Brenda and Foothills Canine was recommended to me by a trusted friend who also is a dog trainer (but who lives too far away to work with my pups). We signed up both of our dogs for the beginner class and made a lot of progress in the 8 weeks of classes. The class size is limited to around 10 and that's great as she is able to see what everyone is doing and give some personal attention when needed. She is a very patient instructor and never makes anyone feel badly for asking a question or needing to see a demonstration again. The facility is very nice - open and clean and easy to get to. And she clearly adores all of the dogs. They make her smile and laugh and in turn that makes us all love our pups even more. read more

Foothills Canine Academy - Whiskey and his proud papa. - Pet Training Near Me - Middleton, Idaho

Really really glad that I choose Foothills canine academy to train my pup, Eleanor. I love the class and Brenda too!! She is so nice, friendly and care about Eleanor and I! All the training from Brenda is really working since now my girl better at her obedience and self control! We already sign up for two more classes! Can't wait for it! read more

See all

We have worked with a number of trainers. We have a service dog so she's (obviously) well trained. Brenda at Foothills Canine Academy takes training to a whole different level. She is by far the best trainer we have ever worked with. She is exacting without being critical. She pulls rather than pushes, bringing out the best in both her two legged and four legged students. We absolutely learned more from her in two months than we learned in the last year or more with other trainers. Not only is she a fabulous teacher, but a fabulous person as well. Same goes for her mom (who takes care of so many of the administrative duties). Her classes were the highlight of every week for us. We moved out of state and had to end our time training at Foothills. Truthfully, there aren't too many things that we will miss about Phoenix, but on that short list, Brenda and Foothills Canine Academy will be at the very top of that list. Whatever your goals are - whether performance or just making sure that your dog is the best family member possible, call Brenda. I promise you will be as delighted as we were. read more

Brenda is kind and compassionate. I have never met anyone who is more passionate about their work. She genuinely wants to help her clients and their dogs be the best they can be. Brenda goes out of her way to help, she stays later after class for guidance and questions, and she frequently drops a line to check in on progress. I cannot recommend Brenda enough. I have had private and group classes with her, and I will always go back to Brenda for continued training. Thank you Brenda!! Our Lefty is a better dog because of you. :) read more

I strongly recommend Foothills Canine Academy for puppy obedience lessons. The facility is centrally located, clean and large with rubber mats on the floor. The owner of the business, Brenda Dreyer, uses positive reinforcement in her teaching methods, keeping it fun and upbeat for the puppies. I was very impressed that she addressed typical puppy misbehavior and instructed us on how to correct it in a positive way. Basic obedience commands are introduced and practiced in class. And, there is an off-leash socialization period at the end of class so the puppies can run around with each other and learn to play with other dogs in a safe environment. Looking forward to the next level! Don't know why Yelp says I'm in San Diego. I'm in Phoenix, AZ. read more

Foothills Canine Academy - Pet Training Near Me - Middleton, Idaho

This is such an awesome training facility! And it is indoors!! If you want to start your puppy or dog out with obedience, engagement. scent work, rally training, etc. this is the place. Brenda Dreyer is AWESOME! She does a wonderful job explaining each method/technique in training. Brenda also will help and guide you to find what works best for you and your dog. Brenda is always available to answer questions anytime! I have emailed and called and within 24 hrs, if not sooner, Brenda was answering me. Classes are just the right size to where you almost feel as though it is just you in the class. I have worked with many trainers over the years however Brenda makes it fun and exciting each and every time! You will not be disappointed! read more

Foothills Canine Academy and Brenda are fantastic! Me and my labradoodle are in the puppy class. Brenda is very energetic and taught me a lot of useful ways to get my puppy to behave. She is gentle and calm while still getting results. I will be returning for the next training levels! read more

Dixie and I just finished the puppy class and loved it! Brenda makes people and dogs comfortable. There were giant and tiny pups in the class (breed wise) she worked easily w both and taught owners specific ways to achieve results. If you are looking for a trainer that covers agility, sniff and herding Brenda would be my pick. Take a class and enjoy building your relationship with your dog! read more

Foothills Canine Academy - Foothills Canine Academy w puppy Dixie and Owner - Pet Training Near Me - Middleton, Idaho

Brenda came highly recommended from the get go-we'd asked around and looked at different trainers/facilities for basic obedience with our 10 month old golden retriever. We decided that Foothills Canine Academy checked all the boxes. Brenda is approachable, patient, and has a good sense of humor (a must with THIS family ) Brenda is extremely knowledgeable and is able to assess an individual dogs needs and behaviors ....ie. Brenda recognizes that not every dog (and their people) in class may be at the same point in their training "journey" and is more than willing to work with you. The small class size (10 dogs max) gave us plenty of focused instructor attention. The facility itself is EXTREMELY clean and was a straightforward drive from our home in Ahwatukee - just popped up on the I-10 (for those who are looking in the area!!) read more

Foothills Canine Academy - Pet Training Near Me - Middleton, Idaho

Brenda and the staff at Foothills Canine Academy were great with my puppy training! Very helpful tips and training for our puppy and gave us tips that also work on our older dog. Highly recommend!! read more

Can't recommend Brenda and Foothills Canine Academy highly enough. Brenda was recommended to me when I got my new lab puppy and we took the puppy class, then the beginner class. Brenda is a wonderful teacher and makes class fun. She is also professional and very experienced; she has so many helpful skills, tips, and tricks up her sleeve to address any dog behavior. Because of Brenda's training (training us owners, really), I now have a 1-year-old dog that walks nicely on a leash, is polite in the house, and comes when called under the right circumstances (we're actively working on this!). I'm very confident that as I continue to use Brenda's methods, my dog will turn out to be the friendly, reliable, pleasant dog I always hoped for! read more

See all

Our Mini Aussie Puppy Beaujolais just loves owner Brenda Dreyer! He's had in home training before he was old enough to complete his puppy shots and just received is AKC Star Puppy certificate. He is registered for his next training classes to begin later this month. I have to say day 1 when we brought Beau home, he watched how we used his puppy hate, and immediately disabled it! We knew we were in trouble because he's so intelligent and observant! I researched Aussie specific trainers and Brenda came highly recommended! At puppy class there were several other breeds in class. We liked that the last 10 minutes of class was puppy playtime with a whole lot of interaction and zoomies! Lol Beau is a typical strong willed Aussie, who needed very specific training for his breed. Brenda knew exactly what would work for him as she has 2 full size Aussies herself that compete in Agility, etc. When Beau is older he's going to take agility training at Foothills K9 Academy as well. Brenda is very knowledgeable, personal, and professional! Her techniques are kind and work with persistence and perseverance. Just like raising children, you get what you put in. Positive reinforcement and redirection as well as practice makes for a very positive experience for pup and owner. Highly recommended read more

Our engagement class with Brenda has been fantastic! This is essential training for owners who are looking for a seriously impactful relationship with their dog. Also want to re-post our November review as it somehow got lost on Yelp: 11/23/22 Brenda and her Foothills Canine Academy came highly recommended to us by several friends who have attended her training classes the past several years. My wife and I are now enthusiastically spreading the good word as well! We had a phenomenal experience and achieved mind-blowing results with our two schnauzer-poodle mix puppies in Brenda's "Beginner" class. Brenda is an outstanding teacher with incredible knowledge of dog-owner dynamics. She is direct, compassionate, patient, responsive and very experienced. Brenda makes time and puts forth tremendous effort in each class to personally work with each dog/owner pair. We really appreciated the Foothills Canine Academy training facility. It offers a perfect environment for achieving results. The training areas are built out specifically for canine courses, practice and instruction. Other options at pet supply stores, in parks, etc. cannot compare. Also, Foothills Canine is only 15 minutes from Ahwatukee and likely a similar drive from most anywhere else in the valley. We are currently enjoying our second class with Brenda on canine "Engagement". read more

Brenda is the best trainer by far I've been around in years. Her expertise is unrivaled and I appreciate the work that she puts into your training. read more

Brenda and Foothills Canine Academy was recommended by my breeder. Mabel and I completed the beginner class and that helped us earn the AKC Good Citizen ribbon. I tried doing it on my own but we were not making progress. We have signed up for another class. I highly recommend Brenda for her expertise, curriculum and teaching ability. She made learning and working with you pup fun. read more

We had a great experience with Brenda! We took the leash manners class to address pulling and calm approaches, and the class helped so much! Brenda demonstrates skills with the dogs and gives lots of time to practice and gentle corrections for ways to improve. I'm so glad we found Foothills Canine Academy and would recommend it! read more

Foothills Canine Academy - Dog sitting with certificate - Pet Training Near Me - Middleton, Idaho

Brenda is very knowledgeable and makes classes fun. I took the beginner class with her and can't wait until the next one! Her classroom is open with plenty of room! She is flexible for make up classes, and I think the prices are reasonable. Definitely recommend! read more

I attribute my dogs good behavior to Brenda. She has been a godsend when it comes to helping me understand how my dog works and communicates. Knowing how your dog operates makes a difference once you can communicate back effectively. I highly recommend Foothills Canine Academy. read more

Foothills Canine Academy - Pet Training Near Me - Middleton, Idaho

See all

I had a great experience working with Brenda Dreyer and all her staff @ Foothills Canine Academy. My pup Khiara arrived to her first session extremely shy and lacking confidence. Brenda gave us the tools to be successful in completing the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy and Canine Good Citizen (CGC) program. Khiara gained so much confidence that we decided to go back for the Beginner Class. read more

Brenda shares a wealth of knowledge to help you understand your dog, and she makes training fun!

We finished the beginner course with Brenda & couldn't be happier with the results. Her small class sizes meant more attention & she created a safe environment for all the dogs to be in. More importantly, Brenda gave us the tools to help our dog be successful going forward. Thank you! read more

We took the Puppy class and it was wonderful! Brenda's suggestions on how to work with our puppy really made a difference in how our puppy responded. I will definitely be enrolling our puppy in many of her other classes. read more

I highly recommend Brenda and her staff to train you dog. Classes are not too big to get individual attention. Brenda is patient and knowledgeable. I took a puppy class with her and will continue to take more advanced classes in the coming months. read more

I have been a dog trainer for most of my life. Now, in retirement, I thought it would be fun to take the time to just have fun and work with my own dog. I signed up for Brenda's class and had a blast working with my pup in her indoor facility. Brenda is fun, engaging, interactive and patient. She did a great job with everyone at all levels. I love being able to attend an indoor, clean facility with safe footing for both dogs and handlers. Try a class, you'll be glad you did! read more

Brenda the owner is amazing! She forms great relationships with both the dogs and owners. I have a very active Australian Shepard. He was one year old and had been taking classes somewhere else. I was struggling with him and he was starting to get out of control. I spoke with Brenda on the phone and she zeroed in on the problem right away. I took Rocky for a private session at her facility. I learned more in that hour than I had in two 6 week sessions elsewhere. She gave us simple exercises to work on. I was amazed at his turn around in a very short time. She really helped me understand how to communicate with him better. We have taken classes since and have learned even more. The classes are informative and fun! Also her facility has plenty of room and is air conditioned. Most importantly Rocky adores her! read more

Brenda is amazing. Her expertise, patience and sense of humor made dog training a fun and effective experience for my puppy. I highly recommend her classes. read more

Brenda Dreyer was recommended to me by 2 dog trainers. I can't thank them enough for their recommendation! Her techniques were easy to do and the dogs picked up the behaviors almost immediately. Best training classes I have ever taken any of my dogs to. Her facility is large and spacious, giving ample room for all dogs and their owners to practice the training techniques (my 2 dogs are Great Dane/English Mastiff so size does matter!) Brenda takes a personal interest in everyones' dogs and assists each owner helping to pinpoint any problem areas, and how to resolve them. Her positive attitude makes the class fun for both dogs and humans. My 2 young dogs just completed the Puppy Class and Beginner Class, and are signed up for the Leash Manners class starting in a week. They and I can't wait! read more