Testimonials

From our clients …

In short, Bob changed our lives. We had worked with several trainers with little progress in increasing home alone time for Arlo. Bob is more than a trainer, he was a partner with us throughout the journey. It was the belief he had in us and Arlo throughout the training that really made the difference in our success. When we felt at our lowest, Bob was there to lift us up and talk through our options (and listen to our frustrations and feedback!). Bob tirelessly listened to our ideas about how to improve success and incorporated that into our training without fear that it would derail Arlo. I know Arlo was a tricky case, and Bob never gave up on him or us, even when we were ready to throw in the towel. Our time with Bob included tears, laughs, and celebrations. Having him in our corner during this incredibly difficult process was the biggest gift that we could have received in this journey. (I literally cried while writing this because it meant so much to us). – Aaron McPherson, Santa Cruz, CA

I recommend Bob for any dog that is suffering with severe separation anxiety. He did wonders for our household. After moving to a new home this year, and our dog Bear was terrified of us leaving. He attempted to claw/bite/tear through doors, and he could not be left alone at all (even for 5 minutes). He physically broke down gates we had installed, and opened our garage door from gnawing on a doorknob until it turned. Our door trim was ruined by our front door as well.

Bob worked with us tirelessly, and always accommodated our schedules. Bear has finally graduated his training where he can be left alone now with NO anxiety attacks whatsoever. He now rests comfortably when we leave, and he doesn’t have any anxious tendencies when we come back. Our doorknobs, gates and walls are finally safe!

Bob is professional, kind, and passionate about training dogs. He truly is someone who cares about the work they’re doing. He has great resources for families to use, has great advice/knowledge on dog behavior, and is genuinely one of the nicest men we have ever met. I’m actually sad we don’t have training anymore because Bob had become part of our weekly routine.

Thanks Bob! – Erika Segerberg, Bloomington, IL
 

Bob is a DREAM to work with! My husband and I were referred to Bob for separation anxiety training for our rescue pit bull Leia through our local dog trainer. We worked with him remotely (via zoom) and he gave us incredible support! The amount of care, attentiveness, and skill he brought to the work was above and beyond what we could have hoped for. The process of working with separation anxiety can be daunting and Bob helped us through the training aspect as well as the emotional impact of the experience. He helped us get our sweet dog from not being able to spend even a second alone without panicking – to handling ~40 mins of alone time!! He was understanding when our financial situation changed and had to take the training on ourselves, gave us TONS of support and resources to help us succeed as we move beyond our record. I would recommend Bob to everyone and anyone whose dog has separation anxiety as a knowledgeable, skilled, empathetic, and responsive resource. We plan to continue to consult with Bob on an as- needed basis as we move forward. Shout out to Susan for being an incredible scheduler and all-around great human as well! Thank you Pawsitive Transformations! – Rebecca May Meltz, New York, NY

 
 

If you have a dog with separation anxiety, look no further because Bob is the best. He is an expert trainer and an absolute delight to work with. He tailors the process to you and your dog, and after working with Bob for 2 months, Ava can be alone 90 min. Bob is also a great teacher and one of the things I found most valuable were Bob’s explanations of threshold behaviors and what to watch for in your dog.  I became better able to assess my dog in the daily practices which built my confidence and helped me relax more.  I now feel confident enough to continue Ava’s training on my own knowing that I can reach out to Bob if I need any more help. – Nancy Field, Oakland, CA

 

I wanted to share some great news: I believe we finally reached a point where we can say our boy Loki has overcome his separation anxiety! Last Monday we managed to go to the movies for the first time in at least 2 years. Meaning Loki was alone for almost 4 hours and we never heard a peep out of him. This was his record, but for the past few weeks or so, he has reliably stayed calm and quiet while we were away. He does move around the apartment, but for the most part he just sleeps on our bed, which I guess he decided it’s his now, but we’re totally ok with that. 😀 – Luiza Carvalho and Luccas Menezes, Berlin, Germany

 
 
We really appreciate all the guidance and training you have given us over the past two months. Thanks to you, Rudy has made significant progress in learning how to be comfortable alone at home after losing his pack mates. We understand so much more about what is going on with Rudy because of the training and we feel we have the skills going forward to continue Rudy’s outstanding progress. We cannot thank you enough for the help you provided during a very difficult period in our lives. – John and Judith Dugan, Little Rock, AK

It is not an exaggeration to say that Bob gave us our life back, and I mean all of us – the humans and the pups in our family. When we first started working with Bob, one of our dogs couldn’t be alone for more than a few minutes without ‘singing the song of his people’ (barking and howling). His vocalizing would activate our other dog and together they would increase their noise making until they could be heard from the street. It was very stressful for all of us. We reached out to Bob and he assured us that there was hope. With his guidance and support, we followed his process meticulously. Within a few weeks we could see we were making progress. After several months of committed work together, we had two dogs who could be peacefully in their kennels for several hours while we were gone. Over six months later, we have not had a return of the separation anxiety. – Kim and Marty Barman, Normal, IL

 

Arlo is progressing so well! Yesterday I left him alone for 3.5 hours – he fell asleep for most of the time, and only barked 3 times due to noise in the hallway. I am so proud of him, and grateful for all the tools and tips you gave me so we could continue to make huge progress. – Sagana Mahalingam, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
 
 
 
It was amazing for us to get to work with Bob for our dog’s separation anxiety. We had already been training on our own, but having someone sit with us weekly made a huge difference in being able to practice consistently. Having someone else come up with a daily schedule that takes into account our dog’s needs was such a relief for us. I immensely enjoyed the approach of Bob (and the CSAT team): taking the training at our dog’s pace just feels kind and like the right thing to do. It never felt like we were pushing our dog beyond his limits. Bob immediately made us feel understood and was eager to impart all his knowledge and the reasoning behind the training. His way of teaching was as funny as it was educational. It helped us figure out why what we were doing was important. We felt cheered on every step of the way and were able to see our dog settle into the training as well. – Jo, Robin and Sloef, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

 

We are so happy with the success our dog Smarty has been able to achieve! We were skeptical at first that much could be done to alleviate his howling and distress when left alone. Thanks to Bob’s training (us as well as him), focus and methodical approach, we’re able to leave him alone for hours without worry.  Thank you so much! – Steve Schack, New York, NY

 
 
 
Reggie had been struggling with crippling separation anxiety and I was at my wit’s end, trapped in my house with a dog who couldn’t be left alone for more than 15 minutes. Bob’s slow but steady method works – he understands dog behavior and is able to adjust the training as needed. Bob is a huge source of support and guidance at every step. I can now leave Reggie for 90 min at a time and am finally getting my life back. Bob was a huge part of that. I would recommend Pawsitive Transformations for anyone struggling with an anxious puppy or dog. – Anya Lichtenstein, Brooklyn, NY

Bob was an amazing partner in helping with Bobby’s separation anxiety. He communicated with our other trainer on a regular basis so we could troubleshoot and adjust along the way. He made the process easy and fun, while being effective. I learned so much about my dog during the process which I believe has enriched both of our lives. Now I’ve been able to leave him for up to four hours and he’s been totally fine and well adjusted. So grateful to Bob! – Heather McDonough, New York, NY

My life (and Buddy’s) is better as a result of Bob. Buddy’s separation anxiety had gotten so bad I couldn’t even take out the garbage without bringing him along.  From the first session where I spent quite a bit of time crying to the last session where I felt confident that I could continue making progress, Bob was there for me the entire way.  I highly recommend Bob as a separation anxiety coach.  His keen observations and the care he took with both me and Buddy have vastly improved my family’s quality of life. – Cynthia Cobb, Rantoul, IL

We appreciate all we learned from Bob over the course of several weeks. Twenty seven minutes of alone time for Bubba is a miracle we’ll take! We loved working with Bob, and will carry on our training with Bubba diligently. – Ali Cohn and Chris Blatnik, San Francisco, CA

We’re thankful for Bob’s dedication to Team Newton! Bob helped Newton become more comfortable with absences so they aren’t as scary anymore. We initially could only leave Newton for a couple of seconds at a time. After a month of training, coupled with medication, we’re now able to leave Newton for almost an hour. Instead of crowding the door the entire time we are away, Newton has learned to sit or lie down while he waits for us to come back. Thank you Bob for all of your help and wisdom! We’re thrilled with the progress Newton has made and we’re dedicated to his continued training. – Ashley Rayfield, Chicago, IL

We can’t say enough! Bob was gentle, knowledgeable and generous. We felt comfortable right away. It is amazing what he got done over Zoom. 5 Stars!- Cherlyn and Bill McBride, Chenoa, IL

Working with Bob was time well spent. – Jean Gorski, Normal, IL 

Thank you so much for helping us with Ellie. You are such an amazing man and dog trainer! We loved learning from you and feel like we have gained so much more understanding after each session. – Karen Rousey and Ann Janes, Normal, IL

Bob is doing exactly what he was put on this Earth to do, and that is an amazing thing to get to witness. Thank you so very much, from the bottom of our hearts and kongs! – Amy and Justin Baker, Normal, IL   

Bob has an affinity for animals I have never seen before. Our experiences with him were worth every penny and every minute we invested. – Lloyd & Pam Hulit, Normal IL

Bob is absolutely wonderful to work with! He really takes the time to explain different concepts and discusses them in a way that addresses the current issue at hand, but also in a way that can be applied to other scenarios in your dog training journey. He views your dog’s emotional well-being as a priority, which we very much appreciated. I would definitely recommend working with him! – Katy Todd, Bloomington, IL

Beau Coup is a better dog because of you. Thank you. – Terry Reid, Bloomington, IL 

We cannot thank Bob enough for the training he has helped us with. Bob’s guidance, patience, and cheerleading are amazing. He breaks everything down so that you understand your dog and how they learn. Thank you Bob! 🙂 – Pam Galloway and Mac McKinley, Bloomington, IL

I was at a breaking point and was close to giving up on my girl. I would recommend his services to anyone. He was very professional and I could not have had a better trainer to assist me the way he did. – Jamie Godwin, Bloomington IL  

I commend you without reservation to any dog “owner” experiencing behavioral difficulties. The fact is, your techniques work, and your knowledge of canine behavior has enabled us to “decode” seemingly inscrutable/irrational conduct on our dog’s part. You are, to use the Yiddish, a “mensch” and a wise one at that. – Bill Campbell and Robin Leavitt, Bloomington, IL

It has been a pleasure working with Bob and Susan to get help for my dog, Lucky.  Susan was accommodating and flexible with the scheduling of my sessions. Bob was very helpful and knowledgeable and has been able to shed some light on my dog’s issues. – Amy Garst, Normal, IL

Bob and Susan are both amazing! Very professional, upfront about costs, and definitely go above and beyond to meet our needs. I cannot speak highly enough of Pawsitive Transformations and will continue to refer others to Bob. Thank you so much for the help! – Rachel Rohman, Bloomington IL

Bob’s training methods are all gentle and positive, which helps build a stronger relationship between you and your dog. Bob runs a very courteous and professional business and ensures you are comfortable with the training he plans with your pet. He provides quality training and I recommend Bob to anyone that has a need! – Cheri Fischer, Normal, IL

We are so grateful to Bob! We look forward to what the future brings and couldn’t be happier – thank you Bob! – Jenny Koehler, Bloomington, IL

We felt very fortunate to find Bob. His gentle demeanor and positive training philosophy was a perfect match for us and our adopted pit bull, Bella. Bob provided us with numerous resources and ideas to compensate, modify, and shape Bella’s behavior and calm her anxiety. We now feel more confident and better equipped to address Bella’s anxiety-related issues. Bob really is a compassionate professional and a pleasure to work with! – Lisa Vinney & Chad Millar, Bloomington, IL

From other professionals …

 Bob does amazing work! It would be difficult for a veterinarian to travel to the home of each pet who is in need of behavior counseling, but the home environment is important for developing a treatment plan. Therefore, the resource Bob offers the pets of McLean County is a wonderful gift. – Torry Steffen, DVM, Highland Pet Hospital

Please email us for more information and/or to set up an initial assessment to help your dog with separation anxiety.

Serving clients virtually from all over!