Charlie’s Success Story —

On our walks around the neighborhood, whenever we would interact with other dogs on leash, Charlie would pretty much lose his mind.  For going on walks, what used to be peaceful, fun, and something we looked forward to became a struggle and something we started questioning because of how much work it was to cross streets, try to u-turn (unsuccessfully) just to constantly avoid dogs in a very densely populated area.  We watched Youtube, asked for advice, but didn’t know what to trust or where to even start, so we decided to jump into this program.

I don’t think it’s possible to put into words how much this has evolved.  What started with us not even knowing what we didn’t know has transformed into us being able to communicate with Charlie, but more importantly Charlie being able to communicate with us because we learned how to read his signals.  Communication became a two-way street instead of just us trying to tell him things, and while we have had to radically shift our lifestyle because of Charlie, we also can feel more confident and comfortable knowing that we are more informed and doing the best we can with him.

What was your biggest takeaway or lesson learned from the RRP?

#1 would have to be that there is hope.  Having hit some pretty tough times, we can say that we are still here and making progress.  Attached to #1 is also how important it is to give both our dog and ourselves grace through this process.  It’s not a quick fix, but that is okay and with some perseverance and a LOT of critical thinking/problem-solving, we found a way through it.  And this journey is NOT and should NEVER be a comparison → I still find myself making this mistake, but everyone is on their own journey with their own successes and struggles, including humans and rovers that are not part of this program.   

The videos and slides were very helpful: I particularly appreciated the use of having the steps up while you explained them in your own words, and then had visuals.  I especially appreciated when you told us “this is what you’re going to do AND there are visuals coming to make sure it makes sense” so even if I didn’t fully get all the steps yet, I knew that more learning opportunities would be coming.  Worksheets and logs were SUPER helpful.  We personally did not use the cheatsheets as much but that is not because they were not helpful, we just didn’t utilize them for some reason unbeknownst to us.

By far the most helpful was the video calls where we were able to watch videos and receive support/feedback on them.  Getting advice, other opinions, and just general support was everything to us, especially as we were navigating so many things with Charlie.  Having someone in our corner that we could trust meant more to us than we can express.

Would you recommend the RRP to your friends or family?

Absolutely and already have.  I’d tell them that you’re not only supporting your dog in a way that makes sense, but you’re learning how to effectively communicate with your dog that will help you in so many other ways beyond just reactivity.  I set out on this journey hoping to resolve Charlie’s reactivity, but I came out of it with a belief and understanding of Charlie that gives me confidence to handle other situations that might develop down the road. 

Hands down the best money we have spent on trying to help our little boy with special needs, Charlie (deaf + congenital health issues).  This went SO FAR beyond just training reactivity: Jenna taught us how to make communication a TWO WAY street with Charlie.  

Not only did RRP help us improve how to talk to Charlie (who is deaf), but she also showed us how to listen to Charlie, building a much more trusting and consistent relationship for all of us.  We are still on our journey, but the difference we have already seen in Charlie (and ourselves) is night and day and we could not be more thankful.

Before the program, we were at a loss of what to do and how to support our boy with special needs, but Jenna welcomed us with open arms and more than anything, she gave us hope again that we would be okay while backing it up with expertise and support.  With clear videos that outline what is going to happen, and more importantly unlimited support via group calls, Jenna prepared us not only for what to expect but how to work through the obstacles.  Jenna taught in a way that will help us so far beyond just reactivity as she breaks down methods in a way that we could generalize to other aspects of our lives beyond just reactivity.

RRP really forced us (in the best way possible) to examine all aspects of our lives to really support Charlie, using data and feedback to shape/customize a plan that worked for us.  

We cannot say enough positive about RRP.  True gamechanger for us that transformed Charlie’s and our lives holistically to begin and guide our journey through anxiety and mental health with our dog.  Along the way, we have learned so much and it feels like this is only the start of what is possible.  

If you are looking to learn specifically about YOUR dog, connect knowledge to application, and are open to change in order to support both you and your dog TOGETHER, then this is the program for you.

One Line: Best money we have ever spent to transform our human and rover lives together.