Kurt helped me and my new shelter husky shepherd mix learn safe ways to be with other dogs. I was terrified before my first visit. He observed BART in a neutral . He was calm ,and safely helped educate me to help my dog. I've only been twice this far. I definitely recommend him for any type of dog as he is a natural. His approach is so easy to understand. I can't wait to go back to learn more. I'm looking forward to the beach day meetups with dogs Kurt already personally knows. Thanks a million bucks..... I feel so much hope that I can care for my big boy. read more

Kurt is an outstanding dog trainer. I enrolled my dog in his three-week Board and Train program, and she returned home incredibly well behaved. Throughout the program, Kurt sent daily videos demonstrating his training methods so I could confidently continue the work at home. I highly recommend Kurt to anyone looking to train a puppy or adult dog--he truly has a gift with animals! read more

If I could give Kurt 10 stars I would. There is no one who is more committed to the happiness and health of our canine companions. I was introduced to Kurt through a friend after I rescued two huskies that came with some intense issues from abuse and neglect. His calm steady positive reinforcement method (while working with his awesome pack) has not only helped my awesome boys become happy healthy pups it has also made me a better dog dad. I recommend Kurt to all my friends when they bring a dog into their family and I still continue to work with him - now moving into more advance training. He is a pleasure to work with and his patience and intelligence with dogs (and the humans who come with them) is unparalleled. read more

Kurt is such an incredible trainer, I can't recommend him enough. I learned so much from him and so did our dog. I look forward to working with him again for more training in the future. read more

Kurt from Canine Conservatory spent a few hours a day for a week training our dog. Marty learned a lot, but I learned more. His stories of how we need to be consistent and firm to keep the training on track helped me understand the goals and solutions. Knowing that this is not a quick fix, but rather daily work helps us stay on track! Thanks to Kurt! read more

I met Kurt & his pack at the dog park & he welcomed my pup to his playgroup! I could see how well he has his pack under control & how knowledgeable he is. I have another dog that is reactive & I want to take him to Kurt for an evaluation! I can definitely understand why he has 5 stars on here! Truly a great & trustworthy guy. read more

I was fortunate to learn about Canine Conservatory when my pup was 6 months old. He was a pitbull/lab mix rescue. Adorable, but with no impulse control, pulled on every walk, and it felt impossible to get him under control. Within a year, he transformed into a well behaved, attentive animal that follows commands and has great recall. I couldn't have asked for a better outcome. He made gains very quickly in the first few sessions with Kurt. Kurt has an immense amount of experience and could see signs I couldn't, and provided the tools and training that I could reinforce at home. The immediate supervised socialization with the pack was priceless and so necessary for my pup. If you find yourself in a similar situation, I definitely recommend Canine Conservatory even if it's for a few sessions, you will walk away with tools to build with. read more

Canine Conservatory - Pet Training Near Me

Kurt is AMAZING and local (to Ojai). On the first session with him, he calmed my scared rescue dog down immediately and gave me four pieces of advice (on cage-training/toileting, barking, leash-walking, and nighttime whining) that really helped me "speak" my dog's language and connect with her. I'm already seeing results, and it hasn't been 24 hours. Seek him out. Super personable/relational guy as well. You can tell he cares. read more

I first met Kurt 10 years ago as a 13 year old. My family sent my lovely border collie, Kaylee to kurt for years. Now she barked at everyone, literally everyone. WIthin days she loved Kurt more than me I think. We would send her to the park with him a couple times a week and she would come home exhausted- run straight to her bed kind of exhausted. 10 years later, now a somewhat thriving 23 year old, I rescued my own doggo Raya. She used to have aggressive tendencies but Kurt was patient and kind with her and now I can proudly say that she is a friendly dog and I take her to the dog park to run around and play. I truly can't say enough about Kurt. His positive reinforcement as well as his understanding that every dog is an individual with individual needs is something I truly appreciate. read more

When my pup goes to the park with Kurt and the canine conservatory crew she is on cloud nine! She comes back tuckered out and happy as a clam. Kurt is the best, he has a deep understanding and intuition about dogs, and a natural at maintaining an environment of safety and very good vibes with the pack. Couldn't recommend his service highly enough. read more

I took my dog to Kurt for leash aggression after purchasing a package for my young puppy who had gotten attacked on leash. Kurt was able to teach my dog small things like sit, down, speak, all fairly quickly but the main issue was never addressed or fixed. After I moved neighborhoods my dog was a bit better on leash and not continually reactive as we had moved away from the site of the attack. There was never the expectation that my dog would be perfect but Kurt was never able to truly address the issue at hand and often spent sessions distracted or texting. Continually we asked for some plan of action, which we never received. We only wished he would have been honest about the problem and stated it was something he clearly couldn't help. After the lessons didn't seem to accomplish anything we took our dog to his leash classes which were unorganized with no clear lesson plan. During the second leash class, which was held at a park where there were dogs off leash. Multiple dogs ran up to my dog and started jumping on my dog. An off leash boxer jumped on my dog and my room mate who had taken our dog was on her own trying to fight off the dogs until Kurt finally noticed and helped stop the attack. We realize he did not have control over the situation however, he was busy filming and not paying attention to the students in the class to realize this wasn't a safe space for a class meant to teach dogs good leash behavior. It was only until my room mate had fallen on the ground that he noticed what was occurring. Our dog and my room mate were both scratched during the attack. Our worst nightmare reoccurred. A dog trainer should be present during the class monitoring the situation and not be on their phone. He had brought a dog who also had leash aggression to the class so he wasn't able to easily approach other dogs/owners in the class. Kurt did check in on us after the class but never checked in again or offered any help after the fact. Once again no concrete help or tips just vague statements like we have to get our dog back to a "safe space." My dog now exhibits more behavior issues and is more reactive than ever. I have taken him to the dog park and now he exhibits aggression towards other dogs immediately where as he never did prior. While I think Kurt overall means well, our dog was unfortunately not improved and is now in a worse state and we must seek other professional help. If your dog does have a behavioral issue, I would not recommend Kurt read more

Kurt is the best! He helps so much with our Irish Terrier Murphy, takes him to the dog park, helps with any behavioral issues he may be having - Murphy loves him and so do we! We trust him completely, are so grateful to have him in our lives and recommend him 100%! read more

I went through a handful of trainers before we found Kurt, and I'm so glad we did! We actually found him through a meetup (a dog group walk). If you're dog is mildly reactive on leash I highly recommend his walk, it's really great to practice walking with distractions (especially with a bunch of dogs/children/people around.) Before the walk I gave Kurt the heads up that I have a german shepherd/golden retriever who's reactive to strangers, but weirdly enough she's fine with people if there are dogs around. Knowing that he was super mindful, and positioned his dog right next to him when greeting my dog (I can't explain how grateful I am) it was such a clever way of making my dog feel comfortable. A good dog trainer is one that is able to think creatively, and is a compassionate listener and Kurt definitely embodied both of those things. On top of the walk we also scheduled a private lesson with him, asking him to come over. My dog really struggles with strangers inside the house. When coming over he recorded my dogs initial reaction and proceeded to take notes and ask questions. When he came over my dog was actually the most calm i've ever seen her with a stranger! To me this was SUCH a good sign. Later we went to our apartment yard area, and Kurt was actually able to work/train with my dog (which is NOT something that's easy for her). She has real difficulty trusting people, especially men that she barely knows. Overall it was truly a wonderful day. It was so great to see my dog interact with someone so calmly. I will definitely be using Kurt to train on a regular basis and I would highly recommend him to anyone!! read more

Kurt works miracles! He has been working with our Alaskan malamute for a few months now. Before Kurt, our dog was was eating everything, jumping on people, unable to socialize with other dogs, scratching, biting, cowering from new people, and was being refused from groomers due to his terrible behaviors. There was a lot of rehab needed to get this our 3yr old malamute back to normal. This dog was previously neglected and abused, you can imagine the work it took to get the dog to even approach a human. Kurt has been a serious miracle worker. Just after one lesson, we were able to walk our Malamute rather than being dragged by him. Kurt has given so much support in teaching us how to continue working with him and even teaching our malamute how to be a dog. Now we can comfortably take our malamute to the dog park, set him free to roam. We never thought we'd see the day where our dog could run and frolick around so many other people and dogs. In fact, he loves meeting the people more than meeting the dogs! Highly recommend Kurt over any pet store training!! read more

Canine Conservatory - Pet Training Near Me

Kurt is the best! We adopted two rescue dogs earier this year and were in need of training for them and for us! I was not interested in force training or use of electric or spike collars. I tried several different trainers prior to purchasing a 10 lesson pack with Kurt as his approach is reinforcement and reward based and he has credentials to back up his knowledge. Kurt has been an excellent teacher and trainer. He's also an all around great guy and our dogs adore him. Along with teaching all the basic commands we have been taught how to effectively communicate with our dogs, the importance of consistency in training, and, the value of training in providing bonding time with our dogs. Kurts training videos have been very helpful in directing me step by step in between lessons. I've also gotten a lot out of the pearls of dog training wisdom that kurt is always sharing. Thanks to our hands on training days with Kurt and his pack, our dog is now the socialite of the neighborhood. Look no further for your dog training needs. read more

We found the Canine Conservatory on Yelp! Kurt is the real deal!! He's a dog lover through and through. Kurt's services are reasonably priced and he really cares about helping people and their dogs. He is patient and knowledgeable. Kurt is not only a wonder with dogs but, he knows what he's talking about. He has equipped us with tools to teach us how to understand our dogs and how to realistically modify their behaviors. Since working with Kurt our dogs are have become more receptive to training and we have more fun working with them. So glad we found Kurt and the the Canine Conservatory! read more

Canine Conservatory - Footsie! - Pet Training Near Me

See all

Kurt at Canine Conservatory is amazing! We adopted a 10-week old puppy and were doing our own at-home training, which was working...kind of. We realized we needed more help to make sure our puppy would be well behaved and safe at home or off-leash at the park, hikes, etc. We spoke with a few dog trainers in the Van Nuys/NoHo area and were drawn to Kurt for a few reasons - his responsiveness to us and his well designed website and the background and methodology it included. We met with Kurt for a 60-min trial and were immediately impressed. He provided explanations and reasonings as to why and what to do and even gave our pup a lesson that day too. We left feeling confident that he'd help us get the job done. We ended up going with the 11-session pack and visited him once a week. We'd come to class with our problem areas and things we wanted to work on and he'd focus on those for us. In between classes he assigns us, as the trainers, the next steps in our puppy's training process in his self-made app, Hundr. The app made it SO EASY to hold my husband and I accountable to continue her training at home AND how to train her correctly. Kurt's also always available by phone/text for questions and is super responsive! Plus, you can meet him at the dog park or out on his nightly walks to join him for some off-the-clock training and tips. He's a rockstar...and our puppy is on her way to being one. We just finished our last session and we have the tools and skills to continue training our pup through the rest of her life. And we still have access to the Hundr app and Kurt will continue assigning us tasks within it and I know he's just a phone call away. I should also mention, his training tactic is 100% friendly and positive reinforcement-based, no punishment. With Kurt, we solved potty training, we know all of the basic commands (sit, down, stay, come, release, off, no) and we've advanced those (sit at a distance, our puppy will stay for a long duration of time, etc.), loose leash walking, and she's learned other behaviors like paw, shake, sit pretty, spin in a circle, etc. Meet with Kurt, and you'll see for yourself how great of a trainer he is! read more

Canine Conservatory - Oakley, a trained queen! - Pet Training Near Me

Kurt did such a great job training my puppies and I! He left me with so many tools to help for years to come! Training is soooo worth it in my eyes! Even for my tiny pups! Thank you for everything! read more

Canine Conservatory - Pet Training Near Me

We started working with Kurt recently to help privately train our two-year old golden doodle, Bourbon! Bourbon is a very energetic dog who has issues while outside the house: barks to get attention, pulls on the leash, lunges and jumps on people and dogs. Kurt was recommended by a friend who has nothing but great things to say about Kurt! After some time debating whether or not to get a private trainer for Bourbon, we called Kurt for a consultation. Kurt took his time to understand what our issues and goals are! We immediately felt comfortable with Kurt and ended up getting a few sessions with him. A few sessions later, we've seen great improvement on Bourbon and on us as well! Kurt is very detailed and patient when teaching us how to train Bourbon. He is very professional and definitely very passionate about what he does! Couldn't recommend him more!! read more

I have been working with Kurt and our two labrador retrievers for a few years now. He is a true pro, very experienced, a wonderful way of explaining his advanced training techniques to a non experienced dog person (me)! Kurt has worked hard to be sure I give my pets the best opportunity to be good pets! Both dogs are a delight and what fun watching a 85 lb brown labrador retriever roll over on command! Kurt's techniques work (all positive reinforcement for the animal) Kurt is the best! read more

Kurt is amazing. So glad I found him. His training methods are kind patient and persistent . My pup loves him! I highly recommend Kurt to anyone looking to get a great start on a new pup as well as those dogs that need retraining to rid bad habits. Simply the best five stars!!! Connie read more

I was referred to Kurt by a friend at a dog park, when I got my puppy for the first time. I was confused, anxious and didn't know much. I called him with a million questions. He answered all of them calmly and in detail. Because I got my dog during COVID, he helped me virtually, step by step creating milestones for me and my puppy on his App. He checked in with me, he was always available and an absolute rockstar support system. We're still working together months later, and making great progress- I cannot recommend Canine Conservatory enough. read more

Kurt is amazing, and we highly recommend him! All of his lessons are positive, and our dog, Carlos, absolutely loves him. We've known him for over a year now, and he's helped us from beginner training to specialty training at our home. Carlos was from a shelter, so he needed a little more help than most. Kurt is wonderful with all dogs, and really helps new owners understand dog language and behaviors. He is always available to help at a moments notice, and is really passionate about making both owners and dogs happy. Kurt has also taken care of Carlos while we were on vacation, and I think Carlos had more fun than we did! read more

Kurt's incredible! Went and met him and his two pups today and went on an hour long hike through Elysian park. My dog Chancellor's a rescue I've had for about 5 months, and he hasn't been good with other dogs as long as I've had him. I'd say after about 20 minutes of following behind Kurts two perfectly behaved German shepherds, Chancellor was off leash hanging with Kurts dogs like he thought they were the coolest kids on the block. Kurt has an excellent calm energy that reflects itself in the dogs and humans around him. Go meet Kurt now! read more

I came to Kurt for help with my young schnauzer mix, Harper's endless barking. She barked any time we stepped outside my apt door. I was at my breaking point and I'm sure my neighbors were too. Kurt gave me the tools to address the behavior and now Harper barely barks. She seems much happier and I feel like I can take her out in the world. I can't thank nor recommend Canine Conservatory enough! read more

Kurt has been taking my Cocoa for adventures, twice a week now, for over 6 months! Can't believe it's been that long! We love Kurt and everybody that helps him. Anytime I ask for training advice or updates he is quick to respond and give recommendations. Anytime i say "Kurt is coming" cocoas ears pop up and her energy level immediately rises. She gets so excited! When she gets home from hiking/playing with the pack, she is WORN OUT, So tired, so well behaved and SO WONDERFUL. I am so thankful to have found this wonderful group for my pup. I adore my pup and I adore Kurt for all he does for my sweet little two member family!! I highly recommend!! -Nancy read more

Kurt is the best! We got a 12-week German Shepard mix puppy as our first family dog and he has been a lifesaver with helping us learn how to handle normal puppy behaviors and helping the kids learn too. We even had an out of town trip planned after only having our pup for a month and we felt 100% comfortable boarding her with him for a few nights. She was happy and calm when we came back! We plan to use Kurt for more training as our girl grows up and I can't recommend him highly enough. read more

When I first noticed Kurt at my dog park (Laurel Canyon), I was immediately impressed with his commitment and passion to his profession. I didn't approach him till after a few times seeing him there. Each time seeing him work assured me he was definitely the person I wanted to train my dog. His positive energy and knowledge of dog behavior confirmed I wanted to invest in his training. I'm more than happy with my investment. My dog loves him (which wasn't the case in the beginning) and his pack of dogs. We both look forward to seeing Kurt at the park every week. *wags tail* read more

Canine Conservatory - This is my Olive and Kurt's other trainee, Vera. - Pet Training Near Me

Kurt is beyond amazing and worth every penny! I can't imagine anyone else more committed or invested into the training of you and your dog. The sessions are extensive and you get a lot out of them but he also offers meet ups at the dog park as well as dog walks which are extremely helpful to cement what you're learning in the sessions. One of the things that I believe is the most helpful is the app! In the app Kurt assigns homework based on the training sessions. To assist in the homework within the app their are videos, cues, detailed notes, and every time you complete an assignment you will get a new one customized within minutes. Kurt is so invested in your success between the sessions, meet ups, and the app you have all the tools to train your pup. He far exceeds anything you can imagine as far a dog training he truly takes it to the next level. Our dogs are so much more well behaved and have learned a ton! He is 100% worth it! read more

Kurt came to my house in Westwood (Boston) MA for consult on Brock and was awesome. Brock has been a saint since. 2 thumbs up Kurt!! Thanks so much. read more

Canine Conservatory - Pet Training Near Me

See all

I've worked with many LA dog trainers over the years for my K9 kids and watched the evolution from the harshly abusive approach of Captain Haggerty in the 90's to the calm, positive techniques of Kurt at K9 Conservatory. Kurt is currently training our german shepherd puppy Lola to great success with the clicker (okay, he's really training me how work with her.) You can tell he loves working with dogs. He also takes Lola out for doggy play dates once a week. I especially recommend Kurt if you live in the Silverlake/Hollywood area of town. read more

Great and attentive! He was super helpful and kind and my dog absolutely loves him. My dog can be a bit difficult but he is always happy with Kurt and I trust him fully. read more

I've been using Kurt for over a year now. Mal is totally chilled out when I get home because of his hikes and socialization. Kurt is not only really great with his charges, but he really takes time to ease the owners too. I love the video/photo updates and they get shared with those I work with. They all think I have the most spoiled dog ever due to Kurt. He's not, but he gets the chance to be a dog during my long working hours. read more

We first started training with Kurt when we were struggling with our 12-week old rescue mix--she was biting us with her needle sharp teeth all the time and we were failing her in our housetraining regimen. He came in and helped us immensely. Since then, we have used him weekly for dog park visits and for occasional boarding, too. His prices seem fair and when you meet him you can see right away that he has a genuine talent with and affection for all dogs. I highly recommend talking to Kurt if you're looking for a trainer or someone to take your dog for some quality, supervised social pack time. Our pup is a year old now and really gets excited when we head out to meet Kurt for a park adventure. read more

It saddens me to see some one write a negative review about Kurt. I know that he has tried reaching out to the owner who posted the negative review and at the dog park offered to help with any medical issues ect but unfortunately the dog owner was uncooperative and unresponsive to this. What ALL dog owners should know is you can't control your dog or another dogs behavior 100% of the time. Just like humans dogs have off days and taking your dog to an off leash dog park is one of the risks you take. Not all dogs will get a long. My own dog has been picked on and I learn to just avoid those dogs. Again, just like humans dogs don't get along with every other dog. I have NEVER seen Kurts dogs act aggressively. I come to the dog park at the same time Kurt does 4-5 days a week. This is because my dog feels safe with Kurt, love Kurt, his dogs and my dogs best friend is part of Kurts pack. Kurt is extremely knowledgeable and I have seen him step between strangers dogs to break up any issues the dogs are having because HE CARES. read more

I found Kurt and Canine Conservatory through meetup and have gone on several hikes through Griffith park with him with my puggle Frodo and sometimes friends' dogs. It's a great, free way to exercise and socialize my dog in a safe environment as Kurt keeps a close eye on all of the dogs present. It's also a great way to get Frodo used to bigger dogs with Kurt's awesome German shepherds who are very well trained. I love getting to talk with Kurt about training tips and the other dog owners who attend. I would highly recommend these hikes and any of Kurt's other services. read more

Canine Conservatory - Dogs hanging out after a hike in a fenced in area. - Pet Training Near Me

Have no fear, Kurt the UNDERDOG WALKER is here. Woke up one morning with German Shepherds licks all over and didn't feel like walking them. Didn't want to let them down so I found this flyer in my purse that I got from a dog park. Called the number and he was at my door at no time (like he flew superman style). Kurt is the shiznet when it comes to dogs. Like he has this special language in his head that he communicates with them. I mean this guy knows dogs. Love this dude and my dogs like want to marry him. They returned home and dropped to their dog beds and slept like a baby...well until they heard a squirrel. Damn squirrels. I will not trust anyone but him to take care of my sweeties. Kurt, you rock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

Highly Recommended! Kurt and his team have been walking, training and boarding my dog for over two years. He was initially referred to me by a friend and I have since recommended him to all my friends with dogs. He is reliable, trust worthy, full of knowledge and very reasonable with cost and payment. There is no one I trust more with my pup. read more

I met Kurt at Laurel Canyon Dog park and just out of kindness he started working with my dog whenever we were here at the same time. My dog was very defiant and kind of did whatever he wanted prior to Kurt. Through meeting him casually he now trains and boards my dog. It's like my dog is brand new. I can't thank Kurt enough!!!! HIGHLYYYYYY recommend. He will change your life!!!!!! read more

Canine Conservatory is amazing! Kurt, the owner of the company, organizes meet ups where fellow dog lovers and owners can go on social hikes of all challenge levels, all over LA! My dogs are always so exhausted after the hikes, but more importantly, my dogs and I both learn something each and every visit with Kurt! I met him at Silverlake Dog Park a couple years ago, and many, many pups were literally sitting at his feet, listening to every word he would utter. His force-free dog training is DEFINITELY the way to go to insure your furbaby gets the training in the most productive and ethical way. Kurt also has a nice open area at home where he can house multiple dogs while owners are away - much better than a doggie hotel, as your pup will be guaranteed frequent trips to the dog park and constant socializing. read more