This is a long time coming. Started with Deanna and Hawaii Dog Training a couple years ago in a…read moregroup training class for our pomsky Marley. Then a year later we added Cleo (Border Collie) to our family. Everything you hear about Border Collies are true! So we finally decided to have her do the 2 week board and train with Deanna. That was the best decision we made. This was followed up with additional session and e-collar training. What a difference! It is an ongoing effort and the training never stops for both Marley and Cleo. But now we are better equipped to take them to the park, the beach, on hikes, have a dull house of family over and the dogs can enjoy all these events with us. Thank you so much to Deanna snd your team!

We are first time dog owners, and picked a somewhat difficult breed as our first pup, the Alaskan…read moreKlee Kai aka mini husky. So many of spitz breed characteristics in a smedium body. We knew we needed help so our girl has had a lot of training, I mean a LOT. On the mainland, we had her enrolled in puppy socialization classes (covid dog) from the get go, and board & train at 6 months for basic obedience. Her first trainer told us she was "feral." We went through the gamut of trainers from hard-nosed strict obedience-focused to purely positive reinforcement only trainers. They all worked to some degree but nothing really hit the sweet spot. Enter Deanna from HDTS- she really understands dogs and works with the natural tendencies of the animal, while still expecting (and getting!) obedience and manners. She might not be the trainer for every human, but she is 100% the trainer for every dog. You can just tell the dogs all love her, she is like magic to them. My dog never liked any of her trainers before, and she's a good judge of character! My girl made a huge leap in her development, and I can honestly say Deanna has changed our lives by working with Maple. I can trust Maple off-leash in some settings giving her the freedom to just be a dog, which she repays with love and never-ending kisses. I trust Deanna with my dog daughter implicitly, and would literally never board her anywhere else. Maple loves her too :)

I highly recommend Kristen/Guahan K9 for a dog trainer. She has a tremendous depth of knowledge…read morewith extensive experience in a wide range of training and behavioral situations. Kristen is caring, professional and has a natural way with dogs, and their humans. She teaches so much more than just basic commands and educates owners about dogs and proper dog ownership. She uses positive training techniques which are key in helping you grow the relationship between you and your pooch. Kristen always invites questions and always prompt with a response, and offers plenty of suggestions to be successful. She exceeded all our expectations, her training approach was the most effective. I could genuinely say that she is Kaia's favorite trainer! I have worked with many dog trainers for almost a year because my girl has more extracurricular activities than I do! We will see you soon for our next goal: train and pass the Canine Good Citizen

Kristen is a brilliant dog trainer who works very hard to ensure her "students" make great strides…read morein their training. She has such a natural way of interacting with canines and their owners. We have hired dog trainers in the past with our other dogs, but Kristen's focus is much more psychology-focused in comparison. We have found this approach not only to be more effective overall, but also more pleasant for canine and owner. We are eternally grateful for Kristen's amazing teachings and her positive influence on our puppy. We are so proud to showcase our puppy's excellent behavior in public and at home with visitors. Thanks Kristen!!!

Sabrina is truly so amazing!…read more I came to her wanting to train a Psychiatric Service Dog for myself and she was the most sweet and caring person. I could not have asked for a better experience with this whole process. Sabrina has always been so responsive and kind about my situation since I am a student financing the cost of a Service Dog on my own and she has been nothing but extremely flexible and understanding the entire way through. I got my baby Sugar Plum from her and she was raised with Sabrina. Since I started working with her, she has been such an angel and I am so lucky to have such a great dog who is always so attentive and well behaved. I have had virtually no issues with training my puppy with her help. But if I do, Sabrina is always right there to help me out! I canʻt count how many times that Iʻve asked Sabrina questions about raising my puppy or how to train or even what cage size I should get for her. Itʻs not just the training you get with her, sheʻs really there for any support which I have been so extremely grateful for. She knows her way with the dogs and I trust her with my puppy more than anyone else. I cannot recommend Sabrina and Balanced Obedience enough, and everyone I talk to knows it! If you are looking for trustworthy adoption, training, and/or boarding, this is it!

Balanced Obedience has truly been a dream come true! Sabrina is absolutely amazing…read more Before training, I couldn't even walk our dog because she pulled so hard. It wasn't just me--even our dog sitters struggled to walk her. She also greeted everyone by barking, whether they were coming into our home or we were visiting theirs. She sounded like a fierce guard dog... which is pretty funny considering she's a full-blooded Golden Retriever! The transformation has been incredible. Not only is she so much better behaved, but we've also learned how to communicate with her in a way we never knew before. The training didn't just change our dog--it changed our relationship with her. We can't recommend Balanced Obedience enough. If you're on the fence about investing in training, take the leap. It is worth every penny, and you'll be so glad you did!

Wendy Mah of Honolulu is the best person who could handle a Basenji. She was our first handler of…read moreour Pukkanut Welcome Nugget (KOA) . Stafford-Ames Morse Hawaii Kai, Hi Savannah, Ga morse.stafford@gmail.com

My Tibetan Spaniel Sasha graduated from Puppy Training I and went on to graduate from Puppy…read moreTraining II. The classes were all held at Pet's Discount Warehouse in Salt Lake, where Wendy (the trainer) showed and taught us what she knew. Both classes were pretty small and intimate, but there were enough puppies for fellowship. The first training class (I) was very mixed, as in the breeds and sizes of dogs. This was good, I guess, to kick start each puppy's social skills. My small Tibbie really gravitated towards the larger breeds for some reason. This class covered puppy basics, so kind of what I imagine a class called "Puppy 101" would cover -- positive reinforcement, "sit," "down," basic leash-walking, and other obedience training skills. Puppy II was a little more advanced. It mainly focused on obedience training and advanced leash-walking. Sasha and I had some personality conflicts at first, but we managed to overcome them. Once I found a treat good enough to get her motivated, my secret weapon vienna sausage, she took off and graduated at the top of her class. I recommend Sirius to any new puppy owner. Yelp 365 - #104/365

Eric at Alpha K-9 is the real deal. He knows the techniques to train dogs and train their people…read moreto handle them. We found out about Eric from friends who had a very positive experience with him. and their puppy. He had great insight into our puppy as a rescue and specifics about his breed. He was reliable and very flexible with our schedules. I can't say enough about how happy we are with the results and the skills that both we and our puppy learned. We have already recommended Eric at Alpha K-9 to friends who are adopting.

Eric is a very patient Trainer. And he was very flexible with the plan that we wanted. Our dog is…read moreso much more responsive after following his plan.

I would give ProDog Hawaii 10 stars if I could! Marie has changed our lives for the better...we…read morewent from constant stress and tension to being able to relax and enjoy time with our dog. I was in search of a force free dog trainer after our 8 year old rescue dog had regressed after an event and had become fearful of pretty much everything and she became reactive towards my husband. I remembered a friend had worked with Marie years prior and she was highly recommended so I emailed through the website and received a very speedy, thorough and nice reply from Marie and quickly decided I wanted to work with her. We've also been working remotely with a Veterinary Behaviorist in San Francisco along with our local vet. Although we had not gotten her stabilized on medications, we started training right away. There were months of trying different medications and different doses, and our dog having bad side effects. We had Zoom sessions with Marie throughout this time and she was so helpful and supportive with giving us ideas and suggestions of what to try to get her from being in a frozen state of fear and building her trust and confidence. I just wanted my scared girl to stop hiding and be able to relax on the couch like she used to do. Marie has been so accommodating with our schedule (there were weeks I would postpone and reschedule due to our rescue girl not feeling well). Marie encouraged us to video our training and she would analyze the videos and she has taught me so much about our dogs body language. We have been working with Marie for about 4 months and have seen great improvement. She is off all behaviorial medications and rarely hides. She is much more tolerant of noises and is now eager and more engaged when we train. She is happier and more playful than she's ever been. We never would have gotten this far without Marie's guidance. She truly cares about her clients. She is so knowledgeable and is amazing at what she does. Thank you Marie for helping us build a better relationship with our sweet girl and helping her to gain more confidence!

I really don't want to give Marie a less than stellar review because for the most part I really…read morelike Marie and I think her intentions are good. I think there are some issues that were costly to me that might help you avoid the same. I'll start with the cons and end with the pros: Marie is all about the money and herself, first and foremost. You're not entering into a partnership. She's the boss. She can bend her rules, ask you to be flexible with scheduling and rescheduling but you can not. There is a language barrier that became more obvious over time. English is not Marie's native tongue. She also doesnt hear well (I dont either) so masking isnt an option. Lack of clarity in communication was a huge issue. Pros: Marie is positive, all positive, and uses Skinner's operant conditioning as her model. Lots of treats and rewards and ignoring the negatives. She understands dogs and their language. I saw great improvement in my dogs and their reactivity and regression in their potty habits while working with her. That improvement was in the first 3-5 sessions though. After that it was practice of the same with nothing new. I would not recommend buying a package. I quit the training with prepaid training sessions left. Ive worked with excellent trainers so maybe I'm spoiled. There's a lot of good stuff on the internet that's free, like Doggy Dan. In spite of it all, Im grateful for Marie and our time together and the improved relationships with my dogs and their more relaxed way of life since I'm more relaxed.

I can't recommend Mokupini Paws enough! I have two pug sisters who have grown up together since…read morebirth. Earlier this year, they started having more frequent squabbles that escalated to the point where they were physically hurting each other. It became overwhelming and difficult to manage. I reached out to several training facilities, but many of them were hesitant to take my dogs because of how far things had escalated. Thankfully, Brandon at Mokupini Paws was willing to help. We enrolled in a month-long board and train program, and it made such a difference. At the handoff, Brandon walked me through all of the commands they had learned and how to use them at home. I was amazed at how obedient they were, while still keeping their fun personalities. Brandon is so committed to their growth and development, and his gentle way of leading them made the whole experience so positive and easy. The biggest change has been how much calmer and easier they are to live with. Walks used to be stressful--they would bark and pull on the leash whenever we passed other dogs. Now, they may whimper a little, but they stay under control and don't react like before. Playing with them, taking them out, and introducing them to other dogs and people has become so much more enjoyable. I'm so grateful to Brandon and the Mokupini Paws team for helping restore peace and making life with my pugs not just manageable, but fun again!

I can't say enough good things about Mokupuni Paws. From the very first introduction, I could tell…read morethey truly care about both dogs and their people. The trainers are incredibly knowledgeable, patient, and professional, especially Brandon. Brandon never raised his voice and always remained calm and collected. He made the whole process enjoyable and stress-free. I can tell he truly enjoys what he does. If you're looking for results, clear guidance, and people who genuinely care, this is the place. I highly recommend working with Brandon and Mokupuni Paws, you won't be disappointed. Actually... maybe a little disappointment, because my dog might actually like Brandon more than me now!

THE BEST KEPT SECRET DAYCARE AND BOARDING FOR SMALL DOGS!!!…read more I have to admit, I've been selfishly gatekeeping this place because it is hands down, THE BEST daycare and boarding on the island and I didn't want my baby's spot to be taken up...sorry Aunty Carly! I know a lot of my fellow VIPaws pet parents are also keeping this place on the hush for the same reason. However, since I'm moving soon, I had to do right by its wonderful owner, Carly, and give her the recognition she deserves. I've tried almost every daycare and boarding here, as my fur baby is our child and we want the very best for him. It was good to see what each place had to offer but let me tell you, you will not find another place that comes close to VIPaws. This is "the Punahou" of daycares. They specialize in only taking small dogs 25 lbs and under, which is perfect since our baby is fearful of larger dogs. The sign up process is organized and thorough, taking everything into account. We could tell she was on it and well prepared to care for him whenever we were away. This really put my mind at ease. All her policies/pricing are laid out and upfront so there's no surprises. If you don't read, that's on you. Their reservation based setup makes it easy to drop off/pick up. I've been to places without this and had to wait a while to pick up my dog since there was no reserved time. At VIPaws, I book a set time to drop off/pick up my pup so I can be on my way. I appreciate that! Carly does a tour of the setup on the first day and we were impressed by how clean and secure her home was. Multiple enclosures to ensure your dog's safety, lots of room to run and play, and comfy and clean with no smells at all. The energy there felt so calm and positive. All the pups looked so cute and happy! We love that they're very selective with the dogs they agree to take in, not letting any of the riff raff in. It's like an exclusive private school! She's strict but very loving and we appreciated that vs many other places where they let dogs run wild, pee everywhere, bark their heads off, etc. Not only can your dog pick up bad habits but it also really stressed my baby out. This was a welcomed change of environment. We could tell from the tour that this was going to be an amazing experience for our pup. VIPaws took excellent care of my baby every time he joined them for daycare/sleepovers. He can be a little nervous being away from us but it didn't take long for his nervous shakes to turn into tail wags. He would do excited tippy taps whenever we made the turn to her home, ecstatic about where he was about to go. He never did this for any of the other places we've tried! We ended up enrolling him in regular daycares because he would pout and get depressed when he didn't get to go. From a dog that had separation anxiety to this, there was no denying how much he loved it there. At VIPaws, we really felt that he was more than just a number. She took the time to really get to know him and knew things about his personality, likes/dislikes and quirks that even my own Mom didn't know about him. We could tell he truly felt comfortable, willing to show her his true self and thriving in the environment they create. The level of care and commitment they take for each dog is outstanding. In a short period of time, we could tell from his consistent daycare that he was not only loving his time there, but becoming a better behaved pup. Our baby learned manners and started coming home more balanced and well-behaved. Before VIPaws, he would get leash reactive on our neighborhood walks but since joining VIPaws, he got rid of that behavior right before our eyes...we were amazed! And she doesn't even charge for training, which in my opinion is a steal!! With everything you get, her prices are incredibly fair! We loved her insights shared via daily text message/pics. He always looked so happy! She is extremely knowledgeable and her advice helped us to be the best parents. I loved her honesty, letting us know the good with the bad. It was helpful to know areas we could improve on and got us excited when those improvements started coming to life. We would much rather have that than the generic "he did great" responses we got from several other places we've tried. With VIPaws, I could trust they'd tell me the truth on how my dog really was doing. VIPaws not only helped us care for our dog when we were away but also helped transform him into a confident, social, well balanced canine citizen. He has so many friends and we love seeing him live his best life! We've recommended them to our friends and they've raved about having the same experiences with their dogs. We are so grateful for all the time and attention she invested in him. This place is truly magical and such a gem. Trust me, VIPAWS IS THE BEST!!! Thank you Aunty Carly and Uncle Billy for all you did for us! We won't forget you!

Hi Carly & Billy, I…read morewanted to thank you both for what you provide for all our fur babies. Cherish & Sasha are much better at home. I've been out sick from work for the last 2 days but still able to take them on morning walks. They seem more calm and are not aggressive whenever we pass or are approaching other dogs. In fact they don't react at all when other dogs start barking or lunging towards our direction. When we are home there is no tension like we used to have. I have to remind myself to get up and correct them when they're overly barking at the mailman or people walking past the house. The entire household, humans and animals seem to be more at peace and relaxed , it's very nice. Thank you again.