Taize Shepherd Kennel

A compassionate and effective experience! We've been taking classes with Charlene for about 2 years (originally concerned with some behaviors, we started with beginner obedience, through K9 Good Citizen and now working on Novice Rally and Therapy Dog International) and have been consistently impressed with what our dog has been able to accomplish under Charlene's program. She exudes love and respect for all dogs, each of our class cohorts has had a wide array of breeds, mixes and sizes and inspires us to be the best dog caretakers/owners/handlers we can be. I could not recommend her more highly!

I have attended Charlene Marchand's classes with two of my dogs. One of my dogs took obedience and then Rally training classes, earning his CGC as well as his Rally Novice Title! My current puppy has just completed her first puppy class earning her AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy! Charlene's methods are all positive and enjoyable for the dogs - the formula for success!

I have been training with Charlene for over 10 years with my German Shepherds and have had such a great experience that I recommend all of my friends and anyone struggling with difficult dogs train with her. Charlene's approach to training creates a well balanced, stable, good working dog that is able to handle themselves in busy public settings and be a great family addition as well. My dogs have completed S.T.A.R Puppy, Canine Good Citizen (CGC), Therapy Dog International (TDI) and compete in Rally-O (earning AKC titles). Our dogs have all loved class and we will continue to train with Charlene with our future German Shepherds!!

When we adopted our first dog — a rough collie/border collie mix named Yeti — the humane society mentioned she had a “speaking habit.” We quickly learned that meant a very vocal, highly alert dog who barked at everything, especially any dog that crossed her line of sight, often paired with serious leash pulling. Charlene was recommended to us, and through her patient instruction and guidance, we learned how to channel Yeti’s energy and focus in a productive way. After completing her group training class, Yeti was able to walk calmly past other dogs on park trails and village streets. We went from dreading walks to genuinely enjoying them. Charlene doesn’t just train dogs — she teaches owners how to build a better partnership with their dog, and that made all the difference for us.

Ten years ago I trained our Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever with Charlene. We started with Puppy Obedience and continued on through Canine Good Citizen and Therapy Dog International. These were all great experiences. We now have a 10-month old Labradoodle, and are following the same path. Charlene's training method is consistent and effective, and she somehow manages a group of up to six at a time, clearly imparting specific positive reinforcement strategies to the group, while at the same time giving each handler individual feedback related to his/her dog. When I despaired of ever getting our Doodle to "down," Charlene kept reassuring me: "We'll get there." She explained the root cause of his extreme reluctance to lie down on command, and over the course of several training sessions c