There is no better way to describe Lance and his two other trainers as miracle workers. I have a…read more1.5-year-old cattle dog/husky mix who is extremely fear reactive. It was impossible to walk by other dogs without a huge scene or even people without him growling. Baths and nail cutting were out of the question as the local groomer told me to never bring him back, and when I attempted, he would become aggressive towards me. I have always believed in Kevin and thus have been to A LOT of trainers in search of helping him reach his full potential of being a great dog. Away from his fears, Kevin is the sweetest dog. The number of people who told me he was "incurable" and that I would have to simply manage with what I have the rest of my life left me deflated and hopeless. Then I stopped to chat with a woman who was walking her German Shepherd one day and she told me I had to go see Lance. A week later I was sold. Lance has been a blessing. He has achieved more with Kevin in a matter of months than others said Kevin could accomplish in his entire life. While Kevin still has some work to be done, he now can walk by dogs without a scene, LOVES pets from people and even just this week had his first bath and nail cutting without any issues. Kevin's sister is another shining example of Lance's work. She was returned to the rescue by a family who said she was heavily resource-guarding and acting aggressively. My mom adopted her but was worried she was too much to handle. Since working with Lance, Luna is a new dog and easily the best dog my mom has ever owned. It is not just Lance's abilities to train dogs that are so incredible, he is also there for the owners. He understands and allows us to speak our minds and even vent with frustration about the different obstacles we have faced during the training process. He is ALWAYS available to the owners and truly loves what he does and the dogs he works with. I really cannot say enough great things about Lance and his team. If you are struggling with your dog, Lance is the answer. I rarely write reviews but this one was necessary because I empathize with the difficulty of finding great trainers--Lance is beyond great.

My husband and I took both of our dogs to Lance: first, our ~3 month old puppy, and then later we…read moretook our 10 month old pup who had already developed some bad habits. With both dogs it was clear that Lance is some sort of dog whisperer. He always seems to know how to respond to the dogs in a way that will correct the behavior, and he did a great job of explaining the corrections to us so that we could try to understand how to best manage our dogs while on walks, in our homes, interacting with other dogs, etc. When we first started our classes with Lance he stressed the importance of training us (the humans)--and I think he does a great job of trying to train us in addition to the dogs. We always looked forward to our classes with Lance and enjoyed seeing the progress made by our dogs. There is nothing better than saying "down" from across the room and having your dog plop down in the blink of an eye. If you want someone who not only knows his stuff, but knows how to impart important tips to the dogs' owners, Lance is your guy. PS: make sure you come to class with jokes :)

We love Community Canine! Our dog started with private training and has since graduated to pack…read morehikes, where he's now fully off leash trained. We've also taken group classes and always come away with so many useful takeaways. I love that the hikes are about more than exercise; they reinforce recall, sit stays, and good manners. The whole team is wonderful and truly cares about the dogs!

We've been working with Micaela and her team for the past five years and cannot imagine where we…read morewould be without their support, community and guidance. We have a very high-drive, high-energy Shetland Sheepdog named Bruce. Like most Shelties, Bruce is smart, sensitive, and social but he is also highly triggered by movement and very VERY very vocal. He developed pretty significant leash reactivity, especially towards other dogs, when he was an adolescent. Bruce wasn't technically a covid puppy, but a gotcha day of Halloween 2019 means he got the combo of isolation and overrun dog parks that were typical of that time. We live in busy Coolidge Corner and began to dread taking him outside. I was often in tears I was so embarrassed. We had resorted to excessive fetch and taking him outside the city to run off his energy. We 100% were "those people" shouting "he's friendly!" as he charged, off leash, towards other dogs. We were pretty desperate by the time we found Community K9. Micaela is talented, educated and effective. She understands and applies dog psychology like no one else. She taught us about barrier frustration, biological fulfillment and frustration tolerance training, emotional regulation and so much more. She is empathetic and supportive and never made me feel embarrassed or anything other than empowered. Through introduction of an ecoller, brain games, teaching him and off switch, focusing on making sure he is biologically fulfilled every day and structured walks with other (non-reactive) dogs, Bruce has thrived (and re-earned off leash privileges). After each training session, we are sent a long document reiterating everything we had learned and with many other resources included. I have assembled all her guidance into a training book of sorts and consult it often. Micaela doesn't just train your dog, she trains YOU. Investing in this type of service is not cheap regardless of who you go to. If you do find someone cheaper, my advice would be simply to remember that you get what you pay for. Micaela's prices are industry standard and as described above, the value you get for that money is exceptional. Bruce still hikes with Zack from Mikaela's team twice a week to fulfill his need for socialization and play with other dogs in a safe environment with dogs who are all trained to the same high standard. Zack is kind, enthusiastic and skilled. Bruce adores him. We also board with Community K9 for all vacations and holidays. We have had the pleasure of working with Annie, Clara, Micaela & Zack as well as other wonderful former employees that have gone onto great things! Micaela's team is so top-notch that I ultimately ended up becoming very very close friends with one of her former employees (Amanda) whom Bruce and I regularly went for structured walks with so he could learn from the good example set by Amanda's dog Gracey. I also recommended Micaela's team to my sister who worked with Annie for her large (part Great Pyrenees, lab and husky) fearful, reactive rescue dog. My sisters dog had always been nervous around children and Annie successfully helped my sister prepared for the birth of her first child and a seamless integration. I see Cannoli and my niece now and it's hard to believe anyone ever worried which is such a testament to the skill Micaela cultivates in her team. This short (haha) review is all to say that Micaela is outstanding, and her business name is on point. She skillfully and compassionately teaches you and your canine to live harmoniously within your existing community, and then she provides a like-minded community for you and your dog that is worth its weight in gold. I cannot imagine either of our lives without Community Canine. I HIGHLY and without reservation recommend Micaela, Zack, and the rest of her team. You will find the answers you are looking for with them.

I'm not writing this out of malice, but in hopes that it helps other dog owners who just got their…read morepuppies/dogs and are super excited and just looking for guidance like my boyfriend and I were. Do not go here or choose this program! Period. While colonial may be good for dogs who already have issues, it absolutely was NOT the right fit for a puppy. Our puppy came to us at 8 weeks old and we wanted to start his training and routines off from the start and be able to have a professional to ask questions to and look to for guidance. What we got instead was a woman who was super judge mental, used a prong collar to SHANK our dog extremely HARSHLY and told us to tie our dog to his bed for hours, have him in the crate for hours, or leashed to our side. She would shank him for things he didn't even understand he was doing wrong and she did it so hard he'd whimper and tuck his tail and be terrified. This CAUSED a TON of ANXIETY and then aggression as self-defense in our puppy which he has now struggled with his whole life. We had to hire a $4K dog trainer, go to a SPCA Dog behavioralist to put him on anxiety medication and completely re-train him to not be fearful or anxious or aggressive. He still isn't completely confident or able to be fully relaxed or happy. Going through Colonial Dog Training's program is one of my biggest regrets, HARMED my puppy/dog and caused problems that we will be trying to fix for years to come. Sure he learned sit, lay down, and stay, and one-on-one training is good, but he developed severed deeper issues that are even harder and more expensive to address. I understand how difficult it is looking for help and how many options are out there so it can get overwhelming, but I would absolutely tell anyone to not choose this program and instead, take your time interviewing trainers and find one who does not use such harsh negative reinforcements.

We've worked with Jenna at Colonial dog training and cannot say enough good things…read more When they say you get a lifetime of support, they mean it. After the expected rounds of training with them, our dog was less anxious with people as well as other dogs and our relationship with him was better. After moving two years later, our dog had accidents in the house. We reached out to Jenna who guided us through how to help him healthily adjust to the new space. Within a month, we were back on track. Most recently, a few years later, our dog started having aggression when it came to crating. We reached out to Jenna who helped us to safely address behavior until she could come out and work with us in person. Two weeks after she came and taught us how to work through this behavior, our little dog puts himself in his crate and we are confident in his behavior again. If you are willing to put the work in, you get a lifetime of support and a happy, healthy pup! Thank you Jenna and Colonial Dog Training!

A Challenging and Rewarding Journey with Karen Pryor Academy…read moreOver the years, I've had the opportunity to attend several ClickerExpo and APDT events, each one deepening my understanding of positive reinforcement training. But completing the Karen Pryor Academy (KPA) was an entirely different level of commitment -- and growth. Make no mistake, this program is not for the faint of heart. Beyond the significant financial investment, it requires serious mental and physical dedication. The curriculum is thoughtfully designed to challenge you. Expectations are high, and success demands strong time management, self-direction, and the ability to reach out when you need guidance. Fortunately, my instructor was incredibly accessible and responsive throughout the program, which made a big difference when I hit roadblocks. One of the most impactful parts of the course was the section involving a non-canine species. This opened my eyes to my own training style and forced me to examine my habits and assumptions in a whole new light. It was humbling, enlightening, and deeply valuable. So, is it worth it? Absolutely. Completing KPA has made me a more thoughtful, skilled, and empathetic trainer. Not only have I seen improvement in my work with my own dogs, but my ability to support and communicate with clients has grown tremendously. If you're serious about professional development in the world of force-free training, and ready to put in the work -- KPA is an experience that will push you and change you for the better.

Fraudulently reported over $4,000 to a collection agency for a program I briefly had access to and…read moredid not complete, in spite of me offering to pay for the very small portion I did review, and letting them know I wasn't able to complete the program due to a family emergency derailing my future plans. Snake oil business practices.

We had such a great experience with Martin at Argos Dog Training! We started when our pup, Hollie,…read morewas just about nine months old. She'd been struggling with some anxiety and pulled so badly on her leash that I actually got a stress fracture in my foot from walking her! I knew we needed help, especially as Hollie grew bigger and stronger, and I'm so glad we found Argos. After six sessions with Martin, her confidence has increased tremendously, and her anxiety is significantly less in almost all situations. I was looking for a positive reinforcement trainer, and Martin's methods are balanced and realistic. Hollie would get so excited to get in the car to go play with her new friend! She took to all of the instruction really well - walking her now is a LOT of fun. Most importantly, Martin worked to train *me*! I'll admit I didn't catch on as quickly as Hollie did, but I'm working on it, and she's very patient with me. ;) I feel like I have the tools and understanding now to continue working with Hollie in my own, in a variety of situations, and that's ultimately what I was hoping to come away with. We'd recommend Argos Dog Training over and over. Can't wait to join a group class in the future!

Martin is a patient and professional dog trainer. We learned a lot from him!! Our dog is behaving…read morebeautifully. Thanks for everything, looking forward to the Saturday walks with you....

I recently brought my 4.5year old black lab pit mix dog to Dave at Trouwe Hond K-9 for training…read more My dog Nina spent two weeks there and then came home with me. Nina has learned good obedience on and off leash. She heels now and I can enjoy walking with her. Dave has truly mastered training. My dog Nina has done wonderful and I am following through with everything that Nina learned and Dave taught me. It's been a great experience and I highly recommend the training program here.

We can't speak highly enough of David and how much he helped our family. My boyfriend and I have a…read more2 year old Bluetick Coonhound, Charlie. Starting when he was about 6 months we were having behavioral issues with him in the home. It started with resource guarding and food aggression, and overtime escalated to aggression toward us. We constantly walked on eggshells around him. It even got to the point of when we would come home from a walk Charlie wouldn't let us take his collar off. He would growl, snarl and bare his teeth, and turn on us. We had to use a baby gate as a "shield" to get to our bedroom. We didn't feel safe in our own home and no other trainer was able to help us. I had been bit twice up to this point. We debated rehoming Charlie, had almost lost all hope, broken hearted, and felt like we failed him. Upon reaching out, before we even met David, he reassured us he would be able to help. During our in-person evaluation with David he told us Charlie is a dominant dog and he is at the top of the pack. We needed to train with Charlie to regain our place at the top of the pack. Not only would it strengthen our bond with him but we would feel safe again and regain control of our home. Charlie spent two weeks at Trouwe Hond and came home yesterday. The confidence we have gained with David's training can't be put into words. Charlie is completely different, he is happy again and our family is whole again. We are SO grateful for the time and dedication David gave not only Charlie but us as well. We still have a lot of training ahead but we are so excited to continue learning with our boy.

Amazing trainer! Fundamentally changed my life with my dog. Leash reactivity is no longer a…read moreproblem. I can take my dog anywhere! Give him a call!

The best decision we made for our dog has been working with Matt! To start he had a phone…read moreconsultation with me where he was incredibly understanding and really listened to my concerns for my dog. He recommended the 5 week program, which we did. During our lessons Matt made everyone feel so comfortable, especially when we were simulating a reactive situation to correct. My relationship with my dog got better each lesson. So much so my dog started behaving better even with things we didn't specifically work on in training. My initial concerns had to do with aggression and had a few instances of biting. I would recommend Matt to anybody looking to do training. Seriously the BEST decision we've made for our dog and family. Matt is amazing!!

Paula is a fantastic and experienced trainer. It's incredibly hard to find someone as…read moreknowledgeable and flexible as she is. She's dedicated to her work and you can tell she truly has a passion for what she does. I met her years ago while training with working dogs and have been able to watch her grow as a trainer and start her own business. She's a true professional and anyone would be lucky to work with her.