I can't recommend Susan's PlayTrainDog classes enough. We took both puppy kindergarten and basic doggy manners with PlayTrainDog, and we're so happy Susan helped give our Willow such a positive start in life. We adopted Willow when she was 8 weeks old. Before her, we had a wonderful dog who unfortunately had some fear issues with other dogs. We knew we needed positive socialization for Willow as early in life as possible, so we looked for the best training experience to get her into as soon as she was ready. We're so glad we found Susan. Willow loved her weekend training sessions at the park with her new friends so much. Being able to learn and play with other well behaved pups in such a positive group setting was an invaluable experience that we absolutely treasure. Puppy kindergarten really helped with basic socialization. Willow was shy when she was little. She hid under our lawn chair during part of the first class and just watched the other puppies from a safe place. In the group classes Susan made sure puppies were matched with others close to their own size and energy level, so shyer puppies could have a low key, non threatening introduction to each other. Gradually Willow gained confidence around even friskier pups, and now she loves other dogs of all sizes and energy levels, so much. She will actually try to match herself to the other dogs, so she is happy to frisk with high energy dogs, but with smaller or even shy big dogs, she'll lay down and play gently at their level. One of the first things she learned in puppy class was the Touch command, and that has really helped with her confidence and manners when meeting people. We didn't realize how important this command was, until after she had graduated from the puppy classes, and we took a trip to visit family. She was 8 months old and had already gained a lot of confidence from classes. But unexpectedly, we had not one but two different grownup male relatives who love dogs, but thought it would be fun to play-bark at her. She got really nervous around them, and afterward when we took her in public during that trip, she became suspicious when meeting men and even growled when a large man she didn't know approached her. We went back to basics and asked family as well as new people to introduce themselves by putting their hand out, and asked her to "Touch" their hand. This put her more in charge of the interaction, and allowed her to feel more relaxed and confident around new people. Now she has really gotten past that anxiety. She is so happy to meet people and dogs that when she gets close to them, she often melts into a lay-down while doing a full body wag-crawl toward them, to show how much she wants to meet and be friends. Lol. We also learned the 'Watch Me' command, which helps in so many situations. It helps to refocus and connect during walks, and when we're out in public if she's becoming distracted or excited. It helps 'get her head back in the game' so to speak. Together with 'leave-it', it helps with impulse control, so she can focus on me and remember her training. We learned so much in these classes but it's funny that the most basic things are proving to be the most important every day. In Basic Doggy Manners, we built on earlier skills and learned to help her be a better companion out in the world. She learned a solid heel, loose-leash walking, and a 3-second recall. She learned to pass other dogs or distractions without pulling, and working dog commands so we can communicate non-verbally, or at a distance. All these things we practice every day, and it helps build our bond always using positive reinforcement and life rewards. Willow is a border collie and a big thing for her is pulling toward things that roll, ie bicycles, roller skaters, trucks, golf carts, motorcycles. Susan helped us address this and learn how to help her, so she can be safer in public with us. We are still working on this, but so glad we have the tools to help her, and are seeing improvement. In addition to all these things, we learned to apply the 3 D's of dog training (distance, distraction, duration) throughout her training activities, and learned to use life rewards to motivate her. Willow isn't very food motivated, but she is very play-motivated, so we learned to use that to reward her for mastering new behaviors. This is a lot I know, but I'm leaving out so much more that we learned. We had so much fun and learned so much in these training sessions, and we practice and continue to build on the things we learned every day. We treasure the experience and absolutely recommend Susan's PlayTrainDog classes for anyone who wants to give their puppy the best possible start in life. read more

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I tried reaching out a few times and never heard back. Good be good but don't know?‍ went with another dog trainer and will let you know how that goes read more

Susan did a masterful job of training our dog and, maybe more importantly, training us to work with the dog. We highly recommend her and especially since she employs methods which are incentive based and not fear or control based. read more

Susan Claire was wonderful and exactly the guidance we needed. We have a 10 month old rat terrier that is very fearful. We purchased the training package of 4 sessions and noticed so much improvement. All of these tips, tricks and techniques Susan Claire taught us are invaluable for the continued training and development of our pup. read more

Susan was recommended by a friend and dog trainer for her five week play train program. Our puppy is eight months old and she benefited from the interaction with other puppies! Susan is a great advocate of positive training, and we totally support this method, as it is the best way to create trust with our canine friends. Susan taught us the basic commands and reinforced them throughout the program which was great. The Markham Park location was also great. We totally recommend Susan and her training programs. Thank you, Susan !! read more

I adopted a 6-month rescue and enrolled her with PlayTrain for both puppy kindergarten and basic manners. Susan is an amazing coach for both the puppy and the owner. I had attended other training classes with friends but I really like Susan's style. The training focuses on positive reinforcement (hence the company's name) and provides groundwork for positive development of your four-legged friend when Susan's not around. Kindergarten classes focus on socialization and having the pups develop proper play etiquette. Susan separates the groups into sizes so they are all matched with appropriately sized play partners. During that time she also exposes the pups to different kinds of surfaces and items, and covers basic instructions (sit, down, go to bed). Basic Manners focuses on how to have your pup understand instructions like sit, stay, down, and redirection when you want your pet's attention, among other instructions for those who have pullers or jumpers. Walking my 45lb pup, Luna, around my area is so much more enjoyable now that she understands when she can roam around and when she needs to stay by my side. She's also able to gently say hello to people and other pets without jumping on them. A huge one is that she will wait now at intersections! Overall, I highly recommend PlayTrain to anyone looking to better develop their relationship with their canine companion. I will definitely have Susan's contact info in my back pocket for more advanced things as my pup grows. read more

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Susan is a miracle worker. When Susan walked into my home on the very first session, Brandi my eight month old goldendoodle was barking, jumping, biting and going crazy. Susan gave me the tools and showed me the way to bring about the behavior I wanted in my dog. My biggest problem was Brandi while she was on the leash. Once again, Susan gave me the tools and showed me the way. Today Brandi, Susan and I went for a walk, there was no pulling. This in itself is a miracle, I feared my dog was going to pull me down. Susan is kind, loving, professional, and she loves what she does. Therefore, she loves working with the animals. Susan's years of experience is proven in the results she has gotten with Brandi (and me). I will use all the tools Susan has taught me to continue to work with Brandi as she learns good manners. Thank you Susan for making a tremendous difference in our lives. read more

Hi, I am a local pet sitter/dog walker and just want to say how amazing Susan is. I had a client with a pup that was hard to walk, very reactive and pulled. I knew of Susan from 2 pups in my neighborhood that are also sooooo much better than they were thanks to Susan. Needless to say the pup I recommended for training is a changed dog, she's now a pleasure to walk. I highly recommend Susan. Also start young! read more

PlayTrain Positive Dog Training - Puppy kindergarten - Pet Training Near Me

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My wife and I recently adopted a Corgi Puppy that we wanted to train from an early age. We reached out to Susan, even before the adoption. She was extremely helpful with our preparation. Since adopting, Susan has spent several sessions working with Bozworth, and it has been simply amazing. Susan has been instrumental in giving our puppy a strong, positive foundation for learning and socializing. With each session, she harnessed the attention from Bozworth to ensure he was getting the best results. Susan is also a wealth of knowledge for my wife and I. She has taught us as much as she has taught Bozworth. She is very responsive to our questions, thorough with her explanations, and eager to help. Most of all, she loves what she does and it shows. We are looking forward to continuing our time with Susan and I would strongly recommend PlayTrainDog. read more

Susan was great ! Very knowledgeable in her dog handling skills. It's natural to her. She helped my blue heeler puppy tremendously.

I chose PlayTrain based on her perfect reviews. Don't let a few number of reviews mislead you. Before even signing up for our first session, Susan spent considerable amount of time explaining to me what should I expect and answered every question I had (I think I spent close to 30 mins). She did this with the trust and love for what she does: guide us to be better parents to our little fur kids. Fabulous start to a great experience. We started with our puppy, Myko, right before the whole Covid-19. When she offered to move to FaceTime sessions I was a little bit hesitant and after the first session I was sold on her service and quality of the training session. It was a great 1:1 experience where I could learn and teach from my home how to train my baby to be an obedient and well-behaved dog. (After all, we all know what most people choose to do with unruly dogs after they outgrow their cute puppy phase). We continue to practice what I've learned during the virtual sessions and my baby boy is doing so well! Before reaching out to Susan, I had tried watching YouTube videos but I was not having the results I was expecting. Susan will take the time to see how you're interacting with your puppy and to try different ways so you can figure out together with the dog what works for him/her. That's something that you can't get out of a video as you can't ask question nor I've never had from another trainer before (it's usually this is the way and that's it). Last but not least, Susan offers to assist you and reach out to her with questions at any time, which I did on several occasions. She has also reached out to me after our puppy training is over to see how's Myko doing and if I had any questions to let her know. Wishing Susan and her various dogs who assisted Myko in his training continued success. read more

PlayTrain Positive Dog Training - Pet Training Near Me

I didn't even had the chance to train with this person, however I am writing because her approach to clients is very poor. I called looking for help with my puppy that has an specific problem. She started asking questions , constantly interrupting my answers , and ended accusing me of hurting my dog and trying to do something illegal because I need her to obey the recall when she is not on the leash. She run away at the first opportunity the door opens and doesn't come back when call. She has had 2 different trainers with 2 different approaches before, and that specific problem persists. At the end , she ended hanging up when I said her approach is not the best . I was just looking for help from her, since I saw her good reviews before. I guess she was having a bad day?? read more

We loved what we learn at PlayTrain Positive Dog Training. Susan was so informative and really strives to be a voice and advocate for the dog so that we are able to meet their needs! Our dog loved socializing with other pups and really enjoyed Puppy Kindergarten! read more

PlayTrain Positive Dog Training - Our dog Clover! - Pet Training Near Me

Susan has trained 4 of our dogs over the last 10 years or so. We keep going back each time we get a new dog because her training is effective, she is always kind and gentle with the dogs, and they are always excited to see her. Marc F read more

Susan worked with us and our new puppy and the results have been fantastic! Using her positive reinforcement techniques, he/we have learned many tools that we anticipate using with him for the next 10-15 years. We did puppy kindergarten and the outdoor puppy training with her as well as one private session. These classes taught us how to continually work with our puppy to master what is needed to be a good pet. We would highly recommend Susan and we look forward to attending her Canine Good Citizen class when our dog is a bit more mature. read more

I have used Susan Claire to train 3 of my dogs over the years. I have been to her small group classes, as well as hired her for private lessons when one of my dogs turned out to be a biter. She is an amazing trainer. I first heard about Susan through the Broward Humane Society. Somebody I know went to her lesson and watched her take an untrained dog from the shelter who was wild and out of control and turn him into a polite, well behaved dog in 15 minutes. I have seen her do this with my dogs and other dogs in the groups in which I have participated. She starts with the basics during each lesson and reinforces each time the dogs meet. She also gives helpful instructions at the end of each lesson, so one can practice correctly at home. Susan is a true dog whisperer, and dogs, especially puppies, really love and respond to her. She taught my dogs how to behave when they are off lead, and when I was at my wit's end because my Chihuahua would not get potty trained, Susan trained him to ring bells hanging on my door when he had to go to the bathroom! I cannot recommend Susan enough! Puppies, young dogs, and even old dogs can learn new tricks with Susan. read more

My experience was not the same as these other reviewers. During puppy classes for "kindergarten" and "middle school" Susan always finds something to yell loudly about. Someone always gets into trouble & it's not just a simple "hey this is wrong try this" but more "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!!" it's always embarrassing . she clearly knows how to train and is super good at what she does, but she has absolutely no manners, and should learn how to communicate rather than yell. If you want to be yelled at in front of other parents go to Susan!! read more

I adopted a Pitbull from a police officer in Miami. I had no idea what kind of background he had, but it was clear it wasn't good. Susan literally saved his life - through her gentle, positive training methods we worked on helping my sweet boy trust humans again and develop a great relationship with my family. He even passed his Canine Good Citizen test on his first try! There's no way we would be without her consistent support. I have learned a lot from her; the most important that even with an "aggressive" breed, showing love and kindness is WAY more effective than using punishment. If ALL humans could follow her training there would be no "mean" dogs...I fully believe that. THANK YOU!!! read more

I took my 2 year old cavapoo to Susan's obedience class at Markham park and was very happy with the results! I was so pleased, that I followed it up with Canine Good Citizen which we passed as well! I often feel that people with small dogs (my dog is 17 pounds) don't often train their dogs. It's awesome to have a dog that is so well trained. I highly recommend Susan to train your puppy or older dog. read more

Susan is awesome. We've used her to help us with all of our three dogs. We met her 12 years ago with our first poodle and our experience was so positive that when we purchased our second poodle 4 years later we turned to Susan again. Because we knew we had the perfect dog trainer to turn to we purchased a third puppy and thanks to Susan he is on his way to becoming a perfectly trained dog. She is so patient and offers great tips to train our dogs when we are on our own. read more

Susan's training was very beneficial for our boxer. We still have a long way to go and would have to continue working on all the commands that were introduced, but the group class gave us a solid start and know- how read more

We brought our new Boston Terrier pup to puppy kindergarten with Susan. She is a wonderful trainer and gave us some great tips which made it so much easier for our pup to adjust to his new life with us. We learned a lot in the 4 classes and are delighting in time spent with our sweet, well-behaved puppy. Thank you Susan. read more

Susan was the trainer for our dog since she was 2 months old. We did kindergarten and puppy training. Susan is very knowledgeable and we love she teaches positive reinforcement. We never have punished or even yelled at our dog and she loves everybody. It has been so helpful what we have learned with Susan. The early socialization that Susan encourage us to have made our dog friendly with kids and even any other dog. The skills learned with Susan allowed our dog earn the STAR puppy award from the AKC. Susan is an incredible dog trainer and we recommend her to anyone that is bringing a dog into their life or that what to improve the dog's behavior. read more

Susan was wonderful. He taught us to work with our puppy using gentle, fun methods. She was patient And didn't mind our constant barrage of questions. We recommend her very highly read more

Susan is the ultimate dog whisperer without any of the aggressive stuff!! She has helped me train 3 dogs over the last several years and her techniques are amazing. All my dogs love her and her training has them better behaved than most humans I know!!! Love love love her!!! read more

We were having trouble with out barking puppy and Susan came to the rescue! Within two weeks, the barking was under control solely through her positive reinforcement techniques. In her easy-going way, Susan was able to get our whole family on the same page and turn us into happy pet owners. I can't say enough great things about her - she really gets results! I will recommend her highly to all of my friends. read more