Shayne was amazing! She is so knowledgeable and provided us with helpful information and advice. We…read morefill better equipped to train our new puppy.

Shayne is an absolute life saver. My Lab/Golden mix had excessive barking, separation anxiety, was…read morepulling on walks, and major jealousy issues. After he spent 5 weeks with Shayne in her Board & Train program, he came back home with all those issues resolved. I'm so grateful as I'm able to take him places I hadn't dreamt of only a few months ago. Do not be afraid of the tools that are used: E-collar and prong collar. When used correctly, they're safer than other "normal" tools such as harnesses. It's also important to take Shayne's advice and keep up with the training and structure she instills in your puppy. This will make your dog's and your quality of life so much better! Thank you Shayne! I definitely recommend reaching out to her if your dog is showing any sort of behavior you'd like to correct!

I've had the chance to see firsthand how much Melanie genuinely cares about every dog she works…read morewith. This isn't just a job for her--it's something she's truly passionate about. She takes the time to understand each dog's personality instead of using a one-size-fits-all approach. Her patience, knowledge, and calm demeanor help dogs build confidence, not just learn commands. She also does an amazing job communicating with owners so they understand the "why" behind the training and can continue the progress at home. If you're looking for someone who truly loves what they do and will treat your dog like family, I couldn't recommend Ryker Dog Training more. Five stars without hesitation.

We recently enrolled our dog in the Ruff Edges Program and I want to share our experience for other…read moredog owners who may be considering this program. For dogs dealing with fear and anxiety, they use extremely intense correction methods. We were initially open to these tools, but things went downhill very quickly. Day one involved towel rolls being thrown at our dog, loud air-canister interruptions, and immediate use of a prong collar. Rather than working at our dog's pace, trainer Mel dragged him along on the prong collar until he submitted. This is not an exaggeration, he was physically dragged while thrashing and panicking. It was shocking and honestly heartbreaking to witness. Right after this forced submission, she handed him to my fiancé, and shortly after our dog jumped up and bit him on the arm. For context: he is five years old and has never bitten anyone in his life. It was devastating. Dogs give plenty of warning signs before a bite (growling, lip raises, body posture) but all of those signals were suppressed as he was forced into submission. In his mind, the only option left was to bite to escape the fear. After the bite we were told, "Oh yeah, that can happen sometimes," and that if it happens again we should "hang him by the prong collar until he sees Jesus." Honestly, we should have walked out immediately, but we trusted the 'professional' and assumed this program was designed for dogs like ours, so it must work. The bite happened again at the next session, totaling three bites under Mel's supervision. We never "hung" our dog by the prong because that is abuse, plain and simple. Meanwhile, his anxiety skyrocketed. He began howling, shaking, and crying at any attempt to get in the car. He even bolted out the front door to avoid going, behaviors we had never seen before this program. By week three, our dog was losing trust in us. He stopped cuddling (which is completely unlike him), avoided closeness, and generally shut down. Heartbreaking, to say the least. After experiencing this firsthand, I truly believe these methods do nothing but force a dog into submission (when they "work") and when they don't, they create dangerous behavioral fallout. The techniques used here are unnecessarily harsh, rooted in impatience, and a blatant lack of respect for the animal. They claim the program is tailored to your dog, but when the methods failed, the only advice was to correct harder: hang him, use an e-collar, throw the towel harder. No alternatives, no adjustments, no real understanding of his behavior. That is not tailoring, that is pushing until the dog breaks. In researching modern training science, I've learned there is simply no justification for these outdated methods. They ignore what we now know about canine behavior and emotional wellbeing. These techniques appeal to owners who want fast control, not true behavior change. I love my dog. After this experience, I'm choosing the slow road, the one that builds trust, not fear. I don't want a dog who obeys because his spirit is broken. I want a companion. If you're considering the Ruff Edges Program, please understand the risks and research these methods thoroughly. I wish we had, and I regret staying as long as we did. "The dominance remedy is so out of proportion that entire schools of training are based on the premise that if you can just exert adequate dominance over the dog, everything else will fall into place. Not only does it mean that incredible amounts of abuse are going to be perpetrated against any given dog, probably exacerbating problems like unreliable recalls and biting, but the real issues, like well-executed conditioning and the provision of an adequate environment, are going to go unaddressed, resulting in a still-untrained dog, perpetuating the pointless dominance program." -- Excerpt from The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson.

If I could give Jo more stars, I would. She truly cares about dogs and goes above a beyond for…read morethem. My girl, Sky, let me know it was time to go a year ago. She was 16 and I had her for 13 years. She became my soulmate and that happened because of Jo. When I adopted Sky, she had some serious issues. I took her to various trainers and not one helped me. After one class with Jo, Sky showed major improvement. Jo has a presence with dogs that is truly a gift and if you are committed to your dog, Jo will be dedicated to training you so your dog can live a happy life. After my girl died, I began dog sitting because working from home without her was unbearable. I have a booked schedule that I wasn't planning on. I owe Jo the credit for helping me be a dog owner who knows what dogs need.

I took my first dog to Jo 17 years ago and now I'm back with another. Jo is still the most awesome…read moretrainer around. We do the 10 week beginner course. My dog was more obedient after just one session. Thanks Jo, you are an amazing dog trainer ( and human trainer :-).

Becky with Grow up Pup is an excellent trainer and pet sitter! We purchased her puppy package which…read moreincludes weekly in home lessons, with homework to do throughout the week. She is diligent in her lesson plans and is a reliable trainer. She has also petsitted for us several times and stayed in our home with our dogs. She maintained our house so that it was clean upon our return. She kept the dogs active, taking them on playdates and/or walks daily. She loves her pets as her own! Becky also is great to pick up dogs and take them on socialization dates, which has improved our dogs listening and interacting skills. would highly recommend!

These guys are awesome! Been working with Louie for 6 weeks now, such a great guy and a puppy…read moretrainer. He knows his stuff for sure, not just him but this place is filled with knowledgeable, great people that will make sure you're puppies are well taken care of and they're always on top of keeping me posted of everything that's happening. I highly recommend Ohana K9 to everyone that has a puppy! They got my pups on point, everyone that sees my how my puppies behaves, are always very impressed by how good and obedient they are. Next up will be the off leash training with them! Very soon! Here's a pic of one of our pups, she graduated today. Our other baby is still in training.

My 11-month-old dog, Bingo, wrapped up his adult 6-week board and train program at Ohana K9 Academy…read moretoday, and I have nothing but great things to say about my experience. My dog is not just a pet, he is part of our family, so the thought of him being away from me Monday through Friday with strangers and only home on the weekends was absolutely nerve-wracking. The staff and owner, Bo, made this a great experience for both me and my dog. They explained every step of the process, shared daily updates and pictures, and provided excellent care for him while he was there. Bingo learned so much during this training program and has made tremendous improvements. I am more than satisfied with the services provided by Ohana K9 Academy. It was by far one of the best investments I could have made for my dog. I was so impressed that I have already recommended them to friends and family. I plan on scheduling more advanced training sessions for him in the near future, and I already have some daycare and boarding days scheduled. If you are considering training for your dog, check them out. You will not regret it!

I contacted Joe regarding our puppy that was about 14 weeks at the time to help with our family. We…read morehave 2 daughters, 4 and 2 that were both terrified of our puppy, Boba. Boba would constantly jump and bite anyone near her. Joe helped us tremendously by teaching us as a family how to interact with Boba. In a 4 hour session, we learned a ton of info and it has taken some work but it has made a world of a difference, it was especially helpful to teach Boba, indoor and outdoor energy. Thank you again. Boba is still jumping and biting but she's much better and we know how to train her to be the family dog we want her to be

I have a new puppy and two older dogs that have been through training in the past. I had Joe meet…read morewith the whole family for a 3 hour session. He does training very different than I know as it is not treat based. His session started out with the puppy and then we introduced the other 2 dogs. He was great and gave some excellent tips to jump start the training, thanks Joe and we will be in touch with further needs!!!!! Highly recommend Joe!!!!

Nate at Dogspring is very knowledgeable, calm, patient, and most importantly, a genuine dog lover…read more He is firm, yet compassionate in his approach. He truly wants both the dog and owner to succeed. It is located on beautiful piece of property perfect for training. I highly recommend Dogsrpring for all breeds and ages! Thank you Nate!

Nate has changed our lives. Our two dogs did Board & Train with him for three weeks and came back…read moremore confident and well-behaved than I imagined being possible. He established a foundation for us that'll enable us to help the dogs grow and be happy for years to come. Thank you to Nate and his family!

Brian helped us with our 9 month German Shepard. He was difficult to walk and anxious around…read morepeople. He was very informative and after only 3 sessions we seen a huge difference. I strongly recommend!

I was looking for someone to help with a refresher course for my 5 yr old Belgian Malinois Cooper…read more What an awesome experience this has been. Not only has Cooper reignited his learned skills, but they have brought my confidence level up and I am becoming the handler that Cooper deserves. This is the phone call you need to make if you are experiencing challenges with your dog. The dog and the handler learn together. I cannot thank Brian enough.