In 2021, we brought home a Great Dane puppy named Enzo. As he grew we quickly realized he had reactivity issues. We worked with several trainers over several months and while Enzo picked up new commands we couldn't quite crack his reactivity issue. At 130lbs, it was becoming problematic to have him jump, bark and lunge at people and dogs. We got anxious every time we went out for a walk. Luckily, we found MendocinoK9 and Alexia. Enzo had stayed with Alexia while we were out of town before, but after Theo (Refined K-9) did an assessment she recommended Enzo do a 4-6 week board and train with Alexia since she is used to working with extra large dogs. Getting Enzo out of his element would help him learn the skills he needed more quickly, Theo said. So we gave it a shot. We dropped him off a few weeks later. Alexia quickly realized what others had missed. Enzo was a confident working dog in need of a purpose and some impulse control. She adjusted his workout routine to include a daily treadmill run and taught him to bark on command. She took him to new places and he got lots of practice being calm at the beach, the park, the hardware store, etc. We got pictures, videos and updates along the journey. Alexia also met with us a few times to teach us the new commands, learn proper leash pressure, and get some social time with our big boy. It was clear Alexia loves all the pups she works with and cares about her craft. Enzo came home five weeks later a happier, more well behaved dog. Enzo checks in with us when he sees a dog instead of freaking out and we can walk past people on the sidewalk without issue. We are currently in the process of reinforcing the foundation Alexia put in place and there is still more training to be done. Enzo isn't perfect (we aren't ready for crowded places and small dogs still get him excited) but we know his triggers now and we aren't anxious every time we leave the house. Eventually, we're hoping put his confidence to good use and try obedience competitions. I would highly recommend Alexia for anyone looking for an empathetic and experienced dog trainer! And Enzo can't wait to hang out with Alexia again the next time we go out of town. :) read more

MendocinoK9 - Enzo at the beach! - Pet Training Near Me

See all