Sam and the Red Rock K9 team have been a breath of fresh air – dedicated, insightful, patient and professional. After having a couple of GSDs and seeing the potential of the breed, we wanted to find a breeder/trainer who would not only be very intentional in setting their puppies up for success, but also PARTNER with us AFTER we brought our puppy home. While we loved the rescued GSDs we had had before, we were all too familiar with the effects of poor genetics and inadequate early socialization and training. Thus, it was important to us that we be equipped to mold our puppy’s confidence and social behaviors well. Furthermore, we wanted to find someone who could provide breed specific insights, recognizing that raising and training a working-line GSD can, at times, call for strategies that are different from what might be used with a Golden Retriever or a Yorkie.
The Red Rock K9 Puppy Program was exactly the strong foundation that we needed. In addition to understanding a range of basic commands, our pup was crate trained, practically house-broken and sleeping through the night most nights as soon as we got her (issues only happened when WE screwed up!). When we had problems introducing our pup to our older dog the day we brought her home, Sam was able to offer multiple tactics (not just one way!) to work through the situation.
Sam’s assistance didn’t stop there. Despite not being able to coach in-person due to distance, Sam facilitated a remote, interactive and content-rich learning program that has educated and equipped us to continue building on the suite of behaviors taught to the puppies while they were in Sam’s care. When we struggle, he has been a phone call away (we try not to abuse the privilege). He is a wealth of information that has helped us navigate the not-always-intuitive world of dog psychology. Because of his guidance, I am confident that our pup will be able to be a part of our lives in a way that our previous dogs could not be.