Tommy is a graduate of Professionals (2016) and Masters (2017) Dog Training programs from a Nationally Recognized school. Since graduating he has attended several dog training seminars and classes to broaden his knowledge of dog training as well as overall canine health and wellness. 

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Unbeknownst to Tommy, he began his journey to dog training expertise in 2012 when he adopted his Service Dog "Wilson." When Tommy got Wilson the expectation was that he was a sound, stable, and neutral Service Dog trained to assist Tommy with PTSD, Anxiety, and Sleep Apnea. The earth shattering reality? Wilson was dog aggressive to the point that he had killed at least one dog prior to Tommy adopting him (this was discovered after their bond had already become unbreakable).

 

Tommy decided that he wasn't going to give up on Wilson before attempting to "fix" the problem. Tommy and Wilson worked with a professional trainer to rectify the reactivity toward other dogs and recondition it to neutrality. With proper direction, tools, communication and clear expectations Wilson became the best dog a man could ever ask for - those once in a lifetime pups you're "lucky to find."

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In his later years Wilson was attacked by two boxers because of a turkey leg and human error (not Tommy's) the astounding thing was Wilson didn't engage in the fight. Tommy had to pull the other dogs off of him and pick him up so he wouldn't be mauled. Unfortunately Wilson crossed the rainbow bridge in the fall of 2019 after a stroke left him unable to enjoy life with Tommy any longer, but not before passing his torch to his brother a Belgian Malinois and Tommy's school dog "Raider". 

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Wilson shaped a lot of Tommy's core dog training philosophies, and Raider continues to help Tommy develop his understanding of Dogs and the "best" ways to train them. 

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Most of all - Wilson helped Tommy to recognize that a lot of dogs who end up in Rescue due to behavior issues are there simply because they weren't taught in a way that worked for their personality and learning style how to be a dog existing in the human world with our human expectations. Furthermore those dogs that you're "lucky to find"? Wilson wasn't a dog Tommy was lucky to find. Wilson became the dog he did because Tommy gave him what he needed in order to become the best dog Wilson possibly could.

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Wilson and Tommy's story showcases what true and wholesome dog training can accomplish. In honor of Wilson, Tommy founded Modern K9 Solutions so that his best friend may live on through the legacy of helping other people and their dogs through wholesome and true dog training.