Serving the Washington Metropolitan Area: Washington DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland
Testimonials
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My Cairn Terrier, Tallulah, was getting seriously out of control when we first met Michael. I think Michael wasn't even sure she could help her. Tallulah had come from a rescue organization and Michael suspected she might have been abused in the past. She was lunging and snarling at other dogs and their owners and had bitten one of our favorite repairmen. But after three weeks of training at Michael's canine camp, she now listens and obeys commands!
All the best,
Melinda Smith
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Michael,
On behalf of Tracy and the girls, I wanted to thank you again for all of your help with Max. He is as lovable as ever, but he now respects our house and our rules. I have never been a dog lover, but now I must admit that Max and I are becoming best friends! I have highly recommended you to our friends and family or to anyone who would like their dog to be respectful! Although we would never have given up on him, we all have grown close to him since his return from Camp Michael.
Kindly,
Adam Schwartz
Bethesda, MD
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I have been able to work with Michael on a few occasions. Her keen eye to hone my handler skills has been greatly appreciated.
Hillel Schwartzman and Rex
2011 PSA 3 National Champion
2010 PSA 2 National Champion
High in Obedience
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It’s
hard to say more than these other owners have about what a great job
Michael does, but I want to emphasize three points. First, she stresses
success, not punishment. My wife and I adopted Frankie, a rescue puppy,
when he was about four months old. He’s a very loving dog, but we
couldn’t train him and thus frequently found ourselves saying “No, no,
bad dog!” when he wouldn’t obey what we tried to teach him. Michael, on
the other hand, reinforces the good, so when Frankie doesn’t do what
he’s told, there’s just a “No,” followed by very strong positive
reinforcement (and sometimes a treat) when he gets it right.Second, she didn’t “break” Frankie. He was a 10-month old puppy when he went to Michael’s camp – an exuberant, loving and outgoing dog – who simply didn’t obey directions and wanted to jump up on and embrace everyone he met – or chase every animal he saw on the street. What we got back was the same dog with the same amount of love and exuberance when he’s “off duty,” but who will sit, stay down, or go to his place when ordered, such as when people arrive at the front door or when we pass other dogs on our walks. But when he gets the “OK” to come out of those positions, he’s the same wonderful dog we sent to camp, with the same basic personality, but who now knows how to obey orders.
Third – and we didn’t notice this right away – I’m convinced that Frankie has a greater degree of self-confidence after training. I think the dog really wants to “get it right” and obey orders. If nothing else, he gets our attention and working on commands gives him an activity. But when he gets it right, he seems happy. He doesn’t always want to be in his “down” position, because we’ll see him fidgeting and anxious to greet someone, but he stays there, alert and wagging his tail, as if to say, “How I’m doing?”…. I could go on, but you get the idea. Camp/training with Michael produced a smarter and more self-confident dog, which greatly enhances our enjoyment of him.
Jonathan M. Weisgall
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My kids and I were very nervous to let our little bichon-shihtzu Jiffy go to training camp. When he returned we were amazed at how much he learned. He was our same sweet, fun and feisty puppy but just well behaved. He now has the freedom to run around in the yard and can go to the bathroom and return when we say "come". We were referred to Michael through a friend, after seeing how obedient her dog had become. Michael is awesome and has a great connection with the dogs. Our dog is an even bigger part of our family because he is able to move around more in the house . I highly recommend the training with Michael and DC Metro K9 !!
Jiffy's mom, Monica Turner MD
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Dogs may be man's best friend but Michael teaches how we can be our dogs' best friend. Training your dog properly means that you can take your dog with you to eat at outside restaurants, knowing he will not suddenly decide to take off after a bold squirrel or to steal a hapless child's ice cream cone. The trust you will develop with your dog means both of you will enjoy a better quality of life. And my dog, Beau, a border collie, LOVES Michael. That says it all!Louisa Jaggar
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When we went to collect our border collie puppy Loki from an overnight visit to the vet, we were warned by the staff that our beloved new pet was "not a happy camper." He had bit the vet, balked at going in a crate, and otherwise made himself pretty unpopular. It was at this point we realized our efforts at training Loki by ourselves were proving unsuccessful and that we needed an expert hand.
We called Michael and together decided that the best thing to do was to have her come and work with us once a week. Michael trained us in how to train our dog. Michael's methods revolve around preventing bad habits from becoming ingrained, and rewarding positive behaviors. We followed her instructions closely and the results quickly became apparent.
After one week, Loki started walking only on our left side and always on a loose leash, and his behavior improved from there. By the end of the second week, Loki no longer charged our neighbors barking and snarling. One of the unexpected side benefits has been that Loki is a much calmer and happier dog now, and because of his training, he now enjoys much more freedom than we could have given him in the past. For instance, we can now let him out into a fenced backyard confident he won't start nuisance barking or patrolling the fences.Loki is now so dependable, we could walk him without a leash knowing that he will come on command and sit when needed, no matter what distractions draw his attention.
Recently, while out with Loki and talking to a neighbor who once called him "obnoxious," the neighbor looked at Loki and remarked, "Hey, you're a real dog now."
Thank you Michael for all your help.
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"Our family recently adopted a 3 year old German Shepherd Dog that had
never been around children and had some aggression problems with the
current owners' other dog. The person who inspected our home prior to
the adoption highly recommended DC Metro K9. We contacted
DC Metro K9 and Michael came and evaluated the dog and gave us a good
recommendation. I was very impressed with her ability to read the dog
and her understanding of canine behavior. She also spent a lot of time
explaining the different types of training and how to achieve the best
results. The end result was a great match between the dog and our
family. During the training, Michael worked with me as well as my 6 year old son and our dog to ensure that we had a well behaved family pet. I will continue to work with DC Metro K9 to improve my skills as well as train our dog. I highly recommend DC Metro K9 to everyone interested in getting the most out of their dog.
Jeff M"
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Michael-
I just wanted to let you know how much we appreciated your work with Chase. He was a completely different dog when you returned him to us. He sits, heels, and downs instantly and we only have to ask him once. Most importantly, he COMES to us when we call him. He follows these commands with the entire family, not just me.
He never pulls on the leash anymore and sits down immediately when he sees a bird or squirrel instead of chasing it. The mutual respect that we have for each other is incredible. He just wants to please.
I will continue to recommend you highly to everyone that I know. I don't know how you do it, but you are truly amazing! I also appreciated your pictures and weekly updates during your training.
Your training is priceless.
PA
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When we got our adorable, sweet goldendoodle puppy, we had no real sense of what we were getting ourselves into. Jasper is incredibly playful, and he grew so fast that soon he was knocking my 7 year-old daughter over regularly, jumping up on my 11 year-old son, and pulling my arm almost out of its socket when I took him for a walk. Our house became chaotic; one of my friends suggested that I re-name Jasper to "Jasper-No-No-No!" Although the dog was really sweet tempered, I began to feel like I'd made a real mistake in introducing him into our lives. Friends told me about Michael and DCMetroK9, and I met with Michael. At first I couldn't imagine sending my puppy to "camp:" I was worried that he would change his personality, which we loved, or that the training just wouldn't stick once he got back home. Michael reassured me, and kept saying, "This will be a life-changing experience for you." I told her that I really didn't want her to overpromise -- I didn't want to be disappointed in the long run. She didn't budge -- "This will be a life-changing experience." So we took a leap of faith and sent Jasper away. When he came back, he was... well, perfect. Still the same fun-loving, energetic, adorable dog, but now he was truly obedient. He listens to virtually every command we give him. He heels even when my daughter walks him (she's half his weight). When my son had soccer tryouts at a field in Montgomery County, we took Jasper with us. There were more than 50 boys running around a huge field; on the sidelines were other dogs, younger siblings throwing tennis balls, all kinds of chaos. I sat under a tree and told Jasper to "down," and then to "wait." He lay there, without moving an inch, while my daughter sat in my lap and I read to her for AN HOUR. This was something that was just unimaginable before he was trained. Michael was absolutely right; her work with Jasper has changed our lives.
Deborah
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Gator [a red Golden Retriever] is a rescue from Katrina. He’s sweet to children and adults and gentle, and loving at home but, until we met Michael, quite undisciplined. He’d been rescued from the streets of New Orleans and still had some “street” in him. He’d lunge unpredictably at other dogs, bark whenever he wanted attention from me – like when I’d try to get a cup of coffee -- , and jump with all four feet off of the ground when he saw the mailman. I met Michael in Bethesda while working her own dog, Tessa. Tess was a model dog that sat quietly amidst the commotion of Bethesda off lead while Michael would get herself a cup of coffee.I was going out of town and my friends convinced me to let Gator go to camp with Michael while I was gone. I was skeptical at first and concerned that she would change Gator’s personality. I like my dog’s personality just fine and didn’t want him to come back obedient but docile and devoid of his enthusiasm. Michael promised that she wouldn’t change Gator, only make him fit in my lifestyle, so that I could enjoy him more without always being in fear that he would be obnoxious to my friends and neighbors. And, she did.
Gator’s transformation is nothing short of amazing! My friends emailed me during my travels to tell me that they didn’t recognize him, now that he was so well behaved. He listens, obeys and, as a result doesn’t get scolded. He’s a happy dog and I’m happy to be with him.
Michael understands dogs. She has taught me the importance of being firm and respectful of Gator and, in turn, Gator respects and listens to me. She takes the time to explain the process of training a dog in a logical understandable way and is totally devoted to the dogs under her care. He’s safer, happier and his enthusiasm is still boundless but he follows directions faithfully. It’s wonderful to have him around.
John Bickerman
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I was reluctant at first but training with Michael on the remote changed my entire relationship with Aubie. I wouldn't have it any other way. -Betsy Knight
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After several disappointing tries with group and private trainers for our German Shepherd, we contacted DC METRO K9 for help with training our dog. Although we weren’t thrilled with the idea
of our dog leaving for three weeks (“Empty Nest” syndrome
& all), we were tired of being pulled around the yard. At six months
old, our dog was as heavy as our eight year old son, and a strong
willed and not very well trained nipper/biter!During our initial consultation with Michael Leighton, she asked us to show her what the dog learned from the previous trainer. After taking five, maybe six steps she said, “ok, I’ve seen enough.”
Well, we sent Jackson off to camp. And even though Michael sent pictures and stayed in touch, almost daily sometimes, we still missed our dog. But it was worth it! We can honestly say that our dog knows a variety of commands in German. Likewise, it’s really wonderful having a controlled dog that will play appropriately and follow directions.
We highly recommend DC METRO K9 and truly thank Michael Leighton for all her help with our training and the training of our dog.
Sincerely,
The Kings
Norman III, Wendy & Norman IV
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" Few people know how dogs think and react better than Michael Leighton. Believe me. I've read the books, seen the videos, and canvassed the waterfront for information. Whatever you think you know about dogs, you will still benefit greatly from working with Michael. After a few weeks with our new 4 month old Australian Cattle Dog, we knew we needed serious help. He is a high-drive, high energy, head-strong, opinionated, and very sweet dog. At the time he was also generally unruly and increasingly convinced he should be in charge. When he started snapping at family members who wanted to hug me, I was worried we would have to give him up. I tried working with several trainers, none of whom really understood Reggie.
Finally, a local pet store recommended Michael to us and she has been a blessing! She recognized right away that our very intelligent puppy was fundamentally a working herding dog, not a normal family pet. She built a strong rapport with him that preserved his spirit, fostered his enthusiasm, and directed all his energy to the job at hand---namely obedience. After Reggie took her "Puppy Camp," he came back to us with a set of amazing obedience skills and none of the nonsense or sharp behaviors. As she says, "Obedience trumps bad behavior." Now Reggie is the best behaved member of our family! Everyone of us has built a strong relationship with Reggie and we just couldn't be happier. As my son said, "Now we can just love him and not be angry with him all the time!" We continue to work with Michael, who has been a fabulous resource for us and we move ahead. She explains training principles in a clear way that really educates us and makes us better owners and trainers. Reggie is preparing to be a service dog and Michael will be the key to our success. Now we urge anyone with a new dog to get off on the right foot by calling Michael."
Sam
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Six months ago we acquired a Corgi puppy to keep our 6 year old Corgi company. Paco, the puppy, had a decidedly different temperament than our gentle and docile elder dog, Reilly--or any other Corgi we have had. Despite having taken Paco to two Puppy Manners classes, as he grew, he began to exhibit a mixture of unruly and aggressive behavior toward Reilly and a lack of confidence and shyness toward others.He was becoming a bully to Reilly, who was running out of patience, and I was fearful that a full fledged dog fight would ensue. I asked Michael for help in diagnosing the problems that I had with my dogs. In very short order, Michael was able not only to "read" my two dogs but she was able to teach me what to do to stop Paco's inappropriate behaviors and to improve my dog handling skills, generally.
Moreover, Michael gave Paco the foundation training to enable him to build the confidence he needed to be more calm and relaxed and to be a better canine good citizen. Literally, within five lessons, the household went from one of an occasionally out of control Paco and snarling dogs to one of happy playful ones. Paco is now well behaved and happy and Reilly is once again content. I, in turn, am again the alpha. Both dogs look to me as the one in charge. Michael had a wonderful way with the dogs; they truly responded to her. She was also very helpful and tactful when teaching me what I needed to succeed. Our home is so much more relaxed now. Michael's assistance has made such a difference in the fundamental pet/owner relationships here--something that was never achieved even by the earlier successful completion of two Puppy Manners Classes. I highly recommend DC Metro K9!
L. Egan
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As a novice AKC competitor I contacted Michael Leighton for help in managing my 2 year old working line German Shepherd with an attitude problem. Upon the initial consultation, I quickly realized that she was a good match for my boisterous boy and no doubt had experience with his type. In addition, it was clear she could help me clean up my obedience work and achieve the high scores I wanted.
In spite of the bigger financial investment than I was used to, I chose to move forward with my dog and it has been a valuable experience. Michael gives quality one on one instruction with a commitment of 110%. She has a keen eye and doesn't hesitate to give the feedback you need even if it is not what you were expecting or hoping to hear. Each lesson is geared to the needs of the dog and the progress of the previous lesson. Clearly she puts thought into each lesson plan but is flexible enough to adjust. She insists on taking little steps but has a big picture plan that is worth working for. I have learned to trust her especially if that meant readjusting my goals and time line. Indeed we have made more progress in the last several months than I would have in group classes.
Liz Wade
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"Our friends could not
believe that the dogs we got back after time at the DC Metro K9 camp
were the same two! They are
remarkably well behaved.
They clearly had a great time in the process as they are extremely
excited when Michael stops
by.
Suzi and Jim"
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"To Whom It May Concern:
We have a one-and-a-half year old German Shepherd named Eva. She is very loving but very hard to live with. I have attended a training class at a very reputable training facility and completed a basic obedience training session. When I tried to take another class, the instructor told me I needed to get rid of my dog due to her behavior issues. I dropped out of that class. After my experience with the dog
trainer, I read numerous books ranging from dog psychology, dog
behavior and books on living with difficult dogs. I also attended many
mini seminars on over-reactive dogs.I had to stop taking daily walks with my friend because Eva would go after men with hats, joggers, bicyclists, cars and whomever she did not like. Needless to say, people did not take it well when my dog lunged and barked at them. Worst of all was when she started to chase after my two young sons. Out of the blue, Eva would bark, scratch, and nip at them.
Although I have worked with Eva every day on basic commands, I could not solve all of the issues I mentioned earlier. My options were to give her up to a rescue group or take drastic measures. I called Mrs. Leighton for help. She helped me to pick out the right equipment for my dog and gave us a few private lessons. After her recommended series of lessons, we went to Virginia Beach for a family vacation for the Memorial Day weekend. We rented a cabin surrounded by a huge playground. There were about twenty cabins and everyone seemed to have a least one dog. Right next to our cabin was a Rottweiler and a pit-bull mix tied up on the porch all day long. We had Eva tied to a long lead on our porch as well. There were children screaming, swinging, bicycling and playing catch with a ball right in front of our cabin. Eva did not even bark at any of the activities that were going around her. She was content!!! Best of all, we let her off leash at the beach!!! She did not go after a jogger, walker or other dogs!!! We no longer have yelling in the house all day long and I even let her off leash and play ball with her in my unfenced yard!! Our lives have gotten a lot calmer and I know my dog is happier too. We highly recommend DC Metro K9.
Thank you,
Mrs. H."
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"Dear Michael,
I want to thank you for the great training you gave Callie and me. Being an 8 month old Irish Setter puppy with only a puppy class under her belt, Callie progressed leaps and bounds with the commands we hoped she would master by her first birthday.
Your ability to train me to see the differences in her response based on my directions and tone and movements helped me to bond more closely to her and made “working” lots of fun for her.
I hope you are doing well. We will call when we are ready to move on to more field work or more types of commands.
All the best,
Sara Robinson and Setterwoods Classic Calhoun (Callie)"
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"Thank you so much, Michael, for sending the pictures. They are really great! 'S' is now almost as fast with "sit - down - sit - down" as Tessa, but certainly not as precise. We continue to make progress!
Thanks for all your help.
M.B."
"...His whole disposition has gotten much sweeter although he still has the puppy energy and cuteness. BB"
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"Michael,
MacArthur
is like a new companion. We walk
in the hall and play a lot of ball. He obeys and is much more
cooperative....
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