As a professional behavioral dog trainer with nearly 20 years in this field, one of the biggest challenges I've consistently faced is finding people I would trust to care for my dogs. Not just handle them. Not just manage them. Truly understand them. That ends here. Most trainers are obedience-based. But far fewer truly understand the inner world of dogs--their nervous systems, their drives, their emotional states, and the nuance behind what they're expressing. I recommend Illya and Johanna at Topline K9 without hesitation. They get dogs. And more than that--they understand people. Because the human side of the equation is 90% of any "dog training." They see the full picture, and they work with both ends of the leash in a way that is thoughtful, structured, and deeply intentional. I have a diverse group of dogs--different temperaments, histories, drives, and needs--and I trust every single one of them in their care. Trust me--that's not something I say lightly. Once you're part of the pack, you always are. And if you ever need to skip town, having a place where your dogs aren't just cared for, but genuinely known... that's something special. read more

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Reliable, experienced, friendly, and extremely competent are the descriptions of Topline K9 Services, operated by Illya and Johanna. With top notch boarding and training services, they are the definitive one to take your 4-legged loved ones. Our dear friend who was also an accomplished trainer and kennel owner from Germany recommended Topline K9 to us before she passed away. She said they were so good that she would take her own personal dogs to them for boarding. That meant a lot, and boy, we were not disappointed! We boarded our South African Boerboel with Topline K9 for 2 weeks due to an emergency overseas trip. Our girl had the time of her life playing, swimming, exploring, and lounging at this pet resort. They have a nice play area and a pool, the grounds are clean and kept well. We had daily video feedback and texts, so we had real time updates of what was going on with our baby! Our dog loved it there and quickly formed bonds with them. She had the time of her life and really enjoyed it there! Illya and Johanna always made us feel secure, and gave us peace of mind. These are wonderful people who will love your dogs as much as you do. We don't hesitate recommending them, and would never hesitate leaving our babies with them again. 5 Stars all the way! read more

Topline K9 Services - Pet Training Near Me - Perris, California

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I selected ToplineK9 because of their unique structure of group classes, the home-like environment of the overall facility, both Ilya and Johanna's outstanding level of professional and competitive experience, the variety of training offered, reliable boarding, and dog swimming pool. I saw all this on Google before I got a call back from Ilya to visit the facility for free assessment of my puppy, Rupert (toy-mini Aussie). Once I met Ilya, Johanna, and their pack of rotties, mastiffs, and cats, everything I suspected was confirmed: they got this down. There isn't a better place to get the results I wanted for my Rupert: I needed him to stop biting me when I had to confiscate things he found, stop biting me when I had to put a leash on him, and to stay calm around loud noises/barrels/trash/inflatables/long sticks/strangers/other animals. After Rupert went to bootcamp, I rarely ever have to correct him. I was amazed and relieved. The group class is a great refresher for me to maintain his training. Once a week we attend Saturday group class at ToplineK9, or board one night so that Rupert gets to socialize there (and I get a break). Ilya and Johanna have extensive knowledge and experience with dog personalities, drives and reactions. They provide a high quality socialization and play time for the dogs in boarding, they take the opportunity to setup safe and compatible playmates. Rupert is treated like family when I bring him for boarding. ToplineK9's beloved dogs use their balanced behavior to counsel client dogs. Dogs learning from other well trained dogs enriches and accelerates their learning. Of course, ToplineK9's specialty is powerful breeds and aggression rehab, but I still recommend ToplineK9 for any dog, regardless of age or breed. Always get more support than you think you need, especially for training your dog. It's wonderful to see the different dogs and meet their families, everyone learning together in the Saturday group class. Ilya will always tell it to you like it is, complete and true. He will tell you exactly what you can expect from your dog and exactly what to do to get the results you expect. Johanna will provide loads of encouragement, video footage and amazing photos of your dog in action, and she will explain anything in great detail if you ask. I dreamed of Rupert socializing well with important people and dogs in my life, and being able to go camping with me. Rupert and I have come so far with training. We are living that dream now, thanks to ToplineK9 read more

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We brought our 1 year old Doberman here in April 2025 for Topline K9's 3 week boot camp. I was concerned about Wolfgang's behavior: he was very anxious, he struggled with commands, and he was reactive towards every dog. My goal was also to be able to take him in public with me and for him to behave when we were out. I talked to a few board and train programs but I ultimately went with Illya and Johanna because of their experience with working breeds, and their emphasis on training the humans. During the boot camp, my partner and I visited Wolfgang a couple of times to learn what Illya was teaching him (and for Illya to teach us). At the end of the 3 weeks, Illya personally dropped him off at our home all the way in Venice to make sure his new skills could be translated in his home environment and not just at boot camp, which was crucial for ensuring the training stuck. We received picture and video updates almost daily, which were wonderful while missing him. They take amazing pictures of the dogs! Wolfgang is a completely new dog since his training. Illya fixed problems I didn't even know he had until they were gone, and life is so much more enjoyable with him. I bring him with me to work twice per week and he's an angel. He is extremely calm inside coffee shops now--almost more calm than he is at home. He respects other dogs' boundaries and knows how to play well with them. And, now he knows how to play fetch! My partner and I know how to control his reactivity now and know how to be a leader to him. It is wonderful to not have to worry about how he's going to act when we take him in public, especially living in such a busy area. Beyond the initial training, we recently took him back to Topline K9 for regular boarding. Even though it was a short 2 night stay, we still received lots of pictures and videos of him during playtime. Saturday group classes are excellent for socialization, neutrality, and working on the skills Wolfgang (and we) built during boot camp. From the business side of things, Illya and Johanna are fantastic to work with. They are some of the nicest people you will ever meet and they truly care about their clients. Whenever we have questions or updates about Wolfgang, they are only a text away. You can tell how much they love and care about their dogs! I cannot recommend Topline K9 enough. read more

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Topline K9 Came highly recommended to me from a friend who has been training and competing Rottweilers for more than 30 years. I bought a 14 month old Rottweiler that was supposed to have been trained and wasn't. He was really scared of things and wouldn't listen to any commands no matter how much I tried to train him. So I brought him to Illya and Johanna at Topline for a three week Boot Camp. I went to the camp a few times to train with Otis, my dog and Illya. During my life, I have easily worked with two dozen trainers with the dogs I've had. Illya and Johanna are next level! I have never worked with better dog trainers. Illya is the REAL dog whisperer! After three weeks in their Boot Camp, I got a different dog back. One that is confident, happy and unbelievably well trained. He heals right by my side, sits, lays down, stays in place for long periods all with one command. And not only is he not afraid of the pool now, he actually enjoys swimming. I was terrified he was going to drown in our pool because he fell in once and almost died. I highly recommend Topline K9! You can't find better dog people! read more

Topline K9 Services - Pet Training Near Me - Perris, California

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AMAZING! After having several friends and family members send their dogs to board and train with the Topline team, we were beyond excited to enroll our 1-year-old Rottweiler-German Shepherd, Guru. From the start, we had heard such incredible things about Ilya and his wife - their deep knowledge, top-tier expertise, and genuine love for dogs. They don't just train dogs; they truly understand them. They have a pack of their own that they clearly adore, and knowing Guru would be learning alongside their dogs was a huge draw for us. Add in the videos we'd seen of their beautiful property - which truly feels like a camp for dogs - and we knew Guru would not only receive exceptional training, but also be deeply loved, cared for, and given the space to thrive. They also specialize in Rottweilers, and learning that Ilya has traveled to and lived in Germany to work with top trainers there was incredibly reassuring and a major deciding factor for us. Guru is a beautiful, deeply loving pup, but as soon to be first-time parents with a baby on the way, we wanted to make sure she had strong foundations in place. At 80-85 pounds already, we needed help with her jumping, recall, and overall obedience so we could fully trust her around the house and as our family grows. Throughout her three weeks with Topline, the team was amazing - sending regular photo and video updates, answering every question, and making it so clear how bonded they all became. Being away from Guru was hard, but seeing how happy she was made it so much easier. It was obvious she was having the time of her life. What truly sets Topline apart is how knowledgeable and thoughtful they are in educating the owners as well. They explained everything we needed to do to continue the work with Guru in such a clear, articulate, and digestible way. Because of that, we've had so much success with her at home post-training, which has been incredibly rewarding and confidence-building. When we got her back, we were blown away. She felt more grown-up, noticeably calmer, and significantly more responsive to commands. The trust we felt with her grew immediately. Before training, we were still crate-training, but now she has the freedom to move around the house, sleeps on the floor in our room, and is even welcome up on our bed. We are endlessly grateful to the Topline team for the care, structure, and love they gave Guru. This experience exceeded our expectations in every way, and we would recommend them without hesitation to anyone looking for exceptional training in a truly special environment. We'll be bringing Guru back this summer while we travel for sure! read more

We enrolled our 5 month old rottie pup in the boarding training and it was hands down the BEST thing we ever did for our dog. Prior to her admission, she was selective in commands and would constantly bite/jump! After ONE week of boarding I noticed a huge improvement in her behavior. After the third week of boarding she was a completely different dog. She is calm, listens, and doesn't jump/bite! Illya made sure to send pics/video updates because he knew how much we missed her. We will definitely be attending the Saturday group classes to continue to build our confidence. Overall, the experience was a dream, and we are so happy to be apart of the Topline family! read more

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We trusted Illya and Johanna with our 15-month-old Rottweiler for their three-week boot camp training. She's a gorgeous, smart and lovable dog, but she's extremely willful and suffers from unusually high leash reactivity (especially toward small dogs). We were very impressed with them and the great care they took of our pup. The facility is terrific and they are truly Rottweiler experts. Our girl took to Illya quickly and, during our visits, it was immediately apparent that she looked to him as the alpha. She learned a ton and came home with a great foundation for us to continue to build upon. We're going to take her back for refresher stays in the coming months so she can continue to refine her training. If you have a Rottie (or any dog) who can use some high-level attention, I'd strongly recommend Topline K9. read more

Our dog Callie did a 3 week boot camp training with Illya. He has done an amazing job with her. We worked with him on our training techniques as well which of course is just as important as our dog's work. Callie has progressed so much we are truly amazed and I would recommend owners of any breed of dog use their services. They also provide group classes and boarding with pick up and drop off services which is great. We definitely will be using them in the future for classes as well as boarding. Thank you lllya and Johanna for all your help with Callie. read more

Topline K9 services have been amazing, we have had both of our South African boerboels attend their board and training program with amazing results. These gave our pups a head start that they so desperately needed. And the training continues almost every weekend @ topline group training classes. Highly recommend, don't just do it for yourself, do it for your dogs! read more

Topline K9 Services - Pennie the Boerboel loves topline k9 services! - Pet Training Near Me - Perris, California

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The best experience we've had with a dog trainer. We have had 3 Rottweilers all train with them. I would highly recommend.

Illya and Johanna are definitely the best. Great with dogs, my family and I have referred over 15 dogs to them in the last 7 years. So of course i sent my labradoodle to them. Worth the drive and money!! Kind, caring people read more