Dog Bite | Animal Behavior Expert Witness

Richard H. Polsky, Ph.D. CDBC
Los Angeles, California

“Bringing the science of animal behavior to attorneys”

Animal behavior expert on dog bite attacks

Richard H. Polsky, Ph.D. CDBC
Los Angeles, California

“Bringing the science of animal behavior to attorneys”

Testimonials Dog expert witness Richard Polsky, PhD

In his capacity as an animal behavior expert witness for dog bite attorneys, Dr. Polsky has received a number of testimonials that provide useful insights into his competence and professionalism. A Montana attorney says, “Richard Polsky is probably the best dog expert witness in the country if you need one.” Solomon S. Neuhardt II, Esq.  Billings, Montana.

 

Defense AttorneysDog expert witness testimonials

“Thank you for your excellent contribution as a dog expert witness at trial and in conducting the pre-trial workup on our pit bull dog bite case. Your expertise concerning animal behavior was indispensable. I am sure your expert testimony was a large factor in our ability to defend the case. Your dedication and accessibility was also appreciated. We would highly recommend you as an expert.  Mr. Russell and I look forward to working with you in the future.”
     Kelly A. Ward, Esq. Harrington, Foxx, Dubrow & Canter,  Los Angeles, CA.

“I want to thank you for the assistance and expert testimony you gave in this dog bite case. It took the jury just over an hour to find my client not guilty of all charges.  I do not think we could have done it without your testimony.  If my information is correct, out of six prosecutions, this is the first time in the history of this county that a case of this type has resulted in an acquittal for the defendant.”
     John T. Mobley, Esq.  Austin, Lewis, & Rogers, P.A.  Columbia, South Carolina

“Dr. Polsky was able to give strong and clear expert witness testimony. He was able to apply his background to the case in a credible and effective fashion.”
      Errol Berk, Esq.
 Law offices of Errol Berk, Ventura, California

“Thank you for all your help.  I don’t believe we would have won without you….If the truth be known, I am surprised we actually won the case.”
      John Howell, Esq. Fernandez Trial Lawyers, Jacksonville, FL.

“Thank you so much for you work on this matter. Your effort is greatly appreciated and I think the report will go a long way in getting this resolved in a favorable manner for the client.”
      Jesse Cromwell, Esq.  McCathren Law, Dallas, TX.

“Thank you for the work you did in the Perry vs. Federico case. Although the case settled on the morning of the trial and did not need to put on any evidence, just knowing that I had an animal behavior expert witness gave me confidence in my position.”
      Kathryn DiCarlo, Esq. 
Law Offices of Thomas Moore & Assoc. Glendale, CA.

“Plaintiff’s counsel agreed to our settlement offer after we disclosed your thorough report and designated you as our dog expert witness in this case.”
      Jerry Shiely, Esq.
   Law Offices of Thornton, Summers, Biechlin, et. al, San Antonio, TX.

“The case settled late Friday in Sacramento. Your purported expert testimony was very helpful in that the plaintiffs needed to understand that they could well lose this case. The mediator was able to coax them with this information way down and the case settled. Thank you very much.”
      John Boyden, Esq.
  Erickson, Thorpe & Swainston, Reno, Nevada       

“I wanted to let you know that this case settled.  Thank you for all your help.”
      Manny Dominguez, Esq.  Richardson, Fair & Cohen, Riverside, CA.

We are in the process of working out the settlement. We greatly appreciated your assistance on helping us defend this case.”
       Linda N. Hwee, Esq.  Bledsoe, Diestel, Treppa & Crane LLP.  San Francisco, CA

“I would like to thank you for your testimony. Your testimony was excellent in this case. Your testimony helped shed light on the fact that the plaintiff, his parents, and his sister each lied about how the incident happened. You were an essential part of the case.  If I have another occasion to use you, I will not hesitate to use you.”
      Jay S. McClaugherty, Esq.  Law Offices of McClaugherty & Associates, Pasadena, California

“You were terrific Richard. Thank you.”
       George M. Ranalli, Esq., Ranalli, Zaniel,Fowler & Moran, LLC, Henderson, Nevada

“Settled! Really appreciate your help – send us a bill when you have a chance. I’ll keep you in mind for the next one.”
       Christopher Tuttle, Esq.  Law offices of  Santana, Vieirra, Stevenson &   Harris., San Francisco, CA.

“The matter involving Dojo settled today. I want to thank you again for your expert services. I will be more than happy to share your name should I hear of any friends looking for an expert in a similar matter. If there is anything I can help you with in the future, please let me know.”
      Lance W. Martin, Esq. Allen, Allen, Breeland & Allen, PLLC, Brookhaven, MS. 

“I’ve been meaning to follow up with you just to let you know that your declaration helped quite a bit.  Plaintiff’s motion for leave to amend her complaint to include punitive damages was denied!  That’s one solid victory for the defense.  I’ll keep you posted as things continue moving forward.  We’ve still got a ways to go but I thought you’d be happy to hear that your declaration helped out.”
      Max Higgins, Esq.  Bremer Whyte Brown & O’Meara, LLP,  Encinitas, CA

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your valuable assistance in serving as a dog expert in this matter. Your thoroughness and professionalism made your retention a happy and successful one. As you know, the facts of this case were rather unusual and it was only through animal behavior expert interpretation that the jury could have properly been advised on what caused plaintiff to lose control of her dog and cause her injury. Following the defense verdict, I was able to speak with nine of the jurors for some time about the evidence. Universally, the jurors found your testimony to be credible, well-prepared, and persuasive. On a personal note, I must congratulate you on your handling of plaintiff attorney’s brusque cross-examination. Your calm under questioning was a stark contrast to plaintiff attorney’s questioning and courtroom theatrics. Thank you again for your hard work and professionalism in this matter. It was a pleasure working with you in achieving this excellent outcome.”
     
Kenyon M. Young, Esq. Bragg & Kuluva, San Diego, California

“Thank you very much for your expertise and assistance in defense of this claim. It was immediately following you deposition that plaintiff’s counsel indicated a willingness to consider a settlement for something other than full-value of a strict liability claim. Without your knowledge and ability to forcefully state your opinions and conclusions in the deposition it is doubtful that this matter would have settled before the binding arbitration.”
      Robert E. Kuhn, Esq. 
Law Offices of Nolan B. Henderson, Glendale, California

“We prevailed in the hearing. They gave back Mr. Caffray’s dog with certain restrictions. The administrator’s opinion relied heavily upon your expert testimony in coming to his decision. Great job and thanks again.”
      Rob Jarchi, Esq.  Law offices of Green, Broillet, Panish & Wheeler, Santa Monica, CA.

“We settled the case, so you may send your final bill and close your file. Thank you so much for all your hard work. It really helped with getting this case settled.”
       Michael Ayres, Esq.  Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer. Reno, NV.

“The information/deposition questions you sent were invaluable and greatly appreciated.”
       Michael  LaRusso, Esq.  Law Offices of Leslie R. Kop, Honolulu, HI.

“Thank you so much for your trial testimony today. We know all the time you spent with us on the case this weekend and all the preparation you did. You did a great job – and testified to everything needed to help the jury decide what happened. We think it’s a no brainer! Really appreciate all your help. Thanks again, and best regards.”
       Regan Williams, Esq. Regan William Law Firm, Anchorage, AK .

“Your testimony was crucial to the outcome of the case. I thought that your testimony in our of proof to the court helped the court understand not only why your expert testimony should be admitted, but also why animal behavior is a recognized scientific field of study that would help this jury, and any jury, understand the important issues that appear in these kinds of cases.”
      William Croft, Esq.  Law Offices of Hollenbeck, Lancaster, Miller & Andrews. Spokane, WA.

“Thank you for your help on this file. The case was resolved at $.50 on the dollar thanks to your help. I will keep your information in my files for future cases.”
      David A. Weber, Esq. Potts and Associates, Phoenix, AZ.

“We had some surprising negotiations this morning, and the case settled on fair terms early this afternoon. I want you to know that it settled because of the hard work you did and the opinions you developed. I appreciate your efforts on the case very much. I think this is the first time the Phoenix State Farm office has retained an animal behavior expert witness within anyone’s memory. The claim rep told me today that another claim rep in his unit is wanting to retain you in another case she has. Thank you for helping to vindicate my client, and for helping to get this case resolved on good terms.”
      Douglas W. Glasson, Esq.  Barassi, Curl & Abraham, Tucson, Arizona

“Thank you for your assistance throughout this action and at trial. I think you presented some very strong evidence. We finally received the judge’s decision on Friday. I’m pleased to say that we were successful. Justice Wilson dismissed the claim against the Township of Uxbridge. Justice Wilson stated that, while you had definite opinions, she did not find you to be an advocate; rather, she found your evidence “was of assistance to the court.” In contrast, she found that Mr. Vinson assumed the role of advocate. This is a very hot issue in our courts right now — there is a view that dog experts are losing their impartiality and are becoming advocates for the party retaining them. Thank you very much again for your assistance in this trial.”
      Andra L. Maxwell-Baker, Esq.  Lerners LLP, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

“I received and just read your report. I think it’s great–exactly what we need. Thank you so much, especially for the incredibly quick turnaround. I appreciate the assistance, and I’ll be sure to report in with news on Cadillac. Thanks again.
     Kara Corwin, Esq.  Solo practitioner, Los Angeles, CA.

“This case settled for a misdemeanor instead of a strike or felony. Thank you. I believe that your work was the deciding factor.”
      Angela Howard, Esq. Office of the Public Defender, San Bernardino, CA.

“Your testimony was great and very appreciated. The attorney was very rude, and he was trying to rattle you and without success.”
      Steve Stern, Esq. Parker LLP, Phoenix, AZ.

“I hope all is well.  I think I told you the DA dismissed the case.  Thanks for all your help.
      Shauna Cunningham, Esq.  Cunningham Law Group, Templeton, CA.

“The charges against Marc have been dismissed with prejudice. Your input was invaluable in allowing us to put this mess in perspective. We can’t thank you enough for your thoughts and input. We used every bit of it to good advantage. Ultimately, we demonstrated that both physically and from an animal behavior standpoint the complaining witness was making up the story as he went.”
       Email correspondence from attorney in Mississippi

“Case settled!  Thanks for all your help!”
      Jennifer Kung Genneli, Esq. Carbone, Smoke, Smith, Bent & Leonard, Oakland, CA.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your invaluable assistance in bringing this matter to a successful resolution.”
      Ronald S. Whitaker, Esq.  Baraban & Teske, Pasadena, CA.

“Thank you Dr. Polsky. We appreciate your assistance in resolving this case.”
      Marion Hamilton Thevenet, Esq.  Law Offices of Jason Peck, Liberty Mutual Insurance., Las Vegas, NV.

“I appreciate all the time and energy you have put in this manner and I believe your work was of great assistance in this case. I will certainly keep you in mind for any future dog or cat cases I have in which I need the assistance of an animal behaviorist.”
      Deborah Meyer-Morris, Esq.  Tharpe & Howell, Oxnard, California

“Thank you, Richard. We have received the final draft of your report and it looks great! Thank you for lending your expertise to this matter.”
       Neil Fraser, Esq. Law Offices of Neil Fraser & Associates, Los Angeles, CA.

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Plaintiff Attorneys

“Richard Polsky is probably the best dog expert witness in the country if you need one.”
      Solomon S. Neuhardt II, Esq.  Billings, Montana

“Thank you for all the work you did in the case of Barrett v. Continental Pipe and Supply. We were successful in obtaining a plaintiffs verdict in no small part to your efforts.”
       Raymond A. Novell, Esq.  Law offices of Raymond Novell, Claremont, California

“We sincerely appreciate the work you have done in our client’s behalf which I believe may well have been instrumental in resolving the case.”
      Harry R. Branscom, Esq. Law offices of Marrison & Etess, Pasadena, California

“We attribute defense counsel’s willingness to settle the case to your participation, level of expertise and valuable deposition testimony. You served us very well and we truly appreciate the professionalism you provided on behalf of our client.”
      Louise A. Lewis, Esq. Law Offices of Louise A, Lewis, Pasadena, California

“The case settled for several hundred thousand.  I cannot tell you more because there is a nondisclosure agreement.  Thank you for your expertise. Feel free to use me as a reference.”
       Harvey Volzer, Esq. Shaughnessy & Volzer, P.C.  Alexandria, VA.

“Your testimony proved to be an important element in the satisfactory prosecution of our case. With your assistance, we were able to prevail upon a jury that the defendant’s dog was, in fact, aggressive, highly motivated and that he did chase my client. Once again, thank you for your assistance.”
      M. Lawrence Lallande, Esq. Law Offices of Perona, Langer & Beck, Long Beach, CA.

“Thank you for your excellent services!  I was able to extract the defendants’ $1 million policy!  I look forward to talking to you soon about future clients/cases.  You are an asset to our firm!
      Glenda de Guzman, Esq. Dunnon Law Firm, Monterey, CA.

 “We greatly appreciate your services, and if we should need an animal behavior consultant in the future, we will certainly contact you.”
      Kimberly L. Moore, Esq. Bold, Polisner, Maddow, Nelson & Judson, Walnut Creek, CA. 

“The case just settled so we are going to cancel tomorrow’s deposition. Thank you again for all of your work on this file. It has been a pleasure working with you and we will absolutely be calling you on future dog-bite cases.”
      Blake Scott, Esq.  Law Offices of Dean Boyd, Amarillo, TX.

“Your declaration was very instrumental in beating the MSJ! I am happy to report that we have settled this matter and you can take your deposition off calendar. Thank you for all of your hard work Dr. Polsky!
       Gabriel M.Mendoza, Esq.  Easton & Easton, Costa Mesa, CA.

“We got the Taylor Greene case done for very good money.  Your help is much appreciated, as always.  Thanks.”
      Adam Loewy, Esq.  Loewy Law Firm, Austin, TX.

“The defense more than doubled their settlement offer after your deposition was taken. Obviously, your expert testimony had a dramatic impact on the outcome of the case.”
       Raymond B. McFalone, Esq. Law offices of Castleman, McFalone, et. al.  Pleasanton, CA.            

“I appreciate your assistance on this matter and believe your expert testimony was a critical factor in getting AllState to turn the corner and offer something reasonable. I look forward to working with you again in the future and greatly appreciate your candid approach to this matter. I will definitely recommend you to others.”
        Samer Habbas, Esq. Law Offices of Samer Habbas, Irvine, CA.

“The case settled yesterday — $3,200,000.  Really enjoyed our talks.”
       Douglas Wessell, Esq.  Reston, VA.

“It was a pleasure working with you, and I am certain this matter would not have achieved resolution without your insight. Thank you, and I look forward to working with you in the future.”
       Jasmine Stewart, Esq. Price & Beckstrom, Las Vegas, NV.

 

“You did a very good job at your depo.  Trial will be even better because you will begin on direct exam and will be able to explain your opinions before you are cross examined. Thanks again.”
      Jack DeNove, Esq. Cheong, Denove, Rowell, Bennett & Hapuarachy, Los Angeles, CA.

“Thank you for your excellent assistance in this case. I will forward to you Goldman’s deposition transcript once I receive it. You will see that her opinions that “there was no evidence that Zita was a dangerous and aggressive dog” is based upon sheer silliness. After I took Goldman’s deposition Merrifield’s attorneys were anxious to settle.  I hope to call upon you in the future.”
      Raymond Pulverman, Esq.  Pulverman & Associates. Santa Barbara, CA.

“It was very helpful to have your name and experience on our side in negotiating and reaching a settlement. I will recommend you highly to any attorneys I know who are handling a case in which dog behavior is an issue.”
       Dave Williams, Esq.  Law Offices of David Williams.  Walnut Creek, CA.

“Dr. Polsky did an excellent job for me recently on a dog bite case as an expert witness  and because of his expertise we managed to settle the case for a substantial amount of money.”
      Donald L. Galine, Esq. Law Offices of Donald L. Galine, San Mateo, CA.

“Your straightforward expert testimony played an integral role in showing the arbitrator that the dog that hit the motorcycle had a propensity towards chasing motorcycles, etc. Thank you for your assistance.”
      Laurence H. Mandell, Esq. Law Offices of Weinreb, Weinreb and Mandell, Northridge, CA.

“I am glad that I ran into your expert witness listing on the internet. I called you in desperation because I needed help with my Dalmation case. Your obvious expertise, together with good common sense and excellent knowledge of the law, helped me prepare many aspects of my case and ultimately lead to a settlement twenty-four hours before your scheduled examination of the dog. I would highly recommend you as a  dog expert witness to any lawyer, plaintiff or defense.”
      Barbara S. Williams, Esq. Law Offices of Burnett & Williams, Leesburg,       Virginia

Thank you so much staying engaged with us and giving us the valuable opinions.”
      Cassandra C. Thorson, Esq. Thorson Law Group La Mesa, CA.

“Thank you for educating me about the behavior of Rottweiler dogs. Your dedication to the case was most outstanding. Your expert testimony to the jury in the field of animal behavior and your trial exhibit persuaded the jury that the landowners must have known of the Rottweiler dogs’ dangerous and vicious propensities to human beings.”
      Thomas Celli, Esq. Law Offices of Thomas M. Celli, Esq. Los Angeles, California

“You did a tremendous job on your Declaration ….. Thanks again for a great job.”
      Douglas A. Ames, Esq. Law Offices of Douglas A. Ames, Huntington Beach, California.

“The consensus was that you testified well. You looked at the jury when you spoke, you remained calm in spite of provocation by the defense, and you perked up to a state of justified argumentativeness when confronted with the training exercise of the police dogs. Good work, thanks.”
      Benjamin Pavone, Esq. Law Offices of Benjamin Pavone, San Diego, California

“Very, very good. Your work is outstanding. I have another dog bite case pending and will not hesitate to call upon you.”
      Steve Roberts, Esq. Belsher & Becker, San Luis Obispo, CA.

“This case has settled. You may close out the file. Thank you for your work.”
      Cole Gumm, Esq. Zinda Law Group, Austin, TX.

“Thank you so much for all of your help, Dr. Polsky.   Your work really helped us move the case forward.”
      Cesar Tavares, Esq.  Williams, Hart, Boundas & Easterby, Houston, Texas

“I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your assistance and courtesy to me and this office. Your insight and breadth of knowledge were especially helpful in resolving this matter. We do appreciate all your work.”
      Charles E. Coffin, Paralegal, Wall, Grunsky, Ebey, Farrar & Howell, Watsonville, California

“Thank you so much! Mr. Thomas thanks you as well. The verdict was roughly $982,000. Not bad for $24k meds and $16k LOE. It has been quite a whirlwind of a day for me, getting this verdict. I wanted to call you personally, but I just finished celebrating late, and did not want to delay thanking you.”
      Silvio Natale, Esq. Nelson & Natale, Los Angeles, California

“Just settled at court $22,500 total. You were the key! I appreciate your hard work and help. I look forward to working with you again.”
      Gerald Marcus, Esq.  Gerald Marcus Law Offices, Calabasas, California

“We won! No provocation. The jury felt your testimony was far more substantive than was Naumann’s. They were pissed she didn’t do the dog-dog aggression part of her assessment. One juror planned to contact about an issue with his dog. Although you were expensive, I explained in my closing you were considerably more expensive than Naumann b/c (1) you are far more qualified, and (b) you actually reviewed all of the records. Thanks again for all your help.”
      Barry Shalen, Esq.  Goldberg & Osborne, Phoenix, Arizona

“Thank you for your professional assistance on this interesting case.  If I ever have another animal attack case, I hope I can call on your dog expert witness services again.”
      Peter Chase Neumann, Esq. Law Offices of Peter Chase Newman,  Reno, Nevada

“Thank you for your work on this case. You are an asset to have on animal cases”.
      John J. Clayton, Esq. Harris Personal Injury Lawyers,   San Diego, California

“Thank you for your work in this case.  Your contribution was important, and Ms. Kahn spoke favorably of you after attending your deposition.”
      Lori Lockhart Paralegal, Hinton, Alfert & Kahn, Walnut Creek, California

“We are excited to inform you that our client’s case survived a motion for summary judgement filed by Officer Taylor. Your opinion regarding the length of the bite along with our client’s testimony was the deciding factor for the Judge to not grant Officer Taylor qualified immunity for his actions surrounding the dog bite. As you may know, excessive force cases more than often are dismissed at summary judgement, especially cases involving accidental bites, however your work aided in this small victory, within the case. Thanks for your work!”

“Great News, we settled the case for $200,000.00 which is legally, the most a person can collect from a Florida government agency due to Florida laws on sovereign immunity. Your expert opinion exposed them to potentially paying more than the cap had this matter proceeded to Trial.”

     Tobechuku T. Nwahiri, Esq.  Nwahiri Law, Miami, FL. 

“I am happy to report that this matter has now settled. Thank you for working with us last week to complete the expert designation timely. We look forward to being able to work with you in the future.”
     Gabriela G. Jones, Esq. Sutton & Murphy, Mission Viejo, California

“I wanted to reach out to let you know that the Peterson matter settled over the weekend. Your contributions and assistance in this matter were greatly appreciated!”
      Cynthia Virgen, Paralegal   The Herman Firm,  Walnut Creek, CA.

“We greatly appreciate the contribution you made to our presentation of these claims on behalf of the Burtons. We believe that your expert opinions and deposition testimony were critical in establishing both the dangerousness of the cat in question and the negligence of PetsMart and Ms. Carter in the matter in which this cat and others were maintained, handled, and offered for  “adoption” at PetsMart. In short, your expert testimony was instrumental in the successful resolution of the Burtons’ claim. We would be happy to recommend your services to other persons who have suffered similar injuries due to the negligence of animal owners and pet stores. Thank you again for your assistance.”
      Paul Knisely, Esq.  Knisley & Prehoditch, P.C. Austin, Texas

“I wanted to take a moment to thank you for your assistance in enabling us to reach such a favorable conclusion. Your expertise in helping us understand the nature of the invisible fence system and how it operates within the context of animal behavior allowed us to identify the defects in the product. This information facilitate our aggressively prosecuting Joey’s claim, and we feel confident that a jury would have understood the defects as well. Your assistance was an invaluable component of Joey’s success. Please feel free to use me as a reference should the need arise in the future.”
      Dennis P. Mulvihill, Esq. Lowe, Eklund, Wakefield, LLP.  Cleveland, Ohio

“Case just settled.  I do a lot of dog bite cases.  I will use you again!!!!  Thanks.”
       Joseph H. Low IV  The law firm of Joseph Low IV  Long Beach, CA.

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Owner Testimonials

“Things are going very well with Thunder and Zathras. The fighting has stopped, and Thunder has stopped showing any aggression to Zathras. Thunder has been ‘reintegrated’ back into the family. We can even have toys out without problems, with supervision of course. Zathras seems more confident of his new position, and Thunder accepting of his, so we can now treat them more naturally and enjoy them again, without worry that they will kill each other. Zathras also has not abused his new position with our girls, so for the first time since we merged the dog families, we have relative peace in the house. Your protocol worked very well for us. Thank you so much for your help.”
Anne Turner & Doug Williams, Los Angeles, CA.

Dear Dr. Epstein, As you may recall some time ago, I adopted a Rhodesian Ridgeback mix dog. While an affectionate and trustworthy animal, ‘Knocker’ was extremely aggressive with our cat. At your recommendation I contacted Dr. Richard Polsky. Together he and I were successful in getting these two animals to live together with some degree of harmony. At the time, this seemed impossible as Knocker’s natural inclination is as a hunter. Many thanks for the recommendation of Dr. Polsky. He is a knowledgeable, fair and patient man and I would recommend his services to others.”
Ed Spielman, Northridge, CA.

“Geronimo does not ever exhibit the sort of aggressive berhavior he did before treatment. Overall, I think we would have to rate your treatment an overwhelming success. If we had followed up properly, I believe the results would have been even more impressive. But even as it is, I think it is safe to say the problem that existed has been completely eliminated.”
Lee Smith, Santa Monica, CA.

“Thank you for the excellent advise you gave us regarding Bisou’s behavior. It was easy to implement your suggestions and Bisou’s response was almost immediate. We are grateful for the help and glad to know that someone out there has taken the time to learn how to understand animal behavior so well.”
Dr. Nancy LaPidus, Los Angeles, CA.

“Paul and I would like to express our extreme gratitude for your excellent work with our Rottweilers, Bach and Sonita. As you know when we first came to you Bach would growl every time he was picked up or handled. After working with you continuing the training on a regular basis, he is obedient and a loving dog. You saved his life with humane and easily understandable instructions. I learned from you that almost everything I had picked up about dog training was incorrect and giving the wrong message to my pet leaving me frustrated and blaming my dog. Thank you so much for your expert training and also for making me a better owner.”
Diana Wingard, Sherman Oaks, CA.

“We wanted to give you an update on Shadow’s progress. We have been taking her out for walks every evening and have noticed a marked improvement in the way she interacts with other dogs. We have had a few dogs come up to her who weren’t on a leash and we put her in the sit and she doesn’t bark or growl. A friend of ours has a mellow Golden Retriever named Big Foot who we tried to introduce Shadow to prior to meeting with you. Shadow wasn’t friendly with Big Foot then. We saw Big Foot again tonight and put Shadow in the sit. Big Foot’s person brought her within a couple of feet of Shadow and Shadow was fine — no barking or growling. Hopefully, someday, she’ll be able to play with other dogs. But we wanted to let you know how much she’s improved over the past 2 weeks. Thank you again for all of your help.”
Jennifer & Allen Bushman, Valencia, CA.

“Since we met with you on Saturday, Dutchess is a new dog! She is sleeping, peacefully, in a cage on the side of our bed and when we are on the couch she lays on the floor next to us. She is already becoming more independent! We’ve also been practicing her “Stay” and we can almost leave the roam entirely! We are very happy with our results so far. Even the cats are happier now! Thanks for everything.”
Frank and Apryl Correa, Los Angeles, CA.

“Dr. Polsky is a magician. The cure seemed so simple (why didn’t we think of that?) and it was simple. And it worked. And Blackie didn’t mind. He just doesn’t do it anymore. In fact, Blackie is even more loving than ever before.”
Dee and Ben Masselink, Pacific Palisades, CA.

“A millions thanks! Digger is a healthy, happy dog. We all worked really hard and it has paid off! People who knew him when he was ‘wild’ cannot believe the change. You have honestly saved our dog’s life. No one can believe the difference… he’s a real dog. Thank you for everything!”
Victoria Levy, Marina Del Rey, CA.

“Dear Staff of VCA-West Los Angeles Animal Hospital: I want to thank your for referring me to Richard H. Polsky, Ph.D. I retained Dr. Polsky early in to help me with many behavioral problems I was having with my dog Pepper. I was given instructions by Dr. Polsky, and a schedule for treatment for Pepper’s particular problems. With the suggested therapy, I have been able to get Pepper to respond to my commands and to reduce his desire to bite. At this time, Pepper’s aggressive behavior has turned around and his problems have almost totally disappeared. I found it easy to relate my difficulties with Pepper to Dr. Polsky, who is very knowledgeable in his field of animal behavior. I am certainly grateful that you referred me to him. I now have a dog that is loving and responsive to me, and is behaving as he should.
Jean Vel, Culver City, CA.

“Dear Dr. Hiatt, I want to thank you for recommending Dr. Polsky. The relationship I have with this dog has been one of the greatest experiences of my life and it would have not been possible without the inspiration, great knowledge, and professionalism of Dr. Polsky. He was able to solve seemingly insoluble problems quickly and efficiently. He has followed up closely and has helped me with other problems that have come up since then. I cannot recommend him highly enough.”
Millie Zucker, Santa Monica, CA.

“We previously took your dog obedience training in Santa Monica.  It was the best thing we did for our dog and our family.  He lived with us for almost 17 years. We recently adopted a rescue puppy.  We are interested in a consultation to help us set up our family and dog for success.”
Susana Longhi, Los Angeles, CA.

“Well, we’ve come quite a way in Bosley’s training…tomorrow the replacement carpet will be installed. We were wondering when we are supposed to start trimming down the plastic runners – and a what intervals? In other words, we start with 4 inches, then cut off another 4 inches how much later?  Thanks again for everything – you are a genius!”
Vicki Jett, Riverside, CA.

“Your instructions were very valuable to me. Having tried everything I knew or read, unsuccessfully, I was amazed at the speed of success using your method.”
Theresa Powers, Sylmar, CA.

“Thank you for your help with both Murphy and Fozzy. Both dogs have learned a lot and have also stopped many of their bad habits. Thank you.”
Mike Pernecky, Pasadena, CA.

“Thank you very much for the informative and detailed letter regarding Mr. Colgrove’s dog, Boy. You obviously spent considerable time and put a lot of thought into your assessment of the problem. It is gratifying to know that there is someone with knowledge to shed light in this dimly illuminated area. Let me again thank you for your efforts with Boy Dog.
Martin Milas, Los Angeles, CA.

“Thank you again for everything. She’s such a good girl now! I never thought we could do that! We’ll certainly give you a reference should you ever need one, and we’ll be sure to mention your name when anyone asks how Bijou got so much better.”
Peggy Hale, Santa Monica, CA.

“Just a note to let you know that Ouzo is back to being our respectable and well behaved dog that we had before last summer. We want to thank you for your service and express just how much it means to us to finally have the dog back that we really enjoy and love. We wish you much success in the years to come with your much needed profession. If we can ever answer any questions for the help of another dog and family, please feel free to contact us.”
Shannon and Joe Dinato, San Pedro, CA.

“I was so surprised that Dr. Polsky knew exactly what was wrong with Sammy or why she was so mad. Dr. Polsky’s information also corrected other problems. It’s expensive but worth every penny. Thanks.”
Ms. Linda Larson, Pomona, CA.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your help with Casper. If we have any further problems, we will certainly contact you. Thank you for your help.”
Marvin Derrick, M.D., Pasadena, CA.

“Thank you for making it possible for me it keep Sabrina. The treatment was a 100% successful.”
Karen Dunai, Beverly Hills, CA.

“Thank you so much for your recent follow-up letter on Hadoo’s condition. I’ve seen a marked improvement in Hadoo’s behavior since our last behavior lessons at your office. Although I have not been as diligent in the behavior modification as I should, Hadoo has still responded well. The hardest part in the beginning was to keep her from getting too excited about getting a treat so that she would relax for me. In short, she has definitely improve through your therapy.”
Jennie Brick, Altadena, CA.

“Your approach and recommendations suited our problem to a “T”. If we had had more time, we could have done more, but has it stands now everything is fine.”
Teri Lindsey, Los Angeles, CA

“An amazing transformation has occurred with my Basset hound. He urinated in the house regularly. Since treatment that Dr. Polsky has prescribed, the problem has virtually been eliminated. We have new carpet that has not once been soiled. I am extremely happy! “
Ann Sayre, Chatsworth, CA.

“Your help in this matter was invaluable to me. It gave me a much better insight into Astro’s temperament and has given me a very positive tool in handling other dominance aggression behavior that I have at times seen flare up. I know this will help me throughout the rest of his life. Thanks so much.”
Ann Hays, Cypress, CA.

“I wanted you to know how grateful I am for your aid in salvaging my relationship with this wonderful dog. Our session with you gave me the ability to distance myself emotionally from the problem, and enabled me to understand the underlying drives involved. Thank you for your time and your continuing contributions to the canine world.”
Janine Pierce, Reseda, CA.

“Both the young male and older female responded at once to the conditioning. Philby – the target – was slower to respond and remains uneasy around the young male, but there is markedly less aggression between them. Many thanks for your help and insights.”
Judy and Gar Reeves-Stevens, Los Angeles, CA.

“Thanks for your methods. We are able to have a much closer relationship with Zolly than we could ever have imagined. That means a great deal to us.”
John Miller, Los Angeles, CA.

“I wanted to update you on Pedo’s progress. My mother is delighted to inform you that pracitcally all aggression Pedo shows toward Brek has been eliminated. Pedo has recently been progressively reintegrated to daily life in the house; having a few of the same privledges the other dogs enjoy. She is very adjusted to staying in her “place” and goes there frequently on her own will. She no longer “eyes” Brek to intimidate her or responds to Brek’s presence in the room by raising her hackles We are happy to have Pedo behave in more positive manner. I want to assure you that our behavior techniques, supplied by you, are continuing to this day. My mother and the family is more aware of our relationship to all the dogs and respect the guidance you have given us. Thank you very much.”
Laurie Archer, Huntington Beach, CA.

“Thank you for helping us with your expertise. We are very satisfied with Roxy’s progress and what we learned from you. We can apply the principles in other situations as well. We have been doing the treat intervention when Roxy is resting by our bed and Danny needs to get up or touch something on his nightstand. It worked from the first try and Roxy has not snapped once. Thank you again. We will keep you posted.”
Csilla Andor, Pasadena , CA.

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