I had no clue what I was getting myself into purchasing my two month old Rottweiler puppy Victory…read morein December of 2021. It was an emotional roller coaster. Victoria was amazing with Victory. She's very reliable, resourceful, and most importantly knowledgeable when it comes to dogs. She's the dog whisperer. My puppy Victory literally worships the ground Victoria walks on. If you are serious about having your dog trained well hire Victoria. If you're a first time dog owner, buy 12 sessions. We've come a long way from where we started. Victory and I went from the puppy struggles of her crying relentlessly in her crate to me now being able to be in the same room while she's in her crate and not crying. The struggles of leash training to now being able to eat out on the patio at restaurants. Investing in your dogs training is so important. I promise you you won't be disappointed by hiring Victoria as your dog trainer.

We love Victoria. She has worked with us for a long time. We have a lovely but very rambunctious…read moreand kinda too smart Goldador. We're still working hard but have definitely seen benefits from her advice.

Worth the drive and time for your dog training need! Marcus and his crew are great at what they do…read morewhich preparing you and your dog for continued success. Located in Des Moines off of pacific highway, Northwest Dog Trainer is located close by the I-5 exit. They have plenty of parking around the building and a great space set up perfectly to work with your dog. They offer group classes with various packages. Classes last an hour long which is a perfect timespan to keep your dog engaged. There are often many dogs in class with various temperaments and Marcus and crew do a great job of controlling the environment. Our dog had some challenges being around a group of dogs and our time with the Northwest Dog Trainer has greatly improved his ability to focus on us rather than his surroundings as well as coexist without issues. Make the time and drive to check these guys out! As a bonus Fridays are game night, super cool way to interact with your dog while having a great time as well.

I reached out to Sensitive Dog when I adopted my current dog Lexi, a poodle mix. I quickly realized…read morethat she was bigger, stronger, and marter than other dogs I have had. I had taken dogs into the past to group obedience classes, but I realized that I wanted more than that - I wanted to make sure that I strengthened our bond as much as I could and that I was giving this sweet, smart dog as enriching a life as possible. The experience was incredible. Julie's background and knowledge are beyond extensive, and she tailored our work together to both Lexi and me. It was wonderful with Julie, and I feel as if our relationship was greatly enhanced by the experience. Julie was willing to give suggestions and advice about a broad range of questions I had, and I am very grateful. Without a doubt - if I ever add another end, I will be reaching out to Julie. I cannot recommend Sensitive Dog more enthusiastically. Thank you so much!

Julie Forbes, the Sensitive Dog trainer saved us! Our 11 month old adopted puppy, Haggis was…read moreadorable, but soon became known in the neighborhood as Haggis the Horrible. He devolved into a frenzy of barking when any person, dog, bike, car, or even a garbage can was in his field of view. My vet recommended Ahimsa, which was absolutely no help. Haggis failed their Growley Class and thus was barred from any further classes. I did one on one training with them that was a complete waste of time and left poor little Haggis catatonic with fear. I never returned. The wonderful people at Portland Dachshund Rescue, where we adopted Haggis from, encouraged me to find a trainer who had worked with Dachshunds before, and or really understood how to help sensitive dogs. My hunt for a new trainer took over a year! But it was well worth the time and energy. When I contacted Julie I was hopeless and a bit frantic myself. We had to cancel vacations because poor Haggis couldn't tolerate anyone in the house except me and my husband. Julie was terrific! She talked me down off the imaginary cliff I was on and we signed up for the initial lessons. I warned her Haggis would bark at her the entire time, which he pretty much did. But Julie ignored him and kept talking to us over his barking. Haggis finally wore himself out and curled up at my feet throwing a stink-eye at Julie occasionally to reminder her he was watching her. Then a remarkable thing happened. Julie taught us a calming game for Haggis. She had us lead him through the basics while she continued to ignore his chuffs. After a few trials of learning the game, Haggis completely forgot about Julie. He was absorbed in the sniff game, which utilized all dachshunds's super skill: their nose! Haggis ran through the game eager to do it again and again. He approached Julie without barking and looked up at her wanting to play *with* her, instead. At the end of the lesson he jumped up on her couch and sat next to her, content with his new friend. Each class with Julie provided a similar breakthrough for Haggis. At the second class Haggis, bound out of the car, ran up to Julies classroom and barked to be let in. Haggis's affection never wavered for Julie, an neither did ours. WE learned valuable tools and correct training techniques to help Haggis overcome his fear aggression. Within months, Haggis stopped barking at people and let them approach to say hi. Dogs were still something he preferred to keep across the street from him, but soon he stopped barking like a frenzied Doberman ready to attack (I had two Dobermans and they were the sweetest boys!). I am grateful and astonished to say that with Julie's training and guidance, Haggis has no problem letting dogs pass him on the sidewalk and has made a few walking buddies in our neighborhood. Haggis, once the Horrible, has turned into Haggis the Adorable! And Julie Forbes deserves 100% of the credit. We are indebted to her forever!!!!

I have mixed feelings about my experience at River Dog Jax. On one hand, the instruction is…read moretop-tier. I absolutely love Keiko Swanberg; she is a highly experienced and incredibly positive certified trainer. Her teaching style makes a world of difference, and the progress seen in the classes is a testament to her expertise! However, the facility itself leaves much to be desired. The space is consistently dirty and unkempt. There is a very noticeable smell, and dog hair accumulates heavily in all the corners and along the edges of the room. It is disappointing to have such a high-quality trainer working in an environment that feels so neglected. I hope the management prioritizes a deep clean soon to match the caliber of their instructors.

I am not much of a Yelper but decided to leave a comment on here in addition to my Google review…read more Our pup Indie has been going to Jax Riverdog for nearly 2 years. Indie requires some extra attention and care due to some injuries and food sensitivities, and when Carolyn and Kim were there- she definitely received all the love and attention! Indie knows Jason very well and enjoys his company, and I believe she is slowly warming up to some of the newer staff (she is a particular pup.) Indie always comes back exhausted from camp, and we always love seeing photos of he on her walks, or playing games, or, her favorite, getting pup cups! The team at Jax, especially the Companion Camp have always been informative and caring and we know that Indie is in good hands here, when there were days her arthritis was acting up, the Jax team was quick to contact us, and let us know how she was doing so we could determine if she should just rest, or if we should come get her. She also wears a brace (for her arthritis) when she is active- so Jax has been very understanding in learning how to put it on her, and when it should be used. We have also given her a bath in their facilities (wish it was open on weekends but understand that requires additional staffing) We are currently taking our 2nd class on K9 Nosework with Austin on the weekends - and she loves it! We have had positive experiences at Jax and truly appreciate all of the folks that look after her when she is in their care.

Today I took my dog to the Ballard Locks - on a busy summer weekend day - and we had a great time…read morethanks to the foundation we got from Danette. Doggy Basics via zoom (so perfect for reactive dogs!!) and Reactive dog classes turned my little wildling into a model citizen and a joy to be with anywhere, no matter how crowded! We just get to live now, no stressing about whether there will be other dogs or distractions. The dog has a great time going places now! What a joy. We're so grateful for the expert instruction we got from Dogs Day Out. I definitely recommend them for any human of a recently adopted dog!

Gina works magic with both our dogs and us... her approach is professional, patient and…read moreknowledgeable. She makes sure she addresses the dogs gaps along with ensuring that we are clear on how to maintain the training. She had helped us train multiple generations of our pack, from reactive rescues to high energy puppies and littermates. I have referred friends to her with absolute confidence.

Attentive and wonderful owner/trainer! Checks on you after training is completed also!read more

I started with a dog training class and now my boy is in Nosework! He LOVES IT! This class has been…read morea game changer for his behavior and mind! He keeps very busy with mind games when the weather is crummy.

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.