Last weekend my wife was outside in the evening with our Coton du Tulear, Hastings. They were enjoying a Spring evening together and he was off leash. Suddenly a terrifying noise was heard from the bushes. Out bolted a large white cat. In hot pursuit were our two cats, Max and Mikey. When Hastings saw his "brothers" needing help, he immediately took off also. Before my wife knew it, he was in our neighbor's yard and heading for a busy intersection.

She yelled "Hastings"... no response... a second panic-stricken "Hastings"- and still no response. Finally in desperation and probably somewhat Pavlovian ( see, we have also been trained) she screamed 'TOUCH". This is the word that Rachel has taught us to use to get our dog to come to us or follow some other direction.

Hastings immediately stopped and came back to our yard. Well you can imagine all the treats this guy got for that. Training is a long and slow process, but like anything else, the gratification makes all the time well worth it. Thank you Rachel for all that you have taught us (and Hastings). It may very well have saved his life!

Jeffrey & Barbara
Cleveland Heights, OH

Rachel,

I just want to let you know that Yoda is working well with his XS Har-Vest. It's so easy to put on and take off. And he immediately understood it means he is on duty. The vest just seems to tell him it's time to act serious.

Also, having a little more area to add a "Do Not Pet" patch has made a BIG difference in how other people interact with him.

Although I do not have hypoglycemia very often, I still have it sometimes. I have had it at night, while asleep when traveling with Yoda. He has woken me up to signal me something was wrong. I'm so glad he was with me -- I could have been in real trouble without him.

Thank you for your help with training Yoda, and thank you especially for the Har-Vest. It's a great invention.

Ann W.
Cleveland Heights, OH

"Rachel and A Better Pet LLC has been a godsend! I met Rachel when she responded to my S.O.S. when my new rescue dog turned aggressive and I had no idea what to do. I had sent out my cry for help to many people and Rachel was the first and most caring person to respond. Not only did she take a great interest in learning of my situation but also visited my home within a couple days (or was it 24 hours?). She provided a very needed and valuable evaluation of my new rescue and even trained her to "sit" and "down" during her visit. I was amazed and forever grateful that I now knew exactly how to handle the situation and what my next steps were. Rachel's much needed assistance did not end there, however. Rachel has consulted with me through the future issues that I didn't even know were on the horizon at the time. As it turns out, my new family member was with pup (7 of them) and again, I was shocked, stunned, amazed, and again looking for the right direction. Of course, Rachel was there! Rachel has even assisted in the placement of the last pup that I did not find a home for on my own. And as if that wasn't enough, she is also greatly assisting with the placement of the mom whom, as it turns out, would be better suited in a quieter environment without children. I am forever grateful to Rachel and A Better Pet LLC. I would highly recommend A Better Pet LLC for in-home training, behavior evaluation, advice and any other dog related need. Her expertise is beyond comprehension, her people and dog skills is unmatched in the industry and her caring nature is unmeasurable!"

"Rachel came into our home when our puppy was 4 months old. Either he was a really quick study, or she really knows her stuff. Okay, probably a great combination of the two. We (husband and 2 daughters) learned so much during the 3 hours in our home and continued to practice what Rachel preached..."only say it once!" We had some training issues along the way and Rachel was available by phone and email when we needed some encouragement and or advice. She got our dog hooked on the "bully sticks"...what a great chew. They are a tad on the expensive side, but we'd rather have him chew the sticks than chew our shoes! I would highly recommend her services!"
Hilliary B.
Lyndhurst, OH

I was made aware of Rachel Friedman when a routine trip to the vet in the cool of late fall left me covered with sweat and dog hair. After wrestling with the emotions of a two hyper terriers, one a plump 35 lbs., the other a mere 5. I realized I was powerless over my dogs and my life had become unmanageable. There was no 12 step program for my problem but my vet, having witnessed the chaos, gently advised I may want to consult a behaviorist. I thought it was too late and had uneasily accepted my destiny. I had 5 and 6 years respectively of having sent the wrong message to undo. Not so, says Rachel who came to my house and had my dogs quickly doing her bidding.
Having been as Rachel puts it , 'A well intentioned but clueless owner' I had and have a lot to learn. The fee I paid is an investment in the future of my, Olive, Milo (and any other 4 legged beast of my future's) happiness. Rachel has been welcoming, prompt and non judgmental of my many emailed questions and her fee comes with a lifetime retainer which I take full advantage of. She is a veritable wealth of knowledge and resources.
Marci F., Shaker Heights, OH

I had tried several different types of harnesses on Forrest. He’s a large dog and I use a power wheelchair. The Har-vest is perfect! He doesn’t pull and stays with the chair. It also gives me some room for a leash and a couple of other items without large packs interfering with his path. Great product!
Jacki (Jack) Pearce-DrogeTacoma, WA

"Rachel is a wonderful trainer and a great source of support and knowledge. I did both private lessons with her when we first got our puppy, Dexter and then took the 'puppy next steps' class when Dexter was 6 months old. Rachel is an incredibly talented trainer. (after taking a class with another trainer I appreciate Rachel all the more!) Both Dexter and I learned a great deal in Rachel's classes. Even outside of class - Rachel has also always been available to answer training questions and to provide support and advice in general. She's a wonderful resource. I'm glad we found her!"
Molly I.
Cleveland Heights, OH

Hi Rachel. I've attached a picture of Xena with her vest on. My pet dog, Parker, is in the background! He likes to be involved in everything I do. :) I love my new Har-vest. It was really easy to order, the custom embroidery is great and it fit her perfectly. It's so easy to put on and it looks good. I can't say enough about how perfect it is in all the ways I need it to be. Thank you for a great product and great service.

Julia K.

Corona Del Mar, CA

Dear Rachel,

Just a quick note to thank you for your help with Sammy several years ago. I took from you the concepts of timing, simplicity, and consistent reinforcement to help towards an endlessly satisfying relationship with my best friend. Your efforts to help people and their pooches are greatly appreciated and continue to trickle down to others.

Thanks again

Jeff S. (and Sammy too)
Cleveland Heights, OH

Our vet recommended A Better Pet to us after seeing our cat, Buddy, and classifying him as one of the meanest cats she’d ever met. Every morning, Buddy would attack my legs and bite me until my husband got out of bed to chase him away. He would even chase our other cat around the house. I was at my wit’s end and felt I had nothing to lose, so I gave Rachel a call. After giving us some advice over the phone, Rachel came to our house to observe Buddy. We got straightforward advice and new techniques to try. After a few set backs, I’m happy to report that Buddy is now on track. I’m so thankful for all the help and advice that Rachel has provided us and will continue to offer when needed. I feel we have turned a corner and we are now able to enjoy each other. Rachel gave us with a positive future for Buddy and we look forward to spending many more years with him. Thank you!

- Nicole & Adam Pontius
University Heights, OH

The Har-Vest has done wonders for my little dog. It fits her much better than the traditional no pull harness and she really likes wearing it. It seems to give her a kind of confidence. It holds lots of stuff which is great when you're out for long walks or runs. I can't wait to try it out on our long metropark trail runs this Spring. Thank you Rachel for a really great product.

"Dear Rachel, I am pleased as punch with the Har-vest. Those that see my Dog when we are out know without a shadow of a doubt that she is a working dog. I have more control of her with the vest than anything I have tried. Our Veterinarian, friends and family are impressed with the quality and the practicality of your wonderful product. Thank you for making a dual purpose product. We have been impressed with it's durability. Living in Alaska we are out side in the wilderness a lot. The Har-vest has been a God send. Please send out more of your business cards and maybe a brochure or two and we will get them set up in the vets office. he would like to find you as well for his pup. Thank you again. feel free to use any of this for the testimonial. let me know if you would like something else written up. But this is amazing and so is my pup. thank you for EVERYTHING!"

Jennifer Ticknor
Kenai, Alaska

I remember sitting on my living room floor, sobbing and holding onto my dog Radar whose nose had swollen to twice it's normal size, two days after his second attempt to jump out our second story window and his first attempt to break out of the new all-metal crate I had to buy to contain him. As I called a behaviorist my vet had recommended I wondered if I would ever be able to keep Radar safe, if this woman would really be able to help me to help him.

Rachel Friedman was exactly what we both needed. She came to my apartment and listened to our situation, she worked with Radar (taught him "down" in the first few minutes) and with me (to learn that the backbone of everything is consistency). She gave us tools to help us
communicate better. She warned me it may be a slow process and it would take a lot of patience but that things would get better - there was hope for us.

I adopted Radar from a German Short-haired Pointer rescue in California; they knew very little about his history only that he'd been in an out of at least one shelter before they found him. He was docile, quiet and not very excited about much other than small animals and food. We lived in a house full of people and with 2 other dogs. He wasn't well trained
but he was a good dog and we had very few problems.

I'm still in high school so my schedule is kinda hectic.I really do mean it when I say I love Har-Vest! Eve is trained to alert me to oncoming panic attacks, and she's with me almost 24/7. She's a very hard-to-fit dog at 20" at the shoulder, and only 25lbs. I tried other vests and was unable to find any that fit her well and were aesthetically pleasing on her small frame. We both lead a very active lifestyle and I'm very impressed with the fact that the vest and straps cause no irritation to her skin, even when worn during prolonged activity - and that it's still comfortable enough for her to snooze in during classes.

Hi Rachel
We met you when you were at an expo in San Jose a few years ago and you had asked if Brodie would like to be a demo dog for your presentation for Har-Vest. I fell in love with the Har-vest back then and was thrilled to get it recently as now Brodie can carry my meds and a few treats in his pouch, as well as my cell. The no pull ring is great too. He used to pull some when he would get excited, but not anymore. I was using a scooter then but had to change into a power chair. Which means Brodie no longer has to use a regular harness to help me walk. The Harvest has a handle which helps me to keep my balance while getting up and to sit. It's easy to put on and to take off to. When Brodie is in his Harvest he is in working mode. I think it looks great on him also. This is truly a great product. Thank you so much Rachel.

JoLynn & Brodie
Lake Isabella, Calif.