5 stars -- Empire State K-9 changed my dog -- and honestly, changed me, too. I don't write reviews like this often. But this deserves it. My dog Coco is family. She's also high-energy, distractible, reactive, social to a fault -- the mayor of every block. Walking her was a full-time job. I'd resigned myself to always having a leash-yanking, sidewalk-sprinting, bird-chasing kind of pup. Then I found Empire State K-9. After almost two weeks of immersive training, Coco came home a different dog -- not in spirit, but in structure. She still has her spark, but now there's focus behind it. She heels. She respects boundaries. She listens. She can walk by my side, calmly, even in high-distraction environments. A pigeon flew by today -- she started to glance, and with the smallest tug, she turned back to me and kept walking. That kind of transformation doesn't happen by accident. It's built through consistency, skill, empathy, and serious time on the ground. And that's exactly what Empire State K-9 delivers. From the moment I dropped her off, I felt like I was handing her over to someone who truly cared -- not just about dogs, but about people, too. The trainer spent hours with me upfront: walking me through the theory, the tools, the transitions, and the work I'd need to do when she came back. I got worksheets. Real-time walkthroughs. Space to ask questions. Time to process. He even drove me to and from the train. Brought me lunch. Gave me trash bags when I forgot them. The care was constant, not performative. Coco came home with a new collar, a new leash, and a completely new relationship with the world. She now lies down at my feet when we enter restaurants -- something I never could have imagined before. I can finally take my hand off the leash and trust that she won't bolt. Even now, I get unlimited follow-ups for three months -- real access: calls, texts, whatever I need. No nickel-and-diming, no weird fine print. If I had to offer one piece of constructive feedback, it's that sometimes the sessions ran a little long -- the wrap up one especially. I was promised two hours and hit closer to three. I was totally fried by the end. But to his credit, he noticed immediately, read the room, and got me to the train with kindness and care. So even the one "flaw" was handled with grace. Was this worth the cost? Yes. Would I recommend it to anyone who feels overwhelmed, frustrated, or unsure where to start? Absolutely. Will I be continuing to work with Empire State K-9 moving forward? 100%. Three months of training post I dont know of another bootcamp that offers that. This wasn't just training. It was transformation -- for both of us. read more

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Look no further!!! Rick truly is a one of a kind dog trainer and animal behaviorist. If you need changes, this is who you need! What makes him stand apart is he trains the family as much as he trains the dog so you get a complete understanding of your dog's behavior and the how, why, and when to apply what you learn in the course. We, as a family, learned just as much or even more than our dogs learned! He includes the entire family in the classes which was awesome because it kept my husband and I on the same page so we didn't confuse our dogs and he taught my kids proper dog safety and proper engagement which is crucial! We found Rick about 8 years ago when we got our first dog, Scout, a shepherd/Doberman mix, who was extremely anxious, fearful and aggressive towards anyone outside our family and other animals. It was impossible, stressful, and downright embarrassing to take him anywhere due to his insistent barking, pulling, and lunging... so we sought out help. We had a hard time finding a trainer who was willing to even take on the training of Scout and actually had multiple trainers tell us just to put him down!!! As soon as we met Rick, he was not only willing to work with Scout, but was enthusiastic that he could treat Scout's individual issues and get us the results we wanted which was such a relief!! Scout entered Rick's program and he had a COMPLETE TRANSFORMATION. He gained so much confidence and control through the program and through Rick training us as the handlers, Scout was comfortable in whatever situation he was in because he could trust us as his alphas and that he was safe under our command because of the skills Rick taught us. Flash forward to 2020, my father bought a Rottweiler puppy that ended up being way to much for him to handle so he asked us to take her and my first phone call was to Rick... She was OUT OF CONTROL. We adopted Phoenix, and started her training right away. She had entirely different issues than Scout, mostly no control, no house manners, and had no social skills. Rick worked with her and almost instantly she was a different dog. She was still her happy-go-lucky self, but had manners and control. Through her growth, Rick worked with her and us to mold her into the ideal family dog! Scout & Phoenix are able to enjoy life much more as we are able to handle all settings and bring them along with us anywhere with confidence. He just has a complete understanding and nature with dogs and it's astonishing to watch him work. We are so grateful for what Rick has brought to our family and will always go to him for our dogs in the future! read more

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PLEASE SHARE ** This business was formerly known at EMPIRE STATE K9 TRAINING, they just changed their name since this post went up 3/12/23** This is my personal experience with Rick Sanders from Empire State K9 Training located in Brookfield and Newton, Connecticut . Rick Sanders from Empire State K9 Training, now known as Empire State K9 Services, LLC , came to my home in December 10, 2019 and we signed legally binding contract (his contract) to train my German Shepherd for medical service work. His contract stipulated 5 (five) two day trips to my home (in Maine) for training and tasking which would be completed one year from the date of contract. In his sales pitch, he promised we would do several training hours a day with me and my husband. We paid part up front($2500 December 10, 2019) the day he gave us his sales pitch, he stayed at our home. We did one training evaluation outing at LL Bean which was very short (less than two hours- see time stamped photos) and he left early the next day and has never returned despite requests to come back for our training sessions. We paid an additional $1,000 February 8, 2020. We withheld the third installment of $1000 which was to be paid after the first visit which never materialized- a request we made that he approved through his assistant at that time, Wendy. Rick ignored our training requests for a full 2.5 years or would promise we could be scheduled and then nothing would materialize. After 2.5 years of trying to work with this trainer, my need had changed , my dog had changed. Due to his non-compliance in his contract and my immediate need for training help back in 2019, 2020 and 2021 and even early 2022, which went unfulfilled, we asked for a reimbursement. At first no calls were returned, then he completely refused any kind of reimbursement. That's right, he feels entitled to keep $3,500 despite the fact that he is in complete default on all terms of his own contract, ignored over 2.5 yrs of requests for training and hasn't fulfilled one trip here except for his sales call before he even had the job. . We contacted the Attorney General who sent Rick Sanders at Empire State K9 Training a letter encouraging him to reimburse for default. It was returned with multiple mistruths and lies which we can be proven false by Rick's own emails and texts. Some attached. Urban Thier & Federer, PA sent a letter August 8, 2022 requesting he reimburse us for default and for his "fraud, unfair trade practices, unjust enrichment, breach of contract and attorney fees, as well as for the emotional harm and damages you (he) intentionally and/negligently caused Mrs. Sewall, a woman you knew to be suffering from debilitating neurological illness." This, too, went ignored and unanswered. His latest reason for not returning or fulfilling his contract is that Damon is a dangerous dog- one of the few reasons his contract might give him wiggle room to cancel. The only problem is that Damon is not a dangerous dog and Rick never mentions this any of the times he was promising to come back. In addition, many of my friends and rescue community friends have see Damon in various venues with children, many people, other dogs restaurants, funerals, events and he is practically bombproof. See photos below. As a last ditch effort to avoid full blown legal action, my husband reached out to Rick Sanders at Empire State K9 Training to try to reach some kind of resolution and reimbursement just last month- February 2023. Rick had the audacity to ask us verbally to release him from his contract and asked us to call it good! When asked by my husband if Rick really thinks he is entitled to $3500 he replied , absolutely yes! Wow- mind blown. Obviously, due to the time sensitive nature of needing a medical service dog 3+ years ago, we ended up doing our own training ourselves. In the life of a dog, 3 plus years is a long time and it is too long to wait for training. Damon was new to me in 2019. He is no longer a 'green' dog. To this day, Rick Sanders at Empire State K9 Training is still in default and we have not been able to get any of our $3,500 back which we paid in good faith for services and training which have never taken place. I wish I knew then what I know now. Make your own decision, but this really happened and from December 10, 2019 to today, March 12, 2023, we are still trying to get our money back for what I believe in my opinion was /is a severe taking advantage of a person with a medical disability and fraudulent business practices by Empire State K9 Training and by Richard "Rick"Satch Sanders and his daughter Rikki who handles admin, correspondence and emails. This has been my personal experience. It has been so disheartening, hurtful and emotionally draining. In my opinion this business has predatory business practices and is now doing business as EMPIRE STATE K9 SERVICES read more

We highly recommend Empire State K9 Services. I can't say enough about Rick and his team. Our 4 year old Mini Australian Shepherd Blue Merle, became highly reactive and aggressive in the last year. She wouldn't listen to commands, she ripped her beds and resource guard just about everything. After spending 4 weeks with Rick and his team, our fur baby Julie, improved her behavior tremendously. Moving forward, we have high hopes that she will continue to learn from her training and improve right along with us. read more

I cannot say enough about Rick and Empire State K9. We have 2 disabled children and my sons service dog had retired. We got another dog as a 9 week old puppy, raised him with the children and then Covid hit. Samson went to do in house training with a different but highly recommended trainer and came out knowing his commands but not obeying them! Sure he knew HOW to sit and stay but this dog didn't do anything he didn't feel like doing in the moment - not exactly the start needed for a responsible service animal. The first trainer told us Samson was a nice enough dog as a pet (and even had reservations about that) but said that this dog had no future in any kind of support work. Our veterinarian was very concerned about the behavioral issues and suggested we work with a behaviorist. After numerous phone calls and internet searches we found Empire State K9 and our lives and Samson's have changed dramatically. At 1 year old (and 5 weeks of professional training) Samson was a dog that lunged and barked at strangers and other dogs, wouldn't obey the commands he knew, eating furniture, terrorizing our cats, was still soiling in his crate let alone the rest of the house AND waking the entire family up multiple times a night. We were exhausted and miserable... then we met Rick. Rick taught us to work with Samson like no other trainer had done - even the extensive training we had done with our first service dog didn't comparison. Rick took the time to explain WHAT he was doing and WHY. He worked with Samson at his facility and then had us come train together. Everyone who engages with Samson is involved so we can all be on the same page. And training support didn't end when Samson left Empire State K9... Rick has stayed in touch by phone and text messages. If we have a problem we can count on Rick to address it. Best of all - he has completely changed the outcome of Samson's life and that of my children. Samson now qualifies as the Service dog we need him to be. Surprisingly, Samson's veterinarian wasn't as amazed with his progress as we were! She said " In the hands of a good behaviorist anything is possible. You've found a GEM!" She couldn't have said it any better. if you are in desperate need of a dog trainer or just want your dog to be the best companion he can possibly be - you don't need to look any farther, in fact, it would be a waste of time and money if you do. Empire State K9 has everything you are looking for and a whole lot more. read more

Empire State K9 Services - Chillin in a Hawaiian shirt - Pet Training Near Me - Newtown, Connecticut

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Rick Sanders is one of the most honest professionals i have ever dealt with. After losing my dog suddenly, I was reluctant to own another dog. After a year of looking down at floor for a my little angel I realized I missed the joy of owning a dog. I told Rick I was thinking about fostering with the option to adopt. Rick told me about a dog that he was fostering that might interest me. He was open about the dog's challenges and took the time to make sure I was willing to work with him. After a few weeks I brought the darling boy home. Although I have been a dog owner from childhood on, Rick took the time to instruct me on what I needed to do to help JZ become an enjoyable member of my family. At first I was reluctant because some of the methods Rick uses went against my nature. I remember how discouraged I felt when Rick told me yank my dogs chain when he cried in the crate. Yet something inside me understood Rick knew how to handle dogs. As JZ came to understand the rules, I found myself enjoying him in a way that I did not enjoy my other pets. I now have a loving pet that is obedient. Rick continues to support both of us when a challenge arises but overall I love having a dog that listens. For anyone who is considering using Rick I encourage them to have patience. The man knows what he is doing. Moreover, he really cares about dog owners and their pets living together in harmony. read more

Rick is the best!!! Changed my life and allowed me to be able to work from home with my dog. Pepper would bark every time I would go on zoom and Rick transformed our dogs behavior. So thankful to him!! read more

We brought our extremely aggressive Cane Corso to Rick thinking there was no shot in changing our dog Bleu. He had her for 2 weeks and when we came back Bleu was a much calmer and well behaved dog. Before taking her home Rick spent time with my wife and I to train us as well to keep the dog on the right track. I can take her on walks around my neighborhood without any struggle at all. She stays right next to me! No more lunging at every car or trying to kill every animal she sees. We can have guests over now and she remains calm and stays on her bed. Before we had to always lock her up in her cage whenever anyone would come over. Night and day! I highly recommend this place to anyone dealing with aggressive dog issues or just to have their dog trained properly. I cant say enough good things about Rick and his staff. read more

Rick, the head trainer at Empire State K-9 is absolutely incredible. I reached out looking to get my corgi, Rue, trained to be a service dog for my PTSD. Rue went to Rick for a "board and train" for about a week and a half. Before the board and train Rue was pretty reactive to other dogs, people, and birds. Which would make me more anxious and made me feel like I was not in control of her at all. When I picked up Rue she was a different dog. It was amazing to see Rick handle her and see an obedient and confident dog. Rick has been such a blessing in our lives and has continued to help Rue and I as a service dog team! I have nothing but good things to say about Empire State K-9 training! They're the best! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!! read more

Empire State K9 Services - Dog - Pet Training Near Me - Newtown, Connecticut

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Rick and Empire State K9 have been nothing short of amazing!! We brought our 1-year-old dog to Rick last year for basic family dog training. After her short 3-week initial stay we picked her up and had our first training session with Rick that lasted about 3 hours. We couldn't believe how much more obedient she was. Our work did not end there as we returned to Rick for additional lessons. Every lesson was full of tons of information and tips to help her with what she was struggling with at home. He was thorough and honest. Rick was available for phone calls and text exchanges where we shared Brenlee's progress. Brenlee loved seeing Rick and it was clear they created a nice bond when she was with him for 3 weeks. We would 100% do this again if we could, and plan to when we eventually adopt another dog in the future. read more

This was the best money that I've ever spent. I brought my 18 month old black lab (Kami) to Rick and I immediately knew that she would be in great hands! Kami was very fearful of other dogs and did not have any boundaries (everything was hers: bed, couch, you name it.) I chose to do the board and train option and as soon as I brought her home, I realized that she was a different dog! I am moving to Utah and needed to fit in as many training sessions with Rick as I could and he was SO accommodating! He spent almost 3 hours with me at each training session to make sure I knew how to handle Kami's new commands. I would recommend Rick to ANYONE and EVERYONE! Thank you so much Rick! read more

I have since spoken to Rick and have come to an understanding. Until he reviews his business policies, I would still proceed with caution. Make sure you are crystal clear with your contracts and agreements and get EVERYTHING in writing. read more

I strongly encourage you to take your dog somewhere else besides Empire State K9. Rick Sanders trains under the Koehler method of dog training - the premise that if a dog does not do what you ask, it gets punished. While controversial, I do not believe that this method should be outlawed, but instead reserved for very extreme dangerous cases and dogs that need a harsh wake up call before someone gets killed. My dog however, did not need any sort of pain or punishment based training nor deserved any of the screams that were elicited from incorrectly using a prong collar and an e collar. Phoenix works very well under balanced training, but the tools were being abused and he has vet bills to prove it. Your dog will scream in pain if you take them here. It is not surprise, it is pain. Your dog will be tied to the wall to teach it to stay. If you have a working service dog, they will not be allowed toys or treats. There are other ways to train an animal before resorting to the Koehler method. This is a LAST RESORT before euthanasia trainer, if anything. My dog recovered, but yours may not. read more

From my personal experience observing Rick Sanders expertly train my Weimaraser puppy, Charlie (a, female with piercing eyes , the stance of a champion and a glowing personality) the most accurate description I can provide is that Rick is a true jack of all canine training techniques - and master of all of them all! Moreover, he is a dog behaviourist, as well as an aggression specialist (biting issues), the latter being rare and hard to find. At times I would swear he communicates telepathically with his canine students, leaving me with the inescapable conclusion that Rick is part hound dog. Rick, 60, in the dog training business exactly 40 years, and is the owner of Empire State K-9 Canine Training, LLC, headquartered in Fresh Meadows N.Y. and Stamford, Ct. Before Rick entered the picture, I was wasting $100 a day on a young dog trainer who used a clicker to attempt to train my Weimaraner puppy, I watched angrily as she allowed Charlie to consume high calorie untold treats - twice in total food that I would feed her in a given day. Charlie became attached to the soft spoken trainer and not to me - her owner. So, she was promptly given the boot. Then enters Rick Sanders, a sturdy looking dude with a booming voice and a tough, stocky build you would rather face than an angry Rottweiler under all circumstances.. Charlie looked up at Rick and became instantly mesmerized. If there is a dog whisper, certainly there is a place for Rick, the commanding drill sergeant for dogs of problems. Charlie would become a mine sweeper when out on the street. I've had to pull glass and metal objects from her mouth, always grateful that I caught them in time. Charlie would jump on some people. After a week at Rick's country place in Stamford, Charlie emerged as a new dog. No longer walking with her head to the ground trying to sample the dangerous if ingested junk you would find on a typical Manhattan street. From glass t sharp metal objects, to chicken bones. Instinctively, Charlie, the perennial meeter and greeter, would jump up on people which to Rick was a definite no-no. Then she would pull with tremendous power. Rick fixed all of the issues and then put Charlie through a fine tuning experience. Rock told me that he was extremely successful in desensitizing dogs that bite to dogs that quickly abandon ths bad habit. I recall picking up Charlie at Delta Cargo, La Guardia Airport. She was 8 weeks old and came from a highly reputable Weimaraner breeder in Georgia. She would be my third of the coveted breed, and my last. All had lived to almost age 14. Charlie, a girl, was more hyper than the previous Max and Willy, also females. Unlike the previous two, she was difficult to train: headstrong, hyper. Rick, with his deep bellowing voice, reminded me of my Army drill sergeant in basic training at Fort Dix, NJ. He barked out commands, you listened or else. Today, I cannot draw the separation apart from Rick today and my sergeant then. Behavioral modification, obedience training really works. "My work is a blend between professional dog training, applied animal behavior and that of a K-9 Aggression specialist. I offer a one-stop shop. My work is really like a Chinese laundry, Rick says laughing, "You bring your dog in or have him picked up and a week later you get your doggie back, better than ever, like new," said Rick. For me , George Bernard, and my companion Charlie, the rest is history and a pleasant one at that, thanks to Rick Sanders. To book Rick, contact Anita at: (718) 926-5914. . Highly Recommended: 8 local business owners recommend read more

This company is amazing. I have a 3 year old male German shepherd and a 1 year old female. My male needed some obedience work done and they far exceeded my expectations. Now my female is on her way to becoming a service dog and is doing fantastic. I highly recommend training with this company! read more

This was an amazing investment for my dog and my family. Thank you so much, Rick. You are truly a dog whisperer.

Rick is fantastic and takes on some very challenging cases with local rescues, which is how we first met him. Our 18lb dog was rescued from a kill shelter in NYC after exhibiting some aggression (fear based due to prior abuse). When we first considered adopting him, he was in board and train at Rick's to get over some VERY difficult issues around putting a collar on him and severe crate aggression. He spent a few weeks with Rick making tremendous progress. When we decided to adopt our pup, Rick worked with us initially at no cost as part of his work with the rescue to bring the dog to us and help us with a lot of initial issues in the first 48 hours (including coming back to help us deal w/ a spike in aggression). We then signed up for more advanced off leash training and have been working with him for some time with great success. If you're looking for a trainer to just show you how to use treats to control your dog, I would look elsewhere and prepare for limited success. Rick's methods focus on the dog's BEHAVIOR with you as the leader rather than bribing the dog to do what you want (which will inherently fail with things like off leash - chasing squirrels is much more appealing than a treat to a dog). Working with Rick we have not only trained our previously aggressive 2yr old rescue to be a loving and well mannered boy, but he is also fully trusted off leash now. He has literally saved our pup's life during the rescue process but also now by arming us with the tools to control and protect him when he is off leash. This cannot be understated. We've gotten to know Rick well over the last year and have seen the work he does with a lot of rescue dogs to make sure they end up properly trained and adoptable instead of the far too common alternative outcome. Rick has decades of experience and works with a lot of dogs that other trainers wouldn't even try to deal with. Having said all this, it's also up to the PET OWNERS to do the work outside of sessions and follow the instructions provided. Dogs need constant reinforcement and time, especially for older dogs with a history or lack of training. You can't pick and choose the parts of the training plan that suit you - if you don't do your homework with your dog, that's your fault. If during the critical initial period you give your dog no boundaries and let them roam around the house vs. reinforcing keeping them in their home place - that's you're fault. If you allow bad behavior to go uncorrected - that's your fault. Even if you drop your pup off with Rick to be trained, if you do not maintain that training afterwards then the dog will regress. We chose to be very hands on and it took us months to really break through and here we are a year later and still working at it every day to reinforce everything our dog has learned so that we can keep working on new things. Dog ownership and training is not for the lazy but the rewards are immeasurable. Without trainers like Rick, a lot more dogs would end up being surrendered or at kill shelters. read more

I have worked with Rick for well over a year and in my personal experience I have seen so many dogs come in with major aggression issues (people and dog aggression), fear of people and other animals, and absolutely no training but when they leave they are totally different dogs! He has rescued so many dogs from kill shelters, that basically had no chance for a loving home if left there, and after training them and giving them a loving environment to thrive in he truly worked miracles with them and found them homes where they now have that loving family! I have seen dogs come in that were so aggressive you couldn't even get near their kennel without them trying to attack people violently through their kennel when first brought in and after a short time with Rick training them and taking care of them they were actually happy to see him and his employees with no signs of aggression. He has taken in dogs for training with dog aggression and before you know it he has these dogs actually playing with other dogs instead of trying to aggressively go after them, it's honestly amazing the differences I have seen! I have personally seen dogs come in with no training whatsoever (jumping on people, pulling on the leash, barking at everything) and after working with Rick you would have never known they were so out of control when they first came in! He is truly a miracle worker with dogs! Not only is Rick wonderful with the dogs in his care, I have personally heard him say to his employees that you treat and take care of the dogs that come in for training and boarding as you would your own dog! He is strict on keeping the entire facility clean and disinfected. The yards are always maintained and cleaned up, kennels are always clean and well taken care of, and your dog is not only safe but comfortable and cared for very well during their stay! I would absolutely trust Rick to take care of my dogs and there really is no one better to train them! I have seen him work miracles with dogs that most places and people would never give a second chance to! I truly respect and appreciate what he does for these dogs who really just need someone to believe in them and care for them like they deserve! read more

Rick is a true gem of a human; not only he is fantastic with dogs; he is also equally amazing with humans. He is a five star dog trainer he can read dogs mind. He knows exactly how they're feeling and how to adjust training to fit their specific needs. I highly recommend Rick for dogs training and boarding. He keeps entire facility including kennels cleaned and disinfected. He takes care of dogs as you do for your own dog. It is very apparent that dogs adore him. read more

Rick and Empire State K9 literally saved our family dog. When we came to Rick we had a 9 month old German Shepherd that was disobedient and aggressive towards cars, dogs, people and even at times our family members. This was after spending thousands with TWO different trainers to get him under control that both left us wondering if our dog was just untrainable. We were recommended to Rick by a shelter and he was our last attempt before rehoming. At our meet and greet with Rick our dog wanted to rip Ricks head off and literally attempted to bite Ricks service dog german shepherd. We left that day with our dog in Ricks hands and less the 24 hours later Rick sent us a video of our dog playing with his dog. Two weeks later we picked up our dog and he is a completely different dog. He is obedient and calm inside the house and outside he is fantastic. Rick really is the real deal. He is more then a dog trainer. He literally took a dog on the brink of being rehomed and made him a great family dog. We are so grateful and appreciative to Rick and Empire for what he did for our family. read more