I cannot speak highly enough of Ryan. My sister and I rescued a little beagle mix puppy a few months ago and were debating on a dog trainer or walker to help our little gal acclimate. We wanted her to be able to enjoy her new life and not have her stuck in a crate/on a leash 24/7. I spoke to almost every dog walking/training company in the area and none were personable. To them, our girl was just another dog and they were more worried about the payment than the dogs needs. She was having a tough time acclimating - crying, accidents, everything. We were so worried, so we called Ryan after reading amazing reviews about him, I can say they are true. We emailed Ryan somewhat frantic, worried we wouldn't be able to help her adjust to her new home. Within the hour he called back, sounding kind and eager to come meet the the pup. He said he loved beagles and was confident he could help. He came over, sat and we worked out a plan for training. She adored him right away and even now can't wait to see Ryan when we have sessions with him! When we finished planning for training classes, Ryan could see that I was visibly distraught from her accidents and her lack of ease in adjusting to living, so he gave us some advice on how to help her adjust. Within a week, she was running around like she owned the place (in a good way) and the accidents all together stopped! She can roam the apartment during the day and we don't need to fret she will get into anything and hurt herself all because of her training. As if that wasn't enough, Ryan continued to work with her for a few weeks and she's like a new dog. She sits when we ask and stays, even when other dogs or runners pass, we can drop the leash and she won't move and her recall is phenomenal - dog parks are a breeze! We know she'll come back to us every time and that brings such peace of mind; it is nice to see her enjoy her freedom and experience the ease of giving her that as well. We are still working with Ryan now - he is teaching us how to utilize all the cues he has taught her. Ryan goes over everything from just walking with the leash on the ground, recall, etiquette on Main Street, etc. He slowly brings other dogs around her as well to teach her how to be calm and hear us, even when she is excited. I can confidently say that having Ryan not only helped us, but helped our girl as well. She is happier and more comfortable both at home and outside, as are we. She loves him so much and we do too. There isn't a better trainer in the area! Thank you, Ryan! read more

If I could I would add 3 more stars! I am so very grateful that I did find Ryan to be my trainer for my little husky pup Kona. She is a big sweetheart, but is a puppy and definitely needed to be trained! I have just recently moved into my new apartment and I brought my cute little 3 month old husky with me. Kona was definitely not leash trained and would do anything to get her nose to a certain smell or any moving object in her sight and since she is a puppy I can at least pull her away and try to continue to walk. Although with her being a quarter of a Malamute, and an Alaskan Husky I knew it was only a matter of time before she would outgrow me and I would either be tugged around or ride my dog like a horse at that point. Kona being a puppy she never would listen. It was just like watching a little toddler you said no to, look at you and do it anyways. You definitely get so frustrated with the toddler and tell them no again but they kinda didn't care, and that would be my Kona! I noticed Kona started to develop a playful bit that became a little more aggressive, and that worried me as I do have a lot of little cousins and a 6 month old niece who just love my little wolf and just want to play with her! I had signed Kona up for the 2 week doggy boot camp with Ryan and it has been like night and day. Kona has been so obedient, she listens to me and knows to listen to what I say. Ryan helped her with her playful bite so she knows the only thing she should bite is her toys and she IS leash trained people!!! I don't think she has had an accident in my apartment since boot camp and I am so very amazed with the difference and her improvements! Ryan is amazing at what he does and if you have a pup who needs training, I would highly recommend calling Ryan! read more

My wife and I are so happy we chose to call Ryan and ultimately chose to have Ryan work with our dog Ernie, a 3 year old Shepard Mix Rescue. We called Ryan because my wife and I were expecting our first baby and Ernie has never been a fan of little kids and would get very stressed out and scared around them. Scared and Stressed out isn't a good combo for a dog so we knew that we needed some help before our baby was born. Ryan came over the house and met with us to listen to what we wanted to work on and more importantly to meet and get to know ernie. From the moment Ryan came in there seemed to be a special bond between them which was very comforting and after spending some time with Ernie, Ryan laid out a custom plan on what we could do to help prepare Ernie for the baby and most importantly help Ernie learn to look to us for guidance in high pressure/stress situations. During the whole process Ryan made himself available to us whenever we needed him through phone or texts which was amazing and even though we've competed our sessions he still calls/texts us asking how ernies doing and if we had any questions. Ryans knowledge and passion for dogs is remarkable and the the end result is everything wanted and hoped for and then some. No more timing walks so we don't run into any neighborhood kids, no more pulling on the leash, barking at other dogs when walking and most importantly Ernie loves his baby brother! He lays next to us as we hold him, he sleeps next to his bassinet as he naps, walks right next to the stroller when we are out for walks. None of this would have been possible without Ryan's help and we highly recommend him! Thank you Ryan! read more

So glad I called Ryan at Obedience Matters! My energetic rescue poodle, Sammy, was sensitive and had some hard-to-live-with behaviors like going in the house when he felt stressed, jumping on my guests, running away from me, chasing the cat, and ignoring me when it suited him. To get him in his crate, I had to chase him, which stressed him and made him pee wherever he was running. Same thing if I yelled when he was chasing the cat. Ryan came to the house, spent a little time with me and Sammy, then showed me training techniques he thought would work for us, as well as giving me a plan for reintroducing Sammy and the cat. He was patient as we practiced the techniques. My biggest concern was that I would have to re-home the cat, whom I had recently adopted, and Ryan put me at ease right away that he was certain my dog could be taught to live peaceably with the cat. I'm hesitant to say that he trained my dog in one visit, but I worked with Sammy for a little while each day, practicing the things we did with Ryan, and within a few days of Ryan's (one!) visit Sammy was no longer going in the house and came every time I called him! He goes directly and cheerfully into his crate when asked, so although we haven't mastered jumping on people yet, we're successfully skirting the issue by putting Sammy in his crate when someone first comes in. I might ask Ryan to come back to help with that last bit, the jumping (which we can't practice much because my household is pretty quiet), but Sammy has met the rest of the goals I set for him. Most importantly, he and the cat are buddies now, thanks to Obedience Matters. :) read more

So against my better judgement I let my wife and daughter take me into adopting a dog. Our 10lb 18 year old Bichon had passed away in June and it was only September. So there we were at the rescue place. And my daughter picks out a puppy, the rescue center said Australian cattle dog our vet said St Bernard or Bernese mountain dog. I said OMG there is no way my 12 year old daughter or wife will be able to Handel this dog on their own. The dog was already becoming a nut job chasing our two cats and refusing to go outside to go potty. I was ready to take the dog back to the rescue center and forget about the $1k we already spent on the adoption and vet bills. My wife said we need a professional trainer, I agreed. She did some research and we settled on Ryan at obediencematters.com. Ryan took Hazel for some personal love at his place. When she returned she had a whole different attitude, attentive and well mannered. We have done and additional 3 sessions with Ryan and things get even better. We are currently at Williamsburg va staying at the lodge next to historic village. We walk Hazel every day with thousands of people, horses, squirrels, and hundreds or other dogs. Hazel holds the line. We could have not done this trip without Ryan's help. Here is a video of Hazel and Audrey in the shopping district. You can see how calm she is and is just taking it all in... Thanks Ryan! https://youtu.be/V9azJRkpyKs read more

To put it simply, Ryan is a K9 magician. Before him, we had a dog that didn't want to listen, who couldn't control his aggression around food, and who became very untrustworthy and frightening around children, strangers and even us (his family). After only just a couple of sessions with Ryan, it was clear that he had given us back a completely different, new and improved pup. I especially would like to point out that Ryan Herbst does indeed tell it like it is. However, If he didn't, then you and your dog would not benefit from the full experience of his sessions. Also, he would not be as effective at his job. Any trainer or dog professional (in our area or otherwise) can tell you that It takes a great amount of work and communication to train a dog. It takes an even greater amount of work and communication to train the owner, that is just a basic fact. Therefore, if you are not prepared to do your homework and practice on a daily basis with your dog, then all of the very informative and useful training that Ryan provides you with will only get you and your dog so far. This professional trainer truly goes above and beyond for every single one of his clients. He genuinely cares about them (both furry and human a like). On a more personal note, as I have gotten to know him over the last couple of months, I can honestly say that he is a very well put together person. He is truly a sweetheart to work with. read more

I cannot say enough good things about Ryan and his training. I rescued my mutt (possibly pitbull), Hank, when he was around four months. Prior to being rescued he was a stray. I had a hard time training him as I was a novice dog owner. He would not listen to basic commands consistently, jumped up on people, pulled on the leash and developed barrier frustration. His barrier frustration was so bad that I was unable to take him on walks or have him behind a fence without him displaying signs of aggression. I went through several trainers with no luck.Then I found Ryan! I did the boarding program and Hank stayed with Ryan for about two weeks. After boarding Hank was a changed pup! He learned and consistently responded to commands such as sit, stay, up, down, come here (or 'tuk'), let's go, heel, crate and place. In addition, Ryan worked with me after boarding to teach me how to continue training Hank and keep him on track. We worked together over time on Hanks barrier frustration and I can now take him on walks and to the park without any issues. Whenever I need help, refreshers on training or have a question, Ryan is to quick to respond. He even follows up to see how Hank is doing. Boarding was very affordable and very much worth it. Ryan knows what he is doing. He cares about his clients and their dogs. read more

Call Ryan now if you are reading this and want the very best training for your dog. I texted Ryan based on his Yelp reviews, and my family and I are so thankful for his services. We have a 11 month old, 80+ lb, black Labrador Retriever. He's our first dog and we did everything we could to train him ourselves; however, he needed more (specifically: placing paws on the kitchen counters, pulling while walking on a leash, and jumping on guests upon entering our house). Ryan worked with me and my husband in our home to train Blue on each of these issues, and we have seen SIGNIFICANT progress. At the end of each session, Ryan provided us with a video recap of what we learned so we could practice in-between sessions. Now, Blue isn't stealing items off the counter, injuring our guests, and he's walking through town like a pro. We even get compliments now on how well behaved Blue is, from both strangers and family/friends as it is a noticeable difference. We can't thank Ryan enough and are 100% satisfied with his methods, communication, and courtesy. I hope this review helps you decide to reach out to Ryan because you and your dog will be happy you did! read more

When, after decades of owning cats, my husband and I finally adopted Zen (a 75 pound,one and a half year old, hound/lab mix) from WAGS Rescue, we were thrilled. We fell in love with her immediately. However, two things became clear very quickly: (1) we would never be able to give Zen the kind of exercise she needs on a leash; and (2) we were totally unable to control her and, more importantly, keep her safe, when she was off leash. Our, admittedly untutored, attempts to train her were not very successful. Then we hired Ryan Herbst. One of the best decisions I've ever made!Within a few short months, we were walking Zen off leash, confident that she would reliably respond to commands -- no matter what the distraction. Now, wherever we take Zen, people comment, often enviously, on how well trained and responsive she is. I am sure that Zen is a happier, healthier dog as a result of Ryan's training; and we are certainly happier and more relaxed dog parents.Ryan is an excellent trainer and it is a pleasure to work with him. He is reliable and conscientious. I have no reservations in recommending him highly. read more

We adopted Kaia our 1 yr old Dutch Shepherd about 4 months ago, and she was more than a handful. She was very protective, displaying signs of leash reactivity, barking in the house, and was inconsolable when in an agitated state. Life in our 1 bedroom apartment was unbearable and we were ready to give Kaia back. We enlisted the help of Ryan, and he not only helped train our dog, but us as well. He gave us the confidence and guidance to build a fantastic relationship with our four-legged family member. After a few sessions with Ryan, Kaia was listening to commands and started to acclimate to her new home. Before training she showed a lot of uneasiness and anxious behaviors on walks and in the house. Now she walks calmly a leash, which has allowed us to take Kaia to more places, and build a stronger relationship with her. Ryan has gone above and beyond, and showed patience and flexibility while working with us. I am extremely grateful and look forward to working with Ryan for advanced and group training. read more

I started working with Ryan when my dog Kodhi was just a puppy. I adopted him and he was the first dog I had on my own so I wanted to make sure I did it right. I called Ryan and from our first conversation I knew he was the right guy. He asked what I was looking for in terms of level of training and I explained that I wanted to be able to be out in my front yard and have Kodhi with me off lead without worry. Ryan heard that and said "ok, let's get started". He took me through each step, gave me homework to do and practice on my own and followed up regularly during our sessions to ensure each command was understood. In the end my experience couldn't have been better. Kodhi listens and behaves beautifully. He walks with me off lead, hangs out in the front yard with no issue of leaving his "place" and I couldn't be happier. I have recommended Ryan to countless friends and they have all been very happy too. The greatest reference is one of a loyal client and I am certainly that. read more

We had the fortune of finding Ryan via a friends reference. We were desperately looking for someone to provide some help with our 2 husky puppies. They were pulling so hard on the leash that their walks had become an impossible and very troubling task. Our kids (12 and 14) couldn't walk them on their own. Ryan worked with both of our dogs (siblings) for 3 weeks. It was by far one of the best invesment's we made. When the dogs returned they were so happy to see all of us and were not jumping etc. The difference was amazing. They seemed happier too and so proud of the progress they made while with Ryan and couldn't wait to show us. We could now go on enjoyable walks and or runs together without feeling like we would be pulled to the ground. I would recommend Ryan to anyone struggling with any type of obedience challenges with their dogs. He's personable, easy to talk to and gives clear instructions on what to do with the dogs. read more

Call Ryan right now if you want to love your dog! Our rescue mutt had a Horrible habit of pulling on the leash, especially if he saw a dog, cat, squirrel even 100 yards away. A few times I was pulled so hard that I fell to the ground, sprained my fingers that held the leash, and even got bitten by our dog bc we had his leash so short. After trying 4 diff trainers over 2 years w no change in our dog's behavior, I called Ryan. He met w us once, and our dog responded immediately to Ryan's training methods. After only 3 sessions, our dog now walks on a TOTALLY SLACK LEASH, even when passing dogs or pesky squirrels. RYAN'S TRAINING HAS CHANGED MY LIFE. I LOVE WALKING MY DOG NOW! I did not know Ryan before this, but can recommend him 100% to anyone who has a dog that needs training. I know I sound corny, but my relationship w my dog is soooo important to me and since working w Ryan, I swear my life is so much more peaceful read more

Ryan of Obedience Matters has helped us tremendously with training our new dog. Our 1 yr old english bull dog was generally a pretty good dog, but he had some terrible habits For example, not leaving the front lawn to go on walks, not obeying basic command, and not sleeping at night. We could not correct these habits no matter how much we tried. Ryan did a great job teaching us how to work on these behaviors and taught us methods that we could use in the future. We are now able to go for walks and not have to worry about our dog stopping for no reason and in fact, his behavior has gotten some compliments from strangers on the streets! He also will go to his bed to sleep at the exact same time every night with no fuss. We are now working on getting our dog to go to a certain room and lay down when the door bell rings, and are already seeing progress. I would recommend Ryan and Obedience Matters to anybody. read more

I just want to attest to the talent of Ryan Herbst of Obedience Matters. Ryan has been working with our family for approximately three months. After many bites and attacks by ANGUS our 55 lb aggressive male Dalmatian; we chose to call Ryan in on the situation for some very needed obedience advice. After the very first visit by Ryan we were amazed by how well Angus reacted to Ryan's corrections. We were very skeptical to the use of an E-collar and Prong collar but Ryan showed us the correct way to use these collars so that we would have more control of him in aggressive situations. Ryan has worked with Angus on other basic obedience strategy's to make him a well trained obedient dog. With Ryan giving us this valuable education we feel much more safe and relieved that we will be able to keep Angus in our home for many years. Ryan was a life changer for Angus but a life saver for us! read more

Ryan is a great trainer! We reached out to him to help us train our then 1 year old German Shepard puppy, Zoey, to walk better on a loose leash. He came out for a consult to our home and spent time teaching us a few simple training tasks with treats to get Zoey prepped for her first lesson a week later. This also included taking Zoey outside to see how she normally behaves on leash and around other dogs. Within minutes of working with Ryan, Zoey showed improved in her behavior while on leash, not pulling or reacting to the other dogs that were within a few feet of her. At that moment, we knew we would continue our lessons with Ryan. He has a great way with dogs and consistently checked in with us to see how our progress was going. We owe a lot of Zoey's obedience to the lessons we learned from Ryan. read more

Ryan helped us immensely with our dog we adopted a few months ago. She had a range of issues from behavioral to general obedience. After the first two weeks we had her, we were seriously considering giving her back. Fortunately, we found Ryan who did such great work with her. She is so much more structured and calm. She comes on command, goes into her crate without any fuss, lays on her bed when we tell her, and has improved so much on her walks. All of this happened in less than 3 months! Ryan sends notes after each visit which helps frame training when he's not there. We are so grateful for everything he's done. Ryan genuinely cares about his clients and is always willing to take the extra steps if you need additional help. You can always reach him via phone or text. I highly recommend! read more

All I can say is I wish I had reached out to Ryan sooner because he is absolutely terrific. We had a terrible time potty training our puppy. Despite waking her diligently every hour for months , she would go #1 in her crate , on her dog beds and everywhere else . I was so frustrated, exhausted and overwhelmed. I had potty trained several dogs before without trouble. Finally, I reached out to Ryan who quickly and effectively retrained her to use the Ivy in my yard as the potty spot. It was an absolute game changer. I was about to give her away. He was also amazing showing me how to establish basic obedience training - coming when called, sitting, staying etc. I'm now using him for dog #2. I recommend him to all my friends and they are always thrilled with the results. read more

My Great Pyrenees, Tully, is very head strong, and growing like a weed. At 7 months he was already 87 pounds. Tully knew all the usual commands sit, down, come, etc. when we were in the yard, however on our walks he was pulling on the leash, jumping on people, generally misbehaving. On one walk he chased another dog and pulled me off my feet and down the trail. I called Ryan at Obedience Matters, 2 weeks before Christmas, after discussing my concerns and what I could expect from training Ryan took Tully off to Boot Camp. 10 days later I have the new and improved version. He has been working around the holidays and vacation schedules to continue to work with Tully. Ryan's compassion and dedication to people and animals makes him a joy to work with. read more