Testimonials
"From the first time I spoke with Cari up until our "last" appointment, everything was seamless. Cari's positive reinforcement approach is what really stood out to me. My rescue Boomer and I were new to each other when we started working with Cari and the progress and confidence both of us have made as guardian and companion animal is nothing short of incredible. Cari goes above and beyond for her clients and folks, that is an understatement. She celebrates with you. Boomer also was quick to develop rapport with Cari which solidified the fact that hiring Cari was the right choice. If you are unsure or on the fence about hiring a behaviorist like Cari, I will forever sing her praises 
" Korah and "Boomer"
“Scheduling our initial assessment with Cari turned out to be one of the best decisions we have ever made. The difference we have seen with our dog, Jamo, has been nothing short of miraculous. When we first met with Cari, Jamo could not relax, he was always on edge, was fearful of new dogs an
d people, and had trouble listening to commands. During that initial appointment, Cari helped us to realize how much Jamo was struggling with anxiety and has since enabled us to help him live a happier life. While we will continue to implement everything that Cari has taught us, the few months of training with her were truly life changing for Jamo and us. We can hardly believe the changes we have seen and neither can our friends and family. You can tell that working with companion animals is Cari’s life's passion and calling. No matter the behavior concerns and how extreme they are, Cari sees through it all to the individual underneath that you know and love. She was able to understand our concerns and get us to see them from Jamo’s point of view. We are huge fans of her training techniques that reinforce positive behavior and stay away from negative reinforcement type training. We would have gladly paid anything for the results we have seen but Cari’s rates are very reasonable for the services she provides. So please, if you are hesitant to book an appointment you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.”
d people, and had trouble listening to commands. During that initial appointment, Cari helped us to realize how much Jamo was struggling with anxiety and has since enabled us to help him live a happier life. While we will continue to implement everything that Cari has taught us, the few months of training with her were truly life changing for Jamo and us. We can hardly believe the changes we have seen and neither can our friends and family. You can tell that working with companion animals is Cari’s life's passion and calling. No matter the behavior concerns and how extreme they are, Cari sees through it all to the individual underneath that you know and love. She was able to understand our concerns and get us to see them from Jamo’s point of view. We are huge fans of her training techniques that reinforce positive behavior and stay away from negative reinforcement type training. We would have gladly paid anything for the results we have seen but Cari’s rates are very reasonable for the services she provides. So please, if you are hesitant to book an appointment you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.”Chris, Alyssa and "Jamo"
"I have been fortunate to be able to partner with Cari on numerous canine and feline behavior cases. She provides thorough behavioral assessments to aid in formulating a proper medication plan and develops workable, effective behavior modification plans that compliment pharmaceutical behavior support. For any veterinarian looking for a behavior professional to provide the detailed behavior modification plan to compliment a medication regimen, I would highly recommend partnering with Cari. Together, we have been able to create comprehensive behavior management plans that set both the animal and the guardian up for success."
- Dr. Laura Beck, DVM, CVA
Shelter Veterinarian, Oshkosh Area Humane Society
“Working at an animal hospital I have some high goals as far as training for blood draws, nail trims, and general care. Cari not only encouraged those goals, but dove head first in helping me and my feisty terrier puppy achieve them. Proud to say that thanks to Better Together, Leonard and I are now doing restraint-free nail trims and getting closer to a cooperative blood draw! I can’t say enough good things, or enough thank you’s. I am so glad to have Cari in the area for me, my pets, and my patients that need a little help.”- George Jones (Leonard)
"I felt I’d reached the limit of what my own and group training could do with Harper’s behavioral issues when her resource guarding surfaced. Cari is so right, I felt like a bit of a failure, and I was unsure of best practice(s) moving forward… Cari has been wonderful to work with! She is thorough, supportive, and the sessions are informative and fun. You and your pet are active participants, and as her business name suggests, her training style nurtures a strong positive bond between you and your pet(s)."
- Gloria Simon - Kuzma (Harper and Axel)
"Cari was absolutely wonderful. She was very patient with myself and my two small children. She even took one on one time with the kids to show them the right way to treat the dog. We had a very aggressive puppy who bit constantly especially our youngest child. We followed Cari‘s advice and stuck to the training and now my youngest and our puppy are best buddies. I highly recommend her to absolutely anyone. It was money very well spent and we are very grateful to her, her knowledge and patience with us."- Robin Mulder (Biscuits)
"I asked Cari for assistance to help my dog adjust when a friend mov
ed into my house with her cat. Cari assessed the situation and we came up with a plan that took into consideration the materials we had at hand, the layout of the space, and our desired outcomes. She then talked us through training sessions that rewarded the dog for noticing the cat through a gate and then returning her attention to the trainer (me). Cari supported and encouraged us through this process, watching videos of our sessions and giving supportive feedback along the way. Training took about six weeks, and we are absolutely grateful that Cari helped us set the two animals up for success, as they have been living in harmony for almost two years!"
ed into my house with her cat. Cari assessed the situation and we came up with a plan that took into consideration the materials we had at hand, the layout of the space, and our desired outcomes. She then talked us through training sessions that rewarded the dog for noticing the cat through a gate and then returning her attention to the trainer (me). Cari supported and encouraged us through this process, watching videos of our sessions and giving supportive feedback along the way. Training took about six weeks, and we are absolutely grateful that Cari helped us set the two animals up for success, as they have been living in harmony for almost two years!"
- Mary Manchester (Pickles and Fry)
"I cannot recommend Cari enough! we had a rocky start with our rescue. I despaired thinking we would have to immediately give the dog up. Cari helped us with positive reinforcement training , no harsh methods, no harm, no anger. Not only did she display such calm and patience, but she involved our kids in the training process too. I was so pleasantly surprised to find a trainer that made teaching a positive experience for us AND our dog. the last thing I wanted was to go through the misery of punative measures over and over in order to train our dog, and Cari showed us that you never need to go down that road. Start off on the right foot right away! you will have so much peace of mind. 5 stars!!"
- Nina Trepanier-Schmidt (Penny Lane)
"We have worked with Cari for a couple of years. When our first dog had 
aggression/mental health issues, she was a life saver in helping us with information and guidance. Later she was instrumental in connecting us with our current loves, Lady Bird and Mabel. The knowledge and compassion she has for animals was so incredibly helpful and has helped us to be better dog owners and make sure our animals have happy balanced lives. We highly recommend her services and every time we know someone who is adding a new furry friend to their family we say “Call Cari!”
aggression/mental health issues, she was a life saver in helping us with information and guidance. Later she was instrumental in connecting us with our current loves, Lady Bird and Mabel. The knowledge and compassion she has for animals was so incredibly helpful and has helped us to be better dog owners and make sure our animals have happy balanced lives. We highly recommend her services and every time we know someone who is adding a new furry friend to their family we say “Call Cari!”- Samantha Pleshek (Lady Bird and Mabel)
"I worked with Cari for 3 years in her previous role as the Behavioral Department Manager at Oshkosh Area Humane Society and was consistently impressed with her skillsets working with both animals and people.
Cari excels at assessing the behavior needs of each animal and creating a realistic action plan using positive reinforcement based training techniques to address those needs. Her training as a school teacher shows when she equips others with the necessary skills, then coaches and helps troubleshoot the action plan for each animal. This exceptional combination of skills working both with animals and inspiring people to be their best provides a winning combination.
I've personally seen Cari work with countless animals that other people had or would have given up on and saw those animals safely and successfully adopted out into the community. I've also been with her as she objectively made the tough call and determined it would not be ethical for the animal or the community to release an animal from the shelter.
Cari is realistic and empathetic when working with owners and potential adopters and has an amazing bedside manner even when confronted with challenging clients and situations. She looks at the family unit and the home as a holistic ecosystem and doesn't just try to "fix the dog" in isolation when there may be other beneficial changes.
Given her talents, connections in the animal behavioral health community and depth of experience with a variety of animal breeds, behaviors and family settings, Cari is arguably one of the most experienced and qualified animal trainers in the area and I highly recommend her to anyone with questions or specific animal behavior needs."
- James Affeldt, Volunteer, Oshkosh Area Humane Society
"I’ve been involved with Cari Tetzlaff at the Oshkosh Area Humane Society for some time, and was part of a cat behavior class that Cari taught before Covid. I’ve also watched many of her positive-reinforcement training videos and have seen the positive effect she’s had on numerous animal behavioral issues. Cari is an extremely knowledgeable and talented behaviorist. She loves helping animals and the people who care for them. She is compassionate and caring...I highly recommend Cari if you’re looking for help with behavioral issues."
- Cathie Kissinger, Volunteer, Oshkosh Area Humane Society
"I have the utmost respect for Cari. She is a valued resource to the Neenah Animal Shelter. She has a thorough understanding of animal behavior and shares her knowledge in a clear, easy to understand manner. Cari recently completed a series of training sessions for our Neenah Animal Shelter team. Each session was packed with valuable information on how to support animals needing our care in the most fear free, positive manner despite the unique challenges animals face while temporarily in a shelter. I highly recommend you consider Cari for all your animal training needs!"
- Cindy Flauger - Executive Director of Neenah Animal Shelter
"I had the privilege of working with Cari for over a decade and her passion and dedication for helping animals is unparalleled. She is a skilled and self-motivated person as evidenced by her Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner certification and many other educational pursuits. She has a constant drive to always be learning and using her knowledge of proven scientific methods to enhance the relationship between animals and their people. She was a pioneer of sorts at our organization when she first introduced the concepts of positive training several years ago and it has been life-changing for the animals we serve. Her methods put the animal’s unique needs at the forefront and shows how animals learn best when they are feeling comfortable and secure. The knowledge she’s imparted on staff, adopters, and community members has helped countless animals and their families live happier, healthier lives together."
- Joni Geiger, Executive Director, Oshkosh Area Humane Society