Tommy's Canine Academy

We rescued our dog Basil, lab/shepherd mix, as a puppy and quickly started taking advantage of the puppy socials and basic obedience training available in the Seattle area. It wasn’t until he was about six months old that he started showing signs of leash aggression and barking/lunging at people on walks. It was stressful to take Basil on walks, he would bite the leash and us, we couldn’t determine his triggers, and had a bite episode. We exhausted our resources in Seattle; taking him to learning labs, private training, troubled teens, and group classes.

We finally met Tommy when Basil was about 18 months old, and our world changed. His approach was different, instead of focusing on Basil’s ‘problem behaviors’, he focused on improving our basic communication and relationship. His approach worked right away. We worked with Tommy in private sessions for several months. We appreciate him getting to know us and Basil and teaching in a way we could be successful. Simple techniques to work on between visits to improve our communication. Great examples, for practicing the right tone for commanding Basil’s attention. Always working on improving our walk and recall consistency. We felt like other schools had a method they use for all dogs, while Tommy provides more individual training techniques suited to our dog and us.

Tommy helped create a structure for Basil which he thrived in. We were able to have guests at our house. Tommy gave me the tools to introduce Basil to other people. We could take him to a park and sit and relax. Because of the success we had with Tommy in private sessions, I was motivated to enroll Basil in a board and stay program.

We believe Tommy is a natural advocate for dogs. Recently, using the tools Tommy gave us, were able to introduce Basil to a friends 10 month old baby girl, as she crawled all over his dog bed. Before, we would have kept Basil in a room until our friends left. We wanted the best for our dog Basil, and Tommy gave us the tools to make that possible.

We have been lucky enough to work with both Tommy at Evergreen School for Dogs. Basil loves them so much and gets excited if we are even close to their school. We trust both of them with Basil and would recommend them to any dog owner with any issue or question.

I am part of a local dog rescue. Tommy has been an amazing support for some of our 'special' foster dogs - with training, fostering, board & train. They have been such an asset in helping us place these dogs in the best home for their needs. On a personal side, one of my own dogs became 'dog' selective and Tommy helped me figure out how to make him comfortable with all the foster dogs that come through my home. I recommend them to all our adopters, from puppy parents, to owners with some specific behavior issues. They have so much knowledge, and really focus on the needs of the specific dog - not just a sweeping approach.

Jen

Taking our dog to Tommy was the best decision we made for him and our family. Shortly after adopting our dog we found out he had aggression issues: biting, lunging, leash reactivity, etc. We felt as if we would never be able to have company over at the house or be able to take him anywhere. We did a mix of private and group training sessions. Tommy taught us how to work with him and after a lot of hard work our dog has improved so much and he is a happy member of our family. Friends and even people we pass walking in the neighborhood always comment on how much he’s improved. So thankful to have found Tommy

Joanna

Tommy has been phenomenal. I have brought every dog I own to him. I’ve had my 2 German shepherds in boarding and I’ve done 1 on 1 dog training classes with him for all my other dogs. The change is just amazing. There’s no magic or anything but the change and behavior in my dogs once the initial training has been done is more than remarkable (of course you need to keep it up). The knowledge he has is just amazing. I will always come here. And I’ve always recommended him to anyone I meet that needs dog training.

Guyl

We brought our 2 year old Lab to Evergreen for leash pulling and bad social skills; our lab was aggressive toward other dogs. Tommy Grammer, listened to our concerns, watched how our lab reacted to other dogs, as well as watched how we reacted to situations and then tailored our lesson time to our specific needs and problems. He patiently helped us learn how to train and redirect our dog, and helped our dog to gain confidence by giving him practice with other dogs in a controlled environment. We are very pleased with the results and now have the confidence to go out on hikes and walks with a well behaved dog.

I have been working as a veterinary technician for the past 11.5 years. As such, I've come across plenty of sick and injured animals that needed my help. Over the years I have fostered and rehabilitated countless dogs, cats and ferrets and have put them into fantastic forever homes. Clyde is a Rottweiler that came to me in 2006 as a young puppy with parvovirus, a fatal gastrointestinal disease. I had just lost my 11 year old Siberian husky, had three more dogs at home and was fostering ANOTHER recovering parvo puppy, so it was not in my plans to keep Clyde. Things change, though, and it was quickly determined that Clyde would be a permanent resident. Clyde was a hyperactive, destructive bully! When talk of re-homing Clyde came up, I knew I had to act fast. That is when I found Tommy. I was amazed at Tommy's patience and ability to have Clyde working for him in minutes! Through several private lessons, Tommy taught me how to effectively communicate to Clyde what I wanted. Now I have a healthy, happy 3 year old dog that has since become a Canine Good Citizen (through Tommy's CGC class) as well as a registered therapy dog with Therapy Dogs, Incorporated. Clyde and I still go to classes when we can, and I can always count on Tommy to answer any questions I have regarding problems or training plateaus. I highly recommend Tommy to anyone looking for compassionate and knowledgeable dog trainers.

This was the best experience! Tommy was the perfect trainer for our 2 large female pups. They had 3 horrible fights and we took them to a private session with Tommy. He taught us how to create boundaries and how we can prevent things that may cause tension between the girls! We bought the recommended tools he suggested. They are well worth your time and money although they are super reasonably priced. I highly recommend them for your dog training! We haven't had any further issues and will be taking our newest pup back for some additional group training for her manners! She is a jumper!
Thanks to Tommy for your time and expertise!
 

Bridgitte

After calling around to different dog training/obedience schools, I called and spoke with Tommy Grammer. I told him about our two dogs and the aggression problems that we were having with them. I was very impressed with his knowledge and his honesty, so I set up an appointment for him to come to our house and evaluate our dogs.

Tommy evaluated our dogs and we set up appointments for him to come to our house to start the training lessons. When Tommy first came to our house, our dogs were very jealous and aggressive towards each other. They couldn't even be in the same room at the same time. They were also very shy around people that they didn't know. During the training lessons, we learned a lot about dogs' behavior. Tommy would observe us and the dogs and show us what to work on with the dogs until the next lesson. We did what he told us, and after about 5 lessons, the end result was fantastic! Our dogs now get along great! They play together, sleep in the same room and even eat together without fighting over food. They are also not as shy as they were before. It is such a welcome change!

We couldn't ask for a better dog trainer. Tommy was very easy to work with, prompt with the appointments, very knowledgeable and was always willing to answer any questions. Without hesitation, we highly recommend him. You and your dog will gain a great deal from the experience.

Beth & Brian W.

Hey Tommy!

I just wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you have done. As alot of people know having a Weimaraner is challenging within itself and I thought it would be impossible to train this aggravating, high strung dog.... However, from the very first session you had with Dusty I knew he would be able to accomplish just about anything if we had your guidance to lead us in the right direction...Dusty is continuing to do great with his obedience and everything we have learned thus far...And I say "we" because this has been a tremendous learning experience for me as well...I have learned to have more patience, and have fun while we are learning together.

I would not hesitate to recommend Tommy to anyone..

Thanks for helping me love this wonderful dog even more!!!!!!

Leslie & Dusty

Tommy was the perfect trainer for my two female dogs. When the matriarch of my pack passed, they had three horrible fights. Being in the veterinary field, my house is a hodge podge of rescue critters, and I knew this would continue to get worse without intervention. Tommy taught me how to create boundaries and how we can prevent things that may cause tension between the girls! We haven't had any further issues with the girls, it's made a world of difference in the tension level of our home. Tommy is incredibly patient, knowledgeable, and great at showing me how to deal with their issues. I feel relieved having his expertise on our situation and have the ability to reach out with questions or concerns is a life saver.
As an added bonus, he spent a short time with one of my rescue puppies, asking a lot of questions, observing the dog and worked with her and was able to teach me how to stop some unwanted behavior.
Highly recommend!

Tommy is fantastic. We have 3 dogs which he helped us on leash walking, manners and then most of all helped us with some aggression issues between 2 of our dogs. I would highly recommend him for any issues you may have with your dog(s) . He is patient, knowledgable and helps you understand the steps you need to do to have well mannered dogs.
Thank you so very very much Tommy
Nancy & Rob

We recently completed a dog training course with Evergreen School For Dogs, and I couldn't be happier with the experience. Our dog trainer, Tommy, was absolutely fantastic. He was incredibly patient with both us and our dog, Max, taking the time to explain everything thoroughly and never making us feel rushed. Tommy's extensive knowledge was evident throughout the course. He brought a wealth of expertise to every session.

We were amazed at how minor tweaks in our interactions with Max could lead to such significant improvements in his behavior. Tommy's techniques were simple yet incredibly effective. Overall, we are thrilled that we took this course. It has made a world of difference and has set us up for a happy life with our new family member, Max.

We brought our 2 year old Lab to Evergreen for leash pulling and bad social skills; our lab was aggressive toward other dogs. Tommy Grammer, listened to our concerns, watched how our lab reacted to other dogs, as well as watched how we reacted to situations and then tailored our lesson time to our specific needs and problems. He patiently helped us learn how to train and redirect our dog, and helped our dog to gain confidence by giving him practice with other dogs in a controlled environment. We are very pleased with the results and now have the confidence to go out on hikes and walks with a well behaved dog.

My dog Grizz has been through multiple dog training programs in Seattle, including private lessons. I’ve always trained him, but as smart as he is he is also unbelievably stubborn (yep, Chesapeake Bay Retriever). And he is 90 pounds of pure muscle, which made walking him & getting him to do what he is told a total nightmare despite all the training. But Tommy  worked very diligently with him. When I picked him up, he was the same sweet dog as always, but a totally different one who actually listened to me! Grizz has stayed there several more times since then when I’ve been traveling & the last time they worked on his severe anxiety in cars with real success. Not only does Tommy understand dogs on a very subtle & psychological level, they also really love them & give him lots of attention & great care. To top it off, Grizz loves staying there – when they’re not training, he gets to run around in their huge fenced yard & play fetch to his heart’s content. I highly recommend these guys!!

After taking my dog home from almost 6 weeks of board and train with Tommy at Evergreen School for Dogs, I realized that our relationship was already changed for the better. Before taking Cado there, I was considering re homing a dog that I loved due to human aggression/reactivity. I lived in an apartment in Seattle and just getting out to the street to go on a walk was a struggle. Then the walk itself was another story. Cado also had leash reactivity issues towards dogs which made city life almost impossible. I tried classes and other trainers which helped with management but not with solutions. I knew from the moment that I met them that Cado would be in good hands. I felt that he had plenty of space to play outside and was able to live in their home with them. Even though Cado was wary of Tommy and Corday at first, I knew they would find the dog I love in him. Tommy did not promise to "fix" Cado but did say that I would see improvements. I really appreciated that statement as I felt it was genuine and what I was hoping for more than him getting "fixed." During the 5 weeks I received updates and pictures which I truly appreciated since I missed my pup so much. When we picked him up we had an hour training session and 3 others at any location I picked. It was great that Tommy was willing to drive to my place and the areas that we have the most trouble in to work on real life situations. It really sealed in what he discussed and taught me in the first session after picking Cado up. I loved how excited Cado was every time he saw Tommy as that made me feel that they truly bonded and Tommy took wonderful care for him. I also have emailed for advise since his stay and they continue to give advise and help. I can't thank Evergreen School for Dogs enough for what they have done for Cado and I.

We love Tommy! He is patient and very knowledgeable. Our Morgan minds and follows commands! Thank you! Tommy for your continuous support!!!