Professional Dog Obedience Training

Sgt. Susie says achieving a working relationship between your dog and all your family members is the personal goal of Wagner K9 School. We do everything possible to help in this process. If you are experiencing problems with your dog's manners, behavior or control, please contact us. Submit the following form and we will do our best to respond back quickly. Please take a moment and fill out the form below and send it to us.

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN TOWARD THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE TO REVIEW CLIENT PICTURES, REFERRALS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND TESTIMONIALS.........

AFTER POSTING YOUR QUESTIONS TO SGT. SUSIE!

Hope everyone with two legs and 4 legs is doing well. We fall in love with our boy Dan more and more everyday. After his training at your facility his confidence, fears, and overall personality simply came together. He is well balanced, trained, and our obedience goober. Attached is a picture of Dan. Can you just see the confidence in his face and body language? He is really a sweet boy. I can't thank you enough for the help and work you have done for us and our Dan. Sincerely, Donna Toel

ATTENTION EVERYONE! DONNA JUST EMAILED US AND SAID SHE NEEDS TO PLACE DAN DUE TO HER HAVING TO TRAVEL TOO MUCH. IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN THIS WONDERFUL DOG CONTACT DONNA AT: DONNATOEL@AOL.COM

Pictured above is "ZOE" a 14 month old Labradoodle that finished her 4-week Basic Obedience training program from Wagner K9 School on March 10, 2007. YOU GO, ZOE!

Billy, Susie, & Charlie,

Zoe is great! Patrick took her in the front yard on Monday on-leash, but no fence. She STAYED and held it for about 15 minutes while he took pictures of our trees in bloom! I've walked her several times, and she has been great with distractions....squirrels, cats, dogs, and people. I make her sit before we cross any street and practice the sit, sit-stay, walk about, and she's GREAT! She received many complements on Sunday when we walked. "What a beautiful dog" we were told or "I really like your dog! etc. Inside the house , she's much more manageable & actually stops when she starts to nip at me when I say ,"OUT, NO"...and that's only occurred a couple of times.. much less than previously.

Thank you so much!

Syble Isbister & Patrick Downs

Indian Trial, North Carolina

Without the training Amber received at Wagner K9 School, there would have been no way for me to have kept her. What was a really cute little puppy became a big, strong, and active dog very fast. I have been very satisfied with the training and boarding my dog, Amber has received with the Wagner's. Amber was also a very energetic puppy and the training the Wagner's provided was very important in teaching her control. It also helped me know the limits I needed to have and maintain a positive dog/owner relationship. I was also taught what limits I needed to give to Amber and how to handle her in all situations that come up at any time. With the training Amber received she became controlable and knows how to mind. Anytime I have a question about something she was or is doing, I know that I can always ask the Wagner's. Amber has boarded with them numerous times and loves it there. I also know when I take Amber to the Wagner's Kennel for boarding that she will be well taken care of there and not pick up any bad habits. I would recommend Wagner K9 School with no hesitation and I know you will be very happy with the results.

A testimonial and Referral

MY DOG OX

Please allow me this indulgence....I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to be a witness to the power of this type of training. My dog Ox (Oxford) is an American Bulldog. If some of you don't know the breed,
google it to see how powerful these dogs are....He is a little over one and 1/2, and weighs 95 pounds of pure muscle. Ox has always been very loving and sweet, but when we moved to Charlotte, it seemed like all we spent our time doing was yelling at Ox. He ripped up the carpet in our new house, chewed up very expensive shoes, jumped on couches, and most recently jumped up to the island and pulled down a 6 pack of rib eye steaks and ate them whole while Matt was trying to put away the groceries. He was so hyper in
the house because I could not give him the proper exercise he needed outside. I COULD NOT hold him on a leash. I was constantly fearful that he would get away from me, so I just didn't walk him. He was not trying to be bad, and was never aggressive, he was merely exerting himself and showing
that he was stronger and that he was the boss.....because I WAS LETTING HIM!!
To make a long story short......I called Susie. After reading many web sites and talking to many different trainers, I was most comfortable with her approach. She and her husband were forthright with information, and didn't pull any punches. They told me the things that I was doing right, and they
told me the things that I was doing wrong. Most of all, they told me that they were confident that they could get Ox under control. Ox spent 4 weeks with them at Wagner K9 school. He came home last week to a house full of 11 visitors! (Matt's family is in town). Before going to the Wagner's, this many visitors would have been sensory overload for him and would have been utter chaos! They (and we) were amazed!!! He is the same, loving, playful dog, but he LISTENS! I have taken him on long walks, long rides in the car....I've even taken him to PETSMART..(Something that was an absolute impossibility before). Our household is better, and Ox seems much happier. Before, it seemed that Ox stayed in trouble and that we were constantly having to reprimand him. Now, he still tests us, (I mean he's still a puppy....), but when we say "No", he understands that we are in charge. He is calmer and more relaxed because he now has boundaries and rules! I am so thankful to the Wagner's for giving Ox (and us) the foundation needed to really enjoy all of the wonderful ways an animal can enrich our life! It gave me great comfort to see how much HE loved each member of the Wagner family. If this method of training were cruel, Ox would not have been
whining when we drove away from the Wagner's home! He loved being there....loved being handled by confident trainers, and loved the socialization with the other dogs!

Thanks for letting me ramble! We look forward to meeting some of you, and your dogs at the Wagner's in the near future!

Kacy Fletcher

I researched several breeds before deciding "to be owned" by a Golden Retriever. Since I'd never had a dog of my own, and I knew retrievers got to be to 75+ pounds, I decided to investigate puppy classes. After I researched a few options, Wagner K9's program was the most impressive. The training Gumbo received at Wagner K9 School has improved my entire experience as a large-breed dog owner. He's well behaved and easy to work with now that he knows the basic commands.

The greatest benefit of this training is that Gumbo has a safe, trusted home- away-from-home when I travel for work. The brush-up sessions Wagner K9 delivers while boarding have kept his skills in top condition. One other additional, huge advantage is that the staff at Wagner K9 pick up and deliver Gumbo for me during my times of travel.

Jake has been a pleasure since we picked him up from training! I was wondering if you could board him this coming week, from 7/16 until 7/23. I would also appreciate if you could pick up and deliver him. I would like to have him picked up before 4 on the 16th and returned before 2 on the 23rd. Let me know if this will work.
Thanks so much,
Anne Poole

demonstrate that the heel command and exercise is a great way to increase your dog's focus. Put your dog on leash on your left side and walk an imaginary square in your house or in your yard. While you walk in your perfect square make your turns to the left as sharp as they can be. This way you walk into your dog and cut off his attention that might be on anything that is ahead of you. While walking the square to the right you are making sharp turns that deter your dog's attention away from anything that may be distracting your dog to the left or out in front of you. If you use this drill while walking and make your turns sharp and precise, your dog will have to focus on you, the handler. You may also try walking in straight lines and doing a quick about face. These exercises will also enhance the automatic-sit. If this drill is performed correctly you will have your dog heeling and sitting properly in no time. Email me if you have a problem.

This picture illustrates the automatic sit at the owner's side and the dog's focus that must be put on the owner. The sit-stay builds focus, lengthens the attention span, builds character, adds composure, and builds confidence in the dog. Any dog can be taught to quickly sit, but owners are never taught how to build on this command of sit-stay to increase the dog's attention and focus. At Wagner K9 School, we work with the total dog, building and lengthening the sit-stay and down-stay commands, socializing around other animals, and teaching manners. The dog is put on a good schedule and worked many sessions daily giving the dog sufficient repetitions to become comfortable in each command learned. The owner is taught step by step handling instruction and before the dog goes home the owner knows everything about how to control their dog in every situation.

Dear Wagners,

About 11 years ago you trained my 6 month old white German Shepherd. I was very impressed by the results. Sadly, I had to move and could not take the dog with me. She found a wonderful home with a neighbor who's daughter loved the dog.

My wife and I just brought home a new puppy who is only 8 weeks old. We have begun housetraining her and leash work. I purchased her from our co-worker who is the Supervisor for our K-9 unit here at the Charlotte police. I had been telling my wife how good you are at working with dogs and hoped you still did when I found your web site.

We would like to set up an appointment to visit and discuss enrolling our puppy Scout when she is old enough. Given her bloodline and temperament exhibited thus far, I feel she would benefit greatly and excel at your facility.

Please let me know how old she must be and when we can visit. We both work until about 6 p.m. at the police department and are off on Fridays.

Thanks, and I look forward to seeing you soon,

Curt Gormican

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department

A picture of the new dog Scout after training and the new baby!

Susie and Billy,

Just want you to know that twice a day we work with Trey and Blue and they are doing great. I went to Waxhaw Animal Hospital and told them how great you both were and I encouraged them to send more your way. They said that they needed more flyers from you. I will write a letter as well to put on the board there at the Animal Hospital telling them about my experience with you all and how wonderful and helping you are and what a tremendous difference the dogs have made due to your professional help. Everyone that sees them is amazed. I just can't thank you all enough.

God Bless You All,

Carol Reynolds

Click on the Icon below to read a letter Carol wrote and sent to her Veterinarian for him to post after we trained her two bloodhounds.