We rescued a 1.5 year old GSD who had spent at least six months of his life in a kill shelter and made the trek to WA from southern CA. We got him from WGSR and part of their adoption contract stipulated we get obedience training and Nitro K-9 was their recommendation. We did the usual search for reviews on Yelp, Google. There were a few reviews we've read on here that sounded like horror stories, but we made the decision to go with Nitro K9 anyways. When we took him home from the foster the first night he was on a flat collar and pulled mildly - enough that it was bothersome. We also found out he was leash reactive when coming upon other dogs on the sidewalk. We moved to a cheap quick disconnect prong collar from Amazon which helped with the pulling when no dogs were around. But, the real help didn't come until we started our seven, hands on, level-one obedience classes. Steve was great during the evaluation and it was clear he cared deeply about the animals he works with. He got us using the right collar and leash over the cheap stuff we were using from Petsmart/Amazon. Our GSD was experiencing health issues and lost 10% of his body weight within our first month of having him. Steve was extremely accommodating of his health issues and made sure his well being came before training. Our boy is now back to a healthy weight, and after seven lessons I would argue he was better trained than 90% of the dogs in Seattle. We have since moved to a partial level one and complete level two hands-off training with Christina (co-owner of Nitro K9). I spent three days watching her work, and it's incredible how easy she makes it look. I've also watched her handle him (he's 90lbs) when small dogs get close and it's startling how big of a difference we've seen in his reactivity. I will update this once he finishes level two (he's 25% of the way through). I'm really glad we went with Nitro K9. Steve is a no nonsense kind of guy and calls it like he sees it. I find this a great trait when you're paying a ton of money to have your partner trained and makes me feel like I'm working with an authentic person. I've been super happy with Nitro K9, and I know our boy has been too (even if he is a big baby sometimes). read more

I signed up for Nitro K-9 because I needed help with my GSD who pulled during walks and barked way too much at other dogs. I'm only 5'1" and I couldn't walk him alone because of his behavior. My GSD did weekly puppy training classes since he was 4 months old and when he was almost 1 year old we went to Nitro K-9 because I desperately needed help correcting his behavior (he was much bigger and too strong for me). I did not initially choose Nitro K-9 because it was more expensive than other places, and I regret that decision because we could have avoided all of the issues and stress. Fortunately, Steve was able to teach us how to correct those issues (Level 1 training) and I can now easily walk my GSD (no more pulling) and even when other dogs bark at us, my dog will ignore them. I am amazed by the results and so grateful, this was a huge quality of life improvement. We will continue training here and when we get another puppy we will start with training at Nitro K-9. read more

What a wonderful experience with Steve. The man knows his stuff. Training our girl has been a chore ever since her adoption. She has fear and issues with agressive and with training through Nitro she has really come a long way. She is less agressive and more responsive to commands. She's the dog we know she can be and she is a lot happier now too. Thank you Steve and Nitro K9 for all your help! read more

10 REASONS WHY STEVE BEATS ALL COMPETITION: 1. EVERY DOG IS AN INDIVIDUAL NOT JUST A "DOG" Training facilities tend to base their techniques off of viewing the "dog" as a whole group, where all can be trained using the same method. Steve is much more aware of the fact that each dog is its own individual and should be treated as such. Steve takes his time getting to know each dog before finding out exactly what methods will work best! 2. ONE ON ONE SESSIONS IN A PRACTICAL SETTING Instead of training in a group setting, with a bunch of dogs that are nowhere near the same as your dog, Steve takes the time to personally train one on one with you and your one of a kind pooch! Also, he trains at a local park! That way you are dealing with distractions in a common setting, unlike other training where they throw you in a random building you wouldn't naturally be walking around in. Working in a park setting allows your dog to not only relax, but to tune into their natural behaviors we wouldn't otherwise see in a random building. 3. EACH OWNER GETS JUST AS MUCH TRAINING AS THEIR DOGS Steve is aware that the owners most likely know just as much about training as their dogs do, other training facilities think the dog is the one and only student. Steve gives you the one on one experience you need to be a great trainer not only for your current dog but also for any other dogs you plan to own in the future! 4. TRAINING DOESN'T HAVE TO JUST STOP AT BASIC COMMANDS Have you ever been interested in having a Therapy dog? Maybe even train them how to Search and Rescue? Steve doesn't just stop his training after basic sit commands! You have the option of furthering your training onto any level you could possibly dream of! He is determined not only to make your dog happy, but also to give you the dog of your dreams! 5. EXTREMELY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT BEHAVIORAL ISSUES AND REHABILITATION Did you recently rescue a dog with an unknown past and/or behavioral issues such as trusting other humans or dogs? Steve is the answer to all your problems! Steve begins by building a strong bond between you and your dog, then tackles the issues head on! Not only will you feel much more confident as a trainer and an owner, but your dog can live a carefree life as well! 6. ALL THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT NUTRITION AND BASIC CARE Have you been interested in starting a raw diet? Did you adopt a dog without any prior ownership experience? Steve not only can answer all of your questions about basic dog care, but he is also very knowledgeable when it comes to nutrition for your dog! I had never even heard of the raw diet before I met Steve, now I am in the process of switching my dog, and she already has shown so much improvement in her coat, stool, weight, and even behavior! 7. UNLIKE FOOD REWARDS, HE USES A METHOD THAT WILL STICK! The most common form of training in the U.S. today is called positive reinforcement or "food rewards", Steve soon found out that not only do the dogs not respond to commands without food, but also the dogs are more interested in getting their treat than in pleasing their owner. Inspired by how dogs naturally communicate with each other, Steve has created his own technique which involves being able to communicate with your dog just like another dog would. Not only does your dog respond quicker, but you begin to build a strong relationship with your dog that you didn't even think was possible! 8. HE TRAVELED THE WORLD EDUCATING HIMSELF IN ALL TRAINING FIELDS Before constructing his own method, he took the time to travel the world for over a decade learning all there is to know about every training technique ever created! Through personal experience and education he has created a unique way of training that is not only quick in its effectiveness but it will last a lifetime! 9. PASSIONATE ABOUT HIS WORK, YOU ARE NOT JUST A PAYCHECK Steve really takes his time in getting to know not only each dog but the owner as well. I personally struggle with some anxiety and he has opened my eyes to a whole new world where my dog can be trained to sense my anxiety before I can! Steve is very passionate about not only giving you the dog of your dreams, but also by showing you how to use your dog to help make your life perfect as well! 10. BEFORE SIGNING UP, HE MEETS WITH THE OWNER AND DOG TO MAKE SURE IT IS A GOOD FIT IN THE PROGRAM Steve will take the time to drive to your house to meet you and your dog, before having you sign up for a program. Most facilities will take any owner with any dog no matter the success rate just for an easy paycheck. Steve is much more interested in his success rate! If he feels his training techniques aren't the best for you and your dog, he will gladly point you to the right direction before taking a paycheck and time investment. My dog learned more in her first hour session with Steve than she ever did out of a 6 week food reward training course! I GIVE STEVE 5 STARS AND THEN SOME! read more

BEST DECISION EVER. after a lot of thought, I decided to take my dog to the professionals. My husband and I met up with steve, where he suggested a sprengers prong collar. My dog of 8 years refused to walk suddenly, we took her to the vet and there was nothing physical wrong with her. We moved out of state and she was not adapting well, she would pull on the leash to go home or to the car and not finish a 5 min walk. Steve was able to guide us in properly walking our dog. My dog instantly responded to the directions Steve gave us. It was like a miracle. I am very satisfied with the service they provided . This has change our lives. Steve was able to identify the problem and correct it instantly. I recommend Nitro K-9 100% if you want results! read more

These guys are fantastic trainers!!!! They know dog behavior, their rates are reasonable, and they go above and beyond to give good results. I recommend them highly for eeryone with a dog--large, small, aggressive, nervous....I saw them effectively handle a new dog client who was huge (Newfoundland) and stubborn. This spring (March 2014) we adopted a 25# rescue dog named Jameson. He nipped or tried to nip several visitors in our home, pulled constantly on the leash on walks and barked at passer-bys. He was a pretty good dog when it was just family at home, but we wanted a dog we could trust with others at home and out in the world. We tried a dog training CD, but Jameson just dropped like a bag or potatoes and wouldn't move or ignored our commands. (If you go to Westcrest dog park, you've probably met us--we go nearly every day.) We have had only 4 half-hour appointments with Steve and Christina, plus our "homework" of 10 minutes a day working with Jameson, and already Jameson consistently does down, sit, stay, even sometimes when he's off-leash and agitated/overstimulated. He even sometimes obeys "come" when off leash and highly distracted. He's more calm, more confident, less reactive & nervous and all around a much happier dog and better to be around. (He would do no commands when we started.) Nitro k-9 does not use treats. The dog learns to obey because it wants to and knows you're the boss. My observation is Treat-training gives a more limited response--what if you don't have treats? what if the dog sees something it wants more than a treat? Nitro k-9 trainers are very loving and caring--training isn't about food, it's about safety and good behavior among other things. I hope this is useful. Contact me if you have any questions. Update 2018: we adopted a second rescue dog this spring and are back with Nitro again. She has a lot of anxiety and they know how to help her. and us. Great trainers, still! read more

I actually found Steve's training program before I adopted my St. Bernard fur-baby, Roxie. I am especially interested in the emotional support program, so that I can train a dog to become a therapy dog, bringing her into nursing homes/hospitals/etc... I put it in the back of my mind, not sure if it was for me. Once I did adopt, I quickly realized that Roxie is a pretty anxious girl, and she was VERY aggressive about "her" territory (home, car, toys, food, etc...). Anytime we were in the car she would curl up and cower for the trip. She would lunge at other dogs near home, bark at people near the home. I had no idea how to help her out, and I knew I needed some tools to help both of us. I contacted Nitro K-9 and Christina was able to get me into an introductory session very quickly. Once I met Steve, I knew we were in the right hands. He not only helped teach Roxie to heel, which helped her confidence immensely, but he taught me the tools and skills to communicate with her, and what should be asked of her at any given time. He is 110% devoted to your dog, and is very straightforward and invested in your dog's progress and facilitating your relationship with your dog. One of the keys with any animal training is to be fluent in the language that your animal understands. It did take work on my part, and was challenging at first to learn, but the improvements I've seen have been tremendous. Because of a personal move, I wasn't able to complete the first level of training, but Roxie has already done a complete 180 in her confidence. She is sticking her head out the window when we're in the car, just stares at other dogs when they become aggressive with her (instead of lunging), she is much happier and relaxed in general. The training that you'll get here is a classical, European style training. It is tried and true for hundreds of years. Police dogs use it, attack dogs use it, service dogs use it. It certainly worked for Roxie and I. The changes were not immediate (as with changes with any animal), but they are solid and positive changes. I really can't say enough good things about this training program. read more

Nitro the real thing. A proven product. We got our pup with them for level 1 at 12 weeks. Now our pup is nearby 1 and fully off leash trained as she has nearly completed level 2 training. This spot great. We looked into doing the treat training method and glad we went with nitro as the dog fully respects and loves us while not dependent on treats. read more

Murphy came to me a year ago after being in two foster homes and then transported with 40 other dogs from Los Angeles where he was picked up off those hard streets. Murphy is a senior, 8+, and this spring he lunged and almost bit one of the staff at my apartment complex, where there are nearly more dogs than humans, and they made me put him in a muzzle while outside on walks. I knew if I didn't do something soon I'd lose complete control of him and either I'd have to move or they would put this very loving and fun little dog down. Did I mention that he is a Dachshund mix. I thought he was aggressive since he would lunge and bark at men and children, both of which are plentiful in my apartment building. Well, he is my first dog as an adult and I had learned to be a dog parent with books and dvds until I met Steve and Christina. Thank God for the internet, I found Nitro K9 and a very patient trainer. Yes, the evaluation process is long but for Steve to do his job and help save a very fearful dog, like Murphy, he had to know as much as he could before the very minimal time of 30 minutes he has with the owner and dog to know how to approach both human and dog and give both a chance at a successful experience and a change in their lives together. To make a long story short, we worked seven weeks together this past summer. And in seven weeks Murphy kinda learned to sit. It seems funny now, but Steve was so patient with us. Murphy is a senior and had never been trained AT ALL. Did not know any commands as we found out. So he was a unique challenge. The truth is he was just slower to pick up on the training than others. Its now been three months later and he sits when I tell him to mostly, sits before I give him his dinner when I remember to tell him to. And walks right next to me in his prong collar very nicely. I am a much better dog parent thanks to Steve and Christina. As we were having our challenges with Murphy, Steve taught me a lot about nutrition for him, which worked by the way, and how to handle him on the leash better. I walk him two to three times a day and I love how he minds me on our walks. He was not aggressive. He was afraid. He is still afraid of strangers, especially men and really afraid of children. But I now know how to handle him in those situations. And for that I a very grateful to Steve and Christina for their help and patience with this very loving little dog and his owner. Thanks Steve. read more

Easily the best group of trainers I could of taken my puppers to. (after the first mistake). They work very stern with the dogs and don't allow them any dilly dally time when it comes to training. But not over aggressive training. I feel that it's important my girl Styx still has her shinning personality while she's ripping throats and she definitely does. For that I really need to thank you Steve for working so close with not only my dog but also with me and my family in being able to handle a Doberman. read more

Steve Walter, I say, is Seattle's dog whisperer (hope he doesn't mind that comparison.) I was almost ready to give up with my German Shepherd Mischa and sell her. She had behavior problems I couldn't understand, correct or get a hold of. I was embarrassed to walk her because she would become aggressive and lunge and bark at other dogs and here I am standing over her saying SIT, SIT SIT and she could care less I was even there. We got complaints from 5 different neighbors that she barked and barked and barked in the yard. She has lunged at small children and other dogs that move fast toward her. I needed to get control of her separation anxiety, her nervous mind, and aggressive behaviors toward other dogs. I was desperate, because I really wanted to keep her, so I went on Yelp to see who was out there. Steve had rave reviews and after emailing and the preliminary evaluation I knew he was the guy who would help us! By starting with leash-control basics, he taught me how to correct Mischa at the right times, how to hold the leash, how to establish a connection with her. He taught me about dog psychology (when I think she is being cute and cuddly, he clarifies that she is dominating me.). By the half-way point of training, I already noticed a huge difference in her demeanor and I felt a bond forming between her and I. She responds to what I say quicker. I feel like I understand her and her behavior better. I'm impressed what has been accomplished in 7 classes!! She even responds to silent hand signals! WHAT!! awesome. She still has some issues I need to work with her on but I feel so much better educated on how to handle those situations where she isn't listening. Steve is an excellent trainer, he is prompt at responding and setting up appointments, he has an intuition for the dog's behavior, he is helpful and he has a great sense of humor (even if I don't always get all the movie references! My bad!) He knows what he is doing and I'm impressed hearing his story of how he got to where he is now; How he saw this need and filled the niche! Mischa and I are so glad we got his help and I look forward to continuing on with more training--Off-leash classes, search-and-rescue, guard-dog classes, HERE WE COME! read more

Steve is the best dog trainer there is. He and his team were accommodating to our travel restrictions and met us at a nearby park for lessons. Even the first 30 minute introduction saw significant improvement for our boxer puppy who would not stop pulling on the leash. 30 minutes with Steve and he listened better than ever before. After a couple more lessons and daily training at home, he was practically a show dog with how good he was. We had left Seattle when we got another dog and got lessons somewhere else and it was a night and day difference in quality and results. We would not have even known there was a better way with Steve if we hadn't gone with him for our first dog. Highly recommended! read more

I can't thank Steve and Matt at Nitro enough. They have guided me and helped me create my perfect companion dog. I did the board and train with Raven and Nitro taught her all of her off leash work. We can hike leash free and her response to commands is perfect. She stops sits and leaves people alone on trails, people always comment on how well behaved she is. Positive dog training as they call it didn't work for Raven she is a working line dog with high drive and a stubborn nature. Don't listen to other trainers that say positive is the only way it isn't for many dogs. Nitro had the right approach for Raven and I am so thankful. Raven and I have built a relationship on trust, respect and companionship. We are also part of the protection class and it's Raven's favorite thing in the world she lights up wagging her tail all through class. Thank you so much Steve, Matt and the whole Nitro team! read more

Nitro K-9 - Raven on one of our many hikes - Pet Training Near Me - Bothell, Washington

I took my puppy to Steve and nitro K9 as soon as she was old enough. The skills she has learned keep both of us happy and most importantly safe! She's currently going through a fear stage but thanks to the amazing trainers she learning the world isn't so scary. Every lesson is specialized for you and your dogs need. Can't say enough, I just love them! read more

I have learned SO much from Steve at Nitro K-9! He really understands how to work with dogs, and how to interpret what your dog is doing and why. The bond I have with my dog is much stronger because of the time we've spent working together with Steve! At our very first lesson Steve had Monkey ( and I ) learning the "Halt" command within the first 15 minutes! The confidence level you attain after learning how to really understand and handle your dog makes you and your dog happier. I would recommend his training to everyone, at any level, with any breed/size/age of dog - whether you are having some behavior issues you want to correct or just have a new ( or old! ) puppy that needs to learn a thing or two. Steve's techniques are very easy to understand and implement ( even for me and I'm totally uncoordinated! LOL ) He's a great teacher for both dog and owner! You wont ever regret a moment ( or dime ) spent with Nitro K-9! read more

This review has been totally delayed and I'm finally getting the chance to write it. This is an email I sent to Steve a couple of months ago regarding our dog who had been having some anxiety/reactive barking behaviors on walks and in our home- I felt inspired to write you tonight after hosting a dinner party at our house with multiple friends (including males!) attending. As you know, one of the biggest issues we had with Flora was her barking at people, especially men, who came to our house. After we finished Level 1 training with you, we really worked on the bark collar, and generalizing the stuff we learned with you on her walks with us and in our home. She is still working, but even now, she is a completely different dog. Our walks with her are amazing - no pulling, no misbehaving. And, she has really transformed her behavior in our home too. Tonight, we had friends over, including male friends, one of whom is 6'7", and she didn't bark once. She laid on her bed and waited to greet people after they had arrived and settled in at our house as you taught us. She stayed in her bed while we ate dinner, and after dinner, I let her get up and greet people, and she went over and sat with 6'7" friend! People stayed for hours after dinner, and Flora was great. I know she was working hard to keep it together sometimes, and she really did it. It was awesome, and we couldn't have done it without your help! Thank you! We are still working with our dog using the skills we learned in training with Nitro K-9. We know this is an ongoing process, but feel like we have a completely different dog now. She still has work to do, but we know we have the tools to keep her on the right track as well as to correct behavior when we have to. This training truly changed our lives. read more

My fiancé and I started using Nitro K9 as soon as our puppy was able to start lessons at 12-13 weeks old. We have just finished our first 7 lessons and have plans to continue. The foundations and the bond you start building with your dog right away are so necessary to the future happiness of everyone involved. We have been out of training for a couple weeks now and we are completely dedicated to continuing to work the fundamentals that we learned in training. Everything you want to teach your dog is based on those fundamentals. Our trainer was Greg. Greg has a laid back demeanor and a "everything will be ok" attitude which I appreciated very much. He was very patient with me and my fiancé both in teaching US how to give the right type of correction so that it would be more effective for our puppy. Greg was also great about knowing when our puppy was "done" for the day. Training is hard work for dogs, and is able to recognize when its time to call it a day. I will definitely be going back for round two and beyond. The training you get from Nitro is not like most treat based training, its way better. Your dog actually learns and a bond is built between dog and owner. That is absolutely priceless. Highly recommend Nitro K9. read more

Our English Mastiff George was having major fear aggression problems with other dogs (due to being attacked by his buddy) and because of this it became nearly impossible to walk him or go anywhere where dogs could be. Steve and his trainers completely rehabilitated George and now we are able to walk him at anytime and can now go back to dog parks or just be out in public with him! The difference is beyond amazing! We now regularly get complimented on how well behaved our dog is!! I highly recommend ignoring the few bad reviews as they are not indicative of the help you will receive from Steve and his trainers. I think the issue these people have experienced is due to Steve being a dog person and more gruff than city people are used to. I never had any problem talking with Steve and found him to be very helpful and compassionate. Steve 100% cares about dogs and his focus is on helping you have the best relationship with your dog though proper training. I cannot recommend Nitro K9 enough!!!! If you want to have the best behaved dog ever contact them immediately! read more

We have nothing but great things to say about Steve and Nitro K9! We started working with him this past summer, and the results we've seen have been amazing! We have a 2 year old black lab that comes from strong hunting lines, which was proving to be extremely challenging. We had already gone through two different sets of training, both food based/clicker training. This technique did not work for us at all and at the end we still had all of the same problems. And honestly, I want my dog to listen to me, not just sort of listen because I have a treat for him, then go back to doing whatever it is I don't want him to do. When we started, he was terrible on leash. We'd pretty much given up walking him because it was such an exhausting experience. Instead we were only taking him to the dog park for exercise. Also, we couldn't have anyone come over without him jumping on them. This was becoming especially concerning as we have an 8 year old daughter, and we didn't want him to jump on her friends when they came over. We were to the point where we just didn't know what do to anymore. Overall he was just high energy (albeit sweet) but we could not control him. After our first lesson we started seeing results immediately. One big piece of it has been teaching us how to read our dog's behavior - there were things that we just weren't picking up on before, and now that we know, its made a world of difference. We have worked with Steve almost exclusively. My husband and I both have really enjoyed working with him and appreciate his honesty. That honesty has helped us get to where we are now, which is so much better than we were 6 months ago. We've gotten to the point where his leash skills are great, he pays attention to our commands and we can now when people come over and he'll sit on his mat and not jump up on them. We've successfully passed Level 1 and are now working on Level 2, which is off leash skills. The training we've gotten (and honestly a lot of it is training us humans) has been priceless. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Steve and Nitro K9 to anyone! We can't thank him enough for everything we've learned and for how much better behaved our dog is! read more

Steve has been outstanding! We've known and worked with him for over 2 years now with our Belgian Malinois. He was a rescue that had some aggression issues towards other dogs and Steve gave us the tools necessary to train that out of him. Going forward from there, Steve helped us nail down his obedience so well that I can take my Mal, off leash, anywhere and he's glued to my side. Nitro K9 is nothing but top notch training! Going into this, I was naive thinking that pinch and e-collars were not proper to use. These are the correct tools to use with high energy dogs. The point is not to harm the dog but, to stimulate and focus. Yes, a zap from an E-collar is not comfortable but, tools like this are absolutely required to deal with high energy dogs. End of the day, I wouldn't go to any other dog trainer for basic handling, obedience, agility or protection work. read more

I had been trying to get ahold of Steve for quite some time now, he left 2 voicemails stating he would call back after 7pm when he was free and so far no return calls after 7pm. I was finally able to reach him and was excited to learn more about his experience with training certain breeds and the different package options that he offered. In an extremely condescending voice, he told me it's on the website. I don't know about you but when I'm prepared to spend several thousand dollars, I personally enjoy speaking directly to a human being, especially the one who will be training my dog. Everything about the conversation was extremely negative, and his condensing attitude was highly unappreciated. I appreciate those who take the time to pick up the phone to have a real conversation. After that poor interaction I will absolutely be spending my money elsewhere on training. read more

I loved my experience with Steve/Ajase at Nitro K9. When I came to Nitro I had a 7 month old puppy and I was incredibly overwhelmed and at a loss on what to do. Atlas (now a 95+ pound 2 year old long coat GSD) and I had completed 2 training courses previously, 1 for puppy socialization and 1 for basic skills. The positive reinforcement/treat based basic skills training didn't help Atlas at all, and the suggestions seems to increase his bad behaviors. On top of his bad behavior (pulling on the leash, very limited recall, leash reactivity, lunging) Atlas was very very sick and well underweight for his age/size. We had been basically living at the vet while battling an undiagnosed intestinal disease and it was draining both financially and emotionally. Needless to say, Steve adapted our training to suit Atlas' medical needs and went above and beyond in providing me 14, 30 minute training sessions instead of 7, 1 hour sessions as Atlas was easily exhausted. He also helped with suggestions on Atlas' vet, diet, and supplements to aid in his health. After a few sessions with Steve, I finished part 1 with Ajase. Working with a female who is my relative size also helped me to feel empowered and in control of my pup. By the time I completed Nitro K9 1 Atlas was a new dog. His heel was strong, his recall was much better and his reactivity was under control. More importantly I was confident, happy and comfortable with my dog and his interactions with the world. Reading these sporitic bad reviews I'd have to say that Steve does have a personality and teaching style that can be a bit intimidating, as his approach is focused on your dog, and what is in it's best interest, more than it's focused on you and your feelings. This can be hard if dog owners are feeling vulnerable, embarrassed, and feeling a loss of control with their pet to begin with. Once you get to know him though, you realize that Steve's approach is good natured and that he is just doing his best to educate you on how to help both yourself and your dog. Steve is still a friend and continues to give me advice when in need, almost a year after completing our first training sessions. Highly recommended! I refer anyone who asks to Nitro. read more

I initially called Nitro K9 regarding board & train, while in a panic trying to find someone to upkeep my Service Dog in Training's (a 80 lb Rottweiler/Staffordshire mix) habits while I was gone for a week. Steve and I definitely got off on the wrong foot, as I was being very defensive and emotional about my wants for my dog, etc. and I ended the conversation as both sides were escalating. About 4 hours later, after finding resolution to my original issue, I did some research on Steve's work and results. My SDiT has a few hurdles we need to jump over before continuing intensive task-work and after meeting with several trainers who didn't seem to understand that not all dogs can or should work using treats.. especially working dogs, Steve seemed like our most promising prospect. We have met and seen several other trainers that have either caused more damage or were incompetent of my needs. I called Steve back, and we both agreed that the initial conversation was not a great reflection of either of our intentions. It appears that a lot of the pet owners here had a difficult time communicating with Steve. I'm going to let you in on a secret, people who are seriously invested into dog behavior often lack the desire or ability to gauge the human counterparts emotions. This is why he works with dogs and not training people! Dog wellbeing is more important than someone being hurt because you can't bribe your dog to be excellent with a "pretty please" or treat after treat. Anyway, Steve took about an hour out of his night to truly dive into my dogs temperament and problems, my needs as a disabled handler, and the best plan over the phone. He is the first trainer to not shame me for using a prong collar, or muzzle training for the sake of it. He is the first trainer to understand the importance of breed-responsibility and the desire for a dog to be trained at Schutzhund level obedience without the protective tendencies. He has worked with some of the greatest obedience and Schutzhund trainers, and has a greater understanding of working dog's and breeds than ANY other trainer in the Western WA area. I am waiting for the phone call to schedule my meeting with him, and I am extremely excited to see him work and bond with my incredible dog. read more

not as advertised on their website, make you pay for 7 sessions up front, unprofessional staff

I have to be honest -- I am like 98% sure that this is a scam. The dog trainer real, the yelp page a scam. After exhaustive research I am certain that all of these yelp profiles are fake, created for the sole purpose of giving Nitro K-9 a glowing review. My bf and I met with the guy and he seems fine, (even though he wanted to put our 5lb puppy in prong collar!!), but I would be careful about dealing with someone who went to so much trouble to make it look like people like him. read more

I've been working with Steve and his team with our GSP puppy. She is a pretty anxious dog, and has always had difficulty with focus and following directions. Coupled with her totally boundless energy, she was pretty difficult for us to handle. When Steve did our evaluation, she jumped all over both of us with muddy paws, ran wild all over the park, and yipped and whined whenever we were not paying attention to her. Now, just 5 lessons in to level 1, she heels perfectly, sits on command, stays and recalls from half a field away, and keeps her focus despite birds/other dogs around. Her anxiety has even improved at home, and she can now stay alone for longer periods and is much more calm in the house and outside. Steve is patient, direct, and his training is as much about training you as it is about training your dog. His lessons are engaging, fun, and I'm surprised by how much both my puppy and I enjoy them. It's done a lot for our connection and communication. We love that it is all food-free training, since our pup was never really into treats and responds much better to leash handling and voice/hand commands. Overall, his fees are some of the best money I've ever spent. Now our sweet dog is more calm, easier to run and play with, and much better around family and friends. Don't know what we would have done without Steve and Nitro K-9. Big thanks to Steve and his team! read more

The previous version of this review was updated several times as the business owner kept changing his angry feedback (up to three times a day). It is being rewritten one last time for clarity on 7/11. *** Why this rating? Though we did everything that was asked, this provider never delivered. When called out on his neglect he proved to be inexcusably rude. Hence the 1-star. Maybe Steve is great with dogs. With people, maybe not as much. Whether in life or business, I'd rather associate with people who are decent with others, even - especially - when they *think* others might be in the wrong. *** What happened? I contacted Steve at the end of May. Getting started was time-intensive: big form to fill, then an evaluation appointment. Due to the distance and time of day it took 2-2.5 hours and $50 just to figure out how many lessons were needed. (30mn appt.; 1+ hour driving in traffic, form filling, emails/phone to set it all up...). But if the man is very good, why not? After that, I never heard back. I followed up on our existing email conversation. I left voicemail. Nothing. If I never hear back from a business after a small amount of effort, I move on. But if it takes me 2+ hours to just get started then I expect to hear back. If they don't have the time to work with me, fine. Just let me know and maybe refer me to someone else. But nothing after nearly a month is unacceptable. So I left a 2-star review. Poor service is poor service. What followed was astoundingly ridiculous: 1. Within hours of posting a review Steve was on the phone to call me names right out of the gate. Leaving a low rating for a complete lack of follow-up makes me 'psychotic' and 'crazy' Why would anyone think the solution to a 2-star review is calling the customer at home to berate them? What could one possibly gain out of it except an even worse rating? 2. This blew over to Yelp where I've been insulted and lied about for more than a week. I was even threatened with a restraining order which, at least, was entertaining. Why would anyone think berating customers on Yelp is good for business? Needless to say, Steve earned himself a one-star review for his stellar efforts. (Mostly because 0-star is not an option) *** Conclusion Not only did Steve show amazingly poor judgment - doing everything possible to make himself look awful not just with me but anyone who reads him on Yelp - he never showed any interest in understanding or fixing the problem. It would be quite easy for me to back up my story: wifi and a tablet/laptop are all that's necessary to show emails, phone records etc. Steve never asked for any evidence, not even once. He's 100% right, I'm 100% wrong, The End. None of this seems the rational behavior of someone who meant to do business in the first place. Far more likely, Steve was far too busy and assumed I'd silently go away. He can't stand facing any kind of consequence for his neglect, deliberate or otherwise. And he can't even understand that *he* is taking every possible step to make this far worse than it needed to be. Proceed with caution, and good luck. read more

Steve has been absolutely incredible. If we could give him more than 5 stars we would! My husband and I have a Westie (Arthur) and a Shepherd / Lab mix (Ashby). When we first adopted Ashby in NY, Arthur was quite aggressive with him while trying to exert his dominance. After a couple of weeks, however, they were great friends. This all changed when we arrived in Seattle. Ashby seemed to be emboldened by the new environment and Arthur threatened by it. They soon began having very serious fights that left us wondering if they would ever be able to coexist. In desperation, we started looking up dog trainers on Yelp and were blown away by what we read regarding Steve's training. We were even more impressed when we met Steve in person. His manner with the dogs was incredible, and he succinctly diagnosed the issues and how to address them in a concentrated training schedule. Since then we have only grown more impressed. Steve has excelled at training us as much as the dogs, and we are all so much happier as a result! While our primary goal was simply to have Ashby and Arthur coexist in our household, we have gotten so much more out of the training with Steve. Not only can they spend time with each other, we can even feed them in the same room now, which we couldn't do even when they were generally getting along. Both dogs are now well-mannered on the leash, and responsive off-leash too. We even have people we meet on the street remark on how well-behaved our dogs are! Steve also effectively dealt with Arthur's fear of traffic, which was such a longstanding issue that we had given up on ever helping him and resigned ourselves to living in quiet areas in order to keep Arthur from being terrified every time we walked out the door. In the past we had tried treats-based training, a self-proclaimed "dog whisperer" of a trainer who had good references, and even medicating Arthur. Nothing worked until Steve. Arthur is much calmer in traffic now, and even when he gets a little nervous, we use the techniques Steve showed us and Arthur is able to calm down again. This training has also strengthened our relationships with the dogs. They are eager to please us and seem to crave our praise, which we never saw with the treats-based training. It is truly a joy to work with them and have them around the house now. A final word: We have been traveling a lot this summer, so Steve has watched Arthur and Ashby numerous times. Every time we return, the dogs are even better together and even better trained. They have been getting three walks a day with Steve as well as playtime with other dogs. We feel so great leaving our pups with him and don't worry at all while we're away. If you are feeling like your situation with your dog(s) is hopeless, don't give up yet! Call Steve. read more

The folks at Nitro K9 really helped me gain control of my stubborn, leash-reactive, overly territorial "rescue pit mix" I named Patience. I made two separate trips all the way from my tiny town in southern Oregon for a total of six lessons with Steve. I knew no one in my region had the type of knowledge and experience required to control an adult dog of this breed with these issues. I did my research and knew that "pawsitive only training" wasn't going to cut it in this case. My dog once had the attention span of a gnat and was easily riled up by the tiniest little things. Now she lies down and patiently waits for me on the sidewalk, inches away from the highway, while I grocery shop. We do off-leash heel work and sit-stays in all the busiest spots in town. We do tricks in the Circle K parking lot. She ignores barking dogs, etc. She's infinitely more pleasant and manageable in the car. She no longer "resource guards" her toys or barks when friends come over. She always comes when called. Now we can take her almost everywhere we go, off leash! And she is much more affectionate with me, now that she knows her place in our little "pack." Say what you want about prong and remote collars, but my dog doesn't seem to hold it against me. One thing I will tell you is that no trainer can magically "fix" your dog. YOU are going to have to be CONSISTENT with YOUR behavior on a daily basis, for any training program to work! Practice makes perfect! People have started saying to me, "I wish my dog listened like that," and I say, "I cheated and took lessons from a pro." Then they give a sob story about all the behavior problems their dog already had when they adopted it, and how, of course, that means their dog could never possibly be as obedient as mine. Ha! Thanks, Steve! read more

Whoever (male) is behind the desk in charge of picking up phone calls need to reflect on his customer service skills. It is a HUGE turn off to be greeting potential clients on the phone rudely. If he's one of the dog trainers, it is negligible how good he may be with dogs. If he is not able to treat customers with respect as he should with their dogs, then he must consider and acknowledge many customers turning their backs on his business. I haven't even started training with this company yet and I have lost all interest in doing so. Attitude is so essential and this company may not be equipped with a good one. read more

Steve and Christina are great. My lab came in with some weird adrenaline junkie/reactivity issues with other dogs, and just general high drive issues. I had four dog walkers give up on her and she had been banned from two groomers. Steve and his team had her over those issues in about 4 sessions, it just took a little longer for me to trust her. She can now be off leash with any stimulus I can think of and stay in her heal and even if she jumps she controls her own impulse and stops before I can even give her a command. My family jokes that she judges their dogs for being poorly mannered. Since she is by far the best behaved dog any of us have every owned. She interacts with other dogs now with no issues, and it is a pleasure to take her for a walk around any setting. I can have her with me in any setting, and do what I need knowing she will be right by my side or where I told her to stay. The only time I have issues now, is when I am not being consistent with her, or keeping her active enough. That is on me, Steve was very honest that training is a constant responsibility and with a high drive dog like mine I have to be in a training mindset for life. My dog is happier and we have an even more amazing bond because of the work Steve and Christina did with us. read more

Steve took my problem dog and made him into a not problem dog. He was wonderful training my large pit bull who had slipped out of training and manners, due to my husband's Parkinsons disease and lack of much attention from me. I intend to have more training with Steve when I'm back on my feet from back surgery. You cannot go wrong here. Steve is masterful. Thank you for being there. I was at wits end. Meghan S read more

Steve and his team have truly been a blessing for my Doberman. I have an 8 month dobie who we are training for service. We started with Steve when our pup was about 4.5 months old and couldn't ask for a better trainer. People stop me all the time and ask me how I have such a well behaved 8 month Doberman. I owe that to Nitro. At 7 months we had Cairo heeling off leash. I can now confidently take him where I need to go knowing he will stick by me. The best part about nitro is they took a rambunctious food motivated dog and showed me how to work without food to create a stronger bond with my dog. Building a foundation of trust with your animal is invaluable and we really wouldn't be where we are today without Steve. I also don't have to worry about a once food obsessed dog sneaking human food off counters etc. going to restaurants with him is so easy and stress free. Schedule an appointment... might be one of the most important calls you make. read more

Please be warned. Do not use. Steve got my money and I got nothing. His "assistant" made an appointment with me to meet Steve at Cowen Park. I showed up 5 minutes early with my two little dogs but where was Steve? He was sitting in his vehicle across the street eating his fast food lunch and didn't decide to meet me until 20 minutes after our scheduled appointment should have started. I was told - $100 for an hour of his time to make an assessment, then we would schedule the training sessions. I almost left while I was waiting so long and now wish I did. The assessment only lasted a half an hour because as he stated he was late to another appointment where he had to give a talk to the police department. What? Were they paying him too for the same time slot or was that just a story to make him seem important? During the assessment, he didn't tell me anything I didn't already know, except that he completely spoke incorrectly about both of my dogs temperament & listening ability which set off the 3rd or 4th red flag. He did tell me he would call or email to let me know when he would call so we could schedule a time for training. Repeatedly he emailed me to let me know when he was going to make a phone call to me to schedule a time to schedule the training sessions, but he didn't follow through. This went on for more than 6 weeks....getting in touch with me to let me know he would get in touch with me later so he could let me know when he could schedule a phone call to make an appointment. Eventually he just stopped getting in touch with me. He has never offered to give me my money back which was supposed to be contributed towards my training sessions. At the time I really needed a trainer and thought based on some of the reviews that he was the one. I regret the day I waited 25 minutes in the park while he was in his car the entire time eating. I wish I would have just left. Who has $100 to just throw away? I do not recommend Steve or his company to anyone who has a legitimate need. I think it's a bunch of smoke and mirrors and I question if whether any of the 5 star reviews are genuine. read more

Steve and his team are awesome! We have a leash reactive 2 y.o. pitty rescue and before Nitro we were unable to walk her on a leash without her freaking out and embarrassing us. She's now much easier to handle and walks are more enjoyable with her. We did the positive reinforcement classes with her from two different trainers and it just didn't work. It worked with our other rescue but not her. She's a very sweet but stubborn dog that needed a different approach to training. She gets happy when she goes to class and knows that it's time to work and focus. I highly recommend Steve and his team! read more

We are very happy that we found Nitro K-9 and with the progress that we have seen our dog make. My husband and I adopted our dog in Chicago and worked through his issues, but never really got a handle on his behavior. At first he reacted to every person/dog/bike/car/thing we passed on the street. We got anxious having people over because we were nervous about how he will react to friends coming into our house. So we did group lessons, had private trainers come to our house, used special treats for walks, tried different harnesses, the list goes on. He made some progress on walks, but was still a little problem child. When we recently moved to Seattle we quickly realized we need a better solution. I did a lot of research and saw all of the good reviews that Nitro K-9 had and decided to give it a shot. I was curious how the training worked since it was not treat based. Because while positive reinforcement sounds very nice, it just doesn't work for our dog. When our dog passes a large dog on the street in his neighborhood he actually looses his mind. I can wave a steak in front of his face and he would not care. The positive reinforcement training with treats was becoming frustrating and not working. Enter Steve and the team at Nitro K-9! When we had our evaluation and introduced ourselves to Steve, our dog barked at him from the moment we approached. He was high strung and going crazy. Steve went to his trunk and brought out a prong collar and I thought "I don't want that on my dog". But Steve asked to first put the collar on my arm, and then my husbands arm. We felt it first hand and experienced that it did not hurt us. Steve helped us put the collar on our dog, and with one correction he stopped after at least 10 minutes of barking. He sat and made eye contact with Steve. We were in shock of what just happened, and signed up for lessons right away. After starting the training, I realized that we were hurting our dog more with previous collars and harnesses that we were using. He now requires one or two corrections if he sees something that triggers him on a walk. With his previous harnesses he would actually be choking himself the whole walk. He has pulled so hard in a previous harness that he flips himself over onto the ground. When I think back to that, I feel bad for the stress we continue to put him through. But our pup has made a lot of progress with this training. We have accepted that he will always be a little crazy, but we can get that crazy under control much faster and feel a lot more confident going on walks. And our dog feels more confident going on walks with us, which is really the best outcome from this training. We didn't have to put him on drugs that would make him calm but change his personality. He's still our goofy lovebug, but now just better behaved on walks and much happier overall :) read more

When we first brought our dog Chappie home from the shelter, our excitement quickly turned to frustration and confusion as our pup started displaying undesirable behavior. Chappie was biting guests entering the home, terrorizing the cats, barking constantly, showing serious resource guarding issues, and lunging at people, children, and other dogs on the street. I found Nitro K9 after searching for trainers specializing in reactive and aggressive dogs, and it changed our lives. Steve equipped us with the proper tools and knowledge to communicate efficiently and effectively with Chappie. But even more than that, Steve gave us the confidence that we could turn our stressful connection with our dog into a beautiful relationship. My dog went from being a constant stressor in my life to being an enjoyable companion, and I really could not have done it without the help of Steve at Nitro K9. read more

Last Spring we were at our wits end with our beloved dog. This dog is almost perfect at home and in the yard, great with our kids and very bright. However, he was showing serious signs of aggression whenever we took him out for walks or in public. He was uncontrollable whenever he saw another animal. Taking him outside of our yard became physically and emotionally very difficult, and a liability. I shed many tears thinking how unfair it would be to keep him cooped up in the yard 100% of the time, or at the thought of him hurting another animal. Even worse, if we were going to have to let him go, I didn't know how we could possibly find a good home for a dog with issues like his. We interviewed multiple trainers and began trying to solve the problem by completing a 7 week desensitization process geared toward anti- aggression elsewhere. We were vigilant about learning the procedures and practicing daily. We saw virtually no improvements and felt frustrated and near hopeless. We couldn't give up on him so we gave it another shot. Again we interviewed multiple trainers. We took our dog with us and were told, "he's a liability and it's stupid to keep this dog," "best option is to put him down," and "he cannot be fixed." One place even compared him to a person with arachnophobia, telling us they would "put him in a room (kennel) surrounded by spiders (other dogs)" in order to cure his fears and aggression. This sounded like torture. They proceeded to show us how they would handle our dog by yanking on his neck so hard that I wondered what kind of anger and aggression the actual trainer needed to release. We were discouraged to say the least. We then found Nitro K-9. I was so anxious about where to train after all we'd been through that I had a million questions for Steve. I asked for client references, and he was gracious enough to give me many. I know I annoyed him with all of this but Steve was patient with me. After talking with a few people who had dogs with similar issues and had worked with Nitro K-9 in the past, we decided to try them. We went to the first session and saw results immediately. Steve was very respectful toward us and kind to our dog. He was straightforward about what was going on with the dog and didn't tell us it was our fault that he acted like this, as we were told elsewhere. He was very positive and constructive. He and his assistant Christina modeled for us how to handle and correct our dog successfully. They took the lead and taught him basics to give us a good base with which to work with him at home. They answered our questions patiently, and encouraged us in handling skills. It is apparent that Steve is not in the business to make money, but that he and his employees deeply care about the animals they serve and are focused on making a positive impact on their behavior, while at the same time, educating the owners on what will help them handle their pet. Nitro K-9's approach improves the communication and relationship between the pet and the human, which in turn improves the quality of life for both. We respect Nitro K-9's process, and we saw huge RESULTS. Our dog responded immediately to the training and enjoyed it. I now actually love and look forward to our walks! I am no longer fearful he might get away from me and attack another dog or and run across the street after a squirrel and get hit by a car. He doesn't pull on the leash or act crazy. He comes when I call him and obeys our commands. Nitro K-9 gave us the skills we need to continue to be successful even after training was over. It's been six months now since we've seen the folks at Nitro and I'm happy to report that we are still doing very well. If a little time goes by between walks, our dog still snaps back into training mode. I will always refer anyone to Nitro K-9 and I encourage anyone who has a dog with any type of aggression issues to go to Steve first if they want to get results in a humane way. I also want to address the issue of the feared "prong collar" to anyone out there who may be leery of using this. The collar, with the appropriate training by Nitro K-9, proved to actually be more gentle than a regular collar. With the prong collar, the dog picks up on subtle corrections rather than the handler having to yank or pull on a regular collar causing pain and choking. The prong collar doesn't act like spikes, or poke or hurt our dog in ANY way. Every time our dog hears that thing jingle when I pick it up he becomes ecstatic about training and walking! With the correct training, it is a very useful and humane tool. Nitro K-9 offers excellent training that is affordable. We greatly appreciate that they keep their prices affordable for regular people who can't invest thousands of dollars into their pets. We feel that the training we received was worth much more than they charge. Most importantly, Nitro K-9's training enabled us to keep our dog as part of our family, which is priceless. read more

I have always had some trouble with my bull mastiff- boxer mix, Casey, ever since my partner and I had adopted her from a shelter in Las Vegas, NV. Though she is an incredibly sweet dog in the company of humans, she earned the nickname "killer killer dog" for a reason. For the last five years we have dealt with unprovoked lunging, barking, snapping, and blatant attacking of other dogs who have had the misfortune of getting within 20 feet of her (including our other bull mastiff-boxer Riley). Originally we had tried food reward based positive reinforcement training (clicker training, mat training) with a certified trainer in Las Vegas with no real results. When we moved to the Pacific Northwest we tried to keep her from getting too close to other dogs but, as anyone will tell you, that was next to impossible up here. We thought we were able to keep her aggression contained for the most part (walks in the dead of night, crossing streets when we saw another dog coming, etc.) until she escaped my partner's parked vehicle through a cracked window to attack a small dog that was carelessly waddling by on an Extend-o leash. Naturally, the police got involved and we were faced with the possibility of having to put her down if an attack like this ever happened again. So, with criminal record in hand, we asked Steve for help. I had researched Nitro K-9 and their usage of prong collars and was vehemently against the whole idea and the whole training program until I met Steve for the first time. On our meet and greet, he said something that completely threw me for a loop: "Your dog is so sweet." I had never heard those words come from a stranger's mouth before ESPECIALLY regarding my girl and after going through training with Steve I will never forget them. He has taught me how to connect with Casey in ways that I never understood possible. I never really comprehended how much my behavior affected her until Steve showed me exactly how Casey and I are inextricably linked. Glossing over the mushy, dog whisperer parts, I can honestly say that after the last few weeks of training I have never seen my girl happier in all the time that we have been together. I can walk her without freaking out and dragging her into the bushes every time I see another dog coming. If she has an outburst (which is very very rare now), I know how to deal with it. She and I are both much happier creatures with each other all thanks to Steve. Now, regarding prong collars: yes, this training program uses them and no, they are not as fundamentally evil as every single source on the internet would have you believe. Trust me, I thought there was no place for that sort of medieval torture device in training a fearful animal but the truth is that the collar is just a tool. You are the thing that really drives the lessons home. The best part about Steve's training is that he really does pay attention to you and your dog and how you connect and react to each other. Every dog is different and Steve understands that. If you are already sensitive to prong collars though, the first few lessons may be incredibly difficult. I encourage you to keep pressing forward! Practice every day and the material you're reviewing will become second nature for you and your dog. Also, communication is key. Steve is wonderfully open minded and will answer any and all questions you might have regarding dog behavior. Don't hesitate to ask. At the time of this writing we are on our last session with Steve. Casey has not worked through all of her aggression and confidence issues just yet but we are leaps and bounds away from where she and I started in late June. Needless to say, the "killer killer" moniker she has earned is slowly falling by the wayside and I look forward to many happy healthy years with my girl. Thank you Steve!! read more

Where do I start, if you want your puppy or adult dog to respect you and obey your every command, then this is the place for you. Recently I took my Siberian Husky to K-9 and could not have had a better experience, honestly is 10 stars out of 5. Steve and his crew are amazing, they answer any question that you may have in addition they go above and beyond to help, wether you text them in the middle of the day for advice or questions you may have they respond as soon as possible. As far as my husky he was all over the place, disobedient always pulling and biting the leash, whining, barking at times chewing, digging you name it he did it lol. After just a one session at K-9 I saw improvement and few session later even better and at the end of about 6 sessions I have the greatest husky on the planet (my opinion of corse). Now basic commands anyone gives him he obeys as well as I am finally able to walk him off the leash and don't have to worry about him jetting off and getting into trouble or even worse hurt. That's all thanks to K-9, I can't wait to get level 2 started soon it's well worth the money, only thing I regret is not going on earlier and I could've saved my couch for being chewed up and my backyard from holes. Most importantly if I can give any advice is if you are not willing to spend time with your dog training I doubt anyone on this plant can fix him/her. It's not an overnight process it will be somewhat frustrating and probably piss you off but at the end it is well worth it. I highly recommend this place everyone is amazing and very effective, I never thought I would have an obedient dog but now I do, it's still amazing to me. Again thank you K-9 for helping me with my husky and I will see you guys soon for level 2 training. Thanks, Admir read more