Rafiki, now 9 1/2 years old, is a DELIGHTFUL dog! As a puppy and young adult dog, NO ONE would have used the word "delightful" to describe him. As a young dog he was reactive, dog aggressive, disrespectful and all-around naughty!

Prior to finding Rick and Focus Dog Training, I tried several dog trainers who used various techniques none of which worked for Rafiki and me.

I had many dogs in my past. But this was the first dog I showed and competed with. So, here I was in a new situation (dog shows and performance events) with a poorly behaved dog that paid no attention to me. It was embarrassing and nerve wracking.

Rick taught me the importance of being consistent and teaching Rafiki what was expected of him and what the consequences were if he did not do as trained. It was up to Rafiki to make the choice and up to me to consistently praise or correct him. We spent about 1 year training with Rick and had phenomenal results. Not only is Rafiki a wonderful dog and companion, he is also:

• Grand Champion - Conformation,
• Field Champion - Lure Coursing,
• Number 1 Dock Diving Rhodesian Ridgeback in the USA for 3 years, and is currently competing at advanced levels in Obedience, Rally, Nosework and Tracking.

Rhodesian Ridgebacks are sight hounds and were bred to track and chase. This "chase instinct" makes it more difficult to get a dog to come to you once they have seen something they want to chase. Rafiki, my Rhodesian Ridgeback, lives in the foothills of Colorado and routinely encounters game such as deer, elk, fox, turkey and bear. With the help of Rick and Focus Dog Training, Rafiki and I learned a Recall command that was 100% dependable. When hiking in the mountains, this is imperative. Without it, you could lose the dog, or end up with a severely or mortally wounded dog or game animal. Rick's teaching technique allows me to walk off leash with Rafiki and to know that when I call him to Come, that Rafiki will stop the moment he hears the command and will return "with no questions asked".

Cheers, Monnie