Brittany helped us do an incredible 180 with our two adopted dogs, which has, without exaggeration,…read moreimproved the overall quality of our life. Five weeks ago, we couldn't let visitors into our home through the front door, walk past other dogs, or be in-the-midst of little ones without major stress for both dogs and humans alike. Fast forward to now, and our dog-reactive pup can pass other dogs on walks with minimal (and occasionally, no) reaction; our kid-fearful pup can hang out near the chaos of little ones playing at the park without stressing out; and we can do introductions with guests visiting our home that don't make us dread having visitors. Prior to Brittany's help, I hadn't walked one of the two in more than a year because the experience was always so stressful. Now, I'm proud every time he turns to me for cues and reassurance as we go on more confident walks together. Our training experience with Brittany really strengthened our trust of, and bond with, both dogs. Like I said, life-changing. Here's what we loved most about working with her: 1. She genuinely cares about our dogs and treated them like she'd treat her own fur-child. It put all of us at ease. 2. She does 100% positive reinforcement behavior training, so we knew (and believed in) her methodology. 3. She customized the training plan for our dogs. We got to pick our top priorities, and she chose the specific activities that would help us and our fur-children accomplish those goals. I could go on and on... we're just so thankful we found her. Thank you so much, Brittany!

Brittany ROCKS! If you need positive reinforcement in your life (with your pups), I highly…read morerecommend calling Brittany and Dances With Dogs. Her training and patience will change your pup(s) and your relationship/interaction with him/her. She is life-changing. Call her now!

Haywood and his team are the absolute best!…read more They have been incredibly helpful and kind and supportive while helping turn our German Shepherd pup into a "fine canine citizen" as they say. We opted for the day-care package and it was a delight. Easy drop off and pickup. Incredible value for the price given how much attention and training our Fletcher received. Never once were we even the slightest bit dissatisfied with anything. Special shout outs to Marshall, Sarah, and Jason who have been just awesome. You can tell they're all good folks because our dog gets as excited and loving when he sees them as he does with someone in the family. Thank you so much.

My pit bull and I have been working with Academy for 6 months with much success. I adopted her from…read morea shelter, and she was reactive to others dogs and pulled one the leash. The biggest problem was her strong prey drive, as I have a cat! I found the individual and group classes, taught by Kranti and Tiara, clear and flexible. I practiced the homework easily during her daily walks, and they supported me with extra help when I needed it. Now my pit bill and cat co-existing in peace and harmony. Pit bull has improved 100% with her impulse control on walks/squirrels/cats, and I feel closer then ever to her. It was well worth the time and money.

Joyce is an excellent trainer who helped my dog that was pulling on the leash and struggled to pay…read moreattention or calm down in exciting environments. I cannot recommend her enough!

My husband and I were referred to Joyce Loebig when our vet suggested we find a dog trainer…read morecertified in the Karen Pryor method of clicker training. We found her simply through an online search on the Karen Pryor site, and we uncovered a gem of a trainer. Joyce came to our home in Cleveland Park to train Bailey. We found Joyce to be effective, thorough, and a delight to be around. She has a very calm, sincere vibe about her, and a great sense of humor. She also was not self-serious, and really approached dog training in a playful, but very effective manner that set us at ease as we began to train Bailey. Joyce worked with us to teach us the clicker training method, which reinforces a dog's good behavior by clicking and handheld clicker then providing a treat to the dog. We worked on 'touch' and 'sit' during the first session, and also our dog's small dog syndrome, where our dog barked loudly at other dogs while on leash and also our cat in our home. The clicker/positive training method is especially effective for our dog, who is still gaining self-confidence after a being rescued by Rural Dog Rescue from a high kill shelter, and then enduring months of different places to live, as she was transferred between her NC foster family to a local doggy daycare, then our home. Bailey's behavior is a work in progress, and we continue to work with Joyce, but we moved in the right direction during our session. And she managed our expectations about the pace of progress, which was important. Joyce sent us a thorough follow up email and was candid and upfront about pricing, and other dog training options. Joyce will also train your dog in your home while you work, which I think is a huge positive for DC's long work hours. She is extremely positive and professional, and I would highly recommend her.

Archie went to camp with Gina for three weeks and came home a different dog. I'm still a little…read moreamazed. He's a five-pound chihuahua who shakes when someone new walks in the room and basically lived on my lap or behind my knees. I'd worried a trainer would either give up on him or scare him worse, but from the very first day Gina put so much thought into making him feel safe. She texted that afternoon to say he'd already jumped into her daughter's arms. When he barely ate the first couple days and I got worried, she talked me through it and told me he'd come around, which he did. She took him on long walks around the park and the neighborhood to burn off his nerves before she ever asked anything of him. His crate became his safe spot at her house, a familiar place that was all his in the middle of a busy home with other dogs and parrots and training going on. And she started him on tiny, predictable rules, sitting before a door, coming when called, so he always had something he understood to hold onto in a new situation. She explained that for an anxious dog, knowing what to expect is half the battle. She also refused to pick him up every time he got scared, and warned me that part would be harder for me than for him. She was right. Somewhere around the second week he started smiling in the photos. He was hanging out with her little dogs and her family, going on field trips to the park and coffee shops, staying on his place while she walked away, heeling next to her. He knows sit, place, heel and here now, and he does them for me too. The turnover at my apartment took a couple hours and it was real work. She sat me down and explained everything before we ever touched the dog, then had me practice with Archie while she corrected what I was doing wrong. She's kept sending reminders and answering my questions since, including a few dumb ones about shampoo and brushes. Here's the part I still can't get over. We went to a party a couple weeks after he got home, which is a huge deal for Archie. He sat on other people's laps. He licked hands. He barely cowered. Six weeks ago he would have spent the whole night shaking under my chair. Everyone at the party noticed and commented on the change in his demeanor. I was a proud mama that day! If your dog is the anxious type, the one who hides, trembles, won't eat around strangers, or has to be carried everywhere, I really want you to hear this. A lot of trainers are set up for big confident dogs and don't know what to do with a scared little one. Gina does. She never rushed him, never forced him, and never made me feel silly for babying him all these years. She reads a nervous dog and meets them where they are, then slowly builds them up until they can handle the world on their own. That's exactly what Archie needed. I honestly feel like Gina is just getting started with him, and I'm already thinking of when I can work with her again. If you have a tiny, anxious dog and you're on the fence, go with Gina. Archie is a different dog and so am I. Thank you again for everything you did for him, and for me. Archie sends smooches. Sheri

I can't say enough good things about Brandi and Perry Bailey of RSK9. Their work has given my pup…read moreand I so much freedom and balance. Pebbles (blue heeler, 1.5 years old) would never listen to me, would not sit or lay still, and had a lot of other obedience issues that caused her to be stressed or confused. She was a TOUGH dog to train and I was concerned I couldn't find the solution for her to get basic concepts. This view has completely changed since working with RSK9's 3 week program. I would HIGHLY recommend them and their methods - you can tell they genuinely love working with dogs and it's made a huge difference in giving my dog the chance to find real rest at home. They send DAILY updates with photos and videos which was so nice. This isn't a regular class or something you just pay for; it's truly an investment that you and your dog will be using for the time you get to share together. Side note: it's worth doing 3 weeks versus 2 weeks. At the 2 week mark is when Pebbles really started to understand her marks and cues. From here there is so much more that can be refined and Brandi/Perry really capitalize on that threshold being crossed!

Much like the other reviewer, I don't typically leave reviews. However, Gabriela is absolutely…read morefantastic. My partner and I started working with her when Nova (our 3-year-old rescue) had to leave daycare due to her anxiety and reactivity, and was also getting scared and overwhelmed on walks. Gabriela worked with us virtually and we were able to see dramatic improvements in Nova's well-being. Over the course of four Zoom sessions, she helped us understand what Nova was thinking and going through, and helped us communicate with her in a way she can understand. During our first Zoom consultation, Nova was rocketing around the apartment, trying to chew on everything in sight and create chaos. Six weeks later, during our last Zoom session, Nova slept on the couch calmly. We still have things to work on, but we ended our final session with a clear roadmap for what we were going to tackle next. Gabriela is very knowledgeable, and has been excellent to work with.

Gabriela is extraordinarily knowledgeable, thoughtful, and encouraging. She knows everything there…read moreis to know about dogs and dog training, and she is generous with her time and expertise. She really helped us with our new rescue dog and gave us the tools we need to continue to help him in the future! We're grateful to Gabriela and will be going back to her if challenges pop up in the future!

My dogs have achieved many obedience, rally, FCAT and Master Agility titles…read more Dog training takes consistent practice and dedication. Obedience is the backbone of all Canine Sports. The Facility is clean, air conditioned, heated. New flooring was installed 2 yrs ago . Recording security cameras are in the facility Classes are kept to a workable size. Instructors are knowledgeable.

If I could leave less than one star I would…read more Signed my granddaughter up for an agility class. Six weeks into the ten-week class, after 10:00 p.m. on a Friday night, they tell us our dog cannot participate in two agility activities they will be teaching without a vet sign-off. I understood the abundance of caution. And then two weeks later, just before our appointment at the vet, our pup went into her season and she could not attend the last two classes. We tried sending my daughter with my granddaughter so they could watch the last class, but the instructor was very rude to her and basically let her know they were not welcome to observe, even though we had paid to attend. The class ended, and we wanted to continue forward with agility, but the trainers refused us, reiterating we would need a vet sign-off and no, they won't hold a spot for us. And just now I received Ann email basically saying we're no longer welcome in their club, because I have a "tone and tenor" about their "reasonable request." A, I never once said I didn't think the request was reasonable, and B, as the class does not begin until January that gives us plenty of time to get to the vet for a sign-off. Very unprofessional, inconsiderate, rude, I can go on...

We live in DC and it's a 45-minute drive to Your Dog's Friend, but chose them anyway after *lots*…read moreof research about the best puppy kindergarten and dog training classes in the DC area. I love that they are a nonprofit organization, how experienced their trainers are (with all relevant certifications), and that they are positive-only (as recommended by AVSAB- American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior - and is best supported by research). We started with puppy kindergarten with our golden retriever (6 sessions, starting around 14 weeks) and LOVED it. I can't say enough good things. The trainers at Your Dog's Friend are so knowledgeable about research-based, positive training and socialization. Everything we learned from Sarah Stoycos and the other trainers we have put into practice with our puppy, Griffey. After puppy K, we signed up for puppy first-grade and will be starting this weekend. We hope to keep going all the way through Canine Good Citizen and potentially do some of their nosework and agility classes, as we think Griffey would enjoy them!

We had a great experience with the basic obedience class! The instructions were really clear and…read morethe lessons moved quickly enough that my dog stayed engaged the whole time. I'm already seeing improvement in her recall when we're at the park! Highly recommend these trainers and will be back for more classes.

Lisa came to meet Saba, our newly adopted lab puppy. She gave us some great tips for teaching her…read morehow to behave and how to train her to walk on lead. Lisa was great at empathizing with and understanding Saba, and helping to address Saba's anxieties.

Lisa is a wonderful dog trainer. She quickly helped us identify the root causes of some behavioral…read moreissues we were having and made a plan to nip them in the bud. And it worked!

My adopted 2 yr GSD and I struggled with prey drive and communication. In 2 sessions a month apart…read morewe went from crisis management to partnership and loving our time together. This isn't just positive based training. This is positive science in easy to understand games and techniques that surpass any trainer I've met in 15 years of dog rescue. My dog went from attacking my goat and leash pulling to loose leashes and check in walks in 2 sessions. I cant wait to stay on this journey and unlock our potential with such a competent trainer...she's more than a trainer. She's an educator. I live several hours away and we do all our work via video and I 11/10. Can't recommend enough.

Shelly is incredible. We specifically wanted to work with someone who would train " our " dog, not…read morejust A dog, someone who could help our specific good boy transition home and get into training. We found that and so much more in Shelly. She is beyond knowledgeable when it comes to animals and even came with us to pick out our newest family member. Truly wonderful!

A big thank you to Jessica at Urban Canine for her help with our new pup. I was AMAZED at the…read morethings she could get our dog to do in just a few minutes, and all of it well explained so we could continue practicing at home. After our sessions, there was follow up with helpful links to articles to read, toys and treats that our dog might find motivating and general checking in to see how we were progressing. The training style is gentle and natural, the focus is on getting our dog to behave because of positive motivation. I am sure that most dog owners can attest to those moments when you just want to yell at a dog to get their attention, but we also can all agree that it rarely actually works. Jessica helped show us other methods for teaching our dog and they really help to keep us calm and give us viable alternatives that WORK!

So happy I recommended Jessica to my client who bought a new puppy! However, this happy family had…read moreno canine experience. While all three generations in this puppy's household adore her; they are very grateful for house training help from Jessica, along with her insightful education of new dog owners, her gentle training methods, her connections to helpful vendors and services in the area, and so much more! I can highly recommend Urban Canine!