Colter and Maddie

January 23, 2016

I have had dogs all of my life and have worked with numerous trainers over the years.  Nancy is, by far, the best trainer I’ve ever worked with. Nancy takes the time to get to know the dog, to understand what the owner is looking for, and then adjusts her approach accordingly.  Her training methods are very gentle yet extremely effective.  She makes the training sessions fun for the owner and the dog without minimizing the effectiveness of her training.  And my dogs love, love, love her!!

I would highly recommend Nancy to anyone who is looking for help solving their dog’s behavioral problems, who wants obedience training for their dog, or who has another specific training need.  In my opinion, she is the best trainer out there.

Izzy

January 23, 2016

Nancy is the best! I swear my dog likes her more than me! My dog had behavioral issues and was even scared of the sound of a clicker! Now she loves the clicker and can’t get enough of it!

Thanks Nancy!!

Beanie

January 23, 2016

This is the best training I’ve ever gotten. Nancy makes me feel like I do everything right as she gentle shifts my behavior to help accommodate my dogs learning style. The frustration I once felt has been replaced with confidence and patience and my dog is happy, well behaved and I feel more connected to her than ever before. Thanks Nancy for bringing an exceptional level of love and connection into our home. You are truly a “Dog Whisperer”, and I am so grateful to have you in my life.

Buster Brown

January 23, 2016

I have a mischievous hound dog named Buster Brown, and I really didn’t know how to begin training Buster to be a more polite dog. Nancy came to my house to meet Buster and within just a couple of minutes she made a keen observation. Buster needed to learn self control. Buster had been barking and bouncing around while I prepared his dog treats, and Nancy calmly and nicely asked me what I thought of his behavior. I told her I thought it was cute but also annoying.. She said if I didn’t mind the behavior that was fine, but if I wanted to change it we could. She showed me a few simple techniques to reinforce Buster’s good behavior rather than to scold him for bad behavior. Even though Buster looks big and tough, he’s a very sensitive dog and doesn’t respond well to scolding. The techniques Nancy showed me were effective, and I feel much better enthusiastically saying “YES!” to Buster rather than angrily telling him “NO!” After just a couple weeks, I could see a marked difference in Buster’s behavior. I plan on asking Nancy to come back to help me work with Buster from time to time, and I would recommend her to anyone else whose dog needs to learn some manners or has behavioral issues.

Lacey

January 23, 2016

After years of having a dog that is overly shy and timid we engaged the services of Nancy and witnessed a total transformation in our dog. Although our dog Lacey is 3 years old, Nancy was able to improve her social skills in only a few sessions. Now there is no more excessive barking when someone walks past the front door or rings the doorbell. It’s like etiquette training for your pet!!! More importantly, she is less intimated by her surrounding therefore a much happier dog. We couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome. We a now doing a group session, with other dogs, and Lacey is doing great. Lacey is enjoying learning new things every week.

Nancy: I truly can’t thank you enough.

Penny

January 23, 2016

I thought certainly I could solve my dog’s fear of other dogs. I tried a simple technique I had used with other dogs, but it made no difference. Nancy came to my house and right away I felt comfortable with her. She asked me a number of questions that helped her understand my dog’s personality. She then explained why my technique didn’t work. Nancy gave me a few techniques that we practiced a few times so I could easily continue on my own. During the next appointment, I got such excellent instruction from Nancy on how I could improve my technique. Since then my dog has shown such rapid improvement and I have not needed another appointment. Nancy still stays in touch and gives very helpful feedback by email. I highly recommend her.

Walter

January 23, 2016

I researched a number of professional trainers in the Loudon County area before choosing Nancy and Mica Dog Training. I knew I made the right choice 30 minutes into our first, in-home visit. Nancy was loving towards our dog (Walter), patient with our questions and concerns, and her expertise exceeded all of my expectations. We have taken 3 separate courses and Walter is now “studying” for his CGC. Walter loves Nancy and we recommed Mica Dog Training to all of our friends and colleagues.

Walter

Tucker

January 23, 2016

Nancy Liebhauser was recommended to me by our Vet while on our first visit with our new Labradoodle puppy. Our boy Tucker was only nine weeks old at the time and although he had many positive attributes and transitioned into our home quite easily, I had an area of concern I needed help with. At certain points of rowdy playing he would express slight aggression at times. My family, including three children, had already fallen in love with him and we didn’t want our newest family member to have to leave. Nancy generously discussed my concerns over the telephone, came to our home and observed play time and Tucker’s “message”. She made several much needed suggestions on how to manage his energy, his down-time, feedings and so much more. The time she gave us went well past the hour I paid for which showed me her commitment to her craft. I followed her suggestions religiously and honestly never had one additional show of aggression from this dog. Nancy followed up with a thorough list of items discussed and suggested guidelines via email that evening so I could have a reference to follow. She also made multiple phone calls to see how we were progressing and offered additional support and advice. She is extremely generous with her time and has an obvious passion for working with the animals. Tucker is now 16 weeks old and we have had the privilege and pleasure to be participating in the Puppy Basics obedience classes that she teaches in Ashburn. We have only attended two classes so far but have learned many useful tips with obedience and grooming while making it fun for our pup. I would highly recommend her services to owners with dogs of all ages and am beyond grateful that we were led in her direction!

Sincerest Thanks,

Sassy

January 23, 2016

Nancy,
I just wanted to take a moment and thank you again for your help with Sassy. I am forwarding a message from Sassy’s new forever home. Please note the part where Sassy’s mom mentions that Sassy actually likes to be brushed on her neck and back! 🙂 We could have not helped her the way we did without you. Now Sassy has a wonderful family and is a well adjusted and happy dog. You made a great difference in her life and deserve a pat on the back! 🙂

Take care,

Kenna and Cash

January 23, 2016

I highly recommend the services of Mica Dog Training and Nancy Liebhauser. I contacted Nancy after adopting my second lab, Cash. Cash was three-years-old, very active, and leash-reactive. In contrast, Kenna, my first dog, was anxious and timid in new situations. Combined, the two were tough to handle!

Nancy came to my home to provide private lessons, which focused on teaching me how to help the dogs with self-control and how to distract them when they hyper-focused on another dog or a visitor. After several sessions at home, I took Cash to a Mica Basic Good Manners and then a CGC prep class. The classes provided an opportunity for me to work with Cash around other people and dogs while in a controlled environment. Nancy provided helpful tips while in class, and took the time to follow up after class with additional recommendations. Most importantly, Nancy’s training and guidance helped me build confidence so that I could handle Cash in a public forum. Although he still requires attentive handling, he is calmer on walks and is a joy at home. Kenna and I attended the Mica Dog Sports Club, which helped build her confidence around strangers and new situations while we had fun (getting her to place her paws on a skateboard was cause for celebration!). I look forward to participating in K9 Games and other Mica activities on an ongoing basis – it is fun to work with the dogs to develop new skills. Thank you for a great year!