Testimonials

I can’t say enough about Dogs by Andy! My dog, Alfred, a Tibetan Terrier, has been difficult since puppyhood with a variety of negative behaviors including extreme anxiety. I tried everything from vets, trainers, meds, books, food and “advice,” but nothing worked until I finally had him off-leash trained at Dogs by Andy by their wonderful trainers. Now Alfred is content and confident and we are a “happy couple.”

The facility at Dogs by Andy is clean and professional. All the staff are friendly and helpful at every turn. I never have to worry about boarding because Alfred is now “one of the family” at Dogs by Andy. I couldn’t be happier!

I wanted to send a quick thanks for establishing the foundation that is my beloved German Shepherd, Clyde. I was lucky enough to be matched up with Clyde by Andy 5 years ago as an on/off-leash trained dog. At the time, I was told he had protection training potential. He has proven to be a loyal, calm, loving, gentle, and yet protective family member. I recently found myself in a situation while at a river with my 3 year old daughter. Unbeknownst to us we had been followed into the woods by 3 men flanking the only 3 routes of escape. Clyde saw them first, and bolted from the water immediately inserting himself between us and the first man he saw, who by the way had a wire held between his hands in a menacing way. Clyde was an intimidating force of barking, growling, and creating a wall between us, and yet never biting. I never called him off or told him it was “okay” (a command I taught him to let him know a stranger/situation is safe/friendly). Rather quickly the man gave up, made a circle motion in the air with his hand, and that’s when I first saw the other 2 men come out from behind the trees and retreat with him. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of a well trained trustworthy dog that you are able to take everywhere with you; I always feel safer when he is around. Everyone that meets him thinks he is this beautiful, well mannered sweetheart, little do they know the secret fearless warrior within. Thank you for Clyde.

Thanks so much, we could not have asked for better care & attention to Sasha. She is learning more every day and is eager to do so. Sasha will definitely continue on with more training. A Big Thank You to her pal Fred!!!

Let me just start by saying this, as I watched Zella from a distance seeing what she accomplished in her 3 weeks of training at Dogs by Andy, the tears of happiness started flowing. I was so overwhelmed with happiness by seeing my baby girl doing so well. The best part of all was me actually taking her off leash and walking down the road and into an open field with total confidence in myself and trust in her. I can’t say enough good things about Andy and his training facility. He will definitely be my always go to trainer and I will definitely recommend him to all my family and friends looking for professional training. Zeela will be returning in February for her protection training also. Andy thanks for making me a very happy woman. Debbie, Brunswick, Ga

Our dog has learned so much, he is always wanting to please! What is probably the best thing is we never have to use a leash anymore; he knows to stay right near us at all times. By far best dog training ever!

What a great facility & trainers! Customer service is top notch! If you want the best protection, this is it.

We just finished the 10 week on and off leash training program with our puppy Stella and our awesome trainer Jacquye. We could not be more pleased. She is only 6 months old but now can walk around Birkdale on a busy Sunday off her leash which is something we would never have dreamed possible just a couple of months ago. We would absolutely recommend Jacquye and Dogs by Andy!

Well worth the drive from charlotte. We just completed the 10 week on/off leash course, and aside from the fact that my dog is well adjusted and understands her place in the household, I love that I can now trust her off leash! We will be back for advanced training.

I first met Andy I was very impressed with his knowledge and the way he controlled Boz, a Belgian Malinois, in a public environment. I was so impressed that I purchased one of Boz’s puppies from Andy and trusted Andy and his staff to properly train him, Knight, in the 3-week boot camp. When Knight returned home he was a completely different animal. I fully expected him to be obedience trained but there was so much more. Justin, his trainer, had not only trained Knight in the Advanced Obedience skills but had also taught him to easily pick up new skills as needed. He is the focused companion I had always hoped he would be. Highly recommended!!!

I will preface this by saying that our two year old Dobermann Pinscher has always been easy to train. Before Andy, we had trained him to do a bunch of things: sit, stay, wait to eat on command, shake hands, lay down. Trouble is, we weren’t consistent (especially with reward and correction), therefore he wasn’t consistent, and we didn’t have a “system”. We had reached our limit of watching YouTube, reading books (Leerburg, etc.) and viewing the Dog Whisperer, though we learned a lot from all of that. So our dog was “trained” to do much things — much of the time — but not consistently and therefore not properly (meaning, he wasn’t really trained). Most of all, we had no control over him if he was off-leash. Problem is, near us (in Asheville) there is nobody who could train properly. We did the research. We know our dog. We interviewed people, watched them train, read reviews. They’ll teach you how to get your dog to sit for treats, or “stay” so as to impress your neighbors, or teach you how to be “one with your dog” (the opposite of what your dog wants and needs), or even how to do dog yoga (I’m not kidding). On the other hand, Andy and his trainers deeply understand dogs, dog psychology, leadership/hierarchy, and use best practices that from my extensive research are consistent across pro trainers. What about Andy Hannelin? Well, he can come across as “gruff”, especially to Southerners perhaps (I don’t think he’ll mind me saying this about him). However, beneath the tough surface, he deeply cares about two things: your dog, and you (probably in that order). You don’t build a business on B.S. After a free eval, tour, and conversation with Andy, we did the three week board-and-train program. It’s expensive for us, but so was the dog, so is our total investment in him, and so is a lawsuit (he became protective and uncontrollable in some situations before Andy) or a burial (he has strong prey drive and would “bolt” after squirrels, cats, etc. even in traffic). Understand that during training, your dog will be trained as promised (it is guaranteed — and actually, they did more than what was promised). What has to happen for it to work then is YOU must be trained. We had to change almost everything (including commands and ways for which we had “successfully” trained him). The dog has new habits and he learned them relatively quickly. But our habits are hard to break. We listened carefully and tried to follow-through during our “training” at pickup. It’s not easy and you will mess up a lot. But after basically getting the hang of it (Fred, who did our graduation transfer, was very patient), we left with a new dog and a new life really. As Andy says, they’ve built a car (a sports car in our case) and you’ve gotta learn to drive it properly. This training was very successful and serves as a baseline to train him for a lot of other commands. That includes protection work. Fred did a lot of the work with our dog and he is a great guy. He bonded very well with our Doberman and that was reassuring since he was gone so long from home. Actually, everybody there knew the dog like he was a family member. If you want to invest in proper training for your dog, Andy’s is the place.

The folks at Dogs by Andy are absolutely amazing. The results were worth every penny spent and then some. I took my dog, Layla through their off-leash obedience training at their location, and couldn’t be happier with the results. First off, the dog training is not only about training the dog, but also the owner. The staff there was so incredibly patient while working with both Layla and me (I needed more training than she did). Next, I love the fact that I can give commands to Layla that she will obey when needed (sit, stay, down, place, etc.), but then be able to tell her ‘Free Dog’ so that she can run around, play and act like a normal puppy. I was on the fence as to how I felt exactly about the e-collars prior to working with Dogs by Andy. Now, I am a firm believer – with the proper use, this is something that I will never have a dog without. Their follow up is also amazing – the guarantee really is a guarantee! Long after training was completed, I had a question and received a call back within less than 24 hours, with their great advice. If you’re looking for a dog trainer, look no further – Dogs by Andy are second to none and I would recommend them to anyone. Thank you to Andy and your wonderful staff!

One of the best dog trainers in the US He helped train our search and rescue dog who led a long, distinguished career – including search operations at the World Trade Center site. Thank Andy

Andy, from dogs by andy is by far the best in the business, i met andy 16 years ago when i had a german sherpard (jett) not only did andy train jett but tranformed my dog into the most well behaved dog ive ever owned.,Untill 4 years ago when jett passed away. I knew i could never replaced jett he was one of a kind. I was lost with out a companion, so i purchased a doberman pincher but andy relocated to North Carolina and i live in new york, I tried to find a trainer in new york but no one came close to andys style of training,not only did i want my doberman (jager) to be trained on and off leash but i wanted him understand hand signals as well, So the only thing to do was a road trip, jager went down to north carolina for a month and came back completly trained. I highly recomend andy and his staff no matter where you live its worth the Trip.

The most knowledgeable person on all things dogs. He has an uncanny sence regarding dogs… You tell him what you want and he will produce a dog that fits that requirement perfectly…. You have a dog to train, he knows exactly how to get your dog to do what it should! We have worked with Andy for about 20 plus years and he has never disappointed… And would never use another trainer. Thank you Andy for all you do;)

Thanks so much, we could not have asked for better care & attention to Sasha. She is learning more every day and is eager to do so. Sasha will definitely continue on with more training. A Big Thank You to her pal Fred!!!

I wanted to let you know that Frank is doing very well. We continue to work on the commands he learned. You did an excellent job with him. I have had three dogs previous to him, and none of them received any training. I will never make that mistake again. It is such a pleasure to have a well behaved dog. And it is actually fun to work with him. I have already recommended Dogs by Andy to my family and friends for any training needs. I hope you enjoy the pictures of Frank. He is now 7 months old.

Shiloh is doing great. I would and have recommended Dogs by Andy to people that ask about her.Our goal was that we’d have a dog we could literally take anywhere and we are very comfortable with that. She is only 7 months old and doing fantastic.

I wanted to thank you for the great job you did training Spencer.I met Andy at a networking event and he talked about all the great success that his company had training dogs. I brought Spencer to you because I could not get him house broke and he kept running out the door every chance he got and I could not catch him. I was always worrying about losing his since he only weighed 2.5 lbs. He was not fun since I was always scolding him. Spencer now lets me know when he has to go out – he is total potty trained and he has mastered the following commands quite well: Come, Sit, Stay, Down,No bit, no bark and Place.He is now part of the family and we can take him with us without worrying about him getting hurt. I even took him on a 4 hour motorcycle ride. Getting a sitter is easy because he is so easy to care for and has a great personality. Spencer loved going to see Amanda- he would run and get his leash when I told him it was time to go to school. The worst part of completing the training- Spencer really misses his training with Amanda. She is awesome.

Well we love our new dogs, and that is how it feels after they have been to boot camp at Dogs By Andy. Lucy, a golden retriever, was impossible for me to train and she is a star as a result of your training. We can and have taken her everywhere with the trainer system and get compliments all the time. She can be trusted to behave even when there are little kids and food around, which are her two greatest loves, so thank you again. Lily , an American pointer, was a three year old rescue dog and her only training was to get tied to a tree. She has learned self-control and commands after being with you. She still struggles to stay with you in heal, and we work with her on this. But she by nature loves to run (fast) and hunt constantly, and with the training I can take both dogs on a walk to an undeveloped area of the lake, where Lucy can go swimming and fishing and Lilly can run through all the brush and chase every bird. Then with the simple command of come, they both sprint back and we walk home together again. One of the best commands (and I thought it was silly) is PLACE. I originally could see no use for this command and now it is used daily. We let the dogs in at night on place and watch tv, when little kids are around , they want to be near the dogs but do not want to get the constant face lick and tail wagging, we can put the dogs on place, and the girls love on them and play near them in a more controlled environment. So thank you again and we love our dogs!

Who would have thought that a family made up of a husband who had a life-long fear of dogs, a wife who is a self-proclaimed “cat person”, a child with autism and a 6 year old afraid of EVERYTHING would end up with a protection dog from Andy? But we did and now the four of us cannot imagine life without our belgian malinois, Drew. She is a sweetheart– very patient with both of our active (and unpredictable sons), follows commands without hesitation and gives the best dog hugs! I have also seen her get protective of us when stray dogs or other “suspicious individuals” have gotten close during our walks…there is a new sense of security Drew has given us all. Andy was amazing training Drew AND our family– he is blunt and effective, making sure we know exactly how to handle Drew. If anyone is considering buying a new protection dog and companion..you HAVE to go to Andy– he is the BEST, hands down!

I brought Gunnar to Dogs by Andy because he was in desperate need of some training. He was about 9 months old at the time and not only was he non-obedient, he was also a very nervous dog. I thought that sending him to the 3-week in-kennel boot camp, I would not only have a well trained dog, but also one that had more confidence when out in public. I couldn’t be more pleased with the results. After his stay, he listens to all of the commands he was taught and has the confidence to be out around more people and dogs without hiding behind me. One thing that I think really sets Dogs by Andy apart from other trainers is the attention that they spend on me and how I handle the dog. They helped me understand exactly what needs to be done to keep up with his training and the common mistakes that are made by owners that may cause a dog to regress. Dogs by Andy was great and I would definitely recommend their services to anyone.

Highly recommend! Everyone was great and it is so obvious that they all really love what they do and take great care of the dogs in their program. My 94lb puppy is now very well trained, and much calmer as a result! I love it and have Dogs by Andy to thank for it! So thanks again!

We had both our dogs on/off leash obedience trained at Dogs by Andy. Our German Shepherd, Jazmine, was first, and it was an amazing change. Before, she would not listen to our commands at all, and after, she became a real part of our family! She listens, I am able to take her for walks and rides in the car. So, when my husband and kids brought home a Belgian Malinois from Andy, there was no question as to who would do his training once he was old enough. Dezel went for training during the month of September, and once again it was an amazing transformation. He is able to come in the house and behave!!! He loves his place bed and is very behaved while riding in the car and on walks.Thank you for helping “train” us to help our dogs become parts of our family time!

Max is behaving beautifully. In addition to the commands you taught him, he gets to practice his social skills at the farmers market. I have taught him to walk loosely on a leash and sit when I stop. I can let him play outside with our neighbor’s doberman and he will stay in the yard. We try to practice on a daily basis. I met Andy at a gun show in Charlotte. Soon after we adopted Max from the Lincolnton animal shelter. We thought we were going to have to return him. He was a terror. Liz and I brought him up and after an initial evaluation Andy said he could help. We enrolled him in the three week course and returned to pick up a different dog. The transformation was amazing. He is now my best buddy and a pleasure to have in the house. We returned for the follow up visits and Max was excited to see Amanda, you are his lifelong friend. Anyone who wants to know how good you are can simply watch the short video you sent a week before we picked Max up. Five months later and he is still that good. Some training facilities teach in a way that is impressive to start then fades soon after. Your training is permanent. Not only did you train Max. You trained me to teach him. Max will have these skills for life. I recommend you every chance I get. Thanks again.

We first got Luna as a tiny, cute puppy. As she started growing, we quickly realized all her energy would require a lot more than the training we received at our pet store. While Luna behaved for my husband most of the time, I tended to let her get away with everything! But as she grew bigger I worried that given her size and energy level, I wouldn’t be able to control her on walks. Even though she was always sweet and cute, nobody wants a full grown German Shepherd jumping all over them. And a GS bark can seem very intimidating to those who aren’t familiar with the breed. I actually cried after walking her by myself and would make my husband go with me or do all the walking. This was heartbreaking as I asked for a second dog so we could enjoy spending time with her outside. I saw an ad for Dogs by Andy and my husband and I did some research online. We met with Andy and decided to try the Board and Train option. I’m so glad we did! When we went to pick Luna up from training, we both cried! The transformation was amazing! I was so worried that all her sweetness would be gone. Quite the opposite was true. Because Luna gets clear direction, she is so much happier! She can walk with me off leash and she loves it! My husband takes her on jogs every morning off leash! I also realized I was the one who needed some training. With the help of Andy and Amanda, my husband and I learned the tools needed to be good leaders for Luna. Our house is much happier for it! Our friends and neighbors are amazed at how well behaved Luna is. We can’t thank you enough Andy! We recommend you to everyone we know with a dog. Thank you for helping us become the dog owners Luna deserves!

Prior to sending Miss Princess Eden of Oglukian Road to sleep away camp she would not listen to my commands. I had to stand outside shaking a bag of her treats in order to get her to listen to me and to come inside Also, she would not run beside me, she would run in front of me then turn around and jump on me to play—needless to say I have many pants with shepherd baby teeth holes. Basically, she was in control of the situation(s). I actually contacted Andy after we came home on NYE 2011 and found our home broken into. I knew I wanted a “trained” GSD. I always heard great things about the breed. I wanted to feel safe in my home again home when my husband was not with me. Working for the District Attorney I spoke with many officers and detectives and they all told me the same thing. THE BEST DETERRENT AGAINST A BREAK-IN, IS A DOG. Alarms, lights…those are all secondary. I found Dogs by Andy online after googling GSD’s Charlotte NC. I was considering buying a German Shepherd puppy online and having it sent to our home. Andy was highly opposed to that idea and told me I have to see the puppies, watch how they interact, and see their mother. Andy referred us to Chad as soon as I told him I wanted a GSD. Brageta (sp?) just had a liter that was ready for adoption. Within hours Andy met us a Chads house and within an hour Andy was going with me, Tzvi, and baby Eden to Petco to help us pick out our supplies. Ha-ask Andy how he forgot his dog at work that afternoon and had to leave Chads to go pick him up. He found his dog sitting on his briefcase waiting for him in front of his office. Anyway, 2 months later Eden was back to visit Dogs by Andy for obedience training. Longest 3 weeks of my life!!! I have mentioned Dogs by Andy to numerous people at work.

Panther is doing great! He is works hard to please us and responds well to praise. He’s still got a lot of puppy left in him but in general he’s doing well. We are able to walk him through the neighborhood without a leash. And he can play in the front yard with the children and stays or returns on command most of the time without a “reminder”. We will continue to work with him and I have no doubts that he will do great. We have recently recommended Dogs by Andy to a friend and former teammate of Olindo’s. Have a great day and thanks again for everything. Hope to see you all soon.

Both Chloe and I had been through another training program but she was still a “wild child,” and I wasn’t really “trained” either! Two of my friends had taken their dogs to Andy, and were very impressed with the results. So was I! I dropped her off right before going on a two-week vacation and picked her up about a week after I came back. The behavioral change was so amazing that I had to ask myself if that was really my Chloe! Amanda was Chloe’s trainer, and she did an incredible job. And it’s great to know that I can bring her back for a refresher lesson should either of us “relapse.” I highly recommended Dogs By Andy (and so does Chloe).

Our training by Dogs by Andy, has been very successful. Buddy, our Havanesse, was a jumper, he now will stay down. Our favorite training tool is “place”. We can send Buddy to his place, and he will stay there safely while someone new comes over, or were eating dinner, or when he just needs to get out from under us! He likes to hang out in his place even when not ordered, its his “safe haven”. His off leash training creates alot of head turning, as our 8 yr old daughter walks him through the neighborhood. Buddy always comes when called, without hesitation. We would recommend this training to anyone, it is very effective. It is an investment in “family peace” well spent.

I highly recommend Dogs by Andy. I brought a lab puppy home to surprise my husband. As the months passed, and our puppy got bigger and more destructive; I realized I must have been out of my mind. This sweet puppy had turned into a high energy dog that chewed everything in sight. He stole food out of your hands, ran off with shoes and glasses and everything that was not glued down. He jumped up on everybody and I was becoming more fearful when the grandchildren visited. The day he chewed up my wicker chair, I threw him outside with his crate and all his toys. What was I to do? Well that is when someone told me about “Dogs by Andy” We sent our dog, Duke for the 3 week training course without really knowing what to expect. The end result has exceeded our wildest expectations. Amanda , his wonderful trainer, has returned to us a dog that is happy, obedient and trustworthy and one we can take anywhere without even a leash.. Duke does everything we say..The transformation is unbelievable. If your old dog is giving you a lot of grief, you can do like we did and pick up your new dog at Dogs by Andy. It is the best investment we have ever made. Duke is now a valuable member of our family.

I wanted to write you a quick note in saying thanks! We have had Jack for over a month now and he has fit in with the family since we let him out of the car. I’ve been gone all month and it is a great feeling knowing that Jack is protecting Theresa and the boys. Our older boy is bonding with Jack quicker than Theresa and I had ever thought. He is always bringing Jack up to his room and outside to play. We really knew that they had a bond when our son invited Jack into his playhouse (which he never did with our old dog). Jack is great in the house and extremely gentle with both the boys. Theresa and I can’t thank you enough. Thanks!

We have just finished the 10 session course with Dogs by Andy and it is still hard to believe just how successful this program has been. Successfully walking off leash was a highlight, but so was the confidence gained by both dog and owners during the process. My wife & I also learned how very important praise was in the training of our dog. Nobody give praise like Andy. Matt was the perfect trainer for our 2 1/2 yr old Boykin Spaniel “Maddie” (and for my wife & me) and he will always be a part of her. We could not be more pleased with the program and its results.

Bebkin is a three year old rescue dog, and spent three and a half weeks with Andy and his team in June and July of this year, and was boarded with them for a week in October, both at the Mooresville location. He is a great dog, and Dogs by Andy, especially Amanda, did a great job training and reinforcing his training. I am in a wheelchair, and Andy’s team actually used a chair to train Bebkin. I make every effort to work with “B” every day, and the great thing is that he obeys much better, and has never lost his terrific personality. I have no reservations about recommending Andy and his team to any dog owner.

We got a dog, Doberman, male, 1 1/2 yrs. old, fully trained Andy Hanellin, got the exact right one for us. We are an older couple and wanted a dog who would not ware us out, and one that would be a sourse of enjoyment. Andy found the dog for us, Otis. Otis is more than we imagined a dog could be. He is sweet, healthy, and happy. He is so obedient, and I am doing more walking which is great for my health. We could have any number of dogs, but we made the right decision in listening to Andy about getting a trained dog. We have know him since he was a teenager and so he knows us and our needs. There isn’t a more perfect marriage than Otis and the Trunz’s. Thanks so much, Andy. We are loving every minute of having Otis.

I had been looking for a dog for a few months after moving to Mooresville. I finally found what seemed to be a great dog to adopt online. I had contacted Andy after seeing his website and he immediately and so generously offered to come evaluate the dog with me. We went all the way to Hickory to meet this dog and as it turned out the German Shepherd Dog, Baby, is a great dog and a lucky find. I immediately enlisted the help of Andy and his expert staff to do some formal training with her. They were great through the whole process. Now, due to the help of Andy and his amazing staff, I am the proud owner of the best, most obedient dog I have ever owned! The best money I’ve ever spent!!

My long-time life partner died unexpectedly a few years ago, my two grandchildren that were with me constantly have grown up and don’t require “baby sitting” (which I loved) and I found myself growing very lonely when not working. A six-week old dachshund entered my life when she was rescued in nearby Gastonia and has quickly become that missing link for which I was searching. I had always resisted having a pet due to the many long hours I worked and the travel that was required… but when I saw those sad eyes in the photo a friend sent, she won my heart… she had to be mine! Even though she had my heart, I found that having a “puppy” was a very challenging undertaking. I accredited some of the problems to previous abuse and sickness she suffered; but found that I just could not deal with all the puppy mischief and activity. Almost ready to find another home for her, the son of a good friend told me about Dogs by Andy. John Postene with Dogs by Andy saved my puppy and her owner. After completing the weekly training sessions, it is absolutely amazing what joy Maizi now brings to my life and how proud I am to take her anywhere knowing that she is well behaved. John not only created an unbelievable transformation with Maizi, but also most importantly trained me so that I now know how to deal with the previous problems. I really did not know what to expect; but from the initial evaluation meeting John made me feel very confident that he could train us to overcome the current issues in addition to learning to obey commands I never even knew existed. Even though I was very insecure at times during the training, John was very sensitive to my hesitations and sometimes spent more time training me than Maizi. I truly appreciate his understanding along with the professionalism and the sincere caring he exhibits for both the dog and their owner. And, yes, both Maize and I can now walk off-leash through a shopping center and actually survive the experience… I never thought I would see that day. It has been a pleasure working with John these last couple of months and I know that I am going to miss his reinforcement. However, I have been reassured that he and Andy will always be there if problems arise. Thank you again for giving me a well-behaved one-year old miniature dachshund that has become a very important, treasured part of my life.

I have had Tuli at home for a week now and the difference in her behavior is amazing. She is a much happier dog in every way. When I left her with you guys she was a sweet dog that loved to play but that was about it. At home she could never be trusted and had to be on a leash constantly when not in a fenced in yard because if she saw something she wanted she would take off after it with disregard to what Anne or I would say and wouldn’t come back unless she wanted to. You know the story… she chased cats , squirrels, other dogs and anything else that moved. She was a real handful to say the least. I watched how you worked with her and you really know you your stuff. I noticed everyone who works with you is happy at what they are doing and love working with and teaching dogs, it just shows on their faces.It also shows when you look at the dogs working with you they are excited and happy to do so. Your whole staff treated each dog as if it were their own. Also as a restaurant owner I can’t believe how clean you keep the kennels and the whole grounds for that matter . Everything in its place all the time, all kennels washed everyday, it was just amazing and very impressive. I liked seeing all kinds of different dogs being trained too. Now that we have Tuli at home it’s a whole different experience. We can take her anywhere now without a leash or worry of her running away and with her dragging us around and you can tell she just wants to please us. She doesn’t grab our shoes in the house anymore or chew on anything other than her toys. Watching Anne take her on a two mile walk thru the neighborhood and town is just amazing and rewarding. I remember how nervous Anne was that Tuli wouldn’t remember us or loose her sweet attitude, well when she saw us after three weeks she was so excited and happy we were there and when we got her home she remembered only the good things like where her toys were and favorite places to be but no more jumping on people and running around the property barking at stuff and she is still as sweet as ever and still does all the cute funny stuff she did before, she is still the same dog but the difference is now she is obedient and patient. Anne myself and my kids are forever gratefull for the wonderful service you and your staff provide. Thanks Andy!

I would like to send you a quick note to give you an update on Megan. Let me start by thanking all of you for your work with Megan. She is doing great and has yet to be on a leash even in the most congested areas. She has never once broken heel, sit or a stay for that matter. I cannot walk more then 50 feet without someone commenting on how well mannered she is. It is truly amazing how your team has transform her in such a short amount of time. I was able to house train her in under 4 days, without one mess up in the house. I know that with continued work she will remain the dog that I always wished for. I would like to send my sincere thanks to you and your team for all that you done for Megan. John could not have been more helpful when I have called for a few suggestions over the last week. Megan has the tools to enjoy life and explore all the things around her, thanks to you all. I will send anyone I know your way in the future. Thanks again for exceeding my expectations.

I just wanted to write a long overdue thanks to Joanne Lewis and to the training program you have put together. My wife and I own two German Shepherds and have tried many other training classes from clicker training to choke collar. While we did get some results from these classes I wouldn’t have considered our dogs by any means trained or well-behaved. I had someone in my office mention Dogs by Andy and how she had seen your dogs work before. After our oldest GSD showed mild signs of aggression protecting a sock she had we decided it was time to finally train these dogs. Joanne was the absolute best trainer and worked so well with both our dogs. Our oldest, Uma, is a very strong-willed dog and she responded beautifully to Joanne. After our sessions with Joanne Uma would be sad that she left. We saw immediate progress in both dogs and by the end of the 12 week program we had dogs that were getting compliments everywhere we went on how well behaved they were. We can now have guests over and put them in the “place” position and again enjoy entertaining at our house. We regularly take them to the dog park and they always come when they are called and get plenty of compliments on their behavior. There isn’t an aggression issue anymore and we just love owning trained and well-behaved dogs all because of your program and Joanne. We always recommend Dogs by Andy any chance we get to talk with other dog owners.

Thanks for a great dog. Thank you also for making it right before I knew anything was wrong. Doing the right thing and professing a mistake is unheard of these days, particularly when you were the only one who knew the mistake. This speaks volumes about your integrity and character. You have proven to be a man of your word and you have demonstrated this over the last few months with your actions. I have to say I didn’t understand the question and answer session when we first met. But your assessment of what I needed versus what I thought I wanted was spot on. My entire family couldn’t be happier. Your knowledge and genuine concern are welcomed attributes. Chloe and I look forward to continuing to learn from you. We appreciate your kindness and patience. Chloe is very responsive to all current commands (a few new) and is eager to learn more. She is truly more dog than I had anticipated and I appreciate you going above and beyond.

My husband and I want to thank you so very much from the bottom and top of our hearts for making our Mandi so happy. We also appreciate you sending these videos and keeping in touch. It really warms my heart to see her playing with other dogs like that. I guess after you are told so often that “your dog is dog aggressive”, you start to believe it. THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!! I can’t wait to see her. I know you are very busy so I won’t keep you. Please know that I am extremely greatful!!!!! Look forward to seeing you, your team, and Mandi very soon…..

When my son wanted a German Sheppard puppy, I said sure. No idea that we would end up with Spike, a high energy German Sheppard who needed a lot more help than the local pet store could provide. Once we completed basic puppy training we were told he needed obedience training. Based on acquaintances recommendations we took him to Highland Kennels in Statesville, NC. After completing their course Spike’s behavior was good for a while, but then started to deteriorate and he started to demonstrate aggressive behavior. Spike is very protective of my family, especially my sons, I was concerned he would bite someone and we would have to put him down. When we requested help from Highland they told me; a.) Put a muzzle on him and b.) We would need to pay per training session. So, before spending money for training that did not work the first time, we looked for a new trainer. Our Vet for 13 years, North Mecklenburg Animal Hospital, recommended Dogs by Andy. A close friend had worked with Dogs by Andy also recommended him. What we found out was Andy and his team care about Dogs, and they immediately cared about Spike. He guaranteed the training. Whenever Spike starts to misbehave and we need help we call and do a quick session. Spike is a great dog thanks to Dogs by Andy, and now I can take him with me to my Son’s soccer practices without fear he will hurt someone. We have since purchased a fully trained Belgium Sheppard from Dogs by Andy, Rocket. She is a joy. She is so well trained she is going everywhere with my husband, who is a contractor. I can’t say enough good things about Dogs by Andy. When people remark on how well behaved my dogs are, I tell them “Dogs by Andy” is due all the credit.

Thanks guys for helping me become the human my dog needs. At first I thought Arley was too much dog for me, but how wrong I was. He is the perfect dog. He has become my confidant, my shoulder to cry on, my best friend. I can count on him not only to protect me, and to help me get around, but knowing he has my back if I fall at home to help me up, or if I need the phone to call 911 is more comfort than I ever imagined. You were patient with me and helped me gain the confidence I needed to know I can handle him. Special hugs to Ashley for the hours she listened to me and worked with me, and to Andy for all the questions he asked to fit me with the right dog… I will keep in touch.

“Katie” is my 3yr old Portuguese Water Dog. 4 months ago I had Katie entered in an AKC Obedience Trial. She started developing aggression towards other dogs and I had to pull her from competition. I was told by a Dog Behaviorist and a few other people that I would never be able to compete Katie in any shows. I would not accept this and went to look for some help. I found Andy He evaluated Katie and said she had Fear Aggression towards other dogs. After 6 weeks of training with Andy I noticed a huge improvement in Katie’s confidence and her attention on me. She was working completely off leash even with other dogs around. I continued with follow up training sessions with Andy and also worked with Jenna who also helped Katie and I a lot. I decided to test Katie on how far along we had come with her training and entered her in her first AKC Obedience Trial May 31st in Fletcher, NC. Katie did great. Out of 11 dogs she got 4th place. And the best part was that she never reacted to any dog. Her attention was totally on me. Katie and I still have some work to do before her next trials in the Fall but we are on the right track. I cannot thank Andy and Jenna enough for helping me with Katie. They helped me develop Katie into the great working dog I knew she could be. If you are looking for a trainer to help you with training your dog I highly recommend Dogs by Andy!!!

I wanted to take a minute and thank you ALL from the bottom of my heart for everything you have done for Deacon and I. I brought Deacon in because he could not be trusted off leash and he needed basic obedience training and I knew I was not capable of teaching him the things he needed to know. The second he would see someone or something across the street, off he would go. Not only is this embarrassing, but this is dangerous. I would command him, and he would turn the other way and do what he wanted to do. Knowing the type of dog he is, a loving, happy and friendly dog, I knew this was not being done out of spite. We were just unable to communicate with each other effectively. Dogs by Andy changed all of this. Deacon is still the same loving and happy dog, but now he is more self assured because he knows what is expected of him. I have complete trust with him off leash, where ever we go. I can honestly say that the in-kennel training not only changed his life, but mine as well. Life is more enjoyable with him now, and I did not think that was possible. Thank you ALL for treating him like your own and changing our lives forever!

Andy worked with our very large GS puppy for obedience training. Within the first hour, Trooper was obeying his commands and transferred his desire to please to us and our nine year old daughter. We’ve had months of enjoyment and have had people make comments about how well-trained he is. I would highly recommend Andy to anyone!

We have just witnessed an almost unbelievable, truly amazing, transformation by our German Shepherd, “Rosie”. Unfortunately, we had treated her more like a child than a dog and while our prior trainers had trained her, they never trained us accordingly; and, we ended up with a dog that was not always under total control. In short, she became the “only child” each of our three children had wanted to be. Andy changed all that in only a few visits, including driving daily from Mooresville to Asheville, accommodating our every need and fear, especially when he took her to busy suburban shopping centers and also downtown in a heavily congested area on a loose lease during the 3rd session. He also brought along his own dog to act as a role model which was most helpful under the circumstances. In this connection, he was sensitive to our insecurities and displayed a most professional approach as well as love and understanding of dogs in general and Rosie in particular. Andy is what anyone would want in a totally skilled trainer and he gave us back the truly outstanding dog we had hoped for and were confident we had at the outset. In the short interim, I have had several people comment on her beauty and manners, one even stopping her car to acknowledge Rosie’s correlative reactions as “grace in motion, a pleasure to watch.” Most importantly, Andy was always available, interested and responsive. We readily recommend him without reservation or equivocation. You could not do better!

Michael and I wanted to thank Andy for all of his expertise and professionalism with training our dog Miles. Miles is a large rottweiler mix and wanted to be alpha dog from the very start, until we met Andy. Not only did he train Miles he also trained us by showing us how to handle, correct and reward Miles. Our dog is now 6.5 years old and 140lbs. He is a breeze to walk and handle. He is very gentle with our 2 daughters and listens great while off his lead. I do not think we would have been able to handle Miles without Andy’s help. We are very thankful for our great dog trained by Andy!

This is one our dogs, K-9 Vega, who works for the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office in I.A. K-9 Vega was asked to come to the post office to do a package search. She alerted on a box that contained these cookies witch were baked with Marijuana. The cookies were then delivered to the addressee who was arrested. Interesting fact — the package was sent from her MOM.

Askem was called in by US Customs to search containers at a port in Riviera Beach and Mangonia Park, FL. Askem had been sold to the local Police Departments by Andy Hanellin. Officer Klubens currently works with Askem. Askem came up with 3,500 lbs hidden behind a false wall in a container. Askem was bread, trained and sold by Andy of Dogs by Andy K-9 Services.

I just wanted to thank Andy. I was trained by Andy to train Cooper 16 1/2 years ago. After only 5 weeks, Andy told me Cooper was ready for trials, but I never entered him. I wanted to thank Andy for helping to make Cooper the wonderful dog he was. I never had worries about him, and trusted Cooper in all situations. I recently put Cooper down. He was almost 17 years old. I can’t thank Andy enough for helping me to make Cooper the perfect dog.