Ever since my husband, Jeremy, was little he’s always dreamed of having a dog of his own, after all a dog is a man’s best friend, right?! I on the other hand, not so much! While Jeremy was deployed to Iraq we had an opportunity to get Gunny, our Labrador Retriever. We have two boys ages 6 and 3, who had been asking for a puppy for as long as I can remember!

 

Gunny was showered with attention and affection from both boys, but nothing like he was when Jeremy came home from deployment two months later! He followed Jeremy everywhere he went, to the bathroom he would sit by the door or even go in with him! If the boys had friends over and they were playing, Gunny would jump all over them and he loved to rough play! Gunny also became very jealous of the boys and I when Jeremy would show attention and affection to us. The whining and his constant need for attention was almost unbearable. When we would do P90X we would have to take Gunny’s kennel and put him in a completely different room because he would whine and bark constantly. I was at the point to where I honestly wanted to get rid of him, he was just too much. I couldn’t bond with him at all, he seriously made me have anxiety!

 

The day that James came to our house for a consultation within an hour of him sitting in our living room we saw a sparkle in his eye and saw how well behaved and calm Gunny was with him on his leash. Gunny had not listened that well to Jeremy and I, ever! And, here James Hamm was sitting in our living room and could get him to be still within an hour and hardly saying two words! Immediately we knew that sending Gunny to training was something that we needed to do.

 

I can honestly say that he is a more enjoyable dog all around. The boys and play with Jeremy ride piggy back and rough play in the house and Gunny is so calm and most of the time just falls asleep in his place. James taught Gunny how to be calm, that playing is for outside only. When we do our P90X now, he falls asleep right by us!! We can go for a walk without him even on a leash and with his nose in the air! Haha. Before he was pulling us and had his nose in the ground the entire time. Outside he doesn’t run and jump up to greet someone, he’ll kindly give a sniff and wait for a pat hello.

 

Our family can not thank James enough for training our dog as well as educating us. He took the time to show Gunny how to become a family pet that everyone can enjoy, as well as give us the knowledge to continue with his training afterwards.

 

Thank you so very much James! For everything! We are now very PROUD and HAPPY to have Gunny apart of our family. Our experience has been wonderful and would recommend anyone to James Hamm!

 

Sincerely,

 

The Scheler’s

We wanted to pass along our sincerest thanks to James and his family with helping us to transform our 1-1/2 year old German Shepherd, named Knight.

 

We rescued Knight from the Houston Humane Society a couple of months ago and although he wasn’t people or dog aggressive, he was a fearful dog and he was very hard to handle.

 

During our first consultation, James walked Knight about 25 meters and we immediately saw our puppy start to transform and we knew James was exactly what we needed.

 

Although we could track Knight’s progress through Lonestar’s facebook page, we were still amazed when James brought him back, as Knight had changed into a wonderfully obedient and stable dog that we knew he could be. By setting clear intention and providing calm discipline, we can now prevent Knight’s excitement around strangers that would lead him to bark or lunge, and Knight no longer races through any open door in the house.

We continue to work with Knight using the techniques that James has taught us.  The best thing about the Lonestar training program is that we are now part of “the pack” and James is always on call to answer any questions we have and periodically comes out to check on our progress.

 

Our family is truly blessed to have Knight come into our lives and even more so now that he has been through the Lonestar dog training program.  James, we can’t thank you enough. ~ Matt & Samara Elledge

Dear Lonestar Dog Trainer:

 

Where does one begin when it comes to the benefits our entire family gained through your expertise in working with our dog, Jessie.  While living in Florida and PCS orders came down for Ft Hood, we considered leaving our dog with friends due to fear on our part.  Jessie had been a sweet family dog but when it came to meeting new people and other dogs she was often anxious and we had concerns she would not transition well.  After finding the Lonestar Dog Trainer online, we decided our family could not leave her so off to Ft Hood we went.  Jessie immediately went to "dog training camp" while we unpacked and got settled.  When she arrived home after three weeks, she was not the dog we left.  She came home with her head held high and lots of new skills to be a happy, confident, welcoming dog to all.  Our family was so happy to instill the new training techniques because it was obvious she was a happier dog for it.  The trainer and his family were amazing in incorporating all the training in "real" world living environments. 

 

We are always open to share our story of success with future lonestar dogs and answer any questions.   

 

Wishing future success and happiness to the Lonestar Dog Family,The Howard Family :  LTC Paul Howard, Lisa (mom that needed the most training) & kids

"Our daily life with our German Shepherd, Baron, was a constant struggle before he spent time with the LoneStar Dog Trainer. Baron was a very stubborn dog who wouldn’t walk on a leash, dug holes in the backyard, ate anything in the house, pushed past people through doors, never sat or laid down in one place for long, and would take off through the neighborhood. My husband and I were becoming extremely frustrated and finally decided to search for a dog trainer who could help us. It was getting to the point to where we considered finding Baron a new home.

 

We found the solutions to all of our problems, plus more, with James! I was nervous about sending Baron away, but I could not be happier since he has returned. Baron spent two weeks away and came back a completely different dog. I am now able to take him on walks, to playgrounds, to dog parks, and have him off leash anywhere I go. He no longer feels the need to be first out the door and will not go farther than our front yard when he is outside. Baron can now be left alone in the house uncrated while we are gone and at night. He is a joy to have. His personality has changed and my two young daughters are now able to love on their calm, big dog. The LoneStar Dog Trainer has worked with Baron on all of our issues and also helped us realize the best way to communicate with him and allowed us to continue his training at home.

 

The Hamm family has been so helpful every step of the way and I really appreciate that they are always available to us even after he went home. We are now able to enjoy having our dog around us and we could not be more grateful!"

My name is Craig, and I am the owner of Jager, a Doberman trained by James Hamm. I first brought Jager to see James as a 16 week old puppy - young, yes but very important.  At this age, Jager was a wild pup who would bite my feet, chew everything, and would howl nonstop while in his crate.

 

During the initial meeting, James showed me a technique that taught a dog to lie down and be calm - in less than 10 minutes this wild pup was laying down, being calm and I was sold.  Session after session, I grew more and more impressed as my wild pup grew into a well trained, obedient dog. At 16 months, Jager can do all the basics such as sit, stay, lay down, heel etc. In addition he can jump up and sit on almost any object of my choosing, my favorite being a bar stool. He can go up the stairs of a slide and slide down the other side. He can also fetch and retrieve. These are just a few of things he can do, but my favorite by far is that can catch a Frisbee on the run - yes, a Doberman that can catch a Frisbee.

 

James Hamm's professional, dedicated and humane training brought out skill and knowledge I never knew my dog had.  More than just training Jager; James gave me one on one training to continue to build on Jager's potential to learn new tricks - and the fact that I can call or email with questions anytime and get his expertise is invaluable.

 

If you have a dog that is in need of training, James Hamm is the guy to call!

A Rescued Chocolate Labrador

 

James Hamm is the best dog trainer and behaviorist I have had the pleasure of knowing.  I am completely satisfied with the rigorous and meticulous training program that my eight-year-old chocolate Lab, Grady, has gone through. The results are phenomenal and a great pleasure to have a dog that is so obedient. Grady listens to verbal commands as well as hand signals and understands right from wrong. He also does not get excited whenever we have company over. I can also walk him with or without a leash around the neighborhood.  James taught him retrieving games so when we go on walks, we also incorporate finding things and it really brought my kids into the fold.  Now my daughter loves taking him to her friends houses so she can show off what Grady does.  He is also great around my younger three children, who range in age from 9 years to eight-months. This is truly the best-trained dog I have ever had.

 

James has helped me answer several questions about Grady through phone and email so I could continue to teach him new things or address an odd behavior after we moved to Alabama.  His advice cleared up the issue the same day. His professionalism and patience has led me to have a better understanding of my dog. I have received numerous comments, from neighbors and friends, about how docile Grady is.

 

I would recommend his services to anyone that wants a companion, friend, and well-trained dog.

My wife and I are very pleased with the work that James Hamm did with our dog. Before training with James, our dog was very disobedient.

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She would jump on people, chew on stuff around the house, never responded to any commands like sit, down, here, etc., and she was nearly impossible to walk. We thought we had the perfect little puppy till I talked with James, and he told me everything he could do for our dog to turn her into the dog we wanted, not the dog we deserved.

 

After just 14 days with James, my wife and I didnt even recognize our dog. James made it easy for us to understand the training and the use of the e-collar, so we could follow up on her training while she was home. Now my wife can finally walk our dog stress free. Whenever we have company over shes a perfect little angel. Its been a month and a half since her time with James and shes still as obedient as the day we picked her up.

 

I highly recommend James Hamm to anyone who owns a dog.

Hello Everyone!

 

We are the Sebree Family and this is our dog Lady. She is a 5 year old beagle that we got from the local dog pound in February.

 

 

When we first brought her home she was a very nervous, scared, little girl that ran from everything and everyone. We were having problems with her having housebreaking accidents all over the house.  It became a daily routine on how many messes we would be cleaning up that day.  She would also bark like crazy when put in her area for the night and life was simply awful. After about 2-3 weeks of this we had been seriously thinking about bringing her back to the pound until my husband mentioned about getting her trained James Hamm.

 

 

We thought it over and got in contact with James and talked to him about the issues we were having with Lady, James came out to our home and spent a couple of hours listening to our issues and seeing them for himself. We set up a time to send Lady to him for a few weeks.   We have now been working with James and Lady for about 3 months after the board and train.  She didnt need any more training from him but he allows us to come back and socialize her with new dogs and practice her skills in new settings.  What a difference we have seen in our pretty Lady!!! She has been progressively coming out of her shell, walking very well on and off the leash and the messes in the house are GONE. She doesnt hide behind the furniture or behind our feet anymore and we would not trade our Lady for the world.  It has been such a wonderful blessing to have James in our lives. Along with Lady we have been learning the proper ways to handle and deal with her, how to make things better not only for Lady but for our family too when it comes to raising a happy, healthy dog.

 

 

Thank- you so very much for everything James Hamm and for making us into VERY happy dog owners.  Our experience has been wonderful and amazing anyone who needs to have a dog trained no matterthe reason James is the guy to go, you won't regret it, he is the BEST!!!

 

Sincerely,

Dave and Holly Sebree

We purchased our English Bulldog Corazon when she was 6 months old. Even at that age she was very aggressive and stubborn.  I did not know what to do with her because she would jump on the couches, urinate everywhere and on everything including our beds and bite up anything she could get her mouth on.  I was very disappointed with her and was regretting buying her. When I opened the front door she was gone, I would have to chase her down the street, avoiding traffic which was obviously very dangerous .  

 

When I would take her for a walk I would have to drag her.  She would drop her body to the ground and refuse to walk. The only thing that kept me from getting rid of her was my wife and daughter.  Turns out that my Sergeant Major, James Hamm, was also Dog Trainer.  I spoke with him about my situation with Corazon.  He came over to my house and gave us an in home training session with Corazon the moment he walked outside with her I knew it was going to work.  She responded to every command he gave her.  He took her home for 2 weeks and she came back a different  animal.  Corazon is no longer aggressive, she urinates on command, and my 9 yr old can take her for a walk with no problem she walks right next to her in a heel.  I can leave her in one place and she will stay there till I return or command her to come.  James is truly one of the best dog trainers around.  Without his help I don't know if we would still have Corazon.

 

Thank you again for all your passion, dedication and help.

Hello, my name is Camellia. I own a full- blooded Pit Bull named Baby. She was 7 months old when I sent her to boot camp for dogs. I was at my wits end with her.

 

She jumped on everyone that came over to the house, when you opened the door to let her outside if you weren't holding on to her she would just run you over and go anywhere she wanted, which means giving her a proper walk was impossible. She chewed on everything for example, dry wall, carpet, clothes wood, etc. She was like a cat when I tried to call her, she just ignored me. I could not house break her, every time I thought I was making progress she just went back to her old ways and left me "presents" all over the house.  I was truly lost with this dog and I could not change her behavior.  The only success I had with her was finding out all the new ways how not to get it right time after time after time.

 

 I saw the ad for LoneStar Dog Training on Facebook and I called and talked to them about Baby.  I was a little hesitant on the price but my dog was a "crazy" dog and I knew it wasn't going to be easy.  After talking to Wanda, she talked James into coming out for an evaluation and training my dog, yes she was that bad.

 

 Within 3 days I saw a video on the LoneStar Dog Trainer YouTube channel of how her training was going. I sent Wanda a Text asking if they were putting a stunt devil dog in her place.  Baby was so well behaved and I was having a hard time believing it was the same dog. The amount of calmness she displayed was a miracle.

 

 

 James continued to work with her for 2 weeks. I now actually enjoy the company of my dog and there is no more frustration. We  now go for walks, play fetch, watch television. She goes to the bathroom ONLY outside. My grandchildren can come over and not get tackled.  The difference in my dog is truly incredible and I cannot explain in words how dramatic the change has been to Baby, me, my house, and my family.  I love this dog and now I can enjoy her in ways I never thought possible.

 

 

What Wanda and James did for me is priceless. I now have the best friend and companion that I always wanted but never had.  Baby is my very first dog and James and Wanda saved us both and gave us the relationship that we both needed, wanted, and deserved.

 

 Thank you,

 Camellia Rinehart

My name is Kristen and I have a Great Dane puppy, Diesel. I purchased him when he was 6 weeks old back in April of  2011.

 

As Diesel started getting bigger, he started acting up and became difficult to control. He was always very sweet, but he was just so much bigger and stronger than I am. My husband was deployed to Iraq at the time and we have three small children ages 4, 2, and 19 months. When Diesel hit 5 months he started making our lives even more crazy and stressful. He began bolting and running out the door to go outside or to come back inside and would knock me and my kids down on the ground. He did not care who or what was in his way, he was coming in! He would jump on everyone and would knock you down because he was so big. He climbed all over my furniture. He could not sit or lay down in one spot for more than five seconds without having to get up and run around the house and be all over the place. When I would try to take him on walks he would jerk and pull on me and would pull me down. I could not walk him and take the kids because it took everything I had to try and control the dog. He would not listen to any commands, he just did his own thing and did not care if I was calling him or not. I honestly was giving up hope that he would ever be the dog I wanted or needed and he basically was living outside until I brought him in at night for bed. It had become a hassle to have Diesel and I was honestly regretting getting him at this point.

 

Then I found James Hamm.

 

Thank goodness for James coming in and taking Diesel. He took Diesel for about 2 weeks. Just a day into the training with James, Diesel was starting to listen and walk on the leash. He was learning to sit and lay down in a place and stay there. I was amazed at his progress just within a few days of him being with James. When Diesel came home I could not believe the difference James had made in my dog. Diesel no longer jumped on me. He went to his "place," laid down, and stayed there for as long as I wanted him to. He doesn't get up and run around the house and climb all over the furniture.He doesn't eat my kids food at the table or when they are on the couch (while it was still in their hands). He will sit at the door and wait for my kids and I to go through first and wait for his command to come outside or inside. My kids don't get trampled by him anymore when they are all trying to go outside or come back inside. That was a huge thing for me because Diesel is so huge that he would end up hurting them and not realize it.

 

We can take Diesel for walks and actually enjoy it. I put my youngest two in the stroller and my oldest walks along with us. Diesel walks beside the stroller calmly and without pulling or jerking me. It is relaxed and we enjoy it now because I am no longer worrying about Diesel pulling me down. The biggest thing is the stress factor with Diesel has gone from a 10 to a 0 because of James. There is NO STRESS with my dog anymore. We enjoy our dog. I do not feel like he needs to live outside. I am perfectly happy with him being inside with us and going anywhere and everywhere with us. If it wasn't for James taking Diesel and working his magic with him, Diesel would still be a hassle and cause so much more stress and chaos in our lives, but all that has changed. We are so grateful for James and him making our lives easier and happier with Diesel. There is still the chaos of having 3 kids and my husband deployed, but I no longer stress out about the dog acting up and to me that was a huge weight lifted off and I could not be happier.

 

Kristen Ponsell.

A few years back, I was a cat-lover and my son was terrified of dogs, but my husband wanted nothing more than to own a Chocolate Labrador Retriever.  I could not fathom EVER owning a dog, especially a big dog, until meeting James Hamm.

 

We watched the amazing results he provided while training our neighbors dog and were sold on his ability.  After discussing with James my reservations about getting a puppy, he suggested rescuing an older Lab and assured us that he could train it and that we would fall in love.  We decided to take a chance and hire James to find and train the next member of our family.  Within a few days he had found a 4 year-old Chocolate Lab rescue that his intuition told him would be an amazing addition to our family.  Gunner was his name and James began working with him immediately.  

 

Two weeks later, James called and said Gunner was ready to come home.  When they arrived, we were struck by how handsome and calm Gunner was.  James had trained Gunner, now it was our turn.    James worked diligently and patiently teaching my whole family how to work with Gunner and the e-collar.  James even took the time to ensure that I was confident in my ability to be assertive and a leader, many other trainers do not take the time to do this.  His knowledge and confidence were also integral parts of my son overcoming his fear of dogs and learning the proper way to interact with Gunner.  Being a family man, James worked well with our son and recognized the importance of making sure Gunner was going to be good with kids.  

 

 Fast forward three years we are all head over heels in love with the big Chocolate teddy bear that is Gunner.  My son has ZERO fear of dogs (he and Gunner are best buddies now) and I in fact have become quite the dog-lover!!  So much so that we even decided to add a new puppy to our pack!  Without James talent as a dog trainer (and people trainer too), our family would have still been missing out on the absolute JOY that comes with having dogs as part of our family.  We highly recommend James and his training to anyone looking for a dog trainer.  He will work so hard with you to develop your dog into the dog of your dreams, just as he did for us!  

 

Thanks,

 

Troy&Lauren Gillette

I have had the pleasure of knowing James Hamm for over a year and a half, not only as a client at my practice, but  also as a personal trainer for my three dogs and well over 40 of my clients.  

 

We first met when he brought his newly adopted shelter pet for me to examine, and he mentioned that he was a dog trainer.  Always interested in the behavior-side of veterinary medicine, I asked him a few questions about his training, and the next thing you know my 3 "crazy" dogs were turned into polite and well-behaved gentle darlings.  The quality and compassion in Mr. Hamm's work is unsurpassed.  He is dedicated to both the dogs he trains AND the dog owners--following up with questions or an additional training period for both dog and owner if needed.   Going for walks with my dogs is now enjoyable--all three listen, wait and respect me and my husband as their care-takers, and there are no more "crazy" times.  We refer our clients from my practice to James exclusively when we recognize a dog and owner that need some guidance, and all of these clients have been completely satisfied and truly overjoyed with the outcome of his training.  It makes working with their dogs at the clinic far easier and more enjoyable.  

 

What I really love about his training is the real world experience the dogs get during a board and train.  He he brings my clients dogs to my office during training to help them relax, calm down, and be handled by him, my staff, and me.  The difference in these dogs has been amazing and they become when their owners come in with them.  We will continue to refer to James as long as he is available in our area, and we hope he stays in our area a long time!

As a veterinary professional, I am frequently asked by clients to recommend someone for dog training or to help with specific behavioral issues. 

 

It is without reservation or hesitation that I recommend James Hamm, the LoneStar Dog Trainer.  James combines his years of service to our country as a dog handler all across the globe with professional civilian training that provides the dog owner with the confidence that their dog is being trained by a caring and competent professional. 

 

Behavior problems are far too often the cause of a dog being given up to animal shelters where they often stay indefinitely or are euthanized due to them not being adoptable. 

 

James Hamm has the experience and expertise necessary to train you and your dog and make your dog a wonderful member of your family.

Im sure you have entered a contest or giveaway at some time in your life and really wanted to win the top prize? I recently entered the LoneStar Dog Training Contest for the spouses of Fort Hood, Texas. I not only wanted to win this contest, I had to win in it in order for me to keep my safety, sanity, and help me in containing a peaceful environment in my home.

 

     When I entered the LoneStar Dog Training Contest I was eight months pregnant with twins, my husband was deployed to Afghanistan, and I had my hands full with our 100 lb. 2 year old female American Bulldog; Kahlu'a. Kahluas personality can only be defined by the words crazy and chaotic. Crazy while in the house, in the yard, on walks, at the vet, you name it I was embarrassed of my dog! We loved her dearly but her behavior of trying to attack other dogs, jumping on people, growling, stealing food, bolting out of every door, chewing and destroying things, digging holes, fence fighting, chasing animals, cars, bikes, skateboards, and cats, and she was also scared of wind, fast moving objects and truly crazier when it was dark.  Her behavior worsened after my husband deployed and as I grew larger with the twins.

 

      Before being pregnant our walk and runs were frustrating enough with her constant pulling on the leash, lunging at other animals to attack them while out walking, and just running away from me. The further along I got I realized that running with her was becoming a safety concern for me and for her. She would literally drag me to the ground and injure my body by charging off the second we stepped out the door. Honestly I was looking into getting rid of her to help make the house calmer and safer before the babies arrived.

 

      We were selected as the winner to receive a two week board and train program with LoneStar Dog Trainer with the support of Tritronics. Now after her training and having her home I can say I LOVE my dog. All of her previous problems were corrected. Not to mention they not only trained her, but me too to know what to say and do to make my dog successful.

 

 I am now able to actually leave the house with my dog without fear and am able to enjoy being a dog owner, not just a dog lover.  Earlier today I was able to push my double stroller with Kahlu'a walking next to me off her leash in our neighborhood. The hand held Tritronics remote collar is simple for me to use one handed. This comes in handy more than ever with two small babies.

 

      Thank you LoneStar Dog Trainer and Tritronics for selecting us. Our family appreciates how much you have blessed us. I cant wait for my husband to return home and see the major improvements you have helped make in our big dog but more importantly in our family

We would recommend James' training to anyone with a dog.

 

My wife and I got our dog, Peanut at a shelter and we did not have any prior formal training for Peanut and he only knew basic commands. Peanut was a great little dog when he was with us, but was unruly around strangers and very hostile with other dogs. On walks, Peanut would bark and tug the leash and just go nuts with other people and animals; he was highly unpredictable which was very stressful.

 

When my wife and I moved to Virginia, we moved into my wife's parents house temporarily and there were three other dogs in the house; two beagles and a German shepherd mix. Peanut was the smallest dog of all four and for the first time was not the only dog in the house. Peanut became increasingly agitated and eventually bit both of us as a result. We decided that we needed to get Peanut some help, so we went to James. James came by the house, met with us and Peanut and afterwards, we decided that getting Peanut trained was well worth the money. James took Peanut for three weeks. Peanut came back a different dog! He was obedient, calm, and much more self-confident.  Now, taking Peanut on walks, bike rides, etc. is always fun. James training was phenomenal and it dramatically improved Peanut. Additionally, James followed-up on his training with us to make sure that we were confident and gave us excellent advice to help us continue our training with Peanut. I can assertively say that James is a great trainer and Peanut is proof