I recently started training sessions for my 4 year old rescue dog Blue. She is a highly eneregetic,…read morepeople friendly dog; a pit bull hound mix. The biggest challenges were that she does not get along with other dogs and needed to be socialized and trained on basic commands. Several of my neighbors recommended Hope Lock and I am so happy that we are in training there. We first completed private lessons with Wayne. Within a matter of minutes, he helped transform Blue's behavior, and my ability to handle her more effectively. Not only did he help socialize her with other dogs, he taught us some basic commands and obedience, while being very supportive and complimentary of our progress. We then started Basic Training wth Missy a few weeks ago, along with 11 other dogs and handlers. I am so pleased with how well Blue is doing, and so thankful we had the private lessons first. Missy is also a fantastic trainer, I was amazed at how quickly she got the group in order, 12 dogs of all shapes and sizes, and not all well behaved yet. She is patient but firm and has great results. I am so thankful for Wayne and Missy and her Team and the wonderful support at Hope Lock. These sessions helped further my bond with Blue, and have taught me so much about how to handle various situations. I am looking forward to continuing our training through intermediate and advanced levels. I highly recommend Hope Lock!! They really care about their clients and dogs and make such a meaningful difference in our lives with our pets!

I am getting ready to register for the intermediate obedience course and wanted to take a moment to…read morewrite a review about my experience with the basic training class. We rescued our Catahoula Girl, Charlie, 2 years ago. She is very sweet natured but she was becoming more and more reactive to people and dogs. She weighs 76 pounds and is very strong. I had to get a handle on this powerhouse or one of us was going to get seriously hurt! She was starting to lunge at rabbits, men in hats, certain dogs, delivery trucks and something had to be done to protect both our safety! We had done a treat/reward based program and it only worked during class. Out in my neighborhood, where the rubber meets the road (literally), Charlie was completely uninterested and unmotivated by treats. She was much more motivated by her nose and her instincts! I was working hard but she was becoming more and more unmanageable. The first night of class, my instructor asked me if I wanted to try a pronged collar. This sounded so harsh and maybe even dangerous, so I said that I would see how it goes. Well, after 15 minutes of struggling with Charlie's willful behavior, I was willing to give that bad boy a try! All I can say is GAME CHANGER! They fitted my hooligan for a pronged collar and taught me how to use it correctly, so that it imitates the correction a pup feels from its mother. She grabs her youngster with her teeth and applies pressure to the neck and then releases her grip. Suddenly, Charlie was paying attention to me and she has been improving her focus and self-control, ever since. We are still working on socialization, but the experience has been an extremely positive one for us. I will give you one caveat about the instructors at Hope Lock. You'd better be prepared to put in the work and that includes weekly homework. These classes are not for slackers!!!

ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!…read more I've been staying in the Poconos for the summer visiting family, and we had to go out of town for work last minute. I was searching for someone to watch my 11-month-old puppy, and nowhere felt right until I found Steven's Doggy Services. What an absolute pleasure to have found his services. I boarded my pet for 24 hours, and he does not use kennels, which was really important to me. His home felt like an extension of my own, and I felt completely safe leaving my fur baby in his care and supervision. I received tons of photos and video updates throughout the day, and my dog got along fantastically with his dogs too, it was so sweet to see my puppy have furry friends to play with. What I also loved was the meet and greet Steven coordinated a few days before drop-off, so my dog could meet him and get comfortable in his home. That made a huge difference in my dog's overall stay. The entire process was safe, easy, and comfortable. This is the only place I trust in the Poconos for my dog!

Excellent care, his dogs are lovable and playful .Went on vacation and we have so many videos of…read moreour dog Bentley daily videos kept us happy and we were able to enjoy our vacation.

Shiloh and I love Ali! She is extremely knowledgeable and offers a wide variety of classes to suit…read moreevery dog and owner. With her knowledge and support, I've become a more confident and competent dog owner.

My girl Inis and I can't say enough about Great Companions, where learned to be a team! We put the…read moreskills we learned to the test at a recent doggie fun event. While other folks struggled to get their pups to sit and pose at a photo op, Inis sat and stayed like a pro! Thanks, Ali, and Inis says, "Awoo!"

Our puppy was ridiculously bonkers until our first class series at Fulcrum. We learned how to…read moreguide, prevent, encourage and have fun training. Our puppy is happier, calmer and frankly so much more lovable when we challenge his mind with training. At 9 months old, instead of jumping and flailing with excitement when he sees dogs and his friends (any human being, there are no strangers to Charlie,) he lies down. He's not perfect, but he's a puppy, and thanks to the wonderful trainers at Fulcrum, now we have skills to grow this boy into a great dog.

Fulcrum dog training was a great way to start our rescue dog Willow. Willow had little to no…read moretraining prior to coming to our home and Fulcrum training go he off on the right PAW. She learned to sit, go into the down position and walk along side me with distractions close by. A great beginner class for basic behavior training.

They insisted on using aversive training methods, which made my dog act aggressively…read more From the Human Society website: 'Some trainers use aversive collars to train "difficult" dogs with correction or punishment. These collars rely on physical discomfort or even pain to teach the dog what not to do. They suppress the unwanted behavior, but they don't teach him what the proper behavior is. At best, they are unpleasant for your dog, and at worst, they may cause your dog to act aggressively and even bite you.'

We have a rescued dog who was abused in her early life and has led her to have fear aggression. We…read morecan't leave her with friends and family because they are afraid of her (even though she is the sweetest and most loving pet towards my husband and I). Amy and Steve at Brierwood knew exactly how to handle our dog and treat her in a way that makes her feel comfortable and enjoy her stay. I can't believe how much she likes them and enjoys going to "the doggie spa" as we call it. When we are driving up the road, she knows exactly where we are going and she gets so excited and happy! Their prices are fantastic and the service they provide is invaluable. I don't know what we would do without them! One of the owner's, Amy, is an abuse officer for the SPCA, that made me so comfortable the first time we left our dog there - she and Steve know how to handle the animals and have a love for animals the way my husband and I do. I cannot say enough good things about them!

If you want your dog to listen to you no matter what is going on around them, K&D FireFly Farm…read moreKennel has the trainer to help you accomplish that! Denise is a wonderful dog trainer. She very passionate about dog training and it shows through her work with Gracie. Denise takes the time to explain training techniques and is always ready to answer questions when they arise. Gracie is now off leash and is very happy with her freedom to run around the yard. Gracie is also preparing to test for therapy dog certification.

Sophie loves Passion 4 Paws. She has dog friends at school and people friends too. The trainers…read morehave been amazing with her. when we first came to class they asked what we wanted to accomplish. we told them we wanted a house pet with nice manners. Mission accomplished

We have been talking our mini golden doodle since she was a few weeks old (she's now 5). We will…read morenever go anywhere else. Wonderful staff who do great work.

I have been bringing my pets to Elite for many years. Morgan is the best! She takes time with…read moreyour pup and has the patience of a saint with my little 13 lb diva! Lily gives Elite 4 paws up and I highly recommend!