Haywood and his team are the absolute best! They have been incredibly helpful and kind and supportive while helping turn our German Shepherd pup into a "fine canine citizen" as they say. We opted for the day-care package and it was a delight. Easy drop off and pickup. Incredible value for the price given how much attention and training our Fletcher received. Never once were we even the slightest bit dissatisfied with anything. Special shout outs to Marshall, Sarah, and Jason who have been just awesome. You can tell they're all good folks because our dog gets as excited and loving when he sees them as he does with someone in the family. Thank you so much. read more

My pit bull and I have been working with Academy for 6 months with much success. I adopted her from a shelter, and she was reactive to others dogs and pulled one the leash. The biggest problem was her strong prey drive, as I have a cat! I found the individual and group classes, taught by Kranti and Tiara, clear and flexible. I practiced the homework easily during her daily walks, and they supported me with extra help when I needed it. Now my pit bill and cat co-existing in peace and harmony. Pit bull has improved 100% with her impulse control on walks/squirrels/cats, and I feel closer then ever to her. It was well worth the time and money. read more

They don't disclose their pricing upfront, which is annoying (they're actually within market). But I've heard great things from those who have stuck it out. read more

Haywood has become a part of my life over the last 25 years, as he has trained my first Rottweiler Menace and then my next two Rottweilers Raekwon and GhostFace, my first Boerboel Osiris and now currently my two boerboel puppies The RZA and The GZA/Genius. He and his staff do an incredible job of building rapport with dogs and owners and work to meet your individual needs. Whether it's socializing or ridding your dog if undesirable behaviors they have the answer for you. I wouldn't even think about taking my dogs anywhere else. They are thorough and efficient and over the years I have participated in all different level classes. And with my new pups, we will be doing everything!!! Currently we have finished our puppy classes and they are scheduled to board in October for the daily training sessions. We are so looking forward to having our puppies demonstrate more maturity and follow commands the first time given. I absolutely love Haywood and Jason (son) and the rest of the staff, they're absolutely awesome. If you're looking for a place that will show you and your pup, love and respect go to Academy dog Training by Haywood and you will not be disappointed. It may cost a little more than some other places, but I will soon have 2, 200 pound dogs and I need them to follow directions when something goes awry. With Haywood's foundation, I'm confident my dogs will meet all expectations in the moment. read more

Academy Dog Training by Haywood - The GZA/Genius and The RZA - Pet Training Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

My GSD has been with the Academy programs since he was 12 weeks old. He is now 3 1/2 years old and continually participates in the expert programs offered by the Academy. I have had him constantly enrolled in the Conditioning Program for two years. This is not your run-of-the-mill daycare program and does not compare to the standard daycare program for dogs. With such high energy, rambunctiousness, and intelligence, this breed needs constant athletic exercises and activities that physically, mentally, and emotionally stimulate him. And that's what the Academy offers catering to the special needs of the dogs under their care. The handlers are know their jobs well and treat each dog as if they were their own pets. I and my family feel very confident leaving our dog under their care and supervision. Fondly, M. Proctor read more

Be aware- their Facebook reviews are old and their sales tactics can be very deceiving. This is a dishonest place. We enrolled Nova in the Daycare program, which promised to deliver Basic Obedience including 1. Walking on Lead without pulling, 2. Sit on the first command, 3. Sit/Stay for one minute, 4. Come on the first command, 4. Down on the first commend, Down/Stay 5 minutes, 6. Understanding the No commend. The program also includes 3 private lessons, 4 group lessons, 1 test and a Behavioral Consultation. Upon the conclusion of the program the owner and the dog team are required to pass a Test to graduate. Sadly, not only did Nova not progress, but we also did not receive any of the post daycare elements, which are critical to ensure we can handle the dog and whether the training was in fact effective. We only received one very short handling class, at the end of which we concluded that Nova was not able to walk on lead without pulling. There was no test of the other elements and no consultation other than to say: "you know what to do as you had another shepherd before". Look out for red flags such as: are they following through on what they promised during the first meet? Check on the progress and ask about the schedule. The most important: ask them to send videos daily so you know what your dog is doing. read more

Great Dog training facility. The staff are very knowledgeable, kind, patient and great with my dog . They took my dog who was a real handful and did a wonderful job training him . A life saver, he is a great dog but I'm not sure if I would have been able to keep him without the training he got there . Great at problem solving . He has been going there for additional classes and sessions for several years and extremely happy with the care he gets there. read more

Haywood, Jason, Marshall and the other trainers are all incredibly knowledgeable and generous with sharing that! I've done a basic training for my stubborn but sweet elder Jack Russell terrier and now a nose class. I just adopted another dog and feel confident that with the help of the Academy Dog Training staff, I'll get to know him and make sure I can take good care of him. read more

I have a 3 year old very independent and strong rescue terrier mix. She was always leash pulling and leash reactive. She always had her own agenda. Last summer I enrolled her into the daycare training program and had an outstanding experience. We trained with Jason, Marshall, Courtney and Kranti and they taught me the tools I needed to create a wonderful relationship with my dog. You have to put in the work as the owner and do the homework. You can't expect to send your dog to daycare training and classes and expect to bring home a perfect dog (whatever that is). You have to spend time daily working with your dog to learn and reinforce what's taught. I worked the program and worked my dog as I was instructed and now have a great relationship and bond with my dog that I didn't have before. I also saw the growth in the other students in the class and the patience the instructors had for everyone and the want for everyone to succeed in their training. We did really well in the classes and continued on with scent work. Thank you for everything! read more

My experience is the place is crooked. I paid $1700 for training that was never received. The training session never started and upon inquiring and asking for my money back Haywood told me no. I offered that he keep whatever deposit or administrative expense he felt was due but I would like the majority of my $1700 back. I was still told no. This is where we are now. I will contact the BBB, Attorney General's office and others. In addition, Haywood is rude, nasty and has a very ugly disposition. I wish I had listened to a friend of mine who warned me not to take my dog there. I thought I'd give the guy a chance and I got burned to the tune of $1700. Silver Spring Resident read more

Love it! Great training facility for your pup! The staff is so nice and work so well with all humans and fur babies.

I adopted an 7 year old dog, Moose, who was as sweet as can be, but definitely not trained. I thought all was lost and I was stuck with a poorly peforming pup. After a few weeks of training, Moose was a new dog! He knew all of his basic commands and best of all, no longer pulled on the leash. I just adopted another dog, Crisco, so that Moose could have a playmate. I plan to go right back to see Haywood and the gang. I'm excited for the possibilities! read more

We just finished training with our two puppies. The progress has been amazing, and we can't thank the crew and the owners enough for all their work, support, and encouragement. I can tell that Loki enjoyed the training, too, and she fawns over her trainers whenever she sees them. We'll definitely be back for some of the advanced training classes! read more

I cannot say enough wonderful things about the team at Training by Haywood. My dog, Spike, is reactive and was extremely challenging on walks, thus I stopped. Jason recommended their day care, followed by group sessions. Midway through the daily day care sessions, I hurt my back while getting Spike in the car. They boarded Spike for 3 days, without additional charge, so that I could get some rest. The group sessions were a huge support and provided me with the tools I needed to feel good taking Spike on a walk. So, I highly recommend the team - Jason, Sarah, Marshall, Courtney. I will continue to take additional classes from them, as well as use their other services. read more

Haywood, Alexa and the team at Academy Dog Training have been fantastic in helping us train our energetic Double Doodle Teddy. Not only were they great with Teddy, but they were great helping us to be better dog owners. They went so far as to make multiple visits to our house to make sure Teddy's training followed him home, and that his particular issues was worked on. We used their daycare training, and it was fantastic; knowing that Teddy was learning every day and well taken care of eased our minds of being able to train him ourselves. Highly recommended. read more

Academy Dog Training by Haywood - Teddy Unger, a graduate of Academy Dog Training by Haywood. - Pet Training Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Haywood is a fantastic trainer! We will absolutely not go to anyone else for our pups. Haywood has trained all my family's dogs, and no one has had any complaints. He's trained two of my father-in-law's dogs, my sister-in-law's, and ours. On top of exceptional training, Haywood's shop offers a fantastic selection of treats for my fur babies. Whether it be a gift basket during the holiday season, a salmon skin, or big ol' bone for them to chew on, Haywood is our go to. When you train and provide supplies for owners, why go anywhere else? We will continue to support this great local business in the future, and to spread the word about this great dog trainer! read more

I was really impressed with Academy Dog Training by Haywood when I first signed up with them. The challenge I had was when I need to cancel a part of my training with them due to medical reasons. Unrelated to the school, my dog had been mauled and nearly killed by another dog. He became very anxious around other dogs and the vet strongly recommended that I pull him out of any group classes. I asked the school to refund me for the unused group classes based on the vet's recommendation. The school refused to refund the dollars based on our contract. While they are well within their legal rights, I would have expected them to make an exception based on a medical requirement from the vet. To me, this shows a lack of care for the dog's well-being or the well-being of the other dog's around it. read more

I am a first time dog owner and brought my puppy here for training and I am so glad I stumbled upon the company's website on yelp and called Haywood. He and his team are great! I signed up for their daycare program and then group classes and all of it was well worth the time and money. They provided guidance from everything to diet, housebreaking, and obedience training. Haywood even made a home visit to help me sort out my stubborn dog's behavior issues. They customize the needs of individual dogs (and owners) and closely assess their needs/skills/readiness to advance. Since we graduated, I have returned a couple of time to get advice and Haywood and staff remain helpful. I have never felt rushed or ignored. I also now go there for all of my dog's treats and toys. I'd go back there for more advanced training and highly recommend them! read more

I can not say enough positive things about the excellent service, training, and support I have received from Haywood and his team. I can't imagine a situation where Haywood or his team would behave as the only previous negative reviewer described. Haywood and Alexa went out of their way to find the solution/training that worked best for my dog. Background: I rescued an almost 3yr old neutered male GSD in December. My husband and I have breed experience so I was hoping that we'd be able to improve some of his problematic behaviors (barking, poor socialization, very territorial, and disordered pack mentality) and then join a group class. We quickly figured out that the behaviors were not related to bonding to us and his new GSD sister but rather that was just him. So we started looking at private lessons. When I arrived at Academy, I wasn't sure what to expect. Alexa and Adrianna started our evaluation. Haywood joined us half way through and it worked out perfectly that he did because the team was able to observe my dog's reaction to someone entering "his" territory and his reaction to men - both of which were significant. At the end of the evaluation, Haywood and Alexa provided their recommendation for training - private lessons to start with a transition to group classes for a fixed fee. My dog would learn multiple commands and how to be around other dogs. Again, I can not stress enough how economical Academy ended up being. It took us a little longer than the average client to be ready for group classes. If I'd had to pay per lesson at the market rate in this area, it would have cost DOUBLE. Seriously...I did the math. Three weeks ago, my previously barky, somewhat aggressive, territorial GSD graduated from Academy with the highest test score of his group. He didn't make a peep. He recognizes the humans in our home as alphas. He is able to walk on a leash in our neighborhood without lunging at other dogs...in fact, he was steady as a rock last week while a neighbor's small dog was barking up a storm. I honestly feel like Academy Dog Training saved my dog's life. If his behavior had continued to escalate, he eventually would have hurt someone and been euthanized. Haywood's method was exactly what my dog needed and Alexa (our primary trainer for private lessons) got to know both my dog and myself. There were days I was prepared to give up and without her encouragement, support, and knowledge were invaluable. Also, we did a couple days of board and train which were VERY economical and I was able to see improvement in my dog after the first day. We continue to buy our dog food and supplies from Academy. They offer 5 star food made in the USA for 3 star price. read more

Wow! I have only had amazing experiences with this training center. They are professional, knowledgeable, and trained my German Shepard really well. After training my puppy with Haywood and his team, my dog has become disciplined and stayed this way months after our classes. They are kind, genuine and super smart! Worth every penny. read more

I am beyond happy that someone recommended Academy Dog Training to me. My pit bull mix loved going there every day and the results were incredible. I had a neurotic dog, but after 3 weeks my 3 year old dog became calmer, happier and more obedient. I would 100% recommend them to every dog owner whom is thinking about obedience training read more

Academy dog training was able to help us train our four-year old dog with severe anxiety issues; after the 3-week dog care program and several group classes, we are able to: walk him without pulling, be out around other dogs and manage his reaction with commands and treats, have him perform basic commands inside and out of the home. He is much more pleasant to have since he and we are better trained. All thanks to the fabulous team at Academy Dog! read more

We paid $800 to the owner in January of this year to train our 12 week old puppy. Not too impressed. In August we boarded our puppy at his boarding facility/home. Charged us $460. All fine so far. But he then informed us puppy peed on his couch at home so we/puppy were fired. He would not train puppy any more. Weird. Should have selected trainer more carefully. read more

The entire staff at Academy Dog Training by Haywood are so incredibly patient and helpful. My husband and I brought our german shepherd puppy to them and they provided us with a free consultation to address our training goals, as well as provided us advice to take home with us, to more personalize the training to us and our dog. During the consultation, not one, but three trainers were present (including Haywood) to provide us with all the information we would need to move forward with training. Our trainer ended up being David. He was very kind and it was definitely obvious that he really understands dog behavior. Since I was a first-time dog owner, it was also a relief that he was so patient and informative with me as well. I would (and already have) recommend Academy Dog Training by Haywood to my friends and family. read more

Haywood is amazing! He has helped us with 2 dogs that we rescued. Our first, Stretch, would tear apart the house, destroyed the kitchen, and would jump up into trees snatching a bird or squirrel and snapping their necks. It was impossible for me to walk him without being pulled so hard that I had to wrap the leash around a tree to keep from hitting the ground. Haywood taught us how to handle Stretch, how to understand that he was a hunter, and that with consistency we could not only manage him, but enjoy him! Stretch passed away and we got Jake who was sooo much easier compared to Stretch. BUT, Jake would do the things that many dogs do...on occasion he would nip people as well us, jump at people walking by let as well as coming into the house, did not listen to commands and would bark constantly if we were not paying attention to him or giving him more treats. After four sessions with Haywood, Jake is so much better! I should say that Haywood really helped us-he GETS people and he GETS dogs. He knows what types of corrections work for a specific dog. He told us we were too harsh when we set limits with Jake and that was making him more anxious. Haywood is honest, and will let humans know what they are doing that contributes to a dog's behavior, and will give concrete suggestions/actions to take to remediate the issues. Haywood Perry is the DOG WHISPERER of Silver Spring. We are so fortunate to have him in close by. I encourage anyone with a dog that has some behaviors that you may overlook or does things that are extremely worrisome to see him. You will be as appreciative as we are to see how you can change to help your dog be the best pup ever! Sandi K read more

Haywood is Silver Spring's dog whisperer! Patient and so knowledgeable. Over the years, he's successfully trained two of our rescue pups... Or, as we've learned, he's really trained us! We highly recommend his services. read more