Testimonials

★★★★★ | Diana Furey

” Dear Paul, I just wanted to write and say THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! Honestly, I can’t even believe how well Murphy is behaving, and you only left here about an hour ago. As a writer, I have written plenty of reviews on various restaurants, companies, and experiences, But I can honestly say that I am the most excited to write this one! I’ll start with a little background for the people reading this review of your company: Murphy is my baby. My 1-year-old, 80 pound baby. I got him when he was 8 weeks old and can’t imagine my life without him. Of course there have been a lot of break downs, tears, yelling, and screaming along the way. I love Murph more than anything, but there are sometimes I don’t like him. Also, Murphy is VERY strong. So strong that I once had to get x-rays on my wrist from his excessive pulling, and I sometimes wake in the middle of the night with a throbbing shoulder. He’s an incredibly sweet, submissive dog, who loves people, kids, dogs, and cats alike, but can look very scary and intimidating when he stands on his hind legs and barks ferociously at anyone who walks past. It was very embarrassing for me to not have control of my own dog. With that said, Paul explained to me that I can’t treat Murphy like a baby, because it isn’t one. He is a dog. He needs structure and he needs me to take over as the Pack Leader. Up until my session with Paul today, Murphy was 100% in charge. I coddled him. I constantly gave into him. As soon as I saw those sweet, sad eyes whenever I yelled at him for something, I would always end up apologizing to HIM! Something had to change. I had signed up and cancelled with at least 3 different trainers before finding Paul. Something about his background and the reviews on his site just resonated with me, and I knew he was the one that would be able to “save” Murphy and I. A lot of the companies I came across used a shock collar or a prong collar to train. I just didn’t think those were tools that Murphy would learn with best. Plus, would I ALWAYS have to have the shock collar or prong collar with me? Would he not listen if I had accidentally misplaced them? I didn’t want to depend on them, so I decided that we wouldn’t try those ways. All Paul uses to teach is a chain collar that loops over Murphy’s neck. It’s his new necklace, and he just looks so handsome with it! J It took about 3-4 gentle pulls of the collar to make Murphy understand what it’s purpose was. It’s like something just clicked in his brain. He stopped pulling and walking ahead of me. There is something so beautiful to me whenever I see an owner and dog walking together. It’s like they share a mutual respect for each other, and it shows to everyone around. I no longer look like the owner that can’t handle her own dog. I doubt I’ll ever hear “Who is walking whom?” from strangers again. Like I said, it has literally only been about an hour since Paul left, but I am EXTREMELY confident that everything I learned today will combat all of the behavioral issues Murphy (and I) have. I just needed to learn the right way to teach my dog. I know it will take practice, but I couldn’t be more excited to see the end result. Paul, I just can’t thank you enough!!! I will recommend you to EVERYONE I know! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!! “

★★★★★ | Denise and Kurt Hankins

” Paul truly is a “dog’s best friend!” Shortly after rescuing our dogs, we realized how many behavioral problems they had. After trying our best on our own to fix them, we realized they were more than we could handle, and sadly, we were ready to give them up. We were truly at our “wit’s end” when we called Paul, and he literally came to our rescue. He showed us how to be “pack leaders” in every instance. We can now walk Murphy, our Border Collie/Aussie Shepard mix, and actually enjoy it! He no longer pulls us or goes crazy when he sees other dogs. In fact, we can now walk Murphy and Mia together! Unbelievable! Paul also showed us how to get Murphy to behave at the dog park. Murphy no longer drags us to the entrance in his excitement to get going. He actually sits and waits for us to give him permission to go through the gate. Mia is our Border Collie rescue that we adopted so Murphy could have a playmate. We love her very much, but she came with a few of her own problems. She is quite the barker and herder. We have taught her the word “off,” and she no longer constantly herds Murphy. Both dogs were barking at “every little thing” (the doorbell, mailman, cars, and kids), and we are now using “quiet” as the command to stop them. Paul showed them (and us) how to greet our guests appropriately at the door. This will take a little longer, but we are making progress with our two strong-willed dogs. We are just happy that there is HOPE! We have learned that our two high-energy dogs just needed to know who their pack leaders were and that we need to continue to practice consistency and proper techniques. Paul has shown us that our dogs are trainable and lovable. We now know that we can have success with a little patience and “pack leader” mentality. Thank you Paul for showing us that WE CAN DO IT. We love our dogs and are so glad that we CAN keep them and make them socially acceptable too! . . . and a final thought for everyone is that Paul is right. . . “Dog’s DO NOT rule” as the saying goes. . . it is okay if “they only drool!””

★★★★★ | Liz and Julie

” We contacted Paul in the midst of a crisis. Our rescue puppy had been showing signs of possible dog aggression, and bit the neighbor’s dog. Thankfully the bite was extremely minor but served to get our attention. Our little girl needed help and nothing we were doing seemed to work. As often happens, the bad behavior of our puppy was rubbing off on our normally well behaved older dog. We were desperate. Getting rid of Julia (our puppy) was completely out of the question and we were willing to do whatever it took. After only one session with Paul, our girls were practically different dogs! He assured us they were not aggressive but extremely unbalanced. We were giving off the wrong signals and they were in a constant state of mental instability. They were feeding off of each other’s anxiety and it was manifesting in erratic behavior (perceived as aggression). Paul showed us how to be the “pack leaders” by doing simple things like making sure they were in a calm state of mind prior to taking them out to potty and making sure WE walked out the door first. It was crazy how such minor tweaks to our daily routine could make such a difference, but it did. It has been a couple of weeks since Paul visited, and I can tell you, my angels have maintained the change. I can actually walk both dogs together which I never thought possible. When we have company over they don’t jump up on our guests, and more than anything Julia is not lunging at other dogs in the neighborhood on our nightly walks (or on potty breaks). We are in awe of how much change can happen in just one session with Paul. Thank you so much Paul from the bottom of our hearts!!”

★★★★★ | Ileana

“To Euthanize or not,”… I debated this decision for several weeks as I struggled with a fear aggressive dog. Usually I can rehab my animal fosters within a couple of days, or weeks, but this time I kept hitting road blocks. My foster dog, Delilah, is in my eyes a great dog. She is everything i envision in a companion: she is leash, house, potty and crate trained, knows numerous commands, extremely affectionate, and loves to play, especially in water. However, despite these wonderful traits, Delilah feared dogs approaching or touching her. Because she was extremely affectionate towards me and other humans, and this was the only defect I saw, I suspected she was probably abused as a bait dog in dog fights. Frustrated and extremely discouraged that no dog trainer would help me rehab Delilah because she was “aggressive” I had considered taking Delilah back to OCAS, which was bothering me because I’ve never had to return an animal for euthanasia. But thankfully someone last minute referred me to Paul Pipitone from Dogs Best Friend of Central Florida because he straightened her out in no time at all. I was extremely impressed with Paul’s knowledge in dog behavior, especially with how quickly he corrected Delilah’s fear aggression. Within 3 sessions and 1 Doggy Boot Camp with Paul, Delilah was running with a pack of dogs; it was unsureal. Delilah was not a bad dog, she just was not properly trained. She reacted out of fear because she felt she was the pack leader and had to protect me from other dogs. Now that she sees that I am in control of the situation and that I am the pack leader, Delilah is more calm and submissive. I’d like to say a huge thank you to Paul Pipitone from Dogs Best Friends of Central Florida for supporting my mission to rescue bully breeds and for helping me to rehabilitate and train my foster dog, Delilah, when no one else would.”

★★★★★ | Joey and Kelly Fatone

“Hey Paul, Roscoe is doing well and has completely adjusted to the routine of our home. Roscoe and Bailey play hard together and most nights I can find Roscoe lying in Baileys arms. Bailey enjoys mothering him and cleans his ears frequently… Joey has mastered using the dremmel tool for grinding the nails of the dogs. Thank you for the tip!! Looking forward to the weather cooling down so we can continue our walks with the dogs!! They are spoiled with the AC as am I…..”

★★★★★ | Erika and Ken Brilliant

“Hi Paul, Just wanted to update you on Flash’s progress since you came to work with us a few weeks ago. He’s responding really well to everything you taught us. The day after you left, my mother was over visiting and playing ball with him by the pool. When the ball went into the pool he went right in after it. He didn’t swim to it but he went down to the second step without hesitation and retrieved it with his mouth. We’ve taken him in the pool since and he still resists but it doesn’t take as long to get him actually swimming as it did initially. His jumping on people has improved as well. He’ll still jump up when he’s excited but he no longer puts his paws on you when he jumps. Every now and then he forgets himself and we have to correct him but he’s been really easy to work with. He learned the food ritual so quickly, too! Now when I put the food in the bowl he immediately sits, wags his tail, and smiles at me until I give him the go-ahead to eat. He still gets distracted while he eats sometimes but he’s made such great progress! We’ve also been working with him on not running to the door and that’s been successful as well. All in all, a homerun! Thanks for your help and as we get more settled I’m sure we’ll be contacting you to help us in the future.”

★★★★★ | Ian and Laura Kholer

“Ian and I have noticed a change in Gorby since the training session yesterday. Gorby and the cat can now stare at each other a few feet away and he does not chase after him. Ian feels more comfortable with the dog now that he knows “what to do” with him. I’m thinking this has to do with your explanation of how a dog thinks and how to lead him. I will continue to let you know his progress and will work on his behavior around the cat. I would recommend a personal training session to anyone versus taking a 6-week course at a pet store. Having a trainer come into your home and personally assess the situation is the best way to rehabilitate your dog’s behavior.”

★★★★★ | Bob Church

“Paul, I want to thank you for the time you spent with Charlee and me. As you know, Charlee is a special part of my life. Being in the wheelchair is a big change for me in everything I do. I was worried that I could not provide Charlee with enough “outside time” that he needed. You showed me that he wants me to be his leader. You taught Charlee to walk calmly next to me without pulling over the wheelchair. Going for walks with Charlee, or in my case, rolls, is now such a pleasure. Charlee picks up on my state of mind and reacts accordingly. Your help has made a difference in how we relate to each other. You taught me how important this is so I can continue to enjoy my best friend’s company and activities both in and outside the house. We look forward to spending more time with you. You have opened many “doors” for us already. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge.”

★★★★★ | Brian Kellum

“Paul did a fantastic job! He showed us what we needed to do in order to bring our dogs back together. They had been fighting each other and couldn’t be anywhere near each other. Within an hour of Paul’s being here, he was able to get them close to each other without having a fight break out. They were calm, quite, and trusted Paul, which was very interesting. Also, Paul gave us action steps to follow in order to get our dogs together again without fighting. He was great!”

★★★★★ | Paula H.

“I knew when we decided on our breed (Airedale Terrier) we were going to have to get help from a trainer. I searched the web and decided on Paul Pipitone with Dog’s Best Friend. During our first phone conversation, he was kind enough to help me with a few immediate issues, like crate training and getting Bella to sleep through the night. Thanks to Paul and a few easy tricks of the trade he taught me, we were able to get Bella to sleep through the night, that night. That showed me if he can do that, we needed to have him come to the house for a formal training session. The first day, he taught Bella to walk on a leash (which we were never able to do) and got her to stop going potty in the crate by teaching us his house potty training method–all of which we are very grateful for. The main reason I will continue to use and recommend Paul to anyone who will listen, is because he stands by his training. He also not only trains your dogs, but he trains us on how to train our dogs. The knowledge he passes along is priceless, and he has a love for what he does and a love for our dogs. I could not ask for more in a trainer.”

★★★★★ | Chris & Marty

“Two week ago we rescued a one year old, female West Highland Terrier named Scout. She has been very aggressive to our 2 cats and our other dog Bailey. She chased the cats as if they were prey, and snapped at Bailey constantly. Our peaceful home had become a war zone. Chris and I thought we had made a huge mistake, and would have to give her up. We decided to look for a trainer and we found Paul. We like to call him our miracle worker sent from heaven above. Paul came to our house and worked with the whole family. Before the session was over, Scout had already changed her behavior. She was no longer snapping at Bailey, and started to show a little respect for the cats. It has been just three days and our house has returned to a peaceful haven for our beloved animals and their parents. Scout does not chase the cats anymore and she has become pals with Bailey. They sleep together during the day and eat their meals side by side without incident. We have followed Paul’s instructions to the letter and they are fool proof. We cannot sing Paul’s praises enough. He is amazing. He turned our cantankerous Westie into a loving, well behaved member of our family. We fully believe that there isn’t a problem with a dog that Paul cannot remedy. And to his credit he also can train people (who like us) thought we knew what we were doing. He is patient with the dogs and the people. We keep his card handy and recommend him to everyone that we see. The Dog Whisperer……shoot he needs to move over, he can’t hold a candle to Paul. Once again, we can’t thank you enough. If anyone would like to talk to us personally we would be more than happy to tell you how awesome Paul is and why you should call him immediately.”

★★★★★ | Casey , Jewels, & Scholastic

“Before I called Paul, I was at my wits end with my dogs taking over my life. I found myself always on edge and nervous when it was time to “take the dogs out.” I love both of my dogs, Jewels (4 year old, lab mix), and Scholastic (1 year old, chihuahua). When I first brought Scholastic home 8 months ago, I noticed Jewels’ behavior start changing little by little. She loved her new little brother and was always on alert as to his well-being. Then slowly, she started showing signs of aggression to the other neighbors dogs. I was very upset when I noticed this dramatic change of behavior in Jewels. It was one “dog fight” later that I realized I really needed help to change her behavior. I don’t think I will ever forget when I heard Paul knock at the door and as usual, my two dogs went crazy alerting me and probably the entire population of Altamonte Springs. The moment I opened the door they did their crazy jumping up and barking non-stop at him. After talking a while, he was able to pinpoint the real issue, and he explained how I needed to change MY energy with the dogs, He taught ME some simple skills to keep in mind before I even began to interact with them that day, such as keeping myself calm and relaxed. NOT showing signs of stress, fear, panic, or uncertainty. I have never had a dog trainer who placed so much emphasis on remembering that dogs can read peoples energy and body language! I will admit I was a bit skeptical at first at the skills Paul was teaching me, but after watching him work with Jewels outside, in our normal everyday environment, I was completely speechless. I was even more amazed when I watched Paul walk Jewels side by side with my neighbor’s dog and she acted as if she didn’t have a care in the world. No aggression, no fighting. She was a different dog in less than 24 hours. I had two separate neighbors who were stunned to see the difference in her. Still happy, but with a much calmer demeanor. Jewels did have one little growling incident with a new dog around the neighborhood, but with the new skills Paul taught me, I knew immediately what to do to correct the behavior, and to do it with confidence. Much of Paul’s first visit was to work on Jewels although; Scholastic did get a few minutes of work in on basic skills. Because he is one of those feisty, stubborn, Chihuahua’s he is going to be a bit more challenging, but I know if I keep doing my part, he will improve. I will be making another appointment with Paul to work with Scholastic next time, and then Jewels can show off her new “lifestyle!” If it wasn’t for Paul’s visit I don’t know what I would have done. Honestly, Paul has given me more insight on myself and my behavior, than my dogs. Paul has been heaven sent and I know that we are a much happier family now, and the future is very promising for Jewels, Scholastic, and me.”

★★★★★ | Bill & Lisa Cannavino (the humans) Carlito, Miguel, Marceau, Maggie & Tomas (the dogs) Central Florida

“Dear Paul, We wanted to send you a letter of thanks for all you have done to help us with our three new rescue pups. Marceau, Maggie and Tomas had significant behavioral and emotional issues; and as you well know, Marceau was totally unadoptable, aggressive, and biting both Bill and I on a daily basis. We already had two senior rescues and then brought these three young rescues into our household. With just the initial visit with you at our home, we transformed our house of mass kayos with gates, wee-wee papers everywhere and clutter, to an organized, tidy house of harmony and calm atmosphere. You showed us how easy it was to put in place a simple routine that creates calm, happy, and well balanced dogs in a very short period of time. All the pups are now secure, happy, and working through their issues beautifully, since you have taught “us” how to guide them and help them overcome their difficult and abusive past. After just one week with you in “Doggy Boot Camp”, Marceau came home a totally different dog. That week you worked with him in your home gave us the edge to continue to help him become a well adjusted member of our “pack” and reverse his terrible biting and behavioral issues. Maggie would totally “shut-down” when you tried to take her for a walk. After just one lesson at your house that day with your amazing pups, she now runs to the front door and can’t wait to go for her walk. You did the same for Tomas. Just one walk with you and he was hooked. All three look forward to their walk every day. Now that we understand “dog psychology”, we can handle new situations and address any issue quickly, so as not to disrupt the harmony that we now have in the pack and in our home. With you we had positive results immediately; other trainers told us not to bother with Marceau and return him to rescue, or they just took our money up front and did absolutely nothing, and even made our situation worse. We now know how important it is to have the right trainer with the right approach based on the individual needs of the dog. It also is so refreshing you are not about the “money”, but you care about each and every dog you help. (And you do rescue too—awesome!) Thank you for keeping in touch with us in our ongoing progress, and we will continue with “brush-up” lessons so we are sure to do the best for our pups. You saved Marceau, and all three of our new rescues will have happy and content lives because of you…and we “all” now enjoy a tranquil and calm home. Thank you again!”