I recently brought my 4.5year old black lab pit mix dog to Dave at Trouwe Hond K-9 for training. My dog Nina spent two weeks there and then came home with me. Nina has learned good obedience on and off leash. She heels now and I can enjoy walking with her. Dave has truly mastered training. My dog Nina has done wonderful and I am following through with everything that Nina learned and Dave taught me. It's been a great experience and I highly recommend the training program here. read more

Trouwe Hond K-9 - Nina at home - Pet Training Near Me - Hanover, Massachusetts

We can't speak highly enough of David and how much he helped our family. My boyfriend and I have a 2 year old Bluetick Coonhound, Charlie. Starting when he was about 6 months we were having behavioral issues with him in the home. It started with resource guarding and food aggression, and overtime escalated to aggression toward us. We constantly walked on eggshells around him. It even got to the point of when we would come home from a walk Charlie wouldn't let us take his collar off. He would growl, snarl and bare his teeth, and turn on us. We had to use a baby gate as a "shield" to get to our bedroom. We didn't feel safe in our own home and no other trainer was able to help us. I had been bit twice up to this point. We debated rehoming Charlie, had almost lost all hope, broken hearted, and felt like we failed him. Upon reaching out, before we even met David, he reassured us he would be able to help. During our in-person evaluation with David he told us Charlie is a dominant dog and he is at the top of the pack. We needed to train with Charlie to regain our place at the top of the pack. Not only would it strengthen our bond with him but we would feel safe again and regain control of our home. Charlie spent two weeks at Trouwe Hond and came home yesterday. The confidence we have gained with David's training can't be put into words. Charlie is completely different, he is happy again and our family is whole again. We are SO grateful for the time and dedication David gave not only Charlie but us as well. We still have a lot of training ahead but we are so excited to continue learning with our boy. read more

Trouwe Hond K-9 - Pet Training Near Me - Hanover, Massachusetts

Dave is the dog whisperer. Every cent is an investment in a dog you can take anywhere. Thank me later, tater. 30 years of dog ownership and I knew I was in trouble with my cute as a button Frenchie. Who you gonna call? Dogman Dave. I sent him the cutest untrainable monster and an obedient, professionally trained pup came back. Walking, sitting, down. Go to your place. Stay. Let's go. Walks on a leash past dogs, neighbors and squirrels. Our 7 month old pup is a new and much improved buddy. Dogman Dave is not cheap, but where else do you find results like this in a week. Worth every penny. Thank you Dave! read more

Trouwe Hond K-9 - Big boi - Pet Training Near Me - Hanover, Massachusetts

Cesar Millan Of the South Shore! Cant say enough good things about Dave and his team! Bentley our 1 year old Bernese mountain dog arrived as a crazy pup who could care less about listening to his parents and left a model citizen (Still is)! What i loved about this was how interactive the training was and how Dave was hands on with my wife and I teaching us how to be a better dog owners. In fairness to Bentley and Dave i waited a few month to see how Bentley evolved post training. I can confirm after 6+ months Bentley has sustained his obedience and is a very happy pup because of it... I plan to have a dog by my side for the rest of my life and will without a doubt use Dave for as long as he will have me! Dave is a professional that takes his business and his passion for pups extremely serious. The dogs I worked with around Bentley adore and respect him, I would highly recommend Trouwe Hond K-9 for any and all dog owners, this guy is truly special, i enjoyed every second of this hands on, detailed training. Can't wait for my next pup to work with Dave #Cesarmillanofthesouthshore read more

My wife and I have a 5 month old German Shepherd with a baby coming in a few weeks and wanted to find a trainer to get our pup somewhat squared away before the baby arrives and came across David Ranieri. We did our research on him and knew this was the guy. Our dog is a great dog but can be a punk at times, especially with my wife and mother-in-law. After spending a week with David, our dog Sevy was behaving completely differently. No longer pulls on a leash, barks in the house, nips/bites anyone. During our one week follow up visit with David to see if we were following up with everything we had learned, I was able to witness David in action with several other dogs who he had on site. It was pretty cool seeing how he could orchestrate 4 dogs at once all off leash. It's also comforting to see that he's actually able to make a connection with each individual dog and not having to worry about our pup being gone for a week. We were very impressed with how our dog turned out after a week. Even my mother-in-law who can be very pessimistic admitted that he is way better behaved. If you listen to what David tells you and you follow through with it, you're going to be extremely satisfied. We look forward to sending our pup back in around 5 months for some extra training! read more

David has been very patient with me, of course he is great with dogs, my 4 year old Flat Coat Retriever now responds immediately to David's command and steady direction. From a dog owners perspective it seems the owner is more difficult to train than the dog! I am learning and each day I glean more insight as to how to be the Alpha leader!!! As a measurement documenting our progress, today my dog and I went to visit a loved member of my family that has been downtown Boston in the hospital for quite some time. I never would have felt remotely comfortable attempting to visit the hospital with my dog before the training with David @ Trouwe Hond K-9. Thumbs up!! read more

Awesome trainer! Dave has decades of training experience and has trained the basics to the highest levels. read more

I chose Trouwe Hond based on the all the previous positive reviews, and I feel obligated to share my experience, because if I saw the information I am going to share, I would not have chosen this trainer. Dave offers a consult about 6 weeks prior to the training. Training involves a week or more stay at his kennel. My dog did a consult and one week. At the consult he sells a different product than what he offers. He provides an itinerary with a full day that includes exercise. He told me his phone is full of pictures because he constantly touches base with the owners. Dave only reached out first to me once and sent some pictures all from one day. Two other times I e-mailed to check in, and he provided NO pictures. The lack of communication is concerning especially because of how my dog behaved the day we picked her up. We dropped off a happy 5 month puppy, who was well exposed to other people and situations. We got her at 2.5 months, and took her to puppy school, dog parks, had her meet our friends and family etc. Our goals for training was to have a more well rounded trained dog, and all the adoption paperwork recommended professional training. When we went to pick her up she was hunched, both her head and tail was tucked, and she was shaking in the kennel. Her fear did not go away in Dave's presence. Dave claimed it was her inherited personality, but I find that hard to believe because she lived with me for 3 months and I never saw her act this way. She knew down before she went to Dave and she would happily and proudly plop down. When my dog did down for Dave she hunched her head and neck and curved her body as far away from him as the leash would let her. Dave's lack of communication went even further, because he took the liberty of adding on offsite activities without calling for permission, and expected me to be agreeable to paying for this surprise expense. When I told him most businesses have the courtesy of calling to get permission for added expenses, He Actually told me He "didn't think it was a lot of money for the service he provided". My dog did follow his instructions, including sit stay and heal. However, Judging by my dogs pure fear, a week at Daves is under stimulating. The dogs are likely only let out of their kennel to be subject to the choke collar, and getting yelled at by Dave. Thank you for adding your videos Dave. My body language on pickup day confirms my sentiment to the services. I was not writing a negative review about a lack of opportunity to learn your methods, but rather a lack of initiative on your part to update me about my dog, and a concern for the level of fear she displayed after 7 fulls days with you. Also, in Dave's comment below he claims he looks forward to working with us again. But I have copied below a direct E-mail from Dave that sings a different tune. (He has sent me more E-mails concerning this one Yelp review, than he did updates about my pup when he had her for a full week). "Since you both are so dissatisfied with me and the work I did with her I'm sure you probably don't want to keep next saturday's appointment time. I can use it for someone else for sure. I find I had to believe with how I saw Matt handling her, sending her to her place from a distance, walking nice on a leash, doing all her obedience well by the AKC standards all produced in one week you can be so dissatisfied with anything to tell you the truth. Others would have been very happy. I asked you if you wanted to take the leash and work her and you stood there looking off into space. Makes no sense to me. Just shows that anyone can say any they want on the Internet, if true or not. Had I known I would have passed on it all. Too bad for April. There's so much more to learn. Regards , David Ranieri - AKA The Dogman Professional Dog Trainer & Behavior Specialist" read more

Dave is fantastic and has made my life with my bulldog mix so much better! I rescued my 4 year old pup in December and she is the sweetest, however, had some bad tendencies in regards to other dogs, walking on a leash, and overall stubbornness. I spoke with a few different trainers but found Dave and after meeting him knew he was going to be the trainer I needed. Dave is super knowledgable and upfront. Sending your dog away for 2 weeks is hard, but having lessons with Dave and learning how to keep the training going and how to be the leader of the pack has changed my relationship with my dog. I am now the boss and her reactions to other dogs and ability to walk on leash is like night and day. I learned so much about how to work with my dog and that in order for the training to be effective, I need to be trained, as well! Going back for a lesson has been extremely helpful, as well, and this past week I have seen so much growth in my pup. I can now handle her on leash and walks, she stays by my side, and I can snap her out of her obsessiveness towards other dogs. I would recommend Dave to anyone who is looking to have a well trained dog and better their relationship with their furry friend. read more

You obviously care about your dog, otherwise you wouldn't be online right now reading review after review, searching hoping praying that you find the best trainer/training program for your dog(s). I was you, so trust me, I get it. I'm Kelly, now proud momma bear pack leader to my dog Kai, a four year old handsome as hell fun loving high energy lab. I can tell you unequivocally with all certainty you this was THE BEST decision, program, trainer, and experience (bonus!)   You can find out all on your own how many years David's been doing this and what methods he uses and blah ble blah so I'm going to skip all that.     Here's the SCOOP--David at Trouwe Hond K-9 is THE REASON I now finally have the kind of life and relationship I've always wanted and envisioned for myself, and my family, as a dog owner. Before... I could see the end game, but I just couldn't quite get us there with the training/obedience. I read the books. Watched the training videos on YouTube. You know. Did all the stuff. (Sound familiar?! You know it does) But it was David that took us there. Leveled up. I know in my gut, in my heart, 100% without question, we couldn't have gotten to this place without him.    Basically, I left our first evaluation thinking HOLY CRAP THIS IS THE DEFINITELY THE GUY WE GOTTA DO THIS. And he was.    Every detail, question, concern, plan of action, expectation, cost, all of it, was discussed fully and I never felt rushed, pacified, or stupid for asking a question or needing more clarification. He oozes honesty and is as straight of a shooter as they come.    Does it suck leaving your dog with someone else, somewhere else, for two weeks? Yeah... I guess... . If that's how you let yourself think about it. I mean, I LOVE MY DOG. But I've come to realize, that as an owner, you may love your dog but not necessarily in all the right ways, or the ways that are actually best for your dog. So yeah I made the decision to buck up, chin up, have faith, commit to doing my part as a handler fully, and remember that two weeks IS NOTHING in comparison to the long term pay off. (spoiler alert, with Trouwe Hond, you get the long term payoff!) You aren't going to get texts and photos and emails every day, or every other day even, but you'll get them. A couple days in, I got a FULL update with detail and feedback and the plan moving forward and photos. Lots of them. After another couple days, more news and photos, and then I was back on location for our first of three on site training sessions. My dog needed the groundwork and foundation on his end set in place so that when I came in, and was also taught the correct groundwork and foundation...... well to be perfectly honest, David had us straight up teed up for success. Like no brainer. Easy peasy. Like it's a do yourself a favor keep it simple stupid type of situation here my friends. He does alllllllll the hard work we can't quite seem to do, and then we just come in and do the basic must do's as handlers and boom. Done. Game changer. I couldn't have had a better experience or a more successful outcome. When you know, you know. We're forever thankful of and grateful to you Dave. We out here living our best life thanks to you! LFG! - Most sincerely, Kelly and Kai read more

We have a pit mix that has aggression towards other dogs and pulls like crazy on her leash. To a point we had trouble walking her. We reached out to Dave at Trouwe Hond and he got back to us immediately to set up a consultation. Dave is a great trainer and a no BS kind of guy who WILL get results with the dogs he trains. Our troublesome dog still has a lot of practice ahead of her, but is so much better walking on her leash, is calmer in the house, and can be near other dogs and under control. Well worth it and better quality of life for us. read more

I can't say enough good things about Dave and the Trouwe Hond K-9 services! I took Callie, my 6 and a half month old lab here and I am amazed at the results. I took her to a 12 week puppy training course at Petco and was still having obedience and behavioral issues after the course was completed. She would bark randomly in the middle of the night for no reason, jump on people when they came over, pull horribly on the leash while walking, take food off your plate/counter and took treats out of your hand aggressively. During the initial meeting with Dave he took the time to discuss what my hopes and goals were for the training. He assessed both myself and my dog and how we interacted with each other and together we decided on a plan that would be most beneficial. Callie completed her two week training program and has been home for a week now. She is overall much calmer. She no longer barks in the middle of the night and in general hardly barks at all anymore. She is tremendously better on the leash and I enjoy walking with her now! I no longer dread our walks together. She greets people much more gracefully and I don't worry that I'll lose a finger when I give her a treat anymore. We will even be applying for the AKC Canine Good Citizen certification within the near future. Dave sets a strong foundation for behavior and obedience and makes sure that when you leave you are comfortable and equipped to continue the training. He was very helpful and encouraged me to reach out when I had questions. He wants to see you succeed! Overall I am very satisfied with the results and feel that I have a stronger bond with my dog because of this training. I would definitely recommend Trouwe Hond K-9 to anyone who has a dog, you won't be disappointed! read more

David's an excellent trainer, I highly recommend him. He got my dog River for the cgc and she acted it!!! Shes a much better behavior dog now too. Her personality didn't change, shes still fun loving and playful but when its go time, I get 100% attention. Another awesome part is that you learn how to be a trainer for your dog. You continue the training on your own after David has shown you how. Highly recommended, great guy and excellent trainer!!! read more

My husband and I bought a dog days after we got married. We had always intended on finding a trainer, but doing research on dog training can produce such a headache! There are so many different types of methods and I feel very lucky to have found Trouwe Hond K-9! Dave is great with dogs! He knows what he is talking about and is passionate about what he does. He keeps nothing from his clients about how he believes dogs should be trained. Beware! Do not expect to drop your dog off and then pick it back up a few weeks later and it will be a complete perfect robot dog! It is a dog for crying out loud! You, as a dog owner will go through training too and it is not easy! I find myself to be immensely passionate about animals and the thought of them being put through anything other than fluffy clouds and rainbows tears at my heart strings, but Dave shows you that what he does is in no way harmful to the dog. He is simply correcting the dog in the ways that dogs know best. I highly recommend Trouwe Hond K-9 to anyone who has a dog. It is well worth it and my husband and I are too excited to show our dog off to all our friends and family! read more

Dave is the best trainer out there. He's been training my rottweiler since he was 11 months (he's two now), both in obedience and protection, and there's no one else I trust for it. He's a great trainer and gets results. He gives updates almost every day, including photos and pictures. Most importantly, my dog loves him and seems to have a great time with the training. Whatever kind of dog that you have, and whether you're doing just obedience or mixing protection work in as well, you should talk to Dave. read more

We brought our 5 month old German Sheppard Holly to dave for agression and dominance behaviors she was starting to show. Dave diagnosed her and kept for a week. He did a great job in a short time frame. Not only with the dog, He guided me to deal with Holly when she left. It was a great experience and I will be back for more training no doubt. Thank you Dave read more

My family and I are so happy we found Dave. As first time dog owners, we had no idea how to manage a puppy and found that our 4 month old lab, Luna, was already ruling the house. In 1 week Dave was able to help us get a handle on her behavior and then spent time with each of us to lear how to handle her. I was nervous to bring her home, afraid she'd revert back to her negative behaviors, but we were able to take a "real" walk with her- no dragging her and no being dragged! Most importantly, my kids didn't feel nervous to be around her because of constant jumping and nipping. We highly recommend Dave and his incredible expertise! read more

I have known Dave for many years - going back as early as mid-2000's. He helped train my 2 boxers. My male, Magnus, was reactive around other dogs. Our female, Roxy, just needed some standard training like place. And a solid recall. We not only were thrilled with the help Dave gave us, we also ended up boarding with him as well. He is knowledgeable and patient especially with owners like me who can be a bit nervous around a reactive dog. Fast forward to 2020, I adopted my husky/pit bull/Australian cattledog from down south - sight unseen. You never know what you will get. He is a very smart 13 week old puppy but he is definitely trying to boss me around. I immediately thought of Dave for getting some help and training. It has been a long time since I had a puppy. He took Marvin Gaye for a week and is now working one on one with me to train me. I like his style of communication. He has a great set up. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend him (and have often recommended him in the past) to anyone. He does behavior modification but he also does basic training like he is doing with Marvin and me (like how not to bite!! Puppy teeth!!). I am also planning to do Canine Good Citizen with Dave. He does amazing work. I can't say enough good things about him. read more

We recently had our dog spend 2 weeks with Dave for dominance and aggression issues. He had bitten several people and simply could not be trusted in any social situation. We were devastated thinking about the possibility of having to give him to a shelter. We chose Dave based on his many years of experience working with aggressive dogs Dave's training facilities are impressive. Extremely clean, temperature controlled and not overcrowded. Dave met with us and explained his methods up front. We knew our dog needed some serious behavioral modification, so Dave seemed like the perfect fit. After the first week, we met with our dog and Dave demonstrated what he had been working on. He had each person in our family practice the same techniques in front of him. Bailey appeared calm, confident and highly focused on Dave's instructions. He continued to provide updates and pictures during the 2 weeks so we felt even more confident that Bailey was being well cared for. Dave took Bailey to highly distracting places where there would be lots of people and other dogs. He tested him in the most challenging of situations which is exactly what you need when you have a dog who would lunge at any stranger walking by. After 2 weeks, we arrived at Dave's house to pick up Bailey. He was like a new dog! He learned to 'take place and stay', heal when walking, to come when called and the list goes on. We continue to work on reinforcing the training at home and we are just SO THRILLED that we can enjoy our Bailey and feel confident knowing he is on the right track. read more

David is a dog whisperer. I rescued 2 dogs from South Carolina in October, a boy and a girl (siblings). They were 10 mo old at the time. It was a nightmare. I wanted to send them back. More than once. They were reportedly housebroken.She peed on one rug whenever she pleased. He was fine. She barked nonstop when outside which inspired her brother to chime in. My poor neighbors. It was out of control. I had a fence put in to help with the need for exercise. They had so much energy. They were not trained AT ALL with the exception of crate trained. (they loved their crates). They did not listen to me. They became leash aggressive. Off leash and at day care they were wonderful but as soon as the leash went on BOOM...unmanageable. They are hearding dogs and nipped constantly. She bit the guy putting in the fence when he tried to untangle me in a leash mess. She lunged at men and little girls specifically. I could not walk them together. In spite of harnesses, they PULLED constantly, stopping to play/fight with each other, walk in front o me and back of me. It was impossible, intermittently lunging and barking at people and dogs passing by. I was referred to Troue Hond from a friend. Expensive- yes. That said- it is the best money I have ever spent. I love these dogs so much. They are delightful. They are TRAINED. They listen to me. I am now the alpha dog. I walk them together with ease. They walk on my left side TOGETHER. They stop and sit when I stop. They no longer pull. They do not lunge or try to attack people or dogs passing by. No more barking in the yard. No more climbing on the sofa! I thought it would be hard to keep them off but a simple "ah ah" command and they do not challenge me. They seem calmer now. They no longer have the need/pressure to be my boss. They respect me as the leader of the pack. In addition and more importantly David trained me (no easy task- I was clueless). I spent many hours learning how to be the alpha dog with David as MY trainer (thank you so much). I no longer dread a dog walking toward me on a walk, or seeing people! I am at ease when they go out to play and are not barking at every animal and any people walking by. David really understood and listened to my pups and trained them in different ways- he individualized each of their trainings. My pups were a challenge for even David. My girl was defiant and my boy had poor recall. Totally different dogs and hard for me to figure out. David unlocked the mystery of what made them tick and worked to make them the best they could be. And helped me to be a confident dog owner. I had golden retriever dogs for years. Rescuing cattle dogs (and 2 no less) was an eye opener. Not all dogs are created equal. All that said if you have a dog that you cannot control, or are at your wits end and feel hopeless make an appointment with david for a consultation. he is amazing. You will not regret it, I promise. I only with I had gone sooner (I tried on my own to train them for 4 months before David who accomplished miracle in 2 weeks for each. read more

Dave saved our dog! Our 2 year old shepherd was biting and was exhibiting a lot of anxiety. He spent two and a half weeks with Dave and is a different dog - in a good way! Dave's no-nonsense approach was exactly what our dog needed, and what we needed as his owners. We trusted him implicitly. His communication with us was great - while he had our dog he sent us detailed descriptions and pictures of the progress. Dave is so knowledgeable not only about training, but dog breeds and genetics. He also stresses that the work isn't done when you take your dog home, work needs to continue at home based on what we learned from him as owners - makes perfect sense! He trains dogs AND owners and we could tell that our success with our dog was important to him. We highly recommend Trouwe Hond and Dave the Dogman! read more

Dave was amazing. My dog had developed some fear/agression issues as she matured and I really wasn't equipped to deal with her. I took her to Dave after I tried working with three other trainers, (including some well known ones) who were unable to help us. In some cases seemed they seemed to make the issues worse. The training completely changed my relationship with my dog. She is happier and calmer. Honestly, she is a completely different dog. I have tried a number of different trainers and he is by far the best out there. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Dave to anyone looking for dog training. read more

When I brought my 1 yr old Cockapoo to Trouwe Hond I had reservations that the training would work out. My dog was extremely dominant, and as much as I tried she just would not stop the biting, jumping, and destroying my home. After a two week stay with Dave I now have dog that properly reacts to every command that was taught to her. Therefore, I have graduated from Trouwe Hond with honors. I recommend this business to anyone that is searching for the best Dog Training School on the East Coast. read more

So glad I sent my four year old coon hound rescue dog to Dave! Chase is 80 pounds and all muscle. When I would take him for walks he would pull me whenever he saw a squirrel, bunny, or other dog. It was a big problem. He also would not come if I called him and got loose once and thankfully was not hit by a car. Dave did wonders teaching Chase to heel , sit, come, down and go to his place. It was expensive but worth every penny! Walking him is such a joy now! Can't wait to take him hiking! read more

Dave was amazing! My husband and I brought our 7 month old German Shepherd for a 2 week in kennel training. Dave is truly the "dog whisperer". Both you and the dog need to learn together. You cannot expect to have a perfectly trained dog without putting in the work yourself, consistency is key. We have now had our dog home for 2 months and she is just incredible. She listens and wants to please you. Dave is always available by phone or email with any questions or concerns before during or after your dog's training! We were constantly getting email updates with pictures. Dave's training completely surpassed our expectations. We are more than happy with the result. I cannot imagine going anywhere else and have been referring everyone we know to Trouwe Hond K-9! read more

I can not say enough positive things of Dave and Trouwe Hond. My dog had almost no confidence, and was boarding along the lines of fear aggression. He was kicked out of another trainers puppy class cause he got to big(4 months 40 lbs). When I went back at 9 months the told they could not work with him cause he was an aggressive dog. I was talking to some friends at work telling them my story, and one of my coworkers started to rave about Dave. I went online looked at his website and sent him and email. I went to his place for an elevation. Right away he start to show me the problems I had with Welby(my dog). He then told me that I would need to leave him for 3 to 4 weeks. I felt at first it seemed long but then he explained to me what he had do and work on with him. He ended up staying there for 4 weeks. During that time I received weekly emails and pics from Dave. His price may be a little high to some, but I felt very fair. When the day finally cam to pick up Welby he was like a new dog. He was way more relaxed and confident. He was great on verbal commands I couldn't believe it. Dave showed me how to work with him and told me he would probably challenge me at home(which he did). However since Dave life with me and Welby have been great, and strongly recommend him. Thanks Mark read more

Dave saved our sanity and helped us out with our dog. After spending hundreds of dollars with a trainer that only addressed obedience we found Dave who taught us the difference between obedience and behavioral training. Our dogs problem wasn't that she didn't know how to sit it was that she was trying to be the leader of the pack. Dave recognized and was able to address this with her and then taught us how to take on the dominant role. After spending two weeks with Dave it's like we have a new dog, her change in behavior is truly amazing and now we have the tools to be able to handle her. It is also important to know when looking for a trainer to see their background we learned that many dog trainers just had to pass a course to call themselves certified dog trainers. Dave has certainly passed those courses but also has years of training, he has won competitions with his dog and he is a breeder. He truly knows and loves dogs and the work he does is amazing. We are very grateful to have found Dave and for the work he did with out dog! read more

Jennifer F, I dont know what your talking about but Dave NEVER had me hit, kick, or physically hurt my dog(s). In fact he trained my dog impeccably! Grissom was tearing up peoples yards, running into the middle of the road, jumping on everyone that walked into the house and chewing anything his mouth could fit around. Dave taught him who was boss, and its not him! Grissom has a much calmer demeanor now and I wouldnt dream of physically abusing ANY animal. If your dog has aggression problems, then most likely someone thats been in the industry alot longer than you have, would probably know.. read more

Beware if you are going to train your dog with Dave. He is an old-fashioned trainer, so he uses a lot of corrections (including choke chain collar corrections, space claiming or "shying" and probably others). Also, because, as he claims he does not like to work with "green owners", he really only does board and train and they are not cheap: $1500 or so for 2 weeks. He will do an eval for $60 and then refund you for that if you do a board. He also charged me for OVERTIME even after a B&T: $125. More on that later. I have done a lot of training on my own and worked with numerous trainers over the past thirteen years, in which time I've had 3 dogs. Now I was hitting a brick wall with a bolting issue on my medium rescue dog. After searching for a long time for a good mixed trainer (positive and negative), because R+ training alone was not working with him, a colleague put me on to Dave and I called four other refs who he gave me and they all raved about Dave. I scheduled an eval, at which I told Dave that my rescue spaniel/ retriever x was not remotely aggressive; but was poor on leash with other dogs (a major issue in the city) and bolting (another major issues in the city). The facility was clean and after talking with Dave and reading his literature over, I decided to go ahead and take the plunge and spend half my savings on a board and train, even though I prefer to work with my dog personally. IT was four days before I heard from Dave saying my dog was doing OK. I showed up for my first training session and the experience was so jolting I've not forgotten it. Dave told me my dog's attempt to greet me was evidence of his dominance and then proceeded to offer a LOT OF SEVERE corrections for this. It was awful. Amongst these were kicking Henry hard in the chest and LIFTING HIM OFF THE GROUND ON A CHOKE CHAIN. HE ALSO INSTRUCTED ME TO ALPHA ROLL HIM. AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, THIS METHOD OF SITTING ON TOP OF YOUR DOG AND GRABBING HIS NECK IS AN OLD SCHOOL CORRECTION WHICH EVEN THE MONKS OF NEW SKETE HAVE GIVEN UP ON. IT IS PERVERSE. DAVE ALSO TOLD ME I OF COURSE COULD NOT DO THESE "CORRECTIONS" IN PUBLIC. After this , I wrote to David to tell him I was unhappy, and not comfortable with his methods. I said I would pick Henry up and not ask for a refund , or we could find a way of working together, because I told him many times I WOULD NEVER do these corrections on my dog. I was the more disturbed because David had described a technique to me which I know is called helicoptering, and which involves nearly hanging a dog to death on a chain and then reviving him with water. David said he thinks you've saved him from death. He did not show much horror in discussing this "method". Dave kept telling me over and over again how my dog "ran dominant". How he had tried to bite him, even . Let me say that 30 lb Henry has never, not once in two years, even threatened any such thing. I was flabbergasted. Dave told me I owed it to my dog to keep him in training. After discussing it with others, I decided to leave him. I had already paid $1500 and although he seemed unkeen, he did not seem afraid of David. Much to my surprise, before I collected him the following week, David told me he had to charge me for "extra time", though he did not time-limit his owner training sessions which are INCLUDED in the B&T. The charge was $125. I did not want to quibble because I just wanted Henry back. He later confessed he charged me for "aggro" and "arguing with him". He _was_ more respectful and less harsh during training session #2-3. However, I do not like working with a dog when it involves all these corrections. Granted, I was told that if I could do it with "sufficient force", I'd not have to use them all the time. But I guess "sufficient force" is not in my nature. David repeatedly put me down during the whole training process, even telling me that in "99% of his cases there is no one who rebels or fails" like me (I guess here I am the 1% !). Although I had paid him for helping me use an ecollar to stop Henry bolting , he would not instruct me in this tool, because of my "lack of competence". He told me he knew there'd be many emails and that Henry would try to "score off me". As it happened, during training session #3 when I asked David to bring out another dog (I was not , according to him, "ready" for dog park real-world training). David worked this guy on an ecollar so I could see how it is done. I've seen dogs happier and more keen being worked on ecollars; this dog seemed miserable. Then again, when I looked at Dave's controller, it read "52"! That's on a Dogtra, and is damn high. In short, use caution with this trainer. He knows his business, but he believes strongly in dominance, he's not a good communicator , and if you are not ready to HANG YOUR DOG, KICK YOUR DOG, ALPHA ROLL, ETC, YOU'LL FAIL LIKE ME AND MAKE IT 2%, except missing 50% of your savings! read more

We brought our 4.5/5 month old German Shepherd puppy to David for a week long immersion. Our little guy wasn't a 'bad dog' by any means, but had already showed some not-so-awesome habits (pulling, nipping, barking to get attention, etc.) that we wanted to break before he got any older/bigger, and before the arrival of our baby. After scrubbing the internet for trainers, we landed on David, and could not be more grateful. Based on his overall years of experience and experience with the breed, we knew he would be a great fit for us. After a full week, our boy was returned to us as a very gentlemanly puppy - no more pulling on his leash/nipping/jumping, understands his 'place' (his bed), along with other helpful commands. David provided all the training tools necessary, rather than sending us on another errand to pick up the items he had had been using to train; making the transition back home all the more seamless. David is super professional, passionate, his facility is immaculate, and genuinely cares about your dog's well-being and success. We're excited to continue working with David to ensure our dog lives a disciplined, balanced, and happy life. read more

Hello, I found David through word of mouth from a Dog Day Care Sitter. I rescued a beautiful 13 wk old puppy from Tennessee. Well, this pretty dog bit all the time, he grew to be 80 pounds and would jump you from the back and bite like a puppy...he would bruise but not break the skin. We thought he would out grow it but nope! He is a hound mix and my family and I did two rounds of puppy training at our local pet store. Finally after being bruised for ten months (puppy is now 1 yr), I went to David with dog and problem. After consultation we signed up and left our dog there for two weeks, going every week for handler sessions. Jake (our dog) is home now and we are all still in shock. This is not the same dog. We all know it's about who's pack leader and alpha and all that but as a family we could not do this. David was kind with us, generous with his time and his wisdom and reassuring when I would email saying i felt bad for the mutt. More importantly, his expertise trained our dog into shape in no time. The training my dog received at the hands of David was superior, his property is all geared for dog training. This is not a hobby for David, he is the real deal. If you want your dog to be a wonderful dog I highly recommend hiring him. His fee is definitely equal to his level of excellence. My dog learned that he is a dog, we are the boss and life is good. Sounds so simple but this trainer is all hands on, treating these animals with a strong but respectful manner. As we left, he was bringing in a dog that had bad bad issues and Trouwe Hond was this dogs last stop. David had already gained the respect of this animal in one week. Yes, he uses corrective mechanisms but so do animals in the wild. Our pets are animals they are not people or babies like we want them to be. The Sullivans - Marshfield read more

Let me start by saying that I drove from Fitchburg MA to Hanover to meet David for my dog Cooper's evaluation. It was the BEST thing I could have ever done as a dog owner!!! I chose David based on his reviews, and he has done competitions. When I met with him I felt that he understood the issues I was having and that we had caused. This to me showed a commitment. Cooper was very dominant and had taken part in killing our cat. The last straw was cooper lunging at our neighbor. My wife did not like him and we put him out on our 200 foot dog cable run all of the time. David quickly identified some of the things that I always thought to be normal as acts of dominance. David will take your dog and do the training with them and then give you three, one hour lessons. This time is to TRAIN YOU!!!!!!! on how to handle your dog. You will need to be vigilant and committed. We picked up cooper a little less than a week ago, and we already are seeing the benefits of working with him daily. Cooper would not listen, he would pull, he would bark, he would steal food, he would not sit, stay or lay down on command!!!! He does all of these with ease. The thing we are so amazed by, is David PLACE trained him. He has a place mat and we tell him to go to his place and stay and he will. He will stay there for a long time until called. This is great for dinner time and when family comes over. We have tested this with my brothers husky. My brother, girlfriend and child all had to stay at my house with the big snow fall knocking out power. This was GREAT testing of the training of us and the Trouwe Hond K-9 program. He listened and we had to make some corrections. I will update this review as time goes on. My entire family thinks that Cooper was switched with another dog. That is what Trouwe Hond K-9 can do for you if you will listen and be commited. There are A LOT of expense trainers out there, that have terrible results. Read the reviews and make an educated decision. I would be happy to recommend David to everyone and answer any questions people have. I welcome you to ask David for my number if you would like to speak with me. read more

My husband and I were referred to Dave by friends of ours. They're dog is exceptionally well behaved and respectful. Since we had just brought home our first dog, an 8 week old GSD I decided to visit Dave. At this point we have been working with Dave for 7 months and couldnt be happier. He truly knows dogs as if he could read their minds, it's amazing! Our girl has a dominant nature about her. She wanted to be the leader. She is now respectful of the pack and is overall a happier dog. Dave trains the dog and the owner(s), which is absolutely necessary. Your dog wants to please you and they look to you for a sense of direction - it builds the dog/owner bond and Dave facilitates that. We are so thankful to Dave and highly recommend his services! read more

My 1 year old half coon hound/half irish settler had some problems, and dave really did change my dog in in the best way possible. my dog completly obeys my command and is such a joy to bring around in public without having to be embarassed about him barking or jumping on people. It is totally worth the money to have your dog trained by dave at trouwe hond k-9. read more

Dave is awesome! We have a very excitable 8 month chocolate lab named Hershey who just spent 3 weeks with him, and we couldn't be happier! We kept dismissing Hershey's bad behaviors as "puppy" behaviors. He would constantly jump up on people and oftentimes knock them down upon greeting them. We were also having trouble with Hershey when taking him for walks. Since he is over 70 pounds, he is a very strong dog, so when he pulled, it made it a very miserable experience for us when walking him, and made it impossible for our 3 children to do so. Although I must admit, I cried like a baby when I dropped him off to Dave that first day, I am completely thankful that I decided to go through with it. That first day Dave quickly reassured me that Hershey would be in good hands, telling me that the dogs he trains are treated better than he treats himself. Dave also is great with people. He tells it like it is, knows what he is talking about, and makes you feel confident that you can handle the dog properly. Before, we used to be embarrassed to take Hershey anywhere because we were scared he was going to be crazy in public, but now we have the tools necessary to handle him. We just took him on vacation with us to NH and he was terrific! We are so happy that we now have a family dog that we can all enjoy. Trouwe Hond K-9 is fantastic with amazing facilities- very clean, A/C, heat, music, and more. And I can't say enough positive things about Dave! read more