Aimee is an outstanding trainer. She works with your pets with a compassion and love that is unmatched. First started working with her about 10 years ago with our dog Ziggy and she made a huge difference. He became the sweetheart of the Neighbourhood. read more

I won't lie to you I was VERY hesitant at first. I didn't know how they could have so many good reviews, but I'm so so happy I gave Dogpanion a chance. Aimee and her team are AMAZING. My dog Walter needed some basic training and hopefully to get a head start on some service dog training before we made a big move. From the start Aimee was very honest and laid everything out clearly. I was impressed after each session just seeing the improvement in my boy. On top of that it's very affordable for the great quality training. The Dogpanion team is very passionate about what they do and they are darn good at it. I couldn't suggest a better training business for you and your furbaby! read more

Dogpanion - Pet Training Near Me

Aimee trains all facets of puppyhood! Flexible schedule. Available to answer all questions. Recommended to me.

Mel at Dogpanion was an absolute dream to work with. From the start, she was incredibly professional, detail-oriented, punctual, perceptive, and thorough. She provided me with the tools to train my fluffer to become my service dog as an already 5 year old doggo. While in-person, she was patient, gave clear direction with cues to give and how to correct was cues are ignored, and equally important, her follow-ups were fabulous. After each session, she'd send me an email detailing what we went over, how to do it, how to progress through the week(s) until our next session, provided videos of examples of how to do it, and then was always available for any questions that I had in between sessions. Of course, I give a lot of credit to Buddy, who always had the nature to be a service dog, but I can't thank Mel enough for helping to get us there. Such a wonderful experience working with a consummate professional and reputable trainer. read more

I really enjoyed working with Mel. My husband and I adopted a 3 month old boxer puppy who had to learn everything and struggles with separation anxiety. Mel met with us weekly to gauge how he was doing, show me some new tips, and always followed up with emails and handouts I could use during the week of training. She showed me how to break things down into smaller steps so he could learn what I wanted, and how to deal with some undesirable behaviors - like incessant attention-seeking barking. He is so smart, and being able to see all the progress we've made with Mel's help has been so much fun. I highly recommend her for your private training needs. read more

Dogpanion - Pet Training Near Me

We had Aimee Burton of Dogpanion come and train us. She came on time, and spent as much time as needed, until we understood what the homework was. She solved some mysteries for us - like I didn't understand why my puppy barked at some toys. Aimee told us the puppy was frustrated and showed us how to help her - which made a big difference. Our biggest frustration with the puppy was her going after my kids (i.e., nipping at their feet) - Aimee demonstrated what to do and we all got to practice with her. We had a few other concerns and Aimee showed us how to work on each one of them. I know there are plenty of YouTube videos out there. The problem is you don't always know which one is effective, and when it doesn't work, you don't have anyone assessing why it's not working & how to correct it. This is one investment you have to make for you and your dog. One consultation with Aimee has made a big difference in our mindset. She has helped us feel more confident and not so overwhelmed. We are so thankful for her and can't wait to have her back for more training sessions. read more

Mel was wonderful for Kenobi, our Pembroke Welsh Corgi puppy, who was just about 1 year old when he started training with Dogpanion. Mel gave us a customized training plan. Her plan adapted over the time Kenobi trained with her based on his progress and emergent behaviors. Mel communicated clearly with us and provided practical tips and homework for Kenobi. We weren't sure if Kenobi was mature enough to pass the AKC Canine Good Citizen(CGC) test, but Mel continued to encourage us to practice at home what he was learning with her. Mel truly cared about Kenobi and he loved being with her during the training times. Kenobi has a strong foundation to build on. We continue to use the training principles she taught us in our ongoing training with Kenobi. And yes, Kenobi pass his exam and is an AKC certified CGC dog! read more

My boyfriend and I adopted Leo, our 8 weeks old lab shepard mix, 2 months ago. We are both first time dog owners, and despite research, we didn't know where to begin with training. We decided to hire a trainer, and we definitely do not regret it. Mel was super helpful in teaching us about puppy training. She helped us learn the foundations using only positive reinforcements, and at the end of our 6 sessions, Leo was crate trained, able to signal to go potty, and able to perform numerous commands. Mel was also understanding, and we could tell she truly wanted Leo to learn and grow to be a great dog companion. She is professional and very resourceful. We really appreciate her help and would recommend her to anyone who needs help with training their puppy! read more

Mel does a fantastic job training your puppy! She is incredibly informative and is patient teaching any owner on how to train your pup. She's reasonable, personable, and loved that she helped us train our dog Tank! She's great with Pitbull's too. Highly recommend her to train any breed of any dog or puppy! read more

As an owner of a breed of dog (beagle) that is notorious for being independent and hard to train, we decided to go with Mel at Dogpanion upon learning that she has two beagles herself. Although we attended a group class, Mel and Becca took the time to work individually with each dog to focus on areas that need improvement. The difference between the first and last day was so shocking it's like I went home with a different dog at the end of the course. Highly recommend!! read more

Dogpanion - Beemo socializing with his beagle classmates! - Pet Training Near Me

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Being new puppy parents, we knew we had to find a trainer to educate Binxy (and us) in our new family ways. However, the global lock down meant that we could not use traditional face-to-face training methods and would, instead, need remote training. After some research we were fortunate enough to find Mel Reichek of Dogpanion. Mel proved to be a superb trainer. Working with us through video chat, Mel could see our dog, and she also had a pair of her own dogs to use as perfect role models (something for our little guy to aspire to). We had a series of puppy classes with Mel. Mel structured the classes so that we could learn from her with demonstrations, and following she sent us homework to work on privately with Binxy. We met once per week. Following the first session Mel invited us to text her with questions in between classes; for more complex issues Mel would talk to us on the phone. Mel was very patient with us, answering our questions and steering us through the inevitably weird behaviors that little puppies have, all with her signature good humor. Mel has a great personality, is fun to work with, and is really encouraging to new puppy parents. Our puppy is still small and has a lot to learn but with Mel's help, Binxy is on his way to being a very good boy! We will be working with Mel again on the next stages of training as our little guy gets older. Mel is simply the best! read more

Dogpanion - Pet Training Near Me

I rescued two wonderful but challenging dogs and I was struggling with their behavior. Stephanie helped me learn how to be a better dog mom and gave me lots of tools to help with their anxiety and over-enthusiasm. I have used the tools that Stephanie taught me to help my dogs adjust to the arrival of my first child. We have all been able to blend together as a family thanks to what I learned from Stephanie. read more

Mel is the best, we are so happy that we decided to complete private training sessions with her! We got our first puppy at 8 weeks old and wanted to set him up for success, Mel was the perfect match for us due to her calm and compassionate demeanor, flexibility, and genuine care for our pup! She constantly adjusted the training plan and lessons based off of our needs. We get compliments on our puppy's behavior and feel comfortable bringing him almost anywhere. We worked on everything from crate training, basic commands, leash walking, and she gave us valuable advice for desensitizing him to new sounds/places and preventing barking. We will definitely call Mel if anything comes up as he gets older, but we are confident and grateful for the comprehensive and individualized training base she gave us over 6 weeks. We will definitely be recommending her to all of our friends with pups! read more

I reached out to Mel at Dogpanion when my Lab puppy was about 10 weeks old. His extreme energy and puppy tendencies were REALLY challenging me, and I couldn't imagine waiting 'til after he was fully vaxxed to get him into group obedience. Mel was able to work him into her schedule almost immediately, totally saving my sanity and his behavior. The Puppy Start Right package allowed us to get the basics while still focusing on my dog's specific needs - she took extra care to work on his areas of weakness and make our home more calm and equipped to deal with those struggles. Mel was able to adjust the typical schedule to hit the high-priority items when needed most and work on lower priority lessons later. She provided tons of follow-up resources for reference later, and she checked in between lessons to see how we were progressing. The Puppy Start Right package was a great value for the cost (and Mel's time), and it was a no-brainer investment into my dog's long-term mannerisms and behavior. Working with Mel, I feel I got the right tools to be patient and consistent with my dog as he learns and help him be obedient and focused. read more

Mel is amazing. My 5mo old French bull dog has high anxiety; we were worried that outings would not be possible. Mel taught us ways to deal with his anxiety and made realistic suggestions as to how we could get him to relax in public. We've already implemented the techniques and see the results, truly remarkable. Mel understands how dogs communicate and was able to guide us in ways we didn't expect. Mel also taught my puppy "manners" and basic commands that we use everyday. Thank you Mel!! read more

Dogpanion - Mel teaching Gus to "touch" - Pet Training Near Me

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It was an absolute pleasure working with Mel! Our pup Friar got so excited every time she came over. She is so kind & helped answer any questions or concerns we had. Mel spent as much time with us as she felt was needed for Friar. He learned so much & life is so much easier with him well trained! Would recommend Mel to anyone! read more

TL;DR: DEFINITELY contact Mel if you're looking for a highly effective and understanding dog trainer! I wholeheartedly recommend Mel (the owner and trainer of Dogpanion Training) for anyone who wants to have a happy, well-behaved dog and to establish a strong, positive relationship with his/ her furry companion. Mel's puppy day school (http://www.dogpaniondogtraining.com/puppy-day-school/) was the absolute, best-possible answer to my extensive search for a program that would provide positive-reinforcement training and socialization for puppies under 4 months old (aka not done with puppy shots) during the work day. As a then 11-week-old husky-mix, our puppy Taco was very intelligent but easily bored, often nervous around new dogs, and possessed some typical undesirable puppy behaviors (mouthiness and low frustration tolerance) that we hoped a full-time program would help address from the get-go. We enrolled Taco in puppy day school Nov-Dec 2018, 4 days a week, and have seen Taco transform from a little alligator to a happy, well-behaved puppy who licks instead of bites and from a pup who would hug the walls during puppy socials to a confident fellow who proactively asks his peers for play. While Taco knew basic commands prior to starting day school, Mel perfected his behavior even with distractions, such as waiting patiently at the door while the door is open, and introduced new, good behaviors, such as walking calmly on a loose leash. Under Mel's tutelage, Taco even passed his AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy Certification test at the end of his puppy day school tenure! Not only did Mel do an amazing job training Taco, I appreciated the pictures and short videos of Taco's activities that Mel texted me throughout the day every day and also her helpful emails with training guides and "homework" that I could reinforce at home. Mel also graciously offered her time outside of the day school to teach my partner and I how to communicate better with Taco and perfect his tricks like "rollover". She also provided recommendations for places where we could safely socialize Taco and develop his confidence in new environments. Even since I've left the San Diego area, Mel has generously reviewed trainers in my area to provide my partner and I with great recommendations for where we could continue Taco's education. Thanks again for all of your fantastic work and support, Mel! read more

Dogpanion - PC: Mel -- Taco during training! This is an example of one of many great photos I received from Mel during Taco's day school attendance. - Pet Training Near Me

If we could give Mel at Dogpanion 10 stars we would! I don't know where to begin...She is the best dog trainer in San Diego!! We started working with Mel when our golden retriever pup, Baelin, was 14 weeks old. We were at our wits end with him, as he wasn't responsive to the training techniques we had used with our previous golden retrievers. With our first training session, we could already see results with Baelin. We each week's private training, Mel provided follow-up emails with videos and a summary of our training sessions. I still reference those follow-up emails. Our Baelin is now 29 weeks old, and we are very happy with his progress!!! Mel is very very good at what she does, and her love for animals is evident in her positive approaches to training. Thank you Mel for all of your guidance and help!! read more

Genuinely 5 star - Mel was a fantastic trainer for both my puppy and myself. Coming into it with no pet training experience, Mel was good at illustrating dog mentality and how they think and react to different behaviors. She did her job really well, and was exception in many fields, being: - Flexible; Mel adapts to you and your doggo's schedule well. - Well-planned, yet adaptive: We started off with an evaluation and a breakdown of what the puppy needed, and that shifted depending on emerging behaviors and my wants. - Understanding, and very sweet: Mel is warm and non-judgmental, and made me feel less like an idiot training for the first time. Anytime I needed to postpone or switch things up, she was happy to adjust. - She like musical theatre. read more

Look no further for a dog trainer, Mel is the best. She is passionate, patient, and excellent with animals. In the short time that we have used her we have seen results and a more disciplined dog. She cares so much about your animal that she is always available for consultation over the phone. She has boarded and trained our dog when my family went on vacation and sent follow up videos and photos of our puppy on our vacation. We look forward to a long term relationship with Mel and our adorable and well trained puppy. read more

Dogpanion - Pet Training Near Me

We did 3 private sessions with Mel for our 4 month old Beagle. We were mostly concerned about our dog jumping up on/biting our kids. We gained many skills as owners & our dog is well on his way to being controlled/good listener. Thank you Mel for working with us, we're seeing immediate, dramatic results! read more

Dogpanion - Pet Training Near Me

Mel worked with our 5-month-old poodle puppy and 8-yr-old daughter with amazing results. Her communication style is direct and clear. She makes great use of your time with. We got so much done over a few sessions! The Relaxation Protocol she taught us, the resources for homework, and the careful Covid-safe time she spent in our house and on our block were successful, enriching, and stress free. From the first session little tips about how we were working with the dog helped us improve our interactions with him. She helped the calm and sweet rise from the crazy puppy energy. Mel is a gifted professional and her love of dogs and their people is abundant. read more

Mel is an amazing dog trainer. We had her come to the house the day after we got our Pomsky. Within the first visit, Maui learned his name and how to "sit". Mel is not only great dog trainer, she is a wonderful people trainer. She demonstrated enormous amounts of patience, kindness when teaching our 10 year old and 13 year old children how to work with Maui. She used a more loving and positive behavioral approach in training Maui. He just passed his Basic Obedience and is on the road to becoming a Service Dog working with special needs children. I can't thank her enough for all her hard work, dedication, support and kindness. We are highly recommending her to everyone!! read more

Mel trained our 9 week old female Vizsla puppy, Ruby, through her board and train program. Ruby lived with Mel for 17 days. Mel has a great property with a large yard. She trains using positive reinforcement which allowed us to feel 100% comfortable with how Ruby was treated/trained. Ruby learned go to bed, leave it, come, drop, down, sit, and stay. Ruby also didn't like barriers before going to Mel. Mel helped Ruby's barrier frustration lessen and she is now OK when we leave her in crate or a confined area. We did training sessions with Mel to understand and practice the commands. Ruby responded beautifully and continues to listen this day. We recommend Mel as a well respected and knowledgeable trainer. read more

Dogpanion - Pet Training Near Me

Day 2 Practiced the commands to stop the barking when they hear a knock. A+ Then rang the doorbell. Two times. First time took about 10 seconds to stop barking. The second time the barking stopped quickly. B+ Miracle! Front door open. Front gate locked. Twice a person walked by. Both times the commands stopped their barking. I was in the front office and it still worked. A++ Also took all three to the vet for nail trims. When others dogs came in, the commands stopped my dogs from barking. I was shocked! --------------- Day 1. 1st Practice, three hours after Mel Left. 15 year old Pretty Papillon Rescue, four year old Poochie Rescue, two year old Honey Rescue. Prior to Out of control!!! at the front door when guests arrive. Mel taught me the correct words to say, when to reward, and on our first practice after she left: IT WORKED! Day 1. Practice 1. So encouraging! I've had Huskies and Chihuahuas. This is the first time I've hired a trainer. Wellllllllllll worth it! read more

Dogpanion - Top: Pretty Middle: Honey Bottom: Poochie. - Pet Training Near Me

Mel is amazing!! My doggy is a good boy but being a pandemic puppy, he's not very socialized. I have learned a lot and noticed a difference in my dog's behavior pretty quickly. I love that her follow up emails are detail oriented and it makes it easy to understand the daily training exercises. Thank you Mel for helping me teach my boy some manners!! read more

If there was any way to give more than 5 star's I would do it. Mel's guidance has enabled us to effectively train our Shih Tzu puppy. We finished the first set of classes and not only understood our dog better but had a lot of fun in the process. Mel is patient and wonderful to work with and covers situations for everyone in the family from adults to the kids. The handouts and homework we get to work on are great to implement and we're very excited for the next set of classes.. If you truly want to train your puppy / dog through positive reinforcement then I would absolutely recommend Dogpanion and Mel. read more

I highly recommend Mel and her training! My Manchester Terrier Sadie did very well in her classes and passed her Canine Good Citizen test. I had some scheduling difficulties, and Mel was very accommodating and helpful to us. read more

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Worked on Canine Good Citizen training with my dog and Mel. She is very thorough, patient and fun to work with. There is always homework but much to accomplish and you do! read more

Mel and Beck are absolutely incredible. We were enrolled in their puppy class. Our crazy pup is now well trained, learning all of the basic commands and is more appropriate with other dogs as well. The style of teaching is both patient and fun. Additionally, they went over other aspects of dog health that were very helpful. I highly recc Dogpanion to anyone who has a puppy that needs training. this made all of the difference in allowing us to be able to walk on a leash with our dog, come on command, stay, and much more. The classes are held in very small groups in a comfortable and relaxed setting. They also do private sessions where they will come to your house for extra help if needed. read more

Mel was an outstanding and effective trainer! We did both 1-on-1 home visits when our puppy was 9 or 10 weeks old to make sure we started off on the right paw and then worked with Mel again in a group Canine Good Citizen class. Mel really knows the intricacies of dog training and, more importantly, dog behavior. She really helped us understand the "why"s of what we were doing in training and how our pup would understand and learn. Not only did we quickly learn a lot of the actual coursework, but we also learned *how* our pup learns, meaning when we were done with classes, we were well equipped to continue learning and working. Mel has an obvious and contagious passion for dog training and really wanted to make sure we (and our pup!) were successful. Our pup would sit with rapt attention the second she walked in the door and we could tell he adored working with her. Couldn't recommend more! read more

We signed up for Mel's puppy program, and immediately noticed a significant improvement in our puppy's behavior. Mel is excellent at training humans how to interact with their dogs. It was well worth the investment to ensure our puppy grows into a responsible member of our household. read more

We did puppy class for our 6-mo labradoodle Peanut. Mel is very knowledgeable about puppies and she and her partner did a great job teaching us and the puppies. My pup always looks forward to the lessons on Sunday. The class is well structured with socialization first and then some basic commands. We highly recommend Dogpanion for any first-time puppy owner! read more

Mel has been great with our guy Cooper. She is well informed and makes it easy for new dog owners. Our dog has responded well to everything we've been taught and it's made a world of difference. read more

We are so happy that we worked with Mel and did her Puppy Start Right package. She was patient, kind, and extremely knowledgeable. My fiancé and I both grew up with dogs, but Scout is our first puppy. After adopting, we were a little overwhelmed by all the various training videos and material out there. Having personal, one-on-one sessions was incredible. Mel helped us learn so much and build a really great foundation. We can't recommend her enough! read more

Mel is an amazing trainer! She tought my 3 month old puppy all basic commands in 2 weeks. She knows how to make your dog listen and learn! Very professional and always available for questions. Teddy loves her and missed her. Highly recommended!!! read more

Mel was absolutely amazing. We got our cattledog blend puppy two months ago and she is super energetic and intelligent. We knew we had to harness that energy and help her to be the best puppy possible. Mel is absolutely the best choice to make that happen. After just a few weeks she was doing sit, stay, come, friendly greetings, potty trained, and much much more. None of this would have been possible without Mel. Mel is friendly, flexible and full of advice for new puppy parents! We can't recommend her any more highly! read more

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I was in need of a dog trainer for things like sit, stay, to stop jumping, stopping with paws on the counter, etc. I found Mel's flyer and decided to do a consultation; I'm so glad I did!! Mel is definitely a "dog" person!! She is so patient with dogs and humans, her instructions are very clear during the session and sends notes via email after the lesson, is reasonable, and best of all, we are seeing great results after two training sessions!! She comes to our house on a day/time that worked for our schedule and takes credit cards!! I highly recommend her services!!!! read more

Working with Mel has been a HUGE help. She is very knowledgeable, friendly, and easy to work with. My 6 month old shepherd mix pup made huge improvements within just the first session. She is always willing to answer any questions outside the sessions and I would highly recommend Dogpanion! I had a great experience and am so happy with all of the progress Jax has made. read more

We are so lucky that we found Mel to work with us and our sweet, high energy labradoodle puppy, Cody. I wish I could give more than 5 stars! We were initially overwhelmed with the high energy of our puppy Cody, but right from the start Mel understood our training goals for Cody and developed a plan to get us there. She has provided day care / training when we needed additional support. Mel has taught us so much about dog behavior and how to respond to what our dog is communicating. As a result, we have seen amazing progress with Cody in a very short time. It is so clear that Mel loves all dogs and that her heart is in bringing out the best in our furry buddies. Under Mel's guidance Cody achieved his STAR puppy certificate, and is on his way to Canine Good Citizen. If you are looking for the best dog trainer ever, look no further! read more