My husband and I wholeheartedly recommend Crawford Canine Connection. Mary and Kimberlee are truly “dog whisperers”. We have worked with them both for almost eight months and in that time, our dog Harper has changed from an energetic out of control puppy to a calmer, responsive 10 month old dog. For example, her ability to “come” when called saved her life as she was heading full steam towards a busy two lane highway. I have no doubt that Harper would have run into the road if she had not been trained to respond to this recall skill. If not for the training Harper received, she would have been injured or possibly killed. The best part of Harper’s training program was the specific program designed to fit hers and our needs resulting in a successful outcome for our dog.
We will definitely call on Crawford Canine Connections in the future for training tuneups (both Harper’s and ours) and to keep these two amazing dog trainers connected to our pup!
—Denise J.
Crawford Canine Connection excels in designing a training program specific to your dog’s (and owner’s) needs. Their initial evaluation & proposed training program was thorough, integrating our requests and their recommendations to truly change our dog’s world for the better. Every training session was designed for positive reinforcement training only. Our dog Jax was already dealing with fear and anxiety-based issues, the last thing we wanted was a rigid training program. Throughout the training program, Kimberlee & Mary adjusted their training methods to maintain a stress-free experience for our dog with lasting results.
Jax was adopted into our home when he was 4 years old. We knew little of his history except that this would be at least his 3rd new home in 4 years. He is now 5 ½ years old and a happy boy living in his forever home. Crawford Canine Connection was a big part of making that a reality for Jax and our family. After adopting Jax, we spent the first 8 months attempting to sort out his behaviors on our own including evaluations from other dog trainers. We were never able to achieve lasting results until engaging the services of Kimberlee & Mary. Their commitment, compassion, and professionalism are unmatched.
—Mark B.
Our dog Fausto came from a serious abuse and neglect case so it was important that we found trainers that not only understood his background but how to best set him up for success. We are so fortunate to have been introduced to Mary and Kimberlee as they tailored trainings based on his skill set and behavioral opportunities. In addition, they provided fear free vet recommendations and were always available to help answer questions outside of our sessions.
We cannot speak highly enough about them. They are both true animal advocates and their passion shows through their work. They make training fun and the reward of seeing Fausto flourish has been priceless.
-Chelsea Ann
My husband and I had the privilege of working with Mary Crawford of Crawford Canine Connection. We needed help with our 6 month old mastiff. She was reactive to people and cars, and we were getting frustrated trying to help her calm down. After several months of Mary working with Hazel, and with us, we had a more confident dog who was able to learn. We also learned to recognize early signs of our pup getting wound up, and to help her settle back down before reaching her stress threshold. This has made a huge difference in our lives and we are grateful!
-Sarah B.
With your help, we have learned to be better owners and Bindi is much more calm and confident. All of us are living more harmonious and enjoyable lives because of the training. Thank you so much for all the great training skills to help us with Bindi.
-Janette and Bob B.
We can’t express how much you changed our lives and have given us and Cinderella the opportunity to have the best life possible. We think back sometimes to where we started, and how close we came to being another statistic. I’m excited to see how far we go with our pit bull ambassador. I took her to work and she remained calm and did “leave it” to a cat that was less than 6 feet in front of her, and a small dog in the same situation! Cinderella did great and I almost cried. She’s the best and we couldn’t have done it without you.
-Libby and James S.
We opened the door to Mary Crawford. She greeted us and immediately dropped to her knees to greet our dog Toby. From then on, every time she got near our front door, Toby was there to welcome her. She establishes instant rapport with her canine clients. She helped us understand his body language which gave us clues as to why he was such a barker. She showed us how to de-escalate his anxiety when seeing other dogs, animals, and people. She taught us a combination of movements on leash and cues to move Toby away from his triggers. We recommend her very highly. Toby is calmer, happier, and more confident with us and in our home. We cannot thank her enough.
-David and Linda N.
I am a retired teacher and I see how students love to have success in learning; it builds their confidence and trust that they can learn. Training a dog is similar.
I was about to enroll Penny Roo in a week-long boarding type of training. I would leave her with a trainer from Saturday to Saturday and she would return to me a “fixed” dog.
I was uneasy leaving her training to a stranger. How would I be able to reinforce training if I had not shared the experience? It was at this time Mary had responded to my inquiries for a trainer, so I asked her opinion. Mary explained her training would involve me, take place in my home and there would be weekly homework that I had to commit to doing with Penny. I wanted to a have a great relationship with Penny who is young, smart and trainable, and her approach made sense.
It is thrilling to watch Penny’s self-control and JOY when we train on our walks. She is less vigilant and distracted because we keep our connection. Penny Roo is a different dog, and I am a different owner. I recommend Mary’s training to anyone willing to work as hard as your dog.
-Cathy F.
I adopted Quinn when he was already an older gentleman, taken off of the streets with severe burns all down his back leg and multiple scars across the rest of his body – clearly, he had a rough past. But he and I immediately bonded, and he quickly proved himself to be the sweetest, most affectionate pup I’ve ever known. So when, months later, he started showing aggressive reactions to other humans, I was extremely distressed – I had never had a shelter dog, and I had no idea how to take care of a one who was unpredictably snapping at people.
But then, my vet recommended Mary without hesitation, and I have been beyond grateful for this. Mary is amazing. Other testimonials prove that she makes a difference in the behaviors of the dogs and the people she helps, and this was definitely true with Quinn. But she also went a long way toward actually teaching me about dogs and giving me the resources to take care of my sweet, slightly damanged pup even once our lessons were over. She also has gone above and beyond in showing that she genuinely cares about us – all of this has meant that she easily earned my trust and will keep it forever.
Mary (and her associate who we worked with, Libby) reminded me that Quinn – and, for that matter, any dog – is not a “bad dog” just because he has some issues. I’m so relieved that Mary has shown me how to give a senior dog like Quinn a good home where we all can be comfortable and happy.
-Laurel C.
I can’t thank Mary enough for the wonderful training and support she provided for our Golden Retriever puppy Millie! The strategies Mary taught us to incorporate have helped our family learn how to manage all of Millie’s challenging behaviors and big puppy energy. Mary helped us successfully address Millie’s resource guarding and also taught us how to calm her high energy. As soon as Mary stepped in, she immediately provided insight and expertise that we had never heard of, despite exhaustively researching training tips on our own. She is worth every penny. Mary’s professionalism, training tips and carefully customized reports after each training session are invaluable, but it is her cheerful disposition and genuine love for the animals and humans she works with that make her one in a million. Thank you Mary!
-Cheri and Chris B.