Testimonials
“Scott Elliott came into our life at the darkest time of our difficult dog journey. After spending many thousands of dollars on traditional training we were completely at a loss. In fact, we were connected with Scott through the shelter because we were ready to turn our dog back to the shelter where we got him. We have two dogs, 6 years apart. When the younger dog turned into an adolescent, when he was around one year old, we started to see some behavior problems. particularly resource guarding and protecting his space. After a couple of bigger incidents between our dog and friends' dogs, we decided to seek professional help. We started with positive reinforcement. We hired someone to come to our house for a personalized experience. We threw ourselves into the philosophy and saw some small results, but not enough. Our next step was a three-week board and train for both dogs. They were transformed in three weeks. Finally, we had the literal tools we needed to solve our problems. Both dogs were fully e-collar trained and for a long time it was awesome. We were able to combine our positive reinforcement with the discipline of the e-collar, a crate and boundaries. We still had issues around food, water, and toys - but only when we weren't prepared (such is life). Our solution was "always be prepared". Fast forward two years later and we are running our house like the military. Our dogs are just short of robots, rarely straying from their place beds, wearing their e-collars at all times. This was not the life we envisioned as very active people who loved to live life with their dogs. Something had to give. It was with a very heavy heart that we decided to contact the shelter where we got our younger dog. His bio would be written as follows, "we are looking for a new home for our dog with no other dogs in the house..." We showed up to our appointment at Brightside Animal Shelter, adoption papers in hand, with tears in our eyes. Luckly for all of us, there was Scott. In very short order Scott gave us our life back. He poured his heart into helping our family. Immediately he offered to take both of our dogs for a while in order to learn their personalities. He sent us videos and communicated their progress every day. When he returned our dogs to us they were different. Over the next several months Scott gave us the understanding we needed to be successful and helped us every step of the way. He came to our house for visits and lessons. He even brought his own (five!) dogs to our house to give us the opportunity to learn and understand how to bring dogs into our home, so we could have friends and families' dogs over in the future. I never dreamed we could have seven dogs in our house. I would allow a million dogs in my house with the confidence and discipline that Scott brings. Today our dogs are able to coexist peacefully. We can go on pack walks with a loose leash. We can recall off leash. We can travel together. And best of all we have the tools and confidence to advocate for our dogs. We haven't charged up the e-collars in over a year. The place beds are just a comfortable place for them to lie down if they choose to (which they do all the time). Feeding happens with both dogs' inches away from each other. We are finally living the life we always wanted, and we owe everything to Scott.”
-Alice McElyea
“I would absolutely, 100% recommend Scott and Nature In Play for ANY of your training needs. I worked with Scott for my dog who is dog reactive. I had 3 other trainers before Scott that used (positive only training and shock collar training) which did not make any difference to my dog and his behaviors. Scott's understanding and discernment about dogs and their emotional and mental processes goes so far beyond the behavior that it really connects to the core issue of what a dog is dealing with. I have recommended Scott to everyone I know who is dealing with some behavioral issue with their dog. Sometimes I take my dog back to Scott just for a refresher. I was seriously ready to give my dog back to the Humane Society just because I couldn't deal with his behavior anymore. Scott was my last resort, and he helped my dog, as well as myself recognize and learn the patterns, habits, and character traits WE both created in our relationship that contributes to some of my dog's behavior. Understanding your dog's needs on an energetic, fundamental level will be some of the most important information and knowledge you can learn while being a dog owner. And Scott's method makes "dog language" completely understandable and easy to implement.”
-Leslie Williams
“When we first saw Lucy, an adorable pit mix at the LA shelter, she rushed to the front of the cage and jumped up on the door. We thought, "Aww, she likes us," and asked if they could bring her out of the cage so we could meet her. The handler asked bluntly. "You sure you want this dog?" That of course made us want her more! Lucy had issues with other dogs from early on so we sought help from a few trainers with not much success. It was not until we met Scott that we made significant progress. Scott took the time to observe how we interacted with Lucy then explained how we were sending her the wrong messages. We thought we were treating her so well but would get these behaviors that we didn't want, like acting aggressively towards other dogs on walks. Scott explained how our dog was actually experiencing our actions towards her and how we needed to change our interactions to get the behaviors that we wanted. He taught us how to speak her language. We contacted Scott shortly after our 7 year.old dog died of cancer. Lucy loved the dog and we were bummed that he was her one and possibly only friend ever. We didn't know if it would be possible to have another dog with her but contacted Scott to see if he could help. A few months ago we adopted her little brother whom she adores. They play constantly then fall asleep next to each other. I'm so glad she is able to have a new dog friend because we got help from Scott.”
-Alex Pandjiris
“Our dog Ollie was too anxious and aggressive to be around people outside of our family. We adjusted our lives to keep him and others safe. This meant we could not travel as a family, as someone had to stay behind to watch him. We tried various training and had given up. Then we found Scott. The difference was immediate and felt like a miracle. Scott had no trouble working with Ollie, who seemed at ease with him in no time. We utilize Scott’s doggy daycare and boarding services. Now Ollie can socialize with other dogs, and we can go on family trips again.”
-Brooke Riemer
“We worked with several great trainers for years - basically constantly from the time our Aussie was a pup until he was eight years old. We tried reward-based training, exercise and stimulation of all kinds, clicker training, etc. In the months before we met Scott, our pup was guarding spaces in our house, snapping at visitors, and being aggressive to skateboards and dogs while on the walk. We had one highly recommended trainer tell us our dog was “demonic” and refused to work with him and told us to reach out to Scott. From the beginning Scott told us, a) we will figure this out, and b) any help you need - walks, boarding, daycare - I want to help with. What an immense relief. Scott was wildly generous with his time and patient with us every step of the way. Almost immediately our dog was completely different when Scott was present. We are now used to friends telling us he seems like a different dog with us. The skills Scott taught us are invaluable. We still use his methods years later. Without his help I don’t think we’d have been able to keep our dog.”
-James Scott
“We were at our Witt’s end with our pack; They actually weren’t even a pack. They were all divided by fear and aggression, all 5 dogs living different lives under one roof. I finally had enough, it was to the point I didn’t want to be home, and I was tired of the crate and rotate, tired of the fear of fights breaking out if someone got out. I contacted Scott for mainly one dog, because we had already sought help for the others with no success, but Scott ended up taking on all 5 to work with and to help us. It is a work in progress, but my dogs can be together when I never thought they could! I recommend Scott to anyone who thinks they have to put a dog down or find new homes, it’s worth the time and energy. Scott is very to the point he doesn’t sugarcoat anything when it comes to life and dogs, I recommend him to anyone who has nowhere else to go I had another trainer who said my dogs needed to be removed from my home forcefully and Scott never judged he helped!”
-Ginny Langshaw
“My dog (Temi) was really struggling to stay calm around our new cat. Every time he heard a catlike noise or any noise in general, he would attack the door to the cat's room. If ever the cat got out all chaos ensued. Scott got him with cats on our first meeting and can put him with any cat without a muzzle, but for us things kept looking the same. It was about a year of hard work, strict discipline and consistency before we finally noticed a big change with us. Temi can now see the cat and still listen to leave it alone. On our walks I make sure to go up to every cat I can find, and Temi remains calmly behind whilst I pet the kitty. I am pretty shocked we were able to get to this point because for a long while it felt like we weren’t getting anywhere. Finally, we are reforming a better relationship, and not only do I feel like I have more control, but I actually am able to read my dog much better and understand his underlying needs.”
- Bethany Bachmeier
“We have two rescues and Scott has been integral to them coming out of their respective shells. One is a parvo pup and was literally scared of just about everyone and everything outside the home. The other came from a shelter in Mexico and was extremely uncomfortable around most people, especially men. With proper guidance and socialization in both class and daycare settings, we’re happy say they‘ve both made huge improvements and we couldn’t be happier with the results. Scott’s intuitive training methods have proven to be just what they needed. Jack and Moka say thanks for helping them lead their best lives!”
- Tom Beans
“We started working with Scott when Tinley was 5 years old. She had previously been showing aggression towards other dogs that she did not know. Our first meeting with Scott he jumped right in and helped Tinley walking thru our neighborhood. I was impressed that he got right down to the behaviors she was showing and wanted to see how she responds. We continued our training and tinley is now 10 years old. Over the last 5 years working with Scott, I have seen so much improvement in Tinley’s behavior and my responses to her behavior. I have seen Tinley successfully manage her behavior in situations ranging from experiencing dog parks, walks in the neighborhood, and group classes with Scott. I have been so impressed with the knowledge Scott has for both dog behavior and human behavior to dog situations. I have recommended Scott many times over the last five years and will continue to recommend him in the future.”
- Amber Dean
“I highly recommend "Nature in Play" for dog training and boarding. Scott's expertise and dedication were instrumental in helping us with our aggressive dog. During the boarding and training program, Scott worked closely with our pet, employing effective techniques to address the aggression. He provided us with invaluable tools and advice, ensuring our success in managing our dog's behavior. Scott's commitment to both the dog and the owners is evident, and his approach emphasizes a harmonious bond between nature and play. Trustworthy and knowledgeable, "Nature in Play" is a top-notch choice for any dog owner seeking professional training and boarding services.”
- Liss Smolar-Meehan
“Working with Scott was extremely transformative experience for me and for my dogs. The work we did gave me the opportunity to completely shift my relationship with my dogs and their behaviors, and that ultimately led me toward developing healthier boundaries with the people in my life as well. We tend to want to fix problematic behaviors in our dogs without examining or changing the role we play in enabling, allowing, and even encouraging those behaviors. Although it can be challenging to take responsibility and initiative for changing our behaviors first and foremost, it’s also extremely effective and empowering! I feel like I really can’t overstate how helpful Scott was in improving my dog’s quality of life, as well as my own.”
- Rebekah Carson
“We were first introduced to Scott by a family friend when I was pregnant with my second child (now a year and a half old) and our two dogs were barking loudly for long periods of time if they heard any noise from outside. Cheza was 6 at the time and Apollo was around a year. We quickly noticed his approach was very different than anything we'd seen before, as he focused more on the source of the behavior and fixing that than correcting the behavior after it's already happened. He doesn't teach obedience training with various commands; he teaches behavior training and how the owner can best communicate in the language of the dogs instead of expecting the dogs to understand us. While I can see why some people may not like hearing that dogs are not meant to be doted on the way we often do, there is a reason behind what he says. He was blunt but respectful and helpful, and I appreciated that his main concern was the happiness and safety of everyone in the house including the dogs, rather than pandering to what we might want to hear. We saw a change in our dogs within the day, and it was all done safely, and everything was thoroughly explained. We have continued sending both dogs to daycare every weekday since then and have seen incredible changes. Cheza has always been a bit of an odd dog and was very timid and even when uncomfortable wouldn't stand up for herself and suffered from a lot of separation anxiety and nervousness. She's always been slow to trust, especially men, and would often hide in corners or quickly leave the room with her tail tucked. She now is much more confident, stands up for herself, will walk around and even play a little instead of hiding in a corner, and is much happier and more relaxed. Apollo has always been a bit of a battering ram and had a lot of personal space issues. He's learned to not run over or push past people, doesn't jump up, and listens when corrected. Both dogs stopped barking incessantly when they heard a knock on the door and overall are more comfortable in their day-to-day life. Both are featured in many of Scott's pictures and videos, and you can see the changes in them over time. Even Cheza gets excited to go to daycare and see the other dogs and Scott and follows him around, which says a lot. I would recommend Scott to anyone with a dog, even if it's just to understand how their brains work a little bit better. He and his program are wonderful, and I am very grateful we found him.”
-Sasha & Sam Potter
“After having a close friend highly recommend Nature in Play I had my dog stay with Scott to mainly focus on food aggression. He was very communicative sending updates via video, text, and video call. He fully explained his beliefs, techniques, and would frequently check-in with me to make sure we are on the same page. I really appreciated his commitment to working with my dog, and then working with me while transiting my dog back into my home with my roommates and their dogs. He was also very patient and flexible while working around my schedule. You can easily tell that he is passionate about his work and cares about helping us better understand and communicate with our dogs”
-Dani Rennard
“I highly recommend people to do phone or video consultation with Scott, not just because he really knows about dogs, but People will get a lot of information and clarity about how to know and live with the dogs properly. Scott will give you ton of knowledge, wisdom and information that you will receive it. For me, he’s become not just a friend, but one of my mentors. I want people who have a lot of problems with their dogs, to work with him. It’s so nice to always chat and do the conversation with Scott, because I know he really love dogs and he really respect those creatures so much.”
-Adri Prastowo- from Jakarta, Indonesia
“I consulted with Scott through a video call. I've got an old Pitbull rescue that never socialized with other dogs before, she spent 8 years of her life in a crate just being bred. I sent Scott a video, discussed my Pitbull's behavior, and he gave me understanding of what was going on and tips to make her listen in any situation – and it worked! Now, my Pitbull responds better during socialization. It's the beginning of behavior change, and I'm happy to have good communication with Scott, gaining knowledge and deeper understanding of dogs from him has changed my perspective in how I see dogs and how I try to understand them.”
-Ardi Tanura- from Jakarta, Indonesia
“In May, I adopted a Romanian rescue dog. I had no idea about her, just a few photos. I was told that she loved people, liked cats, and liked other dogs. All of these things are true.
I live and work on a very large, very beautiful horse farm, so she landed in a great situation. She did very well for a few weeks, but as she became comfortable, I noticed a few things. For example, barking at men in hats, or men in general, not listening as she had been in previous weeks. I had been to Scott for my aggressive dog three years prior, so I called him, and we did two phone consultation.
Scott just gets to the truth of the situation, and it's not always easy to hear. I needed to employ some tough love with Suzy. Scott asked some tough questions, that I didn't really have great answers for, which made me realize, I needed to change up my thinking, from training, to working with nature, and to treat her as other dogs would treat her. I stopped asking her to sit or lay down, and started telling her what I didn't like, and when she was good, I said nothing. This seemed to work very well, and she began to change her behaviors because she understood what was acceptable. She has become a very good girl. She still has natural cattle dog tendencies, which are a bit of a challenge, but she's come very far. Always a work in progress, I really appreciate Scotts help and would not hesitate to call him when the need arises.”
-Kacey Owen- from Tumalo, Oregon
“I was employed at a high-save shelter for 7-8 years - directly working with the dogs and in all departments. I met Scott many years ago through a dog trainer that worked for us. Initially, Scott volunteered his time privately to assist with individual dogs that were struggling with behavior issues, usually aggression. Whenever we reached out to him, he was ALWAYS willing to help evaluate the dogs and provided any feedback he could to help the dog improve and find a home. Eventually, he was employed by the shelter full time and implemented a program for all of the dogs staying there. The program consisted of changing the ways we (staff and volunteers) existed with the dogs and ran our kennel operations. The program was very eye-opening for me. I worked there for many years and the changes in the dogs that Scott was able to create were unlike I had seen before or thought possible. The dogs could all be together. They were calmer and less stressed. They were so much better mentally and emotionally (as were the people giving the program a chance). And we were actually able to learn about who the dogs truly were, and could be, outside of the typical shelter madness and chaos. This helped a lot when trying to find them the right homes. Scott’s ideas and methods will likely challenge you and your thinking. They are somewhat unique to the dog community as a whole and sometimes opposite of what many people are told to do. But if you are willing to learn some new ideas, stay open-minded, practice, and continue to observe the results Scott can provide, you will understand the power behind everything he does and teaches. Over these years, I have known Scott in varying capacities and on different levels. Throughout all of it, I have found him to be kind, caring, and eager to help. He really wants to, and can, help you and your dog! He was there for us anytime we asked for help at the shelter. And he always went above and beyond for the dogs, often for nothing in return. He has a great work ethic and wants to work as a team. He is passionate and excited about his ideas. He admits downfalls and mistakes, both with communication and implementation of his work. And with that, he is always trying to improve himself professionally and personally. He is naturally assertive and can be blunt and intense - but I believe him to be a great-hearted person with the best of intentions for people and dogs.”
-Emily Rucker
“Hello, I worked at the shelter from august 15th 2016 and ended my employment February 8th of 2023. I was a kennel tech and promoted to kennel manger in April 2022. Before Scott showed up to the shelter, our dogs were crazy, hard to handle, and this would end up in people getting bitten, as well as dogs getting into fights. The shelter reached out to Scott wanting help on how to get a handle on our dogs. He spent so much time and effort voluntarily for months helping our staff and dogs. He taught me and a couple of our other employees on how to work with the dogs from their perspective, not just what we wanted or thought we needed to do, but what the dogs actually needed in order to be successful! Stress dropped tremendously and dogs were learning on how to co-exist with each other, which was not possible before. He taught us about the negative side effects of the toys and the games we played with the dogs, and that exercise was not the answer for the dogs to be chill and relaxed. I have a whole new outlook on dogs now; especially the harder to adopt dogs. If it wasn’t for Scott a very good handful would have been euthanized because no one wanted to give them a chance like Scott did. Because of Scott they all landed in amazing and successful homes. I would highly recommend talking to Scott if you have a hard time with your dog! He gets straight to the point on what you need to do with your dog and what your dog needs.”
- Michelle Vanwert
