Karyn came to our house to help us with our adorable but rambunctious and somewhat naughty…read more(destructive) 2 year old lab mix. She started by asking a lot of questions to really understand all our issues and their magnitude. Then she took them one by one and offered suggestions for how to deal with each issue, also explaining relevant issues about a dog's innate (and learned) behavior. She also gave us a copy of a book she just published, her third. I had heard wonderful things about her, and now that I've met her, I can say there is probably no one in Tucson with more experience with dog training and animal behavior. She had a calm, low key presence and I am most anxious to start using her training techniques. One of the most reassuring things is that she was very clear that he is not a bad dog; he is just a dog. As the humans we have to take responsibility for letting him know what is acceptable and what isn't. And Karyn has given us the tools to know how to do that. I will report back how things are going in a few weeks!

Absolutely Life-Changing Training Experience with Karyn Garvin!…read more We cannot say enough wonderful things about Karyn Garvin and Garvin's Divine Dog Training. From the very first session, Karen's deep understanding of canine behavior and her calm, confident approach put both us and our dogs--Gracie and Stevie--completely at ease. Karyn worked with us on both obedience and behavior training, and the transformation has been nothing short of amazing. Thanks to her guidance, we can now take Gracie out in public with total confidence. She listens, stays calm, and responds beautifully to commands--something we honestly didn't know how to achieve before working with Karyn. What sets Karyn apart is her truly integrated approach. She doesn't just train dogs to obey commands--she taps into their natural desire to connect and please. With patience, insight, and positivity, she helped bring out the best in both Gracie and Stevie. It's clear that Karyn truly understands dogs, and her training methods are both compassionate and incredibly effective. We are so grateful to Karyn. If you're looking for a dog trainer who will treat your pet like family and help you build a lasting bond based on trust and respect, look no further than Garvin's Divine Dog Training. Karyn is simply the best!

Life changing training taught with love and respect…read more I cannot say enough great things about Susan & the services she offers at N.D.O.T. It was soon into our initial consult with Susan that I knew she was offering something special with the training methods and communication structures that go into her Board & Train services. At the time of our consult we had a 2-year-old energetic blue heeler that was a perfect storm of energy, anxiety, and smarts. Arriving from HSSA, we are the second home for our little girl and knowing she's a working breed we tried to keep her both physically and mentally stimulated. We had already been through courses with another highly rated training facility here in Tucson (multiple individual 6-week courses: beginner-advanced as well as private lessons with trainers from the facility focusing on reactivity). One of the difficulties we still ran into was leash aggression and her anxiety around other dogs. Concerned she was going to hurt another animal or cause health problems to herself we were struggling to find a path to harmony with our little one. During the initial consult we discussed our backstory and the current training methods we were practicing. Susan shared the outline for how her typical board & train program progressed and then she spent time discussing how she planned to tailor the program to focus on the areas we were most concerned with. We left the first meeting with a boarding start date, some diet adjustments [we were overfeeding / treating :( ], and a ton of relief knowing how much we clicked with Susan's outlook/experience/reassurance. After starting and throughout the program Susan gave us regular updates on our little one's progress. It was incredible to witness the growth of confidence and trust this cattle dog gained during her first week with Susan and the pack. She transformed from an anxious, reactive, & lungeing terror around other dogs to a playful, curious, and happy member of Susan's pack. She was getting along with and safely learning how to interact off-leash around dogs of all sizes. During the final half of the program Susan went out of her way to ensure life 'post-graduation' was going to be set for success. We were able to join pack-walks at N.D.O.T. to learn and demonstrate the communication techniques Susan provided us. Susan brought our little one home prior to finishing training to join us for neighborhood walks in our own streets (helping us discover new opportunities for successful play and training in the future). We even got the opportunity to join Susan for multiple field trips with the pup. The communication had improved so much that we were practicing public training outings at everywhere from hardware shops to farmers markets. The program ended after enjoying a wonderful meal on a Resturant patio the pup calmly resting throughout (this is something 3 weeks earlier I never would have believed possible!) I am unable to overstate the gratitude I have for Susan's training and the improved communication skills we have developed with our four-legged loved one because of it. This training pays dividends. Keep Susan's contact info saved because even if it's not today someday you will want it. To me N.D.O.T. is the equivalent of a low-key amazing restaurant or bar. If you know someone who could benefit from working with Susan and you want to give that person the gift of a lifetime then just share Susan's info and let them know she really is life changing.

I can't say enough about the amazing work that Susan does with dogs. Our young Corgi,Benny, missed…read morepuppy classes because of Covid. At the same time I broke my wrist so five months later I had a young dog who had not been socialized and was totally out of control. I was completely overwhelmed. Susan took Benny and after three weeks he was a totally different dog. He is socialized so I can now take him out in public without him causing total chaos. He is now attentive and well mannered. Susan constantly stays in touch with me to check on his progress. It was worth every penny to have Susan work with our dog. I am very grateful for what she has done. Roni Woolston

I adopted Roama (1yr old chow/shepherd/cattle dog/pit mix) from PACC in late June. There was very…read morelittle known about her other than she'd seriously bitten the ppl who found her as a stray. I was very nervous bringing a new dog into my very comfortable pack with 2 small, 9 yr old dachshund mixes. My dogs had always been chill with other dogs but since Roama was a wildcard, I enlisted help from Terra to make sure I was prepared. Terra came to my house before the adoption, gave me ideas how to set up the space, tips for feeding in case there was resource aggression, and general training planning after meeting my 2 littles and getting their vibe. When Roama arrived, she made another visit to the house to see them (and me) interact. Let's face it, the human is usually the problem and I'm not exception. She helped with great tips, especially the magical squirt bottle (the horror!!) Roama has a lot of puppy energy that her elder siblings aren't able to match, and Terra invited her to the socializing play group! This has been a game changer. Roama can spend the day with pups that match her size and energy, then come home tired for cuddles with the sibs! It's been so great for her! Terra even let me join to watch her play and see how she shows her emotions (all in that toothy mouth of hers.). Hoping she'll be ready to try a dog park soon! Can not recommend her enough if you're anxious about adopting a new friend (DO IT) or if your current pup just needs a nudge in the right direction! Rise Above is amazing!! Enjoy the happy dog photos!!

I am so grateful to have Just completed my five weeks of training and lessons with Terra, for my…read morehigh energy Border Collie, who was having reactivity issues to other pups as we were on our daily morning walks through our neighborhood. Terra 's professional, caring , focused training taught me the exact skills I needed, to help my pup get over her reactivity issues. We are now able to have relaxing , fun walks , through our neighborhood, every morning. I know what to do to help my pup, should she become distracted, so we can continue at a leisurely manner during our walks. Terra came to my home, in a space where I and my pup were relaxed. She even brought her sidekick "Bucket", to help us with our reactivity issues. We were given homework to do after every lesson, and did it faithfully, 2 times a day. My pup now looks forward to going on walks and reinforcing what we have learned. Terra was always available for any questions I had and returned my text messages promptly. I am truly grateful to have found Terra and Rise Above Dog Training. I know , soon, there will be a day, when reactivity is a thing of the past, but, I will continue to train my pup, as she is a member of my family, and deserves to have the best of care. With all of this said, I highly recommend Terra for your dog training /owner of dog training needs. My pup and I thank you Terra.

Many many years ago Vanya trained my dog. Though my Ellie was very stubborn, she was able to learn…read morehow to sit, and stay, and leave things alone amongst other things. The reason I'm writing a review years later is because Ellie is now extremely hard of hearing but thanks to Vanya she can still sit, and stay, and not run into traffic because of the hand commands. Thank you Vanya!

Vanya came to my house. Had me put on shock collar which I should…read morehave not been ASKED to do' dog would not come out of house for 2 days- then when my dog encountered a rattlesnake went up to it like "wha?" I contacted vanya who said "I wont charge you much" for a "recheck" and proceeded to charge $175 for 17 minutes - my dog calling BS on the exercise, Vanya saying "ohhhh she is learning" not listening me at all when in fact my dog had checked out and was ready to leave having recalled the shock training. This is NOT good business. Take a class at the feed store and do yourself a favor,.,,,,

We were at our wits end with our rescue puppy, Moxie. She has vision and neurological problems and…read morenone our training methods were working. We tried 2 other highly recommended trainers before finding Joe. At this point she was totally out of control, barking incessantly, extremely high strung, no socialization, afraid of everything, and relentlessly tormenting our other (much larger) dog. Then came Joe! He is head & shoulders above any trainer we have worked with. He is extremely knowledgeable, confident, easy going, flexible, patient and honest. He let us know she was going to require a LOT of training but if we were persistent it would pay off. After her 21 day (and then some) board & train we saw significant improvement. Joe is always happy to answer questions, make suggestions and find solutions. His training is tailored to your dogs needs. His wife, Lisa, runs a train & play that Moxie goes to once a week. It's been 4 months and we continue to be amazed at Joe & Lisa's dedication, and Moxie's improvement!

I called Joe at a desperate time. One of my dogs had just fatally injured one of her mini packmates…read morewith a hard correction. Prior to this event I had taken her through an 11 week intensive training program to help correct behavior. I needed get better control of my pets. It took only a few short sessions for me to learn how to tame my high strung rescues. I have had several meetings from time to time over the last 2 years to address issues. Whenever I have a question Joe has returned my text or phone call to give me feedback. I have had occasional evaluations from time to time. He has always been there for us and I appreciate his knowledge and experience. I can't thank Joe enough!

Gus loves lodging at Sol Dog !! I have boarded Gus there on multiple occasions. I was extremely…read moresatisfied with the facility and the excellent staff. I recommend this business for all your boarding, training, and grooming needs.

There is some confusion about the locations of Sol Dog. When I first signed up to board my dogs, I…read morethought I was dealing with the people from Sol Dog on Prince Road. That statement is 1/2 right. Looks like the Sol Dog on Prince now has a new name and that owner used to be part of Sol Dog but is not anymore. My dogs were boarded in May 2026 for 4 days. All did not go well. I have spoken to Justin and Shelley from Sol Dog and BOTH of them have now said "that's not how we normally do things". When I spoke to Shelley today and told her that they had to say, "that's not normally how we do things", for 3 separate issues her reply made me want to do reviews so other people could see that the service I got was exactly how they normally do things. Issue 1- on our tour of the facility (beautiful facility) we were led to believe that we would be allowed to settle our dogs in their kennel. We were not. Shelley said, "that people are not allowed in the kennel area". When I told her that we were taken into the kennel area on our tour, she said "that's not normally how we do things". Issue 2- We gave written on paper instruction on how to feed our dogs. and put the instructions in their system. Not complicated. One dog gets dry and wet food. The other gets wet food only. The dog that got wet food only was fed dry food. Sol Dog sent me a text on day 2 that they were almost out of dry food. When I called and questioned how they were feeding my dogs, I was told they were feeding them correctly. It wasn't until I sent them an email that they admitted to feeding my dog incorrectly. Guess what I was told??? You guessed it "that's not how we normally do things". Issue 3- Communication. I was told that someone from Sol Dog would communicate with me and let me know how the dogs were doing a couple times a day. The evening I dropped them off I did hear from someone. The next day Nothing. The 3rd day I sent a text at 730am and did not hear back till 330pm. GUESS WHAT? "THATS NOT HOW WE NORMALLY DO THINGS". Some issues I brought up with Justin that I didn't bring up with Shelley. My dog blankets and toys were not dirty, had no dog hair and smelled like I just took them out of my dryer. I had a lot of treats left over and if they were given to the dogs like I was told they would be, there should not have been that much left. Sol Dog left such a bad taste that I told them I would never board with them again. Justin and Shelley both agree that since they were told I would never board with them again that there was not much they could do to fix the issue. I was not told they were sorry. I was not offered any refund, not that I would have taken it. They did have to pay the staff to feed my dogs wrong and not give them their toys, blankets or treats. All in all, I feel like the experience that I had with Sol Dog is EXACTLY HOW THEY NORMALLY DO THINGS.

After adopting my first dog with no prior experience, I met Kristen just a week later. I was…read moreoverwhelmed and unsure if I had made the right decision, but her guidance gave me the confidence and tools to succeed. She worked with us through private in-home training sessions, and I now board my pug, Lucy, with her several times a year when I travel for work. I have complete confidence that Lucy receives exceptional care. In addition to boarding, she enjoys enrichment activities, continued training, and positive socialization with other dogs. Kristen is incredibly knowledgeable, professional, and genuinely compassionate. Her dedication to the animals she cares for is evident in everything she does. If you're in the Pima County area and looking for someone trustworthy, reliable, and truly invested in your dog's well-being, I highly recommend Kristen.

I cannot recommend Kristen's K9 enough! Not only is she knowledgeable…read moreabout dog behavior, she is also fantastic at teaching humans. She started with an in-depth intake to determine the training needs of my dog. She had a training program planned out when we got together and the progress I have seen in my doggo has been incredible. We had problems with pulling on the leash, jumping on visitors, jumping over the wall, and reactivity with other animals and people. Within our 4 week training sessions she had our dog loose leash walking and she no longer darts after people or pets. She doesn't jump over our backyard wall anymore. In fact, she is entirely disinterested in the wall altogether. I was amazed at the progress we could make with the tools Kristen introduced. She checked in during the week to ensure it was going well and answered any questions that came up. I could not be happier with my experience. I can now walk my dog stress free and without my shoulder getting pulled out of its socket. 10/10 Highly recommend!

This trainer criticized me, then kept my puppy who she had me pick out, pay for and name. She kept…read more$4000 with an unsigned contract. She refused to reconcile. When I mentioned a paralegal who suggested I call the police, Jamie wrote, "Well guess what, I have the bill of sale and you don't." My doctors think this incident made me so sick I now require oxygen 24 hours a day. In my opinion, this dog trainer is a thief.

Jamie Robinson is an exceptional trainer with over 40 years' experience. I honestly can't think of…read morean issue she can't train a dog out of. We have an Aussie puppy that really required some socialization and obedience training. Jamie's one-on-one attention was so beneficial to my husband and me. We're seniors who've never had to train a puppy before. Jamie calmly (and with a great sense of humor!) taught how to train our pup, Ruby, through play. We are so grateful for her expertise as a trainer; she also has great people skills! Thanks, Jamie! You're the best!