I love ya’ll so much! You changed my life! Here is my story;
This is the absolute best dog training facility in the world! My puppy German Shepherd was a major handful! She barked aggressively to everyone but us, jumped on counters, ate everything including plastic and clothes and pee’d and pooped all over the house. I was at a loss. I have had a lot of shelter rescues over the years and never had dealt with a puppy quite like this. So, I literally googled dog training and took a chance that I may find some help! Boy did I ever! They kept her for 3 weeks and when I got her back she wasn’t perfect but definitely I saw a major change in her behavior. It was amazing! The best part of it all was the one on one training I received from the trainer, John. He taught me how to communicate with my dog, that was the key! It wasn’t about learning how to “sit” or “stay”, it was about forming a relationship with her where she knew who was boss always. They taught ME how to communicate with my dog! How to make her understand the difference between right and wrong. I always thought it was about teaching each “trick” individually. No! Its a much bigger picture than that! Now, I can teach her to do anything and it comes so easily and instinctively to her. I can’t say enough great things about this place and how much it has changed my life with my dog angel Annabelle!
Monnie Lunsford
September, 2019
Gene, the owner, obviously cares more about us and the dogs, than money! We went to him with 2 littermates, males, that were so out of control, that I dreaded getting out of bed every day. They are English Mastiffs, and at 14 months already weigh 150+ pounds...destined to get to around 200-260 each!
He pointed out that with us being 67 years, and my health failing, that we simply had way too much dog to be safe...much less happy. He offered to keep Jeremy, continue his training, and find him a new, and frankly a better forever home. There was no charge for this. He said he didn't plan to sell him, so he didn't need his AKC paperwork.
The boy we brought home, Joshua, is an absolute joy now. He is obedient and respectful. We still continue to work with him on leash manner issues...after all he is still a puppy.
It is imperative for you to attend the classes after the 3 week school is done. THAT is the time for you to get your training!!
I cannot say enough good things about Mr. Obedience, Gene, and his trainers. They're all a class act and they earn every penny of the tuition.
Thanks to all of you.
Katie Hunter
September, 2019
I was hesitant to send our 8 month old yorkiepoo, Coco, away for obedience training. Now that we have gone through the process, I can say it was the best decision and well worth the cost. We were too busy with work to devote the time and consistency it takes to train a puppy. I started my research and found Mister Obedience. His reviews are stellar….and I see why.
Before, our home was somewhat chaotic with lots of yelling and getting nowhere with Coco’s training. It was sad to drop her off for three weeks, but I knew it was for the best. The Mister Obedience facility is very nice and the property is beautiful. The staff is very pleasant and helpful.
Gene really knows dogs! Not only are they training your dog, but you get trained as well. It was comforting to know we were learning how to be good dog owners so we could transition over Coco’s training at home.
The changes in Coco are wonderful and there is much less yelling at our house! If you are at your wits end with your misbehaved dog, you definitely need to see Mister Obedience. Think of it as sending your dog away to camp, but they come back better behaved! Thank you Mister Obedience!
Dana W.
January, 2019
Our two year old lab was a handful for us. We had almost given up until a friend recommended Mr. Obedience. We live in southern Virginia, and I was not sure about driving almost two hours one way to Chapel Hill. I am so glad that we did! Gene Lonsway was the best! Not only did he spend three weeks training our Coby, but he gave us the tools we needed to continue at home. We are so happy with the results. We now have a dog that is a joy to share our home with.
Quick update on Coby: We had to go to Maryland Sunday and had to board him. We just picked him up tonight. The boarding kennel people were AMAZED at the transformation!! He has been going there for almost 2 years and was always as wild as can be. So he was there for almost 4 days this week and they said he was very well behaved. He rode home for 15 miles lying on the back seat like an angel and believe me that would never have happened before. We are ecstatic!! Thank you, thank you!
Brenda Curtis
April, 2017
I just walked my 60-pound boxer/terrier mix dog around the block with no issues. It may not seem like a big deal. However, two months ago that would not have been possible. He would have lunged and barked at any jogger, neighbor, rabbit, bike rider, or anything else that moved. He was a rescue dog with behavior issues, no social skills, and was not food motivated. As a last resort, we enrolled him into Mr. Obedience’s In-Board Training Program. The results were more than impressive. Gene assessed our dog and implemented training strategies and techniques that changed his behavior. He also trained me, as the owner. He taught me the skills to continue working with our dog at home. We now have a dog that enjoys his walks and we have a dog that we can enjoy. I would highly recommend Mr. Obedience for any dog and dog owner.
Bill Goa
March, 2017
Ryan and I would like to thank you for the time and effort you and your theam put into training our dogs, Levon and Henri! Meeting with you also taught us a lot, too, about pet parenting. We appleciate you making our lives exponentially better!
Aphton & Ryan Lang
March, 2017
We brought home an adorable puppy from the shelter. It only took a few days to discover that this cute little dog was nervous, strong willed and difficult to handle. Most distressing of all was the severe aggression toward other dogs. It shocked everyone who witnessed it, and 2 other trainers told us that correcting her behavior may be impossible. We discussed returning her to the shelter, but we knew that aggressive dogs are difficult to rehome.
Gene kept Bailee for 4 weeks, and returned to us a dramatically improved dog. The jumping is gone and the barking is gone. She obeys commands and stays out of trouble. She is still an excitable dog, but she has some self control that was not present previously. Best of all, she remains calm around other dogs, even when the other dogs are barking at her.
Bailee's behavior is continuing to improve, and we are very grateful for the magic that Gene worked wit her. He succeeds when other trainers fail, and we highly recommend him.
Carole and Doug Morris
May, 2015
My husband and I were at our wits end with our yellow lab, Freya. Despite attending several sessions of puppy training classes, she was still hard to control. She jumped on family and friends, dragged me during walks, ate random things, and jumped on furniture. We left her with Gene during the 2014 Christmas/New Years holiday and the improvements in behavior in the dog (and the humans) has been impressive. Gene was very patient with us as we learn to adjust our approach to Freya. Its been a couple of months and she walks nicely on a leach, comes when called, stays off furniture and does not mouth us or touch things that do not belong to her. She is a very nice dog and our family is able to enjoy her sunny Labrador retriever personality without stress or anxiety (my 87 yr old dad visited us this Easter Sunday and she was very well behaved.)
Cristina, Durham, NC
April 14, 2015
Gene knows dogs. He has a carefully thought out philosophy that makes sense. I recommend his approach, as it is honest and practical. He takes time with the dog and delivers results. He takes time with the owner(s) and delivers results. Gene's methods are well grounded in theory and simultaneously evidence based. He has a beautiful facility that speaks to his love of dogs and his professionalism. I recommend his services without hesitation.
John Wurzelmann, Chapel Hill, NC
August 10, 2014
Our sweet, 1½ year old English Setter, Ellie would not listen at all and was driving us crazy! We loved her very much, but felt we couldn’t deal with her poor behavior anymore.
We had gotten to the point of finding her a home, when my wife suggested we give her a final chance. After looking on the internet, we found Chapel Hill Boarding Kennels, and will be forever grateful.
We know Ellie was difficult and a challenge, “Thank You” Gene Lonsway for your patience and skilled training. Ellie is doing GREAT! She listens, minds and is a wonderful companion!
We’re so thankful,
Wilson and Jan Vaughan, Henderson, NC
July 22, 2014
Gene, what you did for Buddy, our Lab, is amazing! We have never owned a big dog before and it was like owning a bull in a china shop. He would run around uncontrollably, though he was a very sweet and loving dog. I almost gave him away, but I knew he had potential. I was so nervous about having him trained, but when I saw all that you could do, I knew it was something I had to do for us and Buddy. When I had my first follow-up training session and you first brought him into the room, I was convinced that you had switched dogs on me.
It's so much fun and peaceful actually having a dog that listens and wants to learn. You have made both him and us much happier! It has been so much fun attending the training sessions. When I first brought Buddy home, it was like having a new baby and not quite knowing what to do with him, but after a ttending the trainings myself, you are a great Instructor and I learned exactly what I needed to do. I feel so great having a trained dog! It's amazing and has made all the difference in the world. I couldn't have done it without you and your expertise! Thank you so much again!
---Elizabeth Gregory
When I contacted you, Abby had only been with us for a few months and we were going through lots of changes in our family. The stress was enormous and adding an untrained puppy to the mix spelled trouble and chaos.
When I picked up Abby after the weeks of training with you, I was delighted to see the transformation. Her beautiful, happy personality now shines through. The training you provided to me after the weeks that she spent with you helped me in so many ways.
One other aspect of the training that I am so happy about is my ability to now take Abby to work with me. As you know, I own SarahCare, an adult day care center in Raleigh that provides care to senior adults with cognitive and physical impairments. Being able to take Abby to the center brings much joy to my participants and I have confidence that Abby will be well behaved and share her love with them.
---Marcia J.
Raleigh, NC
Your lessons helped enormously - so much so that we're no longer embarrassed to take him out in public.
Please keep us informed on the kennel project. We were very happy with how things went when Banzai stayed with you while we were in Florida in March, so we'll definitely be happy to come back.
---Adam Fuss
Thanks so much for transforming my Gus into a nice polite lab! Prior to the training I was wondering how peace would ever be restored in my household again. Incorporating a puppy into a house with a senior dog proved to be difficult for me. So we all got a needed break when we turned Gus over to you for the four week board and train program. The results far exceeded my expectations and I could not be happier with the new behavior. So much so that I am looking forward to a few more training classes to continue our learning.
Thanks again!---Janelle M.
I first met Gene 12 years ago when he helped me train our 2 year old lab mix Rosie. Having a new baby at home and an out of control dog was more than I could handle. At the end of that 12 week course I had a well behaved dog who became a wonderful family companion. Those sessions changed Rosie's life and ours too!
When we got our Golden Doodle puppy, Lyla, I called Gene knowing he would help me raise a puppy our family could enjoy. This time we boarded Lyla with Gene and he transformed her into an obedient dog who is a pleasure to be with. She is a constant companion and a member of our "family pack."
Gene knows dogs like no one else and does an excellent job training them. You won't be disappointed!
---Joy K.
You were my last resort.I was considering finding a new home for my wild, totally out of control Westie. After four weeks with you and your training she has turned out to be such a joy. Still head strong and willful at times but minds immediately. Thanks so much.
---Sharon N.
Dear Gene, Just a short testimonial to you for the wonderful training you gave to us for our very loveable Golden Doodle, Happy.
He is the second dog you have trained for us. We started training with you when Happy was a 7 month old, untrained puppy. With your guidance, he began to show signs of obedience after only a couple of lessons, and by the end of the course, he was completely trained. He is so well behaved and obedient that I do not even put him on a leash when I take him out. He immediately responds to my commands whether another dog or a person comes into view. He is the sweetest, most loveable dog we have ever had. Thanks so much for your knowledge and expertise and help.
---Bob Hotte
Ernest was a shelter dog who had been neglected by a previous owner. He was a 15 pound force of nervous nature who was difficult to control in public, around strangers and other dogs due to his lack of socialization.
Gene did a wonderful job helping us understand how a dog perceives the world around him and how we could help shape that perception so that we could rehabilitate Ernest. We did not undergo a regular dog obedience lessons. We began with socializing Ernest and then moved on to obedience.
Now, thanks to lessons with Gene, Ernest is STILL a force of nature, but now one who is far less nervous about the world around him, who will obey commands and who understands leash manners. We can all now enjoy long hikes and trips to the park without worry.
---Melissa H.
I have just completed a very unexpected adventure with Gene Lonsway owner of Mister Obedience. This was the best decision that I have ever made owning a dog. My wife and I researched extensively training for our new puppy. We live in Raleigh, about a thirty minute drive from Chapel Hill the location of Gene's school.
We decided that five months or so of time driving the thirty minutes was worth a life with our new pet to receive training correctly for both of us.
Having completed the courses with Gene I am not sure if I learned more or our pet learned more, but I am certain we now are both trained. It truly is a partnership process and Gene did an outstanding job with both of us.
I now have a pet that is really a companion. He is a joy to be around and we work very well together to satisfy our respective needs and desires etc. and expectations. I am in charge and while we both understand that, I am able to maintain a leadership position with him that he has come to expect and enjoy. This makes for a great pet/owner relationship.
It truly was a short commitment together for a pet's lifetime in our family.
I highly recommend the Canine College for everyone's pet training needs. However, you do have to be careful, you might find yourself enjoying it and learning as much as your pet.
---Jim and Debbie Sineath
Raleigh, NC
Thank you so much with all your work with us and with our chocolate lab, Manfred. It was very interesting and fun and we are so pleased with the results!
---Paula S.
"Everyday I look at these beautiful pictures of Rosie (our Vizsla) that you sent and am grateful. I appreciate the photos, but even more I appreciate our 2 well-behaved dogs. What a difference you made in our lives and theirs!"
---Andra James
It is almost a year ago that I brought you Sammy. He is doing GREAT!! He is living in NJ with my sister-in-law from my first marriage and her family. They have a big fenced yard which Sammy loves. They also have a home in Cape Cod which they go to every 6-8 weeks. Sammy loves going between both homes. (He is living better than I am!!) He is getting lots of exercise with everyone in the family. They are crazy about him. Everything worked out better than I could have ever hoped for. They stay in touch with me and send me pictures so it is less painful for me to be away from him.
Just wanted to let you know your old bud was doing well. Thanks for your help. I really appreciate it.
---Betsy F.
Jim and I came to Canine College in early 2009, desperate for advice, training, and disciplinary approaches for our two new standard Schnauzer puppies. Both are female (Kerra and Roxy) and came from the same litter. Gene told us immediately that we were going to have big challenges - first of all with two new pups at once and being sisters could make it even harder. I am now happy to say that we have two very disciplined and obedient pups in our home. We are still working on the off-leash obedience, but given how wild and unmanageable they were in the beginning, this is a minor step to their total training. This was the first time Gene has tried to put two pups through the same training together, especially with such opposites trying to train them, so I believe he learned something too. We appreciated Gene's patience during our 15 week course and are very pleased with the outcome. We now have two obedient and enjoyable companions - exactly what we were looking for! Thank you to Gene and Canine College - couldn't have done it without you!!
---Jim and Robin Chapman
Hillsborough, NC
"We are just completing a 12-week course with Gene Lonsway, and it has been a very successful positive experience. His method is based on his excellent knowledge and understanding of how dogs think and learn. The training is built from this understanding and consequently sets the dog up for success. We used positive reinforcement extensively before corrections were applied and that made the training a very pleasant experience for both the dog and us. Our year old Golden Retriever is a joy to live with and take out in public. He can go in crowds and be very relaxed and comfortable. We hope to have him be a therapy dog and we are confident that the manners and behavior he has learned through Gene's methods will make him successful."
---Bob and Susanne Hotte
"Thank you for giving me a method of training that made Mugsy a nice and lovable companion.
Mugsy was 12 weeks of age when he came in December of 2002. Days and weeks passed with him still not being house trained. Finally in February something had to give or he was out of my life.
Fortunately for Mugsy, I found you and after working for one week with your approach there were no accidents. Other lessons continued and Mugsy has learned other useful things to make him a nice companion.
Thanks again for your help.--Janet Pilkington
"Our dog is amazing! So affectionate and vibrant. Always eager to begin her day. She bounces right into it. She will do fine on her trip South on the 15th. She is such a joy and so smart. Hope your Christmas is peaceful. Thanks and love"
---Michele
"I hope all is going well for you and your business. I just wanted to let you know that Maeve the insane Airedale has matured into quite a nice family pet. The neighbor kids no longer scream and hide when they see her in the yard, she and I go on training runs together and most importantly she no longer is the source of family stress. In fact, she is a NICE addition to the family. She DOES tend to follow me around a bit closely but it's more funny than annoying. When I get sick of bumping into her I just tell her to go lay down. Done.
Thanks again for your patience and knowledge. "---Kate Kennedy
"The 1500 mile, three day trip with my two dogs went surprisingly well. I was very apprehensive about managing the dogs during the long hours in the minivan and in strange motels. I was concerned that they might have an accident or run away, and barking or growling at other people and animals were also potential problems. However, to my great relief, the trip went without a hitch. They stayed on exemplary behavior even when a flat tire was getting changed."
---Roy J. Mathew, MD
Professor of Internal Medicine
School of Medicine
Texas Tech University
