“When I came to Cheryl, I had tried working with other dog trainers and my very stubborn sheepdog wasn't listening to much of it, especially those who were not willing to use helpful tools like the e-collar and prong collar. I was worried Lola was going to hurt someone (other than me which she had done plenty of times) and was on the verge of giving her up or putting her down. Cheryl worked with us for a few one-to-one sessions and it became clear that Lola needed a whole new outlook and we decided to do a board and train. While in board and train, Cheryl sent me updates and I could watch updates online. Lola was going on hikes, pack walks, and she even went to the Ouray Ice Festival. Lola had quite a bit of training, real life events and interaction with other dogs that are balanced. Ever since I have gotten Lola back my world with her has been a 180-degree difference than what it was before. She knows and listens to every command. I can take her places that I normally wouldn't take her because she would in the past attack someone or their dog. She respects me. Now Lola is a completely new dog, with a calmer attitude, demeanor, and all-around outlook; like she literally smiles now. She is happy, balanced and on the right track to being the best she can be. This is all thanks to Cheryl and the board and train program.

I had many people tell me Lola would never change and that her behavior is in her nature. I am so so happy that I didn't listen to them and kept trying and was lucky enough to find Cheryl who has the skills and knowledge to work with a dog like Lola.I HIGHLY suggest this program to anyone who has a reactive, aggressive or stubborn dog. This will change your life, just like it changed mine.”

Lexi, Durango CO

“I sent my dog Zuma to be trained by Cheryl after a friend recommended her because my dog for some reason started attacking other dogs. It was rather odd my dog did this as he is a fluffy sweet muppet. Cheryl was very understanding and took great care of my dog, and trained him for 3 weeks. With mini educator that Cheryl used with him I know have an obedient dog that comes when I call him and has polite manners. The stress I was feeling every time I wanted to take him for a walk without a leash has disappeared from my life. I have the confidence to walk and x-country ski with my dog, with no stress because now I am in control Since I got my dog back Cheryl has been great with following up with me to make sure that I have control of my dog and that I use his new electric leash properly. I know that she is there if I have any problems or questions about how to take care of my dog, which gives me even more confidence. I recommend this service to anyone that has a dog they need help with, Cheryl is great!”

Mary, Telluride CO

“Our two sweet pups were rescues and had no sense of boundaries, manners or obedience, no matter how hard we tried. Counter surfing (Mitra ate a bottle of oxycodone and antibiotics at a friend's house), turning on the gas on the stove, breaking into cupboards and eating food, tearing up groceries in the car, zero recall, jumping on people at the dog park, incessant barking in the house and car, freaked out by sounds, peeing with excitement, etc. They were a handful to say the least. In the one week we have had them home from training, we can't believe these are our dogs. They are a dream. Our cat even approaches them now and cuddles and, in the past, steered clear. I look forward to the future with these critters! You are a dog whisperer, Cheryl! Thank you!”

Nasha Winters, Durango, CO

“Ozzy went from a cute but out of control 11 mo. old Boston Terrier puppy to a still cute, yet, well mannered, listener. I used to dread taking him for walks as he would zig-zag in front of me and pull constantly. Taking him for walks is now my favorite thing he and I do together!! We can even do it off leash, which is awesome! Amazing that all this (and more) were done in the 2-week train and board session. Cannot recommend this program enough- it works!! Thank you, Cheryl, and Lead off Leash K9 Training!!”

Mary Alyce Cross, Telluride CO

“This photo represents a journey. There are a million different plans, trials, and training’s behind this photo. Those of you who know Indica know that she has been dog aggressive since she was 2. Before that, she was fine. After that, the following 6 years were filled with avoidance’s, alternate routes, anxiety… the list goes on. Keeping her away from other dogs (for both their protection and hers) has controlled my life in more ways you can imagine: clearing out the vet waiting room, no dog parks, her exclusion from hikes with friends’ dogs. Recently, I sent Indica to a 3 week board and train with Lead Off Leash K9 Off Leash Training to help her manage her dog aggression. She came home on Monday. This is Indica and her sister (Sam’s dog) sitting next to each other. No muzzle. No aggression. This photo is my whole life ❤️
Thank you to Cheryl at Lead Off Leash K9 Off Leash for making this happen, and thank you to Indica for doing such a good job!”

Ursula, Durango CO

"Our 2 1/2 year old dog “B” came to us by way of the Humane Society. We were warned B had separation anxiety but we had no idea what that really meant. Once B came into our home, she jumped right into our hearts and into everything else as well….. she chewed, she counter-surfed, she was not really housebroken and when left alone, she would howl and do her best to destroy her crate. I immediately searched online for a trainer to help us with B. It was a matter of training the dog or returning her to the shelter.

We met with Cheryl and knew right away she was the one we wanted to work with B. After coming to terms with the necessary investment in training, we chose the ‘Board and Train’ option in hopes that Cheryl would get faster results than we ever would. And boy did she! I can’t say enough about Cheryl’s professionalism, her amazing communication skills, and her focus. Within two days B was following commands and paying attention. I was so pleased and oh so happy. Throughout the 2 week training period Cheryl kept us informed with text messages, email, and video postings. We met with her and B a couple to times during the training period as Cheryl wanted be sure we we understood what was being done and we had a good grasp on the commands she was using. Each time we met, we saw marked improvement in B.

B has been home now for a few weeks and I can’t begin to describe the difference in her. She is calmer, she listens, she will come, sit, stay, lie down, crate-up, place, and load-up (to get into car or truck). All this after only 2 weeks of training! She has not had an accident in the house since being back and her separation anxiety is all but gone. We are continuing with B’s training at home by utilizing the methods Cheryl has taught us. B is an absolute delight to have around now. We owe this all to Cheryl - and it was worth every single nickel. If you have a dog in need of training, Cheryl is your trainer!"  

Gail Tuthill, Durango CO

IZZY UPDATE:  "Izzy is doing amazing. She is able to walk in a heel. She is able to sit or place in duration outdoors with distraction. Bret was surprised that I have her sitting on the porch after walks for up to two hours; she loves to sit outside and watch the birds. I monitor her through the patio doors while I work in the living room. She is also becoming calmer as we come into the home after work etc.… We are very excited about her reaction to the training. We are very consistent with working with her. People in the neighborhood have stopped to comment on how well trained and behaved she is. It has changed the dynamics of our household to a much calmer place.  I am able to concentrate on my writing and have a cleaner home, she is not rubbing on the furniture or running around. Izzy’s visit to town was overall very good. She is able to keep a heel with a few “Nope’s,” along the way. I think back to before where the day was “Izzy’s,” day. It was filled with “I” am right here, “I” am in charge. It’s all about me— “Isabella,” chasing the vacuum and the broom, following me to every room, or chasing her down with a sock in her mouth. Izzy wanted all of the attention. Our walks started with a tug-of-war—frustration at her pulling if something jumped out like a bunny or often she’d follow her nose. Further down the road she’d spot another dog and lunging would again begin. People would come over and her large size and over excited personality was overpowering. That was our pre-trained rambunctious loving Izzy."

Yvonne, Bayfield CO

“We had tried a few trainers with no success in getting Kirby to come when called and walk off leash. Cheryl did a fantastic job and now he is a really good obedient boy. And he loves going back for Adventure Doggy Day Camp. Cheryl is very special as a trainer and a person and we recommend her enthusiastically.”

Jeannie Mathias Nadel, CO and TX

“Cheryl with Lead Off Leash K9 Training has greatly improved our lives and possibly saved the life of our precious Lulu. We were having a difficult time training Lu, our 8 mo. old Border Collie mix. We adopted her from Lisa Parker's Puppies at 5 mos. Her main issues were running off, separation anxiety, pulling, jumping up and fearfulness. We signed her up for the 2 week board and train. The transformation is incredible! Her off leash recall is perfect. Her heel is good and she is not jumping up. We can take her anywhere now and it's so much more fun! With Cheryl's expert work and our continued training, Lu has conquered most of her fears and her separation anxiety, that was much worse than we thought. She was afraid of so many things and now she has confidence. Cheryl taught us to push her toward her fears. She is frequently "placed" on her bed in the kitchen with us banging around, or in other “scary” places, and Lu remains calm on her bed. We were out of town during the training and we loved watching Cheryl's videos. We highly recommend Lead Off Leash! Thanks so much Cheryl!”

Stella Rafalo, Durango CO

“Cheryl deserves 5 stars and more. We sent our most unruly dog (Blue) into her board and train program with the hopes of getting some control/sanity into our busy household of 3 dogs and teenagers. Turns out, she trained us all! By following her consistent, simple but effective rules with Blue (and subsequently our other two dogs), our home became much more manageable and smooth. Blue and the other dogs are aware of their place and roles and we have the confidence and knowledge to enforce them. I am grateful to Cheryl and feel that the money spent on her program was worth every penny. Thank you, Cheryl!”

Jessie Kileen, Durango CO

“Cheryl has taken our socialized, aggressive 14-month-old GSD puppy and trained him to be a well-mannered, easy to handle, socialized member of our family. His leash is seldom needed. His previous aggression towards horses & dogs does not exist. Hawken's demeanor has changed from "all play" to include an obedient working style when asked. Cheryl is extremely dedicated and professional”.

Ginger and Richard Conner, Durango CO

"Octo Life Update:

We are in Grand Lake on a patio of a pizza place and Octo patiently watches a squirrel looking for some crust. I cannot put a number on how many times someone has asked me “How did he get trained?” or “How were you able to call him off from a play session to come right by your side?” Night and day difference for this little pup! He turns one year old this month and we very seldom have the incident of him jumping up at a dog to play! A few days is still needed on my end to sit him at the dog park and keep him in ‘place’ but the distance we have gone is unbelievable! I am so grateful for our time together and the skills you have taught to Octo and I! Every time I mention your name, I mean to text you and check in to wish you a happy summer (almost fall now)!

Cheers! Austin”

 "Cheryl was amazing and helped my husband and I so much with our pit bull rescue Noodles. She has an intense prey drive and needed to learn quite a bit of manners and Cheryl took her for a little over two weeks and Noodles came home a different dog. She went from being a coddled piglet to a grown up girl who can sit, stay, laydown, come and place to mention just a few items. I would strongly recommend Cheryl for any kind of training whether it is just a few sessions or an intense training time frame. Thank you Cheryl!"

Tina and Tony, Durango CO

Tucker lives with Alex and his daughter, Ellie. Tucker was the dog that none of Alex's friends wanted to dog-sit or have over because Tucker was always jumping up on people, barking at the door, stealing objects and running away with said object as a game, counter surfing and did I mention...barking, barking, barking? After a two week Board and Train, Tucker is now welcome at the homes of Alex's friends, he goes to restaurants, joins Alex on off-leash mountain bike rides, and even visits the retirement home where Alex's dad lives. Alex is even contemplating having Tucker become a Therapy Dog because he is so well behaved and the residents at the retirement home love spending time with him. He has transformed from a wild-and-crazy-guy to an ambassador of calmness. 

“Awesome, professional and sustainable describe the training our 5-month old puppies (and we) received from Cheryl Albrecht of Lead Off-Leash K-9 Training. Two weeks of board & train with this genuine “dog whisperer” transformed our “Demon Sister” puppies into “Angel Sister” puppies. Everything from intake to homework to personal instruction helped with their (and our) success. The daily videos during training were invaluable as we were able to see what our puppies were learning and we can re-watch them to help with continuing their training at home. We highly recommend Cheryl’s training! And if we lived in the Durango area, Frisco and Stowe would go to Adventure Dog Day Camp with Cheryl and the ADDC Pack.”

Sue Evans & Frisco. Jill Donelan & Stowe. TX and KS

“Cheryl is awesome and the e-collar is brilliant! We have a spirited 6 months old cockapoo that loves to run, jump and play. But we also need a dog that can follow rules and be mellow. With Cheryl’s two week board and train we got both. And with the help of the e-collar, we have been able to transfer Cheryl’s work back to our house. No more expensive training that you can’t duplicate at home. Thank you so much Cheryl”

JoJo Gehl-Neumann, Telluride CO

"I recently adopted a new dog named Rocko. Rocko came with some baggage from a previous life and I realized pretty quickly that I needed some help training him if I was going to be able to have the quality of life I wanted with him around other dogs off leash. I began working with Cheryl and very quickly in our first session, made big gains in Rocko's nervous aggression with other dogs. More importantly, after a few one-on-one sessions, I at least had the skills to move forward rather than suffer the embarrassment in public of "that crazy little dog". I was doing so many simple and easily correctible thing wrong. Basically, Cheryl trained me and not so much my dog. Rocko simply just responded to a new language and delivery of commands that Cheryl helped me see and understand. Once you understand the process, it just takes some patience to practice the commands."

Elke, Durango CO

 "I contacted Cheryl about my 9 year old rescue Jack Russell Terrier, Nemo, and she couldn’t be more kind and accommodating. Thousands of miles apart and she still took the time to provide me with guidance to help me rehabilitate my dog who has destructive and distressing separation anxiety issues. We’re slowly getting there, but I feel so much more confident dealing with Nemo’s problems with Cheryl just an email away!

Thanks Cheryl for all you do."

Laura, United Kingdom

 "I have had the privilege of being with Jack for the past three years.  He tended to be neurotic and unpredictable. He was a rescue and I worked with several training methods to deal with his anxiety but to no avail.  Cheryl really helped me with so many techniques for controlling his energy.  Since working with her, his demeanor has changed substantially! I'm able to control him more and he is so much more relaxed...which keeps me relaxed!  I can't thank Cheryl enough for working with us!"

Garrett Alexander, Durango CO

“I have trained 5 other dogs before Maggie, utilizing group classes. They were all great dogs. Training with Cheryl is taking us to a whole new level as owners, with Maggie making incredible progress and everyone enjoying the work of creating a great dog.”

Jim Hoffman, Denver CO

"I cannot say enough nice things about Cheryl's dog training skills. Cheryl worked with our unruly, extra large lab and helped him learn good manners at home and out on the trails. We can do so much more with Loki now that we can trust him to be well-behaved in a variety of settings. Our family is so grateful to Lead Off Leash K9 Training for helping us have a better relationship with our (now) well-behaved and beloved pup!"

Jennifer, Durango CO

"Before Pancho and I started to work with Cheryl, I was at my wits end.  I couldn’t trust him in any situation.  He was a very protective, unconfident, vocal dog.  I was nervous to walk him off leash in an open area and on leash was just a barking, pulling disaster.  And forget having people over to the house! Cheryl gave me the tools to be a confident dog owner and Pancho the tools to be a confident dog.  I found her training style to very effective and she catered to our specific needs. Pancho and I have an amazing relationship now and I look forward to our walks together and am no longer nervous about having friends over to the house." 

Stacey, Durango CO

Stella was here for 3 days to learn a 100% reliable off-leash recall. Here she is a few weeks later. FYI, this girl had NEVER been off leash before her training program without having a debacle ensue. Keep up the great work, Stella and family!!