Testimonials

Ihave been fostering a Pit Mix Pup named Pacey for the last several months that had the Parvo Virus. It has been my intention to nurse Pacey back to health and then find him a loving home. As Pacey began to feel better from his illness, he became more and more aggressive and skittish, especially around men. Every time I would take him for a walk he would bark and growl at everyone and everything. I could not pick up a newspaper or broom without him cowering and acting scared. It was suspected that Pacey was abused because of his odd and aggressive behavior. This has made my search for a loving home very difficult. Since I already have 3 large dogs, one who is dog aggressive, I can't keep another “problem child” permanently. I decided I needed to get a trainer involved to evaluate Pacey's behavior. I heard of “The Canine Coach”, Michael Harvey, at the Humane Society of Lee County (HSLC). I had just become a member on the Board of Directors for the HSLC, and was inquiring about dog trainers for the shelter. The Director of Shelter Operations told me about Michael Harvey and the “Second Chance” program that he set up at the shelter.

I inquired further and found out that Michael donates his time on a weekly basis training the shelter staff and volunteers on his training methods in the hopes of making the kennel dogs more adoptable. I thought, “what a nice guy to volunteer his time to help the dogs.”

I decided to investigate all my options, so I called 3 veterinarian technicians that I knew, two in Sarasota and one Port Charlotte . All three spoke extremely highly of Michael and his training techniques. I finally called and set up an appointment to meet Michael and see if he could help with Pacey, and I was not disappointed. In a very short time after working with Michael, Pacey's behavior improved dramatically. I could take Pacey for a walk without him growling and barking at anything we met along the way. He now adapts much better to men and enjoys playing with other dogs. I can honestly say Michael Harvey gave Pacey a “second chance” at a happy life.

With Deepest Appreciation,
Lori Noel
Board Member,
Humane Society of Lee County

What can I say about Michael Harvey? He has managed to take a very hyper and excited dog and help to calm him down and make him a superdog! My name is Charlie Willis and my Golden Retriever's name is Buddy. I got Buddy in the summer of 2004 when he was just 6 months old. He loved to run and run and run. I would call him, but to no avail. I received Mike's card after a visit to my vet and decided to give him a call. He came to my home with his dog, Neo, and did a small demonstration of his skills, and then....he worked with Buddy for about 15 - 25 minutes. In just that short time, Buddy started to listen to commands. There was no turning back after that. I became, and still am, a loyal member of The Canine Coach's Family.

After just a few lessons, Buddy was so well behaved that I could take him outside without a leash and not be in fear of him running away. I used to be afraid when we would open the door, for I thought that my Buddy would be gone in a heartbeat. Now, I leave the door open and have no fear at all if Buddy comes outside. We attend group classes and Buddy is working on more advanced techniques now, and owe it all to Mike. Thanks, Mike!

Sincerely,
Charlie Willis