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Paws4Training

4.7 (119 reviews)
Closed 7:30 am - 8:00 pm
Updated 2 weeks ago

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Services - Paws4Training

Private dog training

Puppy socialization classes

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Sisko gets his diploma!

I have taken both of my dogs to Paws4Training and have learned so much from Susan! Most recently my new pup and I finished the Growly Dog Class to help understand how to deal with my dog's reactivity to other dogs and strangers. Giving him gradual exposure to other dogs and strategies for improving his leash manners and also how he checks in with me has helped both of our confidence out on walks! Susan is great to work with, we had an initial private session before the group class. The facility is also excellent and convenient to get to. Would highly recommend these training classes to all dog owners!

Dog

We took our 4yo Border collie/spaniel mix to the growly dog class. By the end of the class series we had noticeable improvement in her reactivity when walking around the neighborhood as well as better with her walking on leash overall. Very happy with the class and skills we learned and have been able to put them into immediate use.

Shannon A.

We had an awesome experience at Paws4training! Susan is great, positive, knowledgeable and very experienced with puppies! We learned so much, most importantly how to effectively get your puppy's attention, how to set your pup up for success and how to train for what you want proactively rather than reacting to the unwanted behavior after it occurs. We also learned how to listen and watch for our puppies cues that show how he's feeling in any given moment. I feel like the bond between my puppy and I has become even stronger using the positive training model techniques and we are effectively reshaping unwanted behaviors or avoiding them all together, it's amazing! Thank you, Susan!!

Gail H.

Our 6-month-old pup just completed "puppy kindergarten" and "puppy middle school". We found both classes helpful and a good foundation. Puppy training takes time, commitment and perseverance so these classes were a great start. Susan, the owner, was friendly, welcoming and knowledgeable. We appreciated how she asked us each week what "challenges" we were having and then she would provide concrete, applicable advice to address our puppy training. We hope to take another class in the future.

Play Time puppies!
Maren H.

This place is wonderful. Susan is very helpful, flexible and informed. She's kind to the dogs, as is her very sweet staff. The puppy socials are about one hour, and it was really wonderful how when I brought my pup the first time, they were helpful in getting him comfortable and explaining how it takes time for them to join in the fun. They even move dogs around to give them the best chance to be comfy and have fun. Puppy Kindergarten is also fantastic. My dog Orson is picking up the lessons quickly. They are patient and helpful. Bottom Line: Susan and her team are great! highly recommend it (plus seeing all the other puppies makes my day!)

Puppy Day Care photo op!
Cassandra L.

I can confidently say that our puppy is growing up into a well behaved adolescent because of Paws4Training! My husband and I enrolled our 3.5 month old puppy in Puppy Kindergarten here a week after we got him. We wanted to make sure Ollie (our pup) was properly socialized and had the right skills covered. Susan and her team are incredible at meeting the dogs where they're at and training using positive reinforcement. Ollie had a handful of times where he was being whiny in class because he had fomo and just wanted to play with all the other puppies, and Susan handled it so gracefully. She brings her veterinary experience with her to provide structured and educational classes which can teach you how to train your puppy better. I always joked that this class is more for training humans because as a first time dog owner, there's a *lot* I didn't know, and because I now feel like more of an expert - I owe it to this class. We've also dabbled with the Puppy Social Hour on Wednesdays (which Ollie loooooved! And which you get to watch) and Ollie frequents the Puppy Day Camps. I'm a huge fan of the Day Camp for a few reasons: 1. Becky and Hannah work to train the dogs while they're there - we've noticed significant improvements in Ollie's leash walking, leave it, stay, and general recall because of this 2. There's ample time for the pups to play and socialize 3. The pick up and drop off times are convenient 4. Our dog naps until 3pm after we bring him home 5. My favorite piece - they send us home with a puppy report card where we get a deep dive on what Ollie worked on, who he played with, and how he behaved that day. We love Paws4Training so much, we're continuing with Puppy Middle School. I like this format a lot because it involves more hands on training. All in all, we've gotten so much out of working with Susan, and our dog is *such a good boy* because of it. Thanks, Paws4Training!

Nigel with CKC ribbons

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2 months ago

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5 months ago

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1 year ago

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7 months ago

I thought this was a really great place for my dog's first training class! The teacher was a great trainer!

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2 years ago

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1 year ago

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2 years ago

Good instruction, our puppy has learned lots of skills here. Camp is a bit pricey, but kindergarten classes are perfect value.

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Susan O.

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4 years ago

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Susan O.

Thank you. We are happy to be a part in your puppy’s journey!

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5 years ago

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1 year ago

Highly recommend Paws4Training! So many great class options for puppies/dogs and their owners.

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6 years ago

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2 years ago

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6 years ago

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6 years ago

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7 years ago

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Thank you! Just keep up the good work!

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3 years ago

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Page 1 of 3

Ask the Community - Paws4Training

Any suggestions for obidience training for adult dogs?

Yes we have a basic obedience class starting this Saturday at 10:45 am. Here is the link to… Read more

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

Review Highlights - Paws4Training

All in all, we've gotten so much out of working with Susan, and our dog is *such a good boy* because of it.

Mentioned in 97 reviews

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Leaps N Bounds K9

Leaps N Bounds K9

(46 reviews)

Shorewood

We adopted our dog, Junie, from a shelter in August 2025. She was around a year old. On walks, she…read morewould bark at other dogs and sometimes people which made walks miserable and embarrassing. Indoors, it was jumping, and a constant need for attention and stimulation. It felt like she couldn't relax, or didn't know how, or maybe just didn't want to. So by extension, we couldn't either. We live in an apartment and even just taking her to the rooftop relief area was becoming a hell. I went down the same training rabbit hole many people do. YouTube videos weren't helping. They didn't explain what to do if the method in the video didn't work--which they never did for me. We decided to do some weekly training classes with a dog trainer we found through Rover. She taught Junie plenty--like any German shepherd, she's a very quick learner. She was trying to use counter conditioning to help Junie stop reacting so strongly to other dogs. And while Junie learned a lot, things weren't getting any better. She understood all the commands, she knew what was expected of her, but she almost never chose to do what we asked. It felt like we were constantly competing to be the most interesting thing in her world and we were fighting a losing battle. It was extremely frustrating and we were tired. It was clear to us that there was something important we were missing. We so badly wanted a dog we could bring to breweries, hikes, and backpacking trips and we were starting to wonder if we weren't a good fit for Junie. Assuming you've also been down the internet dog training rabbit hole, you've probably also seen people talk about how board and trains are a waste of money. We were nervous, but Tom came highly recommended by a friend of ours and we were at our wit's end. We didn't want our lives to be so entirely ruled by our dog--it wasn't healthy for any of us. We reached out to him in October and she stayed with Tom through the month of November. Best decision EVER. We were right about there being a missing link--it was our relationship with Junie that needed to be adjusted. Yes, we are her loving caretakers, but we are also people she needs to respect and listen to. It's now January and we can take her anywhere that allows dogs. She will stick by our side in a heel without a leash, whether on a sidewalk, at the beach, or in the forest. She can walk past a dog a foot away without reacting. She lays down next to our table at breweries. She stays in place until we release her. When she's playing off leash, she comes when we call her. We genuinely couldn't be happier! Here were my worries going into this: Would WE get enough training through this process to be able to continue things once Junie came home? --Absolutely. There was a learning curve of course on our end with the ecollar, but I truly did feel prepared by the time we got her home to continue her training. Tom is great at answering questions along the way and after your dog comes home. It hasn't even been 3 months since we adopted her--will it have a negative impact for her to have such a big change so soon? --If this is the position you're in, please don't keep suffering, just make the call! Dogs in general are a lot more resilient than we give them credit for. I honestly feel that sooner was better--it meant less time for her bad habits to get worse/more ingrained. No regrets here at all. Will the training stick? --Yes but it's entirely up to you. As long as you're continuing to keep your dog accountable, you'll definitely keep having the dog you want. Maybe my dog just needs more exercise? --I mean exercise is important, but you shouldn't have to exhaust your dog to get it to behave. We had started renting out Dog Yard through Roam three days a week to try and exhaust her. Probably exhausted us more than her lol. You can absolutely trust Tom and his trainers with your pup and I promise you if you've been struggling and things haven't been working--reach out to Tom! I can say wholeheartedly that this was the best investment we've ever made.

I want to start by saying how much I wish I wasn't the first person to leave a less than 5 star…read morereview. I really wish we'd had the amazing experience everyone else has had-It's why I chose Tom and Leaps N Bounds. My dog is a rescue who was found on the streets and drove several states away in a crate in a van-crates are traumatic to her. She had broken teeth and hurt herself in the past when kept alone in a crate. It's been hard to work with-for the first year we had her, someone always had to be at home and boarding and grooming were high-anxiety. I expressed all of this to Tom-of course my dog would be in a crate for training and I really hoped that training could help-but extremely worried that my dog would break another tooth. I expressed this exact worry to Tom almost every time we spoke. He even said to me once in reply that I "was so caught up in (dog's) past that I couldn't see her future." I thought maybe I was overly worried about it and decided to trust Tom with the training and gave him dog's Trazedone to manage her just in case she couldn't handle being in the crate. We got a couple of great videos about dog's training. He even sent us a link to the "maximum security" style crate he had her in on amazon and said he hadn't seen the problems we described. I was really excited for her to come home. When we went to the first homecoming owner training at his house, I noticed she still had dry kibble in her bowl, which meant our feeding instructions weren't being followed-dog gets a mix of wet/dry food and water. I asked about the leftover food and Tom mentioned that she'd been "bratty" in the crate recently and hadn't finished her food for the past couple of days. While this is highly unusual for dog, I dismissed it initially as stubbornness around plain dry kibble. Dog came home the next day, Sunday June 29. She was licking her lips a lot, but I thought it was anxiety. Wednesday July 2nd, I finally decided to look at her mouth, and was horrified to see her large upper right canine was chipped/broken so badly that the pulp was visible. This has been a massive and very expensive disruption in our lives. We want our 2 year old dog to have a long life with her tooth. Veterinary dental specialists are hard to find and come with 2-3 months waits. We've since spent many hours (and already over $1k) at emergency vets, xrays, and finding dental specialists who do root canals/crowns. We've can't take her to daycare or her cage-free boarding facility because she can't play with other dogs until it's fixed (per her vet). We've had to find in-home boarding people for pre-booked vacations and work travel. We finally got to see a dental specialist Thursday after a two month wait. The estimate for a root canal is $5-6k, and a crown is $10-11k. At that cost, our dog won't be made whole again, we have to settle for the root canal and annual xrays to make sure it's not infected. And we have to wait two more months for the actual procedure-still impacting our lives with no daycare, no playing with her friends. I gave two stars instead of 1 because dog is a lot better on her walks and can come with us to cafes and the market now which is great. But if I could do it again I would ask how many hours a day would my dog be in the crate, how closely will she be monitored, and what happens if she gets hurt. I'd listen to my gut about having my concerns dismissed and placed on me for "holding back my dog from her potential." You know your dog best, and if your dog is a rescue with related behavior issues, I recommend looking elsewhere for training. We did let Tom know when this happened, and all he offered was to have a call about it because "email is impersonal" (and leaves a paper trail?) but he didn't share what he thought needed to be discussed. As upset as I was at the time especially, I wasn't up for a chat about it unless it involved concrete resolution steps. There's been no follow-up since. I don't consent to my dog's name being used in any replies.

The Woof and Wag - A smiling black and brown dog by the beach

The Woof and Wag

(51 reviews)

Fremont

Took on the interesting challenge of our Doberman puppy--all 40-60 lbs of him, so far--with great…read moresuccess, guiding us from a place of feeling confused and uncertain, to more confident and seeing real progress. For example, our puppy used to pull badly on walks, and would also hit his limit quite early on (like, two blocks) and want to return home. He was so keyed up he couldn't even take treats on walks. I couldn't understand how to make progress. Joyce helped us interpret his behavior, and worked through our endless series of walking aids (various harnesses, head halter, prong collar, various lengths and styles of leash..!) until we found an effective combo. After a few weeks of consistent work, we took our first successful walk all the way to the dog park! I am so excited for our dog's continued progress being a good dog out and about in the world. Thank you for helping us, especially when we were really discouraged.

Joyce is an incredible trainer and a wonderful human! Shortly after bringing home my puppy Harper,…read morethere were some biting/herding behaviors that I couldn't manage on my own. During our first session, Joyce taught me the basics about dog's behaviors, my role in the relationship, and the power of positive reinforcement with training. She provides a write up after the first session that I've referred to many times in the last few months. I signed up for additional sessions and it is safe to say that Harper and I are better dogs/humans from our time with Joyce. In ~8 weeks, Joyce trained me how to train my puppy and provide the structure she needs, and taught Harper how to harness her intelligence and curiosity for good. We've both come so far, thank you Joyce! I would highly recommend Joyce to anyone.

Nitro K-9 - Beso

Nitro K-9

(238 reviews)

After suddenly losing one of our dogs in October 2025, our 10 yo Doberman was so heartbroken. He…read morebecame critically ill, resulting in over $5,000 in emergency vet bills and little improvement. We swore to no more dogs but then we saw Mia, a 9-month-old, Doberman puppy found on the street in LA by animal control. Her leg was degloved, necrotic and filled with maggots. She was intercepted by a rehab, received amputation and much needed medical attention. We followed her story for a couple months, hoping she would find a home, but she didn't. Somehow, we caved, did the unthinkable and flew to Los Angeles, scooping her up and driving her back to Washington in a rental car mid-winter. She was terrified, ferrell and full of dominant "spicy" energy so we booked an appointment with one of the top positive-treat-based trainers with reactive-dog expertise in the state, to help us introduce our dogs upon return and it was a disaster. Our senior exploded in pure terror, barking and lunging. She tossed treats; they ignored her. Twenty minutes in she shrugged, said she had "no magic wand," sent us home and refunded half our session. 2 days later she emailed us suggesting we rehome Mia to a foster "for our safety" which felt like a slap in the face. The very next day we thoroughly researched every trainer in Washington, and Nitro K-9 stood head and shoulders above the rest. I emailed Steve and he called back within minutes with genuine understanding, zero judgment, got us in within days and made our 2-hour commute in separate cars well worth it. In the first ten minutes Steve had both dogs calmly obeying, walking together on leash, and listening! He instantly saw what the other trainer missed: our senior was fear-reactive, meaning he was scared. Steve and North have taught us clear communication and connection with our dogs. They've taught us how to properly command quick correction and full attention using high-quality prong collars, like a mother dog's natural nips. No pain, no fear, no endless treats or bribes, just genuine praise, affection, and connection, the way real bonds and parenting work. He showed us how to step into calm leadership so our dogs could relax, trust, and stop carrying the burden themselves. He stayed by our side through every panicked text, every "what now?" and our dog's transformation is nothing short of miraculous. Mia is happy, confident and loves her big brother now. Our senior knows his role and is playing with her like a puppy again. They love each other and actually enjoy being together! If you're a reactive, rescue, fearful or high-drive dog parent, have been let down by "treat-motivated training" and have avoided prong collars because of the myths, you have been misinformed like we were. Don't give up, stop scrolling and call Nitro, I promise you won't regret it! IWe are forever grateful!

Steve and his team saved my dog and I. This is not an exaggeration. I got my cattle dog from a…read morereputable breeder, did the research. I spoke to other cattle dog owners and felt comfortable that this was the breed for me. I had a German Shorthair Pointer before getting Syd and was familiar with dogs that had a high drive. Training Annie (my former GSP) was a cake walk. She was so smart and I made sure she got her exercise(never needed any lures for her obedience*). 3 years after my dog past is when I brought home Sydney (cattle dog) at 8 weeks, she was a smart beautiful puppy and showed so much promise. I started her with puppy training at 12 weeks at a positive reinforcement style training "school". She did great with it at first but over time the novelty of snacks and toys wore off. I wasn't getting answers when at 6 months she became and absolute terror. I was being told that it must be something I was doing wrong, try this "game", avoid this type of contact/activity, exercise her more, more, more! Syd was getting daily walks plus an insane amount of fetch sessions(at times 12 a day), all the toys in the world, all the puzzles and mental stimulation toys/activities, nothing was working and her reactivty was tearing apart out home life. Looking back I can't believe I didn't see it earlier. You mean, stuffing old toilet paper rolls with treats before wrapping them in beach towels then shoving it in box for her to destroy into her own personal one dog confetti party wasn't the magic key to ending her reactivty/anxiety? Weird! It wasn't just her/me that suffered, my boyfriend's dogs were walking in eggshells around her and that was heartbreaking to witness. I was crying on a regular basis knowing I was failing my dog and I was no closer to figuring out how to help my dog. My vet had me put her on meds which didn't seem to do anything but make her sleepy, completely avoiding the problem. I tried another trainer and had them come by the house once a week. The positive reinforcement did not cut it. I was soon approaching the possibility of having to re home my dog. Something I didn't think I could EVER or would EVER consider but I was so far over my head. That's when I found Steve and his amazing team. It was my last ditch effort before finding a new home for Syd. From the reviews and webpage alone I knew this was a no BS route. Unfiltered and not for the faint of heart. At this point I would do anything if it meant keeping my dog. One session with Steve was all it took to understand that this could actually freaking work and I was elated! One of the first thing Steve had us do was get Syd off the meds. I was so happy to do that because it always felt like the lazy answer to a reactive/anxious dog problem. Over time and with hard work, Sydney has come further than I would have ever thought possible. With my voice alone I can have my dog stop mid full force fun for her ball(her favorite thing) and have her come back to me. I trust her and she trust me. She (like most cattle dogs) couldn't give an F less about engaging with any dogs/people outside of her circle, but gone are the days of lunging and barking at anyone who came near. She's no longer wearing a muzzle on a regular basis for vet visits/grooming/etc. Not only did Steve get her mind right, but her body as well. He guided me through the transition to raw food for Sydney. 3 months in and we've noticed a huge difference. She's starting to slim down and her coat is legitimately glistening. The difference in her bowel movements is night and day. I can feel better knowing that she feels better. She's eating real food and will have a healthy life to show for it. Steves passion and love for dogs is evident. You're not wasting your money here and I know that was a fear for me after failed attempts at training elsewhere. Steve empowers YOU through the mantra of "heeling heals" and it truly does. I am beyond grateful and thankful for Steve and his team. Proud to be another Nitro K9 success story.

Urban Animal - Title: Devastating Loss - Urban Animal Must Be Investigated

Urban Animal

(565 reviews)

Capitol Hill

This is pretty good…read more I'm not sure whether it is a four star or a five star.... The staff are quite hard-working and on top of things. Considering how busy, Urban Animal-Capitol Hill is, that says a lot. I didn't realize that you might have to wait hours before being actually seen but they made the long wait easier for me by working me in. My cat has had chronic issues with diarrhea and vomiting. I did not get a hard-sell or any unnecessary tests. Instead, they recommended a very no-nonsense strategy of changing his diet, metronidazole (in case of a bacterial infection--I've used it myself while traveling in South Asia!), and10 packets of Purina Fortiflora, a probiotic. The latter two were very reasonably priced. I also got a "sanitary shave" for my cat (it was expensive but worth it). I wanted to see how they would handle my sometimes ferocious orange tab but I ducked into the restroom and they started it without me--it only took probably 2-3 minutes! I was impressed by the vet tech's ability to "handle" my cat. Cat whisperers? It is such a relief to not have to have go back for multiple visits (I don't have a car! It's difficult to get my cat into a carrier and then wait for a Uber or Lyft!). I find their approach quite reasonable and worthy of confidence.

The only reason I am giving a two star is because of the doctor. I arrived as a walk in. I was…read moreasked to fill out some items before they could help me. My hands were holding my sick fur-baby. I asked can they please take him to be looked at while I fill it out. He seemed very inconvenienced with my request and took my dog. Then the doctor's assistant came in and took notes on what was going on. My doggy even went up to her and she didn't even acknowledge him. Then came back with a quote where she placed an amount for medication at $1000. When I questioned that, she said she accidentally put an extra "0" but wanted me to sign it anyway. I told her I will after she fixes her error. She didn't like that and her face said it all. She then paraded my dog that was in a lot of pain, to fix this instead of caring about him. Then the doctor came in and she was lovely. She was very thorough and informative. She actually showed concern for my dog and me. Being a vet showing no compassion to my dog rather it's almost time for us to close. I felt that was their big concern and not my dog. Not one member showed any concern or even acknowledged him. Truly disappointed and I will not be returning to a place that should love animals but didn't show it except the doctor.

Paws4Training - pet_training - Updated May 2026

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