As you know, Buddy was adopted from a local Charles Town lady who got him from a lady showing dogs in a cardboard box in the parking lot of Walmart. The sign read "If you don't take these dogs I will have to put them down". Buddy and his brothers and sisters were probably in the 6 month age range and beaufitul, what appeared to be Golden Retrievers. Taking Buddy to my grandson's house was love at first sight and they've been best "Buds" ever since.Now, we never invested in professional training of pets before and figured we didn't need it. However, we wanted Chase and Buddy to learn more about the obedience side of owning and caring for a dog. Our research as to the "best" dog trainers in our area led us to YOU at the Red Barn. Hillside Vets provided an outstanding recommendation.From the first day of Buddy's handling training, it was obvious we made the right choice. Sandy's warmth and caring approach to both Chase and Buddy was second to none. There were about 6 other dogs and handlers in the class and each one of us received the focus and attention we needed. Classes were early Saturday morning and the setting of the "Ranch" in the early morning set the stage for calm and productive lessons. Sandy's approach was building confidence and skills at a pace designed for each dog and handler. For the most part, the group stayed together, but again, Sandy made sure each dog and handler were making progress that would lead to improvement and success. Chase and Buddy never missed a training session and Sandy made sure to recognize them at the end of the six week training course.Life was good before but, Buddy learning some basic skill, tricks and just plain good manners, made our life with a new dog even better.Putting a young pup and your 10 year old grandson in the ring with 6 other strange dogs and adults was an unknown and, yes, I was somewhat concerned how Buddy would behave with total strangers. But, Sandy's approach to introducing the dogs and handlers to each other soon led to comfort that everything would be okay. Sandy is so gentle with the dogs and was super with my grandson Chase. The praise to both kept them in the game and you could tell they wanted more time with her.Sandy's approach to teaching and building on each lesson gave Buddy and Chase the confidence they  needed to succeed. They even practiced the lessons and drills that Sandy taught us at home so they were able to perform and successfully move to the next progression.Another area I touched on before was the atmosphere and the training ring on the property. Red Barn Ranch and Labradors, LLC, is located in a beautiful country setting with clean grounds and fresh water and good treats were always available. You can tell that Sandy loves dogs and they love her.Our goal when we took Buddy and Chase to Sandy's was to just teach them the basics of dog handling and obedience. Sandy succeeded in that and Buddy continues to be an outstanding and well behaved pet, as it should be. We couldn't have asked for a better experience. Sandy is the best dog trainer in our area. She cares about both dog and handler and what is best for each.