I finally have a much better understanding and appreciation for the feelings Murphy is experiencing when he totally loses it when we come in contact with other dogs. I had tried training and was even using a prong collar that I now realize only made this worse. Marilyn’s program has moved me in a different direction. Murphy and I are more connected, we trust each other more.

I would encourage anyone suffering from utter frustration with your dog suffering from reactivity or trauma to reach out to Marilyn to get help with understanding the underlying feelings. Using the skills she teaches helps you and your dog become more calm and confident.

Debby and Murphy

Since I've learned that Apollo needs his feelings acknowledged and validated I now know that I need to stop and talk with him, take a breath and spend time helping him realize that I support him. Before when Apollo would hear a loud car drive by the house when he's inside he would run to the door and bark. Now I calmly walk to the front door with him and look out the window with him then say, "Hey I hear that loud car too, it really is disturbing, isn't it? The loud car scared me a bit too so I understand how you are feeling." The first time I acknowledged his feelings, I remember Apollo looking into my eyes as if to say, 'Finally you understand how I feel Mom!' I almost broke down in tears, The A Stack really works! Since then Apollo and I feel like a team against the scary world as we still continue to learn more about each other. I see now that Apollo is a fun, sweet, and really funny doggie. His true personality has revealed itself and our bond is stronger which fills my heart with joy. We've learned to spend time together having fun and also relaxing in a calm state together which is so important. I am so thankful that I found Marilyn and her program, she helped save the relationship between Apollo and me.

I would highly recommend working with Marilyn Mele, her program taught me the most important piece of information that has changed my dog's life: Behind every behavior is an emotional need that is not being met. Marilyn is a wonderful teacher who has empowered me with many tools to help my sensitive dog Apollo to return to a relaxed state when he is over threshold. Her program is easy to work with and understand. The weekly Zoom meetings are eye-opening, entertaining, and meaningful. I've made a couple of friends that I connect with to talk about what we've learned and I cherish the friendships I've made. It's nice to know that I am not alone and I shouldn't feel ashamed about my sensitive dog. It's a work in progress and in the meantime, my bond with Apollo is growing closer every day. Thank you so much Marilyn for everything you've taught me.

Lisette and Apollo

Ranger wasn’t like any of the dogs I had owned over the years. He was purebred, for one thing, so I took it upon myself to diligently learn everything I could about the breed. I then subscribed to various training methods to “fix” his reactivity but nothing worked. I was missing something but I could not put my finger on it. I then heard Marilyn and the experts she gathered together speaking about a “trauma-informed approach to our relationship with our dogs”. This resonated with me. I had recently come face to face with a build-up of trauma in my own personal life. I began to understand that Ranger and I not only shared wounds of trauma but we were both highly sensitive individuals. We did not need to be fixed, we needed to be healed! Ranger and I have both benefited from the techniques of grounding, relaxation, and movement taught in this course. These practices help center us in our bodies and change how we experience triggering events. The science behind the effectiveness of these methods continues to interest and fascinate me!

Janelle and Ranger

Since I joined Marilyn's program, I learned to move at the pace of my dog Thorn and not at my pace which has strengthened the bond between us significantly. He joins me now when I am reading a book and lets me scratch his ear. I learned to identify things that bring him joy and do more of those while removing the things that cause him anxiety. I learned to accept him and integrate his behaviour needs into my daily life. We enjoy hide and seek together, sniffle walks around the house, and just enjoy each other's company.

It is challenging to identify appropriate ways to deal with a reactive dog. There is so much contradicting information out there, but here in Australia, dog trainers do not require special training, and therefore punishment and old beliefs are commonly offered to "finally put a stop to this erratic behaviour" - for a fact, this couldn't be far more from the truth. Marilyn offers compassion and empathy while always having the dog's and community's best interests at heart. Her advice is based on positive reinforcement and moving at the dog's pace is at the core of everything. It is a blessing that I found Marilyn and me and Thorn will be forever grateful.

Anna and Thorn

Doing the course with Marilyn has helped me understand Alba so much better. Alba gives me many signals to tell me how she is feeling and I can now respond accordingly. It is just like we are having a conversation and I love that she must feel more understood. 

I believe Alba will always fear unknown dogs and will react when she doesn't have enough space. However, we now have far more tools in our toolbox and I am so much calmer making everything easier and more relaxed. 

Don't expect a miracle cure for your anxious dog after doing this course. Do expect to have a vastly improved understanding of what is going on, to have fun playing the games, and to have an even better relationship. 

Also, expect to learn in a truly supportive and nurturing environment.

Jane and Alba