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CONTACT Nancy Hook 10829 Old Raleigh Wilson Rd. Middlesex, NC 27557 252-235-2545 
E-mail
Copyright 2002-2011 Hook's K9 Training Nancy R. Hook All Rights Reserved |
| Testimonials |
This is where my students and clients have their say!
"With Nancy's help, our rescued dog Pepper was transformed from a fearful, anxious, leash pulling pound-dog into a noble, loving, exceptionally mannered therapy dog. Pepper's evolvement after training with Nancy (and homework practice) was astounding after only a few months. Pepper was not only able to pass the Delta Society certification test, but was readily accepted in a variety of public and clinical care environments.
In the short time Pepper was with us, he touched the hearts and lives of numerous children and adults in hospitals, schools, and other settings where those involved needed a special kind of healing. Nancy was an integral part in making these wonderful things happen.
Dave and I would recommend her and her training methods without reservation, to anyone that loves their dog!
--Amber and Dave Alsobrooks
From PRC in Raleigh: "Buck was a 10 week old puppy when we first attended Hooks K9 Training
beginning class. Buck had not had any training. When we first started working on leash training, Buck would plant his front paws and
whimper so loudly I'm sure my neighbors thought I was beating my dog. With Nancy's instruction and encouragement Buck progressed
nicely through the beginning and intermediate courses. Buck is now enthusiastic when he's on leash. He heels and halts like a gentleman. Nancy's courses are
well-organized. Nancy's classes aren't just for the dogs. Owners learn something about the pyche of their animals which aids in understanding a pet's behavior. I highly recommend Hooks K9 Training!"
"My name is Linda and in February of 2002 I found a 7-week old puppy in my yard. Obviously, a stray, she won my heart and became a part of our family. She was all heart, brains and attitude. With an
emphasis on the attitude part. At my vet, I found a flyer for Hook's K9 Training. At first, Molly was determined that she was going to be in charge. After two classes, she started to learn that was not the case. Nancy was able to be
patient (with both of us) and show her that Nancy could have just as much attitude as Molly. She is now a well-behaved little girl and we are working on getting ready for our Canine Good Citizen test. I couldn't have asked for any better results."
"Nancy was the first SAR K-9 trainer who worked with my Labrador, Keen. She laid an excellent foundation for Keen's successful SAR career. She has a gentle approach and an amazing understanding of dog's behavior".
Chuck
Chuck and Keen
Nancy,
Wow. Wow. Wow. Total change. Of course, he's still a puppy and does puppy things, but LISTENS when corrected. He's blowing our minds. SO much more fun!
Thanks...I'll keep you posted as he WOWs us even more!
Becky
I have a complaint..........the dog I came home with is not Ava. She
is so different....in every way. She's much calmer and listens much
better. She spent most of yesterday afternoon outside with us while we
worked in the yard and stuff. She didn't run off, didn't worry the
crap out of the other dogs and now she's lying quietly/sleeping in the
kitchen.
I just keep waiting for the old Ava to return.
Debbie
June 9, 2011
Nancy I don't know how to thank you enough! I have a 2yr old Shar Pei named Romeo. He's always been socialized never had a problem until 6 mths ago. Romeo started biting and becoming very territorial. We thought this was just a little phase he was tired or someone petted him wrong that wasn't the story. When someone walked up to Romeo he would wag his tale and be happy until they went to touch him and he would attack them even with me trying to pull him off. We were afraid to have our friends over out of fear of what would he do. I tried a local trainer her in Danville,VA when speaking with her she seemed to think I didn't have a problem at all told me to bring him to her class he would be fine. Well he was there for about 3min when she was showing me how to use a prong collar he turned and snapped at her. In tears I left the class, where she proceed to tell me I had a real big problem and she would call me. The short of it she suggested Euthanasia because he was such a big liability she proceeded to tell me in the 3min she spent with us that Romeo had Sudden Rage Syndrome. Needless to say my husband,son and myself cried all weekend wondering if that was best for Romeo. Sunday I started searching for someone who could shed light on my problem and that was Nancy Hook. I called Nancy on Sunday left a brief message about Romeo and she called me back on Monday and told me I had nothing but a spoiled bully on my hands. I just had a good feeling about her and she gave me hope. We had waited so long for this dog and knew the breed and I just couldn't put him down without someone fully diagnosing him first. Romeo attend Nancy's bootcamp for the longest 3 weeks of my life and I have to tell you when I went to pick him up it was different no stress I felt like a boulder had been lifted off my shoulder. Romeo sleep all the way home and has been a little soldier. I have complete control we have friends over on a regular basis I'm comfortable now and thats something I haven't been in a long time. I'm quoting Nancy "Everydog Deserves A Second Chance" And I think God everyday I did a google search and found Nancy because I would have put my Romeo down. Nancy I can't tell you enough how much Chris, Landon and Myself appreciate you:)Thanks again for everything:)
Paula
Hello Nancy!
Ever since we brought the dobermans home with us they have been sleeping! Sunday morning we took them for their first walk. Tank definitely was trying to test me and see what he could get away with. I struggled with him the whole walk but didn't give up. He tried lunging at some bikers riding by but he definitely wasn't out of control. We corrected him and kept walking. The next day I took him again for a walk and it was a million times better. It just finally clicked with him! I have never in my life walked for 3 miles with Tank and not have him pulling me. We have been grilling outside everyday and I have my dobermans laying in my drive way sleeping off the leash not having a care in the world. Usually, Tank would never feel comfortable outside and was always watching and waiting to react to someone or another dog. It was unbelievable! Tank has also gained so much confidence! When he hears loud voices or noises he no longer retreats to his cage and hides. In the mornings I open Tanks cage and then Blu's and I tell them to wait until I say it's okay for them to come out. They do very well with that. Blu is very good. He always has been but definitely more attentive to what you want him to do instead of what he wants to do. Walking with him is a breeze. They both sit when we stop without us even asking them too! We will continue to train every day with them. I will never allow for them to go back to us being their "pet." You have worked wonders with Tank and Blu! Thank you so much and I will continue to keep you updated and will definitely ask for help when we feel stuck with the training. We now have a happy quiet house :)
Thank you so much!!!
Rich and Kelly
Nancy is truly amazing. I used two other trainers for almost a year each before I was introduced to Nancy by our local SPCA animal shelter. We just weren't making a lot of progress with even basic obedience stuff. The trainers were nice people.but in hindsight, I don't think they have the success rate that a trainer with Nancy's style does. I am friends with the one trainer in Charleston and when she saw how much better Barkley was after Nancy's, she was kinda jealous... I have an incredibly fearful pit bull and he made infinately more progress in 6 weeks than 2 years and thousands of dollars with the other trainers.
Nancy is worth every penny! Don't tell her..but she probably doesn't charge enough compared to other trainers.
You will have an incredibly obedient, well trained, happy dog when you pick him (her) up. A well trained dog is a happy dog. Trust me. A bad dog is just as frustrated as the owner. I will never get another dog without sending him to Nancy's early on for obedience. It has changed our lives. My dogs heel when walking, no leash pulling at all, sit-stay, down-stay, know "quit it", come....
People are amazed!
If you have not been to her camp, you should go see it. The dogs are soooo happy. A great testament to a good trainer. The dogs lover her.
When I travel, I also use Nancy for board and train and they love it there!
One more thing...I volunteer at the SPCA in Charleston and we drive dogs five hours up to Nancy's for obedience / rehabilitation training. These are dogs that are on death row because of bad behavior. They left Nancy's with perfect manners, everything mentioned above. They would have been euthanized if we didn't get their behavior under control. We drive these dogs five hours because there is no one here that can do what she can. Really. They now have loving homes with happy owners!
And, no, I am not a paid spokesman. Although I should be!
Julie
Caveat Emptor--"Let The Buyer Beware"
The only reliable way to know if a trainer can help you and your dog is to talk to others whose dogs have been trained by that person, or talk to vets or groomers who have had clients' dogs trained by that person. There is nothing to protect the public from a potentially unethical, dishonest, or incompetent self-crowned dog trainer except the word of people who have firsthand knowledge of that trainer.
Dear Nancy,
Your website mentioned getting "hooked" on your training. Well, we are doubly "hooked."
You did a marvelous job with our beautiful Aussie Hildy. She is no longer the fawning, trembling. "tail-between-her legs" creature we got from the pound. She plays confidentally with other dogs. Her tail
maximally high. She smiles her beautiful smile all the time, and it
warms our hearts. Best of all, she does not growl at our human
neighbors. It is a joy to have her in our home.
Sev and Joel
Hi Nancy,
Just wanted to thank you again for training Sparky. She is a magical little dog. Attracting attention wherever she goes!
We are doing very well. Since we left you last week we have been to playgrounds, on dog playdates, camping, jogging, and just relaxing around the home. Sparky is just an amazing dog. Thank you so much for bringing out the best in her, we'll do our part and continue working with her.
Cheers!
Rob
My Story: I had exhausted all my options, was doing the basic local paid dog obedience class, using the pinch collar, reading Caesar Milan's book, and watching Dog Whisperer and treating this dog just like I had all my other dogs in the past. But she was a true working class German Shepherd, she and her litter mates had been bred for military/DEA but they said she was too timid (for them maybe *LOL*). She was not only dog aggressive, but people aggressive as well and this was just at 4 months of age. I couldn't trust her in the least. I went and spent about 3 hours one Saturday afternoon just watching and got to be there when another couple picked up their dog after he had completed training so I got to hear their story as well and see the end results, they were thrilled with their dog and I was amazed at what I saw.
So, here is what I can tell you.
Nancy will treat your dog as a pack animal and she will be in charge. I had to understand that dogs correct dogs in a physical manner, not by yelling and screaming at them. She told my dog to wait as they approached the gate and my dog charged forward, Nancy pulled the gate back and my dog, Reagan, crashed into the gate. My initial reaction was, "How could she do that to my poor dog, that was mean", but when they came to the second gate and she told her to wait, guess what, Reagan did. She was a quick learner and my dog realized Wait was a word that meant to let the pack leader go first because they are in charge. She also told me that she makes the dogs sit quietly at their kennel gate to be let out for group play time and if they are jumping and barking, she walks on to the next dog and passes yours by. She said Reagan was dead last many days, but the light finally clicked and she understood what was expected and would be the second one out of her kennel. Nancy is fair, firm, and strict with the dogs, but that is how she gains their respect. She will cuss like a sailor at them if they irritate her and do not listen or do what she knows they have learned, so if you are looking for a warm, fuzzy trainer, she may not be your gal. ;o) But, on the other hand she genuinely loves the dogs, she understands what makes them tick. She would let Reagan lick her in the face and praise her, give her treats. My dog never seemed afraid of her, but she sure did everything she asked of her and knew she was the one in charge. Because of Nancy's time with Reagan, I now have a pet dog. I can have people walk up to me without her growling and lunging after them, I have even taken her into the PetSmart once afterwards just for my own confidence builder. Nancy says they are bad places for diseases, etc. and she is right, but I just had to prove to myself that I could take Reagan there because it was such a disaster when I had tried before she worked with her. We did it! ;o) So, would I recommend her? Yes, completely. My dog has learned that people aren't necessarily bad and that she can play and have a good time with other dogs, that they are meant to be playmates, not dinner. Reagan is a much more balanced dog now and I gained trust in her, which I did not have before. Had I not gone to Nancy, my dog was a disaster waiting to happen.Your dog will be well taken care of. She will be safe, she won't do anything to risk any dog getting harmed, and it has been very effective for us. But you also have to be willing to continue the work she started. Dogs are like kids, give them any leeway and they will take it and run. You will have homework at the end of the boot camp to keep the progress going. Hope this helps.
Best of Luck,
Donna
Nancy,
We hope you're doing well.
We want to let you know how well Sam is doing. His manners are
great! Walking and playing are so much more enjoyable. We continue to
reinforce what you taught us and use our voice alot more. Its great to see
him respond in the correct way when we use our voice. Corrections with the
leash are pretty much non existent.
Thanks alot for everything.
Best regards,
Shane
Hi Nancy! So, I have to tell you about our visit to Hayes Barton last week. We walked over and purchased some heart worm pills and flea medication early one morning. When we arrived no one was there….except for two cats in a crate. Josie looked at them but didn’t react in a negative way. Then in walked a lady with her dog and another lady with her dog and toddler son. Now, the last time I took Josie to the vet I had to keep her outside because she was so hyper and would not listen. Let me just tell you that she sat right beside me and did not move. It was so AWESOME! As soon as I got her outside I gave her tons of love and told her how amazing she was. I made sure to tell all of the employees that I took her to you and this is what you did to my dog!
Thanks so much,
Kimberly
Hi Nancy!
I wanted to let you know that Emily is doing so well. After I wrote you the email about her insane barking at other dogs, I decided to just keep up with the training and see where that took us. I actually saw the moment that it clicked for her...we were about to pass another dog and she was about to go crazy and I gave her the signal that I didn't want that behavior and she looked at me, relaxed, and kept walking by with no incident! It was like a miracle. Since, she has been much better in many ways. She has relaxed more and more, and her personality is getting more interesting and funny. She still has issues and is in no way "perfect" but is changed enough that it feels like a different dog.
Thank you so much. We so appreciate all that you have done for Emily and pups like her.
Because of her good behavior, she was able to join us in our wedding ceremony...she walked me down the aisle!
Thanks again and I look forward to seeing you and Lindsay on June 10th!
-Tiffany C.
Hi Nancy,
Wow! You are just amazing!!!
Jack slept all the way home: he was worn slam out. OK, and I sacked out too, immediately after checking in with Tiffany (Emily’s mom).
You know, as you explain what Jack’s thinking, it makes so much sense. And it is so extremely clear what my actions mean to him, now, as you patiently explain it all to me. And I’m slapping my forehead the whole time, screaming “Stupid, stupid, stupid”. Thank goodness we have you to explain all of this to us. And guide me through to more clear communication with Jack.
And you’re crafty, too. In a great sort of grand way. You gave me a huge gift--of your time. And I truly realize how big of a gift that is. So slacking off is so very out of the question this time. I’m on it.
I thought that the miracle you worked on Tess was the really biggest deal ever. Never to be topped. And it was. Is. And then, it turns out, that was just your opening act.
Thank you for Tess and the fabulous life she now has because of your talent, persistence and patience. And for Jack and all the wonderful things he and I have to look forward to together.
Gratefully yours,
Cindy
We’ve been working with Hooks K9 Training since we moved to Raleigh in 2005. We moved with our black lab Bear, who was then 8 months old or so, we think the alpha of the litter & quite a destructive & aggressive puppy. My husband is in a wheelchair, and not only was Bear chewing everything in the house, he would bite and scratch Barton & he also knew where Barton couldn’t reach him to discipline him. We were on the verge of deciding that we couldn’t handle him when we found out about Nancy’s weekly classes.
We started him out on a weekly class where we learned just as much as Bear did & we decided that Boot Camp was worth it. Some of the issues we wanted to work on included aggression, responding to discipline, following instructions, jumping & nipping/biting. Nancy knows the personality of the dogs going through Boot Camp (as well as Camp), what they need & how to get them to where they need to be. She also spent time with us to show us what Bear had been working on & how to change what we had been doing so Bear would listen to both Barton & I. As soon as we got Bear back from Boot Camp, we noticed a complete difference & now, he is a well-mannered & behaved dog. Now, he even teaches our new puppy Basho manners!
When we go on vacation/travel, we still take them to Camp because they love it so much & when we pick them up, they are tired, happy & extremely well behaved. We have been very pleased with how Nancy approaches dog training and she has taught us so much as well.
Megan
Hi Nancy,
Just wanted to let you know that the car ride home was blissfully quiet. Coco only barfed once, so that was pretty good. We have already gone for two WONDERFUL and enjoyable treks around the neighborhood. (We feel so snobby to have such well-behaved and cute dogs!) They retreated to their separate crates for bed last night without incident. Although they are not perfect, the going out at the door is vastly improved and I’m not worried that they will just dash out and pull us with them. They did very well with “back” and “wait” by the door this A.M. Thank you, thank you, thank you for giving us the well-behaved dogs we always wanted. I’m sure we’ll need to be in touch as things come up, but I just wanted to let you know how happy we are with their training and will recommend you to anyone we come across who is looking for a top-notch trainer.
All the best,
Misty (plus the guys and Allie and Coco)