We had a horrible experience with a trainer who insisted that shock collars were the way to get our Border Collie "to listen and understand who's boss". After getting our Jack Russell, the breeder recommended the APDT and we found Happy Dog Training & Behavior. Although it involved a two hour drive round trip, it was totally worth it. Our dog, Reilly, completed every course offered, from puppy kindergarten through Family Dog 3. When we got our second Jack Russell, she immediately began puppy kindergarten and finished Family Dog 1. As she is very outgoing, we also enrolled her in tricks class, where she learned to play piano, jump on queue, back up (which we call "beep beep"), and other fun tricks. (Can your dog come to you from a distance of two football fields? Ours can thanks to Happy Dog.) When we learned there were play and train classes, we jumped at the chance to continue strengthening her training as well as become better pet parents ourselves. We even celebrate our dog's birthdays and have a Halloween costume party! We have since moved and still have a long drive but never miss a class. Our dogs are well trained, well mannered and people often say they can't possibly be Jack Russells because of their calm behavior. We credit Ellen and Lorrie for teaching us that force free methods are the best and most effective. The lesson plans are clear and you are never treated as though you're just a client. They have a true passion for dogs and it shows. They are up on the latest training techniques and share their knowledge freely. And they really mean it when they say the offer life time support! There has never been a single time Ellen or Lorrie were too busy to answer a question, provide additional resource materials or training tips. As a certified behaviorist, Ellen can back up her assessment with science. This is very important as we've discovered anyone can claim to be a dog trainer. I'm not sure what could have made someone write a one-star review, but I can say that as the daughter of a military dog trainer, the methods used here are proven to be the most effective and modern but you need to put in the work. Just as you can't expect to lose 30 LBS overnight, you can't expect your dog to learn something after one practice session. If you are thinking about getting a dog, it's important to get a certified dog trainer. Better yet, enroll at Happy Dog. Our dogs are now 8 and 5 and even the Border Collie has benefited from this kind of training. We know if we ever get another dog, this is where we'll be enrolling them. read more

My family started with Happy Dog Behavior 7.5 years ago with our 7.5 year old Standard Schnauzer taking the first class when Max was 12 weeks old. We attended the puppy through Family 2 class schedule with Max and have realized wonderful results that continue to surprise us over the years. Over a year after completion of our last class Max completed his AKC CGC title without any practice as a walk on. Seeing our dog in action, we always praise the work that Ellen did at Happy Dog. Though Max came to us as a pet, the Family obedience training helped us in the Show ring too. Last year we welcomed another Standard Schnauzer puppy into our family, Mia, and started her off right away in Puppy class and show class. Mia came to us with the intention to show her in the ring. Lori, did a wonderful job for us in Puppy and Family one that made conformation training easier. We were so busy with showing Mia that we delayed our continuation of Family Obedience training. When we started back in the show ring in May after a long winter break, we saw that her focus in the ring was not as good even though we participated in Conformation classes weekly. I realized that the Family classes with Happy Dog was the missing piece and I signed her back up to repeat Family 1 due to the 1 year absence hoping that repeated success, organized and focused practice will help to keep Mia focused in the ring. Believe it or not, but after just one week in class and 2 weeks of Family practice Mia's next conformation training class showed a huge improvement. The staff at Happy Dog are always supportive with ideas and suggestions for training with all situations regardless of every day life needs and competition needs that do not fall into their wonderful structured class. Happy Dog is a major reason for our successes with our dogs teaching them and us how to work together in all environments. My family's involvement in the dog community only started 7 years ago and I know we are in a far better place then if we any other dog trainers than Happy Dog. Our dogs are complete members of our family, (kids and grandchildren) that we wouldn't be here without their help. They really deserve 12 stars. read more

First of all, let me make clear that I've been in a pet-service industry for the better part of two decades. I've worked directly alongside "experts" that include a myriad of dog trainers, from K-9/Military Dog training to Caesar Milan. Some have their place, while others are charlatans and all too often, animal abusers who frighten a dog into what they call "submission." Which would you rather, and which would evoke more desired behavior from you - get a jerk to the neck if you don't sit, or get paid $5 every time you do? Working alongside the gang from Happy Dog Behavior always made it clear where I would go when we needed a dog "trained." I put "trained" in quotation marks deliberately, as the approach Ellen and Lorrie gives you as a student is more than training - it's behavior modification and shaping. Based on Karen Pryor's embraced and PROVEN methods, Happy Dog's crew teach YOU how to shape and modify your dog's behavior into the great dog you want around your home, your children, and your neighbors. They of course offer great tricks classes, but what we were after was just a well-behaved dog who "listened." From the Puppy Kindergarten class through the Family Dog series, we now have a dog that doesn't try to jump at its food bowl, loves its crate, goes to its mat when asked so we can have dinner in peace. She'll sit, lay down, and come when called - EVERY time. We learned how to understand dogs, read their body language, and when guests are coming over, keep her otherwise occupied or distracted so that even our daughter's preschool friends can play without an unwanted jump or lick. To be clear, we went to the group classes. These give you the tools to do all of this and more - but it's on YOU to do the homework and practice the techniques with your dog. Trust me - it's worth it, and rewarding to both you and your pup. We're investing in a year's worth of classes, allowing the following 14 years to be a wonderful, happy dog ownership. read more

We adopted Shiloh, a German Shepard, when she was a year old. She was a rescue from North Carolina who was found pregnant, heart worm positive and shot twice. Needless to say she had some trust issues. We first worked with a Vet Behaviorist who gave us a great foundation on positive training methods as well as medication for our girl. We also found Happy Dog Training and Behavior. Because of Shiloh's fear aggression she was unable to attend regular classes so I enlisted Ellen as a private tutor as I knew I was in over my head with this dog. We worked on the basics and we worked on behavior modification. I didn't need a shock collar or a prong collar or corrections to get the behaviors we needed. All of Shiloh's issue revolve around fear and having not been socialized. Teaching a fearful dog (and the owner at the other end of the leash) not to be fearful is a long but very rewarding process.Ellen has actually been doing in house training with us for some time now due to the types of behavioral issues we've needed to address. Ellen's and Lorrie's credentials in a field that has absolutely no certification requirements are outstanding and they are constantly staying up to date on all new techniques. And Ellen's approach with Shiloh is not "one size fits all". Shiloh has way different issue than probably 95% of the dogs that she trains on a regular basis and Ellen is intuitive and very creative in our approach to every behavioral hurdle we've encountered. I firmly believe that Shiloh would have been euthanized by now had we not found the right trainers with the right training approach for her. If you are looking for knowledgeable, caring trainers that use positive reinforcement techniques then look no further than Happy Dog Training and Behavior. read more

I just wrapped up Puppy Kindergarten and Family Dog I and it was stellar. The classes focused on capturing and shaping behaviors through a combination of rewards based training and positive reinforcement, and concluded with weekly homework assignments plus a comprehensive set of notes. Enter the instructor. Lorrie is a highly skilled, highly trained, highly competent professional who is also one of those rare people who always looks so happy to be alive. From the very first class you could instantly recognize her passion for working with animals, to the point where you can't help but smile as you watch her do her thing. She's the exact kind person you would want to see working with your animal, and the level of mastery she brought to the subject itself was fascinating to watch. Her explanations of the material clearly came from a place of experience, and she would always demonstrate each exercise to the group in a way that makes you feel like the only other person in the room. It's the kind of thing you'll just have to experience one day for yourself, but all in all I walked away from these classes very impressed. Lorrie has equipped me with the basic tools/techniques to not only be able to continue to train my two beautiful dogs, but to ultimately help me give them the best life possible, which is what it's all about in the end. Five out of five big dogs! read more

Happy Dog Training is run by two amazing woman, Laurie and Ellen. Not only are they both incredibly knowledgeable about dog behavior and training but they are excellent at translating that information to their students. What Laurie and Ellen excel at is giving you, the dog parent, the skills to train. They literally teach you how to talk to your dog. Myself and my dad took our mastiff starting at 8 weeks old to Laurie's classes, we went every week for 8 months and gosh what an amazing dog we now have, worth every penny and every minute that we spent at Happy Dog. People on the street literally stop me to marvel at how well behaved our Charlie is (our pup). Because of all the time Laurie spent training US and when I say us I mean, me, my dad and Charlie we can now take him anywhere and that's saying a lot as he's 120 pounds at 11 months old. I have two adult dogs as well at home, that had previously had no training, with the skills that we learned in Laurie's classes, my dad decided to start training them too. Now we have three perfect pets and a very happy Dad, he loves his new hobby, training pups! We could not be more pleased with our experience at Happy Dog, if I could give them a million stars I would!!! Thank you Laurie and Ellen!! read more

It was decades since we had a puppy and with info on the web so overwhelming and conflicting, it's been great to have the support and expertise of Ellen and Lorrie from the get-go. I went for New Puppy Consultation with a hundred questions, including plenty about setting up for successful housetraining and sleeping arrangements, and our pup was housetrained with very few accidents (I have a nearly fully bottle of Nature's Miracle) and slept thru on his second night home with us. I would have freaked out about his teething/mouthiness without the weekly support of Puppy Kindergarten and other owners dealing with the same phase--AND it was wonderful to have a safe space for the pups to begin to learn to socialize. We're now participating in Family Dog 1, reinforcing lessons from Puppy K and advancing from there. Whenever I've reached out to Ellen or Lorrie with questions (re neutering, dog parks, how best to travel with the dog, collar vs. harness, veterinarians, etc.), they've been available, patient and SO informative. Our pup gets lots of compliments on his friendliness and good manners, thanks in large part to his/our early training with Happy Dog, I'm certain. read more

I have used Happy Dog Training for all 3 of my dogs for almost 8 years starting with puppy kindergarten. I have recommended them to friends and even strangers in the pet supply stores! The classes follow a great lesson plan with weekly homework to reinforce that week's lesson. There is time in class to ask questions and get advice on individual issues. In addition, we are encouraged each week to reach out via phone or email with any problems that might arise. The emphasis is not only just on teaching commands but building a strong relationship with your dog and cultivating a desire in the dog to want to listen and behave. All the training is based on positive techniques that not only result in quick learning but truly lead to "happy dogs "and dog owners. read more

I have taken my last 3 puppies to Happy Dog Training and Behavior and I could not be more satisfied. Ellen and Lorrie apply positive reinforcement training in a way that allows dog and owner to work together to build a lifetime of confidence and trust. They are seasoned experts who have seen everything, so they are a perfect solution for dogs who exhibit a wide range of behaviors as well as brand new puppies. Not all dogs and owners work at the same pace and their understanding of this is reflected in the way they run their group classes. I have steered many friends, family members and strangers toward Happy Dog and everyone comes away with a better mannered dog who is more strongly bonded to their owners. I would not go anywhere else for training; period. read more

If you are looking for trainers that specialize in positive reinforcement then this is the place to go!! Ellen and Lorrie are professionals in every sense of the word. Each class is filled with a thoughtful and comprehensive lesson plan - you are even given homework assignments for each week!! The small class sizes allow for personal attention and also give you the opportunity to learn from each other. Currently, I am training my third dog (14 years later) at Happy Dog. I am still amazed at the level of expertise from the trainers. It is obvious that they continue to learn and improve their own skills as the years go on. Thank you Happy Dog for keeping my own dog happy! read more

This is an OUTSTANDING training facility, so much so that we have trusted Happy Dog with training two of our dogs!! We first used Happy Dog 7 years ago and the training was so fantastic that when we got a new puppy this year Happy Dog was the only choice for her training. They class sizes are small, with 6 dogs per class, so you get a lot of one-on-one attention and every class opened with a Q&A so we could get advice on anything we needed help with. We could see improvements in our puppy's behavior immediately. Ellen is an excellent instructor, very patient and gives you as much guidance and advice as you need. I can't recommend Happy Dog enough :) read more

Puppy classes at Happy Dog were a lifesaver for me! I have a Westie puppy (which I've had before) who was so difficult (serious biting, barking, etc.). Lorrie gave me such wonderful guidance as to how to train, manage and cope with him. Not only were classes great, but I was encouraged to reach out at other times if I needed help from Ellen or Lorrie. I'm happy to say all the training is paying off, and my devil dog is now just a typical, but manageable, puppy. Thank you Happy Dog! read more

Happy Dog Training is amazing! They are incredibly knowledgable, and with their guidance we have been able to integrate our new pup into our lives. In addition to their exceptional training techniques, they taught us how to understand our dogs needs and wants based on his body language, which has resulted in a calmer house, happier dog, and better relationship between the dog and our children. This would not have been possible without their care and guidance. read more

My 10 month old Shih Tzu and I are completing our second course at Happy Dog Training. It has been a positive experience for us in every way. Literally, there is no negative reinforcement in the training program. We do not use the words "no" or "stop" and the good behaviors keep coming. I am learning to train my dog and my dog is enjoying the classes. I am waiting for the next class so we can keep this going! Thanks Lorrie & Ellen!! read more

We were so (dare I say it) happy with this company. Everything was handled so professionally, we learned a great deal in a clean, organized environment. We felt that we got amazing value for the money that we spent. We are now able to control our rambunctious dog. And it was fun. read more