 2014
In-Home Training/Baby Safety
“We contacted Dan at Happy Buddha Dog Training after a scary incident involving our then newly-mobile 5 month old and our 10 year old dog, Kenna. Dan first consulted with me over the phone, getting specific details of the incident, and information about Kenna, about our home, our training, and our goals. We wanted very much to be able to keep Kenna and provide a safe environment for the baby, and Dan was willing to coach us on how to achieve this. Little did we know that we were learning to provide a safe environment not only for the baby, but for Kenna as well!
His training techniques and advice have proven invaluable. He helped us review basic obedience commands with Kenna, and then began desensitization techniques to our son. The most helpful thing we learned, though, was to read Kenna's stress signals. We continue to practice our obedience training routinely, and have noticed that Kenna is more relaxed and comfortable now that we can read her signs early and intervene appropriately. Even walking her has been an easier task! Dan has encouraged us to keep in touch, and demonstrated his willingness to follow up and consult again if needed.
Thank you so much to Dan and his helpers, including previous families and dogs whom he has helped, for creating such a great program!”
In-Home Training/Baby Safety
“We contacted Dan at Happy Buddha Dog Training after a scary incident involving our then newly-mobile 5 month old and our 10 year old dog, Kenna. Dan first consulted with me over the phone, getting specific details of the incident, and information about Kenna, about our home, our training, and our goals. We wanted very much to be able to keep Kenna and provide a safe environment for the baby, and Dan was willing to coach us on how to achieve this. Little did we know that we were learning to provide a safe environment not only for the baby, but for Kenna as well!
His training techniques and advice have proven invaluable. He helped us review basic obedience commands with Kenna, and then began desensitization techniques to our son. The most helpful thing we learned, though, was to read Kenna's stress signals. We continue to practice our obedience training routinely, and have noticed that Kenna is more relaxed and comfortable now that we can read her signs early and intervene appropriately. Even walking her has been an easier task! Dan has encouraged us to keep in touch, and demonstrated his willingness to follow up and consult again if needed.
Thank you so much to Dan and his helpers, including previous families and dogs whom he has helped, for creating such a great program!”
Ciera
Pat R. (Oregon, WI) 2014
In-Home Training
"Dan helped with some control issues with Ciera. She is a very excitable & intense border collie who I am training to do agility. She needs to have a start line stay so that I can have a lead out on the agility course which is extremely important because of her speed. The work with Dan has definitely helped Ciera to keep her stay on the start line. I am very appreciative of his help and would recommend him as a trainer for any dog with control issues. Pat & Ciera."
Photo of Ciera by Steve Delaney, Paw Print Pictures.com
In-Home Training
"Dan helped with some control issues with Ciera. She is a very excitable & intense border collie who I am training to do agility. She needs to have a start line stay so that I can have a lead out on the agility course which is extremely important because of her speed. The work with Dan has definitely helped Ciera to keep her stay on the start line. I am very appreciative of his help and would recommend him as a trainer for any dog with control issues. Pat & Ciera."
Photo of Ciera by Steve Delaney, Paw Print Pictures.com
Max
Kathy D. (Madison, WI) 2014
In-Home Training
“Max is a loveable, energetic and challenging rescue dog. He has problems with impulse control - - jumping on visitors, stealing food from the counters, not listening to commands. We still have a ways to go, but thanks to Dan’s patient teaching and demonstrations, Max is making excellent progress. We had tried group training, but Max was so distracted by the other dogs, that it wasn’t effective for us. Dan’s one-on-one training was the answer. Perhaps most effective for us was learning by watching how Dan relates to and works with Max. We have been able to extend Dan’s specific lessons to other situations.
Max loves Dan, and Dan’s affection for Max is obvious, which helps Max respond to Dan’s commands. One of the most important lessons we learned was an emphasis on positive reinforcement - - no punishment or harsh language. Now Max is eager for his “training” and loves to respond with sitting, waiting, going to his bed or kennel, backing up on command, and “leaving it.” Any dog can be a success with Dan’s direction.
Thanks again for everything, Dan."
In-Home Training
“Max is a loveable, energetic and challenging rescue dog. He has problems with impulse control - - jumping on visitors, stealing food from the counters, not listening to commands. We still have a ways to go, but thanks to Dan’s patient teaching and demonstrations, Max is making excellent progress. We had tried group training, but Max was so distracted by the other dogs, that it wasn’t effective for us. Dan’s one-on-one training was the answer. Perhaps most effective for us was learning by watching how Dan relates to and works with Max. We have been able to extend Dan’s specific lessons to other situations.
Max loves Dan, and Dan’s affection for Max is obvious, which helps Max respond to Dan’s commands. One of the most important lessons we learned was an emphasis on positive reinforcement - - no punishment or harsh language. Now Max is eager for his “training” and loves to respond with sitting, waiting, going to his bed or kennel, backing up on command, and “leaving it.” Any dog can be a success with Dan’s direction.
Thanks again for everything, Dan."
Flair
Kay L. (Stoughton, WI) 2014
In-Home Training
"When I decided to get another Golden Retriever to become part of our family, I set out looking as I had done before by contacting breeders. I was in search of another young adult female. Our present dog, Daisy, was also a re-homed show dog, well-traveled and socialized. I got her when she was two years of age. She has gone on to become my Pet Partner and is a registered pet therapy dog.
On this journey I found a 4 year old female who had recently given birth to a litter of puppies. Flair too had been a show dog and had traveled to dog shows to be shown since she herself was a pup. She had been around people and other dogs. I thought this was all good. How could I have known that she was not comfortable riding in a car and would become agitated at the sight of other dogs? This dog had "baggage" and I had a project.
To better understand her I enrolled us in a 6 week dog class and that went well. She was not the best riding in my car but she was fine around other dogs. She was calm and liked learning new things. I still did not think we were getting to the base of why Flair was reacting the way she was. I met with an animal behaviorist. Although she was helpful I still did not have a plan.
Then I found Dan...He worked with Flair for 6 weeks; I watched. In the time between classes I worked with Flair on what he instructed me to do. After a few weeks we began to see positive changes happening. Dan taught me how to recognize Flair's triggers and how to respond quickly to redirect her reaction. It was working! I enjoyed watching the process unfold. Flair too was having fun. Dan also provided me with resources to contact for additional information. That too was helpful.
Early on it became obvious to me that Dan was not only very knowledgeable about animal behavior but dedicated to helping both the owner and the dog change. That being accomplished made for a better life for all involved. I feel Flair is more sure of herself. She is a "work in progress". I work with her in some way each day. She has a wonderful core and is a great dog. The bond and friendship she and Daisy have developed is special. I hope in time Flair too will become a pet therapy dog. She has that quality and will be good at it. Thanks Dan. "
In-Home Training
"When I decided to get another Golden Retriever to become part of our family, I set out looking as I had done before by contacting breeders. I was in search of another young adult female. Our present dog, Daisy, was also a re-homed show dog, well-traveled and socialized. I got her when she was two years of age. She has gone on to become my Pet Partner and is a registered pet therapy dog.
On this journey I found a 4 year old female who had recently given birth to a litter of puppies. Flair too had been a show dog and had traveled to dog shows to be shown since she herself was a pup. She had been around people and other dogs. I thought this was all good. How could I have known that she was not comfortable riding in a car and would become agitated at the sight of other dogs? This dog had "baggage" and I had a project.
To better understand her I enrolled us in a 6 week dog class and that went well. She was not the best riding in my car but she was fine around other dogs. She was calm and liked learning new things. I still did not think we were getting to the base of why Flair was reacting the way she was. I met with an animal behaviorist. Although she was helpful I still did not have a plan.
Then I found Dan...He worked with Flair for 6 weeks; I watched. In the time between classes I worked with Flair on what he instructed me to do. After a few weeks we began to see positive changes happening. Dan taught me how to recognize Flair's triggers and how to respond quickly to redirect her reaction. It was working! I enjoyed watching the process unfold. Flair too was having fun. Dan also provided me with resources to contact for additional information. That too was helpful.
Early on it became obvious to me that Dan was not only very knowledgeable about animal behavior but dedicated to helping both the owner and the dog change. That being accomplished made for a better life for all involved. I feel Flair is more sure of herself. She is a "work in progress". I work with her in some way each day. She has a wonderful core and is a great dog. The bond and friendship she and Daisy have developed is special. I hope in time Flair too will become a pet therapy dog. She has that quality and will be good at it. Thanks Dan. "
2013 Testimonials
Peppie enjoys his graduation prize!
Meredith K. (Oregon, WI) 2013
In-Home Puppy Training
"Even before I started working with Dan, I was impressed! I first contacted Dan after a recommendation from our vet, Dr. Michael Boyle of Village Animal Clinic. Even before I was officially his client, Dan he spent a great deal of time answering questions that I had and offering advice. He helped me so much. After I met Dan I was completely blown away.
I have grown up with dogs my whole life. I knew I had made mistakes with our past pets and I wanted our new baby to be "perfect". Well our little Peppie is far from perfect, but with Dan's help and patience he will be the perfect pet for our crazy family. Peppie is afraid of a lot of things...strangers...doorbells...random noises. With three young children you can imagine how busy and loud our house can be. With Dan's help I now know how to better read Peppie's body language and cues. I know what to do to help Peppie when he's afraid of something new. Peppie is not the perfect pet (yet) and I know we have a lot of work left to do, but thanks to Dan I know how to help Peppie. I know methods and techniques to overcome the challenges that Peppie faces. Yes Dan taught Peppie some great tricks...look, touch, sit and down. More importantly though Dan trained me how to be a better dog owner.
Thanks to Dan, Peppie is a very, very happy puppy."
In-Home Puppy Training
"Even before I started working with Dan, I was impressed! I first contacted Dan after a recommendation from our vet, Dr. Michael Boyle of Village Animal Clinic. Even before I was officially his client, Dan he spent a great deal of time answering questions that I had and offering advice. He helped me so much. After I met Dan I was completely blown away.
I have grown up with dogs my whole life. I knew I had made mistakes with our past pets and I wanted our new baby to be "perfect". Well our little Peppie is far from perfect, but with Dan's help and patience he will be the perfect pet for our crazy family. Peppie is afraid of a lot of things...strangers...doorbells...random noises. With three young children you can imagine how busy and loud our house can be. With Dan's help I now know how to better read Peppie's body language and cues. I know what to do to help Peppie when he's afraid of something new. Peppie is not the perfect pet (yet) and I know we have a lot of work left to do, but thanks to Dan I know how to help Peppie. I know methods and techniques to overcome the challenges that Peppie faces. Yes Dan taught Peppie some great tricks...look, touch, sit and down. More importantly though Dan trained me how to be a better dog owner.
Thanks to Dan, Peppie is a very, very happy puppy."
Ditto (Oregon, WI)
Beverly Sanders (Oregon, WI) 2013
In-Home Training
"Ditto is my 5-year-old Boxer. He has always been shy, but in the past year his shyness increased to high anxiety. Anyone coming to the house or people walking dogs on the sidewalk around our neighborhood sent him into a frenzy of barking and running away in fear. After I divorced, the absence of one of us increased his anxiety to these things and even sudden noises. He is sweet and playful otherwise and generally obedient except in new surroundings or around strangers.
Watching him meet other dogs, especially large ones, his fear was obvious. I tried to socialize him at a dog daycare and we visited the new Oregon dog park regularly. But daycare didn't work for him and the dog park was always a gamble that all the dogs and owners were friendly. After a terrifying encounter with an angry pit bull at the dog park I feared his anxiety would get even worse. Dr. Mike (Village Animal Clinic) recommended Dan to help desensitize Ditto and reduce his fear of people and over-reactions to other dogs.
In six at-home sessions Dan and Ditto became friends. Dan taught me how to read dog body language and how to calm Ditto and focus his attention on me in his stressful situations. We slowly introduced the triggers that sparked his barking, cowering, and anxiety. And it's working! When someone comes to the door or walks on his sidewalk I have what I need to help Ditto make good associations with strangers and other dogs. I have a long way to go to continue desensitizing Ditto, but thanks to Dan, his wife Faye, and his dogs Buddha and Gandhi, my wonderful dog will someday be a happy, calm dog."
In-Home Training
"Ditto is my 5-year-old Boxer. He has always been shy, but in the past year his shyness increased to high anxiety. Anyone coming to the house or people walking dogs on the sidewalk around our neighborhood sent him into a frenzy of barking and running away in fear. After I divorced, the absence of one of us increased his anxiety to these things and even sudden noises. He is sweet and playful otherwise and generally obedient except in new surroundings or around strangers.
Watching him meet other dogs, especially large ones, his fear was obvious. I tried to socialize him at a dog daycare and we visited the new Oregon dog park regularly. But daycare didn't work for him and the dog park was always a gamble that all the dogs and owners were friendly. After a terrifying encounter with an angry pit bull at the dog park I feared his anxiety would get even worse. Dr. Mike (Village Animal Clinic) recommended Dan to help desensitize Ditto and reduce his fear of people and over-reactions to other dogs.
In six at-home sessions Dan and Ditto became friends. Dan taught me how to read dog body language and how to calm Ditto and focus his attention on me in his stressful situations. We slowly introduced the triggers that sparked his barking, cowering, and anxiety. And it's working! When someone comes to the door or walks on his sidewalk I have what I need to help Ditto make good associations with strangers and other dogs. I have a long way to go to continue desensitizing Ditto, but thanks to Dan, his wife Faye, and his dogs Buddha and Gandhi, my wonderful dog will someday be a happy, calm dog."
Olive (Oregon, WI)
Lisa C. (Oregon, WI) 2013
In-Home Puppy Training
"I was walking my new puppy when I ran into a couple with their adorable dog, which was very well behaved. I asked how they were able to train their puppy so well. They told me of Dan and the great work he did with their pup. I immediately contacted him and he started training right away. I highly recommend Dan. Dan helps you understand how dogs think. He provides lots of insight on dog behavior; and why they do the things they do. His wonderful insights into the dogs thoughts helps you further your dogs training after he is gone. I just want to say thank you Dan for teaching us the skills it takes to be good puppy parents. Olive will miss you very much and will always appreciate you."
The Christ Family
In-Home Puppy Training
"I was walking my new puppy when I ran into a couple with their adorable dog, which was very well behaved. I asked how they were able to train their puppy so well. They told me of Dan and the great work he did with their pup. I immediately contacted him and he started training right away. I highly recommend Dan. Dan helps you understand how dogs think. He provides lots of insight on dog behavior; and why they do the things they do. His wonderful insights into the dogs thoughts helps you further your dogs training after he is gone. I just want to say thank you Dan for teaching us the skills it takes to be good puppy parents. Olive will miss you very much and will always appreciate you."
The Christ Family
Snuffy (Deerfield, WI)
Brenda K. (Deerfield, WI) 2013
In-home Training
"I adopted my new dog Snuffy from a puppy mill rescue. She is a 16 month old Wheaton terrier. She was very anxious and afraid of everything. With the help of Dan from Happy Buddha Dog Training she is coming out of her shell. When Dan first started coming over she was plastered to the wall and wouldn't move. After six sessions she now sits in our living room with us and doesn't run for cover. With Dan's knowledge and my patience she is turning into a sweet dog. Thanks Dan."
Brenda
[Trainer Notes: For the first three weeks Snuffy was catatonic, not responding to me in any fashion. In week four Snuffy learned Look, Touch, Sit and Down. She now accepts handling and seeks affection from me. On my last session she repeatedly climbed onto my lap to lick my face. She also seeks affiliation with her human family members. Snuffy needs more time and work, but she is off to a good start.]
In-home Training
"I adopted my new dog Snuffy from a puppy mill rescue. She is a 16 month old Wheaton terrier. She was very anxious and afraid of everything. With the help of Dan from Happy Buddha Dog Training she is coming out of her shell. When Dan first started coming over she was plastered to the wall and wouldn't move. After six sessions she now sits in our living room with us and doesn't run for cover. With Dan's knowledge and my patience she is turning into a sweet dog. Thanks Dan."
Brenda
[Trainer Notes: For the first three weeks Snuffy was catatonic, not responding to me in any fashion. In week four Snuffy learned Look, Touch, Sit and Down. She now accepts handling and seeks affection from me. On my last session she repeatedly climbed onto my lap to lick my face. She also seeks affiliation with her human family members. Snuffy needs more time and work, but she is off to a good start.]
Rhonda H. (Brooklyn, WI) 2013
In-Home Training: Progress Update
"Hi Dan,
After your training guidance Roscoe, Ember, John and I have moved to a group class. I was very concerned about how reactive Roscoe would be in a class. After the first night I have to admit, he was one of the better behaved students there. Each time his little brain would start to wander I used either "look" or "touch" to get his focus back on me. Those darn happy feet continue to move constantly but we're still working on that.
I just wanted you to know how successful your techniques have benefited us."
Rhonda and Roscoe
In-Home Training: Progress Update
"Hi Dan,
After your training guidance Roscoe, Ember, John and I have moved to a group class. I was very concerned about how reactive Roscoe would be in a class. After the first night I have to admit, he was one of the better behaved students there. Each time his little brain would start to wander I used either "look" or "touch" to get his focus back on me. Those darn happy feet continue to move constantly but we're still working on that.
I just wanted you to know how successful your techniques have benefited us."
Rhonda and Roscoe
Floyd, AKA SuperFloyd (Oregon, WI)
Jenna and Justin P. (Oregon, WI) 2013
In-Home Training
"We wanted to thank you for all of your training and advice not only helping to train Floyd to be a well-rounded dog, but train us to as well to be good ‘dog parents’.
We rescued Floyd at only 9 weeks old, and with our first visit at the Village Animal Clinic we saw the flyer for the ‘Puppy Preschool’. We knew we wanted to get Floyd into training as a puppy, and Bethany at the clinic assured us that you were the best!! We signed up the next day, and from the first class we noticed that Floyd loved going to his classes. He enjoyed his classmates, and you as a trainer. Through the training during our puppy classes and the information that we took as homework he learned very quickly. At the end of the 6 week classes Floyd knew the basic commands and responded very well. A few weeks went by and we decided to sign up for the intermediate class.
We were able to work with Dan to arrange intermediate in home training sessions, and even days at the park. The in home sessions were great to have one on one training with Floyd for a full hour. Working in our home really helped with training Floyd in his own environment. Floyd loves everyone, and when people would come to the door he would greet them but also jump and run out the door. Dan helped us work with Floyd to sit and wait for visitors to enter our home and wait for the command OK! to greet them. He is still very excited to greet people but knows he needs to wait and let them enter the home now.
Dan has been a great trainer for us as well, always giving advice on what to do next with Floyd or how to work with him on a particular behavior. Dan also provided a lot of insight on how dogs think and react to certain situations. His instructional DVD was great to learn about dog body language, and what was ‘safe play’ for dogs to participate in.
Thank you Dan for everything!! We make sure to recommend you to everyone we can!!"
Justin, Jenna & Floyd P.
In-Home Training
"We wanted to thank you for all of your training and advice not only helping to train Floyd to be a well-rounded dog, but train us to as well to be good ‘dog parents’.
We rescued Floyd at only 9 weeks old, and with our first visit at the Village Animal Clinic we saw the flyer for the ‘Puppy Preschool’. We knew we wanted to get Floyd into training as a puppy, and Bethany at the clinic assured us that you were the best!! We signed up the next day, and from the first class we noticed that Floyd loved going to his classes. He enjoyed his classmates, and you as a trainer. Through the training during our puppy classes and the information that we took as homework he learned very quickly. At the end of the 6 week classes Floyd knew the basic commands and responded very well. A few weeks went by and we decided to sign up for the intermediate class.
We were able to work with Dan to arrange intermediate in home training sessions, and even days at the park. The in home sessions were great to have one on one training with Floyd for a full hour. Working in our home really helped with training Floyd in his own environment. Floyd loves everyone, and when people would come to the door he would greet them but also jump and run out the door. Dan helped us work with Floyd to sit and wait for visitors to enter our home and wait for the command OK! to greet them. He is still very excited to greet people but knows he needs to wait and let them enter the home now.
Dan has been a great trainer for us as well, always giving advice on what to do next with Floyd or how to work with him on a particular behavior. Dan also provided a lot of insight on how dogs think and react to certain situations. His instructional DVD was great to learn about dog body language, and what was ‘safe play’ for dogs to participate in.
Thank you Dan for everything!! We make sure to recommend you to everyone we can!!"
Justin, Jenna & Floyd P.
Boulder (Stoughton, WI)
Jill H. and Jean L. (Stoughton, WI) 2013
In-Home Training
"Our dog, Boulder, had lost his boldness. At some point during the renovation of our house he became frightened of the kitchen and refused to come into the room. Turning a corner and hugging the edge of the room to go out the back door was a stressful event for him. As with most households, the kitchen is the hub of household activity and he was no longer a participating in it. We turned to Dan for help. During the course of one afternoon Dan, using the using the positive methods he advocates, helped us turn a corner with Boulder and he started to enter the kitchen. We continued to use the methods Dan taught us on our own and now Boulder is at ease in the kitchen, relaxing with the family again. Thanks, Dan."
In-Home Training
"Our dog, Boulder, had lost his boldness. At some point during the renovation of our house he became frightened of the kitchen and refused to come into the room. Turning a corner and hugging the edge of the room to go out the back door was a stressful event for him. As with most households, the kitchen is the hub of household activity and he was no longer a participating in it. We turned to Dan for help. During the course of one afternoon Dan, using the using the positive methods he advocates, helped us turn a corner with Boulder and he started to enter the kitchen. We continued to use the methods Dan taught us on our own and now Boulder is at ease in the kitchen, relaxing with the family again. Thanks, Dan."
ivanaka and irmani (Oregon, WI)
Sami D. (Oregon, WI) 2013
In-Home Puppy Training
"Well, ivanka and irmani just finished their 'puppy classes' with Happy Buddha', and truly and honestly, I am not sure there are enough kind words out there to say about Dan. I don't think I have ever found such a good hearted trainer ever!! We have had many with having 4 dogs and if ever you or someone you know needs puppy, behavior, etc. please, please, please, consider HAPPY BUDDHA as you will never regret how kind he is to your animals. It is so clear to me, he love all breeds and gives his best to not only please your dog, but you too. Dan, I have learned so much by watching you with my 2 babies and how much they loved seeing you at the front door, I knew I chose the right trainer for my babies. They learned everything so fast and loved being with you and wanted nothing more than to please you and I know they did. When you sat on the floor with ivanaka on your lap, knowing she has to have surgery, you made me cry. You said you had a cold but I think differently as I know how much you loved them both. You are to proud of and we sure are. The little ones will miss you and so will I.
God's Blessing's Dan, your are the BEST!"
In-Home Puppy Training
"Well, ivanka and irmani just finished their 'puppy classes' with Happy Buddha', and truly and honestly, I am not sure there are enough kind words out there to say about Dan. I don't think I have ever found such a good hearted trainer ever!! We have had many with having 4 dogs and if ever you or someone you know needs puppy, behavior, etc. please, please, please, consider HAPPY BUDDHA as you will never regret how kind he is to your animals. It is so clear to me, he love all breeds and gives his best to not only please your dog, but you too. Dan, I have learned so much by watching you with my 2 babies and how much they loved seeing you at the front door, I knew I chose the right trainer for my babies. They learned everything so fast and loved being with you and wanted nothing more than to please you and I know they did. When you sat on the floor with ivanaka on your lap, knowing she has to have surgery, you made me cry. You said you had a cold but I think differently as I know how much you loved them both. You are to proud of and we sure are. The little ones will miss you and so will I.
God's Blessing's Dan, your are the BEST!"
Brandy (Oregon, WI)
Kathy and Mark G. (Oregon, WI) 2013
Puppy Training
"I just wanted to thank you for all your help, training and great advice with Brandy. We started our journey with Brandy as an 8 week old puppy. Our first visit to the Vet we saw the Puppy preschool flyer. We were not even thinking about training. Dr. Mike convinced us that she was ready. We started class the next week with you and it has been a great experience. We have had our ups and downs with her as we were all learning what the training was about. But your support through the class and e-mail has made this journey enjoyable.
With Each hurdle that we encountered you have given us the tools to manage the hurdle and make our time with Brandy enjoyable. I took Brandy on two different trips this spring and summer. I was told by a friend that they are sold on this type of dog training as they could see an 80% improvement in her behavior in just 3 months. I contribute this to you working with us on a positive training program. I love the fact that all the training is positive reinforcement.
Our first doggy day care experience was not a good one. After a few visits at the day care I was convinced the Brandy was not going to be able to be a day care dog. I was getting reports that she was not working well with the other dogs and not following commands of the staff. We talked about this situation and you explained how the number of dogs, staff and environment can affect how the dog does in day care. I was so glad that I took your advice and tried another day care. I was so apprehensive after she had been at the new day care for the evaluation, but after the first day I found that in the new situation she did well and we just need to work on fine tuning a few little things. You gave me hope when I was giving up on doggy daycare for Brandy.
You asked what our ideal dog would be. You worked with us to correct the behaviors that were not acceptable to us and have given us a dog that we can all enjoy and love. Every member of the family loves to work with her. Your training is easy but you just need the consistency so the dog knows what you want. Brandy is going to be the dog of our dreams."
Puppy Training
"I just wanted to thank you for all your help, training and great advice with Brandy. We started our journey with Brandy as an 8 week old puppy. Our first visit to the Vet we saw the Puppy preschool flyer. We were not even thinking about training. Dr. Mike convinced us that she was ready. We started class the next week with you and it has been a great experience. We have had our ups and downs with her as we were all learning what the training was about. But your support through the class and e-mail has made this journey enjoyable.
With Each hurdle that we encountered you have given us the tools to manage the hurdle and make our time with Brandy enjoyable. I took Brandy on two different trips this spring and summer. I was told by a friend that they are sold on this type of dog training as they could see an 80% improvement in her behavior in just 3 months. I contribute this to you working with us on a positive training program. I love the fact that all the training is positive reinforcement.
Our first doggy day care experience was not a good one. After a few visits at the day care I was convinced the Brandy was not going to be able to be a day care dog. I was getting reports that she was not working well with the other dogs and not following commands of the staff. We talked about this situation and you explained how the number of dogs, staff and environment can affect how the dog does in day care. I was so glad that I took your advice and tried another day care. I was so apprehensive after she had been at the new day care for the evaluation, but after the first day I found that in the new situation she did well and we just need to work on fine tuning a few little things. You gave me hope when I was giving up on doggy daycare for Brandy.
You asked what our ideal dog would be. You worked with us to correct the behaviors that were not acceptable to us and have given us a dog that we can all enjoy and love. Every member of the family loves to work with her. Your training is easy but you just need the consistency so the dog knows what you want. Brandy is going to be the dog of our dreams."
Roscoe (Brooklyn, WI)
Rhonda H. (Brooklyn, WI) 2013
In-Home Training
"I adopted Roscoe as an adult. I have always adopted puppies so this was a new experience for me. I immediately noticed some concerns, most notably was his lack of socialization. This created a very reactive dog with an already high energy breed (terrier mix). In looking for a dog trainer to assist me, I was interested in someone that would work around my busy schedule. Dan was willing to work with Roscoe and myself, once a week, in my home at 3:00 p.m.
Dan reinforced the value of patience while working with Roscoe. Dan assisted me in identifying triggers which result in Roscoe's undesirable behaviors. I have learned some skills to address the behaviors which in turn makes for a better dog and human relationship.
Dan was consistently professional and courteous. He was on time for each lesson and explained what he was doing in an easy-to-understand manner. While I did not agree with each philosophy Dan presented, I made a point to apply the basic principle while I worked with Roscoe for the lesson plan. I noted significant progress with Roscoe. I continue to practice the things I learned. Overall, I believe I have a better behaved dog. Thank You Dan!"
Best Regards, Rhonda and Roscoe
In-Home Training
"I adopted Roscoe as an adult. I have always adopted puppies so this was a new experience for me. I immediately noticed some concerns, most notably was his lack of socialization. This created a very reactive dog with an already high energy breed (terrier mix). In looking for a dog trainer to assist me, I was interested in someone that would work around my busy schedule. Dan was willing to work with Roscoe and myself, once a week, in my home at 3:00 p.m.
Dan reinforced the value of patience while working with Roscoe. Dan assisted me in identifying triggers which result in Roscoe's undesirable behaviors. I have learned some skills to address the behaviors which in turn makes for a better dog and human relationship.
Dan was consistently professional and courteous. He was on time for each lesson and explained what he was doing in an easy-to-understand manner. While I did not agree with each philosophy Dan presented, I made a point to apply the basic principle while I worked with Roscoe for the lesson plan. I noted significant progress with Roscoe. I continue to practice the things I learned. Overall, I believe I have a better behaved dog. Thank You Dan!"
Best Regards, Rhonda and Roscoe
Luke (Oregon, WI)
Steve W. (Oregon, WI) 2013
In-Home Puppy Training
"Dan,
I really want to thank you for your work with my five month old lab Luke. You showed great patience with him and your knowledge of dog behavior was impressive. You made great strides with Luke in just 6 short weeks. I would highly recommend you to anyone who wants to see a changed behavior in their dog. Thanks again."
In-Home Puppy Training
"Dan,
I really want to thank you for your work with my five month old lab Luke. You showed great patience with him and your knowledge of dog behavior was impressive. You made great strides with Luke in just 6 short weeks. I would highly recommend you to anyone who wants to see a changed behavior in their dog. Thanks again."
Diesel (Cottage Grove, WI)
Patrick C. (Cottage Grove, WI) 2013
In-Home Puppy Training
"Dan,
I wanted to just say that it’s been a pleasure working with you. To be honest I never really thought much about dog training as I was raised on a farm and the dogs were just taught the old fashion way and is how I continued to raise our dog (Diesel) until I saw what your training is capable of doing and how it benefits the safety of the dog and others. I absolutely cannot believe how much Diesel has learned and how this has helped with not only our daily activities but how it’s been such a bonding experience for the whole family. Both my two sons and myself really enjoy working on the training every day with great results. We can always refer to the training video you gave us as we need to. This is helpful.
We will always recommend you to anyone that is looking for some training with their dog. It’s truly been a pleasure. Oh…and thanks for the pictures!"
Patrick, Ryan, Alex and Diesel Ceithamer
In-Home Puppy Training
"Dan,
I wanted to just say that it’s been a pleasure working with you. To be honest I never really thought much about dog training as I was raised on a farm and the dogs were just taught the old fashion way and is how I continued to raise our dog (Diesel) until I saw what your training is capable of doing and how it benefits the safety of the dog and others. I absolutely cannot believe how much Diesel has learned and how this has helped with not only our daily activities but how it’s been such a bonding experience for the whole family. Both my two sons and myself really enjoy working on the training every day with great results. We can always refer to the training video you gave us as we need to. This is helpful.
We will always recommend you to anyone that is looking for some training with their dog. It’s truly been a pleasure. Oh…and thanks for the pictures!"
Patrick, Ryan, Alex and Diesel Ceithamer
Brady (Stoughton, WI)
Bethany and Thor A. (Stoughton, WI) 2013
In-Home Training
"Hi Dan,
Thank you for the wonderful experience.
You can teach an old dog new tricks! Happy Buddha Dog Training was recommended to us from a friend and we are so pleased! Brady is an active 4 year old dog who had a few negative behaviors we were targeting to correct including going in the kitchen, running through the house, jumping on people at the door, and pulling while on a leash. After 6 weeks of in-home training we are seeing fewer occasions of the negative behaviors and we are all happier! Not only did Dan train our dog, he taught us why Brady was behaving a certain way and how to train him to continue the positive behavior. The entire family, including our 12 year old, is able to teach, train, and reinforce the behaviors we want. This has given us the opportunity to bond with Brady more and focus on the positive behaviors we love!"
Beth
Piper (Oregon, WI)
Eileen S. (Oregon, WI) 2013
In-Home Training
"After a chance encounter at a dog park with a woman's very well-behaved dog, I asked her where she'd done her dog training. She told me about Dan and Happy Buddha dog training and I made the call that day. Our Golden-doodle Piper is about 1 1/2 and already had been through basic obedience, could sit, stay, come - most of the time. But I had a terrible time with her on leash, where she tugged so hard I didn't trust the kids to walk her. She also LOVES people and wants to express this jumping at them, paws dirty or clean, regardless of whether the person was a dog lover/dog phobic. The ringing of the front door sent her into maniac level excitement. Clearly, we needed help.
Dan's ability with dogs was clear from the start. He's AMAZINGLY patient, works on positive reinforcement and muscle memory rather than coercive methods. By week four Piper was walking very nicely on a leash, rarely jumping at people, and waiting inside the door when the doorbell rang.
The biggest takeaway I got was how much patience I needed and how many repetitions it takes for a dog to "get it". I have no doubt I'm a better dog owner for the experience. Having one-on-one instruction is a hundred times more effective than a group setting for us, for these particular issues, because we were able to work with her without her barking wildly at ten other dogs in class.
Without a doubt, the best money we've spent on our dog!"
In-Home Training
"After a chance encounter at a dog park with a woman's very well-behaved dog, I asked her where she'd done her dog training. She told me about Dan and Happy Buddha dog training and I made the call that day. Our Golden-doodle Piper is about 1 1/2 and already had been through basic obedience, could sit, stay, come - most of the time. But I had a terrible time with her on leash, where she tugged so hard I didn't trust the kids to walk her. She also LOVES people and wants to express this jumping at them, paws dirty or clean, regardless of whether the person was a dog lover/dog phobic. The ringing of the front door sent her into maniac level excitement. Clearly, we needed help.
Dan's ability with dogs was clear from the start. He's AMAZINGLY patient, works on positive reinforcement and muscle memory rather than coercive methods. By week four Piper was walking very nicely on a leash, rarely jumping at people, and waiting inside the door when the doorbell rang.
The biggest takeaway I got was how much patience I needed and how many repetitions it takes for a dog to "get it". I have no doubt I'm a better dog owner for the experience. Having one-on-one instruction is a hundred times more effective than a group setting for us, for these particular issues, because we were able to work with her without her barking wildly at ten other dogs in class.
Without a doubt, the best money we've spent on our dog!"
Australian Shepherd Rescue Midwest (Illinois) 2013
In-Home Training and Behavior Modification
"What is better than saving an Australian Shepherd, saving an Australian Shepherd from itself? With many of our Aussies, they come with a missing part, or broken heart. We know they suffer, be it the trauma of being taken to a shelter, which any Aussie Rescue person knows is the most traumatizing event in an Aussies life. They crave, no they need human contact, or they begin to withdraw and become poor adoption candidates. Or they come to use, sometimes no fault of their own with emotional issues that even from the best intentioned Aussie owners, they did not receive proper structure in those important and formative years.
Ranger is one such Aussie that we feel used bad behavior to get the outcomes he was after, eventually he worked himself into a frenzy, and knows no other way to deal with stress or change.
Enter Happy Buddha Dog Training, Dan Antolec, the owner and trainer at Happy Buddha Dog Training in Oregon Wisconsin. Dan met Ranger and immediately Ranger’s foster mom noticed a change in how Ranger viewed the world. We are hoping with Dan’s help, Ranger will become that perfect Aussie that will someday find that perfect forever home.
A quote from Dan:
'As I mentioned, I am impressed with your devotion to Ranger and bragged about you two when I described the meeting to my wife, Faye. When we adopted Buddha and realized what a lot of work it would mean to rehabilitate his separation anxiety, we refused to give up on him. When he was hit by a car two months later and required very costly surgery, with no guarantee of survival, we refused to give up on him. When we adopted Gandhi and had to go through the separation anxiety process again…we refused to give up on him. And when we quickly learned that he could not be safely left in our large dog play paddock in our absence, we spent a huge sum of money improving the fence and gates for the entire barnyard, because we refused to give up on him. You and Kyle refuse to give up on Ranger and I am happy to join the ranks.'
So if you are in need of a trainer, one that truly cares about his craft, the craft of saving and helping dogs that are often misunderstood, and lack the proper guidance to grow and relearn the world, please consider Dan Antolec with Happy Buddha Dog Training. We are and we are proud to recommend his methods to you and your dog."
David T.
In-Home Training and Behavior Modification
"What is better than saving an Australian Shepherd, saving an Australian Shepherd from itself? With many of our Aussies, they come with a missing part, or broken heart. We know they suffer, be it the trauma of being taken to a shelter, which any Aussie Rescue person knows is the most traumatizing event in an Aussies life. They crave, no they need human contact, or they begin to withdraw and become poor adoption candidates. Or they come to use, sometimes no fault of their own with emotional issues that even from the best intentioned Aussie owners, they did not receive proper structure in those important and formative years.
Ranger is one such Aussie that we feel used bad behavior to get the outcomes he was after, eventually he worked himself into a frenzy, and knows no other way to deal with stress or change.
Enter Happy Buddha Dog Training, Dan Antolec, the owner and trainer at Happy Buddha Dog Training in Oregon Wisconsin. Dan met Ranger and immediately Ranger’s foster mom noticed a change in how Ranger viewed the world. We are hoping with Dan’s help, Ranger will become that perfect Aussie that will someday find that perfect forever home.
A quote from Dan:
'As I mentioned, I am impressed with your devotion to Ranger and bragged about you two when I described the meeting to my wife, Faye. When we adopted Buddha and realized what a lot of work it would mean to rehabilitate his separation anxiety, we refused to give up on him. When he was hit by a car two months later and required very costly surgery, with no guarantee of survival, we refused to give up on him. When we adopted Gandhi and had to go through the separation anxiety process again…we refused to give up on him. And when we quickly learned that he could not be safely left in our large dog play paddock in our absence, we spent a huge sum of money improving the fence and gates for the entire barnyard, because we refused to give up on him. You and Kyle refuse to give up on Ranger and I am happy to join the ranks.'
So if you are in need of a trainer, one that truly cares about his craft, the craft of saving and helping dogs that are often misunderstood, and lack the proper guidance to grow and relearn the world, please consider Dan Antolec with Happy Buddha Dog Training. We are and we are proud to recommend his methods to you and your dog."
David T.
Baxter (Oregon, WI)
Ryan and Vicki S. (Oregon, WI) 2013 UPDATE
In-Home Training
"A year ago we took our dog Baxter to our family cottage and it was extremely stressful for him, and as a result, for us too. Baxter has anxiety issues around people he is not familiar with and he was terrified of my father-in-law in particular. Having people over to our house was traumatizing for him, and led to much barking and fearful behavior. We decided to have Dan come and work with Baxter.
The first time Dan came to our house he impressed us with his awareness of doggie language. He didn't come farther than the entryway and his body language was all about trying to put Baxter at ease. A flick of Dan's hand when tossing a treat Baxter's way was enough to make him jump and send him scurrying away. Over the next several weeks Dan worked with Baxter to help increase his confidence. Almost as important as what Dan was teaching Baxter was what he was teaching us about how to read him, the causes of his anxiety, and what we could do to help alleviate it.
By the last appointment with Dan, the dog who ran away from a hand movement was turning his back to Dan, presenting his tail end for scratching, and even giving Dan the occasional lick. We saw tons of improvement in his interactions with other people too, especially as we taught people how to interact with him based on what Dan taught us. The real test was this weekend though, when we were back up to the cottage with my in laws.
It was like we had a totally different dog. He still wasn't entirely comfortable at first but the fear and agitation we saw the year previous was not there. He would take treats from everyone, including my father-in-law, and even allowed everyone to pet him too. In addition, his training was quite obvious in how well he responded to commands like "come" and "leave it", even with such enticements as squirrels to chase and dead fish to roll in.
We have recommended Dan and sung his praises since he worked with Baxter. After this weekend, it only reinforced for us that hiring him was the best decision we could have made.
Thanks for everything Dan!!!"
Vicki, Ryan, and Baxter S.
In-Home Training
"A year ago we took our dog Baxter to our family cottage and it was extremely stressful for him, and as a result, for us too. Baxter has anxiety issues around people he is not familiar with and he was terrified of my father-in-law in particular. Having people over to our house was traumatizing for him, and led to much barking and fearful behavior. We decided to have Dan come and work with Baxter.
The first time Dan came to our house he impressed us with his awareness of doggie language. He didn't come farther than the entryway and his body language was all about trying to put Baxter at ease. A flick of Dan's hand when tossing a treat Baxter's way was enough to make him jump and send him scurrying away. Over the next several weeks Dan worked with Baxter to help increase his confidence. Almost as important as what Dan was teaching Baxter was what he was teaching us about how to read him, the causes of his anxiety, and what we could do to help alleviate it.
By the last appointment with Dan, the dog who ran away from a hand movement was turning his back to Dan, presenting his tail end for scratching, and even giving Dan the occasional lick. We saw tons of improvement in his interactions with other people too, especially as we taught people how to interact with him based on what Dan taught us. The real test was this weekend though, when we were back up to the cottage with my in laws.
It was like we had a totally different dog. He still wasn't entirely comfortable at first but the fear and agitation we saw the year previous was not there. He would take treats from everyone, including my father-in-law, and even allowed everyone to pet him too. In addition, his training was quite obvious in how well he responded to commands like "come" and "leave it", even with such enticements as squirrels to chase and dead fish to roll in.
We have recommended Dan and sung his praises since he worked with Baxter. After this weekend, it only reinforced for us that hiring him was the best decision we could have made.
Thanks for everything Dan!!!"
Vicki, Ryan, and Baxter S.
T.J. (Oregon, WI)
Leanne H. (Oregon, WI) 2013
In-Home Puppy Training
"Shortly after bringing our new puppy home it was clear that we could use some guidance in working with this bright, energetic little dog. T.J. is our Portuguese Water Dog. I talked with our vet and he and his staff quickly recommended Dan. Boy, are we grateful! When I first called Dan, he was easy to talk with and he sent me great info to review even before our first in-home lesson. Dan is very patient, never tiring of my questions and interruptions. He was also very willing to include my 9 yr. old and 12 yr. old. This has been great in our work at home with T.J. Dan’s private lessons are wonderful! He never rushes a puppy at any step along the way, always making each session full of learning and fun.
Dan has a true gift of communication both with animals and people. His wealth of knowledge and willingness to share is awesome! T.J. is learning quickly and wags whenever he hears Dan’s voice. We are looking forward to continuing in our work with Dan as our relationship with T.J. continues to grow. I believe that anyone who has the opportunity to work with Dan will see the awesome value as their relationship with their pet blossoms. Many Thanks and Grateful Wags!"
Leanne,
Jordan, Sydney and T.J.
In-Home Puppy Training
"Shortly after bringing our new puppy home it was clear that we could use some guidance in working with this bright, energetic little dog. T.J. is our Portuguese Water Dog. I talked with our vet and he and his staff quickly recommended Dan. Boy, are we grateful! When I first called Dan, he was easy to talk with and he sent me great info to review even before our first in-home lesson. Dan is very patient, never tiring of my questions and interruptions. He was also very willing to include my 9 yr. old and 12 yr. old. This has been great in our work at home with T.J. Dan’s private lessons are wonderful! He never rushes a puppy at any step along the way, always making each session full of learning and fun.
Dan has a true gift of communication both with animals and people. His wealth of knowledge and willingness to share is awesome! T.J. is learning quickly and wags whenever he hears Dan’s voice. We are looking forward to continuing in our work with Dan as our relationship with T.J. continues to grow. I believe that anyone who has the opportunity to work with Dan will see the awesome value as their relationship with their pet blossoms. Many Thanks and Grateful Wags!"
Leanne,
Jordan, Sydney and T.J.
Luna (Stoughton, WI)
Michael E. (Stoughton, WI) 2013
In-Home Training - Follow Up
“Hi Dan,
Things are going fine with Luna. She walks pretty good, doesn't like the long walks when its warm, still stops and
sits for a while. She jumps in the car now with no problems and pretty much just sits in the back seat. We are extremely impressed that we can leave her alone in the house for the 9-10 hours while we are at work and not one problem. Doesn't destroy anything nor pees. We started doing that at about a year old, she is now 15 months. She loves to go in her kennel for bed at night and likes to be locked in, and sleeps until we get up. Couldn't ask for much more out of a young dog. We think all of your training with her helped her to behave like that.”
In-Home Training - Follow Up
“Hi Dan,
Things are going fine with Luna. She walks pretty good, doesn't like the long walks when its warm, still stops and
sits for a while. She jumps in the car now with no problems and pretty much just sits in the back seat. We are extremely impressed that we can leave her alone in the house for the 9-10 hours while we are at work and not one problem. Doesn't destroy anything nor pees. We started doing that at about a year old, she is now 15 months. She loves to go in her kennel for bed at night and likes to be locked in, and sleeps until we get up. Couldn't ask for much more out of a young dog. We think all of your training with her helped her to behave like that.”
Gandhi, "Stay Safe!" Instructor
Officer Cindy Neubert
Oregon Police Department ( 2013)
Safety Camp - "Stay Safe!" Dog Bite Prevention
"You did a wonderful job teaching the children about animal safety. They learned a lot of great information and the children liked meeting Gandhi. We heard many great comments about you from the children and their parents."
Oregon Police Department ( 2013)
Safety Camp - "Stay Safe!" Dog Bite Prevention
"You did a wonderful job teaching the children about animal safety. They learned a lot of great information and the children liked meeting Gandhi. We heard many great comments about you from the children and their parents."
Max (Oregon)
Sara F. (Oregon, WI) 2013
In-Home Puppy Training
"I truly believe your training has made me a better owner and helped us through the early puppy stage. He is such a smart guy, I was always amazed at how quickly you got him to do new things. Max always enjoyed sessions, actually I think it was the highlight of his week! You showed us how fun training can be. Having the individual attention was priceless and has given us such a good foundation for doing a group class to perfect the skills learned. It was so convenient to have you come to our home and work on things in an environment that Max was comfortable in. And having the DVD to reference has been great! The whole experience was great - I would recommend it to everyone with a new puppy! You obviously enjoy what you do and do a phenomenal job at it!!
Thanks so much for your help!"
Sara
In-Home Puppy Training
"I truly believe your training has made me a better owner and helped us through the early puppy stage. He is such a smart guy, I was always amazed at how quickly you got him to do new things. Max always enjoyed sessions, actually I think it was the highlight of his week! You showed us how fun training can be. Having the individual attention was priceless and has given us such a good foundation for doing a group class to perfect the skills learned. It was so convenient to have you come to our home and work on things in an environment that Max was comfortable in. And having the DVD to reference has been great! The whole experience was great - I would recommend it to everyone with a new puppy! You obviously enjoy what you do and do a phenomenal job at it!!
Thanks so much for your help!"
Sara
Charlie (Oregon)
Tegan K. (Oregon, WI) 2013
In-Home Puppy Training
"Dan,
We could not be happier with the in-home training for our puppy Charlie! I have an odd work schedule and your
flexibility really helped me out! As you know, Charlie is very smart, but a true puppy in every mischievous way. I believe the commands that he has learned have taught him how to behave. It was so hard when we brought him home; he did not like sleeping in a crate and kept us up to let us know. Now he goes to his crate to let us know he is ready for bed and doesn’t make a sound! We are so sad that the training has come to an end, but with everything you have taught us and the DVD for reference I am confident Charlie will remain a great puppy! Thank you so much for everything!"
Jake, Verona (Adopted)
Cathy A. (Verona, WI) 2013
In-Home Puppy Training
"Jake is a fully fledged member of the family and is adored and loved by us all. He brings such joy and is everything we could have hoped for in a dog. We are socializing him with people and other dogs-he loves the dog park and doggy daycare is a treat! He is so loving and listens well and we are seeing him make huge strides in all areas. He is fully potty trained. Only licks the kids-never even play bites, he is pulling less on the leash and will sit at every cross-walk on his daily walks. He has full access to all areas of the house including the kids rooms and will walk among their toys without picking them up or chewing them. He is currently lying sunbathing at the patio door on his back, legs in the air! He is such a character and very loved! Thank you so much for all that you did in making his adoption such a blessing for him and for our family. Jake is helping to rewrite people's perceptions of the pit bull:) He is a great ambassador."
In-Home Puppy Training
"Jake is a fully fledged member of the family and is adored and loved by us all. He brings such joy and is everything we could have hoped for in a dog. We are socializing him with people and other dogs-he loves the dog park and doggy daycare is a treat! He is so loving and listens well and we are seeing him make huge strides in all areas. He is fully potty trained. Only licks the kids-never even play bites, he is pulling less on the leash and will sit at every cross-walk on his daily walks. He has full access to all areas of the house including the kids rooms and will walk among their toys without picking them up or chewing them. He is currently lying sunbathing at the patio door on his back, legs in the air! He is such a character and very loved! Thank you so much for all that you did in making his adoption such a blessing for him and for our family. Jake is helping to rewrite people's perceptions of the pit bull:) He is a great ambassador."
Erin S. (Brooklyn, WI) 2013
In-Home Training
"Hi Dan. I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for your work with Enzo, and for coming to talk to the family when we recently added a new family member from the Humane Society. Your explanation of dog behavior was
instrumental in making the transition a good one. You were awesome with my kids, and left them with valuable information about appropriate behavior when they approach or interact with any dog. We are so happy that we decided to rescue....and are so grateful for your patience, kindness and knowledge. Enzo now gets to play with your dogs once per week, at Old Stone Pet Lodge--and he loves it! Your advice was spot on!"
Finley (Madison, WI)
Jamie C. and Tracie R. (Madison, WI) 2013
In-Home Puppy Training
"We just wanted to let you know how pleased we were with the 6-week training session you provided for us and our puppy, Finley. Your professionalism and knowledge of dogs was evident in all our interactions. You made learning so fun for Finley…..and us! We are still amazed at all that he’s learned. The in-home sessions were so convenient and allowed us to teach Finley in his own environment, which was helpful. We hope to work with you more as Finley grows into adulthood. Thanks for everything!"
In-Home Puppy Training
"We just wanted to let you know how pleased we were with the 6-week training session you provided for us and our puppy, Finley. Your professionalism and knowledge of dogs was evident in all our interactions. You made learning so fun for Finley…..and us! We are still amazed at all that he’s learned. The in-home sessions were so convenient and allowed us to teach Finley in his own environment, which was helpful. We hope to work with you more as Finley grows into adulthood. Thanks for everything!"
Ian
Donna O. (Madison, WI) 2013
In-Home Training
“Dan Antolec, Happy Buddha Dog Training LLC, was recommended to me by my veterinarian about one week after I'd adopted my rescue dog, Ian, in January, 2013. Dan contacted me the same day that I'd called regarding information on his training theories and the rest is history.
In just a few weeks Dan's positive training techniques, along with his gentle, soft- spoken manner, instilled a calm in Ian that had not been present prior to these sessions. He also taught me the skills- including the proper hand signals and body communication - needed to reinforce the training he had provided. Ian progressed immediately and eagerly in his classes on various beginning manners commands and has been a joy to work with on the commands I've taught him since my class with Dan ended. It really was an amazing experience to see what
Dan's approach of gentle positive reinforcement made in Ian's personality and willingness to learn new things.
Dan's onsite teaching methods and personal assistance in improving my own training abilities, along with the DVDs and helpful literature he provided as part of his class, have made Ian a much more loving and enjoyable family member for not only me, but for guests in my home as well.
I would, without hesitation, recommend Dan Antolec to anyone who wants to see their dog progress into a loving, willingly-obedient and faithful canine companion. His passion for dogs and their ability to learn is apparent and very much appreciated.”
In-Home Training
“Dan Antolec, Happy Buddha Dog Training LLC, was recommended to me by my veterinarian about one week after I'd adopted my rescue dog, Ian, in January, 2013. Dan contacted me the same day that I'd called regarding information on his training theories and the rest is history.
In just a few weeks Dan's positive training techniques, along with his gentle, soft- spoken manner, instilled a calm in Ian that had not been present prior to these sessions. He also taught me the skills- including the proper hand signals and body communication - needed to reinforce the training he had provided. Ian progressed immediately and eagerly in his classes on various beginning manners commands and has been a joy to work with on the commands I've taught him since my class with Dan ended. It really was an amazing experience to see what
Dan's approach of gentle positive reinforcement made in Ian's personality and willingness to learn new things.
Dan's onsite teaching methods and personal assistance in improving my own training abilities, along with the DVDs and helpful literature he provided as part of his class, have made Ian a much more loving and enjoyable family member for not only me, but for guests in my home as well.
I would, without hesitation, recommend Dan Antolec to anyone who wants to see their dog progress into a loving, willingly-obedient and faithful canine companion. His passion for dogs and their ability to learn is apparent and very much appreciated.”
Luna (Oregon, WI)
Linda B. (Oregon, WI) 2013
Group Class and In-Home Training
(On 11-10-13 Luna passed her Pet Partners test and became a registered therapy dog!)
“I just completed my second obedience training with Dan and am so sad it is over. I have had dogs my whole life and have never experienced such an attentive, loving soul as Dan. It’s been fun to watch his operant conditioning methods work with my puppy Luna. I could watch her think the process through and see her be as thrilled as I was when she was successful. The education was for me as much as for Luna, and I have really come a long way in my relationship with her. She is attentive and eager to behave, and I now have the confidence to continue working with her.
Dan is loving, patient, a great source of knowledge in dog behavior. He would spend time during and after class, teaching and helping us grow in our relationship with our dogs. In one class, he told me that dogs give us everything in their short time on this earth, and we owe it to them to give them the love and training needed to communicate with each other. Thanks to Dan, I feel I have a great start. If you love your dog, Dan will help you and your dog achieve a deeper bond with each other, as I have with my wonderful Goldendoodle. Thank you Dan for the gift of yourself, you are a gift to any dog-lover’s world!”
Group Class and In-Home Training
(On 11-10-13 Luna passed her Pet Partners test and became a registered therapy dog!)
“I just completed my second obedience training with Dan and am so sad it is over. I have had dogs my whole life and have never experienced such an attentive, loving soul as Dan. It’s been fun to watch his operant conditioning methods work with my puppy Luna. I could watch her think the process through and see her be as thrilled as I was when she was successful. The education was for me as much as for Luna, and I have really come a long way in my relationship with her. She is attentive and eager to behave, and I now have the confidence to continue working with her.
Dan is loving, patient, a great source of knowledge in dog behavior. He would spend time during and after class, teaching and helping us grow in our relationship with our dogs. In one class, he told me that dogs give us everything in their short time on this earth, and we owe it to them to give them the love and training needed to communicate with each other. Thanks to Dan, I feel I have a great start. If you love your dog, Dan will help you and your dog achieve a deeper bond with each other, as I have with my wonderful Goldendoodle. Thank you Dan for the gift of yourself, you are a gift to any dog-lover’s world!”
Thor writes a letter to Santa...with a little help.
Vicki and Mark J. (Oregon, WI) 2013
Small Group Puppy Class
“We began dog training with our Polish Lowland Sheep dog Thor because of Thor’s intelligence, and not in a good way. We picked Thor up from the breeder this summer when he was 9 weeks old, and we became very closely bonded to Thor and he to us during a 3,000 mile trip out west where Thor went with us literally everywhere at the age of roughly 3-4 months. But during and after this trip we began to wonder if his name was Thor or No-Thor? He learned very quickly to ring the bell to go outside for the bathroom at only 10 weeks. But he would steal items from around the house and play games for our attention. He would generally stay with us in the yard, but again he play games that were not structured by us (hide and seek under the deck etc).
Dan explained that much of this is just how he plays, and to stop some unwanted behaviors we needed to positively reinforce good behaviors while redirecting Thor from the unwanted behavior. We also needed to provide socialization opportunities for Thor to continue to grow.
We read some of the research Dan suggests you read that says there is no evidence that dogs love their humans but we are sure they do. And Dan provides a class where we learned how to use his love for us to redirect Thor and train him in a positive fun way. We think Dan was teaching us how to speak dog.
Unfortunately there is not room on the page to explain how much fun we had and how expert Dan is at teaching humans to train their dogs (to speak dog). Now that we have finished the sessions, Dan has given us suggestions on what to do next-continue our training at home and let Thor continue to grow up. We will in the future do another class with Dan and we will stay in contact because of everything above and more. Thanks
Dan!!!”
Small Group Puppy Class
“We began dog training with our Polish Lowland Sheep dog Thor because of Thor’s intelligence, and not in a good way. We picked Thor up from the breeder this summer when he was 9 weeks old, and we became very closely bonded to Thor and he to us during a 3,000 mile trip out west where Thor went with us literally everywhere at the age of roughly 3-4 months. But during and after this trip we began to wonder if his name was Thor or No-Thor? He learned very quickly to ring the bell to go outside for the bathroom at only 10 weeks. But he would steal items from around the house and play games for our attention. He would generally stay with us in the yard, but again he play games that were not structured by us (hide and seek under the deck etc).
Dan explained that much of this is just how he plays, and to stop some unwanted behaviors we needed to positively reinforce good behaviors while redirecting Thor from the unwanted behavior. We also needed to provide socialization opportunities for Thor to continue to grow.
We read some of the research Dan suggests you read that says there is no evidence that dogs love their humans but we are sure they do. And Dan provides a class where we learned how to use his love for us to redirect Thor and train him in a positive fun way. We think Dan was teaching us how to speak dog.
Unfortunately there is not room on the page to explain how much fun we had and how expert Dan is at teaching humans to train their dogs (to speak dog). Now that we have finished the sessions, Dan has given us suggestions on what to do next-continue our training at home and let Thor continue to grow up. We will in the future do another class with Dan and we will stay in contact because of everything above and more. Thanks
Dan!!!”
Reba
John and Peg R. (Oregon, WI) 2013
Puppy Training
“We took our puppy Reba to Dan’s Happy Buddha Dog Training class to learn how to train and socialize our puppy. At our first session during play time Reba and another dog were “playing” very roughly and teeth were out, etc. I rushed in to break them up and Dan calmly stepped next to me and asked “Exactly what behaviors are you seeing that are bothering you.” I replied “That”pointing at the exposed teeth, growling, and flying hair. Dan replied “That is play.” “See the curved bodies, lack of eye contact…”and about 20 more things to look for. (I later saw these all on his training DVD.) I have owned dogs since I was 10 years old and I was totally blown away by his knowledge.
That was the beginning of an incredibly positive educational experience for me, my wife Peg, and Reba. The atmosphere in Dan’s class was friendly and calm. Dan has an incredible knowledge base, both from experience and research. He can “read” a dog from across the room and seems to always know how to get them to improve their behavior. He provides endless “positive reinforcement”for dog and owner as well as a very real concern for both. We will soon be starting another round of training with Dan and are very excited about it. This
time we plan to ask Dan about what to do with a puppy who thinks she is a beaver.”
Puppy Training
“We took our puppy Reba to Dan’s Happy Buddha Dog Training class to learn how to train and socialize our puppy. At our first session during play time Reba and another dog were “playing” very roughly and teeth were out, etc. I rushed in to break them up and Dan calmly stepped next to me and asked “Exactly what behaviors are you seeing that are bothering you.” I replied “That”pointing at the exposed teeth, growling, and flying hair. Dan replied “That is play.” “See the curved bodies, lack of eye contact…”and about 20 more things to look for. (I later saw these all on his training DVD.) I have owned dogs since I was 10 years old and I was totally blown away by his knowledge.
That was the beginning of an incredibly positive educational experience for me, my wife Peg, and Reba. The atmosphere in Dan’s class was friendly and calm. Dan has an incredible knowledge base, both from experience and research. He can “read” a dog from across the room and seems to always know how to get them to improve their behavior. He provides endless “positive reinforcement”for dog and owner as well as a very real concern for both. We will soon be starting another round of training with Dan and are very excited about it. This
time we plan to ask Dan about what to do with a puppy who thinks she is a beaver.”
John B. (Stoughton, WI) 2013
In-Home Training
“Dan Antolec was recommended to me by some friends in Stoughton after he worked with their dog so I contacted him to work with me and my two and a half year old boxer, Hans. Hans is my first dog since I
was a child on the farm many years ago so I wanted some direction as to making him a great companion. I was impressed by Dan's methods. They were founded in research and current practices and he explained them thoroughly in clear and easy to understand language. This made the training easy to implement, because I
understood clearly what the components were. Dan's manner is calm and reassuring and his love of dogs was evident in every minute of every session. I particularly liked the fact that the methods were positive and humane.
Negativity was just not evident in our sessions. The results of our six sessions were amazing to me and what I particularly appreciated is that the basic methods of re enforcement have transferred to other areas of training for me and Hans. Dan has my greatest appreciation, respect, and recommendation.”
In-Home Training
“Dan Antolec was recommended to me by some friends in Stoughton after he worked with their dog so I contacted him to work with me and my two and a half year old boxer, Hans. Hans is my first dog since I
was a child on the farm many years ago so I wanted some direction as to making him a great companion. I was impressed by Dan's methods. They were founded in research and current practices and he explained them thoroughly in clear and easy to understand language. This made the training easy to implement, because I
understood clearly what the components were. Dan's manner is calm and reassuring and his love of dogs was evident in every minute of every session. I particularly liked the fact that the methods were positive and humane.
Negativity was just not evident in our sessions. The results of our six sessions were amazing to me and what I particularly appreciated is that the basic methods of re enforcement have transferred to other areas of training for me and Hans. Dan has my greatest appreciation, respect, and recommendation.”
Bailey
Terri and Dave H. (Oregon, WI) 2013
In-Home Puppy Training
"We brought Bailey, our cockapoo, home on October 30th, 2012 at 13 weeks old, and knew we wanted this dog to be well-trained. Thankfully our vet recommended Dan, and we soon began in-home training. The progress Bailey (and her owners) have made in just four sessions is remarkable. Bailey has learned sit, look, touch, leave it, and wait, and seems to love her time with Dan here. Bailey’s negative behaviors are now being replaced by positive ones, thanks to the training we’ve learned from Dan. Another benefit is that Dan spends extra time with us to
answer all of our questions, and is available for phone consultations at no extra cost. We would highly recommend Dan and his positive training techniques for any dog and their owner."
In-Home Puppy Training
"We brought Bailey, our cockapoo, home on October 30th, 2012 at 13 weeks old, and knew we wanted this dog to be well-trained. Thankfully our vet recommended Dan, and we soon began in-home training. The progress Bailey (and her owners) have made in just four sessions is remarkable. Bailey has learned sit, look, touch, leave it, and wait, and seems to love her time with Dan here. Bailey’s negative behaviors are now being replaced by positive ones, thanks to the training we’ve learned from Dan. Another benefit is that Dan spends extra time with us to
answer all of our questions, and is available for phone consultations at no extra cost. We would highly recommend Dan and his positive training techniques for any dog and their owner."
2012 Testimonials
Peter and Skye
Peter M. (Oregon, WI) 2012
Small Group and In-Home Training
"My name is Peter M. and I raise Boxers in the Oregon Area. The handsome girl (below) is Skye, the newest addition to our family. She joins Chia, her mom and Misty, her sister along with her uncle Mooch, an English Bulldog. I began puppy classes with Dan this fall and what a difference. The place that I used to go to had very large classes, as many as 10 or 12 dogs per class. Dan’s classes are much smaller and you get a great deal of individualized attention. He had Skye doing things during the first class that took a month or more with my other dogs. He has a very well rounded philosophy of teaching. While he probably won’t admit it, he makes as much effort at teaching the owner as he does the dog. One of my friends has him for private lessons and was astounded by how fast his two year old Boxer could learn. It is truly a rewarding experience for both the puppy and the owner."
Small Group and In-Home Training
"My name is Peter M. and I raise Boxers in the Oregon Area. The handsome girl (below) is Skye, the newest addition to our family. She joins Chia, her mom and Misty, her sister along with her uncle Mooch, an English Bulldog. I began puppy classes with Dan this fall and what a difference. The place that I used to go to had very large classes, as many as 10 or 12 dogs per class. Dan’s classes are much smaller and you get a great deal of individualized attention. He had Skye doing things during the first class that took a month or more with my other dogs. He has a very well rounded philosophy of teaching. While he probably won’t admit it, he makes as much effort at teaching the owner as he does the dog. One of my friends has him for private lessons and was astounded by how fast his two year old Boxer could learn. It is truly a rewarding experience for both the puppy and the owner."
Robert and Joyce W. (Oregon, WI) 2012
In-Home Training
“Dan visited our home for Dusty's training. His hands on approach began her training in sit-wait-stay -leave it and bed. She responded to him very well. In addition to his work with her, we benefited from his knowledge base that he shared with us. We would not hesitate to recommend Dan to anyone looking to teach their dog how to be a better member of their family. Thank you Dan - and Dusty thanks you for all the belly rubs that you gave her.”
In-Home Training
“Dan visited our home for Dusty's training. His hands on approach began her training in sit-wait-stay -leave it and bed. She responded to him very well. In addition to his work with her, we benefited from his knowledge base that he shared with us. We would not hesitate to recommend Dan to anyone looking to teach their dog how to be a better member of their family. Thank you Dan - and Dusty thanks you for all the belly rubs that you gave her.”
Buddy (Stoughton, WI)
Jason and Susan M. (Stoughton, WI) 2012
In-Home Puppy Training
“Working with Dan from Happy Buddha Dog Training was a great experience for our puppy Buddy and my family. Dan’s approach to training, which focuses on positive reinforcement and redirection, has worked wonderfully with Buddy. The training sessions are informative and focus on developing core obedience skills that transfer to all situations and locations. Easily the best decision we've made since bringing Bubby into our home."
In-Home Puppy Training
“Working with Dan from Happy Buddha Dog Training was a great experience for our puppy Buddy and my family. Dan’s approach to training, which focuses on positive reinforcement and redirection, has worked wonderfully with Buddy. The training sessions are informative and focus on developing core obedience skills that transfer to all situations and locations. Easily the best decision we've made since bringing Bubby into our home."
Billy and Jana M. (Oregon, WI) 2012
Small Group Class
“We highly recommend Dan for training our dog. He is very knowledgeable, kind and patient. He truly cares about the progress that we make each week with our Golden Retriever. We plan to continue more extensive training with Dan in future classes.”
Lydia enjoys her graduation prize.
Maureen and Steve O. (Monona, WI) 2012
In-home Puppy Training
“After much frustration and confusion trying to train our Australian Terrier puppy Lydia, we were referred to Dan and are so happy that we found him! He took command of the situation within 10 minutes of her first session. She was enamored with him from the start with his gentle, confident demeanor. Each session brought new insights as to how to teach Lydia basic skills that were incredibly helpful for (all) our survival! Potty and kennel training, basic commands, and learning how to work with our puppy in fun ways literally saved our relationship with her. Shortly after we got Lydia (who was 9 weeks old at the time) I broke my arm and wrist and was pretty disabled for several months, so being able to manage a puppy was critical to our keeping her.
We can’t say enough about the value of the training sessions with Dan. He has such a positive attitude and is truly a gifted trainer. After a couple sessions we finally got around to watching the DVD (which is excellent) and when Lydia heard his voice she jumped in the chair with me and was poised and intrigued to watch Dan on TV. His love of dogs is evident in every aspect of his training and we knew we were all in good hands from the start! I can honestly say that the training Lydia and we went through was the best gift we ever gave ourselves because it made the difference in our ability to keep and raise her! We now have a happy puppy that loves to learn and we can have fun along with her! Thanks Dan! You’re a great teacher for all of us!”
In-home Puppy Training
“After much frustration and confusion trying to train our Australian Terrier puppy Lydia, we were referred to Dan and are so happy that we found him! He took command of the situation within 10 minutes of her first session. She was enamored with him from the start with his gentle, confident demeanor. Each session brought new insights as to how to teach Lydia basic skills that were incredibly helpful for (all) our survival! Potty and kennel training, basic commands, and learning how to work with our puppy in fun ways literally saved our relationship with her. Shortly after we got Lydia (who was 9 weeks old at the time) I broke my arm and wrist and was pretty disabled for several months, so being able to manage a puppy was critical to our keeping her.
We can’t say enough about the value of the training sessions with Dan. He has such a positive attitude and is truly a gifted trainer. After a couple sessions we finally got around to watching the DVD (which is excellent) and when Lydia heard his voice she jumped in the chair with me and was poised and intrigued to watch Dan on TV. His love of dogs is evident in every aspect of his training and we knew we were all in good hands from the start! I can honestly say that the training Lydia and we went through was the best gift we ever gave ourselves because it made the difference in our ability to keep and raise her! We now have a happy puppy that loves to learn and we can have fun along with her! Thanks Dan! You’re a great teacher for all of us!”
My name is Radar!
Gail S. (Stoughton, WI) 2012
In-Home Training
“When we got Radar last summer from an animal shelter he was a very sweet but completely untrained young adult male. He has a lot of energy and expressed it by jumping on people, chasing after anything that caught his interest, and chewing our shoes, among other things. I was especially concerned that he often didn’t come when called, because we live in a rural area and I was worried he’d run off. Dan thought that learning basic obedience would help with his “impulse control” and improve his behavior overall, and it has made a big difference both in the house and outdoors. Through positive reinforcement and a persistent approach, Dan taught Radar the basic commands and behaviors that have made him a much more polite and well-mannered dog, without sacrificing his natural enthusiasm. More importantly, he taught me how to continue to train Radar, so that he’s the good companion I was hoping he’d be.”
In-Home Training
“When we got Radar last summer from an animal shelter he was a very sweet but completely untrained young adult male. He has a lot of energy and expressed it by jumping on people, chasing after anything that caught his interest, and chewing our shoes, among other things. I was especially concerned that he often didn’t come when called, because we live in a rural area and I was worried he’d run off. Dan thought that learning basic obedience would help with his “impulse control” and improve his behavior overall, and it has made a big difference both in the house and outdoors. Through positive reinforcement and a persistent approach, Dan taught Radar the basic commands and behaviors that have made him a much more polite and well-mannered dog, without sacrificing his natural enthusiasm. More importantly, he taught me how to continue to train Radar, so that he’s the good companion I was hoping he’d be.”
I was adopted December 2nd, 2012!
Nicole M. (Evansville, WI) 2012
In-Home Training and Behavior Modification
“My husband and I were fostering a dog named Ranger. After 8 weeks with us Ranger had made very little progress and had started to regress. The rescue organization deemed him beyond rehabilitation and hence he was sentenced to death. We were not willing to accept that fate for him. In our search for alternatives we found Happy Buddha Dog Training. Trainer Dan met with Ranger for an evaluation and saw the glimmer of hope in him that we did. After just the first visit with Dan we began to see Ranger’s transformation begin.
Dan taught us how to work on Ranger’s many behavioral issues. Dan is an amazing dog trainer! He knows a great deal about dog behavior and he is kind and patient. He has an obvious love for helping dogs in need and their owners. Dan was there through Ranger’s entire transformation cheering us on and answering any questions we had. He was even willing to come over and teach the adoptive family exactly how to care for Ranger and keep him happy. We can not thank Dan enough for working with us and ultimately saving Ranger’s life!”
In-Home Training and Behavior Modification
“My husband and I were fostering a dog named Ranger. After 8 weeks with us Ranger had made very little progress and had started to regress. The rescue organization deemed him beyond rehabilitation and hence he was sentenced to death. We were not willing to accept that fate for him. In our search for alternatives we found Happy Buddha Dog Training. Trainer Dan met with Ranger for an evaluation and saw the glimmer of hope in him that we did. After just the first visit with Dan we began to see Ranger’s transformation begin.
Dan taught us how to work on Ranger’s many behavioral issues. Dan is an amazing dog trainer! He knows a great deal about dog behavior and he is kind and patient. He has an obvious love for helping dogs in need and their owners. Dan was there through Ranger’s entire transformation cheering us on and answering any questions we had. He was even willing to come over and teach the adoptive family exactly how to care for Ranger and keep him happy. We can not thank Dan enough for working with us and ultimately saving Ranger’s life!”
Nigel!
Carrie D. (Oregon, WI) 2012
In-Home Training
"I adopted Nigel when he was 1 year old from Italian Greyhound Rescue. He obviously had little training. A young high energy dog w/o training can be a nightmare. He was very impulsive, lacked any doggie manners and was difficult to walk as he gets crazy when we meet people or dogs while he is on leash. Lucky for him he's very cute as has a sweet cuddly side to his personality.
I heard about Dan and Happy Buddha Dog Training through the doggie daycare and signed him up for obedience training. We just finished our final session and he has really made a lot of progress. He is much more focused and listens so much better. Dan teaches both the dog and the person. I have learned skills that I can continue to use in the future to help Nigel become a better dog. He's not the perfect dog yet but we have the knowledge and skills now to keep improving Nigel’s behavior. I would definitely recommend Dan to anyone looking for a dog trainer."
Bethany and Barry
Darling Pet Rescue, WI (2012)
Village Animal Clinic Private Lessons
"Our experience with Happy Buddha Dog Training has been wonderful. Dan has a gentle, yet very respectful method of training which helps dogs progress quickly. Our most recent foster dog, Frosty, a Siberian Husky, came to us after being housed in an outdoor kennel for seven years. He was shy and didn't understand the role of humans in his life. It was uplifting to watch Frosty develop confidence, learn some manners, and understand that humans can provide him with the care and structure he needed. After just three weeks Frosty was well on his way in his progress of becoming a happy, well-adjusted, confident dog. Dan's work with Frosty allowed him to find a normal home where he shares his life with humans and another dog. I enjoy working with Dan and look forward to bringing future foster dogs to Happy Buddha Dog Training. Thank you!"
Bethany
Village Animal Clinic Private Lessons
"Our experience with Happy Buddha Dog Training has been wonderful. Dan has a gentle, yet very respectful method of training which helps dogs progress quickly. Our most recent foster dog, Frosty, a Siberian Husky, came to us after being housed in an outdoor kennel for seven years. He was shy and didn't understand the role of humans in his life. It was uplifting to watch Frosty develop confidence, learn some manners, and understand that humans can provide him with the care and structure he needed. After just three weeks Frosty was well on his way in his progress of becoming a happy, well-adjusted, confident dog. Dan's work with Frosty allowed him to find a normal home where he shares his life with humans and another dog. I enjoy working with Dan and look forward to bringing future foster dogs to Happy Buddha Dog Training. Thank you!"
Bethany
www.DarlingPetRescue.com
During puppy class.
Anne Gergen (Fitchburg, WI) 2012
Small Group Puppy Class
“My daughter and I recently completed a puppy training class with Dan. We initially signed up because this was my daughter's first dog and I wanted her to have the experience of training him, etc. I thought that I knew alot because I had owned dogs previously. We were both pleasantly surprised. Dan presented interesting information in an easy to understand format. His demonstrations and feedback was very helpful to us.
My daughter took over much of the training practice. I learned some new information. We both identified opportunities at home to apply what we learned. We were very pleased with the class and are happy to recommend Dan as a trainer.”
Small Group Puppy Class
“My daughter and I recently completed a puppy training class with Dan. We initially signed up because this was my daughter's first dog and I wanted her to have the experience of training him, etc. I thought that I knew alot because I had owned dogs previously. We were both pleasantly surprised. Dan presented interesting information in an easy to understand format. His demonstrations and feedback was very helpful to us.
My daughter took over much of the training practice. I learned some new information. We both identified opportunities at home to apply what we learned. We were very pleased with the class and are happy to recommend Dan as a trainer.”
Buddy wants to drive!
Pete and Debbie L. (Oregon, WI) 2012
Group Puppy Class
"Your passion for dogs is evident in the way you teach your class. It is so special to have met someone who has such love and respect for his pets. Dogs truly do become special family members who bring lots of joy to a home. We love Buddy. It has been so fun to watch him learn and grow. You have given us a gift by sharing all of your knowledge of dog behavior and training techniques. It has given us such good insight on how to interact in a positive manner with Buddy. Puppy behavior can be so difficult to deal with sometimes, but Pete and I feel more confident in our ability to deal with difficult behavior. We can see that learning to deal with this in a positive manner can only help us to have a better behaved pet. Buddy seems to enjoy learning how to please us. Thank you so much."
Group Puppy Class
"Your passion for dogs is evident in the way you teach your class. It is so special to have met someone who has such love and respect for his pets. Dogs truly do become special family members who bring lots of joy to a home. We love Buddy. It has been so fun to watch him learn and grow. You have given us a gift by sharing all of your knowledge of dog behavior and training techniques. It has given us such good insight on how to interact in a positive manner with Buddy. Puppy behavior can be so difficult to deal with sometimes, but Pete and I feel more confident in our ability to deal with difficult behavior. We can see that learning to deal with this in a positive manner can only help us to have a better behaved pet. Buddy seems to enjoy learning how to please us. Thank you so much."
Raji romping with Gandhi
Janice and Andrew V. (Oregon, WI) 2012
Group Training Class
“I can speak for everyone (in class) when I say that what we have learned from you during our training class at Hound Huddle made us see training techniques as socialization tools and not just obedience.”
Group Training Class
“I can speak for everyone (in class) when I say that what we have learned from you during our training class at Hound Huddle made us see training techniques as socialization tools and not just obedience.”
Upbeat Treat Dog Training (Madison, WI) 2012
Fellow Professional Trainer
"I have known Dan Antolec since 2010 when we met at the Hound Huddle as training instructors. I have been training agility, obedience and rally classes at the Hound Huddle since that time. Dan has been teaching puppy classes at the Hound Huddle and I have had the pleasure of working with several of his “graduates” in my more advanced classes.
Dan and I have worked together often, creating training plans, talking about different methods and how best to convey those methods to our students. Dan has always been very interested in furthering his knowledge of dog behavior and learning and I have been happy to help him learn.
I have watched several of Dan’s puppy classes and they are always well planned and conducted. Dan gives ample attention to each of his students and adapts as needed to each individual dog/handler team. He has excellent observational skills, and is very good at pointing out little details in body language that often affect training that most never notice.
Dan has produced a training guide as well as a DVD for his students and is very passionate about teaching people how to communicate with their dogs. I highly recommend Dan as a dog trainer. Please feel free to contact me at any time if you have further questions."
Sincerely,
Renee Grittner
Upbeat Treat Dog Training
608-512-2170
http://www.upbeattreatdogtraining.com
[email protected]
Lacey!
Loretta H. and Marcy W> (November, 2012)
Small Group Class
“We were searching for a dog trainer who would listen and understand our dog’s behavior. We found the perfect trainer in Dan Antolec. Dan listens with his heart: he is understanding, compassionate, and firm but gentle with our dog. He is not a “cookie cutter” trainer giving general and broad sweeping resolutions, but tailor makes his class to the needs of the dogs. He observes the owners and offers tips to improve communication with our dog.
He helped our dog in overcoming impulse behavior and went beyond teaching rote obedience. Recognizing our issues, he continues to send articles he has found about problem solving with our dog. He clearly states his parameters in training and when another type of trainer might be needed. He is forthright, connects well with both humans and canines, and goes beyond the time constraints of the class to ensure that both owners and canines have a good symbiotic relationship.”
Hi! I'm Manny.
Gina and Joe C., DeForest, WI (November 2012)
In-Home Training
“My husband and I highly recommend Dan to anyone considering hiring a trainer for their dog. Our miniature dachshund puppy had a tough start at life. He was very sick, constantly on several medications, and we had to be careful not to expose him to anything that his weak immune system wouldn’t be able to fight off. Unfortunately he didn’t get the socialization he needed in those critical first few months of life.
As soon as he was healthy, we signed him up for Puppy Pre-School, taught by Dan. We loved the puppy classes! Our puppy learned a lot and so did we! After class ended and time went on we started becoming concerned about our puppy’s socialization skills. Each time we would introduce him to someone new it was very stressful; he would avoid the new person, bark constantly, and even nip. We tried dealing with it on our own, but things kept getting worse. Finally, at our puppy’s annual check-up we asked the vet what we should do. The vet recommended we contact Dan for some one-on-one training. Dan responded to us right away and we were able to set up a time for him to come to our house and work with our puppy.
I’m not exaggerating when I say that things started improving instantly once we began training with Dan. We wished we had known about his one-on-one training sooner! The first time Dan came to the door, our puppy was scared and barked a lot, but he warmed up to Dan faster than we expected. The second visit he barked a couple times, but soon remembered that there’s nothing to be afraid of – especially since Dan brings hot dog treats! By the third session, our puppy barely made a sound when Dan came to the door, and he was actually excited to have a visitor. We couldn’t believe it!
Not only did Dan help our puppy gain an incredible amount of confidence, he taught my husband and me a lot too. All along we were trying to do what was right for our puppy, but some of the things we were doing were actually holding him back. Dan taught us several new ways to work with our puppy and we were honestly amazed by the progress we made after each session. We can’t say enough good things about Dan. He’s done more than we could have hoped for. In addition to taking the time to come to our house, he’s always willing to answer questions or send us extra training materials.
He could easily charge significantly more than he does, but he keeps training affordable. It’s clear that Dan
sees the importance of positive training and is willing to do whatever he can to make it a success. We are
constantly recommending Dan to our friends and family and sharing the progress we’ve made. It’s hard to
believe that our puppy was once so afraid of meeting someone new, but now he’s eager to approach new people, especially if they have treats or a ball to toss. We can’t thank Dan enough!!!”
Luna...prior to training!
Michael and Gail E., Stoughton, WI (2012)
In-Home Training
“This is a highly recommended referral to anyone contemplating choosing Dan Antolec to train their dogs. We contacted Dan for obedience training for our 9 week old Lab in May of 2012. Dan came to our house and explained what the course would entail and also tailored the instruction to specific training we wanted our dog to have, in addition to the basic obedience training.
Dan provided us with both video and written demonstrations of different types of dog behaviors and training techniques to review between training sessions, which really helped in our everyday training with our puppy. Dan was very thorough and passionate about the training and expressed the desire to see owners have a well behaved dog and develop a bond of friendship. Dan uses reward-based training techniques and discourages any type of physical punishment. Dan is very patient to work with and is very knowledgeable.
The sessions were very fun for both us and our pup. We were amazed at how quickly he trained our puppy and how well she responded to the training. After completion of the basic obedience training we decided to continue
advanced training due to how well she did during sessions with Dan. I recommend Dan Antolec for your dog’s training.”
In-Home Training
“This is a highly recommended referral to anyone contemplating choosing Dan Antolec to train their dogs. We contacted Dan for obedience training for our 9 week old Lab in May of 2012. Dan came to our house and explained what the course would entail and also tailored the instruction to specific training we wanted our dog to have, in addition to the basic obedience training.
Dan provided us with both video and written demonstrations of different types of dog behaviors and training techniques to review between training sessions, which really helped in our everyday training with our puppy. Dan was very thorough and passionate about the training and expressed the desire to see owners have a well behaved dog and develop a bond of friendship. Dan uses reward-based training techniques and discourages any type of physical punishment. Dan is very patient to work with and is very knowledgeable.
The sessions were very fun for both us and our pup. We were amazed at how quickly he trained our puppy and how well she responded to the training. After completion of the basic obedience training we decided to continue
advanced training due to how well she did during sessions with Dan. I recommend Dan Antolec for your dog’s training.”
Happy Buddha Dog Training wants to help you with your pet!
Providing excellent personalized in-home training