From Skeptic to Believer: How Proper Training Tools Changed Merlin's Life

Hi there,

I want to share one of my favorite success stories with you today – one that warms my heart because we talk to so many dog owners who are hesitant about training tools.

Meet Merlin, a blind Aussie who spent THREE YEARS unable to be left alone. His mom had tried everything: different trainers, various training styles, and boarding facilities. Nothing worked.

His anxiety was so severe that he would:

• Destroy doors and walls
• Figure out how to undo deadbolts
• Try to escape through windows (injuring himself)
• Damaged approximately $10,000 worth of belongings

Most importantly, Merlin’s mom couldn’t leave him alone – not for grocery shopping, not for date nights, not for anything. She had accepted this as her “fate.”

“I was a complete skeptic and 100% against balanced training,” Merlin’s mom admits. She had heard all the horror stories about training tools traumatizing dogs. Her hesitation was completely understandable.

But Merlin’s quality of life was suffering. He was an anxious mess, and his mom’s life revolved entirely around his needs.

That’s when she met Hali from our team. With patience, education, and proper technique, everything changed.

After just two months in our Canine Scholar program, Merlin became crate trained, e-collar trained, and confident when left alone.

The transformation? Remarkable:

• From not being left alone ➡️ happily waiting in his crate
• From destroying property ➡️ relaxing independently
• From climbing out windows ➡️ enjoying daily daycare

“The freedom that Hali has given both Merlin and us has been truly life changing,” his mom shares. “Merlin is now enjoying daily daycare at TWP and is the happiest and healthiest he has ever been.”

What’s most striking about this story is how his mom now finds him napping peacefully in the basement while she cooks – something previously unimaginable.

This story reminds me that it’s never about the tool itself – it’s about the person using it. Proper training tools in skilled hands don’t cause trauma – they can prevent years of suffering.

I’m sharing this because perhaps you know someone facing similar challenges with their dog. Sometimes the very tools we’re hesitant about can be the key to freedom – for both dog and owner.

To second chances and happier dogs,

Ryan

P.S. “Training was much cheaper than the investment in damage,” Merlin’s mom noted. But the real value? Seeing him truly enjoy life for the first time.