I highly recommend Michele at Pawsitive Play Dog Training. We had gone to “*******” and while our dog benefitted from the social skills she learned there; it wasn’t teaching her how to be the dog we wanted. We went to Michele per recommendation of a friend, and we are so blessed. Ivy, our Bichon poodle, is already more well behaved and we now have tools on how to keep her calm and how to combat the behaviors we don’t love. After five sessions, we have many handouts of things to work on with increasing levels of difficulty to challenge our pup. If we ever get another dog, we will be bringing them to Michele! 
-Kaliegh K. and Ivy  11/30/2022​

When we were preparing to bring home our German Shepherd puppy (Ryder), we knew it would be in our best interests to seek out professional training from the beginning. Having owned a shepherd in the past, we knew how intelligent and energetic they can be. When they’re properly trained and socialized, especially as puppies, they can be wonderful members of the family. On the flip side, if you don’t know what you’re doing, don’t properly socialize them when they’re young, or don’t seek out training and guidance, then they can be problematic at best.

With a toddler at home, we wanted to set Ryder and ourselves up for success as much as possible. Our previous shepherd recently passed, and it had been a decade since I worked/trained with a puppy. I quickly began to realize how much I had forgotten from those days and how much work it really was – it can be a full-time job for the first few months! A week before we picked up Ryder in early October, I found Michele at Pawsitive Play Dog Training and submitted an inquiry on her website. She got back to me quickly, we had a 10-15 minute chat on the phone and decided to move forward with a consultation.

Ryder was 9 weeks old at our first session. Training takes place at Michele’s home in Columbia Station. She has a large outdoor space and a heated barn, and the latter is where we spent our time due to the colder weather. At the initial consult, it was obvious Michele knew her stuff – she trains exclusively using Positive Reinforcement and is well-versed in addressing all types of behavior. She was a professional educator, and it shows; she can clearly and easily explain the how and the why behind what you’re doing. Whether it’s biting, pulling on the leash, frustration, crazies/zoomies, acquiring focus, capturing calm, or simply getting your dog to respond to their name, she has an answer or exercise to address it. We decided to sign up for a package of 4 classes and hit the ground running.

You will learn how to prevent, mitigate, and redirect unwanted behaviors while building a foundation for the behaviors you want to see. You will receive a lot of information and paperwork to accompany you after each session, so you can continue working and applying each concept or exercise beyond the classroom. Really, this training is more for you than your dog – this is the type of thing where you get out what you put in. A dog, let alone a puppy, is only going to learn so much in a 45-60 minute period. What’s crucial is learning how to properly interact and work with your dog, to understand their cues and body language so you can transition from training into everyday life.

We recently finished up our 4 training sessions and have seen a lot of progress and potential in Ryder, who is 15 weeks old now. We’re now signed up for puppy training classes at **** and recently had our first class. Our goal isn’t to necessarily learn anything at the ***** courses, but to work on the commands and concepts we learned from Michele in a more distracting environment.

After attending our first **** class, I’m incredibly grateful we went to Michele for our initial training. The quality of instruction, attention and detail we received from Michele far surpasses what we’ve experienced at ***** so far. If our goal was to learn rather than train in a new and distracting environment, then ****** would have been a waste of money. Thanks to Michele, Ryder is the star of his class and leaps ahead of the others.

In summary, I highly recommend Michele and Pawsitive Play Dog Training. We will likely return for additional training when Ryder is older and we want to go for his Canine Good Citizen cert. Whether you have a young puppy or an older dog, she’ll be able to help you reach your goals and get the best out of your companion. If you have a puppy or are thinking about getting one, do yourself a favor and set your family up for success – at a minimum, contact Michele and get a consultation lined up.
- Jarrod P. and Ryder  11/29/2022

I brought my 5-month-old miniature schnauzer Charlie to Michele at Pawsitive Play Dog Training because I wasn't able to communicate well with him.  He has a lot of energy and had the usual puppy issues of play-biting, jumping, pulling on the leash and not listening to me.  I wanted a good relationship with him and needed help to keep us both from feeling frustrated.  

Even before our first consultation, Michele offered some tips on the phone while we were making the appointment, and within 3 days of following her advice, Charlie stopped play-biting!  During our consultation, it was clear that Michele not only understands dogs and how to communicate with them, but she takes the time to understand the individual dog (and its owners).  Every training session was customized to focus on our problem areas, and Michele even picked out some issues that she observed herself, or from our conversations.  And everything we practiced during the training sessions was documented and sent home with me so that I didn't forget the lessons.  Everything about the training was enjoyable.  I loved having the one-on-one training time, and Charlie was always very excited to go there!
As Michele reminded me, nothing about dog training is fast.  But her methods work if you work at them.  I strongly recommend Pawsitive Play training if you are having any issues with your dog.  Michele will help you find a way to address them.  

Charlie and I are really happy that we met Michele!  :)
- Cher and Charlie 11/7/2022

 We enjoyed training with Michele. She is very knowledgeable about dog training and what works. The location was convenient and training area spacious. It was great working one on one as we felt we got so much information at each session. We would recommend Michele as she provides a wide source of information that is specialized to your needs.
-Bob and Jeane  9/3/2022

Michele gave me the tools I needed to strengthen my bond with my pup as we each learn new skills. When my life got busy and I got overwhelmed she helped me come up with a training plan that worked for my life that is manageable, effective, and fun! I am fully confident she can customize her training for any family. I highly recommend!
- Katie N. 6/22/2022

 I would like to thank you for the amazing experience I had working with you in training Ozzie!!  Your approach is unique and so insightful.  You actually helped me to “think like Ozzie”.  I so appreciated the no judgement zone as well. 
 You helped me find the right approach for both me and Ozzie.  You showed me how much fun training can be!  I spend more time smiling and laughing while “working” with him that I forget we are “working”! 
 I also very much appreciated all the handouts you gave at the end of each session so that I would not forget all the things we worked on and could practice afterwards.  I also liked the way you always checked in with me before each session to ask if there was anything in particular that I wanted to work on.  Not many trainers have ever done that. 
 I so look forward to continuing Ozzie’s training under your guidance and cannot wait to meet again. 
​ Again, thank you for everything!
 -Shirley S. 4/25/2022

It is customary to enter a training environment with concern for the pet, as well as, a concern that the owner can learn what was best to do to help the pet.
Michele is a superstar trainer. She has an amazing positive spirit about life that transfers easily to the training environment.
She creates a non-threatening, safe place for both the pet and the owner to grow and learn. When working with Michele, she takes the time to get to know the pet/owner and then customizes a training plan that will optimize success for both. She is patient with both the owner and pet. Additionally, Michele wants the pet to learn through play and when she invents the games, she utilizes everyday items in the play rather than costly commercial items.
My traumatized, scared of her shadow, puppy is a new dog because of the training partnership we have with Michele. I know we will continue to employ all the techniques Michele introduced us to and if we hit a roadblock Michele is only a text away.
Thank you Michele for your patience and loving care of my pet.
- P. Barrett 5/4/2022

Michele is the best! She is so incredibly talented in what she does. She loves animals and just wants to see them live their best life. She plans each lesson specifically for what your dog needs help on. She makes training fun instead of work. She is always available if I have any questions. You can tell she genuinely cares about the well-being of your dog. Our pup has come leaps and bounds from the beginning of training and it’s all because of Michele. I highly, highly recommend her if you need some serious dog training.
- Kelsey K. 2/3/2022

Michele at Pawsitive Play came highly recommended, and after a series of very successful sessions with her I will wholeheartedly recommend her as well!
The most important thing I learned from Michele dealt with socializing my Leonberger puppy, Bella. Michele provided not only specific steps to socialize in a way I had never done before, but also the reasons why this new approach works to establish a positive, trusting relationship. Once that trust is established, the rest of the training becomes so much easier!
 Before each class Michele would reach out to ask if there was anything specific I thought we should work on, so we had personalized, one-on-one classes that focused specifically on what Bella needed.  
 Michele also explained why Bella (and dogs in general) behave the way they do, which really helped me understand which training tools to use in different situations.
 The written materials Michele gave me at each class allow me to practice the training exercises any time Bella and I need a refresher.  
 Walking a 125 lb. 13 month-old puppy could be a disaster, but people are always amazed at how well-behaved Bella is when we’re out and about. I attribute that to Michele and her incredible training program! 
-Marcia M. 1/28/2022

I highly recommend Michele Terlep’s Pawsitive Play Dog Training. Michele’s training was truly remarkable.  She was a “Dog Whisperer” in every sense of the word! My feisty Australian Labradoodle absolutely adored her, and he would shake with excitement as we approached her training center.  Michele was teaching my puppy real skills during the training sessions, and my husband and I left each session with full knowledge of what we were to practice at home and how to respond to our dog.  We were given short-term and long-term goals, as well as printed information to use as a guide and as a reference for our home training sessions. Michele was wonderful in adapting her methods to fit our unique dog and our unique family environment. Michele always contacted me prior to a session to ask about behavioral issues or concerns, and she adapted our training sessions to cover those “top of the list” issues. Michele always asked for feedback, and she would tweak or alter training based on our home experience.  One of the things I valued most about Michele was that she was both a dog behavior and a human behavior expert. We are first-time dog owners, and Michele took time to understand our concerns and anxieties. She helped us build our confidence, and she helped us to understand our puppy.  My husband and I likely needed as much or more training than our dog!  Michele also not only allowed, but encouraged, every member of our family to attend the sessions!  I found it incredibly helpful to have our teenagers meet Michele, have her assess their relationships with our puppy, and directly involve them in the training.  Finally, I have never met anyone so in love with and enthusiastic about their profession. Michele truly loves dogs, and she spends her free time studying their neurobiology and catching up on the latest training methods.  She bases her training on the latest scientific research, and she is very knowledgeable about all aspects of dog health and well-being. In short, I highly recommend Michele Terlep’s Pawsitive Pay Dog Training, and I will be returning myself should my puppy require additional training as he develops. 
-Eileen S.  11/7/2021

Michele at Pawsitive Play. She is amazing. We have a 5 year old Coon Hound that dragged me around for his walks. After private sessions and me working with him he is a pleasure to walk now. As long as you put in the time what she teaches makes sense and really works.
​-Cindy W.  11/22/2021

In our busy world where our image is so important and our lives are so busy in pursuit of perfection, it was easy for me to lose sight of how much I love my dog, Watson. Michele's approach with her Pawsitive Play Dog Training reconnected me with the companionship that is so vital to our relationship as we navigate this world. The simple games and exercises made it fun and rewarding to be with my dog. Watson lost much of his wariness and seems to trust me. From time spent playing with Watson, I can better understand how he takes in life. Her sessions and lessons make time with Watson fun and happy. What could be better than that? 
- Libby W. 9/6/2021

Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Reliability, Responsiveness, Value
Michele was absolutely amazing! She has given us all the tools to train our very active puppy. To this day, we continue to use what Michele has taught us, and our almost 1 year old puppy has come such a long way. Thank you Michele for all your help, we couldn’t have done it without you!
- Kiley E.  8/8/2021

​I would definitely recommend Pawsitive Play! As a new puppy owner, I was scared I would do the wrong thing. It can be a bit overwhelming to have a new puppy. Michele was patient with me. My puppy Theo is a more confident dog now because I am more confident. We work as a team and Theo trusts me. Michele is through with explanations and helped me understand the behaviors. She was always there to answer a question or to try and help me solve a problem. 
-Jamie B.  8/3/2021

Logan has made such great progress at Pawsitive Play Dog. Michele is truly an amazing trainer and we now have so many tools to work with to help Logan with his fear and anxiety. This is not typical obedience training it is about understanding and making a complete connection with your dog. We never would have made so much progress without her! We have one happy boy!
-Ellen N. 5/5/2021

Michele was wonderful to work with!! She was very responsive and willing to help with whatever problems we were having with our puppy Cooper. My dog absolutely loved going to training sessions with Michele and she always provided us with plenty of tips to work on at home in between sessions. Overall great experience!!
- Beth K. 2021

I cannot say enough good things in this review about Pawsitive Play!!! Michele is absolutely amazing! I had the privilege of sitting in on some sessions with my parent’s Doberman and you can see the dog making mental connections and thinking about the training as it’s going on. Michele’s methods are backed by research and science which is the best part! The methods make sense physiologically so you are truly building a solid connection and relationship with your dog based off the way they think and function. She makes training simple, fun, and positive for everyone, it is truly an enjoyable experience for our dog every time (I also had fun and learned a lot!). I could not recommend Pawsitive Play more! Her training is solid and rewarding so you can truly have the best outcomes for your dog!
- Caela Carroll 12/29/2020

Thanks Michele for a wonderful start of training for our puppy Keela- and us! We're so glad we found you. You gave us personal training tailored to meet Keela's needs and ours. Thank you for accomodating our family and keeping a Covid compliant enviroment. Your understanding of dog behavior was translated to us in a practical way we could use. You gave us many suggestions and alternatives to make sure it would work for us and Keela. Your handouts were great for reference and to share with the family members who couldn't join the lesson. Our most important goals were to develop a loving companion in Keela and providing the structure and discipline she needed to be well mannered. Thanks for helping that happen as well as the fun you created along the way. Keela is a great dog and you helped bring our her best. We are thrilled at how responsive she has been to your positive lessons and suggestions for play. The way we have seen her focus and attention turn to us and not her surroundings is such a pleasure. She actually wants to stay with us and not get into mischief. Such a great approach compared to others we have tried with in the past. Thanks Michele!
- Evelyn R. 12/14/2020

Schools in session @pawsitiveplaydogs 🎓📚📝 Makó loooooves his new teacher, Michele🥰 Makó had a few set backs this summer so..... back to the class room we go. Michele came up with a training program designed to fit Makó’s needs. I HIGHLY recommend making a consultation appointment.
- Instagram 11/12/2020

Michele is knowledgeable, empathetic, patient and joyful in her work with dogs and their people. My puppy has fear and insecurity issues and Michele knew just how to help her work through these.  She also provided me with support and encouragement when I felt unsure of myself and my training ability.  I highly recommend Michele to anyone looking for help with their dog's issues, or anyone who just wants to learn more and have fun with their dog.
-  Saeran S. 11/5/2020

I had a great experience training my Bernese Mountain Dog with Pawsitive Play. As first time owners of a large dog breed we wanted to make sure our pup was well trained. We had multiple one on one training sessions that helped us create healthy long lasting bonds with our dog. The staff was extremely responsive and helpful every step of the way. They explained the reasoning behind dog behaviors and how the training exercises teach your dog good behaviors. They also gave us fun training games to play with our dog each day to continue the training at home. I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a dog trainer.
- Alison H.  10/9/2020

Michele has been a Godsend in our lives. She believes in positive reinforcement and training when working with our Golden Retrievers. Michele always showed up to our lesson with a plan and numerous training tips as well as a paper copy of what we worked on with detailed directions. She also followed up each lesson with an email letting me know how well my boys were doing and with additional tips. I reached out to her several times with a text message and Michele always got back to me promptly with sound advice. I can tell that Michele absolutely loves what she does and it is evident that she is an excellent trainer. I am going to miss her.
- Kim F.  9/3/2020

Michele is absolutely amazing! We couldn’t be happier with the progress we’ve made with our now 7 month old puppy! We are so grateful we found her and for all of the hard work and attention she has put in to teaching us how to communicate with our puppy Kenji. She is so well organized and makes personalized lessons with detailed homework. She made herself available to us all the time for questions and advice which was so helpful when things inevitably came up between sessions. She genuinely cares and is incredibly thoughtful and knowledgeable. Her genuine love for dogs and animals was apparent right from the start and has made training so much fun for us and our dog. Her approach to training is positive and unique which has helped us build a stronger bond with our pup! We always look forward to training sessions and Kenji does too! I strongly recommend reaching out to Michele even if you don’t think your dog or puppy really needs training... She does a wonderful job educating owners to understand their dogs behavior which guides how we learn to communicate with them!
-Kayla S.  8/7/2020

When you love your dog, you want your dog’s life to be happy and safe. So many trainers are ready to help you with canine obedience or other activities. Michele of Pawsitive Play Dog Training provides you and your dog methods for a lifetime of companionship and happiness. Isn’t that what dog ownership is all about? Michele teaches you to play with your dog in a way that helps your dog navigate our human world with love and positive experiences. My wire fox terrier, Watson, is a great dog but he can be stubborn, headstrong, and 100% terrier. Michele has helped me establish a loving and safe relationship through playful interactions that are easy to master and to adapt to our lifestyle. Besides Watson loves working with her and we have a great time together without stress. Recently, we worked on recall while laying and reinforcing the foundations of focus and self control (for both dog and human). We often receive comments about how well behaved Watson is. Pawsitive Play Dog Training works!!!!
-Libby W.  6/12/2020

Michele at Pawsitive Play Dog Training is a pleasure to work with. She is very knowledgeable, and makes training fun for owner and dog together. Whenever I felt like things weren't going well, she helped me see just how far we've come. Michele was just what I needed to show me that my puppy is trainable, and I'm capable of getting him to listen me. 
​-Kristen C. 5/28/2020

Michele is AMAZING!! She was born to train dogs and people :) I can not express enough how much I have learned from her !!!! Michele’s training methods are understandable and extremely effective. Ive actually enjoyed doing the training with my Labrador and saw a difference almost immediately after a few exercises . It was great !!! I’ve enjoyed working with Michele she makes it exciting, fun and easy to understand !!! Anytime I had questions she was quick and thorough with her response addressing my concerns or problems. We adjusted a few things for my situation. She made sure I got it ! She spent the time needed with me and touched base with me throughout the training process! I could never have gotten my dog to start focusing on me and listening without her at 5 1/2 years of age ! I thought it was just not going to happen ! However, she walked me through even some tougher days ...I'M TRULY GRATEFUL! I highly recommend her & her training methods .
Virtual Training Client- Chandra P. 4/10/2020

We contacted Michele to help us with a particular bad behavior. On the first visit she taught all of us tools to extinguish the unwanted behavior and filled the void with fun positive activities. Our pup immediately responded to her and she taught us to illicit the same responses. Each tool has a purpose and they build upon each other to advance your training and relationship with your pet. Michele is a talented teacher. She supports her lessons with written instructions for your reference when practicing between lessons. We are furever grateful to have the opportunity to work with Michele!
​- Ruth K. 2/20/2020

We adopted Lenny, a high-energy blue tick coonhound mix, from an animal control facility in February 2019. While we enjoyed his playfulness and his enthusiasm, Lenny did not know when to stop playing, was destructive, and was out of control. By June 2019, the rest of my family was fed up with Lenny and wanted to find a different home for him. That is when I contacted Michele, a certified dog trainer. Initially, we met with Michele and talked about what we liked about Lenny, what we didn’t like, and what problems he had. She listened intently and then came up with a plan on what we would work on first.
We have now been working with Michele for four months. Sometimes we work at the facilities she has on her property and other times, we have gone to a park to work. Lenny has come a long way in these four months. He knows commands, and I can walk with him on a leash with him wearing a harness. This was not possible before. Initially, Lenny was only interested in playing rather aggressively, but now, Michele has helped me develop a relationship and bond with him so that he wants to be petted and will come to me just for that reason. Before, if I called him, he would be so busy playing or chasing squirrels, bikes, and people that he did not even pay attention. Now, he comes when called and knows that by coming to me he will either get a treat or a rub behind his ears. Lenny is fitting into the family much better and is learning the rules of our household. The rest of my family no longer wants to get rid of him. We actually enjoy him and his personality.
I recommend Michele to anyone who is looking to get help with his or her dog. I cannot thank Michele enough for helping Lenny to become a member of our family.
- Danielle W.   ​10/13/19

​Michele is AMAZING!!! Her training methods are so fun, rewarding and effective. We’ve seen such improvements in our dog and understanding her more because of Michele. Would highly recommend her training classes to not only improve your dog but also yourself. Her classes are unlike other group classes we’ve taken. I love the one-on-one attention and follow up Michele provides. She truly cares for her clients and their progress. Thank you Pawsitive Play Dog Training!!
​- Lisa B. 9/19/19

Michele has teaching in her DNA. She has been a great trainer for both myself and my family dog, Callie. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned through Michele is obedience training is for both humans and pets; I learned just as much, if not more, than Callie did!  Michele’s teaching style is accommodating to all types of leaners, and she is able to have fun while sharing the importance of purposeful training. Through Michele you’ll be able to learn about your goals, your pet’s goals, and how each can achieve them, together. She is knowledgeable, friendly, and reliable when it comes to both horse and dog training. I’m thankful to have had a trainer who is so passionate about her relationships with people and animals.
-Carly S.  8/13/2019

I would highly recommend taking a class with Michele!  The classes are run very well, and Michele is always prepared.  You have fun while still learning a lot.  Michele uses positive training methods, avoiding any negative experiences for you and your best friend. Michele is a very knowledgeable trainer and all around nice person…you will enjoy her class.
​-Sue G. 8/26/19

Michele is an incredible trainer who takes the time to not only listen to you but also to what your dog is saying. She is patient and creative with the games she uses for learning the foundation skills and adding on for more reliability. Michele makes training fun but both people and dogs. I highly recommend her if you are looking to have a well mannered dog. 
​-Denise A.  9/1/2019

Michele is a great teacher - highly recommend her ! Before we met, I had been doing the usual training methods of drilling sit, down, stay, heel. We weren't getting the results I hoped for.  I admit I was skeptical about Michele's methods, but we gave it a try.  After the first lesson and a week of practice - what a difference ! Who knew play and games would work so well.  The sessions were fun and relaxed and I don't think my dog knew we were training.  Michele makes the lessons fun and informative, not only what to do but the reasons behind it. There are plenty of real world examples and applications. Do yourself and your dog a favor and see Michele. You both will learn a lot and  have a much better relationship.
- Roberta M. 9/10/19