What the Experts Say About Jeffrey J. Loy, Director of Research, The Center for Animal Behavioral Research

Daniel Boeke, Supervisor of Training, The Seeing Eye Foundation, Morristown, New Jersey

"Jeff, you are by far the most gentle, compassionate instructor that we've ever seen in the first fifty years of The Seeing Eye. Although you are unorthodox, you are also creative and effective where others are not. It is for this reason that we give you all of the shy and frightened dogs. No one praises a dog the way you do and your use of rewards is unequalled."

photo© Jeff Loy

Lorraine Lee, VMD, University of Pennsylvania

"A new client came into our practice with their dog, having just moved to the area. They were at their wit's end because of this dog's terrible behavior. He had bitten everyone including all family members and children. They felt they had no choice but to euthanize the dog. I inquired if they had sought help for the dog's behavior and they had, but without any improvement. As they had moved from Florida to the Carolinas to Virginia in the last two years, they had sought each of the regions most reknowned experts, culminating in their visit to Falls Church, Virginia, the hotbed of academic behavioral experts. Not only did the experts consulted all fail, none of them would even go near the dog. The family was unwilling to spend another penny on this dog, because they were convinced that no dog expert could help them. My co-workers, Drs. Jon and Nancy Padover, owners of the Morristown Animal Hospital, and The Seeing Eye veterinarians for many years, knew exactly who to call. We asked Jeff Loy if he would be willing to help them free-of-charge. He said he would on one condition. He said he would give them a a free one-half-hour session on the condition: that it be done in the vets waiting room after hours with at least one of the veterinarians in attendance to observe and learn what real science can do. I was selected as the one to stay after-hours to observe Jeff's work with the dog. I met Jeff for the first time and introduced him to the couple that owned the dog. He took a quick history of the dog's biting behavior and general aggression and a recap of all the procedures that had failed. He explained that the common denominator in the failed efforts of the experts was that not one of them was willing or able to actually handle the dog. Jeff explained that he was going to handle the dog, challenge it over its food, brush him, and examine his body as a veterinarian would. He was going to do all the things that triggered the dog to bite. Jeff said that he was going to save the dog's life or he would die trying. The battle lasted less than a minute. Jeff was bloodied and bitten but to my amazement the dog for the first time sat quitely, contently, in a relaxed fashion, next to Jeff while he groomed and cuddled the dog. The dog was happy; my clients were delighted. I was shocked and stunned and amazed with the results. I turned to Jeff and said: "I cannot tell you how many behavioral courses that I took at the University of Pennsylvania from Dr. Karen Overall, considered to be the best in the nation. You just accomplished in seconds what our clinic could never have accomplished in a life-time. You, Jeff, not Karen, should be running the entire behavioral program at U of P. and teaching your science to everyone."

photo© Jeff Loy

Dr. Vol Scheurmann Ph.D. Clinical Research Science Animal Behavior Psychology New York, NY

Dear Staff and Family, It was with great anticipation that I meticulously planned the purchase of my first dog, trying to foresee everything that could possibly go wrong. I researched my choice of breed, sex, genetic lines and breeder for nearly two years before making my choice of an inidividual dog. He was still a handful. I did the same for veterinary care while in Manhattan where I work and in the region of my weekend home that I share with my elderly mother. I likewise spent an entire year investigating sources for training and behavior guidance. As a research scientist I am meticulous not only in my work but equally so in my life decisions. I wanted to leave nothing to chance. Nothing was going to be more important than my dog, Rex. I wanted the absolute best for both my dog and me. Through my work connections, I was able to personally interview, and often visit, more than fifty (50) of the nation's top experts in dog training and canine behavioral psychology. This included those nationally reknown from TV, radio, all the top authors, top obedience champions and university cliinics. My efforts were exhaustive, or so I thought. I was close to making a final, yet somewhat ambivalent, decision as to who would assist me in the training of my dog. You see, I still had a lingering concern that not one of the experts had put to rest. My dog was going to be very large and had to behave flawlessly for my small, frail mother, when I had to leave Rex with her while being away for days at a time at work. I knew I needed off-leash reliability. As almost an afterthought, a co-worker reminded me that the world's most famous dog-training organization, The Seeing Eye of Morristown, New Jersey, was just one hour away. I couldn't believe I had almost overlooked the obvious. I called The Seeing Eye and explained my plight. They connected me with the Director of Training, to whom I explained my needs and concerns that I had with all the experts thus far. Without hesitation, he said "There is only one person you want to contact, Jeff Loy, one of our former instructors." He explained that Jeff was well-known for success where others wouldn't dare tread--biters and fighters. But, he was particularly adept and expert with extremely shy and frightened dogs because of his extraordinarly gentle and compassionate manner. He said, "Jeff will bring out the very best in your dog no matter what! His background is highly diverse, having experience with many types of animals." As a a clinical scientist, these comments really piqued my interest. I contacted Jeff and spoke with him, grilling him intensively for the better part of an hour. He actually apologized to me for his lack of the usual academic credentials, but when I heard of his life experience with wild animals, his unique research, his knowledge of evolutionary mechanisms, his relentless, self-sacrificing efforts to save dangerous dogs, and his absolutely uncompromising standards, I WAS CONVINCED. His standards and goals were so far beyond what I had heard from all the experts. Indeed, he didn't have the credentials of those fifty experts; he had far better credentials, those that really matter--real-life results in life and death situations. He simply had knowledge that none of the others had. Jeff actually tried to encourage me to try the experts first (typical protocol of a scientific mind) and, only if not satisfied, come back to him. No need to go anywhere else. He promised me that my elderly mom would be able to effortlessly handle my big, powerful Shepherd, Rex. Jeff delivered on every claim he made. I never realized how happy my dog, Rex, had become, because of his sense of loyalty, responsibility and off-leash reliability. Strolling off-leash down a wooded path or along city streets was a thrill that was only exceeded by the joy of watching my elderly mother proudly walking around our neighborhood with Rex, off-leash, at her side. MY SEARCH WAS OVER! Jeff does great science, great work, delivers a great kindness and gift to every animal. He is simply the best there is. Sincerely, Vol Scheurmann, Ph.D. P.S. Please thank The Seeing Eye for their wisdom.

photo© Jeff Loy