Thriving Canine

I have a 95lb American bull dog. He pulls so hard I’m the only one who has been able to walk him in the past 3 years! Chad came to my house in Hollister for a 2 hour session. After one session Chad had my dog healing and listening even while encountering other dogs, which I had never been able accomplish. I walked him the next day by myself and he listened, healed and never pulled once! He’s a completely different dog. Unbelievable! Best money I ever spent! Thanks Chad

Only one word can describe his service, amazing. Spent two hours with him, and there is a 100% difference. I am blown away by what he was able to accomplish and also teach us in only 2 hours. He will be the only trainer I go to from now on.

Chad came out last Friday to work with our two ding dong dogs. We were going a bit crazy with some of their behaviors. Chad addressed each of our concerns and gave us practical and easy to implement changes in the way we were dealing with them. We worked on barking issues, walking, meeting other dogs, jealousy between the two dogs and licking. They aren’t perfect yet but boy are things better! Thanks Chad! Would highly recommend him!

We called Chad because our dog shows signs of fear towards children, and we wanted to address it before the behavior escalates. He also helped us work with her reactivity/​excitement in the car.
Our dog isn’t a really challenging or problematic case, but we needed a little guidance to nip it in the bud, and Chad was fantastic. What we liked most about him: his energy and communication style. Obviously he is also very knowledgeable about dog psychology, but he’s so skilled at training/​getting through to the humans – and that’s really what it’s all about.
He’s affordable, too, in comparison with other trainers we researched and talked to on the phone. But let’s be honest – price doesn’t really matter when your dog has behavioral issues. His expertise is worth a lot more, in my opinion. If for any reason we need a dog trainer in the future, he’s our guy. Thanks, Chad!

We had Chad come out for a 2 hour overview of your 8 month old German Shepherd. The on-​line contact was great. Dawn got back to me quickly and we set up the initial training. Chad was on time (actually was parked out front when my wife arrived home a few minutes before 3 PM) and entered with the house with her. Interesting to see the interaction between Koa and Chad. With-​in a few minutes Chad had Koa stop his jumping on him and was playing with his toys. Koa was pulling when on walks and after introducing him and us to a training collar, problem solved. I would highly recommend Chad to anyone.
PS:
In reference to Diana C.‘s review on 04−18−13 THIS IS NOT A FAKE REVIEW.

We hired Chad for a private session to help us out with our 5 year old Chihuahua. Our little dog has some behavior issues and the typical chihuahua nervousness about him.
Some of the things we wanted to address was him snapping at people, freaking out when someone on a skateboard or bike goes by. The UPS truck syndrome. (He goes CRAZY when he sees a UPS truck) his behavior when on a leash and some potty related issues.
Chad’s tips and coaching was amazing. He armed us with skills and knowledge that we implemented right away. We went on a walk with our dog and he fixed the walking and leash issue right away. We went to the skate park and worked on his nervousness around skateboards and bicycles. Chad was very patient with us and showed us everything multiple times to make sure we feel comfortable. He was also very attentive to the dog. It’s like they spoke the same language. We were so proud of our little guy once the training was done.
Chad understands dogs and the psychology of dogs. I think he can be a psychologist for humans as well, but that’s a different topic. He is a great guy with an amazing skill set. I recommend you write a list of all the issues you would like to address regarding your dog so you can prepare a game plan with Chad. We have had 2 private sessions and will be signing up for his public training classes in the summer time to socialize our little guy some more and teach him additional skills.
I highly recommend Chad and his program. He is not only a great guy but has been a huge help for us with our dog.

Im updating my review in response to the professional way that Chad approached my original review. After understanding how I felt about class, he has offered me a refund for my dissatisfaction. This really put my mind at ease especially because I did not complete the program (I believe I had 3 classes left that I decided not to attend).
He mentioned that he does not want to be a rude person and apologized that I felt that way. He mentioned that sometimes in group classes it is difficult to give everyone attention at times and maybe thats why I may have interpreted his approach for rudeness.
Im very pleased with the fact that both he and his wife Dawn kindly contacted me both via email and voice mail to offer me a refund.
With that said, dog training methods really are a preference thing. Some people may prefer the hands on methods of using physical pressure and others may prefer only using positive reinforcements. Its almost like raising kids. Everyone has a difference of opinions of what is right and wrong. Unfortunately, his methods did not match my philosophy (I should have realized that on the first day, but I thought I’d give it a try since I was a new dog owner and still learning). As I mentioned in my earlier review, I have since then found a trainer that matches my style.
Thank you Chad and Dawn for responding so professionally. I will email you my address for a refund.

I hired Chad to assess my 2 Beagles (one of which is a rescue from a laboratory); he exceeded my expectations.
My rescue Beagle has had stranger anxiety (among other issues) especially toward men. But when Chad walked through the door, both of my dogs ran right up to him and sniffed him enthusiastically! I agree with someone else’s observation that he is indeed a ‘dog whisperer’.
I really appreciate Chad’s middle of the road approach to dog obedience. Sometimes one needs to draw a tougher line in disciplining their dogs. Not being abusive of course but it’s reassuring to know that sometimes you can raise your voice an octave and say «No» to get your dog to listen. (BTW, can’t believe someone slammed Chad. I can assure you I never encountered any type of negativity in dealing with him – some people just want something for nothing lol).
You can really tell Chad loves animals (all types of dog breeds) and is passionate about what he does!
I plan to enroll in some of Chad’s obedience training courses.
Thanks Chad!

I’ve been training my dog with Chad since my dog was almost a five month old puppy. He was at an age where Chad was on the fence whether to have him participate in puppy or basic obedience class, we elected to go for the basic obedience class and I couldn’t be happier.
That was last summer, I’m still training almost every week with Chad in the advanced classes. Chad isn’t just a dog trainer, he’s a behavior specialist. He can teach us how to be responsible dog owners and handlers so that our dogs behave the way we want them to, not they way they feel like. His process is simple and makes sense for both me and my dog, and somehow (at least I believe) it has become a fun learning process for my dog! Thanks Chad!

I’m sure by reading all the reviews you can tell how great Chad is, but I can’t help but add my praise also.
We adopted a pit mix from the shelter and since I’d never had a big dog before, I had no idea how to handle her. She is very sweet, but was jumping up, etc. in the first class Chad showed me how to handle it. She jumped up and I put my knee out. That happened twice and over a year later she still does not jump up. Ever. He also talked about not getting excited when we got home, so the dogs wouldn’t get too excited. It’s amazing how well that worked too.
A friend was having a hard time walking her dogs so I referred her to Chad. He went to her home and right after he left she called to say how great he was with the dogs.

Chad’s been great with Spud and its only been three weeks. Spuds been a handful but with the puppy social and obedience class Spud has been able to sit, stay, lie down, heel and most importantly knowing his name and when to come. Spud and I have a couple more sessions and will likely be giving Chad at Thriving Canine visits with his open class Mondays to make sure Spud is on the right track.
Update 10÷3÷13 — I have a bully and he’s full of energy, sometimes a little too much for me to handle but I knew that making the decision to adopt him beforehand. Anyways, Spud finished his Puppy Class and Chad instructed he move on to Basic Obedience, which I did. Let me tell you it was a different experience and very rewarding.
Spud has so much energy that in Puppy Class he was all over the place and it was good socialization and great learning as an owner how to handle my pup. I knew that this guy would test my patience and Puppy Class wasn’t going to be enough so making the second trip by taking Basic Obedience was definitely needed and Chad offers it at a very affordable price — think about how the $$$ you will save once you learn from the stuff from Thriving Canine.
Basic Obedience was an excelled version of Puppy with much more. I believe Spud thrived on it because of the fact it keeps your pup involved and is paying attention to you. Spud and I gained a bond and trust from each class that has really made having him around very enjoyable. Here on out I just need to apply the methods that Chad at Thriving Canine and will probably visit him in the future.

Our dog, Niner, loves his people and only his people. We heard about Chad from a friend and hoped he could help make a difference. We needed ideas, explanations and a course of action to work on Niner’s behavior issues.
Chad did not disappoint! Niner warmed up to him in about 30 second. He only got out one bark before he decided Chad wasn’t so bad after all. Chad was wonderful at listening to us about some of Niner’s behavior issues and he addressed a lot of them on the spot. We used to have to chase Niner around the house to put on his leash, we assumed that meant he didn’t want to walk. Chad helped us understand that Niner would actually come to appreciate walks — which he does!
We have another session scheduled with Chad where we will address the doorbell and also work on building trust to be around my niece and nephew. We are so hopeful that the world may get to see what a sweet dog Niner really is.
Thanks, Chad!

I am a first time Australian Labradoodle owner. He is a handful and Chad has been very helpful in training me, Dillon and helping with our neighbours who do doggy daycare. Extremely calming influence which is needed by all involved!

I am updating my review based on reading the horridly inaccurate (and may I say ONLY 1 star review) Chad received. There is one statement in that review that proved to me how falsified this story is. Chad would NEVER recommend euthanizing an aggressive dog. EVER. He is a firm believer that any dog can be rehabilitated with enough time and effort. If this woman knew anything about him or his program she would know that Nikita, his dog he takes to all sessions, is a rehabilitated dog.
We recently graduated from his training with our second rescue, and were just as pleased with his techniques and the results as were the first time. I personally recommend him all the time to people and will continue to do so. Also, there is nothing fake about me or my reviews.

Our 1 ½ year old crazy, wild dog that never listened to us can now sit, stay, down, come, and heal! He graduated basic obedience class last night! We are very happy with Chad and Thriving Canine. He did an amzing job training us and our dog. He was very helpful and had alot of tips for us to try. All of them have worked on our little stubborn pug mix. His facebook page is very informative as well. He starts off with treat based training which then tranforms into command training with positive reinforcement. We can’t wait to do a 2^nd training or agility class. This guy knows what he’s talking about and anyone could benefit in a training sesh with him.
Also, I work at a Veterinary hospital and we recommend him all the time!
Bunsen says «Thanks!»

Wow, Wow, and yes… Wow! Very impressed with Chad and the things he helped teach me about my dogs! We had an in home session for my 3 dogs, and I must admit, they were better dogs after he left! We went over many problems i was having with them, food aggression, not listening and jumping up. Chad worked with us on all these and left homework for us to do to continue the training! The dreaded 3 dog walk is no more! Today we went out for our walk without Chad and it was Amazing! It’s like i have different dogs, they are so well behaved on their walk now i could honestly cry! Whomever said in another review that Chad is the Dog Whisperer of Gilroy was spot on! Highly recommending Thriving Canine for anyone needing obedience classes or any training! Miracle worker! Thanks You, Thank You, Thank You!!! =)

One of the best training programs we have discovered.
GT

Because of our work schedules, we were not able to get our dog into a puppy class in time, so we decided to book Chad for a 1:1 session.
Chad’s personal in-​home session was like a month-​long puppy class rolled into a two hour session.
Teaching gentle play? Yup!
Walking on a leash? Yup!
Going down stairs? Yup!
Consistency of commands? Yup!
Sit, stay, down, and leave it? Yup!
He gave constructive feedback. Was firm with our pup, but playful as well. Definitely worth it.

After getting jerked around by another training company, we thought we would give Chad at Thriving Canine a call. I was very impressed that he had somebody else (the wife) taking calls and booking appointments instead of trying to do it all himself. She managed to squeeze us in for that week, and we could not have been happier.
Even though it was only an hour session (less than a normal one, but we were thankful none the less), he was VERY effective with helping us with our boy. It has actually been many months since we have seen Chad, but he has left a lasting impression on our boy, and are so happy we seeked him out!

Since moving to Gilroy, CA, many of the local friends we’ve made have come from folks we’ve met at the dogpark. Dog people just seem to generally be good people. One of our good friends from the dogpark always spoke highly of Chad/​Thriving Canine. We’d often talked commiserated about several friends who desperately needed someone like Chad/​TC to assist with their dogs’ aggressive issues (dog to dog), but sadly they never took us up on the recommendation. Btw, the friend that recommended Chad/​TC called him the Cesar Millan of Gilroy. So, naturally we were excited (we love the work Cesar does).
We have two dogs, both pound rescues, Kumo and Danica.
(kumo is the foreground, Danica in the background)
Kumo is almost 3, Danica 6 months younger.
When we adopted Kumo at 3 months, we’d done our research, watched a lot of cesar, and ended up also taking a puppy training course at Petsmart. It got him on his way (sit, stay, down, wait, take it, leave it, etc). However, one thing that Kumo never seemed to pick up from us was how to walk without pulling. We were doing everything that we’d been instructed to do, but it just didn’t seem like it was enough.
My wife recently started running again, and she can take Danica (she heals so well, we didn’t teach her to be that good). Kumo on the other hand, he’s all over the place, pulling, etc, and as a result, my wife’s shins hurt (Kumo’s behavior unbalanced her).
Enter Thriving Canine /​Chad Culp
We booked a 2 hour at home private training session this last saturday. I was able to set it up via the website, and Chad confirmed in email. Upon request, Chad billed up so we could use paypal to pay for his services.
The Session went like this:
Hour 1: History/Q&A
We gave him the history, answered questions, became acquainte
Hour 2: Training work
We agreed to let Chad take Kumo on leash and watch what he was doing to compare what we had already done.
Without going into full detail, Chad had him walking with more structure, essentially healing, in the first 5 – 10 minutes.
Yesterday, and this morning, I took kumo for short 5 – 10 minute walks to practice with him, and with our new method, Kumo is so much more responsive. I can already see it’s going to work, and for the first time since we’ve had kumo (several years), we’ll be able to walk him without him pulling. It warms my heart.
Chad is professional, and a true gentleman. He understands dogs and their behaviors, not just what he has been told, but what truly works. he clearly explained what he was going to do before he did it, ensuring we were okay with his methods. he even brought his own dog Nikita out to assist with the training (walking by other dogs, etc).
Now, if only we can convince our other friends to use his services!
Also, Chad offers several additional continued education courses for dogs and group exercise activities. He has Monday night group training in Morgan Hill ($ 10), and Dog Agility coures on Saturdays (weather permitting, etc).
My wife is going to start bringing the dogs to the Monday night drop in courses.
In short, Chad understands dogs. He truly is like a local cesar Millan (except, you don’t have to be a star!)
Thanks Chad!