This review is strictly regarding the business owner's communication and lack of transparency with prospective clients, not her actual dog training. I reached out to Nikki about training for my new puppy. She responded with a standard pitch detailing her credentials and a premium rate of $200/hour, claiming she trains dogs "in a different way" than others. Naturally, before investing that kind of money and inviting someone into my home, I politely asked if she had any short video clips of her training style so I could understand her methodology. Her response was incredibly curt and defensive: "No i dont have social media you are requesting. My training is very personal and not media income for me." I didn't care about social media; I cared about understanding her teaching style. Because finding a trainer is about compatibility and trust, I actually went out of my way to apologize for any misunderstanding and asked if she could point me to any online video of any trainer with a similar style, just so I could get a rough idea of what to expect. Instead of a professional response (like suggesting client references or pointing to her Yelp reviews), she completely shut down the conversation: "I have provided the information I provide to all my clients. It seems we will not be a good fit." Nikki expects clients to blindly commit to a $200/hour rate with zero visual proof or demonstration of her "unique" methodology. When asked basic, polite questions to ensure a good fit, she met me with defensiveness, a complete lack of flexibility, and a curt dismissal. If a trainer is this defensive and difficult to communicate with before you even hire them, imagine how stressful it would be to work with them. There are plenty of highly qualified trainers who welcome questions and treat prospective clients with respect--IMO go to them instead. I've attached our communication as proof. read more

Any Breed Training - Pet Training Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

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We worked with Nikki to train our golden retriever puppy. Her training is very personalized and owner-friendly. She is friendly and accessible if you have questions between sessions. I am very happy with the results so far with our young guy and will work with her again in the future if we need to. read more

Nikki has helped me solve my dogs' behavior problems such as aggression toward other dogs, jumping on people, and leash pulling. After every session, I have a clear game plan for what to work on. I am now able to take both dogs out for walks without it being an unpleasant experience. She is a skilled and knowledgeable animal behaviorist. She's a clear communicator and she responds promptly via email and text. I highly recommend her. read more

Any Breed Training - Nikki has helped me train both my dogs. - Pet Training Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

If you are looking for a trainer you should stop looking now and hire Nikki! My husband and I adopted two cattle dog mixes from a rescue at 8 months old and we were struggling to potty train them, teach them to be attentive to us, walk them comfortably and, in general, train them to be the dogs we wanted for our family (and knew they could be). We had tried another facility, in both group and private lessons, that was not helping at all. Even after our first session she taught my husband and I so much that it changed how our dogs responded to us almost instantly. Every session has felt like its own little miracle and has made the bond between us and our pups so much stronger. Her reviews are why we reached out to her and I would like to affirm that they are all true. If you need help with your dog then I hope for your sake you hire her! read more

Worth every penny. I read up on Nikki's training philosophy and was very interested so I reached out for a quote. She offers reasonable pricing and even better, no commitment. Meaning, if we tried her once and it wasn't for us, no big deal. It was an easy decision to make the first appointment. For reference, I was looking for a trainer that could help with my dog's nuisance barking, his separation anxiety, and his leash aggression with other dogs. Before scheduling, Nikki sent a VERY detailed questionnaire. I'm always skeptical of spending too much time on these because it seems like companies love to have you fill them out and then never look at them. Not Nikki! She reads every word and referenced it throughout the 2 trainings we've had so far. Nikki sets up trainings in strategic locations based on your specific issues so the trainings are really catered to you and your dog's needs. Every question I have had has been answered thoroughly and without judgment and both of the appointments we've had had resulted in noticeable improvements with our dog! It's so easy to feel like you are a bad dog owner when your dog has behavior problems and Nikki is so good about explaining the why that a lot of those fears have been calmed. Sometimes the way we express love isn't good for our dogs behavior! I don't know how else to express that you if you are considering training with Nikki, DO IT. I am grateful we found her. read more

Our labradoodle puppy has sensitive tummy. Nikki's no treats method worked really well for us. As first time dog owners we benefited tremendously from Nikki's knowledge, experience and her straight forward hands on approach. Prior to getting Nikki's help we went to a series of training classes at a local facility. We didn't really learn much since we spent most of the time trying to use treats to calm our puppy down. After the first session we were able to control Mochi's jumping. After the second session we were able to walk Mochi without her pulling. Then we learned how to navigate trails, city streets and dog parks, etc. With the knowledge Nikki taught us we are now confident dog owners with a puppy who is on her way to be a well behaved companion and hiking partner. read more

When I reached out to Nikki to see if she could help with the specific training my dog needs, she was quick to respond and was professional, gave plenty of information, had reasonable prices, and has a flexible schedule. I was incredibly excited to start working with my dog. After deciding to go through with Nikki as my dog's trainer, we attempted to set-up a consultation/first meeting. Nikki never responded. I reached out a week later, and have still yet to receive a response. I understand that emergencies come up and sometimes self-care is more important than work, but I was disappointed with the lack of professionalism. If my schedule was too complicated or Nikki had a reason to be away from work, I would absolutely understand. Life happens! But being ghosted was frustrating and a tad hurtful. I ended up booking with another trainer in the area. read more

Nikki is wonderful! We rescued our two year old lab mix about three months ago and let's just say... The first week was hell. Our puppy would bark at everything and would pull the leash & become reactive at anything.... we were extremely stressed and sleep deprived. We were so lucky that Nikki could come to us within two days of reaching out to her. She came over to our apartment and watched our pup's behaviors while explaining the reasons behind them. It was very helpful as first time dog owners to get a better understanding of our pup's behaviors. After our first training session, Isla stopped barking at everything she saw and heard. We were so impressed with how effective Nikki's training tools were. On top of that, Nikki was always kind to us and never judged our lack of knowledge and experience. We did a total of 5 sessions within the span of 2 1/2 months, and we saw amazing improvements with our dog. I am so grateful for Nikki and all she does, and I would 100% call her if we ever need help again. read more

Any Breed Training - Our pup, Isla - Pet Training Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

Nikki is an excellent trainer for both myself and my puppy Jing. I highly recommend working with Nikki. She showed me how to set limits for Jing using simple and effective techniques. We learned how to reduce reactivity to other dogs when walking in the street, potty training and many other techniques on how to effectively communicate to and teach a puppy good behavior. It's no easy task :). Nikki is flexible, honest, kind and a straight forward person which makes her easy to work with, learn from and talk to. Thanks for all your help Nikki! read more

Any Breed Training - Pet Training Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

Nikki is pretty amazing! To start, our dog's issue is not being able to ignore other dogs; she acknowledges each and every one and then cries because I won't let her greet them every time (sometimes lunging because she's so desperate to get to that dog). I wanted to teach her how to move on and stay by my side. After looking up and researching a ton of dog trainers, I noticed every trainer used the same technique; lots, and lots of treats...So I assumed that's how I had to train. I hired a private trainer and after two sessions, I realized it wasn't for me after they kept pushing me to take my dog to the weekly classes (which cost SO much money on top of the private training fee). I got frustrated and researched some more. I found Nikki's website and read about her training style. She said she didn't use treat training - her reasoning being that you become the dog's vending machine, and what if you don't always have a treat with you? Reading that hit me like a ton of bricks and I instantly knew I wanted her to be our trainer. After several sessions, I can proudly say that our pit is on her way to being fully off leash! She is also doing a lot better when greeting dogs. If we ever feel like our dog had a set back or our dog isn't listening at home, Nikki always has great tips that 100% come through when we try it out. read more

This review is very tardy, but last year we went searching for a trainer that could help us with our English Mastiff George. Thankfully we found Nikki! She was great with George and helped us get him walking great on a leash and with paying attention to us! Having a perfectly behaved dog is paramount when you own a giant and live in the city and Nikki was able to help us get George to that level with his walking and listening! I highly recommend her if you are searching for an excellent dog trainer! Nikki really cares about dogs and is great with them!! read more

We are a first-time dog family, and Nikki helped us get our dog integrated into our life. We got our guy from the Shelter, and he had a great heart but bad manners. We weren't sure how to keep him from going in the kitchen, getting too excited with the kids, and pulling on the leash. Nikki helped us from day one understand how to manage him and begin to get him trained. She showed us all kinds of techniques for inside and outside and followed up to make sure things were working. We're all much happier now, especially the dog. Nikki's a great trainer and I highly recommend her. read more

Enrolled our strong-willed/headed Corgi puppy in ABT with Nikki to learn better manners, pay more attention to us, and improve on leash training skills. Her methods are very effective for us because our puppy gets too distracted in group classes and isn't always food motivated. I like that our pup is learning to obey us out of respect instead of due to fear or food. Her flexibility in scheduling and willingness to meet at a convenient location is incredibly helpful for our busy and fluctuating schedules. The best part of working with ABT is the realtime feedback our puppy gets and we get as her handlers. I appreciate the personalized feedback we receive from Nikki to make us better pet owners and get better results from our pup in training her. Great training program for owners and pups! read more

We worked with Nikki for a few sessions with our new puppy, and she took the stress out of training. She taught relevant, effective and practical ways that we could engage with our puppy and still work on the foundation of behaviors. Loved that she gave tips to remember the key points of the lessons! Thank you, Nikki! read more

We've been working with Nikki for about 4-5 sessions now and we've been seeing some great results with our dachshund, Oscar. We had a host of issues from bolting to leash aggression and Nikki has been adept at handling all of them. She also has a very professional and personable manner and is a pleasure to work with. I'd highly recommend her services. read more

Nikki helped me tremendously with my dog Laila who was a mess when I adopted her at age 1. I cannot stress enough the importance of having a one-on-one, in person trainer who comes to you, evaluates you and your dog in your environment, and then structures her training plan to what you, your family, and your dog need. Group training cannot deliver that. One-on-one training can and does deliver the socialization training your dog needs WHEN you and your dog are ready. Thank you Nikki ... keep up the good work and thanks! Laila is GREAT and we're much happier as a family. read more

I called Nikki after being referred by my son. She had worked a miracle with his two barking dogs. We had our first session with her today and she was amazing. She addressed the most troublesome problems first and in just a few minutes, I was implementing her suggestions. Walked my Australian Shepherd puppy on her leash without her lunging or jumping for the first time since we adopted her. All her explanations regarding Sadie's behavior made so much sense. We are on a great start to understanding how to train our dog. We are excited to continue with our training. I highly recommend Nikki! read more

Nikki is awesome! She is very knowledgeable and gives you great tools to practice with your dog. You have to be willing to put in the work and the payoff is great! Thank you, NIkki! read more

We have a young lab and started with the usual recommended training, puppy kindergarten, basic obedience etc. Our boy was still having issues with pulling while walking, overexcitement when seeing other dogs etc. Nikki has been great, and provided a way to deal with those issues, and provided practical advice on how to deal with your dog so that he becomes a lovable, obedient, companion. I really like that it is one on one training, and that she comes to your home or meets at a park to deal with the issues when and where they come up. Can't recommend her enough. read more

Nikki is awesome! I have 2 dogs, one is older and the other is just under two years old. Neither is out of control or major nuisance, but there was room for improvement. The younger one is leery of people and a bit skittish. At our first meeting the young walked up to Nikki and allowed herself to be pet and she was at ease. We are just about a month into training and all is going well. The dogs have responded well to the training and I've seen significant improvement. read more

This training is so great! Our 3 year old Italian Greyhound (who are notorious for being difficult to train) was developing leash aggression issues and after just 2 sessions we have already seen immense changes in her behavior! Nikki is extremely knowledgeable and thoroughly explains all of her techniques in order to make sure that we understand why she does what she does. We are so excited to have a well trained dog thanks to Nikki! read more

Nikki is and excellent trainer. Her techniques, tools and patience with our family have worked and our Golden puppy is progressing into a lovely member of our family. We highly recommend Any Breed Training! read more

I recently adopted a senior female German Shepherd, who needed training to get into an SUV. I contacted Nikki, who responded immediately and we scheduled our first session. Prior to meeting, Nikki sent me a series of questions to answer about the dog, her previous history, behavior issues, health, etc. Nikki was well prepared when we met. We didn't waste time talking about these issues because she had read everything I submitted. She had hand-outs to give me, so I didn't have to take notes. Again, Nikki was well prepared! Training went well and my dog was able to safely get into the SUV and out again. Success! I recommend Nikki and Any Breed Training. read more

So far I have taken my 6.5 month golden retriever girl, Rainie, to 5 1-hour training sessions and every single one has been worth it. I started her out when she was around 3 months old and did a session every 2-4 weeks with enough time in between to practice everything. Currently my pup is able to walk on a leash right next to me without pulling, understands when it's ok to approach a dog and say hi and when to "leave it", understands "stop" when walking, able to do the simple commands of "sit" "stay" "come" "down" "drop it" vs. "give it". She is 75% there with the command "heel" vs. "go ahead" (usually she just stays right next to me). She is transitioning to walking without a leash and learning the difference between her left vs right for hiking! To be honest, I am not drilling her with all of these commands every day, and she still remembers them which is amazing. Best part is, no treats are used! Nikki does a great job explaining to you why your dog is behaving the way they are and is even able to predict how she thinks they will react with certain exercises after meeting them (I'm pretty sure she has been right every single time with Rainie). She takes the time to understand your dog and how he/she likes to push your buttons, what type of learner they are, etc. At first I was a little skeptical about Rainie being able to do all of these commands, but it's crazy how much she has improved over those 3-4 months in just 5 sessions. She provides handouts with specific instructions on what she went over during that session (which is vey helpful because I do forget the specific important details). She is very good at responding to questions over emails. At first, I wanted to sign up Rainie for puppy classes at Riverdog but all the classes kept filling up and the times weren't convenient with my work schedule. I am so happy she didn't get into those classes because she gets to work for a full hour with a trainer who specializes in animal behavior and has her whole focus on her. I just made sure to socialize Rainie with my friend's dogs. To me the sessions are worth every penny. read more

Nikki is the best thing that has happened to our family dog. Clover is a rescue and comes with a subscription of issues. We have had her for three years and her behavior was escalating. ;) Nikki has shown us how to handle her, own the leadership role, and has not shamed or embarrassed us for not being good dog owners. We are so happy with all of the changes that Clover has made since we started training with her and can't wait to see our happy dog on a walk! Thanks, Nikki. We are so happy with the service that you provide. Can't wait to see you again and learn some new tricks. read more

I can highly recommend Nikki. She is very knowledgeable and adaptable to individual needs. She taught our 7 month old puppy something in 1 hour that it took us 5 months to try and master - I was SO IMPRESSED with her ability to listen to our needs then ask the dog to do what we needed! My dog had graduated from all of the puppy classes at PETCO; but Nikki stressed that the home is the "real" environment and so if your dog can't continue to perform once they get home from puppy class CALL NIKKI! read more