I was checking around for someone to train my GSD, Fifi, and was lucky enough to discover PAVLOV Dog Training of PDX. Our initial interactions were professional, informative and comforting. Fifi and I were matched with Meredith. Together we chose the Board and Train Camp which included on-leash obedience level 1 and off-leash obedience 2. Meredith is a highly skilled dog trainer with impressive credentials. She has some kinda magical powers over dogs. But, what I liked most is she understood my Fifi's personality and capabilities. . I knew Fifi was in good hands and would be safe during her time away from me. Fifi was returned to me with a solid, SOLID, set of skills. She also is confident, brave and excited to join my daily excursions. We are able to understand each other's language and now we work together very easily. We are very grateful for Meredith's magic ! read more

We contacted her after struggling to teach our newly re-homed 6 month old mini-Aussie (Essie) some manners. She is crazy smart, our dog, but also high energy and was bowling over the other (smaller) dogs. I thought I had a good handle on every-day dog training but I was mistaken! In a single lesson, I knew this was a great plan and worth every cent and every minute we spent working between lessons. More than that, though, she gave us suggestions and assistance with the other dogs, since they are part of the household and were part of Essie's needs. I 100% recommend this trainer and have no regrets at all. read more

PAVLOV Dog Training - A sweet and newly well behaved pup! - Pet Training Near Me

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I'm truly blown away by how amazing Pavlov Dog Training did with our 95 lb Pit Bully, Bertha. As you can imagine, before training Bertha was very hard to control on a leash, barked a lot, and we had a hard time controlling her. Meredith and her team went above and beyond to train Bertha out of her naughty habits and she did it in a very kind and safe environment. Bertha loved her training so much that she didn't want to leave Meredith's beautiful home and had the time of her life. She got to play with other dogs and go on hikes and adventures all while learning her training. Meredith is extremely knowledgeable and kind and made us feel so supported and equipped every step of the way. We are so grateful for her and would recommend Pavlov Dog Training to any of our friends and family! read more

PAVLOV Dog Training - Bertha, our dog - Pet Training Near Me

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In just five short lessons, Sophia helped us completely transform our sweet but undisciplined one year old yellow lab, Rooney. Before Sophia, Rooney jumped on people, counter surfed endlessly, pulled hard for every second of every walk, and ignored most of our commands. After Sophia, Rooney is another puppy entirely. She no longer jumps on people (she patiently waits in the hall for her command to come say hi), she doesn't counter surf (she waits patiently in her spot for treats, and her leash manners are incredible (even off-leash). For the first time in her life, she even drops the ball when I tell her to! Most importantly, Sophia gave my wife and I lots of tools to continue growing Rooney's ability to follow commands and behave politely. We cannot recommend her enough! If you have an untrained dog or even a dog that wasn't properly trained by other trainers, you need to give Sophia a call. read more

PAVLOV Dog Training - A happy puppy and a loose leash! - Pet Training Near Me

We worked with Meredith, who magically transformed my anxious and naughty girl, Ashley, into a well behaved and much more confident version of herself. She is a dream to walk, her recall is excellent, and she pays attention to me and what I want. An unintended benefit is that she came out of her shell and loves to play with other dogs, which is great for her mental and physical health. Meredith also gave us lots of helpful advice about Ashley and our whole pack. When we have seen Meredith for follow up training, Ashley is so excited to see her. I can't say enough good things about our experience with Meredith and the benefits bestowed upon our family! I highly recommend this program. read more

We have nothing but HIGH PRAISES for Sophia and Pavlov Dog Training for our two 3 year old Shih Tzus, Jasper and Zaza. We were skeptical because we know Shih Tzus can be hard to train and our dogs are stubborn. From the first private lesson, Sophia helped us understand how dogs learned and what motivates them. Each week we had a new lesson to practice and our pups took to it quickly. We were hesitant to use a prong collar, but Sophia explained how to safely use them and now leash walking them is a breeze (no more pulling!) As if that wasn't enough, Sophia introduced the e-collar to us and taught us how train the dogs to respond. VOILA! We just finished an awesome off-leash beach walk and Jasper and Zaza did AWESOME. Thank you Sophia for your mentoring and support. We know we can reach out to you with questions and coaching as needed. #pavlov&sophiarock! read more

Sophia was a wonderful dog trainer! She had extensive knowledge about my dog's breed and really cared about his progress in training. She helped me understand how to train my dog and why we train him the way that we do. She has great analogies to help me understand my dogs behaviors and has easy ways to correct his unwanted behaviors. I highly recommend PAVLOV training to anyone with a pup at any obedience/training level, as she meets you where you are in your training and creates training sessions that are focused on what you and your dog want/need. Thanks Sophia! -Obi & Rachel read more

PAVLOV Dog Training - My happy bubbas being a good boy, sitting and staying for a cute photo (thanks to Sophia!) - Pet Training Near Me

with two children and a Labradoodle that is projected to be over 90 lbs I knew I needed help Asap! We began when Rocky was 17 weeks old. After the five weeks Rocky no longer has accidents in our home, he no longer pulls me through our walks, he is bell trained, and responds to basic commands immediately. Such as, NO, come, bingo, stay, heal, and park it. Overall I am exremely satisfied with PavLov. Sophia arrived always on time and EXTREMELY KIND. She is not only great with dogs, but children as well! Thank you guys! read more

Meredith has transformed our scared, reactive puppy to an outgoing, confident dog. She has learned so many skills that make our working dog (Australian Kelpie mix) so happy, and keep us sane. She was highly leash reactive as a puppy and it was completely out of control. We did the first Board and Train program with Meredith and when we picked up Ella our jaws dropped. She no longer lunged or growled at other dogs, had beautiful manners- and you could tell she just had the BEST time in her training with Meredith. We've had so much success we continued with the program for off-leash training as well as continue to contact Meredith for boarding when we leave town, because our dog truly LOVES being around her. What is also so great about Meredith's approach is that the training doesn't just end when you pick up your dog, there are several one-on-one follow up trainings for us with Ella, so we know how to continue to set her up for success. Sometimes mom and dad need more training than Ella! The price at first was intimidating as we've never sent our dogs to such a thorough training program but it was worth every penny and more. We have a manageable dog who we now know how to communicate with and can take out on field trips with no stress all thanks to Meredith and Pavlov!! Forever grateful! read more

PAVLOV Dog Training - Pet Training Near Me

Pavlov Dog Training did a FABULOUS job training my German shepherd! My German shepherd has learned a strong foundation of obedience and can heel walking politely through the neighborhood. He walks on my left side with zero tension on the leash. When I stop, he stops. When I walk, he walks. Strangers compliment his polite behavior as we navigate crowds at the farmer's market. Even with lots of savory food and people, he stays at my left side. Pavlov also taught him off-leash obedience, which has expanded his quality of life. He safely hikes with me untethered, while maintaining a six-foot distance. His off-leash skills have increased his freedom and quality of life. Thanks to Pavlov, my boy is a head turner! read more

I had given up on training my ball-obsessed dog because he was not motivated by treats. His behaviors were consistently annoying and it was affecting how I felt about him. I stopped taking him to the park because I couldn't get him to come back to me. Sophia gave us a straightforward plan to shape his behavior so we could have play time and chill time. I was able to bring him back to the park after a year because now he comes when called and he couldn't be happier. I can't recommend her training enough! read more

PAVLOV Dog Training - Pet Training Near Me

We did the Board & Train with Kylah in Vancouver, WA. My dog did get trained and his behavior is excellent, though overall my husband and I were disappointed with the experience. The trainer is great with dogs but not skilled with people. She seemed hostile and on edge toward us. We paid for a comprehensive three week course which was to include two follow up sessions; one was to be in our home. When I called initially, I explained that we live an hour and a half from Portland. During the initial phone call with the scheduler (who was not the person training our dog) I asked about the logistics and was assured this was not an issue. After we paid in full and picked our dog up from the trainer I was informed that this distance was too far for the trainer to drive, would take too much of her day and cost too much in gas. These concerns should have been discussed with us at time of scheduling, not after the fact. We were not refunded any money. The only solution offered was for us to drive to Vancouver for any and all follow up sessions. That is not helpful to us since she can't observe the dog in his normal environment. Additionally, when we picked the dog up she told me that his bear would not be returned. It had been completely destroyed by other dogs in her care and she threw it away. The bear was a gift from my mother who had recently passed away. I told her that at drop off! My eyes filled with tears but I didn't say anything. She continued on, very coldly, stating that I shouldn't have left a valuable toy and should have known that loss and damage was a possibility! Perhaps...except I don't train dogs and I only know how MY dog acts. He's very gentle. She didn't advise me at drop off to not leave the toy. I went to my car and cried. When I got home and unpacked the bag, the bear was in the bottom. Absolutely fine. She lied to me? Why did she say it was destroyed? Additionally my dog was wearing a pinch collar that was digging into his skin and leaving marks. She stated that she had extra links and would mail them to me but never did. When I picked my dog up he had acquired fleas as well as a fungal infection in his ears which required a vet visit and medication. Ultimately, my dog is well trained. For my husband and I, it was an expensive and emotionally draining experience. read more

Sophia was an amazing help for us with our 6 month old puppy. He started out knowing basically nothing, and by the end of our sessions he had all the basics down. But more importantly, we felt like she gave US the knowledge and ability to do more with him in the future. In many ways she taught us as much as she taught him, truly helpful! Our dog was also a very scared and shy guy, but she had techniques for that as well and it wasn't a hindrance at all. We were incredibly thankful for everything Sophia did for us. There's no one else you need to consider if you're thinking about getting some lessons in for your dog, Sophia is the one! read more

Super impressive. From on boarding to weekly check-ins with progress videos to pick up. Our Finley is now so well behaved. Now I know this does not mean all the work is done, I have to up keep all what he has learned. He was a big leash puller.. and now it's so easy to take him places. Right after pick up we took him to shopping with no issues. Big thank you Kylah for changing our world with you dog whispering training! read more

Words can not express how impressed and thankful I am for all of trainer Kylah's work with my 16 month old Australian shepherd-border collie Zoe. Zoe came to Kylah with a lot of anxiety when out in the world (despite her doggy Prozac, thunder vest, pheromones, etc.) After consulting with Pavlov dog training it became clear Zoe needed to work on obedience and structure to help support her behavior when out on walks, hikes, in stores, inside home etc. Each Tuesday and Thursday of Zoe's two week stay Kylah sent video updates of Zoe's progress, the first being two days after she arrived to her. Even from the first video it was clear Kylah knew exactly how to help her and Zoe was responding better than I could have imagined! They took field trips to various indoor and outdoor spaces to work on her specific fears with strangers, bikers, skateboarders, random objects etc. They worked on indoor obedience and manners in home as well. What I appreciated most about Kylah and all of Pavlov's trainer's approaches is the training being conducted in real world settings, from their home, and with small group sizes. They use a combination of approaches to help facilitate growth in your pup, the most important of which being positive reinforcement! From the multiple trainers and board and train options I found it is clear that there is no one size fits all training method for a pup, a healthy combination taught under the right conditions and with someone you trust is key. Picking up Zoe and jumping into our first transfer lesson from board and train was seamless and rewarding. Kylah spent the first 5-10 minutes demonstrating her community skills before having me take Zoe's leash to transfer the skills to me. After another 5-10 minutes of Kylah providing me feedback on how best to reinforce Zoe's desired behavior she was healing, stopping, sitting, changing pace etc. on a bike path with several dogs, strangers, bikes etc without issue. A complete dream and total turn around from how I dropped her off to Kylah!! Board and train is without a doubt a larger financial commitment than do-it-yourself or once-weekly training, but, entirely pays off in the end. Please keep in mind that, as Pavlov states, your dog will only be as consistent as you are. You will need to do your part to gain the obedience your trainer has gained from your pup. The more consistent you are the faster and easier that will be! Thank you again to Kylah for all that you have done! I am looking forward to continuing our transfer lessons over the next few weeks. read more

Sophie was great, cared a lot about our needs and love for our pet. She always seemed to have the right answer and method to help us.

Highly highly recommend Sophia for your dog training needs! She was recommended through my friend with a puppy, so I decided to start mine at 8 weeks on the puppy 5 class program. I was feeling super anxious in the beginning being a first time puppy parent doing it on my own. Sophia relieved that anxiety and I always felt supported even if we weren't in a session! She's always a text away if you have questions or concerns. I live in an apartment so that had some unique concerns and specific training opportunities that she helped me with! I can't tell you how much my puppy has benefited from her training. She loves when Sophia comes over and she responds so well to her training techniques. I'll be forever grateful for these training sessions and I value all the tools I've learned so she can be a great member of society read more

PAVLOV Dog Training - Pet Training Near Me

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Sophia is a tremendous dog trainer. We discussed our dogs issues and what we wanted to focus on and she planned out the sessions to accomplish our goals. Our dog, Ozzy, needed some work with reactive barking, walking on a leash, listening to us when excited, etc. Sophia gave us commands, actions, and training to do to teach the dog how we wanted him to behave. She layered the training so the dog could learn fully and then build on his new behaviors. We are more than pleased with the results with Ozzy and would eagerly recommend Sophia for any dog training. read more

PAVLOV Dog Training - Ozzy behaving while out. - Pet Training Near Me

Sophia did an excellent job teaching me how to train my dog. I was very impressed with the results and I now have confidence my dogs training that I can take him on many new adventures. read more

When we first brought our dog home he was a wild man. I knew pretty quickly we were going to need some help. On a recommendation from someone we trust we called Pavlov Dog Training. After our first session with Sophia I already felt an incredible sense of relief. She helped us gain better understanding of why dogs act certin ways and thus how to modify their and our behaviors. Her knowledge of different breeds is incredible and really allows her to tailor the training and recommendations for your dog. If you're looking for a trainer you will not regret calling Pavlov read more

We love Pavlov and Hildie's (our 4mo old puppy) trainer Meredith. Hildie's "heel" command is soooo much better, loose leash all the way! She is also controlling here "excitement" regarding our cats...being mostly respectful. She is listening and attentive and waits to come through doors and out of here crate until she gets an "OK"! She is still all puppy - but working very hard to be the best girl ever! We have already signed up for more training: off leash training, in a couple months. Thank you, Meredith and Pavlov, for helping us and Hildie to get off to a great start! read more

Sophia is an absolutely phenomenal trainer with an expansive wealth of knowledge of all things dog! I adopted my rescue puppy Dune, a Australian Shepherd x Terrier x Husky (this part was a recent surprise!) mix when he was about 9 weeks old. Dune is admittedly my first dog, and being such an intelligent, hyperactive breed, it was very important to me to get his training started early and get it done RIGHT. We started training with Sophia at about 13 weeks through the Puppy Obedience program. She helped us with the basic commands, curbing the start of separation anxiety (he wouldn't let me leave him for more than 2 minutes at a time without upsetting the neighbors) and walking POLITELY on his leash. A lot of people had said to me that starting him so young may prove pointless because after all, he's just a puppy! Sophia's training proves all of them wrong. She is warm and pleasant, has a great laugh, speaks in a way that is easy to understand and is always happy to explain more if you don't. We have a LOT of fun, and get a lot accomplished, but she definitely means business, and that business produces the desired results! I now have a 5 month old puppy who gets compliments on the daily for how well he behaves. He sits, he stays, he "parks it" until I say so, he comes when I call his name, and comes IMMEDIATELY EVERY TIME when I give him his recall command. He walks very well on a leash, and gives me more and more slack with it every day it seems. I cannot praise her highly enough for the tool set that she has given me and my new best friend and would recommend her to everyone. Thank you SO MUCH Sophia, looking forward to keeping in touch about progress! read more

PAVLOV Dog Training - Dune - Pet Training Near Me

Sophia was great working with me and my 1 year old lab (Hobi) - she was clear, informative, and encouraging. We went from frustrated walks to comfortable on and off leash in 5 sessions - so grateful she was open and encouraging of adapting each session to meet Hobi's needs/level rather than just completing a specific program. She has a professional and fun demeanor, her dynamic feedback was invaluable and allowed me to strengthen my relationship with my dog and gain confidence introducing him to new situations and environments! We've now been off-leash for a year and I still use her training principles daily. Endlessly grateful to Sophia for building confidence and trust between me and my dog that allows us to go on so many adventures! Can't recommend her highly enough. read more

Our trainer Sophia was super helpful! She gave us quick and effective lessons, also letting us text/call her directly with any questions whenever they came up. Our dog Lula is much calmer and we are much more confident with her now. Highly recommend this dog training service! read more

Sophia was such an excellent trainer for our cavapoo puppy, Momo. In just 5 sessions she gave us the education, tips and tricks to set us up for success. She is extremely knowledgeable, reliable, and catered to our apartment living situation and our dog's specific breed. In addition, she even included our other dog, Archie, in much of the training exercises as he is a little out of practice. We highly recommend Sophia to anyone looking for dog trainers in and around Portland, OR. read more

Miracle-worker! I was hopeful when I started working with Sophia, but I could not have anticipated how much progress we would make and how quickly we would make it. Sophia brought a ton of energy. She was fully invested in helping us to become the best owners we could be, and to develop a great relationship with our dog. Our dog had developed some really bad manners on his leash and at the door, and we were able to turn those around. Our dog has a great time on walks now, and I feel confident that I can continue to build his skills with the tools that Sophia gave us. I was so impressed with Sophia 's intelligence and insight and her vast skill set. An amazing value! read more

We absolutely loved working with Sophia to train our puppy! As first time dog owners we had no idea where to start in the training process. Sophia was wonderful and walked us through everything, answered all of our questions and gave us the skills we needed to train confidently. Can't recommend her highly enough! read more

Sophia was such a dream to work with when training my new puppy. Feeling a bit overwhelmed and at a loss as to what the best methods and place would be to go, I reached out to a friend who had also recently got a puppy. He recommended Sophia and I couldn't be more thankful that he did. In only 5 sessions, I was amazed to see the positive behavior and growth in my puppy. She went from being terrified to walking down the sidewalk on a leash to loving every moment of it, waits patiently for food instead of rushing in, among many other things! I highly recommend Sophia if you are looking to train your pup! read more

We would recommend Sophia at Pavlov Dog Training over and over again. After the first couple of weeks of having our puppy (and doing everything wrong) we reached out to Pavlov Dog Training in desperation. Sophia showed up putting us at ease and answered all our questions. She put us on the right path and helped us understand our puppy's behavior. Sophia helped with housebreaking, nipping, leash walking and so much more. We can't say enough!! read more

Sophia was an absolute joy to work with! She was very knowledgeable, accommodating, and patient with us in helping our little frenchies learn some basic and fundamental habits. These skills will help us in years to come which makes her guidance invaluable! Highly recommend!!! read more

Sophia is an amazing dog trainer. She actually teaches humans how to communicate with canines. my dog has the best sit and stay now and does not help with the dishwasher anymore! she listens carefully to what you want and gives you a plan to work on just the things that you want to improve. I love my dog more since she has seen Sophia. Highly recommend and also my dog is 6, so you can teach an old dog some new tricks with the right trainer! read more