It's a cliché, but I never write reviews. This review is my one exception because I cannot recommend Diana more highly. She is dog whisperer, behavioralist and human therapist! From our very first visit, my very precocious reactive puppy immediately responded to her calm, loving demeanor. In that moment I knew she was the right trainer for us. She took the time to understand both my puppy and me, assessing our home environment, my work from home needs, and my puppy's unique personality to create a unique tailored approach. Diana helped me better understand my puppy and her behavior, as well as how she was responding to my own behavior. I learned that some of the practices I had used successfully with my previous dogs were actually contributing to my puppy's reactivity. We started with one-on-one training sessions at home, with homework in between. When we realized my environment was actually inhibiting our progress and making impulse control more challenging for my puppy, Diana suggested a board-and-train. This was a game changer. Diana provided regular video updates with narrated explanations and guidance to help me understand what she was doing and why. I was amazed at the progress my dog was making! My puppy emerged with all the beautiful characteristics she was born with - smart, energetic, outgoing and empathetic - but now she is calmer, more responsive, and much better able to manage her impulses rather than reacting to everything around her. Included in the board-and-train are several one-on-ones with me to ensure I have the tools to maintain and build on my puppy's progress. Diana has us practice not only at home, but also in places and environments we frequent, so that her training translates into our everyday lives. Diana is incredibly thoughtful in her approach, genuinely invested in both dogs and their humans, and always responsive to questions and issues as they arise. My puppy and I adore her. We both recommend Diana to anyone who not only wants to train their dog, but also to understand their dog and learn how to support them in becoming their best selves. read more

We are so happy to post a message about Diana and Deep Connection. We contacted her at the beginning of the year because we had adopted a dog that had been in two shelters, had puppies in the shelter at 1 year old and had experienced other traumas in her past. Diana worked with us and gave us the tools to help her with confidence-building, trusting people and acclimating into our family that already had a spoiled and untrained dog. After many sessions and homework, we now have a dog that has so much more confidence, has learned to self soothe and is so much less stressed. She fits into our family perfectly and is like a different dog from the one we brought home that day. She was so skittish the first day that she shook even when we opened the refrigerator door. I can't say enough about Diana and her incredible knowledge of dog behavior, in addition to her years of experience. We are so grateful that we were referred to her! Thank you, Diana!! read more

Where to begin...we met with Diana for the intro and I knew right away she was going to be the perfect trainer for our beagle, Maddie. Maddie had been having some reactivity issues due to being attacked on 2 separate occasions by a bigger dog. Any time we would walk her, she would howl bloody murder. And if you know a beagle's howl, you know how loud it can get. The neighbors knew when we would be walking her because they could hear her for blocks. And people would stare at us as if we were horrible pet parents so we decided it was enough and contacted Diana for some help. As soon as we met her, she explained her process and how she works. And she explained how and why reactivity occurs. Everything was explained very easily and smoothly so that my spouse and I could understand why Maddie did certain things and how to correct them. We went ahead and did the 8 session package and met weekly with Diana. She laid the foundation for us and we increased training to build on that foundation. Lo and behold, Maddie no longer howls bloody murder when she sees another dog! One of our neighbors noticed and said that he can't tell anymore when we walk her because he doesn't hear us anymore. And every time we spot him during our walks, he's always so impressed with her training and how far she's come along. We ended our training with Maddie learning "down" and we are planning on doing more training sessions to further build on Maddie's training with e-collar training and more obedience. I can't begin to thank Diana enough for all that she's done for us and for our chonk. Diana is super awesome and an amazing trainer. She provides you with the guidance that you need. She's always available if you ever need help with anything or need clarification on any homework assignments she leaves you with before the next training session. My spouse and I highly recommend Diana for any training your pup may need or if you would like to add more building blocks to your dog's training. Diana is amazing and I would not hesitate to recommend her to any pet parent. She's simply the best! Oh, and her dog, Moose, is awesome too! read more

Deep Connection K9 Academy - Learning "down" - Pet Training Near Me

See all

Diana did an amazing job training Ruby our Siberian Husky during her first year. She was patient, knowledgeable, and really understood how to work with Ruby's personality and energy. The training was always clear and easy to follow, and we could really see the progress over time. We really appreciated how supportive and encouraging Diana was throughout the process. She went above and beyond to come to our home and also find a park to help with Ruby's socialization. She genuinely cared about Ruby's development and helped build a strong foundation during such an important stage. If it wasn't for Diana's amazing training skills and teaching me and my fiancé and of course Ruby, Ruby wouldn't be this well trained, kind and confident husky she is today! If you are considering working with a trainer don't look elsewhere because you will get the best services through Diana. When we are ready for our second dog later this year we'll be working with Diana once again and we look forward to it! read more

Deep Connection K9 Academy - Ruby - Pet Training Near Me

See all

My husband and I worked with Diana last fall/winter because we were preparing to travel around the holidays with our then 1.5 year old dog Bruce, anticipating that we would need some obedience, socialization, and leash training (and I saw "we" because the training was just as much for us as it was for Bruce). Diana was extremely intentional and knowledgeable from our very first meeting. She assessed Bruce well and and throughout our 8 sessions, we received 1-on-1 guidance during and between training. She thoroughly explained the "why" behind certain behaviors and what actions we need to take in order to shift his/our behavior. From week to week, Diana gave us some homework to do between sessions but knowing we also have busy schedules, she met us where we were and adjusted our training plan accordingly. We worked on leash training, reactivity, impulse control, crate and place training, recall at home and in public but that actually translated into setting better boundaries, building mutual trust between us and Bruce, and advocating for him in situations which we weren't doing as well before. Overall, we appreciated her understanding, her openness to listening to our concerns, and her adaptive but structured approach. Since we had a specific, timebound goal in mind it helped keep us motivated and on track. At the end of the 8 sessions (Oct - Dec), we gained invaluable strategies to manage Bruce in different situations (in public, crowded spaces, around other dogs) and we feel that we understand Bruce a lot more now than before. Thank you, Diana! read more

Deep Connection K9 Academy - Pet Training Near Me

See all

We worked with Diana and Deep Connection K9 after we adopted our rescue dog, Rizzo. Diana has been amazing. We did the 8 training session package and also had Rizzo stay with her for 10 days of board and train while we went out of town. We have really loved our experience and highly recommend Diana to others. Diana is very easy and enjoyable to work with. She is great with Rizzo and has helped us with crate training and general behaviors like how to walk on the leash and interact with other dogs and humans. It has made so much difference in our life. So glad we made this commitment and established such a good start to our life with Rizzo. Thank you, Diana! read more

Deep Connection K9 Academy - Our dog, Rizzo, and Moose, Diana's dog. - Pet Training Near Me

I came to Diana with my 1.5-year-old dachshund, Pepino, who had some bad habits I needed help with. From the very first session, Diana was warm, patient, and incredibly knowledgeable. She understood Pepino's personality and tailored every lesson to fit him perfectly. Having one-on-one attention kept the focus entirely on Pepino and training me as an owner too :) He's much more obedient and confident now, and we learned lots of skills that we can use beyond training. Diana genuinely cares about the dogs she works with and Pepino absolutely adored her. I would recommend her to anyone with a dog of any age or breed! read more

See all

We started training our 2-year old, Nugget, with Diana last September. Since then, we have seen major improvements on his reactivity. His first instinct used to be to attack strangers without cause. We can now tell he is thinking for himself and trying to make the right decision in a moment of stress. Although he still has some more improvement to make, we never thought we would even see this much progress. We are very happy with Diana and will continue his training with her! read more

If you're currently looking for a dog trainer, just stop now and call Diana. We just finished an 8-week in home training course with her for our 1 year old terrier. We rescued him after he had been living on the streets for a bit and he was a complete disaster. He pretty much had every issue in the book - resource guarding, pulling on the leash during walks, attacking his older doggy brother, total emotional disregulation and he didn't listen to us at all. We started feeling a bit hopeless, but after working with Diana, he is like a new dog. He's getting SO much better with his resource guarding, he walks so nicely and doesn't pull, he listens to commands, plays well with his brother, and he sits in his "place" when people come to the door instead of attacking them. Diana is like a dog whisperer. She has a wonderful, professional demeanor and our dogs both loved her. She focuses on the psychology behind certain behaviors and also pointed out where we as humans can improve our behavior towards the dogs. I can't recommend her more and am so glad we found her! read more

See all

Diana is the best! She was not only amazing with my dog--who came to love her (probably more than me) after barking at her the entirety of their first meeting--but was very accommodating to our schedule and location. I saw immediate improvement in a very neurotic little rescue dog and learned a lot of skills we can keep working on. A fantastic experience and well worth the investment. read more

We have had the greatest experience with Diana and are so glad that we decided to invest our time and money with her and really rely on her guidance and expertise in training our dog to be better behaved, which has resulted in all of our lives being more comfortable and happy. Diana was incredibly communicative both with scheduling and in the training sessions. It's also been easy to get a hold of her to ask follow up questions or get specific training details clarified that we forgot. I also really appreciated that she came to our home or locations near us to do trainings. Diana has provided us with such a great foundation (and beyond) of tools to continue working with our dog. We saw changes in our dog after 1-2 sessions and have continued to see changes if we implement the homework and tools she gives us every session. It is very important to do your homework and really take seriously the directions she gives you and spend time doing them. You, the human, need to learn and unlearn just as much as your dog does. Diana is super knowledgeable, kind, patient, personable, flexible, has a sense of humor while remaining professional and driven, she loves dogs and cares about their boundaries and what is realistic for each one and so many other positive qualities. I don't have anything negative to share and look forward to signing up for another package of sessions with her after we get back in town from traveling. read more

Deep Connection K9 Academy - Diana and Blue's 8th and final session of the package. More to come.... - Pet Training Near Me

Diana was the best! She was able to analyze my dog and able to give my dog Loki the tools he needed to control is energy level when at home and on off leash behavior outside. She came to see how he was at my home to see what his problems are and what I was doing right. I was able to put him into board and train about a month after because he was still a puppy. But she gave me a few tips and a bit of homework to help him progress faster in the training. During the board and train Diana gave me weekly updates on how he was doing (videos, pictures, etc.). As well as how his progress was. After I got him back. Loki was a well obedient, socialized dog and was able to take commands. As well as check all the boxes on what I wanted him to stop doing. She gave me a detailed discription on how my dog was and how his behavior is. As well gave me list of what he needs in order to keep him in the right mind set. This list consists of each tool which she provides and a step by step description on how you should proceed with your dog. So she doesn't just go here he is and its up to you. She is right behind you every step of the way. Diana is great! She checked up on me a month after to see how Loki was doing. As well to see if I needed any follow sessions. I am proud to say and recommend her without hesitation! Thanks Diana to you and your crew from Loki and I! read more

See all

My goofy dobie did a board and train with Diana thats left me with absolutely no regrets! Being something I debated for a long time, from the first moment I met Diana I knew she was knowledgeable about training principles that I felt aligned with. She is also such an animal lover and my dog instantly connected with her. The B&T has positively impacted our lives since and we're so grateful for the support and the change for the better in my pups behavior. We now go out into the world confident and excited! read more

tl;dr: Adopted a dog with previous trauma and anxiety, and struggled to train her using conventional methods. Worked with several trainers and not much progress was made until I met Diana. If you're looking for THE one to make a big impact on your dog's quality of life (and yours!), this is it. If you're looking for a trainer whose lessons will carry through to daily routines and life, look no further than Deep Connection. I adopted a 2yo husky who had a hard life; she was abandoned by previous owners, found at a stray, and ended up at a kill shelter. After I took her home, I realized quickly that the "normal" training methods wouldn't work: Korra wasn't food motivated, showed no interest in toys, and was very distrustful. I sought the advice of many trainers who gave me the same cookie cutter advice: use clickers to mark good behavior, lure her with treats, encourage play and good energy, etc. Unfortunately, none of that worked because my dog's previous anxiety and trauma led to non-responsiveness to these typical methods. I took the small wins as they came along (e.g. learning to sit!) and just continued to be patient with her. Diana came highly recommended by a friend who volunteers at an animal shelter. She fully understood my situation, and before even taking us on as clients, went through great lengths to get to know both me and my dog. She presented her observations and training plan, and I was all in. After just a month of following her program, I saw Korra change in little spurts. She got more comfortable eating outside of her crate. She came to ask for head scritches. She laid down with her legs in the air and passed out that way. She started arguing and gave some awoos. She was becoming a husky! I took it a step further and signed up for a board and train with Diana, and that further reinforced not only Korra's responsiveness to commands, but also helped her continue to open up and show her true personality. Diana not only helped Korra work through her anxiety and distrust, but also helped me understand the kind of dog dad I needed to be in order to continue building a connection with my dog. We're continuing to not only work on boring obedience commands, but also fun tricks, and both Korra and I are having a blast. Future goals with Diana: Husky obstacle course. read more

Deep Connection K9 Academy - Pet Training Near Me

See all

Several months ago I signed up for private lessons for my 18 month old Shepherd-Belgian melonois pup. She's pretty big and energetic now and I wanted to get her (and me!) some training so that I could feel more confident in controlling her. I looked online saw Diana's business and read her reviews and decided this was a good fit for me. Diana was very kind and knowledgeable and patient with me as she taught me techniques of working with my pup, Hope. Hope was always so happy when Diana came to "visit"! Since our lessons, Hope is much more responsive to me and we both have a better understanding of our roles. We came a long way during the course of our sessions and I would highly recommend Diana for specific training needs, or in general for any dog, especially early on in their life! read more

Deep Connection K9 Academy - Hope and me! - Pet Training Near Me

Watson (my currently 11 month old puppy) and I started working with Diana when he was about 6 months old. After working with a few other trainers early on, it felt like we hit the jackpot after meeting Diana. I appreciate her balanced approach to training, which includes training skills like heel and recall, to developing a strong Leave It so he stops picking trash up off the floor, to getting Watson more comfortable with cooperative care. As a first time owner of a dog (with high expectations for Watson's behavior), Diana has also been training me to prioritize and focus on Watson's progress over time as opposed to immediate change, and to remind myself that he's still very young and just a puppy! For the first 3-4 months, we worked with Diana for 1-on-1 private sessions. And most recently, Watson was with Diana for a Board and Train for a month because I fractured my foot. Coming back from the B&T, Watson adjusted very quickly, and his improved (and proofed) skills has made it very easy for other members of my family to train and handle him too. I can tell that Watson loves Diana, and vice versa. He is excited every time he sees her, and she has gone above and beyond for him. I highly recommend Diana if you are looking for a well-balanced, compassionate dog trainer. read more

See all

What do I love about Diana with Deep Connection K9 Academy? Where do I even start? First and foremost, her calm demeanor. Dogs feed off energy, so she puts out the most easy-going and relaxed vibe, which is clearly why she's able to connect with the dogs she's training. She takes the time to listen to both the pet guardian and even the dog to understand how the achieve the goals set forth. Secondly, and this is a big one, I love that she practices a balanced-training approach. She uses training tools correctly to ensure her method of training is conducive to the individual dog that's in front of her. She uses positive reinforce by rewarding often. With the frequent video updates she sends, you can see she makes the training fun for the dog. Because of her method of training, it's effective and you WILL SEE RESULTS whilst also knowing your dog is happy. Next up, she's patient with the dogs. She gives the dog time to come around to the idea of whatever she's implementing and if they aren't comfortable, she takes a step back for a few days and slowly tries again until they are comfortable. For example, with muzzle training and crate training. Lastly, she truly cares about the dogs she's handling. The bond she's able to create is genuine. All we want for our dogs when in an unfamiliar situation is compassion and she gives that at every moment. Brisby was my foster dog and he had a bite history. I wasn't sure I would be able to safely place him into another home, but after Diana laid the foundation of obedience and worked with him on being able to tolerate stressful situations, he's now on the path to the best life because of her and I couldn't be happier for him. Thank you for everything, Diana! 10/10, I will have you train again if the situation arises. read more

Deep Connection K9 Academy - Brisby practicing "place" at the training facility. - Pet Training Near Me

Diana was great! We were looking for board and train services for Echo, our 9-month old Great Pyrenees / Border Collie / Ausie Shepperd mix. He was well behaved at home, but had high anxiety issues and would preemptively bark at any noise or moving object outside of the house, and it was very difficult to take him on walks. She visited our home for an initial consultation and we were very impressed by her knowledge and approach to obedience training. She was able to accommodate our late request for a board and train, just a week before our vacation. Diana kept us updated with text messages, photos, and videos throughout the 3-week board and train, and we could see the increments of improvements along the way. At the end of the board and train, Echo's demeanor was like night and day. He was able to follow sit, down, place, leave it, let's go, break, and yes commands - and was able to ignore the majority of cars, people, and barking dogs in the neighborhood, while walking by our side. Diana also taught us their leash pressure and E-collar methods, which were very valuable components in continuing his training. We really appreciated her no frills approach to training - everything she was teaching us was logical and aimed at the roots of dog obedience and behavior training, so that the owners can be set up to have an enjoyable life with their dog. We would highly recommend her services! read more

Our Shiba Inu, Bowie has always been a playful pup, but over the years has become quite reactive to dogs on walks. We have met with other dog trainers over the years but we left every meeting with the feeling that it was just not the right fit. From either explicitly stating they wouldn't work with us because of his Shiba behaviors or applying their dog training knowledge too generally without actually taking our individual problems into consideration, we were left without guidance or trust. Fast forward to a year later, we met Diana and our experience was a complete 180. Diana was so kind and compassionate from the first meeting, really taking the time to get to know us and Bowie. She was extremely perceptive and we felt that she was really able to understand who Bowie was and appreciate his unique personality, something we had not experienced from other dog trainers. We were able to make substantial progress in our walks in a short amount of time. Diana was an incredible source of information and she really takes the time to explain everything. If at any point we felt unsure or confused about the training, Diana made sure to really address any of our concerns and go through it at our pace. We are so proud of Bowie's progress in our short period of training with Diana, and while our dog is not just magically perfect now, our confidence as dog owners has grown tremendously. We feel that we have the tools to work through issues that come up, which has really improved our relationship with our dog. Even though our training with Diana has been completed, she has always ensured us that the door for communication is always open and we are welcome to reach out to her for any future questions and concerns. Diana was really wonderful for our dog training journey and we highly recommend her! read more

Deep Connection K9 Academy - Pet Training Near Me

Diana is a very knowledgeable dog trainer. I always ask her for advice and she has really educated me on different things I did not know about dog behavior and training. The dog that I adopted had a lot of behavioral issues and a bite history so I felt lost on what to do. Diana gave me guidance and always answered my questions no matter how many I threw at her. Now just after a few sessions, my dog can wear a muzzle comfortably and I will be crate training next before we move onto the next concept. She really thinks about the dog and what we can do for them. Every trainer has a different way of doing things but I really like Diana's calm but confident approach to it. I'm so thankful and grateful for all the help she's given me. I would recommend her to anyone who is looking for a very patient and invested trainer. read more

Deep Connection K9 Academy - Pet Training Near Me

Diana is the real dog whisperer!! I met Diana back in January 2023, found her on Yelp. Back story before Rocky (Belgian malinois / German shepherd) started working with Diana, I put him in a board and train at another dog training company which was . I learned the minimum from them, but once I started working with Diana she taught me how to really understand Rocky on another level. Diana is very knowledgeable, she gives you the blueprint on how to be a leader for your furry friend so all you have to do is put in the work to get the most out of it. I would 100% percent recommend anyone to Diana if you're looking into getting some professional dog training done! read more

There are tons of dog trainers out there. Knowing myself, if I was going to invest in professional dog training, I needed to make a good decision. My process was not referral based (as many people do), but incorporated an extensive interview process. This is because I believe that dog training is not only about training the dog, but also the owner. Due of the latter, I needed to land on someone who I could get along and partner with. I think I probably met 8-9 trainers before deciding to go with Diana. I can say diligence in the selection process paid off. We did a 5 session private lesson package and then a 3 week board and train for our 6 month old German shepard mix. What's great about Diana is that she is well spoken and structured. This was important to me because you really only have a little bit of time each session and having someone who can instruct in a structured manner increases the content absorbed. Her dog handling is very crisp and a great model to follow. No dog whispering fancy gimmicks here. Just solid and logical training, delivered effectively. She is very open to customization and goes the extra mile to give it a personal touch. Board and train was done and her home. Updates were sent regularly via videos. Before training 1. Barked at us all day because my puppy thought she was a princess and demanded attention 2. Leash pulling and biting when on walks. Got super focused on everything but the handler. 3. Barked at anything that moved 4. Did not know boundaries on how to meet people/other dogs. Jumped on everyone After training: 1. Can do all basic commands (sit place heel etc) 2. Almost off leash trained (still work to be done but her foundation is excellent) 3. 30-50ft recall into heel position is very strong 4. Amount of leash pressure needed is negligible to get results 5. ECollar trained 6. Can hold stationary positions for longer than I even need 7. 4 paws on the ground when greeting people 8. Still a princess dog but doesn't bark at us anymore 9. Wife and I both feel better equipped as dog handlers. I will be back with Diana to complete more advanced training in the future! For all new dog owners: My opinion is that no dog trainer can magically brain wash your dog into being perfect (maybe if we are talking round the clock training for extended durations). For the average joe, a trainer can lay foundation, it's up to you to make the best of it and keep it up. read more

My GSP Cash and I first met and worked with Diana for Cash's training at another facility she was at. When she left the facility to start her own training program, we had to follow! I was going out of town and leaving Cash for a week for the first time and thought it would be a good time to leave Cash with Diana for a board and train refresher course. Cash loves Diana and was her first trainer so I felt super comfortable leaving him with her as it would be his first time away from home for so long. When we brought Cash in for a board and train, I really wanted to focus on refreshing his heel and work on his separation anxiety. Cash was okay in a crate when we'd leave the house but had so much trouble relaxing in a crate when we were all home. The time with Diana was so fruitful. We came back to a pup that found comfort in the crate regardless of who was or wasn't home and Diana sent us home with a lot of helpful tips and pointers to continue reinforcing to help continue Cash's training. Also, throughout my trip and time away from Cash, Diana sent me regular updates and kept me feeling content as it was my first time leaving Cash for that long with someone other than family. She really kept me as the dog parent at ease and content leaving my pup with someone trustworthy who cares about my dog as much as I do. Would definitely recommend! read more

Mandoo is a rescue already with some trauma and developed pretty bad reactivity after he was attacked by two big dogs. He would bark, lunge, and growl every time he saw a dog even from far away. It got worse over time that he redirected his reactivity towards us and bit us in the leg - not deep but still not acceptable. We found Diana through some extensive online search and wanted to get professional help to help Mandoo with horrible anxiety and fear based reactivity and to help us become better owners. We love him to death but clearly were not aware of how to help with his reactivity when it began. Diana was amazing from the get-go. She was very patient and understood how frustrating it could be to have a reactive dog. We ended up doing 8-week training with her and saw an amazing improvement every time we met up with her! Thanks to Diana, Mandoo wouldn't be who he is today. He is able to pass by dogs with no problem, maybe a bit of hyperventilation, but nothing more than that. We can walk him for hours without worrying about bumping into other dogs. Most importantly, Mandoo can go on walks without being alert and stressed! He learned how to deescalate on his own, and we are so proud of him! We wanted to extend our training but had to move across the country. She was so helpful to get us some referrals in our new area since he needs to work further on not reacting to other dogs that are reacting FIRST! It needed good and bad days, but consistency was the key. I would recommend Diana to anybody who needs any type of training. She is a hidden gem!!! read more

Deep Connection K9 Academy - First time meeting Diana! - Pet Training Near Me

Diana is an incredibly talented dog trainer! Her work is her passion and it's evident that she's doing what she loves most. My dog Ponyboy, a Shar-Pei, started showing resources guarding in his first year and Diana helped us nip it in the bud! Shar-Pei are naturally stubborn and I was worried that might affect his ability to be trained, but nope! He impresses everyone he meets when they watch me tell him to go to "place" or "crate". No whining whatsoever, just a good boy! He can jog with me "at heel" which feels really empowering and it's a great way to bond and stay healthy. Pony's happier with structure; she taught him how to regulate his urges and emotions, and we know how to get in front of them - this has relieved a lot of stress for me as his owner. Best part, Pony LOVES her. I mean LOVES. He's even joined her on training sessions with other dogs, which he loves bc he's super social and still has all that puppy energy. Diana is also great educating the owners, and it's just honestly so cool to watch her in action. You have to be "trained" too, so you can continue the structure at home. We're super grateful to live local, and have boarded with her for a "refresh" which is like having an insurance plan on your investment. She's worth every penny and we recommend her to everyone. read more

Deep Connection K9 Academy - The goodest boy in downstay! - Pet Training Near Me

Diana is amazing. If you're looking for a dog trainer, she will be your savior. I have a very high energy husky who, before training, was self involved, destructive and stubborn. I put Linkin through the board and train program with Diana and he came back a gem. Still the same goofy, stubborn dog but Linkin understands he has limitations. I can take him to restaurants and not worry about him jumping on people or trying to drag me across the restaurant to see another dog. Call Diana if you need help with your dog. It will only improve the relationship between you and your four legged friend. read more

Diana is fantastic. She is a people-person and a dog-person, which makes training with her a total joy. I found her way of communicating techniques to be extremely clear and though of course you too have to be diligent in your training with your own dog, I was so pleased (shocked!) to find how quickly certain behaviors turned around. Our main objectives were desensitization on walks and door arrival, as he is an overly enthusiastic Labrador.. My time with her -- and in turn, my time working with my puppy -- was fun, watching him progress so quickly was exciting, and I'm so thankful for her help. She offers different training options (in-home sessions with her and your dog, boarding at her facility) and packages (1 / 5 / 8) and makes it easy to find the right one for you and your dog. Once we got to the end of my package (I got 5 sessions with her), she was 0% pushy about tacking on more and was confident that if we wanted to approach or re-approach techniques that weren't work, we could do so in time. Though I'm confident I now have the tools to work with my dog even more on my own, I hope I get the chance to work with Diana again. read more

Diana was incredible. My 10 year old yorkie had never received any training and I feared it was too late. She had become super reactive since moving to the area with many more dogs. Diana coached us through so many new skills. When we started, Dipsea became very reactive at the mere sight of another dog, no matter how far away. By the end, she was comfortable doing passes and really good at deescalating after a too-close-for-comfort encounter. Diana truly is a dog whisperer. Dipsea absolutely lit up when she saw her and seemed to see training as an opportunity. Diana's explanations really brought so much light to our interactions and a better understanding of how I can help my pup thrive. We both gained so much confidence. Diana is a joy to work with. Thank you Diana!! read more

I found Diana on yelp last year while looking for dog trainers and i am thankful that i did. My dog's reactivity began to escalate which created a very stressful home life. I knew that i had to find a trainer but majority of the trainers offer 1 day of training and they will "teach you everything" which in my opinion is not possible; fortunately i found Diana who puts a lot of time and energy into helping you and your pet. She is extremely knowledgeable and after finishing training i feel well informed. In about 8 weeks she got my reactive dog to trust me and learn not to act on impulse. On a scale of reactivity my dog went from a 10/10 to a 2/10. We have bad days and good days, but on the bad days i know how to manage her anxiety so she will not react thanks to the information Diana has taught me. When getting a pet I did not understand the time and dedication i had to put into building a trusting relationship. As much as the training is about your pet it is also about you. The trainings were mentally tiring for my pet and I; we would take a 3 hour nap every time we finished training but in the end it was worth it. If you looking for a trainer i would highly recommend Diana. I attached a photo of my reactive dog relaxed in a store. read more

Deep Connection K9 Academy - Pet Training Near Me

Kona + Sky are polar opposites with vastly different personalities and strength/weaknesses. We had done extensive training with our dog trainer in AZ, but knew with our move to LA we needed to find someone locally to help us become better handlers to navigate the pups through the big city life. 3 main things that drew us to Diana: her calm energy, relationship based balance training, and extensive knowledge in reactivity/anxiety. After our initial consult, we agreed sending K+S to Diana for day training was necessary to create a game plan. This is a big deal for us, because Diana wasn't dismissing our previous training, instead she is taking the time to build her bond with each pup, understand their past training, and figure out how we can build upon it. We did 5 private sessions over a span of 3 months. This gave us time to work with each pup and have timely check-ins with Diana. We had very specific goals and made tremendous strides towards it. Dog training never ends. We have good days and bad days. Diana has helped strengthen our bond and communication with K+S that sets all of us up for success. We are so grateful to have met her and look forward to continuing on our training journey together! read more

Diana trained both of my highly reactive, anxious GSDs. And she trained us! After the first class, it was like night and day. Especially with our now 3-year-old girl Sasha, Diana trained her to heel while walking (before, she would pull and pull and had at one point dragged me across the lawn, lol). Sasha is also very hyper-active, so we worked on ways to calm her down and train her to not jump and bark, especially with other people at the house. Both my dogs, Sasha and Pepper, are reactive to other dogs, so Diana taught us different techniques to distract them, and have them focus on another task, essentially. We did 7 weeks with Sasha and 4 weeks with Pepper, and it was truly the best money I've spent. They went from being unmanageable to very trainable (yes, still hyper, but we know now how to redirect that energy) doggos. And my pups loved Diana. read more

We have worked with several trainings in SoCal and Diana has been our favorite trainer to work with. She is extremely organized, knowledgeable, and patient. She knows how to work the root of the behavior issues, and create counter conditioning methods that really work the brain. Our mini Aussie, Leia, is an excitable dog that struggled with settling skills. But, by being consistent with Diana's program, Leia is finally calm around other dogs, and in crowded environments. Pack walks use to be extremely tough for our excited girl, but now she is able to self regulate and wind down, and focus on walking in a heel. Leia is finally a calmer, happier, and more confident girl. Thank you Deep Connection K9 for everything !!!!!! read more

Deep Connection K9 Academy - Pet Training Near Me

Where do I even start... Let's start here. 5/5 is an understatement when someone is changing your life. Like many people who go to Diana, I had a completely amazing and lovable dog... that only I could see and love. It broke my heart everyday knowing that I love something so much, but nobody else gets to see her because they are scared and Rhye is scared of them, too. Going on walks...Scary and anxiety inducing. Going out for the evening? Forget about it... your dog is going to yelp and whine for 5 straight hours and annoy the neighbors. Finally, at the end of my rope.. I reached out and enter Diana. When I heard about board and train with Diana as an option I was hopeful, but cautious. I had heard mixed messages about board and train for reactive dogs, but were they wrong. I sent Rhye to Diana and Rhye was disobedient, anxious, reactive as hell and she ran my house. 2.5 months later, I got Rhye back from Diana and she was obedient, not a peep from her when I leave the house or make her sleep in her crate, and I RUN THIS HOUSE NOW. We have a long long journey ahead, but I wake up confident everyday that Rhye and I are going to get through this, and Diana is going to get us both there. I could go on and on, but for the sake of readers time, when you sign up for Board and Train with Diana and Deep Connection K9 academy, you are getting just that Deep Connection with your dog, Deep Connection with the trainer, and deep connection with the process. Videos and updates every step of the way. Even Post board and train, Diana has been prompt to answer all questions.. even the silly ones and she does it in way that represents her brand... deep connection. I will forever be grateful for the foundation that Diana gave to my pretty girl Rhye and I. I feel confident knowing that Diana loves my Rhye girl and is invested in her growth every step of the way before, beginning, and after board and train. GO DIANA AND THANK YOU FOR CHANGING LIVES. read more

Deep Connection K9 Academy - Pet Training Near Me

Trained my English bulldog and did a very great job my pup was well taken care of and came back very obedient I will not hesitate to refer deep connection services and will bring my new pup for training very pleased training was very professional also educated me for after boarding and it worked for my fur baby read more

Deep Connection K9 Academy - Pet Training Near Me

My German Shepard pup grew so big so fast. I am so thankful that I brought Diana into help me train him early on. He was so scared of everything at first and now he's a happy, healthy, well trained grown dog. He knows what is expected of him, and he responds quickly to commands, and is now very comfortable and secure. Diana was so patient and explained everything thoroughly, which really helped me to train him when she wasn't around as well I highly recommend her! read more

Deep Connection K9 Academy - Hurley sitting on his designated "spot" - Pet Training Near Me

If your looking for doggie training look no further. Diana is an awesome trainer and an even better person. We had rescued a 1 1/2 year old German Shepherd/Pitbull mix back in May and fell in love. Unfortunately, Lili who we named was super hyper, wasn't disciplined, went crazy jumping on our front door every time someone walked by with another dog, jumped over the fence at the dog park. I could write more but you get the point. After finding Deep Connection here on Yelp I decided to give her a call. We set up a consultation and I already knew from talking with her how knowledgeable and passionate she was. We set up a board and train and she suggested that if we had any travel plans that it would be a perfect time. After our trip and the training was done, we got Lili back and it was like we had a new dog!!! Our walks around the neighborhood are so pleasant and enjoyable now. If you have similar problems with your furbaby don't wait. Give Diana a call and you won't be disappointed. She took care of Lili like she was her own. She also gave us some great feeding tips for our breed. If I have any questions I just text her and she always responds. Thanks again to Diana, her and Lili actually rescued us!!! read more

See all

Working with Diana was the best decision we could've made for our 1 year old Belgian Malinois/Doberman mix. My boyfriend and I adopted our dog, Beni, unaware of his breed and how it can be challenging at times to care for these high-drive pups. We didn't know how to properly stimulate him and searched YouTube endlessly for methods to get him to settle down, to no avail. When on walks or at the park, he was easily distracted and sometimes reactive to other dogs, (and he often pulled while walking). When he would see a dog or human, he immediately wanted to go to them and play. He was unable to settle down on his own even after exercise and other activities. Within the first week of training, Diana had enlightened us on how to best communicate and work with Beni. We learned how important and rewarding mental stimulation is, especially for our dog's breed. Diana taught us techniques for basic obedience and we began implementing that training into our everyday schedule. We were blown away at how after the first week, Beni was settling down on his own and was more attentive. Every week we were able to work on something new or make progress on a previous lesson. We learned how to walk him so that he doesn't pull, how to keep him engaged, how to teach recall, and much more. We also worked with other dogs to teach Beni how to disengage and greet them properly. Diana really tailored the lessons to our needs while also matching the pace we were working at. If we ever struggled with the execution of something, she would show us the correct way and give so many helpful tips. Every time I handed the leash over to her, I was amazed at Beni's obedience. Diana's truly an expert in this field and has put in the work to be able to properly train dogs and educate owners. We are so glad that we worked with her. We learned more about Beni; what type of training/engagement he responds best to, how to observe his demeanor, and how to make play more rewarding. We can go on long walks and hikes now without stress - he no longer pulls and he isn't reactive to other dogs, even if they bark at him. We bring him to busy areas where he is now able to walk or sit calmly, and he can even be chill right next to another dog. This is something we couldn't have imagined doing before working with Diana. Since our session ended, we continue to implement what we learned and have found that we are well equipped to work towards new goals. To make the most out of the sessions every week, it is so important that you are committed to training your dog every day with the homework Diana gives. She is incredibly knowledgeable and patient, and made sure throughout each session that everything made sense to us. Through diligent application of the homework, Beni learned quickly and we were able to work on a lot of different things. I have so many notes from all the information we learned, so I'm able to look back at them and refresh my memory when I need to. We're so happy to have worked with Diana. It was clear to us that she loves dogs and all of her work comes from an authentic place of wanting to help others. Her knowledge and care helped us to strengthen our relationship with Beni, and we are so much better prepared if we have more dogs in the future. read more

My pup iggy has always had struggles with reactivity with both dogs and people to the point where we feared and were hesitant to go for a walk, have people over etc . To say that it was a stressful time is an understatement. Diana has been nothing but kind to Iggy and has always treated us and iggy with respect. Diana has given us control of our lives again, plans and guidance specific to Iggy's triggers. We never felt pushed or pressured into a certain technique or method and Diana worked around our needs and lifestyle with Iggy. Taking Iggy to the dog beach and letting him be off leash around people and dogs which he has struggled tremendously and why we sought out training in the first place had us in tears! We were so happy to let him have the time of his life and was the best feeling ever. Can't recommend Diana enough and look forward to continue to work with her in the future. read more

Deep Connection K9 Academy - Pet Training Near Me

See all

I highly recommend Deep Connection for any K9 training needs, from basic obedience to problem behaviors or new skills. Diana really understands dogs and what makes them tick. Her friendly, calm energy is just what my 5year old GSD/husky needed to break through to him. Just taking him on a walk used to be a chore with his constant pulling and chasing other animals. Now I can take him anywhere and trust that he will listen to me. Thank you Diana and Deep Connection K9 academy for helping me create a great relationship with my dog Murphy!!!! read more

My dog Gus Gus is reactive. While he listens to commands, he has always been anxious about training. Gus Gus is fearful and aggressive when it comes to new people, and he started to become possessive while in and around the home. Diana was very knowledgeable on how to navigate Gus's unique responses and behavior. She helped me figure out ways to boost his confidence, encourage obedience, and implement tools that could ensure he was relaxed in scary situations and I could host guests in the house safely. I would 100% recommend Diana to people who are struggling with a dog they consider to be a wild card. Gus Gus is a work in progress and we practice training daily, but now I can take him out in public, navigate introductions to new people, and worry less about the possibility of a bite. read more