If you are looking for a dog trainer, your search ends here…read more I purchased a 10-week-old Australian Cattle Dog in late September and about two weeks after, we were at our wits end with the dog, and considered taking the three and a half hour drive back to the breeder. From not being able to walk around the house without having your pant legs pulled at, to sleepless nights (or nights spent on the floor with the pup), and not being able to sit on the couch without being bit, it was becoming too much to handle. Then we decided to go to Steve at A-1 Total Control Dog Training. Years ago, I lived in a development with the most well trained dog I've ever encountered. Being only about 5-6 years old, I vaguely remember my neighbors, my house, and even my friends, but I will never forget this dog. While living here, my family got a Great Pyrenees puppy that enjoyed nothing more than slipping out the door and taking off around the development. Luckily, when the trained dog's owner would see this, he would send his dog in a full sprint to circle around our puppy until we were able to get to her to bring her home. The dog was simply amazing, and was trained by Steve. Now, in just our fifth week of training, our puppy is on track to rival this dog from my childhood. Though she is still young and has a long way to go, Steve gives the tools and instruction for everybody to be able to do so, and we are confident she will get to this level of obedience. Do not waste your time or money elsewhere and take your dog of any age to Steve at A-1 Total Control Dog Training. It will be the best decision you will ever make for you and your dog.

Best dog trainer in the area!!!!! I have taken my previous dogs to other trainers and we have had…read morethe best results with Steve. He really knows what he is talking about and wants his customers and their dogs to be happy. Fast results, I never knew you could train a dog so quickly. So glad I found A1 Total Control Dog Training!!!!

I have been following Erika's Instagram for a few years, and I think she is the cat's pajamas! I…read morestarted joining her live streams and asking questions and I have learned a lot. I'm on the west coast, so I didn't think we could actually work together, but find her quite accessible since she does virtual sessions and is also active on her Patreon. I have a lot of experience with dog rescue, and I often adopt dogs with special needs. I have a dog that has obviously experienced some trauma around other dogs, and Erika has been incredibly helpful. She is generous with her knowledge and her time, she has lots of training tools like handouts and videos, and she is a delightful person in general. Great sense of humor, and it feels warm and fuzzy to work with her, which is so nice because often when we have problematic dogs, we don't feel good about it and we blame ourselves. Not only does she use positive reinforcement in her training for dogs, but also for people, because often it is us that needs to be trained. My dog is doing so much better since I started working with her. I highly recommend. I'm excited to work with her more in the future.

Erika was recommended to me from a local pet store and I couldn't be happier. I adopted a 7 week…read moreold puppy from a farm (lab/border collie mix) and was totally clueless. This was my first puppy and I work a ton! Erika came to my place stating when Koda was about 10 weeks old. We did the puppy basic but Erika adjusted to our speed (Koda is fricking smart and picks things up so fast). I have never seen anyone respond to emails faster in my life! And Erika is always on Instagram like me so I can get tips and tricks even when we aren't in session! Koda is now 4 months old.. he responds to sit, stay (with distractions and long periods of time), down, touch, paw, other paw lol, crate, "home" (his play pen), leave it, drop... and he is amazing on a leash now. He goes potty almost on command. I got him potty trained in 4 days (aside from the occasional accident when he is excited to see people) Anyway.. I love Erika and wish I wasn't moving to St. Louis. But, it's awesome knowing I can always email or call her!

If you are looking for a smart, healthy, beautiful and easy to train German Shepherd Puppy, Cross…read moreKeys K9 has everything you are looking for! After losing a beloved GSD to DM I was so thankful to find Cross Keys K9. All of their dogs are DM free and I applaud this breeder for their vigilance in removing this horrible disease from their puppy's gene pool. My husband and I purchased a wonderful puppy from Cross Keys 2 years ago. He has been our best friend, a great family dog and provides us with protection and peace of mind. You will love the owners too!! They are friendly, knowledgeable, provide outstanding customer service and are community oriented. Not only are their GSD's great family pets but can be trained as service dogs for Veterans or the Disabled as well As working dogs. We love our GSD will be purchasing another puppy from Cross Keys K9. They are the only German Shepherd breeders we trust!!!

From the owner: Cross Keys K9 breeds and cultivates working-line German Shepherds from proven, established European…read moreworking bloodlines for the discerning dog owner and/or handler. Our German Shepherd dogs and puppies are for the dedicated dog owner, employer or agency that wants/needs a high-performance companion or K9 German Shepherd partner that is extensively health-tested, DNA-screened for genetic issues, temperament tested and evaluated, and has been raised on optimum nutrition. We breed the best for your companion, working dog, or training program. Our dogs come from healthy, robust lines of dogs on both sides of the pedigree for balanced genetics, temperament, and training capabilities. Start with a well-bred, healthy dog and train it your way, to your specifications or work with our partners who are best-in-class trainers to help you meet your needs.

Great traini G Md…read moreStaff well Experienced. The worked well md safely with my reactive Maliniois and we were bout to train with the regular classes.

Trained my dog to fold my laundry. Best money I ever spent. Will recommend. Dog no longer is…read moredisobeying me

I have been working with Jess for just a month or so and my puppy is a changed guy. Luca (my…read morelabdoodle) was walking like a gentleman on his leash immediately after our training session. He is not jumping on people as much, he is eating on schedule, he is learning not to bark unnecessarily. Jess spends lots of time explaining how a dog's mind and how it works. I appreciate this because it helps with training and understanding the how's and why's of a dog's behavior. We still have work to do but the immediate difference says it all. So happy to have found her. PS. Luca is 8 months old and I get compliments on his behavior all the time.

Amanda Striker is one of the BEST trainers out there!! She is there for us every step of the way…read more If I need her help she comes and if she cant, she talks me though it over the phone. We definitely have our hands full with our Old English Bulldog puppy and she is really turning out to be a great dog. I saw a difference in her after her first day of training. You can tell Amanda loves what she does and truly is amazing!!!! Cathy & Jason C

I called 4 times and left a detailed voicemail each time. Someone finally called me back after the…read more3rd attempt, 2 weeks later, and left me a message. I called back, left a voicemail again and no response back. I tried calling at different times of the day thinking someone would pick up, it is a place of business after all, but nobody ever did. ‍

While some dogs may do fine in a boarding facility, my quirky old girls do much, much better when…read morecared for in their own home. I feel so fortunate to have found Paws First, which gives me the option to have my pets cared for in their own home. The ability to book online makes arranging for pet sitting so easy and convenient. Response time is always very quick, and the rates are reasonable for the peace of mind these people provide. I love getting email updates on how my dogs are doing. Even when they're naughty and get into the trash or have a little accident, everything is in order when I get home and my dogs are happy and loved. **Need to add an update because of one visit in particular. It has taken me a while to be able to write this. Over the Summer, I had the amazing folks from Paws First watching my dogs while I was away for the weekend out of state. My senior dog's health had been in decline for a while, but it didn't seem to be cause for too much concern- just typical old dog stuff. One night, her health took a very sudden and dramatic turn. It was clear that if she were brought in to the the vet that she would not be returning. I didn't want my old girl's last moments to be spent someplace unfamiliar. The staff at Paws First went above and beyond to provide extra care and comfort to her when she needed it most so I could race home to be with her. I am forever grateful for all they did for her.

I have two Golden Retrievers and have worked with K9 Basics for both of them-- one who completed…read morethe day training program about 2.5 years ago, and another who is currently in his second week of day training. My first dog, Honey was honestly a terror at the beginning. She was my first dog ever and I had zero experience dealing with the behavioral issues we were facing. What I learned quickly was that those "issues" were really a lack of structure - and K9 gave us exactly that. From the very beginning, they were extremely transparent about the training process. They explained that while the day training program gives your dog a solid foundation, they also offer open group classes throughout the week so owners can continue working with their dogs, and that consistency at home is KEYYY!! When Honey finished the program, she wasn't a perfect angel overnight, and I think that's what people expect, but Honey knew her commands. Just as important, I had to learn what she had learned and how to apply it consistently in everyday life- because training does not stop when you go home. Honey and I attended as many open group classes as our schedule allowed, and those classes helped us build trust and confidence together. When I put on Honey's collar first thing in the morning, she's excited. She is ready for the day. I have worked with my dog so much that I hardly even need to press a button, she just listens and knows her stuff. K9 Gives you all the tools to succeed; it's up to you to use them and be consistent. My second Golden, A male is currently going through the day training program. With him, we were dealing with some people- socialization issues and nervousness in new environments. By just his second week, he has already warmed up to the facility and the trainers, which shows how much effort and individualized care they put into each dog. I'm really looking forward to continuing to show up with him, attending group trainings, and helping unlock that confidence so he can become the social Golden boy I know he is. My newest learning curve is figuring out how to work with both of my dogs together, and I know K9 will be right there with me every stop of the way as I learn. I truly trust K9 with my dogs and will continue to trust them with any future dogs. If you're not willing to put in the time and effort to continue training at home, this program may not be for you. But if you are, you'll find that K9 Basics is an excellent investment. They give you everything you need to be successful.

The true measure of a good business is not only the level of service they offer when things go…read morewell, but how they handle things in unfortunate situations. And for that reason, K9 Basics, Clif Wyck Farms Kennels and the owners Lisa & Brian, get the lowest possible rating. I signed up my 3 year old Pitbull, Iris, for their Board and Train program. The cost is $3,500. Iris was assessed and a 3 week training was recommended. I dropped her off on 2/14 and was tentatively scheduled to pick her up on 3/7. On the morning of 2/27 after being there for 14 days Iris got violently ill . She had diarrhea and began excessively vomiting. Lisa determined that Iris's condition couldn't wait for my emergency contact to get there and decided to take her to the vet. X-rays were taken and showed a foreign material in her stomach. I was told if this was still in her stomach by the morning that emergency surgery would need to be done. She was admitted overnight and given medication and IV fluid. The next morning the X-rays were taken again and the foreign material had moved from her stomach to her colon. The foreign material was no longer a threat and Iris was able to be released. As soon as I got her home from the vet she had a bowel movement which appeared to consist of either mulch, saw dust or some sort of grains or seeds. This same description was in her vet report as being in her vomit. I sent a picture of this to Lisa who I had been in constant communication with throughout. She called me and told me there was a 100% chance that Iris did not ingest this material while in her care and insisted that it happened prior to coming to training. Keep in mind this is day 14 of her being there. Now I understand this is a possibility but to say 100% is in my opinion ridiculous. My vet bill was $2,400 and I was also charged $350 to transport Iris from the kennel to the vet. Although I consider that transport charge excessive (profit from my misfortune), these charges were all clearly listed in the contract I signed. However I no longer felt comfortable bringing Iris back for the remainder of training. I respectfully asked for a refund for the last week that she would no longer be attending. Lisa responded by explaining they have only issued a refund once in the 14 years they have been in business and that was because a dog had to get their leg amputated due to their negligence. I asked her to please discuss with her partners and reconsider. Later that day I received a call from one of her employees telling me that Lisa and her husband would not be issuing me any refunds and my only option was to complete the remainder of training. I called Lisa immediately but she stopped accepting my phone calls. As for the training itself: I will preface this by saying, Iris only completed 2 of the 3 weeks they recommended, but it did absolutely nothing. She left with all the issues she arrived with except now when I go to put the shock collar/ e-collar (semantics) on her she runs into her cage and trembles. If you are the type of person who can administer pain to your dog while they look to you in fear for not understanding basic commands this training is for you. Even then, proceed with caution and know that if something goes wrong they will take no accountability. I too own a small business and it pains me to leave my first negative review but I am left with no other options besides social forums, credit disputes or legal action.

I recently adopted a 9-month old dog and wanted to jump into training right away. I retained…read moresomeone who lived very close to me and had great reviews, but after a few sessions I realized our schedules were not compatible; I was not getting consistency and reliability from her. It's important for me to make progress with my dog, so I Googled alternate options and stumbled upon Alex's page. I called him on a Friday and he picked up the phone right away. We spoke for a while about my needs and he came out the following Tuesday for what was supposed to be a 2-hour visit. I fell in love with him immediately, he is not only so personable and likable on his own, but he really takes the time to LISTEN to what you need and work on those things right away. I had mentioned my priorities to my previous trainer, but I found that she was teaching my dog commands that didn't actually accomplish what I was after. In our first meeting, Alex worked on SO MANY of my priorities. He got my dog to go into her crate on command, taught her to "stay," showed me how to "walk with" my dog better on her leash, and (using a 30' leash outdoors) started working on recall with her. We were so immersed in what was going on that Alex started to go a little bit over our time, but he didn't want to stop because we were making such great progress. I told him if he wanted to give me a third hour right then and there that I was prepared to pay for it, and he did!! I learned a lot of things from Alex myself during our first meeting, like how to employ the use of "deltas" (which my old trainer never once mentioned) and how non-verbal cues are arguably more important than verbal ones. Again, my old trainer actually discouraged me from using hand motions, but once incorporating them into my routine I noticed that my dog was much more compliant than she had been. Another positive difference between my old trainer and Alex is he really takes the time to teach you why he's doing what he's doing, and encourages you to participate. My old trainer just taught my dog a command and had me replicate/practice when she left. Alex really makes you feel like you are a part of the teaching process. After our private session Alex recommended some "Small Group Therapy" for my pup. He came at noon on a Thursday to pick up my dog and she proceeded to go on a several-hour outing with his two chihuahuas and a dog he was fostering. The entire time he was out with her he was recording and sharing videos on an iCloud album. It was INCREDIBLE to not only see everything that was happening, but to hear him narrate why he was doing the things he was doing. I could not get enough of his videos and felt like I was there during the session. On top of Alex's excellent communication, punctuality, reliability, friendliness, competency, and effectiveness, his rates are OUTRAGEOUS in the BEST way! I truly believe he is under-charging for his services. I can get three hours with Alex for less than I paid for one hour with my prior trainer, and I feel much better about the work that is done during that timeframe. I adore Alex, and most importantly, what he is doing works. He really gets into the mind of your dog, and has such a wonderful way of connecting with them and their needs. I am elated to keep our work going - my pup has lots more Small Group Therapy outings in her future and it's wonderful that I have the option to use him one-on-one to teach her even more commands in the house. One day I hope to move on from essential commands to more fun ones, like "roll over" or "go get X toy."

Alex is wonderful. We are quite grateful to have come across his page on Yelp. He cares for our…read moreDoberman with great compassion. He's knowledgeable, skilled at what he does, & overall, you can tell his calling is to keep dogs in loving homes with owners who just need the tools plus support to train & love on their pet babies. If our Ketsia (Sisi) didn't love us so much, I think she'd hop on over to Alex's place :) She's strong-willed & protective but sooo loving & sweet. We're making great progress! Thank you, Alex.

Using Ace of Paws Training was one of the easiest and most rewarding decisions we made. The reviews…read morefor Aislyn and her team were outstanding, and we learned first hand how attentive and caring this company really is. We had adopted our 2 pups during the lockdown while living in Oklahoma and had NO CLUE what we were doing as first time pet owners. AOP did live video classes with us and our fur babies, and it felt like they were right in our home! We learned so much as new owners and Aislyn answered all of our many, many questions with professionalism and patience. We are so grateful that our pups learned so much so early on! We recommend AOP to every new dog owner!

Ace of Paws provided great in-home training that was a fantastic foundation for my new puppy while…read moremaking us feel safe with their commitment to adhering to Covid precautions during a time when much was still uncertain. They helped me teach my puppy sit, down, stay, come, look, touch, leave it, etc. as well as just providing support to a first time dog mom. I really liked how there was an option to personalize classes to fit our needs and that we could also go outside together to work on things like leash training and desensitization. Our trainer Ashley was both a great listener and teacher. Would highly recommend, definitely worth the money.

Everything, they groom my dog even though he doesn't like them to. So gentle and always perfect…read moreresults.

Always a great experience when we visit Pretty up Your Pup. From Dana at the front to Kristen,…read moreKobe's Groomer. One mention of their names sets him off..he's gets Super Excited to see his Ladies. Thank you for always taking care of our baby.