My girlfriend and I contacted Dominik for some help with our 1.5 year old goldendoodle, Benny. Benny is a great dog but after training him ourselves for the first year or so we still needed to clean up a few areas of concern. We asked Dominik for help with the following: - Leash training. Despite trying to train basic leash skills with Benny it often felt like my girlfriend & I were out on a walk WITH HIM as opposed to the other way around. When he smelled or saw something interesting (plants, trees, stop signs, NYC street food aka chicken bones) he would quickly divert his path to go check that thing out & it would take us quite a bit of convincing to get him back at our side & walking again. - Reactivity to other dogs, and sometimes children, on the street. Benny would typically lay down prone when passing other dogs or children on bikes/scooters, encouraging them to come up to him, and then he would quickly pop up to say hello - sometimes startling the other dog and/or owner. We wanted him to stop with the laying down in the middle of the sidewalk & stop quickly popping up to say hello. - Reactivity to guests (expected or not) & delivery people. Benny would bark and growl anytime someone approached our front door or entered the house. Dominik helped us understand some of the bad habits we were utilizing as handlers and how they played into some of the behaviors we wanted to correct. Since working with Dominik Benny no longer lays down on the street to greet other dogs; he's still very curious and will look in their direction but he remains at our side without breaking stride. Along those lines, our walks are much more enjoyable now that he is obedient on leash, listens to our commands, and maintains eye contact/attention on us throughout our walks. Lastly, our final session was yesterday and we worked specifically on reactivity to unexpected guests and by utilizing place training + a positive reward system Benny was no longer growling at our friend who was there to act as a guest for the training session. Dominik also helped us work on off-leash recall skills & a proper heel position. Not only did he help us become better dog parents; he also helped Benny to be more confident when in new scenarios & improved his overall obedience. Dominik also introduced us to some tools that we were not familiar with (slip lead, clicker training, place board) and somewhat uncomfortable with before he taught us the proper techniques to utilize them (prong collar). We'll be utilizing all of these tools moving forward as they have been a massive aid. After 6 sessions with Dominik we feel more informed, prepared, & confident in continuing Benny's training. We can't thank Dominik enough. read more

Dog Behaviorist - Benny on his place board - Pet Training Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

First and foremost, look no further. I contacted approximately 6 people and immediately knew I wanted Dominick to work with my adorable, dramatic, 3 year old Shiba Inu, Todd. Book your appointments early! He books up quick (he's that great). He is also very personale which is a huge plus. During our consultation he immediately told me that three sessions would be the best package based off of the information I told him. I appreciated his honesty and he the fact he did not try to upsell me. During the first 10/15 minutes of meeting our pup, he provided his diagnosis. Not only that, he taught us something that corrected one of his behaviors before the end of the session. His first session was December 2020. We followed the instructions from the first session until his second session in February 2021. At first the appointments being spread out concerned us but, as soon as he came over, it was seamless and we picked up where we left off. He taught us more techniques and made it clear he was available for any questions until the next session. He implemented effective changes that were easy to teach and transferrable in addressing different behaviors. Todd completed his final session this month and the overall differences are notable. He addressed hand shyness, when company comes over, leash and collar changes, better obedience (shibas are stubborn), walking techniques, reactions/reinforcements, as well as better play techniques. I have already recommended him to a friend. Book him, you won't regret it! read more

Dog Behaviorist - Final days in a harness! - Pet Training Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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I worked with Dominik to help address walking issues with my 4-year old rescue pitbull mix. While her enthusiasm and curiosity are usually lovely qualities, they made our walks frequently stressful, with lots of pulling and unpredictable moves to smell this thing or greet that person. I had tried a variety of collars, harnesses and techniques, to no avail. I had also worked with another trainer, without getting things where we needed to be. My pup and I had three sessions with Dominik, and she is walking like a dream. Dominik's training process was fantastic. He is very clear in explaining his approach. He is extremely calm, and he assessed the situation quickly. I really appreciated that he used our time well, and he mixed demonstrating what to do with also giving me lots of time to practice while he was there, so that he could offer tips and clarifications. I highly recommend Dominik, and will definitely work with him again for any other training needs. read more

Our dog, Ruth, went from being scared, lunging and growling at other dogs to actively wanting to socialize with them thanks to Dominik's training. We booked Dominik for 3 sessions and added on a 4th. Our main focus was to improve Ruth's ability to walk on leash. After just the 1st session, I nearly cried when I walked her. She stayed by my side and didn't even look at other dogs - even the little one that jumped in her face. It was an incredible feeling knowing our dog trusted us and felt confident in her walking. Since she took to training so well, we got to the point of walking her off leash!! Before meeting Dominik that seemed like the impossible. On a personal level, Dom is great! He's super warm, safe to work with during COVID and patiently listened to all of our concerns. We also had lots of laughs during our training sessions. Thank you Dominik!!! We'll always be so thankful to you and how you've changed ours and Ruth's life for the best read more

Dog Behaviorist - Loving off leash thanks to Dominik! - Pet Training Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Dominik is truly one of a kind. I searched and read reviews for a ton of dog trainers before deciding on him to help us with our dog Bella. I was worried that we waited too long because in the past, I made the false assumption that Bella would "outgrow" her behavioral issues but that only made them worse. She was getting more reactive on a leash, pulled me everywhere, refused to walk down blocks that were out of her typical walking routine, and more. It was extremely stressful and I was desperate for help. I knew that waiting even longer before finding the right trainer would make matters worse for Bella. After just ONE session with Dominik, Bella was a whole different dog. He taught us so much about communication and using the right tools (combined with quality training). I will admit, I was nervous about using things like prong collars and e-collars, but now I know they're life-changing tools for dogs, when used with proper guidance and education. Bella is so much more confident now when she goes outside and actually looks to me to know what to do and where to go. I feel much more relaxed knowing that she won't drag me down the block. Training your dog is always a work in progress but I'm way more equipped with the right tools and techniques to help her (and myself). Dominik is very responsive and always makes himself available, even outside of each training session. I definitely recommend him to anyone who wants to work on better communication with their dog, because that's really what it's all about. Trust his expertise! Bella is so glad we did. read more

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I cannot say enough positive words about Dominik and the impact he has had on my 8 month old puppy, in addition to making me feel more confident and comfortable as a dog owner! My dog had severe separation anxiety - in 3 sessions, Dominik was able to teach her how to maintain a calm presence and self-soothe. I am now able to leave my puppy home alone and my life is truly better as a result. Additionally, Dominik taught my dog how to walk properly on a leash (no pulling, no stopping unless I allow her to, etc.) as well as key lessons such as recall, "out", "leave it", "sit", "stay". While I'm thrilled that we've had so much success in such a short period of time, I'm legitimately going to miss working with Dominik! He is truly the best - look no further for an amazing trainer. read more

Long time yelp review reader, first time writer: this is a long post, but keep reading if you're on the fence about investing in your dog's training! Dominik is the second trainer we've worked with although the issues we focused on with both trainers were different. While his rates are significantly lower than the first trainer, the success/attention/ease of understanding/support we got from him vs the first trainer was much more effective for us. Working with Dominik is 1,000% worth it. Think about your dog's best interest rather than your wallet -- they didn't sign up to live in NYC, the land of continuous canine triggers, but you did so give them the tools they need to succeed by calling Dominik and doing the work. He's the best behavioralist in NYC without the extra high price tag. The ROI is not monetary, it's the solidification/strengthening of your relationship with your pup, the most rewarding and invaluable experience. Our 1 year old rescue chihuahua/american bully/dog salad, Ruthie Bernice, leaned into her fearful and stubborn genetic predisposition, during her teenage phase. She wouldn't leave our apartment building, wouldn't go for walks, was traumatically terrified of skateboards and strangers, and was shaking constantly when she wasn't home. Here's where it gets good!!! It only took 2 sessions to get Ruthie walking again. She now walks casually at my side, looks to me to lead her to make the right decisions, and now I know how to handle it if she goes into fear mode so we can continue onward. We can now walk all the way to the park again with ease -- something we haven't done since January. She is pretty chill, doesn't pick up street snacks anymore and walks with a loose leash from start to finish. During the first walk to the park (after our 2nd session), Ruthie looked up at me with full eye contact, tongue entirely out and the biggest smile -- I almost cried, honestly it looked like she was thanking me because she was so happy to be out walking! My dog is back and better than ever!! All of our neighbors and friends have commented on the change in Ruthie's outdoor disposition and it makes my heart so full with pride from the vast transformation she's made in such a short time. Dominik makes dog training/psychology approachable without instilling fear of messing up or shame in the humans, while also being forthcoming about potential risks in your behavior as the leader. THIS is his best quality as a behavioralist, in my opinion. He uses analogies that are relatable to explain the concept of what he's teaching you; it's very helpful in understanding why your dog does what they do. The person in the human/dog relationship is the one responsible for continuing the work Dominik starts, if you're not willing to make changes in yourself, you'll never be able to make changes in your dog's behavior. He was respectful when came to our apartment for the first session (and obviously each subsequent session as well lol) // he offered to take his shoes off, asked about our personal mask protocol and listened intently to our non-professional-dog-psychologist speculations on Ruthie's behavior without judgement. It was great having him come to us so that he could evaluate Ruthie's state of mind and behaviors in her own home and neighborhood. Over the course of the three weeks working with Dominik, he prompted a shift in my thinking about Ruthie's behavioral issues from focusing on the problem itself to focusing on the suggested training tasks which in turn corrected the problem behaviors. Instead of lamenting the things we can't do with her, Ruthie and I now work together to practice her training tools + it totally works. This mindset alteration has been the key in bringing out Ruthie's confidence, happiness and solidifying our bond even further. I'm extra motivated to continue working with Ruthie to lock in the necessary boundaries and rules she needs to live a rad citypup lifestyle :) Thanks, Dominik! read more

Dog Behaviorist - Pet Training Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Before working with Dominik, I was feeling helpless and doubtful that I could create a good life for my 1.5 y/o pit mix in the city. Her play was becoming dominant at the dog park and I didn't know how to train her recall considering she also has a very high prey drive. After working with Dominik for 2 months, I couldn't be happier with the results. My dog is walking calmly on her leash, comes whenever I call her and is able to walk by squirrels without risk of pulling my arm out of the socket. I get lots of compliments about how well-trained my dog is now. I've learned so much and Dominik clearly cares so much about the dogs he works with. Thank you so much!! read more

Dog Behaviorist - My dog, 60 lb pit mix - Pet Training Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Sorry this is long but I don't usually leave reviews and I just have to talk about our amazing experience with Dominik. My partner and I adopted Dusty--a very traumatized, 4 year old cattle dog with a limp--this summer, and it was clear early on that we needed a professional to help him. Dusty definitely had a ROUGH start, with a spinal injury and serious reactivity around cars or even the expectation of the sound of cars (not ideal for a Brooklyn boy!) He would be TERRIFIED on walks, didn't seem to know any obedience, and possibly even lacked basic socialization. So we didn't exactly have high sky-high hopes for the kind of dog he could become: If we could get Dusty to tell us when he had to go outside and maybe hang out with us in the living room instead of hiding in his crate, that would have been fine! Low bar. Enter: Dominik. From early on, we knew that he had the kind of expertise that could really tackle our dog's particular problems (and there were...many problems). He really broke down the barriers we'd faced to training Dusty by pinpointing where certain issues were stemming from to get to the underlying cause of them, and then teaching him the skills that would stick. He also taught us how to redirect Dusty's fear so that he could trust us enough to ignore his own fear triggers. Crucially, Dominik made my partner and I feel less hopeless and more confident when it came to training our dog. We purchased a pack of three sessions, and after every single hour spent with Dominik, we'd say to each other, "Wow, really did not realize Dusty could do that!" Now, Dusty is SO different from the version of himself we first adopted. He is doing better and better on walks every week, he has a big repertoire of tricks, he's happy and excited to go new places. His reactivity is so minimal now--something I just never thought would happen. Dominik helped Dusty (and his owners!) gain a much better quality of life. If you have a dog who needs a good foundation for training, or who has reactivity issues that you just do not know how to deal with, I recommend Dominik so highly. read more

Dog Behaviorist - Pet Training Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

We just wrapped up a 6-session package for our 2-year-old German Shepherd/Beagle mix Bernie, and it was worth every penny. With Dominik, we wanted to fine tune and improve upon Bernie's leash manners, separation anxiety, overexcitement/jumping on people, and recall, as well as address his fear/prey drive of skateboards. Dominik was straightforward, communicative and knowledgeable. He quickly identified key issues and walked us through everything from corrections to using proper equipment, but always explained everything in a way that was easy to understand. After every single session, we noticed a major improvement in Bernie's behavior because Dominik provided us the tools to properly and effectively communicate with Bernie. Dominik taught us to reward Bernie's calm behavior, and to also give Bernie a structured day where he is constantly told what to do because with his combination of breeds, Bernie needs to have a "job" to do the majority of the day. Understanding this was a game-changer for us because now Bernie is calmer and knows how to self-soothe in high-energy situations. If you are thinking about working with Dominik, DO IT! You won't regret it. read more

Our shepherd mix, Dulcie, was aggressive [aka reactive] on leash and with visiting dogs. Dominik helped her feel safer and helped us communicate clearly and correct when necessary. She's now a pleasure to walk and is vastly improved when dogs visit. We used the six-session package which gave us time to watch him model handling and then be coached ourselves. Dominik knows canine behavior, is low-key, humane, and firm. read more

Dominik was wonderful to work with. We did 6 sessions to help with our rescue puppy's separation anxiety and reactivity and I can truly say it's made our lives better. Before, we couldn't leave our dog for more than 1 minute without barking uncontrollably, now we can leave him for hours at a time and we know that he feels safe and as comfortable as he can be. My only regret is not doing this sooner. Our puppy also LOVED Dominik, every time he came over our pup felt so comfortable and excited to work with him which made us feel even better. We also feel way more confident walking him around other dogs whereas before he was very reactive. The 1:1 training is worth every penny and I highly recommend him!! read more

Just finished up an 8-session puppy package with Dominik and couldn't recommend him more highly! He is very knowledgeable and patient - what I'm most grateful for is the patience he's had with me as an owner while I learn critical training methods, how to use training tools, etc. and taking my emails and texts when I have any questions. He never made me feel crazy or that I was asking too much - always acknowledged my concerns and responded with cool, calm, collected answers. I also appreciate his honesty - he never tried to upsell me and he genuinely wants what's best for your dog and you, the owner. And now that our sessions have ended, I feel armed with the necessary information and tools to continue Gus' training moving forward. To get the most out of your sessions, my recommendation is to note specific things you'd like to work on ahead of each training session so Dominik can tailor each session to your needs. That will allow him to bring any necessary tools that may assist your pup for the better! read more

An absolutely fantastic experience. After multiple trainers and weeks of frustration, we thought we would never make progress with our 9 month old lab/pitbull mix. Her leash reactivity and anxiety was just too much, and we had gotten to a place of dreading our daily walks. Within the first 20 minutes, Dominik was able to diagnose our dog's primary issue, and develop a method to work with her that *vastly* improved her walks in a matter of three sessions. Other trainers made us feel hopeless, as if she would never walk well in Brooklyn, and have to avoid dogs the rest of her life. Thankfully, Dominik has gotten us to a place where we know our pup's needs and are confident walking with her in our dog heavy neighborhood. It is like night and day. Seriously: work with Dominik. He knows dogs, takes the time to get to know each one individually, and tailors your training to their exact needs. He's the best. read more

So grateful to have found and worked with Dominik to help with our new puppy Cody. My bf and I rescued our first pup and needed help addressing his fearfulness that was impacting our walks together. After an unfortunate fireworks scare, we were unable to walk Cody past our block for a few months. We tried easy-walk harnesses, lots of treats, and sound desensitizing, but nothing really seemed to work. Dominik taught us how to lead, heel, and place, and showed us ways to improve our relationship with our dog. There already was a huge change after our first session. His approach to training is sensible, firm, and kind. I really recommend him to anyone experiencing behavioral difficulties with their pups! read more

Dog Behaviorist - A happy Cody that loves the park and can walk there without any issues now. We used to have to uber because he was scared.. - Pet Training Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

My fiancé and I rescued a 3 month old Pit/Lab mix, somewhat impulsively... but definitely worth it ;) After bringing our new pup home we kind of looked at each other and realized we had no idea how to raise a puppy. Then came Dominik. Dominik was the perfect trainer not just for our dog, but for us. Since our pup is part Pit, our first priority was to ensure our new pup had basic obedience training and would be a great ambassador for his breed. Dominik has years of experience working with Pits, which was one of the many reasons we chose to work with him. He taught us about the breed, and how to effectively communicate with our pup. We hired Dominik for 6 sessions, which was perfect for our needs. Our puppy, now almost 6 months old, knows how to sit, stay, down, shake, and has a good grasp on recall. We still have work to do to get our dog to off-leash status, but we have made so much progress from the hyper pup we started with. He now responds well to our commands and we've developed a better relationship with our dog. Our lives have been so much easier thanks to Domink's guidance. I recommend his services to anyone I know with a dog, regardless of age. If you have any behavioral issues, or just want to start off your new puppy's life to a great start - Dominik can help you. read more

Dog Behaviorist - Before Dominik, our dog would run like crazy (almost ripping my arm out of its socket). Now he is calm when he goes to the park. - Pet Training Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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We started working with Dominik when we first got our bernedoodle puppy at 10 weeks old. I'm honestly not sure what we would have done without him. During the training sessions he taught our puppy in 60 min what would have taken us weeks/months to try and do. He took time to understand both mine and my fiancé's needs and of course our puppy's needs and thoughtfully created a training schedule from there. After each session there was a clear and noticeable change in our pup - to the point where we often get stopped on the street and people ask who our trainer is. Dominik is knowledgeable, professional, and also respectful of all Covid-19 protocols throughout this time. On top of the in-person sessions, Dominik never hesitated to respond to questions we had when we weren't training. If you're looking for a trainer or someone to trust with your pup - I'd highly recco Dominik. And our puppy Theo is obsessed with him too! read more

I recently rescued a 3 year old adult dog named Bonnie (beagle, terrier, lab mix). She is a well behaved dog in many ways but we were having issues with her jumping on other dogs/people, rushing the doorbell and listening to my command/authority. I researched and found Dominik and am so glad that I did!!! Bonnie immediately took to Dominik and he helped me figure out how *I* should train my dog and not the other way around. Through 3 sessions, we were able to curb a lot of the unwanted behavior and Bonnie seemed to really enjoy it too. Dogs love direct commands and it as much of a learning experience for me as well. Really recommend and makes a huge difference to me and to Bonnie! read more

Dog Behaviorist - Pet Training Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Dominic is THE BEST. Our little Frenchie is extremely dominant, demanding, and can be mean to our other male who is older. She showed signs of being able to learn skills prior to working with Dominic but she is so stubborn. He first asserted who was boss and created a new hierarchy. He then showed us the proper ways to walk her and keep her in line using the right kind of collar. She is such a great dog to walk now and we feel we have the tools to keep both her and us happy. I am no longer worried about her behavior with other dogs. For the first time, I can bring her to the dog park for socialization. She is 4 years old, so it's never too late to teach a dog how to behave. read more

We started working with Dominik since we got our Australian Shepherd puppy Ludi at 8 weeks. It was the first time for my boyfriend and I having our own dog. Knowing that Aussies are a very demanding breed, we wanted to be sure to train him properly early on. Dominik has been instrumental in educating Ludi to a well behaved dog. We've prepared specific topics we wanted to work on in each session upfront and communicated to Dominik. Based on these topics, Dominik suggested in which location to do the training in and what to prepare. Some lessons we had at our home, others outside in the park. We saw big improvements after every single lesson. Dominik takes time to first understand the dog by observing his behavior and then works together with you on developing training techniques that are tailored to your dog and also to your personality. Even outside of the training sessions Dominik is always there for advice. We can highly recommend Dominik to anyone who gets a new pup or needs help in training a dog. He is dedicated, experienced and reliable and thanks to him, our pup is now very obedient and well behaved so we can trust him in any environment. read more

Dog Behaviorist - Ludi - Pet Training Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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I recently became a first time dog owner to a Cockapoo puppy. I had no idea it would be this much work. I couldn't walk him outside because he would try to go in every direction and make walks a nightmare. I couldn't leave him at home because he would bark nonstop if left alone. These were very big problems. Enter Dominik. From the get go, Dominik instilled confidence in us that he knew his stuff. We were never pressured to buy more lessons than necessary. Within a very short time frame, a few weeks, Dominik helped transform our puppy into a well behaved good boy. Walks are now fun. He has learned how to stay at home alone without barking nonstop. All thanks to Dominik. If you are struggling with your dog and need an expert to teach you how to fix whatever the issue may be, I highly recommend Dominik. read more

Dog Behaviorist - A good boy! - Pet Training Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

After waiting two months for my appointment with Dominik, he cancelled on me the morning of because of a family emergency. It was a text just saying that he needed to cancel, not one saying that he needed to reschedule! RED FLAG NUMBER ONE. I reached out to him the next day. He then scheduled a virtual consultation with me and said he would email me the link an hour before our session. 15 minutes before the session, I had yet to receive the link! RED FLAG NUMBER TWO. I, AGAIN, reached out to him asking for the link. We had our consult and he agreed to meeting my dog the following Monday at 10am. The night before our scheduled meet, I , AGAIN, reached out asking what I should/shouldn't do before our session. NO ANSWER. RED FLAG NUMBER THREE. Hours later, I messaged him ONCE AGAIN, and I finally got a response. The following morning, I called out of work in order to make time for the session...ONLY TO HAVE HIM CANCEL ON US 30 MINUTES BEFORE OUR ONE-ON-ONE! The reason this time was the same as the last... WORD FOR WORD!  RED FLAG NUMBER FOUR!!!! Don't get your hopes up when you schedule a training session months in advance with him. It will be wasted time that could be spent with a RESPONSIBLE  trainer! read more

I highly recommend Dominik to anyone who's having issues with their dog. He had a great training plan for my rescue Husky and accomplished more with him than I ever thought possible read more

Dom is really great. He has given me the knowledge and most importantly the confidence on how to work with my dog. As a first time dog owner, I was overwhelmed to the point of tears with the various behavior issues my rescue exhibited after adoption. I appreciated that at our initial consultation Dom was confident in his ability to help us but was also clear about what realistic rates of progress would look like. With me being clearly desperate for help, I really appreciated that Dom was kind and matter of fact, confident in his abilities without ever overselling himself. Based on this, I decided to purchase 10 sessions upfront and have been very happy ever since. Dom has been consistent kind, calm, and patient yet firm and my dog has really responded to his approach. The very first session Dom had him politely walking on his leash, a behavior I had failed to achieve for a whole year! Now almost 6 months later my dog still follows through with this, because Dom made sure I had the tools to do this on my own. This focus on training both the dog and the owner has been the key to our long term success. Again, very happy with all the progress we've made and I will definitely be purchasing follow-up sessions in the future. read more

I have a puppy shiba inu and Dom taught me with basic puppy training which included sitting, leave it. We purchased a total of 3 classes and the last class we went to the doggie park. It was overall a very good experience having Dom as my puppys trainer and will continue to use his service when we need in the future! read more

Dog Behaviorist - Pet Training Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Dominik gave us our sanity back. We adopted our puppy Riley from a local rescue. A few months later we noticed she had a few bahavioral issues. The biggest being fear/aggression. This made everyday life very challenging. Taking her on a walk, a dog park, or near a busy road was a nightmare. We had no experience on how to deal with these issues. Desperate to change this behavior and have some normalcy back in our lives, I searched for a dog behaviorist in Brooklyn and Dominik popped up in my search. I sent him a detailed email about Riley and the challenges we were facing, anxiously awaiting to see if he could help us. He replied within a day and very confidently expressed he had experience with dogs who had this behavior and wanted to meet her for a consultation. After meeting with Riley, Dominik offered to have our first session right away and assured us he could help. We opted to go with 6 sessions first. After the first 2, we had already seen some serious improvement and were so excited to keep the momentum going. Not only does Dominik show wonderful patience with both the dog and the owners, he has a remarkable way of explaining what he is doing, why he is doing it and how the dog perceives it. He is also extremely flexible. After our 6th session we decided to sign Riley up for an additional 4, at Dominik's recommendation, but he never pressured us into it which we really appreciated. We were so happy with the progress made that we wanted to focus on some smaller issues we began to notice after the fear/agression behavior was under control. I tell anyone I encounter who has a dog with any issues to reach out to Dominik because I can't say enough good things about him!! Thank you Dominik! We are forever grateful. read more

Dog Behaviorist - Pet Training Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Dominik is fabulous. We started working with him when our Duck Tolling Retriever was about a year old. We had been struggling with her walking/leash anxiety - she is a stubborn thing and would refuse to walk long distances, especially around loud noises and when other dogs were approaching us. Living in New York City, we tried tirelessly to train her out of this, but after a year of trying, we knew something had to change. Dominik arrived and within the first 30 minutes of our evaluation - yes, you saw that right, 30 minutes - he had our puppy walking in a heel and passing dogs with no problem. Since then, her confidence has completely transformed - we are now able to take her on long walks in the city without her anxiety getting the best of her. Dominik is knowledgeable, professional, responsive, and always checking in . Would highly, highly recommend. read more

Dominik is the best! He was recommended to me from my brother and I booked immediately. He started seeing my puppy from 4 months on and he is a dog whisperer! He is there to train not only the dog but you so you can continue the behaviors after he leaves. We have seen such strides in training (sit, down, leave it, place, touch, leash walking, bird distractions, etc). He answers your questions and concerns in a timely manner and tells you the proper things you need to buy or do for your pup read more

Dominik is a life saver. We got Yuki, a cream Shiba Inu, when he was a 10 week old puppy but he was extremely anxious and scared of just about everyone and everything. I read that Shibas were a real challenge training already but add on the fact I was a first time dog owners and Yuki's anxiety just drove me crazy. I had tried taking Yuki to Petco and Petsmart but that was a no-go from the first couple of sessions. I knew instantly that Yuki needed someone more hands on and willing to put in the effort and expertise in training him. In comes Dominik and my fears as well as Yuki's were put at ease. Dominik is really knowledgeable about a dog's social behaviors, anxieties and everyday training. He brought out the best friend that I wanted in Yuki and slowly built up my confidence in being an owner. read more

Dominik is awesome! We adopted our rescue puppy Otis at 10 weeks and spent the next 2 months trying and failing to get some of his basic behavioral issues under control. We finally decided to seek some professional help, and I'm so glad we did! I had started to feel like I would never see improvement on his play biting and leash walking, but after just 4 sessions with Dominik we saw tremendous progress on both fronts. He also helped us strengthen our "place" command to start building up towards actually having Otis hang out calmly while we relaxed on the couch, rather than always having to go in his crate to prevent him from being destructive when we couldn't be giving him our full attention. Dominik's kind but firm approach worked so well for our slightly stubborn, high energy pup, and it was easy tell from the first few minutes that Otis liked Dominik and was eager to please him! Dominik got immediate results with him, and made it clear that progress was about training the owners even more than training the dog. We've still got work to do with Otis but I now feel totally confident that we have the tools to turn him into an awesome, well-behaved dog. If any other behavioral problems arise in the future, I will definitely reach out to Dominik again. read more

Great, Great just great! Prior to taking a much needed trip, I needed someone capable who I could trust to walk my extremely leash reactive german shepherd and upon coming across Dominik I decided to give him a try. I really couldn't be more happier or ask for a more positive experience, the guy is great with dogs, extremely knowledgeable and I did not expect the results I saw with my dog after introducing him to Dominik. He was able to successfully manage and control my dogs reactivity while taking him out for his walks, he instilled corrective techniques and worked with my dog with utmost patience and exhibited a high degree of professionalism. My dog seems to be visibly more happy and his entire demeanor seems to be shifting. I am happy to say that I look forward to many future sessions with Dominique and would 100% recommend him for taking care of your dog no matter their temperament. read more

Dominik basically changed our lives. My partner and I rescued a puppy in the fall and by winter time we were very discouraged due to her fearful and aggressive behaviors. It was nearly impossible to walk her as she was afraid of every little noise or movement on the street. She also barked and pulled with any other dog we came across on walks. We felt defeated and thought we might have made a mistake by bringing this pup into city life. We first tried a group basic training class and that was a flop. She couldn't even concentrate because of the other dogs around and the trainer couldn't handle our case. So we searched a bit more and found Dominik! We had a phone chat and then he agreed to meet us at our home for a consultation. After a walk around the block with our pup, I knew he was the trainer we needed. Dominik was very patient with us and is excellent in explaining his methods. With just a few sessions, we were able to walk our dog on a loose leash with no strong arming or bribing. We have worked on a variety of issues and have made vast improvements in all areas. Dominik is an amazing teacher and very talented. We seriously can't thank him enough for changing our lives and helping make our pup the happiest she's been. She had a rough start to this life and it brings me to tears (happy) to know she's comfortable and carefree now. It is with a strong recommendation to contact Dominik if you have any dog training needs. read more

Wonderful experience! My small sized, older rescue, had many issues. He still has some, but after just 3 seasons with Dominik, the difference in his behavior is remarkable. He is now, without all that worry, much more fun to walk. He also has learned to respond to commands,... something I might have thought nearly impossible. Dominik's calm demeanor is conducive to the training, and I am a happy customer. read more

Dom is great. Within minutes of the first session, I realized that my wildest expectations for my dog, Rothko, were too low. Dom helped my wife and I meet our real dog. He told us it would only take three sessions and by the end of the third it felt like the way forward was really clear and there wasn't much left to do. Dom also helped train us. We couldn't always get the same results as him. In those moments, he worked with my wife and me on how our behaviors were affecting our pup. He's tough, but fair, and really helped us realize that expecting more from our dog isn't just good for us, but good for Rothko. read more

We decided on the puppy a package after reading a few reviews and are so happy we did. Our Corgi has been a handful from the day we got him but thanks to Dominik he's been a manageable handful. The package was a great way to get our puppy off on a good start on the basics which we've been able to keep working on even after the last class. We learned so much more from having hands on experience with a great trainer than what we could watching some random video. Would recommend. read more

We contacted Dominik because our sweet dog Emma was struggling with anxiety issues that were so bad she refused to go to the bathroom outside. We had tried two other trainers but both only focused on training pups through treats for good behavior, which did not work for our Emma, as she was too scared to even take a treat once she saw a truck or heard loud city noises. Dominik helped us establish a dominance hierarchy with Emma that led to her trusting us and showed us that what we thought was letting her be a carefree puppy was actually not providing the guidance she needed and causing her anxiety. He showed us that gently correcting her and providing structure are the best things we could do to help her feel safe on noisy NYC streets. He is also very reasonably priced, and never pushed additional sessions on us (we went with the six pack of sessions). Dominik's methods work, and we would absolutely use him again if additional problems arose with Emma in the future. read more

Dominik is a really great trainer. I was having some behavioral issues with my German Shepherd puppy and he gave me assurance that these were common problems among puppies, that my dog was not a bad dog and the steps I needed to take control. His balanced training methods of positive enforcement and corrections gave our puppy the necessary structure he needed. He showed me his methods of being calm but assertive towards my puppy and within the first lesson, I saw immediate results. His training gave me the foundation every dog should have. He's very knowledgeable and a down to earth guy. Could not be happier, highly recommend! read more

Dominik was excellent with my sometimes anxious, fear-biting, 8 year old rescue shih tzu. Did an excellent job helping me adapt my own behavior to better help the little guy. He showed me techniques to handle and challenge my dog. After three sessions, my dog is calmer, happier, and clearly feels more secure. Dominik was calm and reassuring with him, and we also worked on sit and stay, to challenge his mind and create confidence. I know and understand my dog much better than I did before, and handle him with greater assurance. There's been a big improvement. read more

We had a puppy from a rescue and we had some issues with house training going outside walking on a leash and just general behavior. Dominik came worked with us did a fabulous job with her she's a totally different dog after our training sessions. He's very kind good with the animals he commands their respect as soon as he comes to the door she always listened to him. Sometimes even I felt like she was a different dog when he was here. I would recommend him for anybody who needs dog training in your home. His price is very reasonable and fair and very easy to work with. read more

I searched the web for a dog trainer and came across Dominik's website. After seeing his success stories I knew he was a great match for my dog Buster. After a few session I now have a more confident, obedient and happy dog. I can have guests over at my apartment and Buster is no longer scared and aggressive. I would totally recommend Dominik to a friend. He is amazing!!! read more