I noticed that many of the existing reviews for this trainer date back to 2018, so I wanted to share a more recent experience for anyone considering working with him. Business practices can change over time, and I feel it's important to share my recent experience so others can make an informed decision. I hired Felix to work with my working-line dog and spent $8,000 over four months. Initially, Felix was professional and punctual. Over time, however, he became increasingly disorganized. Sessions were frequently cancelled or rescheduled for personal reasons, and he arrived late on multiple occasions. I continued because for a while the training went well, and my dog was learning a lot from the time and energy I dedicated to him. This is why I bought a second package from him. Felix started using a Dogtra e-collar at very high levels (90-100). As training progressed, this became more frequent. My dog vocalized and showed clear signs of distress. On one occasion, my dog lightly redirected toward me (after a correction Felix inflicted at 100) behavior he had never displayed prior to working with Felix. I raised my concerns via text later in the day, explaining that I felt these correction levels were inappropriate given my dog's age, maturity, and frustration level. Felix dismissed my concerns, responding that "bites happen," and told me I was making too big of a deal out of the situation, which caused me to second-guess myself. He affirmed my dog was 100% safe and noble. At our next session, Felix showed me photos of serious injuries caused by his own dog letting me know my dog wasn't actually handler aggressive like his dog was. Following that session, Felix applied harsh prong-collar corrections while my dog was learning a new command. My dog quickly redirected toward him (no broken skin). Felix became visibly frazzled, speaking aggressively toward both me and my partner, making inappropriate comments about my physical strength/body and questioning why I owned a large male dog and berating me in front of my home. My partner, who is a psychologist, calmly intervened due to concern about the tone and direction of the interaction. Immediately afterward, while my dog was highly aroused, Felix attempted a "leave it" exercise by scattering ham in our backyard without having taught the command first. When my dog attempted to eat the food, Felix administered multiple level-100 e-collar corrections. My dog yelped in pain, and my partner expressed serious discomfort, which Felix again dismissed. Felix then made alarming comments about having been "mauled" by several dogs and having dreams of being killed by dogs. Before he left our home, he told us that once again we were "on track" and he'd see us next session. When he left we were both shaken. That night my partner and I had drawn a line and decided we needed outside consult because our dog's behavior was changing in real time. And the exercise out back crossed a line for us and our dog's safety. The following day, Felix sent a message cancelling our work together. In a short text, he commanded me to return my dog to the breeder, instructed me not to contact him again, and blocked me and my partner on social media and text message. Stunned, I went to his website and emailed him requesting a refund for the unused sessions (over $3,000). He refused, citing a "no-refund policy," though no such policy was provided in writing or verbally at the time of purchase. Since then, I have consulted with multiple highly respected trainers, including two who have competed at the IGP World Championship level. None were familiar with Felix or his work, and all expressed extreme concern about the methods described. They indicated these methods contributed to the redirection issues and confirmed that my dog is highly workable with appropriate training. Felix has the right to choose who he works with. However, cancelling services while refusing to refund prepaid sessions reflects poorly on his business practices and integrity. I am sharing this experience so others can make an informed decision before hiring this trainer. Please know that if Felix feels overwhelmed or in over his head while training your dog, he can (and might) stop the pre-paid sessions at any time, block you, and refuse to give you back money for services that were not rendered. read more

Proving Ground Kennels - Pet Training Near Me

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If I could give more stars I would! Felix is a world class trainer and we are blessed to have access to his expertise. We rescued a 2 year old Cane Corso who was extremely aggressive that no other trainer wanted to work with. Felix's approach was exactly what our beautiful girl needed and has made us be able to have her thrive in our home with 2 cats and a newborn baby. We are incredibly grateful for his training and sometimes I feel like I got training too! There are no bad dogs, they just need training. Trust me, hire Felix, it is worth the money and effort, you will shocked at what your dog can learn and how happy the home will be. Best decision we ever made! read more

Prior to training with Felix... our dog was AWFUL to take on walks! He would lash out & almost attack other dogs! Plus taking him on a walk was like being hitched up to a sled dog! A mere 8 weeks later it's like we have a different dog. His personality is the same, but his behavior has gotten better 100 times over! We now get comments from neighbors on our walks on how WELL behaved he is! Felix is amazing! He helps you understand your dog, their motivation & you see results immediately! I highly recommend working with Felix, & Proving Ground Kennels! read more

Proving Ground Kennels - Winston graduated from basic training today! - Pet Training Near Me

Felix is a well rounded and extremely knowledgeable trainer with a very impressive resume. I contacted him for help training my 10 week old (now 3 year old) German Shepherd when I was looking for someone who did basic and advanced obedience training as well as protection work. We started out with at home sessions for the basic obedience and trained on everything from basic commands to correcting behavior and anxiety related issues. The advanced class was moved outside of the home and was set up for the commands I was wanting to teach my dog that suited our lifestyle. I now have a second German Shepherd and we train with both of them to keep honing both dogs skills as well as my own. I highly recommend this trainer for all your training needs! read more

Proving Ground Kennels - Just a normal day training protection. - Pet Training Near Me

I am extremely happy with the training I have received from Felix at Proving Ground Kennels. I was originally looking for help working with my husband's Doberman Max. Max is extremely sweet but my husband is disabled and having a large, untrained dog run wild around the house created a lot of problems for us. I can honestly say that Felix did an amazing job working with Max and far exceeded any expectations I could have thought up. Not only did he help us teach Max excellent obedience, he also addressed any behavior issues we could think of. Felix definitely went above and beyond to help us and I highly recommend him. read more

Proving Ground Kennels - Pet Training Near Me

Tonight my boyfriend and I had our consultation with Felix for my 3 year old lab/pit mix, Bingo. I learned more even in the consultation than I could have doing hours and hours of research! I adopted Bingo a year and a half ago and although he's been for the most part a great dog, he developed a little bit of what I thought was "mommy aggression" when it came to dogs larger than him and typically male. Even though there have only been 3 or 4 occurrences, every once in a while when he meets them and I am close by, his hair will sometimes stand up on his back and he's even nipped at other dogs. Being a pit mix, you can imagine I worry about contributing to the stigma around his breed and I would also be mortified if he did serious damage to another dog. This is Bingo's most extreme behavior that I am wanting to correct, combined with some refining of door manners and walking etiquette (no more pulling or picking up dead birds/street pizza/McDonalds wrappers/you-name-it). I learned that my behavior is what encourages/discourages Bingo's and how to use positive enforcement to handle him and train out unwanted behaviors. Bingo is my baby and sometimes I "baby" him too much which gives him the courage to act certain ways, so as far as I'm concerned this training is just as much for me as for him! I'm excited for the training sessions and the progress that Bingo will make with the help of Felix's professional help. If you're thinking of getting professional training for your doggo, contact Felix! I contacted a number of other trainers prior to my conversation with Felix and not a single one gave me the same attention or made me feel as comfortable. After the consultation tonight at our apartment, I was truly impressed with his professionalism, experience, and techniques, and you can tell he's very passionate about what he does. Seriously, you won't regret it. read more

Felix was amazing!! He helped us with our girl, Nala, get past much of her fears and anxieties. She's always had an issue with strangers-- especially men. Felix took the time to systematically walk us through repeated steps and create a plan to address the behavior. He was friendly, knowledgeable, supportive, and obviously quite experienced. So happy we decided to go with Proving Ground Kennels and would certainly recommend! read more

We have a German Shorthaired Pointer (who is highly energetic & crazy - just like all GSP) and training is a MUST with this breed. We tried another training place before going to Proving Ground Kennels and we didn't have much success there. Our friends told us about Felix, the owner of Proving Ground Kennels, and thank God they did. Felix worked with our pup and us to help us harness his crazy puppy energy into focus for training. Felix is an outstanding dog trainer. He knows what kind of dog your have (soft or hard) and what type of training works best for your dog, which gets results! We have completed basic and advance obedience training. We are currently doing K9 Fitness and Agility (which our pup loves doing) and hope to start some hunting training soon. We now take our pup out to Dog Friendly Patios with us and everyone says how good he is. Thank you Felix! read more

Proving Ground Kennels - Pet Training Near Me

Gotta brag about the progress our Irish Wolfhound pup has made with our cats. We have 3 cats and one other dog. The trouble maker, Pesado was a rescue pup we got ~7mo old in October 2011. While him and our 1st dog got along great, Pesado had a strong prey drive and would constantly hunt for and chase our cats. Though no physical damage was ever done to our cats we could definitely not trust our pup to be unattended. We tried Many different training suggestions to break the behavior but nothing was remotely successful until we were introduced to Felix Pachon, owner of Proving Ground Kennels. He is truly a dog whisperer and knows his stuff! He has spent Countless hours training, not only our pup, but my husband and I as well! He takes the time to help us, as owners, understand why dogs act and behave the way they do and how we, the owners, can act as the pack leaders to raise our dog to become the pup we want him to be and how we can encourage the dog to aspire to please us! I am still amazed daily on the progress Pesado has made and continues to make. I am now able to go to bed with our sweet, snugly pup, Pesado on the bed with me where he will cuddle and sleep for a few hours while my husband finishes work and then at that time we still crate him (hopefully in the not too distant future we will be able to trust him out all night). Pesado is now calm around the cats, instead of always being on the hunt, and the cats will actually sleep on the floor in the same room as him. Lately, I have been able to pet Pesado with one hand and one of our more brave cats with the other hand while they both remain calm and content with the attention. Pesado was a pretty 'urrr, durrr, I sneeze and hit my head on the ground' kinda pup but he is becoming such a wonderful part of our furry family and my only regret is not utilizing Felix sooner!! read more

I started training my Australian cattle dog "Rose" with Felix to address some dog aggression issues. She's great when it comes to people but I've had significant issues when it comes to having her around other dogs. It had gotten to the point where I didn't take her on walks or out in public because she would try and attack any other dogs we came across. I noticed a dramatic improvement after only a couple of sessions with Felix. Today I was able to take her to group class with several other dogs without her displaying any aggression whatsoever. I am extremely happy that I can now safely take her in public and actually enjoy the experience. I am very thankful for the training she has received and would highly recommend Felix and Proving Ground Kennels to anyone looking for an excellent dog training experience. read more

Proving Ground Kennels - Rose behaving so nicely at group class - Pet Training Near Me

Felix is an amazing trainer that understands dogs and what drives them. He loves dogs and will work with you and your dog to strengthen your bond and become the best team you can be! The at home training sessions are extremely helpful and give your dog basic commands while the group classes give your dog the tools and confidence to become canine good citizens. Most importantly, Felix gives handlers the skills necessary to take on any challenges our dogs and us will encounter out in the real world. I would highly recommend Felix! read more

Felix from Proving Ground has been amazing with my 7 year old stubborn rescue. He is a border collie mix, so his age doesn't affect him and he still acts like a puppy. I am about to move across the West Coast into an apartment, so I needed to make sure my dog would behave OK in his new environment. After a few sessions, he immediately had more respect for me, and I could really see this difference from his training. Felix was also available nearly 24/7 to answer any questions I had about using the new tools and behavioral tactics. I was a bit scared at first, but Felix stuck with me through it, and I now have a much more well behaved dog. I'm so glad I went to Proving Ground for help, and I would recommend it to anyone. read more

I have a 2 year old high energy (and very large!) rescue named Huck. I'd worked with another trainer before with little success at conquering basic obedience. As soon as there were distractions (people, dogs, etc), his listening skills went out the window. We recently moved in with my boyfriend, who came with 2 more dogs as well as 2 cats (aka things to scare and chase), it became very apparent we needed help. Working with Felix was the best decision I made. His one-on-one attention and training tailored to Huck and the issues we had was amazing. I had doubts that we'd ever get to the point where Huck would lay down, and remain down with distractions (dogs, people calling for him, toys being thrown), but we'd achieved that within the first couple of weeks. I also was a big fan of getting 2 group lessons in addition to the private training, as going into that setting helped solidify and prove what he learned wasn't just in a quiet, controlled environment. He has turned into a wonderful dog who not only listens to commands, but thrives from learning and practicing the way Felix has taught. In addition, I can happily report that not only has Huck been broken of the habit of chasing the cats, he has been caught snuggling with them on the couch. It really has been an incredible transformation and process. read more

I can't say enough about how much Felix at Proving Ground Kennels has helped with my Doberman Pinscher, Enzo. Enzo is a two-and-half-year-old European Doberman and to say he is a handful is putting it mildly. I had tried several trainers before reaching out to Felix, and I'm so glad that I did. Enzo is very stubborn, high energy, and has a mind of his own. It had gotten to the point where I couldn't take him in public or on walks, and I was constantly worried about having people over to the house because Enzo was always unpredictable. On walks, Enzo would act erratic when cars, people or anything passed by. He would start biting at the leash, displaying aggressive behavior, and I wouldn't be able to control him. It became so bad that neighbors would make comments that I shouldn't own such an aggressive dog in a neighborhood with families. After the first few sessions, I knew that Felix was the right trainer for Enzo. He understands how the Doberman Pinscher thinks and why Enzo behaves in certain ways. Felix was always very patient with Enzo, never rushed him and made sure to always end the session on a positive note. Felix's training style is the perfect combination of positive and negative reinforcement, and positive and negative punishment. Felix is helping Enzo become adjusted to being around other dogs and people he doesn't know. Enzo has always been very anxious and with Felix's help, Enzo can now channel this anxiety in a positive way because of the obedience training. In Felix's group obedience class Enzo is learning how to socialize with other dogs and be in a new, different environment. Felix also offers a group fitness and agility class, and it's amazing to see Enzo learn the different obstacles on the agility course. Enzo has even be able to earn the title of AKC Community Canine which is something I never thought possible. It's been a long road but with Felix's help, I can finally see a more obedient, happier Enzo who isn't so anxious or fearful. Thank you Felix for all your hard work with Enzo, it is much appreciated! read more

My boyfriend and I got a Doberman puppy in April, and decided back in July that is was time to look into some training. I have grown up with small dogs, but knew that having a large dog comes with more responsibility when it comes to training. And even more so that we have a Doberman. I scoured over Yelp, and came across a few viable options for us. After researching each training class some more, I decided to reach out to Felix- and let me tell you it was hands down the best decision we have made as puppy parents! You can tell right off the bat that Felix knows what he's doing, and that he cares and enjoys doing it as well. Our puppy, Melly, was never aggressive or mean but we wanted him to become a disciplined and respectful dog. There are so many pros when it comes to training your dog with Felix. I appreciated that he came to our house for private lessons, and then offered free group training classes with his other students as well. My favorite thing about Felix is that he taught US how to train Melly, and did not do it for us. With the guidance that Felix provided us, Melly has become a wonderful dog that we can take anywhere. There is some stereotyping out there that Doberman's are mean and aggressive dogs, but we can take Melly ANYWHERE and have no problems. Felix not only listened to what we wanted out of the training (basic obedience) but he also reminded us that puppies need to be socialized out in the real world with other people and dogs! The results we have gotten with Melly have been night and day, and we could not be any happier with Felix and his amazing knowledge behind dogs. When it came down to it, we decided to go with Felix because it was apparent he knows the psychology behind why dogs do the things they do, and how to correct their actions better than anyone else out there. One of our private lessons required Felix to bring one of his personal dogs to our home, and my jaw literally dropped at how disciplined his dog was. If you are looking for dog training that will positively affect you and your dog for the rest of their life, I cannot stress this enough-Felix is for you!!! Being college students, my boyfriend and I made this investment for Melly. Again, we could not be happier that we chose to go with Felix. Thank you so so so much Felix, you are the best!! We will forever be grateful for all of the information you have given us! read more

Felix was a phenomenal trainer! I have a border collie lab mix who has a ton of energy. Together we were able to get my dog Shadow to channel his energy into his training. Shadow behaves much better in public and he now receives compliments on how well behaved he is. I would highly recommend Felix to anyone. He knows how to read dogs and their behavior. He is very patient and can work with the most difficult dog. I am so glad that I chose to invest in his services. read more

My wife and I recently adopted a Labrador Retriever from highly regarded hunting bloodlines. We knew this was going to be a very active dog with a lot of energy so we began researching for good trainers before we got our puppy Ace. I was referred to Felix by some friends of ours whom had a great experience training with him and said they would do it over again in a heartbeat. We scheduled an initial visit and I have to admit I learned more in that initial visit than what I've learned reading numerous books as well as watching tons of instructional videos. Felix was incredibly articulate in providing us with very clear explanations behind the behaviors that our puppy is manifesting, as well as very specific ways to address each one. It was absolutely evident that this guy REALLY knows his stuff and has a lot of experience applying it. As the training progressed this became even more evident, we followed a very clear gameplay yet with the flexibility to be customized to our specific needs when it was necessary. Overall I cannot recommend Felix enough, he is a true professor who is deeply devoted to his craft and will give you his full commitment. read more

I rescued a pit/lab/shar pei mix several months ago and needed assistance quickly to keep him under control with my other two small dogs. Max (my rescue dog) had many health problems as well as behavioral issues when I took him. I called several places to inquire about different options and recommendations on how to work with my new dog. Felix responded to my call with enthusiasm and caring. I was immediately comfortable with him on the phone and felt he would be a good match for my needs. I am glad I made that decision! I went through several training sessions with Felix and Max, and now several months later I have a wonderful family dog. As soon as I started working with Felix I saw a difference in the way Max responded to me. After a full training session with Felix, my 4-year-old grandson can control my new 70lb puppy. Felix is a natural with animals, people and is well educated on the techniques he teaches. Max is now ready for his Good Citizen Award! With the assistance of Proving Ground, Max has adjusted so well and has become such a great animal that I am going to continue to work with Felix in the future on training Max as a service animal. I highly recommend Felix and Proving Ground Kennels! Thanks again Felix! read more

Hands down the best dog training service in Arizona! Ive tried so many other options in the past including other larger dog training companies and Ive never felt that i got my moneys worth. Thats not the case with Proving Ground Kennels. After the first session i was already seeing results and after a month i had a much better behaved dog. Felix has made my life much easier with his top of the line training methods. I fully recommend Proving Ground Kennels for any dog training purposes! read more

Felix really knows the make up of how a dog's genetics and drives work. This is such a good foundation to have when it comes to tailoring training to your dog. My Aussie/border collie mix is a rescue and has a lot of anxiety. He has really helped me understand her better and make her feel safe and happy. We have finished her basic obedience and are almost done with advanced obedience and she has gotten her Community canine and Good citizen canine awards from the AKC. The cost is well worth what Felix teaches you and I don't think you will find a more educated trainer here in the valley. The fitness class is also way fun (for both dog and trainer!) Meeting Felix has been such a blessing and a positive experience for my dog, Ariel, and I and I would recommend him highly to anyone. read more

The level of service provided by Felix (owner) was second to none. I've worked with Felix for over 4 months now and the change in my Redbone Coonhound is incredible. Within one session my dog had progressed more than in three previous sessions with another in home trainer. Felix was very professional and explained everything in detail before we moved forward with the training. The multiple packages offered allow you and your pup to learn at your own pace.Felix takes a tremendous amount of pride in his work and this is clearly seen in the success stories of his clients. I would not only recommend Felix, but encourage his expertise to anyone looking for results. read more

Felix is the BEST dog trainer in Phoenix. I have a 5 month old Rottweiler puppy who has completed her basic and advanced obedience classes with Felix. I sought Felix out based on all the reviews I read on this site and I'm so GRATEFUL that I did. My 2 month old puppy was skittish, scared and taking on behaviors from her chihuahua sister. Felix assessed the puppy and right away calmed my fears by telling me that it was not the puppy and he could help me turn her into the happy puppy she was meant to be. Felix has more than delivered on his promise. My puppy is friendly, happy, and loves to meet people and other dogs. We are currently training her to be a therapy dog. Felix has even helped me to train my chihuahua not to bark incessantly when someone comes to the door. Bottom line - Felix knows dogs like no other. He understands all breeds what their drive is and how to train them to behave the way you want them to. I take my rottie for a walk every morning, and everyone we meet comments on how sweet and what a good dog she is. If you want results - HIRE FELIX! You will be glad you did! read more