Tessa came to our rescue…literally. We thought Quincy, our adopted shelter dog, would never overcome her separation anxiety. For months we were unable to leave her alone for more than a few minutes. She would bark, howl, pace and scratch at the door. We didn’t want to use medications. Our vet recommended we seek help from Tessa. She met with us, evaluated Quincy’s behavior and designed a modification plan. Tess was readily available for follow-up consultations…and there were many. After working with Tessa, Quincy now stays alone, resting quietly or sleeping for hours. Thanks to Tessa’s guidance we’ve regained our sanity…and our freedom.

When we adopted Wilma, our 10-year-old dog, we were unfamiliar with her and her past.  We already had a 1-year-old cat (Louie) in the house and knew that we had to try and keep the harmony.  The only way that we could have ever done this was with the help and expertise of Tess.  With a very slow, guided introduction, as well as lots of hands on work, we were able to achieve this.  We went from having a dog who was all over the place and didn’t have any boundaries, to a well-behaved, very happy dog who now knew what was expected of her and how to live her best life.  Wilma and Louie now live together and have become lifelong friends.  You can now find them sleeping on the couch near each other.  You will also catch Louie rubbing on Wilma’s face first thing in the morning as if to say “hello friend…I missed you!”  Tess was able to achieve what we thought was going to be impossible.  She is a beautiful soul whose genuine love and concern for animals is the first thing that shines through.  We are beyond grateful for Tess, our very own “Dog Whisperer”.

Tessa brings equal parts love and savvy to her training. Believe me when I say, “It works. It works miracles.” We call her Saint Tessa.

An independent 125-pound Dogue de Bordeaux + an inexperienced and insecure owner = a very big problem! That is where we started when we first met Tessa. We had worked with other trainers with no success. Luc was not leash trained, preferred to bolt to explore the world, and was resistant to being rounded up. His strength, size and lack of training made leash walking impossible. Truthfully, I doubted that I would ever see the day when we could go for a leash walk. We hired Tessa on the recommendation of our veterinarian and in a state of desperation. Her calm manner, wealth of knowledge, and thoughtful reassurance made training a very positive experience, loved by both dog and owner. In tiny increments Luc and I made our way through the process. Tessa never stopped searching for new ways to train us both. With great patience and encouragement Tessa taught us many things, but the thing that I am most grateful for is that Luc learned that he could happily explore the world while attached to a leash!

Working with Tessa has transformed our experience as dog owners. We adopted a hound with an independent spirit, tons of energy, and resource guarding tendencies. So as first-time dog owners, we needed a lot of help. In the beginning, Tessa worked with us to shift our dog away from unwanted behaviors, and we saw huge improvements within just a couple of weeks. From there, Tessa helped us make momentous progress with cues like “come,” “place,” and “stay.” (Other trainers told us we might never get our hound to come.) We came away from every training session with a richer understanding of our dog, and—as cheesy as it sounds—ourselves. We rave about Tessa to all of our friends, even the ones who don’t have dogs!

I started working with Tessa when my puppy was just 3 months old. A year later, thanks to Tessa’s guidance, patience and ability to listen to what my goals were with my dog, my puppy has grown up to be a confident, attentive and easy dog.  Her clear explanations, her ability to break down each larger training goal into smaller parts, and her willingness to try different approaches if something was not working, gave me the motivation and the tools to work with my dog, even when she was not there.  Working with Tessa has been a joy and a success, and I attribute my dog’s happy and adventurous disposition to Tessa’s incredible training skills.  I can’t wait to get another puppy just so I can work with her again!

“Tessa is continuously expanding her knowledge which helps her to find the best and most ethical ways to help your critters at home. With her extended knowledge she takes on any challenge. Her goal is to help you look through the eyes of the animal which brings joy for all members of the family. Tessa always has the best interest in the care of your animals. She only thinks in solutions and will take the extra mile to make sure you will be successful with your animals.