The five stars for this review just does not feel like it says enough about how great our experience with Brendan from Lead & Thrive Dog Training has been for us. It had been a long time since we had a dog and Benny came into our family at 12 weeks old as a sweet and energetic goldendoodle puppy. He surprised us with how fast he grew and by 6 months old he was already bigger than we expected a full-grown doodle to be. He was not a bad puppy in any way, but his size, energy and independence made us feel like we had to do something before he was dominating all of us. He is so sweet, good natured and loving that I really hesitated on the concept of training. A colleague at work told me about Brendan from Lead & Thrive Dog Training and gave me his number. She told me how great the whole experience was and what a difference it made so I broke down and called him. We set a time for him to come over to the house and meet Benny and talk to us about the training. I was very hesitant about the whole process because, as I said, Benny was a good and loving dog already. The last thing I wanted was to change his personality. I was pretty quick to make every excuse in the book for him--it will get better when we get him fixed, he is just a puppy who has to grow up a little more, it just is going to take a little more time, etc. Well, Brendan came over with his furry partner Thor and won us over almost instantly. It was very clear that he has a great warmth for the dogs and he reassured me over and overthat we were not going to be "reprogramming" Benny's personality. He could tell I was concerned and he reassured me that the methods were about building trust and partnership. So we signed up to get started and off we went. I could not be happier that we did. In a matter of two months we went from an energetic, loving and spirited pup to an energetic, loving and spirited pup that is a pleasure to have around, follows obedience commands, doesn't run out the door or go crazy when the bell rings, can be walked off leash in busy public places and that I want to take everywhere with me. It is a great feeling to be able to take him with me and have people not only comment on how adorable he is, but how amazed they are at how he behaves. And the best part about all of it is that he is the same sweet, energetic, spirited loving puppy. I still get a super enthusiastic puppy greeting when I walk in the door that makes me smile. Now anyone in the family can take him for a walk and we never worry about anyone coming to the house. Brendan--we can't thank you enough! read more

We recently had the privilege of working with Brendan, and I can't express enough how grateful we are for the incredible transformation he brought into the lives of our two dogs - a two-year-old Saint Bernard and a seven-year-old Boxer. Brendan was referred to us by a mutual friend. He took the time to understand each dog's unique personality and needs, and his approach was tailored accordingly. Our Saint Bernard, an adorable giant but with zero obedience training, was causing chaos in our home. Brendan patiently worked with him, teaching him basic commands like sit, stay, and heel. Within the first week, we saw a remarkable improvement in his behavior. He's now a well-behaved, lovable giant that we can confidently take for off leash walks and have around guests. Our Boxer's barking, anxiety, and aggression towards strangers had been a long-standing issue. Brendan approached this challenge with a deep understanding of canine behavior. His calm, assertive methods worked wonders. Quickly, the Boxer's anxiety significantly reduced, and the biting incidents stopped completely. It's as if we have a new, more relaxed dog in our home. What sets Brendan apart is his dedication to not only training the dogs but also educating us as owners. He patiently explained the reasoning behind each training method and provided us with tools and techniques to continue reinforcing positive behaviors long after our sessions concluded. His emphasis on building trust and a strong bond between us and our dogs was a game-changer. Additionally, Brendan was always punctual, responsive to our questions, and flexible with scheduling, making the entire training process seamless and stress-free. The results he helped us achieve with our dogs were amazing. We now have two happy, well-behaved dogs. If you're in need of a dog trainer who is not only highly skilled but also genuinely cares for the well-being of your furry companions, we wholeheartedly recommend Brendan. His expertise and dedication have made a world of difference, and we are forever grateful! read more

Where do we even start?? First of THANK YOU, Brendan. You have changed our lives for the better. We have an 11 month old German Shorthair Pointer. She is the sweetest girl, but was full of high energy in the house, always broke out of her crate while we were at work, pulled on the leash, just had bad manners all around. Sad to say She was not enjoyable at all. We put her through 12 weeks of useless training at a well known pet store. Wish I could get my money back from that. Back in July we went on vacation and had to board her. She gave her sitter issues for days and when we came back she referred us to Brendan at Lead & Thrive, Since he worked his magic with her pup. I reached out to Brendan on IG and he immediately called me. He set up the consult and just from the initial meeting Georgias personality changed. We as the parents also had a ton to learn going through the training it was more teaching us how to communicate effectively with her. Each session we would see improvements and she caught on fast. GSPs are super smart but will see what they can get away with. The real tests were when we started meeting Brendan on outings at the parks and stores. We were so amazed how well Georgia was doing. We were now walking a once hard to walk on a leash dog, basically off leash through Lowes and Bass Pro Shop. And at parks with tons of distractions. The final training was at Town Square and she did so good walking around people and dogs and all the smells in the air. She stayed by our side as she was taught. The course is well worth the money if you want to live in harmony with your pets. Now I can take her out and she walks next to me and sits when I stop, down when told, stays and comes when called. Oh and another big issue was the crate. Now Georgi loves the crate and doesn't have to be told to go in it when we go to work she just knows it's her place and goes in. No more whining or busting the doors down to get out. Brendan has changed our life and now we are proud to take her out in public. Thank you!! Shawn and Misty read more

TL;DR: If you are willing to learn how to lead your dog instead of having someone "fix" your dog for you, don't go anywhere else! Brendan is your guy! We found out about Lead & Thrive from one of my wife's coworkers. Their dog was so well behaved and able to be calm in a busy office setting, and we wanted to learn how to teach our high-energy, spazzy, easily distracted English Springer Spaniel to do the same. I was a little skeptical at first, but Brendan is flipping amazing! Brendan doesn't "fix" your dog; he teaches you how to teach your dog. Brendan does a great job in explaining how to communicate with your dog in a way it will understand. He teaches you how to address the root issue(s) you're having with your dog instead of focusing on the surface level. For example, our dog, Marble, was constantly distracted by shadows and flashing lights; before training, she would pull hard after the reflection from her collar on the concrete. We brought it up to Brendan, and instead of focusing on getting her to stop that specific thing, he identified the root problem, which was Marble's lack of impulse control. Throughout our training, he then focused on different ways we could build up Marble's self-discipline, which has totally changed how out of control she used to be! Brendan teaches both discipline and reward, unlike other dog trainers you may find online. It seems that most other trainers lean far too much on one side or another, but Brendan strikes the balance in teaching us how to clearly let Marble know when she's doing something wrong and how to praise her for when she's doing something right. Brendan is always calm and helps keep the energy levels lower, despite how crazy our dog would be acting. He's incredibly patient with both Marble and us, and explains the what and why of our training very well. My wife and I were both blown away by the utter difference between Marble's behavior over just a few weeks, and it's all thanks to Brendan! We would whole-heartedly recommend him to anyone in need of training! read more

Alright WHERE DO I START!!!!!! Well I have two dogs, Kodak & Fuji, (Shepsky/Samoyed) that were absolute troublemakers, especially together. From pulling so hard on the leash that my arm is either out of the socket or I'm being dragged down the street, to jumping on strangers, to extreme separation anxiety, to bolting out the door any chance they got, and really any obedience issue you can think of. They broke our backyard fence multiple times and got out, they would book it after any bird they saw, go nuts when I'd take out a leash or have someone coming through the door, and could not behave whatsoever in public. Fuji would cry excessively and we'd always have to leave. We were severely stressed out and couldn't even enjoy our dogs when taking them out. Not to mention recall was close to none. Brendan literally came in and changed our lives!!! At the consultation, my dogs were absolutely INSANE, his angel of a pup was sleeping and mine were running, jumping on the door, and barking for a full hour non-stop. Now, they walk by my heel and if I stop, they stop. They can hold a stay position while I walk around the corner and I know they'll be right where I put them. Walks are so much fun now, they're so calm and we can take them anywhere. Barking and whining has completely stopped, I can open the car door and instead of them jumping out, they wait for me to give them a command. We recently took them to a seminar out of state where they were in a down stay for 8 hours (of course with breaks to pee) and then they were calm in the 6 hour car ride back home. They are absolute ANGELS now and I can completely trust them off leash which is unheard of for me. Nothing phases them on walks and they're truly so much happier. Could not talk more highly of Brendan at Lead & Thrive Dog Training. It is worth every penny and will literally change your life. If you don't believe your dog can change, I promise you he can, you just have to put the work in. Thank you thank you thank you!!!! read more

I can't speak highly enough about Lead & Thrive Dog Training and our trainer, Brendan! We got our American Bully Leota from the shelter just before Thanksgiving and while she was an absolute sweetheart at home with us and our other pets, she was HIGHLY reactive to people coming to the house or in public. I was worried we'd never be able to take her out anywhere or be around other people because of how reactive she was. In fact, she tried to EAT Brendan when he came to our home for our initial consult and it broke my heart to think what might have happened to her in her past to make her so fearful of people and things outside of our immediate home. However, Brendan was outstandingly calm and accomplished in dealing with Leota's reactivity and extremely patient in dealing with my extreme anxiety about the whole thing. Leota did the 2 week boarding program and even just one week in was vastly improved in terms of being coachable - we could tell she WANTED to work and learn! And certainly we as her parents wanted to learn how to be more capable and confident in handling and working with her to boost our own bond and create more feelings of safety around us, too! After the two weeks were up, Brendan continued to work with us for over a month on various skills and in different environments to keep building on the good work he'd started with her. Now, far from trying to eat Brendan when she sees him, Leota lights up with joy and full body wiggles! We're proud to say that this Friday, Leota GRADUATED her program with flying colors and can now continue to learn and develop more socialization in group classes and pack walks. I truly can't be more effusive about how much Brendan has helped Leota and us as her parents and I'm excited for her to continue to grow and learn! Thank you so much! read more

It's hard to know where to begin, and how to express my gratitude towards Brendan and all he did for my dog and I. Let's just say - I wouldn't be able to have a dog and live my life without Brendan educating, teaching, and training my dog and I. I grew up with all kinds of animals and dogs growing up, but this was the first time I had my own dog. I wanted to do it right. I was very overwhelmed. You can read anything on the web, and everyone has their own opinions. When I was referred to work with Brendan, everything changed. He was clear, honest, and kind. He reassured me when I felt like I was doing everything wrong, but he also helped me to realize when I needed to keep myself accountable so I could be consistent and make desired behavioral changes in my dog. He took his time with my dog and I. And I saw immediate changes in my dog after one session working with him (that continually got better each session and as long as I did my part too!). It took my consistency after what he taught me to keep my dog trained the way that was necessary to live his best life. Brendan also helped me realize the assertiveness and compassion required when training dogs. I gained a much greater appreciation for the hard work, time, and team effort it requires to train a dog. I learned a lot about myself and gained a better understanding about my dog too throughout the process. My dog and I have a greater bond and respect for each other. It changed my life and my dog's life. He can now go anywhere with me and it's not a problem. Paying Brendan was worth every penny. I'm happier. My dog is happier. My husband is happier. Thank you Brendan. I couldn't have done it without you!! read more

My husband Maxx and I are expecting our first child and we wanted to get serious about training our dogs. We have three dogs Brooklyn (pit mix), Durk (XL American Bully) & Leo (pit mix) so it tends to be a lot. My amazing friend Luisa suggested we check out Brendan at Lead & Thrive Dog Training because she just finished her trainer and saw the biggest change ever. When we reached out to Brendan he had absolutely no issues with training three dogs at one time. As much as I love my three fur babies they were a hand full to go on walks with pulling in every direction, always taking lead & I lacked the self confidence to walk more than one dog at a time. They all fed off each other's energy especially from our girl Brooklyn who has bad anxiety. One of our main concerns was how they would bum rush the front door when we have any guests over and the moment someone walks in they would jump all over them. Brendan completely changed our lives for the better. We can now confidently walk all of our dogs at one time without any of them blowing our heel & even off leash! Which I never in my life thought would ever be an option for any of our pups. All of our dogs have gained more confidence and there anxiety has gone away. We can now enjoy having guest walk into our home without getting jumped on our bum rushed at the door. They stay on there "spots" and don't get up until we allow it. Brendan truly made us the leader of our pack. And we are forever grateful for him completely changing our lives & our pups. Thank you so much Brendan! read more

We were struggling to train our Korean Jindo (Starfox) on our own. Starfox was in control; not us. Walks were not enjoyable. He was very protective when people would come over, and it was almost impossible to get him in or out of a car to take him anywhere! We knew we needed Professional help, but didn't know who to turn to. A friend recommended Brendan. We were happy to learn Brendan was very familiar with the Korean Jindo breed (a guard dog by nature). He understood our struggles with training him. He explained the work that it would take from us, in addition to the training Brendan would provide, for this training to be successful. We were amazed how Brendan handled Starfox during the initial orientation. We knew we were making the right decision to hire Brendan. The training consisted of not only Brendan training Starfox but also Brendan teaching US how to do our "homework" to reinforce what Starfox learned each week from Brendan. That is key! The result: Starfox is a completely different dog! We can take him on enjoyable walks and car rides. We never thought we'd ever be able to take him to a shopping center and have him walk calmly in heal with people, dogs and other distractions, but we can! He no longer darts out the front door when we open it. He's happier, and we're happier, that we can do more things together. The training continues, even after "graduation" but we've been trained by Brendan so we know what we need to do. We can't say enough about Brendan and Lead & Thrive Dog Training!!!! read more

We're returning customers because Brendan's training is so effective. We have referred him to friends, who are also more than satisfied with his method. We have gone through training for two of our Golden Retrievers and each had a very different personality and learning style. Brendan was able to cater the training to each personality so that each dog could thrive. With our first pup, after completing obedience training, we moved on to retrieval training with Brendan. This was a lot of fun for both us and our dog. With our second pup, Brendan took him for a two week boarding training program. We were nervous about sending our baby off but were reassured by knowing he would be in the best hands with Brendan. He really is the only person we could trust to do this. River came back a different pup, while still maintaining his fun puppy playfulness. For anyone who is on the fence with this training method, as we were at first, we can assure you that it does not take the fun out of your pup. It's opened up a whole new world for our family because we are able to take our River with us and do so much more with him than if he weren't reliably trained. Plus, it's really fun to see your dog's confidence grow! We will always be grateful to Brendan and what he has done for our family, twice! Don't hesitate any longer, give Brendan a call and get ready for your pup to be the best behaved dog at Downtown Summerlin! read more

I can't share enough positive things about having Brendan train my dog. Rocco is a 1.5 year old 100lb German Shepherd puppy. He had been through basic obedience, but was still a HUGE maniac, and only listened when he wanted to. He was too big to not be trained, and had behavior issues such as excessive barking and jumping; I knew it was only a matter of time before he injured someone. I knew I needed a real professional to assist me. Brendan was always on-time, professional and made to sure that I felt comfortable with the teachings of the week. In my initial consultation I was told we would finish training with off-leash walking at Town Square and I'll be honest, I thought there was no way this maniac puppy would get there. But guess what - HE DID. Every week added onto the training, so its very manageable if you are committed. The training has allowed Rocco and I to have a trusting relationship, which I have never had with any dog I've owned. Its amazing. He no longer jumps on people, can sit in his "spot" while I have technicians come to the house, he walks so nicely off leash next to me, and actually LISTENS to me. Which I never thought would be the case. I will say the training is 100000% worth it. If you have a maniac dog, do yourself a favor and get them into this training to have a good pup. It will make your lifelong relationship with your dog so much better and stress free. read more

Where to begin?? I was overwhelmed with my one year old Australian Shepard/ Blue Heeler mix (Dexter). He was super reactive to people, cars and pretty much anything that moved. Having company over was impossible due to his constant barking and urge to bolt out the door when he saw the chance. Taking Dexter on walks was out of the question. This was a huge concern since we were about to move into a brand new house and I was fearful that he would destroy it. Brendan O'Neal came to our home for a consultation where he quickly pointed out Dexter's issues. He recommended an eight week training course with one week of boarding in his home. When Brendan returned, Dexter already showed signs of improvment. The training was very informative and he did give us homework. Brendan answered all our questions and was super patient with us. You get what you put into it. Brendan will give you the knowledge, Whenever we had a question he was only a text away. Dexter is such a good boy now. I can leave my front door open and know that he won't run out. Taking him on walks is actually a good time. Let's just say Dexter walks at my heel OFF LEASH! If you're serious about training and want to give your pet the best, please seek out Brendan O'Neal with Lead & Thrive. The man knows his stuff. I am forever grateful for what he taught Dexter and I. read more

We found out about Lead & Thrive Dog Training through an old friend and decided to set up a consultation. We immediately fell in love with their methods of training and care for their dogs. We were always hesitant about training but we couldn't be anymore grateful for what Brendan has done for us. When we first started, our dog Milo was a 6 month old fearful puppy who barked at any stranger that he would see. He would also constantly tug on the leash when we would go for walks. Not only did he lack confidence, we did as well. The trust of having him near anyone else just wasn't there so we knew that this training was necessary. From the start milo was very hesitant to trust Brendan and would not let him near him. When they did the onboarding Milo was barking nonstop. After our 10 sessions with Brendan, we can now confidently take milo anywhere with us. He listens to every command we give him, never leaves our heel, and has grown to become more comfortable around strangers. Our bond of trust with milo has grown tremendously and that's all thanks to Brendan. We looked forward to every session because not only was it a learning experience for us but Brendan made sure it was fun at the same time. We would highly recommend Brendan and Lead & Thrive Dog Training to anyone who is looking to get their dog trained ! read more

Our daughter adopted Herman into our family in December 2023. The poor little guy was a wreck, he couldn't sleep alone, go out of the house, meet new people, or stop the nervous chewing and barking. It was so sad to see him so distraught all the time and it was exhausting for us all. We are first time dog owners and the training process was overwhelming us which only added to poor Herman's distress. During his vet visit at Red Rock Animal Hospital, we asked who they recommended and were given Lead & Thrive Dog Training pamphlet. We called Brendan and the rest is history!!! Brendan is as professional as it gets and he explained the process to us in a way that made complete sense. His confidence that he could help Herman and our family was so reassuring- in addition his dog Thor who was a perfect reflection on his abilities. Brendan transformed Herman's life for the better- as well as ours! He taught us how to help Herman's anxiety and shyness as well as teaching Herman to behave like a good boy. Now, Herman is able to participate in normal dog activities without being scared and anxious. With Brendan's socialization training, Herman loves going to stores, especially Lowes. It was a win win for our family! We would highly recommend Brendan to any dog owner, new or old! Thank you so much for everything! read more

When I adopted Remi I knew she exhibited lots of fear and anxiety. She was a 70lb shepherd-mix who was very reactive. It got to a point where it was too difficult for me to even walk her. I was so worried I would not be able to hold on to her. When Brendan said Remi would be just fine and she would be off-leash trained in a matter of weeks it was hard to believe. Within a week with Brendan, Remi was a completely different pup! She could sit, stay, and heel. After completing Brendan's program, my Remi is now showing more and more confidence and I literally take her everywhere (to brunch, the store, the farmer's market, and hiking). Remi is so well trained. We are always working on her walks and while we are out and about. I really could not have taken her anywhere before because of how reactive she was. Brendan was so patient, calm, and caring with Remi and helped me through all of the concerns I had. Through this program I learned so much about how this training is so vital for my pup to feel secure and safe with me. I highly recommend this training for anyone with any pup or pups that are having difficulty. I am so grateful I called Lead & Thrive Dog Training and got connected with Brendan. It has more than enhanced mine and Remi's quality of life together. It really is special. Thank you! read more

Four months ago we adopted a wild and energetic lab/pit mix puppy and today we have a well behaved and more loving part of the family, and it's all thanks to Brendan at Lead & Thrive. He was recommended to us by our vet Sunset and Eastern Animal Hospital and we are so thankful he came into our lives. Blaze took a while to open up to him and accept his submissive role but he finally left his "pancaking" behind as he matured with a little help from his trainer. Brendan has been amazing with Blaze and has become one of his favorite people! He's so patient and encouraging. We all have learned so much from him, not just Blaze. We now have a much better relationship with our pup, and he respects us and looks to us for guidance rather than running the show on his own. His playful and energetic spirit is still in there, but his behavior has drastically improved. He now listens to all his commands, stays in his down stay, and walks off leash with us without us worrying about him taking off. We have so many more opportunities now that we can trust his behavior and he trusts us. We can't wait to take him camping and on trips with us everywhere we go. We can't thank Brendan enough for everything he has done for our entire family! It has been a life changing experience! read more

Where do I begin with how amazing our 10 week transformation of our sweet puppy, Trebek? Before training he was a very bouncy 5 month old puppy who needed help learning basic manners like not jumping, not pulling on the leash and a general comfortability in all public places. Our goal when we first met with Brendan was simple; we want to be able to take Trebek everywhere we go from parks, tball games, hikes and restaurants. We truly wanted him to be the 5th family member and to include him in all that we do. In 10 weeks our puppy became so intuned with us as his leader that he sailed thru training and now GOES EVERYWHERE with us. Things that we didn't even say we wanted and didn't know we'd need like his car riding skills and stays and off leash work have made taking him everywhere a breeze! People are always shocked when they find out he's an 8 month old puppy as he is always the best trained dog anywhere we go. Brendan changed our lives and has made our little rescue dogs life the best possible. He is never left behind. Which is exactly what we wanted. He is still a happy go lucky puppy but knows and respects his boundaries and most importantly trusts us in all that we do. Thank you for making our dreams come true. Jordan and the Lane Family! read more

I reviewed and asked for many recommendations on trainers for my Great Dane and I'm SO glad I found Brendan! I honestly don't think anyone else could have done a better job. -Tex my Great Dane has a bite history, growling, jumping and wouldn't even sit. We could never go on walks because he was dragging us, he had no confidence, and were always too worried to have guests over due to fearful aggressiveness. We felt "trapped" with our own dog that we weren't able to enjoy at all. Every day was a stressful task with Tex and constantly had to watch his every move. I started to wonder if I made a mistake by bringing a big dog breed into our family home. -Brendan came and changed everything for us! His patience is unmatched. Tex was not easy in the beginning of training but Brendan only focused in on Tex more and eventually the changes and obedience training started to click. We can now take Tex on walks, to parks, out in public, have friends over and just simply relax in our own home. We are doing alot of "firsts" with Tex now that he's graduated training and it has been so much fun for all of us. Brendan's work was life changing. I often joke with friends and say "If Brendan can train my horse (Great dane) then he can for sure train your dog!" read more

Brendan from Lead & Thrive came HIGHLY recommended from family and I was not disappointed. My golden retriever, Malibu, was a crazy ball of energy before we started training. When we first met with Brendan, Malibu (1 y.o.) was dragging us on walks, had the run of the house, and would be a source of stress at any family gathering. I would have never in my wildest dreams imagined she would be where she is today. After training with Brendan, Malibu is constantly receiving compliments on walks for staying by my side (even off leash!) and I never have to worry about her when we have guests over. My favorite portion of the training was when Brendan introduced us and Malibu to the concept of a 'spot'. We could be playing volleyball in a crowded park and Malibu will just watch from her spot without getting up. Not only does it give us the peace of mind to know we can take her anywhere, it gives her a place to relax and take a break. As someone who has never sought out professional dog training, I have to say I will never go back. Even if you're skeptical about seeking out professional help, I would highly recommend at least having an evaluation with Brendan at L&T. You won't regret it! read more