I can not recommend them enough! My dog did the board and train, and it was well worth it. Not only was their communication with me amazing while he was there, but the training sessions we had were so helpful. They are super patient, and you immediately know your dog is well taken care of when they are with them. I'm really looking forward to the ongoing training classes to continue his training. If you are thinking about training, you need to check them out! Christa and John are amazing! read more

Freedom Dogs - Ronin - Pet Training Near Me

Freedom Dogs has honestly changed our lives. We had used 4 different trainers before we heard about Christa and Jon from one of our friends that had a great experience with them. Cooper had pretty bad resource guarding and impulse control problems. In the past, the trainers answer had been to just avoid the stressors which never got to the root of the problem. Cooper did the board and train program for 8 weeks originally and at the 8 week mark we were told Cooper could come home but he was on the cusp of huge progress so he was invited to stay for another 4 weeks. Even though we missed him, the 12 week board and train was so worth it. It gave him time to get comfortable in a new environment, learn new behaviors, then apply them in many challenging environments. Christa did not avoid his triggers, she worked through them constantly testing him and pushing his boundaries. We continually saw huge changes in him during our meetups while he was staying with her. He was also with dogs all the time. He had some issues with other dogs before so this was essential for him to be constantly challenged in a safe environment. He learned the skills to cope with dogs he liked and didn't like as well as how to be calm around them. Christa and Jon focused on his mental, physical, and emotional needs. He got plenty of exercise, one on one attention and love, as well as support for his physical discomfort from hip dysplasia. They connected us with a great masseuse to help manage his pain and recommend a vet that will work with his new training requirements. The whole dog approach really took their training with him to a new level. They are also honest about what they can do for your dog and what type of training he will need. We were never promised anything unrealistic and understood his progress was dependent on how much work we put in when he got home. read more

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If you are on the fence at all about getting a dog trainer, and you're looking at Jon and Christa I'm going to stop you right there and say your search is over. We were beyond lucky to have had them recommended to us by Ruff Roads Mobile grooming. I was honestly hesitant at first...I had had a dog growing up, so was a trainer really necessary? In our case - yes. Jon was able to not just train our dog, but also patiently trained us. He is great at asking questions to get you to recognize the correction you should be doing, or in some cases not doing because it's giving mixed signals. I highly recommend the individual training sessions. But if possible - also give the board and train a try! The best thing about Jon and Christa is how much they care about our dog. They are so aware of her needs, and want to make sure their training is effective for her and her personality. It would be so easy for a trainer to set a schedule and then whether or not the training was working just end after the set date - but not these two. They care about their craft and making sure you and your dog walk away happy. They also are great about telling you all the options you have. They aren't there to push an agenda or make you do something you aren't comfortable with. It's been really nice attending their weekly Wednesday group sessions for some tweaks and maintenance. Could not recommend these two more. Recognizing this is an investment, it is well worth the cost. We feel confident in the work put in now to make the rest of her puppy years and her life the best it can be. read more

Christa and her team are great! I have a difficult dog (and an easy dog). She was able to work with my difficult dog to work through some of his issues. She is literally the only person I can have board my dog(s) because of the difficult nature of my dog since he does not respond well to strangers. He trusts Christa and her team and so do I. We did the Board & Train for both dogs and I would not hesitate to use her again for training when we get another dog. read more

When I adopted my 1.5 year old boxer, Birdie, I quickly realized I was in over my head. Birdie came to me with no obedience training and of course had your typical hyper boxer personality. And although she is a small girl, she is incredibly strong. I was having a hard time controlling her especially when she went into these "blackout periods" where she would become hyper-focused and wouldn't listen to basic commands. The final straw was when Birdie approached my older dog who was eating and aggressively lashed out at him, and while I was pulling Birdie away she ended up biting me in the crossfire. [insert Miss Christa]. After having an initial phone call with Christa, she suggested her 8 week board and train program and said, "Birdie seems like my kind of girl!" So, off Birdie went! Christa was super communicative during the program and I looked forward to updates and pictures that she would send about Birdie's progress. I also loved following Christa's Instagram page (@freedomdogspnw) where I could see Birdie interacting with other dogs! If you check out her Instagram page you'll notice how loving, caring and kind Christa is to all of her students! Not to mention, the dogs always going on cool adventures and have so much fun with each other, which is cute to watch! When Birdie graduated from her program, she was an entirely new dog. Today Birdie is able to sit, stay, lay down, walk closely on a leash without tugging, and is able to leave squirrels alone (ha!) but most dramatically, when Birdie gets into those "blackout periods" that I mentioned earlier, I am able to say "Birdie, out!" ....and just like that, Birdie snaps back into reality and turns her focus to me. I can't even begin to find the words on how to explain how this simple command changes the game for me. Basically - Christa is the best! I am so thankful that she took Birdie into her program. Thank you, Christa! Xoxo, Sam & Birdie (and Benji of course) ;) read more

Freedom Dogs - Christa takes the doggies everywhere! Hikes, lakes, parks - you name it! The dogs live their best life when they are in Christa's program! - Pet Training Near Me

We are so happy that we sent our dog to the puppy board and train program with Freedom Dogs!! Christa and Jon did a phenomenal job laying a strong foundation for our puppy. When he was finished with the program, we were thrilled to see that he was happy, healthy, and potty trained. In addition to the great training around behavior and commands, Freedom Dogs is continuing to provide online follow up training sessions and are available when I have questions about his training, food, and more. The true testament is that my parents came to stay with us from out of town for a few days and were so impressed with our puppy. They are not animal people whatsoever and we were trying to figure out what do with him in planning our summer trip to visit them. Do we find an Airbnb or friends who can dog sit? My mom said that he could just stay at their place, which was HUGE! She said he was truly such a great dog and well behaved. Even though the program is over, I still feel like we have support and are part of the Freedom Dogs family. Christa and Jon are great people and love and know dogs. This was truly one of the best decisions and investments we have ever made. read more

Freedom dogs has been absolutely amazing for our 1 year old puppy, Gigi. They were able to fit us in for board and train last minute, and they kept us updated on her progress. We also met up a few times for individual one on ones, which were extremely helpful during the transition back home. Since Gigi's been home, we were able to attend a couple group trainings over the weekends. Christa is an awesome trainer who truly understands dogs and their needs. read more

Freedom Dogs Board-and-Train Puppy program is a holistic, individualized, and loving alternative to DYI puppy training. This program is an invaluable resource especially for households with lots of moving parts or hectic schedules who may not have the bandwidth or discipline for each household member to maintain the consistency and focus that puppies and young dogs need to develop into well-behaved members of the human pack. Having a young puppy is no cakewalk and well-intentioned household members, especially younger children, can inadvertently set a puppy back in learning appropriate behaviors--which may have a lasting impact (even for the life of the dog) if not corrected. Freedom Dogs' puppy program does the heavy-lifting (potty training, crate-training, staying in a place, entertaining themselves etc.) and builds social confidence in the pup, such that upon the pup's return, the household can pick up and move forward with the in-person education that Freedom Dogs provides at the transition. For teenage dogs or dogs who may have not been properly socialized or trained in their youths, Christa and Jon have the experience and insight needed to pinpoint the issues with the pup and to develop an individualized plan to shape behaviors and attitudes of the dog with training strategies that can be maintained by the household once the dog returns home. As a dog breeder for over 14 years I have a pretty good understanding of dog mentality and pack dynamics and I strongly believe that the balanced training method with the emphasized focus on fun, combined with the truly caring natures of Christa and Jon, is the most effective strategy for my dogs to achieve success in developing their skills and continuing to develop good behaviors and attitudes. It's very clear that the Freedom Dogs team truly love and respect dogs as well as the other animals that occupy their home-based training program. I'm confident that when my dogs are there, they are well-taken-care-of and understood. I'm always happy to send my dogs back for refreshers when I am in need of some boarding time too. read more

I just wanted to share why we've been so delighted with Christa at Freedom Dogs. As an individual I've never run across anyone with such a tremendous connection with dogs. She quickly has them wrapped around her little finger. Our two dogs Harley and Sydney Were both leash aggressive one feeding off the other. Additionally, Sydney had recall issues. Christa worked with them both and when they came home worked with US to make sure that we would be able to continue the training. Now we can walk them and know all the right things to do to avoid confrontations and leash pulling. Both dogs have been up to Christa's multiple times and we will be sending them back for refreshers. I call it "summer camp" for our doggies. But it's not just the discipline that makes the experience special. It's the fun they have in the process. Her generous Instagram posts show what a great experience our dogs receive. Work, play, repeat. read more

I would give 6 stars if I could! Christa is an incredible trainer who genuinely cares about every dog/handler team she works with. I highly recommend FDPNW to anyone looking for good balanced training!! read more

Crista with freedom dogs made such an incredible difference with our puppy, Sox. We got Sox during COVID and he spent every minute with us for several months. When it was time for our kids to go back to school, Sox had developed separation anxiety. He whined and worked himself up when my kids were not around. He even started to develop anxiety at the park when my kids were not right by his side. We did a board and train with freedom dogs for 6 weeks and Sox returned without anxiety, crate trained and able to be away from us for a few hours without issues. Crista also "trained" us to ensure we knew what do to vs. avoid - especially my kids! Crista is terrific and I would highly recommend her expertise. read more

If you want trainers who will literally be there for you through anything, Christa and Jon are perfect for you. My dog, Theo, has been through multiple training programs and never really got better until he spent two months at Freedom Dogs. Prior to training, Theo was tough to take anywhere (parks, walks, pet stores, etc.) due to excessive pulling and reactivity to any strangers we came across. Allowing vet offices to examine him was an impossible task and meeting new people was very stressful for him. The improvement in Theo over the last year has shocked many, both people who knew him from before training and strangers who were just impressed. Theo is definitely a more complex case, but Christa and Jon are still there for us and continue to train him a whole year later. I am so thankful for these trainers and would recommend them to anyone. When I first met them they said when they train your dog they will be there for your dog throughout its whole life, if necessary, and they have proven this to be completely true. Some of the greatest people I've ever met and definitely the best trainers I've ever come across. read more

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We highly recommended Freedom Dogs! Jonathan is a very professional and knowledgeable dog trainer. We have worked with him for the past month, to address behavior issues with our labradoodle. Our dog has progressed so well with his training! We are so glad we found Freedom Dogs to help us!! read more

I am a SF Bay dog trainer who has been working with dogs for 20 years. I had the pleasure of hiring Christa Sapita of Freedom Dogs ,to work with my own clients. I I have always loved the idea of collaborating with another trainer- especially when they have a skill set of something that I don't have as much experience on. I had seen Christa work countless times with her board and train dogs and was very impressed with the relationship she builds with each dog. She has uncanny intuition with what each dog needs to support them in all aspects of behavior modification. So I knew that she was the trainer I wanted to work with in this group class. This group class focused on relationship building through play - especially for nervous and insecure dogs. We had a large turn out and I sat back , watched and learned! Christa was able to convey through clear and very interesting exercises -how to promote confidence and trusting relationship through play and engagement. I highly recommend her for all forms of behavior modification including aggression, anxiety and insecurity! she's also extremely skilled working with puppies to build them into the best sound dog they can be! Kathy Kear Causeandeffectdogtraining.com read more

My dog Millie attended Christa's board & train program for about 8.5 weeks last year. I got Millie when she was 8 weeks old, and within the first couple weeks of having her I noticed that she was very fearful and showed some signs of aggression. Because of her breed (Doberman Pinscher) and her being so young, I wanted to find a good trainer to help her with her behavioral issues, and gain some confidence in uncomfortable situations. The first 4 weeks Millie spent time with Christa and her other board and train students (which was great because she was able to socialize with other dogs and people), and I got texts/calls/pictures & video updates on how she was progressing in the program. After the 4th week we started meeting up 1-2x/week so that I could learn the commands and how to build Millie's confidence and behavior once she came back home to me. Not only do I have a well behaved dog who listens to me, I also learned how to handle Millie in those uncomfortable moments, how to anticipate certain triggers, and how to redirect Millie's focus on me or a task I have her doing. Christa's program was a life changer for us, and she continues to be a huge mentor for me as I encounter new struggles/situations with Millie. I couldn't recommend Christa enough, and we are both so glad we were recommended to her by a coworker. Thank you Christa for loving Millie and taking great care of her when she was under your wings! Christa truly treats these dogs as if they were her own...Her love and passion for them is evident. read more

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