Providing a follow-up review after our off leash training with Randy at Diamond Dog Academy. We did…read morethe on-leash training with our dog Cheddar about a year ago and we couldn't believe the results. Cheddar would pull on the leash constantly and bolt any chance he could. A year later and we're almost done with off-leash training. Cheddar now comes back every single time without fail. This is a dog that would be halfway down the block if he slipped or broke his collar. We've also seen how much more confident and happy Cheddar is after his training. We can let him off knowing he will come back every time, and we're now even considering obedience competitions. We can't thank Randy enough for everything he's done for us.

Randall is a sincere businessman, displaying flexibility in his approach to training different…read moredogs. His expertise convinced me that my own dog would greatly benefit from obedience training.

We have been taking our pup here for years for her grooms and are incredibly happy with the service…read moreand her cut/care every time! This week, Selena was our groomer and she was fantastic. We have a very nervous, skittish little rescue pup and she stopped shaking as soon as we passed her to Selena. Upon picking her up, Selena was almost finished and we got to peek in and see how carefully and lovingly she was finishing up the cut. We'll 100% be back specifically for Selena since she took such amazing care of our little angel... and sent her home with a precious new bandana!

Horrible customer service. Bad attitude from the groomer in Golden…read more She then calls all petco's to not groom my dog. He had a good experience in Arvada, but the Golden groomer had to prove that she is truly a mean lady and prohibit us from all stores. Where is the Manager? She thinks she owns the place. Don't waste your money here!

There is not much else you can say about Lou but that he is the best. When we got our puppy, Ella…read moreat the start of the pandemic we did not know what we were getting ourselves into: how will we train her; how would we socialize her; who can tell us what to do. Then we heard about Lou through a friend and all of our questions were answered. Lou crafts his lessons to your specific pup and gives you all the advice you need to succeed (and all virtually). We immediately saw improvements in Ella's confidence and behavior. When something didn't work, Lou adjusted. We couldn't be happier and could not more highly recommend. We will keep using the virtual training!

My two pups were boarded on several occasions with Louis and will highly recommend him. It is hard…read moreto find someone that you know will take great care of your pups and we were happy to have met Louis. Both of my pups always arrived very excited to his house and Louis provided updates thru their stay. The additional training exercises during their stay were great to get them exercised. I highly recommend Louis at Ace Pet Services.

Dog Den was great for my lab for boarding and training. Xena was a few months old when she first…read moremet Don in Summit County. We were thrilled that his family moved to Arvada just after I moved to the Denver area. She would always get excited when we n we turned into his driveway.

We have taken our Lab/Vizsla here a few times last Spring/Summer and had a great experience. Taco…read morewill be back!

My dog Poppy went through their basic training and obedience course, which is six or seven weeks of…read moreclasswork and watching a video each week, plus a book to read. There is a lot of duplication in the materials, but it is to hammer home the various lessons. I was OK about practicing, definitely didn't hit the hour per day as prescribed. But was pleasantly surprised with the important skills that Poppy picked up; she is completely trained on recall, which for me is the most important skill for her to have. She is also good with sitting and staying, another lesson that we practiced heavily. I would definitely recommend the course to all new dog owners.

Ted Terroux and his staff are the absolute best at what they do. They are extremely knowledgeable,…read morepatient, encouraging and clearly care about the people and pets they work with. I had taken my two rescues there several years ago for both basic training and CGC and had the opportunity to take my daughter in law's dog for the same classes this last 12 weeks. Could not have been any happier with the training we received. Thank you all so much for everything you do!!!

We've been working with Jose for a few months. He's been awesome to work with. He's been great…read moreabout teaching us how to train our dogs. His group classes are great as well. We've really benefited from one-on-one training, and within just a few sessions, we are seeing a difference. Be ready to do the work with your dog! If you take the tools and techniques Jose teaches and implement them, it'll work, and you'll be happy and have a well-behaved dog! Additionally, his prices are some of the fairest I found after interviewing several dog trainers. He takes the approach of letting me lead in what I think my dog needs, but also offers his opinions. Thanks, Jose!

Jose at Word of Mouth Training completely changed our lives!! Our dog Otis was extremely reactive…read moreand fearful. We could barely leave the house with him. Car rides were awful, we had to cover our windows so he would not react to people or dogs walking by, and he even reacted to cartoon dogs on TV. He also started showing aggression toward our other dog. We had tried multiple training classes before and things were only getting worse. After Jose's 16 day program Otis came home like a completely different dog. Even after the first few days we could see his confidence growing and every group class showed more progress. Other dog owners even commented on how much he had changed. I truly never thought I would see Otis running around playing with other dogs but now he is a normal, happy dog. Jose fixed him and completely changed his life and ours. This is the best money we have ever spent and I will always be grateful. I cannot recommend him enough!

I have been taking my dog Goose to SMS starting in Portland in 2021 and now to this location since…read moreJune of 2023. First, on the program as a whole. I was very apprehensive about an e-collar at first, but it has been exactly the tool we needed. Goose was a rescue and was very aggressive and reactive toward other dogs and no amount of treats or praise would detract her from that. This training has made walks so much more enjoyable for both of us, given her much more freedom, and strengthened our relationship. She gets excited when I bring her collar out, knowing that she is going to work and get to do something fun and engaging whether that be around the house or out and about. Second, this location. The transition to transfer over was seamless and the trainers have been extraordinarily helpful. The free group classes for life are so valuable and help Goose keep up on her training. She has gone from not being able to be a block away from a dog without barking and lunging to practicing off leash in a room full of 10+ dogs. Nicole and Ed both manage to keep a room full of often reactive/ anxious dogs under control and create an environment where everyone can practice and work on their skills regardless of what level that may be at. I have personally watched other owners and dogs join group class after the training program and go from being no more than 6 feet from other dogs to integrated into the class within a matter of weeks. I'm very thankful to SMS and this location for helping me and Goose enjoy life and training much more!

I used sit means sit to train my seven year old dog who had a little too much freedom and started…read morecausing issues. Even after 6 years of no training their staff was able to help with his behavior! The entire staff is extremely helpful and knowledgeable on training dogs.

UPDATE: 2022 brought on some unexpected life changes like moving into new apartment style that was…read morecompletely "foreign" to Peyton. He was terrified of everything!!! He wouldn't walk through doorways, he walked on the new floors like they were going to fall out from underneath him and for a little over a week we only took the stairs, up & down, to the 7th floor because I knew introducing an elevator to Peyton would be impossible. I never once panicked but instead used all the training we had learned & if I needed additional guidance from FRK9A they always responded to my emailed questions. It makes me so proud to say Peyton not only rides in the elevator now but he can calmly be in there with multiple strangers + a bike and he's cool as a cucumber. FRK9A has provided both me & Peyton with the continued knowledge to build a bond between us that keeps us safe & happy while adventuring around downtown Denver!! I'd recommend FRK9A to everyone who loves their dog & I'm looking forward to furthering our work in their advanced program. Thank you Jordan Dye & everyone at Front Range K9 Academy!!

Fantastic group of trainers. Very affordable classes and flexible scheduling - my partner and I…read morewere able to make it work with full-time jobs very easily. Our rescue pup is now well-trained on a leash, is much less anxious around other dogs and people, and is able to be given much more freedom to live her best life. Best money ever spent.

We have two dogs: a 6.5 year old, 80 pound Black Lab mix, and an almost-1 year old Corgi mix. The…read morelab mix has always been pretty good inside, but we got her right before COVID started, and whenever the door opens she freaks out and barks at and jumps all over whoever is coming in. Outside, she cannot be trusted off a leash, because she will just literally run away and come back when she feels like it. The Corgi mix is a sweet guy but we got our first notice from our HOA that we have a nuisance dog. He has been incessantly barking at the hallway when we're out of the house. Walking them together is a nightmare because they both zip off in different directions and you become an acrobat trying to manage the leashes. We attended initial 8-week training sessions at PetSmart with both of them, and they can sit and lay down, but anything more than that is wishful thinking, and a sit/stay does not really translate into actual obedience. Scott helped us fix almost all of that in about 90 minutes. Scott's approach is to talk to dogs like you're a dog. To get their attention, you basically growl at them, and imitate(!) snapping at them if necessary (I want to emphasize that there is no physical punishment for the dogs), and you assert leadership, and then when they are doing the right thing, you talk to them sweetly. My wife and I love this because it's so simple and consistent. We don't have to remember when to use "stay" vs "wait." Which hand signal do we use for this command vs that command? It's "bah!" and "gooood!" The first session was all indoor behavior, and since then we've had two sets of friends over and gotten the lab calmed in about 2 min vs 10 before. The corgi is much less growly/barky about hallway noises. Since we did leash training in the second session, both dogs follow respectfully on walks. Like, it was a near instant improvement. It's not perfect, but with the lab it's gonna take some time because she's had 6 years of thinking she's the boss! But the technique is so simple that it's easy to apply to new situations. The lab likes to jump up to steal food from the counter at my dad's house. A few "bah!"s with follow-up "gooood"s and that stopped cold after 5 years of it being a habit, and we didn't need to leash her the entire time we were there! It's expensive, but the speed at which we've seen improvement has made it very worth it, and knowing we can call Scott for any stuff that comes up in the future makes the price easier to handle. For example, we're hoping just the general increased respect/deference from the lab mix will allow us to eventually let her off leash, but if it doesn't, we know we can call to address that directly.

I have never left a review on Yelp - ever - but this business is such a scam that I feel compelled…read moreto say something. My dog is no better than before - we learned precisely one tactic that helps *some* of the time. Most of the time it's meaningless, and otherwise we've seen no improvement whatsoever. My biggest frustration is the combination of having paid an exorbitant fee to see no change, combined with the fact that the trainer spends almost no time with you and the pet, so you can't even pretend to feel like it was worthwhile. He comes for like an hour (or even less? I don't remember exactly -- I gave the process some time to take effect before leaving this review, so it's been a little while) and then leaves. This company says they train the pet owner to care for the dog, rather than train the dog his/herself, saying that the pet owner is who the dog will need to behave with long term. I should have just paid an effective dog trainer to take the dog or come over and train her -- I would've paid much less to have much, much better outcomes. In this case, the trainer stops by, tells you to do some things that aren't going to work, leaves you with a measly spray bottle and bag of pennies to throw down near the dog (not joking) and you're left broke, with a poorly-behaved dog at your side. Buyer beware.

ACA has provided expert training and care for our dog since he was a puppy. They are caring,…read morethorough, consistent, and effective. Koda loves to board with them and always comes home happy. All of the trainers that have taught Koda have been excellent. And they've trained us as well in the skills we need to maintain Koda's confidence and good behavior. We highly recommend Sean and his team for training, boarding, daycare, and anything else that will ensure your pup is a happy, healthy, well-behaved member of your family. Services

We had an outstanding experience with American Canine Academy in Commerce City, and I can…read moreconfidently say it made a lasting impact on both our dog and us as owners. About a year ago, our dog Maddie (who was 5 at the time) went through ACA's one-month immersion training program. Going into it, she was quite reactive - especially toward other dogs, and occasionally toward people as well. We were hopeful the program would help curb her aggressiveness and make her a better overall canine citizen. The results truly exceeded our expectations. Maddie's temperament noticeably softened, and she became far less reactive in situations that used to trigger her. In addition to that transformation, ACA did an excellent job reinforcing all the foundational commands - "here," "place," "heel," "sit," "stay," etc. Just as importantly, they didn't just train Maddie - they equipped us with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to continue building on that foundation at home. One of the most impressive aspects of ACA is their ongoing support. Their commitment doesn't end when the program does - they stay with you for the life of your dog. They offer weekly group training sessions for all program graduates, (free of charge!), which have been incredibly valuable. These sessions are run by their trainers, who are always available to provide real-time guidance on any challenges you are facing. The group setting itself is a huge benefit. It gives both dogs and owners the opportunity to practice skills in a controlled environment, with distractions, which is essential for real-world success. As an owner, I've learned a tremendous amount from these sessions and rarely miss a week. If you are looking for a training program that delivers real results and long-term support, I highly recommend American Canine Academy. They truly care about the dogs they work with and the people who love them. - DavidS