I just finished training with Mark. We needed help with pulling on the leash and introducing other…read moredogs. Mark brought his dog and we slowly introduced and built confidence each week. In a short 4 week Barrett (Australian Cattle Dog) has improved on walks and successfully had a play date with a friends puppy. I highly recommend Doggie Steps and Mark as your trainer.

We cannot say enough good things about our experience with Mark! We have a Saint Bernard/Poodle,…read moreand we were honestly at a loss before working with him. From the very first session, he brought a sense of calm, structure, and confidence, not just to our dog, but to us as owners too. He didn't just "train" our dog, they taught us how to communicate with him, which has made all the difference. Whether it was leash walking, recall, or managing his excitement around new people, Mark gave us clear tools and realistic steps that worked. Our Saint is now more respectful, easier to manage, and still his lovable self. If you're feeling overwhelmed or unsure where to start, especially with a giant breed, this is your person. So thankful we found him!

Brenda was incredible to work with & I would highly recommend to anyone who is looking for dog…read moretraining! I adopted an Australian cattle dog puppy and knew that finding the right trainer early on would be important with such a smart breed. It's incredible to see what my puppy has learned in just 4 lessons - we will continue to work with her towards service level training. Thank you Brenda!

I would highly recommend Brenda for 1 on 1 dog training. We rescued a high energy pit bull a year…read moreago and his training experience has been a journey. He was 3 years old and completely untrained when we adopted him. We got the basics done through PetCo but we still had some troublesome behaviors we were having trouble addressing. We did 4 sessions with Brenda and the change has been remarkable. She came to our house, which helps train him in a comfortable environment and she adapts her training to the dog. A big part of training is also for us to learn how best to reinforce the commands; Brenda left us with homework for the week to practice. Woody still has some stuff to learn but we have a strong foundation to continue his training journey and a lot more tools in our toolbox. Highly recommend Brenda!

We have been working through some serious challenges with our dogs fighting, and our main goal was…read moresimply to help them safely cohabitate in the same home. We had previously completed seven sessions with another trainer at Rob's Dogs and while that experience was fine for basic obedience, it felt like 'training' rather than the deep level behavioral correction we actually needed. Thankfully, because of the Rob's Dogs lifetime guarantee, we were connected with Joel. From the first hour, the difference was night and day. Joel immediately identified the core issues and provided professional, actionable insight on how to actually shift the dogs' behavior, rather than just running through commands. We already feel significantly more confident moving forward and have total trust in the tools and guidance Joel has given us. If you are struggling with behavioral issues that go beyond the basics, I highly recommend working with Joel. We are incredibly optimistic about the progress we'll make in our upcoming sessions.

My 81 year old mom moved to an urban setting with a small yard and a neighborhood with lots of…read moresmall, yappy dogs that sets off reactivity in her German Shepherd. Although the dog has been through several training programs, she had recently reverted back to being reactive on leash: barking, pulling, and lunging at any dog that barked at her or gave her a "look". Thankfully I found Rob's Dogs through a search online. Rob offers dog training either through individual sessions sold as a packet of 8 or 3, or you can elect to do a board and train method. Since my mom's dog had done two board and trains with other training facilities in Florida and Texas, I opted for the individual sessions sold as a packet of 3. Not to disparage the other training schools, I want to note that the dog had learned a great deal of commands, but she was a little rusty and selective when doing them and was selectively reactive on leash around other dogs. What we needed was a trainer that could come to my mom's neighborhood and see the dog being reactive in the environment where she was going to be walked. Thankfully Rob's Dogs offered this as an option. It cost a significant amount to do this, but it was possible. The additional cost was for the mileage and drive time to my mom's place. We had a meet and greet at the facility. Rob, the owner, met with us and got the back story on the dog and the current behavior problems. He took the dog and walked her around a bit and near other dogs, tested her response to commands and leash pressure. He explained the package options available to us. He also made us aware that we would be using both a prong collar and e-collar to reinstate her former training. We had these tools, but my mom hadn't used them with the dog since she left Florida, and I had never used them. We were assigned a trainer who was contracted by Rob. Lauryn was super friendly and had a love and full understanding of the German Shepherd breed. She herself had a German Shepherd. She went over the operation of the two collars which I was not familiar with at all. Rob's dogs sent us a link and password so that we could watch some important training videos. His website also had some very useful training tips. I highly recommend watching/reading this information carefully and then reviewing it again each week. It's easy for owners to slip into bad habits quickly which results in their dogs behaving in ways they don't want. You will have to enforce rules and get into a routine. Restrictions can be lifted once the dog consistently behaves as desired. You will find that YOU will have to do the hard work. The trainer and Rob's Dogs will assess your current situation and give you the tools and training to use those tools to reinforce good behaviors. It won't happen overnight. You will need to work with the dog for at least an hour each day to reinforce the seven commands and expectations. As I mentioned, we only had three sessions. This training was going to determine whether or not my mom could keep and handle her dog. Immediately after the first session, we started using the tools and putting restrictions in place inside the house to set the law of the land. Right away, we noticed a difference. While the dog was already really well behaved in the house, it improved her response to us when we walked her outside of the house. The prong collar made a drastic difference in her behavior when she saw other yappy dogs on the walk. I no longer had to worry about her lunging, pulling or barking incessantly in an aggressive stance. She still got up, moved forward, and barked once, but it was all very controlled. I didn't have to use all of my strength to hold her back. The real test came when my mom was able to walk her dog around other yappy dogs. After session two, my mom was easily able to do this, and I felt confident that continuing this training would allow my mom to keep her dog. Her German Shepherd is sometimes still reactive, but it is much more controlled and manageable now. In time, and with continued consistent practice, I believe my mom's dog will eventually stop the reactivity altogether. She has already shown amazing progress and only slips occasionally. If you are looking for effective dog training (well, really we know it is human training to learn how to effectively communicate with the dog), then consider Rob's Dogs. You will work hard to get your dog's behavior issues resolved, but the longterm results will allow you to have a wonderful relationship with your pet.

Love working with Rob! Our rescue GSD pup has made great strides in training and we couldn't have…read moredone it without his knowledge of dogs and training. Always very fun to talk with and an overall really nice guy! Worth every penny!

Rob, I am so sorry this took so long to get posted…read more(technical difficulties). Now, we still do not have full control over our boys yet, and I do stress yet) but it is MUCH better. The training we received from you was instrumental in helping us in keeping our two boys safe. Your training was not for them, but for us. Capone and Pawlie appear much happier now, much more responsive, and Jodi and I are much more confident in our abilities. When our boys started becoming aggressive with each other, it broke our hearts. We had so much happening in our lives, we had forgotten that we project on to our kids. Instead of having one step forward , three steps back, we are now four steps forward and one step back. We just know, now, that we have to be more diligent with them and remember they too are our children. Your guidance, and teaching, has helped us regain our lives, and feel that our kids are safe, and they have been playing together. We, as Mom and Dad, still stress and want to make sure they are always safe, but our lives are much calmer because of you and your teaching. I look forward to actually getting to the group classes, and seeing you soon! Thanks again! Shane Brough

Felix was amazing!! He helped us with our girl, Nala, get past much of her fears and anxieties…read more She's always had an issue with strangers-- especially men. Felix took the time to systematically walk us through repeated steps and create a plan to address the behavior. He was friendly, knowledgeable, supportive, and obviously quite experienced. So happy we decided to go with Proving Ground Kennels and would certainly recommend!

I noticed that many of the existing reviews for this trainer date back to 2018, so I wanted to…read moreshare a more recent experience for anyone considering working with him. Business practices can change over time, and I feel it's important to share my recent experience so others can make an informed decision. I hired Felix to work with my working-line dog and spent $8,000 over four months. Initially, Felix was professional and punctual. Over time, however, he became increasingly disorganized. Sessions were frequently cancelled or rescheduled for personal reasons, and he arrived late on multiple occasions. I continued because for a while the training went well, and my dog was learning a lot from the time and energy I dedicated to him. This is why I bought a second package from him. Felix started using a Dogtra e-collar at very high levels (90-100). As training progressed, this became more frequent. My dog vocalized and showed clear signs of distress. On one occasion, my dog lightly redirected toward me (after a correction Felix inflicted at 100) behavior he had never displayed prior to working with Felix. I raised my concerns via text later in the day, explaining that I felt these correction levels were inappropriate given my dog's age, maturity, and frustration level. Felix dismissed my concerns, responding that "bites happen," and told me I was making too big of a deal out of the situation, which caused me to second-guess myself. He affirmed my dog was 100% safe and noble. At our next session, Felix showed me photos of serious injuries caused by his own dog letting me know my dog wasn't actually handler aggressive like his dog was. Following that session, Felix applied harsh prong-collar corrections while my dog was learning a new command. My dog quickly redirected toward him (no broken skin). Felix became visibly frazzled, speaking aggressively toward both me and my partner, making inappropriate comments about my physical strength/body and questioning why I owned a large male dog and berating me in front of my home. My partner, who is a psychologist, calmly intervened due to concern about the tone and direction of the interaction. Immediately afterward, while my dog was highly aroused, Felix attempted a "leave it" exercise by scattering ham in our backyard without having taught the command first. When my dog attempted to eat the food, Felix administered multiple level-100 e-collar corrections. My dog yelped in pain, and my partner expressed serious discomfort, which Felix again dismissed. Felix then made alarming comments about having been "mauled" by several dogs and having dreams of being killed by dogs. Before he left our home, he told us that once again we were "on track" and he'd see us next session. When he left we were both shaken. That night my partner and I had drawn a line and decided we needed outside consult because our dog's behavior was changing in real time. And the exercise out back crossed a line for us and our dog's safety. The following day, Felix sent a message cancelling our work together. In a short text, he commanded me to return my dog to the breeder, instructed me not to contact him again, and blocked me and my partner on social media and text message. Stunned, I went to his website and emailed him requesting a refund for the unused sessions (over $3,000). He refused, citing a "no-refund policy," though no such policy was provided in writing or verbally at the time of purchase. Since then, I have consulted with multiple highly respected trainers, including two who have competed at the IGP World Championship level. None were familiar with Felix or his work, and all expressed extreme concern about the methods described. They indicated these methods contributed to the redirection issues and confirmed that my dog is highly workable with appropriate training. Felix has the right to choose who he works with. However, cancelling services while refusing to refund prepaid sessions reflects poorly on his business practices and integrity. I am sharing this experience so others can make an informed decision before hiring this trainer. Please know that if Felix feels overwhelmed or in over his head while training your dog, he can (and might) stop the pre-paid sessions at any time, block you, and refuse to give you back money for services that were not rendered.

Brandi is seriously amazing I've never had anyone take such good care of my little poodle and make…read moreher look so cute

Garret, the new manager, exceeded expectations and provided outstanding customer service. He went…read moreabove and beyond to ensure a great experience, and his positive attitude made the entire visit enjoyable.

They are now located at: 2830 S Carriage Ln, Mesa 85202. It is located behind the Swim Kids USA on…read morethe SE corner of 101 and Guadalupe. You get there off Guadalupe and then go South on Carriage Ln. Still great people and friendly service. Lots of play time for dogs who board. They also post photos which is nice when you are away you can see your Buddy playing with other dogs. I also posted a photo of the shampoo they used because my dog smelled really good after her bath.

We had our two dogs stay here recently when we went on vacation. First, they were very quick to…read morerespond and have our dogs come in for a meet and greet. They were very understanding in how soon we needed to board our dogs. The meet and greet was great, the owner was so knowledgeable and put our minds at ease in terms of leaving our dogs there. The staff were extremely friendly as well. Second, they were able to give both my dogs their medications while they stayed. They also have an Instagram that they update frequently so we could check in on our babies. I usually get a lot of anxiety when I leave my dogs anywhere new, but I felt relatively at ease with my dogs here. I will definitely have my dogs stay again for daycare or boarding and will likely look into the training program as well.

Wow! If I could give more than 5 stars I would. We entrusted Chaim with our girl, Freya. She WAS…read morevery reactive, didn't want to go on walks, was aggressive toward neighbors, etc. Now after her 4 week board and train, I can walk her through my neighborhood with no problem. We have taken her to restaurants and other errands and she is so calm! I can't recommend Good Bois enough. He is so in tune with the specifics of your dog. If one method doesn't work, he will employ another.

Chaim was an amazing trainer. He was adept at looking out our two dogs different behaviors,…read morecreating a custom plan for their individual progress week to week, and giving us tools for ongoing training. This was such a worthwhile investment and he was a great person to work with!