• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Unleashed Potential
  • Classes
  • UPX
  • Board and Train
  • Day Train Program
  • Find a Trainer
    • Become A Trainer
  • The UPK9 Blog
  • Store

The UPK9 Blog

Testimonial “Elvis” the German Shepherd a Continued Success Story of A Past Board and Train

July 18, 2013 By Duke Ferguson Leave a Comment

Testimonial “Elvis” the German Shepherd

A continued success story of a past Board and Train.

It has almost been a year since my German Shepherd Elvis, a super submissive, non socialized rescue spent time with Duke Ferguson of UPK9: PEI

Elvis can now walk off leash, heel, is not afraid of the water or gravel, he is a joy to take anywhere.
Elvis continues to learn new things each day and is becoming a confident and relaxed pet.
Thanks for your early work and guidance.

German Shepherd Training ​StratfordNL Jones ( Elvis enjoying a day off lead at the beach).

 

If you need help with your dog email us Now at  info@upk9.ca

Do you have problems training your dog or dogs? Do you want help? No matter the size, sex, age or breed We Can Help!

Want FREE dog training advice? OR to just learn more about Duke’s philosophy on dog training?  GET ACCESS to his Exclusive, FREE Mini video series  Click Here!! This mini series is not found on Youtube… Get Access Now… You will love the mini series and its Free!! 🙂

To find a UPK9 Trainer near you or to Book your  FREE Demonstration and Consult Click Here

For more information on how you can  purchase Dog Training Genesis and become a member  CLICK  HERE or on the photo of Duke and his dogs.

Fotor111122448
Learn More About Dog Training Genesis CLICK HERE !

 

Follow us on FACEBOOK  and subscribe to  us on YouTube

 

Filed Under: Testimonials, UPK9 Main Blog

Border Collie given a new lease on life!

July 10, 2013 By Duke Ferguson Leave a Comment

 Border Collie/Australian Shepherd Training PEI & NS

Memphis is a fun loving, full of life Border Collie/Australian Shepherd mix. You would never know, looking at him now, that he has had a pretty complicated past. By the time Memphis was 6 months old, he was diagnosed with severe hip dysplasia. Memphis underwent two major surgeries just weeks apart followed by four months of strict recovery. By the time he was fully healed, he was just over a year old. He missed the critical stage in his life for developing social skills with other dogs. When we were finally able to walk him down our street, we noticed quite quickly that Memphis was very nervous of other dogs, becoming excessively vocal, and a true nightmare to the neighbourhood. We were extremely embarrassed passing other people and dogs as our sweet little boy would turn into a growling, barking dog. We had tried many things to get Memphis back on track with socialization, but it proved to be beyond our control. That’s when we made the phone call to Unleashed Potential in Halifax.   After a few lessons , we were making progress. We could see a huge difference in the way Memphis acted. The methods have become a daily ritual in our house. With guidance, and a lot of homework on our part, Memphis was ready to participate in semi-private lessons. Before we knew it, he had graduated to group class!  Now he’s able to play on and off leash with other dogs! We couldn’t have made it to where we are now without Unleashed Potential. It is an amazing feeling to have such control over your dog, and not worry about how he will react. Memphis has learned to focus on us and our commands instead of other distractions. We look forward to attending group class every Saturday. Memphis loves it so much. Thank you Unleashed Potential,  for everything you have done. You have given us our fun loving sweetheart back, and now he can continue living the happy and healthy life he deserves!

 Ryan, Ashley & Memphis

– –

I

Do you have problems training your dog or dogs? Do you want help? No matter the size, sex, age or breed We Can Help!

Want FREE dog training advice? OR to just learn more about Duke’s philosophy on dog training?  GET ACCESS to his Exclusive, FREE Mini video series  Click Here!! This mini series is not found on Youtube… Get Access Now… You will love the mini series and its Free!! 🙂

To find a UPK9 Trainer near you or to Book your  FREE Demonstration and Consult Click Here

For more information on how you can  purchase Dog Training Genesis and become a member  CLICK  HERE or on the photo of Duke and his dogs.

Fotor111122448
Learn More About Dog Training Genesis CLICK HERE !

 

Follow us on FACEBOOK  and subscribe to  us on YouTube

Filed Under: Testimonials, UPK9 Halifax, UPK9 Main Blog

We train small dogs too!

June 20, 2013 By Duke Ferguson Leave a Comment

 

BB and Dax with a recent board and train, Bella.
BB and Dax with a recent board and train, Bella.

Is your small dog pulling on the leash constantly while you’re on a walk? Does it suffer from separation anxiety? Is your dog still using the bathroom indoors? Let us help! Unleashed Potential has lots of experience with dogs of all sizes, breeds and behaviours. We will figure out exactly what it is your looking for, whether it be crate training, barking, biting and nipping, leash aggression or any other type of unacceptable behaviour, and give you a full understanding of why your dog is acting this way, and how to correct the behaviour properly. Call and book your free demonstration today!

————————————————————————————————

If you know someone who needs help with their dog then show the love and share this with a friend!!

Do you have problems training your dog or dogs? Do you want help? No matter the size, sex, age or breed We Can Help!

Want FREE dog training advice? OR to just learn more about Duke’s philosophy on dog training?  GET ACCESS to his Exclusive, FREE Mini video series  Click Here!! This mini series is not found on Youtube… Get Access Now… You will love the mini series and its Free!! 🙂

To find a UPK9 Trainer near you or to Book your  FREE Demonstration and Consult Click Here

For more information on how you can  purchase Dog Training Genesis and become a member  CLICK  HERE or on the photo of Duke and his dogs.

Fotor111122448
Learn More About Dog Training Genesis CLICK HERE !

 

Follow us on FACEBOOK  and subscribe to  us on YouTube

 

Filed Under: UPK9 Halifax, UPK9 Main Blog

A Tired Dog is a Good Dog!

June 19, 2013 By Duke Ferguson Leave a Comment

A lot of people come to us with questions about tiring out their dogs.
First off, we will put in place two distinctions: if your dog is worked up in a comfortable/familiar environment this signals pent up energy that needs to be exerted — If your dog is worked up in an unfamiliar environment this is normal, more exposure and training might be needed!

Elvis

Regardless of the surroundings, mental stimulation is key to tiring out a dog; making them work for the things they like as rewards would always aid in such stimulation. I have something the dog WANTS, he must work to get it!

Think of it this way: someone who goes to work and does mental work with numbers all day or a student who studies all day would come home completely wiped from using their brain all day – even though they didn’t move much or perform physical tasks – mental exhaustion is just as tough if not tougher than physical. Compare this person to a marathon runner who can get in a mental zone and keep pushing their body. They would come home feeling pretty good about the run and not totally drained. Give this person math questions to do while running and the run is MUCH more tiresome! This is what happens when playing fetch, just running after the ball will tire a dog out briefly, but they always want another!!Instead, we balance the play – a little mental work and a lot of fun can go a long way! Once obedience is instilled we can call up on it for play time and tire a dog that could normally fetch a ball all day in twenty minutes. This is why mental stimulation and forcing the dog to use their brain and think is important and our GO TO technique for a dog with pent up energy. Check out this facebook video of Roxie and Becky Herman (South Shore NS, Trainer) for a perfect example on mental stimulation and reward fetching!

When time is lacking for mental stimulation we can call up on other techniques to tire the dog (just to name a few) :

– teach your dog to play tug! A firm out command is a must as well as certain rules to the game!
– resistance training with a harness and weights, old tire: check out this video: Facebook Resistance Training Video or this one Facebook Resistance Video 919179_516979565015991_690669015_o
–
heeling dog while you jog, run, bike or walk
– teach the dog to “find” their toys
– teach your dog to “hunt” for their food
– swimming for their toys
– resistance training in water

 

There are so many options out there for owners and their dogs to experience life together, have some fun and get out with your dog!
If you or anyone you know has a dog that is need of some excess energy burnoff, training or additional techniques please don’t hesitate to contact one of our certified trainers!

Do you have problems training your dog or dogs? Do you want help? No matter the size, sex, age or breed We Can Help!

Want FREE dog training advice? OR to just learn more about Duke’s philosophy on dog training?  GET ACCESS to his Exclusive, FREE Mini video series  Click Here!! This mini series is not found on Youtube… Get Access Now… You will love the mini series and its Free!! 🙂

To find a UPK9 Trainer near you or to Book your  FREE Demonstration and Consult Click Here

For more information on how you can  purchase Dog Training Genesis and become a member  CLICK  HERE or on the photo of Duke and his dogs.

Fotor111122448
Learn More About Dog Training Genesis CLICK HERE !

 

Follow us on FACEBOOK  and subscribe to  us on YouTube

 

Filed Under: UPK9 Main Blog

Young Boxer’s Amazing Transformation!

June 18, 2013 By Duke Ferguson Leave a Comment

Finn the boxer, trained by Ted Efthymiadis of Unleashed Potential.

Young Boxer’s Amazing Transformation!

My boxer, Finnegan is the joy of my life. He is a goofy boy that makes me laugh every day. He loves to cuddle and just be with me. I bring him to the office everyday and anywhere else I go. Being a boxer, he was extremely excitable, he jumped on people, knocking them over. He’s given people cuts and bruises and kids were bowling pins, how many could he knock down. Since he turned one he became very dominant and aggressive towards other dogs. I had no control over him. We walked in point pleasant park every day and it started to turn into a nightmare.  Another co-worker brought her dog into the office and it turned into a really nasty dog fight. I jumped in and got them apart. I was so lucky that no one was hurt, including myself!

I started looking up dog trainers online and found Unleashed Potential. I watched all their videos and read all their testimonials. I had more problems with Finnegan than I realized. I wanted a dog that I could bring everywhere. I love hiking and walking in the park. Right then, I could not do any of that.

I called  and had the free evaluation. I was amazed. He had more control over my dog than I did and they just met. After meeting his dogs and watching all the videos of previous clients on his website. I knew he was the best. I wasn’t going to go with just any trainer.

Since training, I have the most amazing dog! I can now take him everywhere with no worries. I went from not trusting my dog to trusting him 100%.  His social skills are amazing. He has turned into a chameleon. He adjusts his play with old, young, disabled and small dogs.  If I don’t want him to say hi to a certain dog all I have to do is say “heel” and we walk right by. It has been 6 months and no fighting with other dogs. I get at least 2-3 dogs a week in the park that lunge at him and try to fight. The look on his face is priceless, “Mom, that dog is crazy!”. He always walks away from fights and comes to me for protection. He is now great with kids and doesn’t knock them over. He’s extremely gentle with my 6 month old nephew, and I have complete trust in him with the baby.

We attend group class regularly for maintenance and I have met some really great people. Finnegan has made some great doggie friends. He even plays with another boxer from class that he tried to attack multiple times before! It is such an awesome feeling to see your dog completely change. Every day he does something that makes me proud of him. And every day I have complete strangers compliment on how well trained he is! Our lives have completely changed for the better because of  Unleashed Potential 🙂

I can’t thank you enough!

Tara Finnegan in Halifax Nova Scotia.

 

————————————————————————————————

If you need help with your dog email us now at  info@upk9.ca or if someone you know needs help with their dog then Show the love and share this with a friend!! If you want to get proven results today  find a UPK9 trainer near you!  unleashedpotential.ca  For Halifax E-mail   tede@upk9.ca  Or  Call   902.489.4269.

If you want to get real results for the real world and improve your relationship with your dog we are the trainers to help you get there. If you would like to see cool dog training videos, pictures, testimonials or to  keep up to date click here and Like us on FACEBOOK  and subscribe to us on YOU TUBE! We will help you UNLEASH YOUR DOGS POTENTIAL!!!

By  Ted Efthymiadis,  Unleashed Potential Halifax Certified Professional Dog Trainer.

_______________________________________________

Do you have problems training your dog or dogs? Do you want help? No matter the size, sex, age or breed We Can Help!

Want FREE dog training advice? OR to just learn more about Duke’s philosophy on dog training?  GET ACCESS to his Exclusive, FREE Mini video series  Click Here!! This mini series is not found on Youtube… Get Access Now… You will love the mini series and its Free!! 🙂

To find a UPK9 Trainer near you or to Book your  FREE Demonstration and Consult Click Here

For more information on how you can  purchase Dog Training Genesis and become a member  CLICK  HERE or on the photo of Duke and his dogs.

Fotor111122448
Learn More About Dog Training Genesis CLICK HERE !

 

Follow us on FACEBOOK  and subscribe to  us on YouTube

 

Filed Under: Testimonials, UPK9 Halifax, UPK9 Main Blog

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Page 1
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 27
  • Page 28
  • Page 29
  • Page 30
  • Page 31
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 44
  • Go to Next Page »

Footer

RSS The Weekly Recall with Duke Ferguson

  • #31 Repairing Trust When Communication Breaks Down
    What happens when communication falls apart and trust starts slipping away? In this episode of The Weekly Recall, Duke tackles one of the most common problems trainers and dog owners face. A breakdown in communication. The same thing that creates tension with dogs can also create conflict with clients, spouses, teams, and even ourselves. Duke […]

Home | Contact | Find a Dog Trainer | Dog Trainer School | Dog Training | Store | Blog | Privacy Policy


Follow Duke Ferguson on Facebook Follow Duke on YouTube Follow Duke on Instagram


Copyright © 2026 · All Rights Reserved

Unleashed Potential - Stratford, PE, C1B 2W2, Canada
Phone: (902) 367-3647 · Toll Free: (844) 364-3647

Hours of Operation:
Unleashed Potential Main Office:
Monday - Friday: 9am-4pm | Office closed on Saturdays & Sundays
Dog Training & Coaching - By appointment only