I can not recommend Scott and Suzy at Dogs by Dancer highly enough. They are thoughtful and professional and my dog loves Scott and is always so excited to see him. I had such a great experience, I am going to send our other dog to Scott. Scott clearly cares about the dogs, is proactive with outreach and has also followed up regularly to see how my dog, Taco, is doing post-training. Taco had several behavioral issues and is so much better, calmer and more confident after his board and train. The follow up group classes are such huge bonus. If you are looking for effective and professional training by someone who clearly loves dogs, Scott Dancer is your guy. read more

I do not recommend Dc dog wizard, "Dogs by dancer" or any dog training program by Scott Dancer. Scott made unsafe choices for the dogs in his care. My dog was returned to me covered in feces/urine. The progress I made with my dog's challenges is gone due to whatever occurred with Scott. Communication was unclear & poor, Scott was incredibly unprofessional & disorganized. Save your money & go elsewhere. read more

I can't say enough! Scott and Suzy were professional and great through my entire experience with them as they took me through training with my black lab. read more

DC Dog Wizard is amazing! My boyfriend (and I) have a German Shepard puppy and while he's cute...he was a handful. He refused to walk, was very nippy, not well socialized, and just generally wearing down our nerves. Normal puppy behavior - but we felt like everything we were doing was failing. We dropped him off with Scott for two weeks of board and train and it's like we got a different dog back. He's much more calmer and confident. He loves going on walks and it's no longer a stressful process for us. He's learned to sit, come, place, and stay. For all intents and purposes he's house broken (he's a puppy so sometimes we still have accidents). He's much more cuddly and a lot less nippy - not sure if this is a side effect of training and getting his mental and physical energy out, whatever it is it's great. He's also extremely well socialized from all of his time with all the dogs at DC Dog Wizard. We brought him to the dog park for the first time this weekend and received compliments on his behavior and socialization skills. Additionally on the day of pick up and roughly a week later we had lessons with Scott where he walked us through the commands and behaviors, helping both Gibbs and us to work together. If you have the opportunity to send your dog here - do it! Not only is the training top notch, it's also obvious the care and attention they put into each pup. We received regular photo and text updates on our dog (Gibbs!) - being away from him wasn't easy and this helped. A big thank you to Scott and his crew for all that they do. Courtney and Rahul read more

See all

Austin was amazing with our puppy Winnie! We had recently adopted Winnie as our first dog and were having a hard time training her ourselves. Austin helped us teach Winnie to be less reactive towards squirrels, to be less bitey in playing with humans, to stay in one spot, and to come when called. We've had many people comment on how well behaved Winnie is now, and we really have Austin to thank! read more

DC Dog Wizard - Winnie placed on a swing! - Pet Training Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Scott has done a great job helping Milo and I build up new skills and commands! Milo and I started his weekly trainings at 8 months old to build confidence and gain skills while he was still little. He's a 12 lb Maltipoo and has responded well to Scott's guidance. Milo loved to pull on his leash and zig zag around on walks and Scott has given me the tools to teach him to heel (aka walk right beside me without tugging). Would definitely recommend getting training with Scott - your dog will be confident and happy to know exactly how to please you and win their delicious treats with pride! read more

DC Dog Wizard - Learning new skills has made 8 month old Milo so happy and proud! - Pet Training Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Scott has been so great for both me and my dog, Sadie. Sadie has always been a sweet dog, but after moving from a smaller town into the city, Sadie started getting more and more nervous around other dog, eventually leading to a pretty bad case of leash aggression. Any time a dog would get near us, she would bark as loudly as she could to scare it off. She also would only listen to commands if you had treats. After working with Scott, Sadie will come when she is called, work with a loose leash while "heeling" next to me, and can pass other dogs without having to bark like crazy. I was nervous about using an ecollar but Sadie never runs away when I try to put it on, and still gives me lots of love even after I have to turn it up higher than normal to get her attention. That being said, she still isn't perfect. We have had one or two incidents were she refused to listen, and Scott has been great about scheduling follow up sessions and teaching me how to handle those situations. He really is true to his guarantee for your dog's behavior, and willing to work with you through any new issues. Definitely worth every penny! read more

DC Dog Wizard - Pet Training Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Austin taught my fiancé and I so much about how to better handle our 2.5 year old mixed breed rescue dog, Lily. We moved to the DMV area and I knew before we even moved that we needed to get her trained because she was extremely leash reactive and we felt like we tried everything and nothing was working. Austin gave us so many tips and helped us understand Lily's perspective so that we could help her overcome her fears while building her confidence. We went through a couple different trainers before moving down and meeting Austin and she was hands down the easiest and best one whose teachings stuck and worked. Lily is a completely different dog and that's all thanks to Austin!! read more

(Writing this review about three months out from our board and train with DC Dog Wizard.) We did the board and train program with DC Dog Wizard and could not be happier with the results. Jen helped build our dog Mo's confidence and ours as well. When we initially signed up for the board and train program, our dog's anxiety was a huge weight on his and our day to day lives. He didn't want to go for walks in our neighborhood, he would bark at anyone (person or dog) who walked by, and would routinely have big reactions in new circumstances. He's about 60 pounds, so these big reactions were pretty scary for him, us, and our neighbors! Not only that, before discovering DC Dog Wizard we had spent 6 months and probably $1,000 in lessons from other trainers, homeopathic anxiety supplements, and calming gadgets. Our previous trainer had emphasized the need to prevent our dog from being exposed to 100% of his triggers. We live in DC, so that's just not possible or reasonable! We devoted hours and hours every week and nothing worked. Mo's anxiety was actually getting way worse, and we were feeling so downtrodden and inadequate as owners. Even though the board and train with DC Dog Wizard was pricey, I wish we would have committed to DC Dog Wizard sooner because we would have saved a lot of time, emotional stress, and money! Jen is so in tune with dogs. She communicates effectively, provides helpful tools, and expertly adjusts her methods to each dog's personality. Not only that, she's really emotionally intelligent when she speaks to owners. She won't make you feel guilty or dumb. In our initial phone consultation, she took great care to learn about what our concerns were and what our goals were. Our pup is pretty fearful but also very food motivated, so Jen determined that e collar training wouldn't be as effective for him. She relied exclusively on positive reinforcement training with treats, praise, and exposure to new situations to ensure that he would build his confidence and help Mo become a happier, less reactive pup. As an added bonus, the weekly sustainment training every Saturday in Glover Park has been amazing. We've taken Mo several times and he's built his confidence on pack walks with other dogs, in the agility course, and also in drills that mimic real life scenarios. We've learned how to be better handlers and owners of Mo. These lessons are open to us (with no additional charge) for the rest of Mo's life! Jen and Austin are kind, courteous, and well informed trainers who adapt to each dog's personality and specific needs. Mo will always be a bit apprehensive about new environments, but with training, consistency, and some medication from our vet, he is back to his happy, curious self. We cannot believe the transformation and we feel so much gratitude to Jen and Austin for everything they have done for us. read more

To say I was anxious handing over my 4 month barely 4lb pup for 7 days to a stranger is an understatement. Mid way through as I was getting updates I could tell he was happy. After the training I feel like Leo looks to my for commands, we're communicating. Before, I could barely walk a block without him stopping and pulling several times. After, he walks like a champ...we even did a 3 mile walk! I'm so relaxed now with him trained, which in turn makes him relaxed as he feeds off my energy. The program is great, the 1:1 with Scott, the trainer, is worth it. I feel confident to carry the training forward. I would highly recommend!! read more

DC Dog Wizard - Pup - Pet Training Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We found Scott/DC Dog Wizard via the Yelp and Nextdoor App. Our 1 year old Mini Aussie listens and behaves well at home but can be nervous and excited when we encounter other dogs in walks. His nervousness comes out as lots of barking/lunging/nipping towards other dogs. Sometimes he'd calm down after 5-10 mins but this made walks and socializing with dogs very difficult. Within a few days of reaching out, we were on a call with Scott. He listened to our concerns and goals and laid out the options. We decided it was best to send Cookie for the 2 week board and train. Going into it, I knew nothing is guaranteed but we trusted in Scott and his training skills. We got lots of pictures and videos and got to see Cookie having fun on social media posts!! I have to admit, going into it, I was very nervous but Scott really cares for our pups and in turn, Cookie really loved Scott. About 2 weeks after coming home, Scott dropped by and when he opened the car door, Cookie jumped right in!! That's high praise! Cookie is much improved but a lot of the training is about us owners. We need to continue and be consistent with the training that Scott gave us. We are continuing to work with Cookie and luckily, with Scott's program, there are lots of opportunities for feedback and refreshers. Scott is very responsive to calls and texts. And we'll be attending the first of many group class sessions. read more

DC Dog Wizard - Cookie and his buddy practicing Place command in Mt Pleasant - Pet Training Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We got our new dog Martin near the beginning of quarantine, and while we we very interested in making sure he was a well-trained pup, we were having a hard time doing it on our own. Martin was being stubborn on walks and getting aggressive with other dogs we passed. We knew he needed to be socialized more, but were unable to find a comfortable way to do that with quarantine in effect. We discussed Martin's behaviors with Scott and he seemed very confident that if he trained Martin, we would be able to overcome those issues. He was absolutely right! We enrolled Martin in the 2-week boarding session and even though it was hard to be away from him for that amount of time, we knew he was being well taken care of. Scott sent us many photos, encouraged us to check in and responded within minutes. Martin came back to us with a solid foundation of all the commands he needed to know and that led to an immediate difference in the quality of his behavior on walks and zero aggression towards other dogs like before his training. It is up to us to continue his training, but thanks to Scott's take-home and follow-up sessions, we feel very confident about how to proceed with Martin to ensure we are all very happy for a long time. I'd 100% recommend Scott and his team to help your pup! read more

DC Dog Wizard - Martin (right) and Sadie showing how they "place" and "stay" in a busy neighborhood. - Pet Training Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We sent our new rescue pup to Scott/DC Dog Wizard's two-week program and we are so glad that we did! Despite both working remotely, we both felt like it was too hard to properly train a dog during a pandemic. Millie struggled with leash aggression and needed to socialize with dogs. But with dog parks closed and social distancing in effect, we couldn't quickly overcome this issue ourselves. With the two-week program, Millie was not only taught basic commands and leash etiquette but also was immersed with other dogs. Scott was great and shared photos of Millie every day so it made the two weeks she was away more bearable :) Now that Millie is back, we see a HUGE improvement in how she reacts to dogs on leash. And his leash technique for heeling has also been a game-changer. It made our walks so much more enjoyable both for her and us. Yes, we will be responsible for continuing to train Millie and making sure she doesn't regress (Scott does a follow-up training to help), but what had me sold about his program is that we can call or text him for the rest of Millie's life if we have any questions or issues. I feel thrilled knowing I have this support from now on! read more

DC Dog Wizard - Millie with her friend four days after finishing the program! - Pet Training Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

My pooch started with DC Dog Wizard, and his personal trainer Austin, as a young puppy. I'm a life-long dog owner who never had a trained dog! At the age of two, we still enjoy the benefits of group training on a weekly basis. Austin has guided my training in a way that makes it fun for MO, and establishes boundaries that actually make him feel more secure. He's a delightful dog to be around, and while I may forget my training at times, Austin has been with us all the way to ensure our success. She is remarkable, intuitive, and she beloved by my MO. read more

DC Dog Wizard - Pet Training Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Thank you Scott for making our Charley so incredible. I can not tell you how easy it is to walk her now. She confidently walks by my side as the busses, cars and trucks wiz past us. She amazes me that she will jump up on a bench or object as soon as I say "place." Even my neighbors have noticed. I can talk to them and she politely sits next to my leg and waits for her command to walk/heel, play or just explore. Other dogs have approached and she no longer pulls me. The crazy days of dragging me when she sees a squirrel, bird or leaf are fortunately over. Scott you are the "alpha dog whisperer!" If you are lucky enough to have him work with you and your beloved pet you will be amazed. read more

Our pup Gizmo has always been a bit of a handful, with some dog aggression, fearful of strangers, and a pure hatred for scooters and skateboards. We have tried a number of different things, but after a close call when she tried to go after a scooter rider, we decided it was time to pull the trigger with the DC Dog Wizard. I am a bit nervous about leaving her with people that she doesn't know because of her fear, and dropping her off with Scott I was definitely very nervous. He kept us updated with text messages, pictures and pictures on the facebook page while she was away for two weeks. When we met him to do the pick up lesson, we were FLOORED. Gizmo had really learned her stuff over the two weeks away, and was able to hold a place looking calm as can be while a skateboarder did TRICKS behind her! Incredible. Scott was patient while he trained us to make sure that we understood how to communicate with her as well. When Gizmo sees Scott she is happy to see him (and she is a very shy pup!). She has been a much calmer happier and obedient pup since we got her back, but is still completely her normal boisterous goofy self... just with more restraint when scooters are around. I waited a few months to write this review to see if we were still making great progress, and I have to say that she is still so well behaved and we are so happy. She can handle off leash walks now and I don't worry about her running off. If the "shock collar" is making you nervous, don't be. Its really a stimulation collar that makes it easier for her to understand and know a command when she hears one.. especially when very distracting scooters are around. (I've tried it on myself and I can't even feel it at all until its around a 30, and Gizmo usually is happy with it at a 20, so its really incredibly mild). DC Dog Wizard isn't cheap, but Scott does a great job and I would absolutely do it again :) read more

Scott is a cool guy and an amazing trainer! Donut is a 6 month old mini labradoodle. Before meeting Scott, Donut's play-biting was insane, and he couldn't walk with the leash very well (pulling and barking every time he saw a dog or human). Now, Donut has all the tools to be a very well-trained dog and has improved IMMENSELY! Plus Donut now has more confidence to attempt at many different types of obstacles, even something as simple as going up a set of stairs. Overall, Scott was very knowledgable and friendly, and DC Dog Wizard as a whole was very responsive to our needs. read more

We sent our dog Bella to Scott's board and train program about 6 months ago. Bella is a large, high-energy lab mix who is very friendly but also has some anxiety. Before sending her to Scott, she struggled with listening to commands when there were any distractions around, and it was impossible to walk her on a leash without intense pulling or lunging at dogs. We were reluctant to have guests over because we couldn't keep Bella from jumping on them. After the two week board and train program, Bella's behavior is SO much better. She listens to our commands the first time, and we are able to have her greet people and be around others comfortably. She walks well on the leash, and we have been able to transition out of using a head halter to only using her e-collar. After training, we can finally trust that she is going to listen to our commands consistently. We really appreciate how well Scott got to know our dog, and how he's still available to answer questions and do follow up lessons. We would 100% recommend the dog wizard to anyone that's looking for help with their dog! read more

DC Dog Wizard - Pet Training Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We have had a great experience with Scott at DC Dog Wizard! Originally we signed up our new rescue Cooper for his training classes once a week. Cooper has some anxiety issues, fear based aggression and was not doing well calmly meeting other dogs. So we needed something that helped him get the structure and confidence he needed and train ourselves at the same time. We also ended up having our other dog Bentley, who we have had about 3 years, do the training along side Cooper. This was great as it brushed up on Bentley's skills at the same time. Cooper took to the training so quickly and each week we were able to build on the previous week so Cooper felt more confident. Now we are through the training sessions we periodically bring Cooper to group classes to help expose him to more dogs and each week we see improvements. We are confident Cooper will be a dog park pup in no time. The great thing about Scott's training is if you need a little brush up on training or just a little more structure after your training is done thats provided for you. We felt and still feel supported. Bentley took the the training very quickly as well. Because he had some of the skills already Scott was able to give us a few additional things to do with Bentley as well so he also got a lot out of the training. With Scott's help we were even able to teach Bentley to jump and balance on fire hydrants! What fun! read more

DC Dog Wizard - Pet Training Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

I cannot say enough great things about DC Dog Wizard. Suzy, who so graciously handled all my emails and questions, was great from day one. Once I did my initial inquiry, the onboarding process was so easy and they were completely flexible with times and they came straight to me to train my dog, Winston. I was shocked at first because that kind of convenience is unheard of nowadays. We were set up with Austin who was also a perfect fit from the first lesson. She was training me as much as she was training Winston! She made sure to give me the equipment and instructions I needed to follow up on the commands and training in between lessons and I was so surprised with what was included. The price was quite reasonable, especially since we had been looking for training for months and some of the other places were outrageous to say the least. Winston is a bigger bernedoodle and had tendencies to become overly familiar with people that gave him any sort of affection in return. Jumping up or even pulling to get to certain people. We really worked on that impulse control and it has helped in some many other aspects of his behavior as well. People who had met him before and now, after the training, comment on how well behaved he is and the focus that he has when he has a task to do. I thought that with more training he would become a less affectionate dog towards me or that he would lose all personality. The complete opposite has happened! Our walks are way more enjoyable now because we both feel at ease with the other dogs, sirens or any other distractions (grates, other people, you name it). And he will lean up against me when he sits at the crosswalk because he is not distracted anymore by all the distractions of DC city life. He has stopped barking every time someone passes by our apartment door (which was a lot). It's an amazing feeling. Dogs are our family and they are incredibly smart as well, the people at DC dog wizard acknowledge both of those characteristics in their training and I am truly so grateful. Not only that, but there are follow up classes with other puppies, I'm thrilled with my experience and will definitely be recommending them to both friends and family alike! read more

Scott is absolutely amazing. Our 6yo pit bull had serious anxiety issues that made going on walks impossible, and being around other dogs was out of the question. After Scott's two-week board-and-train, and two follow up lessons, we are able to go on walks daily, pass pedestrians with no issues, and be near other dogs without going crazy. While it's important to set expectations, ours were met and exceeded. We'd tried different training in the past, and we were left exhausted and with little to show for the work and money we'd put in. Scott's training is worth it, and he is an excellent coach for both your dog and you. If you are worried that your dog might never be able to do "normal" dog stuff, I know where you're at. Scott is the real deal and has made our lives so much easier. read more

Had a great experience with my chocolate lab puppy training with Austin. She was very patient and taught us commands to help us raise a puppy in the city. Highly recommend the DC Dog wizard services! read more

DC Dog Wizard - Place - Pet Training Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We did the four session private puppy training package for our new Cavapoo puppy and did not have a good experience. For $800 we got four 20 minute training sessions and then our puppy played with the dogs he brought for the rest of the hour. We had some very specific goals related to biting and chewing and pulling on the leash. We never felt like our concerns were heard and the sessions were very rushed. Often times the trainer was on the phone during the session negotiating the sale of his business. This training was obscenely expensive and we expected better results. We didn't learn much more than the basic commands we had already learned by watching YouTube videos. None of the behavior issues were addressed. We then took our puppy to Dogs Downtown VA in Chantilly had an amazing experience with their one week board and train program which was actually cheaper than the four sessions with Dog Wizard. Our puppy is on his way to being a perfect gentleman. Seems like a lot of people had good luck with Dog Wizard, but we weren't one of them. It's possible the board and train is a better option than private puppy. read more

Scott really is wonderful with dogs. Calling him the "dog wizard" is accurate, because he truly works magic. Within 5 minutes he identified our dog's issues and knew exactly how to address them. The two weeks our dog spent with Scott in the board and train program transformed him. We notified Scott about several bad habits that we wanted to resolve and the training totally took care of them (Our dog hasn't stolen a sock ever again). Furthermore, Scott worked with us to demonstrate how to maintain the training with our dog. After the training, our dog was wonderful on the leash and we had better tools to continue the training. Years later, our dog still recognizes Scott when he sees him on the street or at the dog park and gets excited. We have recommended the DC Dog Wizard to several of our friends because we were so pleased. read more

Scott with DC Dog Wizard worked wonders with my extremely leash-reactive pup. We did one on one sessions in our home, at the local parks, around the neighborhood, and anywhere that could be a learning environment. Scott often brought his own dogs or other dogs in training to the sessions, for demonstrations and so that our dog could become desensitized to other dogs in close proximity. The transformation was dramatic -- our dog now walks politely on a leash, doesn't lunge at other dogs, is calm when people come over, and is generally much more receptive to commands. Perfect strangers regularly compliment his good behavior out on walks, where before they would cross the street to avoid him. We had done multiple training courses, visited veterinary behaviorist, and worked diligently ourselves for over a year with minimal results. This investment was worth every penny; Scott knows what he is doing and will teach you how to keep the training going after official lessons are over (which is really the ultimate goal). One note regarding the e-collar: I was initially very hesitant to try it because our dog is already so anxious. What I learned is that 1) it's much more about the person using it than the tool itself (hence why it is so important to have a professional show you how to use it properly) and 2) it's all about getting his attention, not punishment. Used correctly (as Scott clearly does), the dog learns that nothing else (dogs, squirrels, construction workers, etc.) matters and the only thing that matters is you. It gave our dog structure and clear communication, and he is not afraid of the collar whatsoever. With the proper training and tools, we now take much longer walks and have more interactions/play time with other dogs because we have developed mutual trust and I know he won't react. read more

DC Dog Wizard - Pet Training Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Austin changed our whole world. We have a year and a half old, 90 pound "mini" Bernedoodle, who was previously reactive on the leash and began to resource guard at home. We did TWO training courses before DC Dog Wizard, and while we learned basic commands like sit, stay, etc., nothing helped the behavioral problems at home or on walks. It got to the point where we were so nervous to walk him that we would just do around the block. It was horrible. Since DC dog wizard, we have an entirely new dog. We did the 8 week training. By the third week we could tell it was working, and now we are able to walk our dog for as long as we want, wherever we want, without fear of reacting. We are all more comfortable at home without any resource guarding. And most importantly, our dog is happier and more confident. I cannot thank Austin enough. She has truly changed our lives. And I know if we ever have any issue she's only a text/email/phone call away. read more

We couldn't say good enough things about Scott, his knowledge, his approach to dogs (and people) and professionalism. We adopted Choco exactly a year ago. He is a sweet and loving dog. But he is also anxious and scared, which led to a rapid regression and to him becoming more and more aggressive. It came to a point that we couldn't take him for walks because we simply couldn't control him and people were scared of him. We had our first training session already scheduled, but on a Friday two months ago we simply felt so frustrated and that we can't wait even one more day! We called Scott and he said: no problem! Come tomorrow to my group meeting. We came. He looked at Choco gave us a few tools and tips, and literally after 5 minutes Choco was like a new dog. We couldn't believe it. We walked with Choco back home from the park and said to ourselves: why did we wait so long??? Choco had already 5 sessions and he is like a new dog. What an improvement. And obviously he is also so much happier because walks are now so much more fun (for him and for us). Scott understands dogs and can read their thoughts and feelings. But most important- he knows how to teach and guide. He is always responsive, patient and he never gives up until he is 100% sure that we understand our homework. Training is not cheap. Even expensive. But with the change it made to our life - every dollar was worthwhile. And we know that anytime in the future, whenever we will have a question- he will be there to answer and help. Don't get me wrong. It's not magic. A LOT of work and practice. Every day. But we have all the tools and guidance and every day we see progress and improvement. We truly recommend Scott. We were at a point that we almost couldn't take it anymore. Choco's and our lives are just so much better. read more

DC Dog Wizard - Pet Training Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

My 9 month old Doberman, Nina, just completed the 2 week boarding program with Scott. To start, I will say that I was worried about being apart from her for so long but Scott posted lots of updates on his Facebook page and also texted me pictures and information about her progress throughout the 2 weeks when I was being a crazy dog mom. :) Nina has a very sweet disposition but she had little to no impulse control and she did not listen well/at all when other dogs and people were around. She just wanted to play and jump all over everyone, which was a problem considering she is already over 60 lbs. After completing her training, she is her same sweet, happy self but so much better disciplined and way calmer in situations with lots of distractions. We are still reinforcing what she's learned (she came back to us a little under 2 weeks ago), but it is seriously like night and day. I brought her home for Christmas and the behavioral contrast between her and my family's two untrained dogs was so clear. Highly recommend Scott and team -- her training has taken all the stress out of traveling, having visitors over and bringing her places. read more

Jed is so much better mannered, patient, and I can finally walk him without tripping over him! He is so much better all thanks to Jen. The support classes after the board and train are really fun and helpful to keep up with what he's learned. Definitely recommend! read more

Like anyone else, I love my dog. She's about a year old and I got as far as I could with treats, clicker training, and youtube videos but still had some issues: - hyperactivity - leash pulling - jumping up/licking strangers - not reliably obeying commands if there were distractions around These issues weren't that big of a deal to me when she was tiny, but now she's almost 50lbs... One of my greatest fears would be her getting off her leash in public and running wild. One time this happened in a park: she interrupted a couple's romantic picnic, devoured their bowl of fruit and whipped cream, licked them both in the face and got muddy paw prints all over their blanket before I could get a hold of her.... Not cute. After leaving her in the care of DC Dog Wizard for two weeks it was like I got back a matured, calmer, obedient version of my crazy puppy! Everything is much easier now! I can trust her off leash to actually listen to what I say, go jogging without her lunging at every squirrel that passes, and introduce her to people without her knocking them over in excitement. I can now go on relaxing walks, comfortably walking loose leash! Scott, the trainer, is very nice and professional, after the initial consultation I felt that I could trust him to treat my dog with the same care that she'd get at home. I 100% recommend this training program! I was also really impressed with all the Facebook page picture and video updates of my dog happily playing and learning in Scott's care. Couldn't be any more pleased with my new and improved dog! read more

DC Dog Wizard - A+ - Pet Training Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I have a 5 month old corgi and the guy flopped around like a fish on a line when given a leash. He was also afraid to death to jump up or down anything. Scott really worked his magic and my little dude is now brave, much calmer, and knows some cool tricks! Scott's the man read more

DC Dog Wizard - My corgi Bernie and a friend - Pet Training Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

DC Dog Wizard is THE choice for training. When researching, I spoke with a number of trainers, but it was the approach and care that the DC Dog Wizard team showed which made me a customer. I worked with Austin, and she was absolutely fantastic. She was easy to connect with, clear in her lessons, and very friendly and supportive. Georgie is only 6 months, but her behaviors have completely transformed since we started - walking, recall, overcoming distractions, and pushing through fears. We can't wait to continue our training journey with the team and will definitely be coming back for more specialized support in the future! read more

We were referred to Scott by friends who sent their dog to his boarding program and had great results. Our re-homed pup is wonderful in many ways, but was an absolute terror on the leash, and struggled with impulse control. After two weeks with Scott, he's quite literally a new dog. Gone are the days of barking at cars and lunging at joggers. He walks next to use quietly and happily, and our lives are SO much better because of it. In addition to the leash training, he's now well versed in a bunch of other useful commands that we never even would have dreamed of trying to teach him before, including "come" when in tempting/distracting situations. And beyond the commands, he's just been a much more mellow, confident, version of himself following the training. Scott's program isn't cheap, but when you think about how much time you spend with your dog, there's no question that it's a good investment. I am so thankful that we decided to do it! read more

We had an awesome experience with Austin as our new puppy's trainer. Not sure how we would have made it through the first few months without her. She helped us address a number of items (separation anxiety, crate and potty training, calming excitement levels, slowing down with food). Our puppy completely changed through his work with Austin into a more confident and calmer puppy. She really cares about the dogs she is working with and develops creative solutions if necessary to help them grow. She was reliable, punctual and communicative. We especially appreciated the very detailed/easy to follow training "homework" she sent each week and her availability to address questions between sessions through text. Cannot recommend her enough! read more

My girlfriend and I got the solo lessons with Scott for our 4 month old cavapoo, Bamba. Scott is a great teacher and Bamba learned all the commands at the lesson and they really stuck after we took the time to practice them in between lessons. Bamba learned sit, come, place, down, and heel. I would absolutely recommend bringing your puppy to Scott for training. read more

AMAZING!!! My wife and I sent our 9 month old lab/shepherd puppy, George, to training with Scott a couple of months ago and it was SO well worth it. We did the two week board and train over Thanksgiving. I initially emailed back and forth with Scott's assistant who was great and scheduled for Scott to come out to our house and meet with George. After meeting with Scott we decided to go with him. We dropped George off at Scott's house on a Monday morning and when we picked him up two weeks later we were blown away. Scott's three main commands which are drilled into your dog after the two week training are: Come, Heel and Place. When you think about it, these are the three main things you want to know your dog will do on command. We now take George to the park with his e-collar on and are more than confident that he is going to come when we call him and stay in his place when we put him there. Whether it be up on a picnic table, sitting on a tree stump or just lying on the grass, he always goes where he is told. This training has given us so much peace of mind with George and cannot recommend Scott enough. read more

It's been at least 5 years since we took Lyndon to Scott. How the time has flown by! Just a brief update. His training is still pretty good. Not perfect. We use the collar still on walks because he can still have a tendency to pull. The vibration mode is all we really need to use, most of the time, to remind him that he's supposed to be heeling. He doesn't require it in situations that don't involve high stimulation (which is to say, anytime he's inside, he tends to be fine). He is still a very well-behaved dog. He is the kind of dog that people don't mind us bringing over to their house when they have a backyard party or something like that -- we bring his bed and then "place" him on it, and he'll just hang out with us. With the collar on, we sometimes take him off-lead to parks (away from cars). He's super responsive to verbal commands (the collar is there just in case we get nervous) -- his "sit," "place," and "leave it" are still great. His "heel" could use work when he is on the leash (he is better at it when he is off-lead and is forced to pay more attention). He doesn't hate the collar. (He does, by contrast, hate the jacket he has to wear when it rains, and makes his hate clear. I only bring this up to make clear that we can tell when he hates something.) When he goes to doggy day care, he doesn't wear it -- apparently he is responsive enough that it is not required. Basically he only wears it on long walks (when we want to make sure he won't pull) or off-lead outdoors. Some of this is probably attributed to his aging (he's an adult dog now, not a puppy), but the training is super helpful. We still get people asking us about how we trained him to be so good ("we hired a professional"), because he's unusually easy to deal with. We moved out of the area 4 years ago, unfortunately, so we haven't been able to take advantage of the free "tune up" policy (he'd probably heel better if we did). My wife sometimes curses his leash-pulling -- we wish that had totally stopped -- but he's still much better than he was before, and can do many other important things ("leave it" is absolutely necessary; "sit" and "place" allow you to do things like have lunch on a bench with your dog sitting there, and are great for taking the dog to other peoples' houses). We're still super happy we had him trained; it would have been a MUCH more constrained life for him otherwise, and now he can really act as part of our family. read more

Austin was fantastic! She helped us get our puppy trained up in a few short weeks. Before, it was tough to enjoy anything as our dog was reactive, had no recall, and would pull on her leash constantly. After completing training with Austin, we can now easily walk our dog and let her off leash outdoors without fear knowing her recall is strong enough that she'll always come back. We cannot thank or recommend Austin enough! read more

We came to DC Dog Wizard because our dog, Torbjorn, had become a frustrated greeter since the start of the pandemic. He would bark at dogs from a distance, but would pull towards them once those dogs went out of sight. That behavior made us hesitant to let him say hi to dogs, which made the behavior worse. We knew that we were in a negative spiral, and that we needed additional help. * We took the 2-weeks board-and-train option, with a at-home lesson at drop-off and a follow-up at-home lesson a week later. We were able to schedule the training and lessons to work with our schedule. * Our dog was really excited to see Scott at the follow-up lesson, and it's clear that he enjoyed his time with Scott. On our follow-up lesson, we ended up meeting a couple of dogs that Scott had trained: they were as happy to see Scott as our dog was! * We loved getting regular photo updates, both via the Facebook page and text message. * The at-home lessons gave us tools with which to have better, more productive walks, which means that our dog is slowly getting re-socialized. Torbjorn has a new outlook on the world, and it shows! * An unexpected benefit of this training: we would never have thought to allow our dog off-leash anywhere outside before this training, but we've attached a photo of our dog sitting on a bench being a good boy! * The biggest benefit to us was this training helping us rebuild our confidence in ourselves as dog owners. Walks are much more enjoyable now! We highly recommend DC Dog Wizard! Thanks Scott! read more

DC Dog Wizard - Torbjorn sitting on a bench, with no one holding his leash, like a good boy! - Pet Training Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Austin is a miracle worker! I engaged DC Dog Wizard because my husband is bed bound and we wanted our new mini goldendoodle to be well-behaved enough to be a companion to him. I wanted to raise a perfectly good citizen. No one should expect the dog to be trained by Austin. Instead Austin will train you (very gently!) to practice with your pup so that she does indeed become an ideal canine citizen. And that Austin guided me through by being aa encouraging to me as she was to Blossom. The private lessons won't relieve you of your own responsibility to work with your puppy. But they will surely and positively make you more confident and more competent to do the job with joy and with absolute confidence that you're doing your dog a great service. Hats off to Austin. I could not be more pleased. read more