I cannot recommend Ryan Herbst at Obedience Matters enough. We entrusted him with our 4-month-old Bernedoodle, Lola, for boarding and training, and the results have been nothing short of amazing. Lola has transformed into a well-behaved and disciplined dog, all while maintaining her sweet, playful disposition. Ryan is incredibly knowledgeable about the latest, most effective techniques and is skilled at implementing tools like the e-collar with great care and precision. What truly sets Ryan apart is his genuine love for the animals in his care. When Lola had a minor medical situation, he immediately alerted me and took her to the vet himself. His proactive care and obvious concern showed us just how much he cared for our "princess." His service goes above and beyond the training period. He has called to check in on Lola's progress and even scheduled one-on-one sessions with me to ensure I'm confident in handling her at home. Ryan is a true professional who is generous with his time, expertise, and compassion. If you're in Park City and looking for top-tier dog training with a personal touch, look no further. I would also like to thank Jessie, assistant trainer for her love & care of Lola as well. Thank you, Ryan! Thank you Jessie! read more

Obedience Matters - Ryan and Lola taking a break during training. - Pet Training Near Me

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A true dog whisperer! Sunny, my pug, and I recently had the pleasure of working with Ryan, and I couldn't be happier with the results. He took the time to understand Sunny's unique personality and behavioral challenges (a love bug who doesn't listen and loves to run away) and tailored a training program specifically for her. Sunny's obedience and overall behavior have improved significantly - she's a new dog and a pleasure to be around. I highly recommend Ryan to anyone looking for help for their pup! read more

We found Ryan and Obedience Matters shortly after adding a beautiful Australian Cattle dog puppy named Maya to our family. My fiance and I had done some research regarding cattle dogs and since we are both avid mountain bikers- we thought having a high energy (and smart!) dog would be the perfect trail companion. We had Ryan come to our home and had one-on-one sessions with Maya. As first time dog parents, we learned so much from watching and learning from Ryan interact and train with Maya. He is extremely knowledgeable about dog behavior and helped us with basic commands (sit, down, come) as well as more complex training using the E-collar. I personally was horrified of the idea of using a "shock collar". I was in tears at the thought of "shocking" our dog. However, after explaining the PURPOSE, TRAINING, SAFETY and FREEDOM that the E-collar allows (if used correctly) the dog- I began to feel more comfortable. I even tried to E-collar on a low setting on my own arm, which actually felt more like a light pinch and not a taser (which is what I imagined). Ryan taught us the purpose of it, was not to hurt or punish the dog, but to redirect the dog or have your dog recall and come back to you if needed. If this tool is used the right way- it is an amazing life-saving training tool. Because of the training, knowledge and information Ryan had provided us with- we are able to have Maya with us ON and OFF-LEASH on hikes, and join us on mountain bike rides. Her recall is excellent and while she is not the perfect dog (what dog is? haha) she has grown into a happy, smart and beautiful well-trained dog. When we visit dog parks or people meet Maya, you would not believe the comments we get about her being incredibly well-behaved. We STILL have people in Philly asking if our dog trainer Ryan can help/work with their dogs. My fiance and I now have 3 cattle dogs!!! We used the training and knowledge Ryan gave us to help us work with Maya and our other two wonderful cattle dogs. Although Ryan/Obedience Matters has relocated to Utah- we still are in contact with Ryan and he has helped us with any training tips or questions we have with our younger 2 cattle dogs. I would HIGHLY recommend Ryan and Obedience Matters. He is an excellent dog trainer, very kind, understanding and a patient person who genuinely cares about the dogs he works with. read more

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I'm so glad that I found Ryan. I have boxer named Rocky, who is loving, stubborn, full of energy, and teachable. Ryan's systematic approach had Rocky obeying all commands within days. We started the training at 4 months and it has made a huge difference. When I'm on the trails or in the neighborhood, other dog owners are amazed at how well Rocky listens and obeys. Ryan took the time to teach me and our family how to properly work with Rocky. It has made life a million times easier. Ryan loves dogs and he loves people. He's direct and has a lot of information to share. You won't go wrong trusting Ryan with your puppy. read more

Obedience Matters - Rocky in the mountains. Off Leash. - Pet Training Near Me

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We are extremely happy with Ryan and what he did for us and for our Boxer, Norman. I have never had a dog so well behaved. Norman responds immediately, so I feel very secure that the second he needs recalled he will stop on a dime and return, no matter the distraction. Not kidding. I don't know another dog this well trained. This allows us to take him anywhere off or on leash and lead a dog's life a dog deserves!! He is truly a more content happier dog after the training and so are we. Would recommend to EVERYONE-for their peace of mind as well as their dog's! There is nothing like knowing your dog can run free completely under control. read more

Ryan did an amazing job training my lab mix puppy, Louie!! I can't speak more highly of Ryan. Louie was hyper, out of control, chasing the cats, and nocking down my toddler constantly. After a few weeks of training with Ryan, Louie came back home a perfect dog!! He listens so well now that it is very enjoyable having him. Louie and my kiddo can hang out together inside and outside, and Louie is always in control of himself. He listens on command and the e collar works great when Louie gets a little too excited to behave. He also does not chase the cats and even listens to me around other dogs! Toddlers also love to throw food on the ground, and Louie now waits to get it until I tell him he can have it! Literally amazing!! Highly recommend Obedience Matters! read more

Obedience Matters - Pet Training Near Me

Ryan carried for and trained our 9 month old golden retriever while we traveled. Circumstances occurred where we had a medical issue with our dog right before we left, but Ryan still took him and dealt with his medical care. Ryan has extensive knowledge of dog behavior, dog training and management. When I picked up our family dog after our trip, it was immediately obvious that he had a great time with Ryan, he seemed very happy and bonded to him. Ryan also showed me how to work with the prong collar and e collar before leaving. I have been back two days now, and I can not say enough with how much my dog benefited from his stay with Ryan. He is a better version of himself. He walks beautifully on his leash and follows my direction so much better using the aides he taught me to use. I highly recommend Ryan with Obedience Matter! read more

Ryan is obviously a skilled dog trainer but as far as having good people or communication skills, he could use some training himself! An initial informational phone call for my Doberman pup attending a board and train, turned into a condescending lecture on the misuse of Ecollars, a misinformed public, idiot trainers and my lack of understanding his expertise. He dominated the conversation like I was a dog in training hardly letting me get a word in. This continued in a long winded text exchange where he continued to press his experience, frustrations and my misunderstanding his intentions. With his clear "alpha focus" on getting a last word, Ryan lost track of the most important element in the conversation - my pup. Ryan also lost my business today ! 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

We reached out to Ryan when our 5 month old puppy started showing signs of food aggression and terrible leash walking. Ryan gave us tips and tools to help with both. Today we brought our puppy to a brewery and he just sat right by our feet, even when other dogs were jumping around. We were amazed and owe it to Ryan. Ryan, himself, is a genuine guy and easy to be around. I highly suggest to friends and family! read more

We have a breed of dog that was developed on Stalin's orders at the Red Star Kennel for use by the Red Army as a guard and protection dog. He is what Russian people would call a "serious dog." When our dog was about 18 months old, his protective instincts started to kick into overdrive. He began protecting us from any passing car that drove a little too fast or a little too slowly or was driven by someone whose musical tastes he found questionable. He began protecting us from joggers, old men with canes, neighbors out for evening strolls, and even certain brands of baby carriages. This might have worked out well for us if we lived in a Siberian gulag. However, we live in the suburbs, and it became unpleasant for me and impossible for my wife to walk him. We decided it was time to hire a professional trainer. Frankly, there are very few trainers in our area, who would have even considered trying to train a powerful and potentially aggressive dog like ours. Ryan accepted the challenge and took on some personal risks in the process. (You can see a video of Ryan's first encounter with our dog on Ryan's FaceBook page.) As a result, we now have a very well-trained dog that we can control. He obeys our commands instantly - sit, down, stay, heel, come, look, etc., and he enjoys the training sessions. Walking him is treat. Training your dog is like going to the gym - you get out of it what you put in and you must keep up with it. Ryan will make the process as easy as possible for you, but it still takes work and commitment on your part. However, if you love your dog the way we love ours, the effort is worth it. 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

It's been almost a year since we got our rescue dog Hazel. when we got Hazel she was a handful and we knew she was going to be a big dog so we had to do something to get her to be obedient. After looking at a number of reviews we decided to go with Ryan from obedience matters. This was the best decision, Hazel went from a dog that I wanted to return to a dog I wouldn't know what to do without. All because of Ryan and his ability to train her and most of all to train us. I never thought I'd have a dog where I could just go sit on the porch and let the dog sit by me and let the dog run around the property and not be all that worried that the dog was going to run off. the bottom line is that Ryan gives you the ability and the tools and the mindset how to train your dog and keep it obedient. Without Ryan we wouldn't have a dog. read more

I enlisted Ryan to train our dog Ella after many experiences of her jumping on children and knocking them down. Ryan came to the house assessed her and we discussed a training plan that involved some individual training, as well as, sessions that I would participate in. I'm thrilled with the progress Ella has made with our family and visitors, as well as, understanding directives to go to her bed, crate and walk on leash. Ryan's individual attention to our needs, flexible scheduling and training technique with positive reinforcement (food:-) has developed Ella into an enjoyable, less aggressive dog with visitors. I am thrilled with our better behaved dog and the style of training Ryan used with Ella. Most importantly, Ryan wanted our family to feel comfortable with the training so he clearly described each step of the training for all of us to understand. Two thumbs up! Update: Jan. 2017 - Since dog training with Ryan my puggle has proven she learned the skills to obey our house rules. To and from the side door to 'do her business' Ella goes to the gate and returns to the house door on command. A welcome improvement to having to leash her for quick potty breaks. Additionally, with a house full of people over the holidays Ella was gentle and listened again to my commands and to my delight my guests enjoyed her and she understood her boundaries. Win Win since training with Ryan :) read more

We can't recommend Ryan highly enough. Our puppy is quite spunky, and we wanted to make sure that we were addressing the behaviors appropriately as early as possible. From the very first session, it was clear that Ryan has a gift for working with dogs. He was extremely knowledgeable, accommodating, and fun to work with. Charlie very quickly formed a bond with Ryan, which has made him eager to learn and respond well to direction. He has taught him (and us) so much already and we are only halfway through the program. If you are looking for a good dog trainer- look no further. He is truly the best! read more

Our 7 month old puppy Lucy is a high energy fox hound-pointer mix. She is friendly but did what she wanted to do. We were concerned because some negative behaviors (biting, food aggression,and dominance) were escalating. She is 50 lbs and growing. We were concerned about being able to handle her. Ryan trained us how to take charge. She responded to Ryan immediately and her behavior is dramatically improved. More importantly we have learned how to communicate with our dog. Ryan is honest, direct and generous with his time and knowledge. read more

Ryan and my five month old puppy really bonded and my pup responded and learned Ryan's commands. My dog learned a lot in the few weeks he was being trained and Ryan was very helpful to my husband and me and met us several times after the training was over to reinforce what my pup learned. He was very consistent in his methods and explanations of why he does what he does. My dog now knows how to sit, stay, walk nicely on leash, come when called ( very important to me), and avoid poor behavior. Bottom line - Ryan was very easy to work with and responded to me quickly ( with pics and videos) when I would check in on my pup. I would recommend his services very highly. read more

We adopted a 2 year old medium-sized rescue pup, Ruthie, in early September. We fell in love with her immediately. We did not realize she suffered from extreme leash reactivity until we took her home and out for her first walk. Every time a dog as much showed up within 20 feet of her, this polite, extremely loving cattle dog mix would turn into a vicious monster: howling, snarling, throwing her body against the leash, barking so loudly neighbors would walk out of their homes and lunging and pulling to get at the dog. By week three, it got so bad that taking her out for a walk became the most dreaded part of our day as we live in a very dog friendly neighborhood, with a ton of off-leash dogs. After days and many hours of trying to train her on our own, we knew Ruthie's problems were outside our skill level. I googled best trainers and found Ryan from Obedience Matters. I actually remember crying when I called him because I'd just come in from a horrible walk with Ruthie, and he put me at ease right away. For the first time, I felt like there was some hope! Over the next week, we did a few in person sessions with Ryan, and then put Ruthie up for room and train to get the most benefit in the shortest amount of time. I have NO words for the dog we received back. We've had Ruthie for a month since her 10 day room and board (where we visited her a few times, and she was having a delightful time with Ryan and the other pup). First of all: from Ryan we learnt Ruthie actually LOVES dogs. Despite her behavior, she is just really scared and her first response was to be aggressive. She actually loves having doggie friends and wants to sniff and romp around. Four weeks in, Ruth now walks (almost) like a dream on the leash. Let me say that again: LIKE A DREAM. She stays by our side, checks in, whines when she sees dogs and we can easily introduce her provided the other owner wants to, and only ever barks if a dog repeatedly barks at her (...its always the small ones) And its a short, disgruntled bark now, not the crazy bark that we were afraid would make our neighbors call the police on us. I remember Ryan asking me what my goal was for Ruthie, and I said its okay if she is never a dog park dog or a dog I can take out of the house on trips - I just want a dog who I can walk outside during normal hours (we had started to take her out before sunrise to avoid seeing other dogs) without fear and darting around corners each time we as much heard a dog in the distance. Thanks to Ryan, Ruthie is now a 1) dog park dog (although I've never been a big fan so we avoid them anyway) 2) a brewery dog who whines a bit in the beginning when she realizes she can't sit AT the table and then sniffs glumly around for dropped snacks and 3) DEFINITELY a good to walk dog. The best part is, she has stayed the same happy pup she was when we got her. She is so relaxed around the house, likes to ham up for pets, plays for hours with her ball by herself, cuddles up with us. I don't know what we would have done without Ryan. We're still doing sessions to keep up the training, and are now focusing on Ruthie's recall (our girl loves to chase small squirrels and was found lost in a canyon so go figure). Ryan is also just a really great guy and Ruthie goes bananas each time she sees him. If you have dog with any kind of major obedience issue that is affecting the quality of their life and yours: run do not walk! read more

When we brought our four-month old puppy, Ginger, to Ryan, she was in need of a good understanding of basic commands. Ryan delivered and in fact, over-delivered! After three weeks with Ryan, our puppy listens, is 'chill' when we need her to be relaxed and is a pleasure to walk with. Before Ryan, she would literally lay down on the grass and refuse to walk. Now, we can walk for hours and she is right by my side. Ryan is the 'Dog Whisperer' and is full of tips and advice to help us be better dog owners too! Highly recommend!! read more

Ryan, has done wonders with are dog. He has completely made a positive impact on all aspects of our dogs behavior and training. We are so very grateful for his patience and methods with our dog. read more

After spending a lot of money and sending our Goldendoodle away for 1 month to be trained and seeing little results, we were desperately in need of an answer. We reached out to Ryan, who, quite literally, saved the day. He not only was able to train our dog over just a few sessions in our home, he provided us with the necessary tips and tricks to ensure we felt comfortable with the training. We've seen a massive difference in our dogs demeanor inside and outside the home and couldn't be more grateful for Ryan. read more

Ryan was super honest with us about the risks of our resource-guarding dog, and our new baby. We've had this dog for a year and have tried medication, several trainers, and literally everything we've read about on the internet to deal with his separation anxiety and aggression. Ryan came to our house, stayed an hour, and would not accept payment. He told us things that were hard to hear, but we needed to hear them. Our denial about our dog's behavior and his potential to be safe around other people was pretty strong. I would definitely recommend Ryan- he seems to really understand dogs. read more

I just wanted to give a progress report on our Lab Liddy that Ryan helped train. My family and I, feel so much better and confident that Liddy will listen and follow our commands. She has truly become a part of the family and adds to everything we do. Again Ryan and his training techniques are top notch and it shows in how Liddy lives, loves and listens. Ryan, I can't thank you enough!!! 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

We have 2 young dachshunds who were used to living on 2 1/2 acres. Spoiled, not leashed trained, and protective. We decided to downsize to town living (our child is off to college out west) we tried training them ourselves on the leash with close to disastrous results. It became apparent that we needed help. I found Ryan on line and called, he came to our home, gave us an evaluation for free and we set up a course of lessons. He taught us how to effectively "parent" our little terrors, and showed an enormous amount of patience and affection to them as well. It took about 7 lessons in total to get the results we were looking for, but the break through was lesson 5 when he brought other dogs, (one was an untrained wild big puppy) and our dogs walked right by them on their leashes without reacting. I was practically in tears. Amazing moment. Fast forward 6 months, our pups are happy town dogs. Not only do they beg to go for walk, they have become little local celebrities. Not quite therapy dogs, but perhaps if we took a few more sessions... Thanks Ryan read more

Best dog trainer ever! We had our first dog, a golden retriever and it was difficult for us to train him ourself since I am new to all of this. Our dog was having trouble with walking on lease, listening to commands and luckily we found Ryan! He was a lifesaver, he turn my dog into the best dog ever. Ryan took his time training buddy and made sure that buddy is well trained before giving him back to us. After that, he also went out of his way to meet with us to give us tips and show us how maintain buddy's training. After all the training is done, Ryan stopped by months later to visit buddy and make sure he's still well behaved. I definitely recommend him to all dog owner who want a well trained dog. read more

Ryan has done a great job turning our little monsters into great little members of the family. He's stayed in very close contact to ensure that the training sticks and continues to work in different settings and different people in the house. His experience definitely shows and has served us well. We highly recommend him for anyone in need of dog training! read more

Ryan has done wonders with our dog. He is very knowledgeable and develops his training based on the dog's disposition. That means, we have seen improvement with out dog through a customized approach. For instance, our dog is not very food motivated. So, Ryan used combined techniques to advance progress in his behavior and development. We have seen great improvement in our dogs response and overall obedience. read more

Ryan helped us so much. Our puppy was in a group class at a chain business but we were not seeing results. One day she ran towards the street and she wasn't listening to me calling her.l back. We called Ryan the next day. He talked to us about our goals and helped make an individual plan to meet our needs and our dogs needs. After 3 months of working with Ryan she is trained on and off leash and I am no longer concerned about her running away from me and not listening. Obedience matters is a great way to see fast results. read more

We have a 1.5 year old chocolate lab, Lucy, who we did a poor job of training when we got her due to jobs/life. She was excitable with new people, jumped, pulled on walks and just generally didn't listen to us. And then Ryan came into our lives. He came to the house to meet Lucy and discuss her issues. From the minute he walked in, I could tell this was going to work. He brought his dog with him to demonstrate the commands he could train our dog with. We chose the board and train program which meant Lucy went to live with Ryan for a month (she came home on some weekends). Four weeks later and she was seriously a completely different dog. We were amazed at her focus and attention and how well she listened! She has been home from "boot camp" for a month now and is still following the commands that Ryan taught her. It's now our job to continue her training, but Ryan continues to follow up with us to make sure she doesn't regress any. I know we would never have been able to train Lucy to this degree on our own. Ryan did a fantastic job! I would recommend him to anyone who needs a dog trainer, and we will definitely use him again in the future! read more

Ryan has been helping me train my puppy for the past two months and I have noticed such a difference. I originally did the 6 week clicker training course at Petco and didn't see much results. My puppy still had issues with barking and lunging at passing dogs, choosing when she wanted to listen to me and when she wanted to do her own thing, and only knew how to sit and lay down. At first, I was hesitant to use some of the methods Ryan recommended such as the prong collar and the e collar. He demonstrated how to correctly use each tool and once I saw it was not hurting my puppy I was much more comfortable. For a dog like mine who does not have a high food or toy drive, these tools are exactly what I needed in order to train her. Now she knows how to sit, lay down, come, stay, look at me, and heel. Not to mention she no longer barks or lunges at other dogs on our walks. She is much more reliable and (not to be corny) much more obedient! read more