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Sam Ivy saved our dog – he gave us the tools we needed to keep our dog. We brought home Cooper, our beagle, at eight weeks old. Within weeks, we knew that Cooper’s behavior was not “normal-puppy” behavior. He was biting us, biting others, and showed no respect for authority. We became prisoners to Cooper. We could not leave our house without him barking excessively, and we received complaints from neighbors about him barking for lengths of time after we left. We could not go on vacation because nobody wanted to watch Cooper. We were even told not to bring him back to the vet without sedating him first. He was more than a handful – he was a terror. Within one month of having Cooper, we started obedience training. After six weeks in training, the trainer told us Cooper was the most difficult dog she had ever worked with, and there was nothing more she could do for us. Cooper’s second trainer told us that Cooper was not meant to be a family dog – he probably belonged on a farm and was not meant to be in a home. We were at a loss. Cooper was far from an affectionate dog, but he was part of our family, and we had become attached. We did not know what to do, but we knew that we could not keep up at this rate for 15 years. However, we understood that if we gave Cooper up, it was likely he would end up being passed around from family to family because nobody could handle him. It was likely he would bite someone and may end up being put down because of his actions. We then received a recommendation from a friend for Sam Ivy. The first thing Sam told us was that Cooper had no respect for us. Sam explained that Cooper was a dominant dog, and he was the alpha of our pack. In order for Cooper to love us, respect and trust had to come first. Sam explained to us that it could take up to 18 months of training to get Cooper under control and to be the best dog he could be. We knew it would be a commitment, but we also could not imagine our lives without him. We trained with Sam twice a week. Sam was hands off with Cooper – he never handled Cooper’s leash. Rather, the program was about training us to command authority from Cooper and take back our place in the pack as alpha. Sam educated us on proper pack behavior and leash handling. Although Cooper continued to test boundaries, we saw a shift as he became more submissive. We learned that Cooper was driven by praise. He was quick to learn, but continued to fight for his spot in the pack. We were committed to earn Cooper’s respect. Sam was patient and ensured that we built a strong foundation and understood each piece of the program. Within a few weeks, Cooper was walking at our heel and staying on “spot” for two hour intervals. We were beginning to get our lives back. With Sam’s help, the program took under six months, much less than initially anticipated. Cooper is now the dog we always wanted. He respects us, and he has become affectionate towards us. Our family wants to watch Cooper now. We can have people over without worrying about how Cooper will act toward others. Although we finished our formal training with Sam Ivy, we continue to incorporate Cooper’s training every day. Sam Ivy gave us the tools we need for life. We are firm believers in this program. Sam was our last chance, and without this program, we would not have Cooper in our family today. We are confident that if this program worked for us and for Cooper, it can work for any dog so long as you are committed. We are forever grateful to Sam Ivy for giving us the means we needed to keep Cooper in our lives.