Tuff Pup is absolutely amazing! We enrolled in the Puppy Program with Sami, and we loved every part of her training. She is incredibly knowledgeable and has a natural ability to read our puppy so well. Everything she taught us was practical and genuinely useful. As first-time dog owners, we had a lot to learn, and Sami made it easy to understand our puppy's needs. She always had thoughtful answers and creative ideas we never would have come up with on our own. She was also fantastic at involving our kids in the training, which made the whole experience even more special. On top of that, she's just a wonderful human being. Our puppy was always so excited when Sami came over, which says a lot! We will definitely be scheduling more sessions in the future. After every session, we got an email with a full report on everything we learned, which was super helpful. When we first got a puppy, I didn't think training would be necessary--but now I truly wish for every new dog owner to have someone like Sami. read more

Tuff Pup was so easy to sign up for an schedule. Sami was awesome and helped us tame our crazy rescue Pitty. She listened to what we're priorities for us and came up with realistic strategies. Highly recommend working with Tuff Pup read more

Tuff Pup Training - Pet Training Near Me

Matt worked with me and my best girl, Kira, to help her with some of her anxieties. He taught me it's not about curing her anxiety but managing it. We practiced how to greet visitors, and how to calm down when barking. I learned better ways to engage with Kira, and help her thrive in high stress situations. read more

Tuff Pup Training - Pet Training Near Me

We had multiple sessions with Sami who came to our home to help us train our chihuahua puppy mix, Edie. She diagnosed certain behaviors Edie was displaying and helped guide us on how to train her to avoid these behaviors: in particular, barking at guests. She gave us pointers on potty training which helped tremendously. She taught Edie various commands and had my husband and I go through the motions to teach us how to train Edie as well. She showed us how to get Edie comfortable being in a carrier. She gave us suggestions on high value dog treats for training. After each session she'd send us a detailed email going over everything she taught us in that session and included applicable articles. Sami was always on time, so kind and professional, and gave us simple lessons that have helped us be better dog owners. I'd had personal training for my first dog Zero (who also loved it when Sami came over) but it'd had been nearly a decade so a refresher (along with new techniques) for us and Edie, particularly since her temperament is quite different from Zero's, was invaluable. read more

Tuff Pup Training - Pet Training Near Me

I've tried other dog trainers, and Sami was the best by far. She provides the most detailed write-ups and is very responsive with your questions by email. I'm really impressed by how she manages to do so much! I strongly recommend scheduling some training with her if this is your first dog, because she taught me some essential training that was not covered in all my research. She's very great at connecting with dogs too, even my very shy boy. I also had the pleasure of having Leo as a housesitter. His updates were also extremely detailed and professional. It's really nice knowing that your pets are in good, professional, fear-free hands. Also when I got home, my dog somehow had learned to fetch? Finally, in my intro, Matt generously heard my problems and offered some solutions I could start out doing for myself, which were very effective. TuffPup is a great resource, especially for beginner dog owners! read more

I can't recommend Tuff Pup Training enough - Sami is THE BEST! I have never seen my dog so excited to see someone every time she came for a training session. My pup is not food-motivated and Sami found a way to keep her engaged and motivated during training sessions with toys and other activities. After our training sessions, I feel like I have a better understanding of my pup's wants and needs and how to be a better dog mom to her. I couldn't recommend Tuff Pup (and Sami) enough, thank you for everything you did for me and Penelope! read more

Sami was an incredible trainer, quickly earning the trust and love of our pup. She sent detailed follow-up emails for each session so we knew what to practice between sessions, and overall helped us understand our dog's needs and body language much better. read more

We could not be happier with Tuff Pup! Sami was our trainer and did a fantastic job helping us build good habits with our 6 month old rescue! We had some experience raising dogs before but were especially concerned about ensuring our puppy was comfortable in the city and all its distractions. Sami was extremely helpful, listened to our concerns, answered all our follow-up questions, and always gave us detailed notes that we can refer back to. I would strongly recommend Sami to anyone thinking about a dog trainer. read more

As a first time dog mom, I was very nervous to bring home a puppy. Having not grown up with dogs, I knew I wanted guidance on the appropriate way of training, which brought me to researching training programs in the area and landing with Tuff Pup Training. Boy am I glad I found this service! I worked with Matt who was a rockstar at helping my puppy, Archibald go from learning the basic commands into more skilled tricks and behaviors throughout the 6 sessions. Archie very much enjoyed the sessions, always wagging his tail and eager to learn. Matt was always very professional, yet personable/fun. He really seems to have a passion for his job. He taught both my puppy and me a whole lot of valuable information that sets us up on the right foundation from the start together. I am very happy to have invested the time/$$ early on with Tuff Pup Training and would 100% recommend their team to any future dog parents! read more

Matt was wonderful working with my very nervous dog. He is gentle and effective. His training methods are incredibly humane, fair, and effective. He trains through positive reinforcement (during "training games"), which I believe is the only fair way to train a dog. I cannot repay Matt for the confidence he gave my pup, and the bond I gained with my dog through our training sessions. read more

Tuff Pup Training - Happy dog! After training with Tuff Pup Training, my dog can safely and happily go on walks in public places. - Pet Training Near Me

We worked with Sami to help our two Shelties, Simon and Kim, work on some of their anxiety around strangers and other dogs. Sami and the Tuff Pup approach were super helpful! The positive, force-free training really helped Simon and Kim feel comfortable and able to work. They really seemed to enjoy the sessions. Sami obviously loves dogs and it really comes through in her training skills- she never lost her patience or was frustrated even when Simon and Kim were barking their heads off. We've been seeing positive changes in their behavior and I know we have the tools we need to continue to make progress moving forward. Thanks, Tuff Pup and Sami! read more

Run do not walk to wait for booking with Tuff Pup. Sami was absolutely amazing with our dog. She listened to our needs and tailored the trainings to fit them. We can not wait to have more training with Sami. Our dog learned so much from her and it stuck, everyone we meet talks about how good of a dog she is and while I'd love to take credit for that myself, I know the obedience training that she learned from Sami was what did it. Scheduling is easy, they listen to you and they will absolutely love your dog like it's their own and that shows in their demeanor and how they treat your dog. read more

I can't recommend Sami from Tuff Pup Training enough. She was amazing at teaching us how to work through problems with our puppy in a positive and effective way. She made training fun and left us with skills and strategies to continue our pup's growth. read more

A close family friend recommended Sami to us. She worked with their pup and taught them the training tools that completely transformed their dog for the better. I have a rescue pittie, about 2.5 years old who had very reactive behaviors on walks- lunging at people and dogs we passed. She was also pulling on the leash. We did 3 sessions at our home- Sami utilized every minute of the hour we had each session to guide us on each training method. She helped us understand Nala's behaviors and how to fix them. She got my sister and boyfriend involved in the training as well since they are with Nala often. We were so impressed by how well Nala responded to the exercises. After our sessions, she would send me an email including exercises and videos that we were to practice with Nala. We did an extra session with Sami to introduce Nala to my parent's puppy. It didn't go as we hoped, but Sami taught us the exercises we would continue until they could hopefully co-exist. Nala is SO much better on walks now. She hardly pulls, and can casually walk by people without reacting. Her reaction to dogs has improved as well- she is able to see a dog and refocus on me and continue on walking. I can't say enough good things about Sami. Nala absolutely loved her and we did too! read more

Tuff Pup Training - Pet Training Near Me

Tuff Pup was amazingly helpful when we got our new puppy. Matt answered all of my frantic phone calls quickly and had all the right answers. He was very informed, had tons of educational resources, and did a wonderful job of relaying that information to us. Highly recommend Tuff Pup! read more

We just finished the 6 week puppy program with Sami and our new pup. Long time dog people, we still learned so much from Tuff Pup about how to handle and bond with our growing puppy. Super high energy and positive exercises for integrating her into our lives. Highly recommend!! read more

Sami is a fantastic dog trainer - she taught our pup so many useful techniques that we never would've thought of on our own. You could tell she really cared about all the puppies in the class and really knows what she's doing. I highly recommend the Tuff Pup Jr classes if you have a new puppy! read more

Well, this one's a little overdue. . . We had a fantastic experience with Matt Schimsky, the owner of Tuffpup Training. Matt is a natural for this line of work and gets results to boot. My wife got me a two year old German Shepherd for our engagement from a rescue agency in Maryland. Douglass was quite a piece of work when we got him, and frankly we were a little concerned about how to handle him and establish a trusting relationship. We already had an older shepherd in our home who is a very sweet and very obedient dog, so we figured she'd help us turn Douglass around. Turns out we needed more, so we called Tuffpup. Matt was easy make arrangements with and clearly described the services and prices he offered. We chose a six-session package for $300. Until then, I had never considered hiring someone to train an animal. It was well worth it. Matt earned his fee, and our respect, within ten minutes of having arrived at our house. Douglass is quite animated and used to become ABSOLUTELY INSANE when visitors came to our home. Before even coming into our living room Matt said "watch this" and turned his back to Douglass and folded his arms calmly without saying a word. As if controlled by marionette strings, Douglass sat down on the floor dead silent, awaiting instruction. Astounding. From there he taught us how to train our dog over the next few weeks. We still use the methods he taught us to refine existing behaviors and teach new ones. Our thirteen year old dog has even started to respond, not that she needed it. Scheduling was easy and flexible. Matt is quite personable and has a natural rapport with animals. He clearly explained the techniques he used and why they're effective. He left us homework sheets to be used for future reference. The curriculum was flexible and tailored to our specific case. The price was worth it. I highly recommend his services to anyone wishing to train a difficult animal or just to establish a better relationship with any animal. Douglass remains a gentleman and a great addition to our household. Thanks Matt! Jason McElroy read more

After deciding to adopt a very energetic and loving 9 month old Terrier mix, my girlfriend and I started to realize that aside from basic commands or teaching it not to pee in the house that there was A LOT more we needed help with!!! We needed someone to help us address Tina's issues so that we could do more than just coexist with her. Specifically, our new pup - Tina - had issues when we had guests come over to the house and how she greeted them (jumping, barking, over excitement) as well as learning to walk on a leash while being around other dogs (barrier frustration). We called Matt and after explaining to him what we were looking for, we decided to go with a series of "Behavior Consultations" with the understanding that if we were not satisfied that we would just pay for the first one. Within mere moments of entering our house and observing Tina's behavior, Matt was able to explain to us what her key issues were and demonstrated techniques to address them. As we worked with Matt he was always assertive, upbeat and positive while instilling in both my girlfriend and I the confidence we needed to effectively put into practice what he was teaching us. Even better was that after each session Matt made himself available via phone or email and was more than happy to answer our many questions, provide further details as well as recommendations on toys, products, follow up reading and other resources available. As someone who was skeptical about the decision to spend the money on a dog trainer, I have complete confidence in saying that anyone who chooses to use Tuff Pup Training will be glad they spent the money!!! QUICK TIP: I want to make sure people know that Tuff Pup Training is NOT LIKE Cesar Millan or any type of "pack theory" or dominance training, which sometimes calls for owners to use force or fear. Instead Tuff Pup training focuses on "behaviorism." You will learn about why your dog acts a certain way and what you can do to create an alternate, desired and positive result, in a manner that is safe and never aggressive! read more

My wife and I decided to rescue, LIbby, our 4 month old pitbull mix from PAWS. We really felt in over our heads as novice dog owners in the first few weeks. From housebreaking, to painful and bloody puppy biting, to poor doggy play manners - google, youtube and cesar milan on netflix just didn't provide a satisfactory solution. We needed help and decided to enlist ourselves in Matt's 6 session weekly puppy program. Tuff Pup utilizes positive reinforcement clicker training to shape your puppy's behaviors. With a train-the-trainer type of program, Matt comes to your home and teaches you proper clicker training technique. It just feels great to use positive reinforcement and not fear or dominance to raise our pup. Matt started slowly with important basics like the "name game" and then builds off of that every week. His calm demeanor and training style sets a wonderful example of how to act as an owner, especially when your puppy is being stubborn and unruly. Now a graduate of the program, we continue to get compliments at the dog park about our puppy's behavior. Additionally, Matt helped us implement activities that really enrich our dog's life and keep her very well rounded and balanced. I also appreciate that Matt has made himself available during and even after the program to troubleshoot any setbacks or regressions. Tuff Pup Training gave us all the tools we needed to develop and maintain a positive relationship with our new puppy! read more

My 8 month-old Tennessee Brindle coon hound (what can I say? a rescue!) had failed out of classes at a highly recommended Canine Training Center. He was not food-motivated, and was much more interested in paying attention to other dogs than paying attention to me. I am so glad I found Matt. He was simply fantastic, he made "games" out of all of the training, and that made Rupert so much more attentive and eager to please. On top of this, reading Matt's literature, which he provided during the first class, actually changed my relationship with Rupert, from a "Rupert please do this NOW" to a "Wow let's go have fun!". Do not hesitate: sign Matt on to help you train your dog. It will help both you and your dog have better lives. read more

Audrey was amazing and really helped our puppy be her most well-behaved self! Her training style is very gentle and positive and our puppy was always so excited to see her. After every session, she provided us with notes that we can look back on to make sure we absorb everything from our sessions. She has extensive knowledge about every behavioral issue and always provided practical and useful advice. I would definitely recommend Audrey and Tuff Pup Training to anyone! read more

Matt was very experienced and you could tell he truly cared about you and your dog making a connection. He sat down with my roommate and I to talk about a reactive dog, and what we would need to manage the dog. I discussed with him the options of managing a reactive dog in the city, and he gave me all the options on what I could do about it. He gives you papers going over what you did that day, so you can focus on the repetition and getting the actual exercise down and don't need to worry about the exact details. This is very helpful if you tend to be forgetful, like me, or just need a quick refresher. Ultimately, I made the decision to give the dog up since he wasn't good fit for the city. I can't thank Matt enough for the information he gave me and the time he spent with me. He really cares about you, the animals, and his business, and it definitely shows. read more

Our dog had been struggling with separation anxiety ever since we moved to a new apartment. He was escaping from his crate, trying to open doors, and barking in distress (earning a complaint from the neighbor in the process) when we tried to leave him. Worried he was going to harm himself and about the noise, we were unable to leave him alone for several months. At a loss by that point, we reached out to Tuff Pup. Matt was incredibly generous with his time and spent 45 minutes on the phone with us, answering all our questions and hearing more about our dog's issues. We ended up working with Sami, who was great. She taught our dog - and us! - a lot, and was always quick to respond to our questions outside the sessions. After a month and a half (and 3 sessions during that time), we were able to leave our dog alone again. The cost of training is expensive but worth it. Before going with Tuff Pup, we initially tried going with a cheaper trainer, who wasn't nearly as accessible and only did virtual visits. We weren't happy with them and turned to Tuff Pup, and we could immediately tell the difference. Go with Matt and Sami; they're worth it! read more

I don't think I can say enough good things about Matt and Tuff Pup Training! My boyfriend and I adopted a puppy about a year ago, and spent her first few months in group obedience classes. That wasn't the best fit for our pup, who loves to play so much that she just couldn't focus in that environment. We decided to invest in private training, which turned out to be well, well worth the money. Immediately we noticed that Tuff Pup's training goes far beyond "basic obedience." Yes, your dog will learn the desirable skills that you're wanting them to know, but Matt's teaching style is more about developing a relationship with your dog where they respect you and want to please you, and guiding their behavior in a positive way so they begin to listen to you naturally, not begrudgingly. Matt is also AMAZING with dogs. Our dog immediately loved him, and he so clearly cares about animals that it makes him super trustworthy - he will always advocate for what's best for your dog. He was professional, punctual, extremely helpful and just a pleasure to work with during the whole training program. Finally, if you're like me, you may be worried about being judged by your trainer on any lack of skills or obedience on your dog's part. Not once did Matt do anything but encourage us and make us feel like we had true potential to teach our dog everything she needs to know. He made us 100% comfortable and feeling great the whole time. Having experienced two different dog training companies in Philadelphia first-hand, I would recommend Tuff Pup without a doubt. read more

We just finished our last recall session. Sami has been so helpful and patient with both our dog and us. Pumpkin has come such a long way from where she was. Pumpkin is a runner when she gets off leash. Although we aren't quite there yet where we trust her off leash, I know if we continue to practice the tools Sami taught us Pumpkin will soon be trusted off leash! I would recommend Tuff Pup Training to anyone! read more

Tuff Pup Training was exactly what we needed when welcoming a new puppy/family member I to our lives. Matt was professional and extremely patient and helpful during each session. You can tell how much research, education, and overall passion they have for dog training (and dogs). I highly recommend to anyone who is looking for guidance when welcoming a new puppy into your life! read more

When my husband brought back a French bulldog puppy from a recent trip abroad, it was love at first sight! Then she started peeing all over our house, and I wanted to send them both back! We hired Matt at Tuff pup to help us train our new addition. Matt was patient, kind, always punctual, and full of knowledge. He's like the dog whisperer. When we hired Matt 6 weeks ago, we felt like lost & hopeless puppy parents. Fast forward 6 weeks and Sophie is listening to commands, pottying outside, and is learning something new every day! We would never have gotten this far in 6 weeks without Matt's help. If you have a new puppy and are feeling lost & hopeless like we were, you need Tuff Pup in your life! read more

Matt is very professional and accommodating with his flexibility in his schedule.

I've had such a good experience with Tuff Pup! My rescue pup and I were struggling with leash reactivity and Sami taught us techniques to work on this as well as strategies for introducing her to new people in a way that makes her more comfortable. I've already seen such an improvement in a short amount of time and am confident we'll be able to continue working toward our goals. I'm so glad I went with Tuff Pup! read more

We worked with Casey to help our dogs learn to get along as we blended families. She was patient and had a calming effect on the three dogs as well as the humans. We started with a very stressful situation and just a few months later, all the dogs were getting along perfectly. We never would have been able to do that without Casey's help! She was professional and responsive and helped us achieve amazing results. We can't recommend her enough. read more

We adopted a Lab-Greyhound mix from NGAP sometime in January of 2018 and have had a pleasant experience for the most part. He is a bit reactive to other dogs and reactive to fast-moving objects. We enrolled him in Tuff Pup Training to get some of his reactivity under control, and it was definitely worth every penny. The biggest plus to Matt was his knowledge and expertise first and foremost. My partner had a raised a dog before, but he had a puppy which is a different experience when compared to dealing with an adult rescue. We looked online for training information, but what we found from the sources seemed to be biased, not very informative, or pro domination or being an alpha to your dog constantly. Although it is important to be a good leader to your dog, I do believe some of the stuff you read online could lead to aggression if followed without context, which is not what we wanted. Matt gave us knowledge of how we can teach our dog to see training as a fun and rewarding experience for him. Despite being a rescue our dog had some previous home training and was clearly receptive to games. So Matt's use of clicker training works very well for our dog's temperament. He suggested we used training tools such as a thunder shirt (we opted for a weighted vest to tire this guy out), a gentle lead (which we use in a way that guides our dog on walks, similarly to how you would guide a horse), and positive association for when we see another dog instead of moving away instantly. Overall, the training has worked and our dog definitely is less reactivity with other dogs and fast moving objects. This makes a huge difference on walks because our dog is more focused, reaches threshold more slowly, and looks for a treat when stimulated instead of reacting out of fear. Matt will give you homework and you must make sure to stick to your dog's training or backsliding will occur early on, and frustration will set in for both you and your dog. A final positive about his services, is you learn to understand your dog and become more experienced with how to deal with your dog on your own. You are being taught to be a dog trainer yourself, and that matters because setbacks will occur with all dogs even after training is completed. Matt is a teacher that will leave you with the tools and knowledge needed that will last a lifetime. This alone makes him well worth the price of his services, and the fact you can contact him anytime afterwards is an even bigger plus. read more

Couldn't of been happier with Matt and his training style. He was very confident, professional and broke things down in very easy to understand terms. Each week you're given a new set of games to practice with your dog and all are fun. Our new pup wouldn't be as well behaved if not for Matt's guidance. If you're looking for a dog trainer that specializes in positive reinforcement I would highly recommend Tuff Pups to anyone in the Philadelphia area. read more

My fiancee and I rescued a dog from the SPCA a few years ago. His neglectful owners prior to being adopted left him outside to fend for himself. He was never socialized with any animals at all. We knew we needed a trainer when we brought Charlie home and he attacked a stone statue of a pig in our backyard. Thank goodness it wasn't a real animal! We contacted Matt at Tuff Pup. In two sessions, our dog made huge progress. Matt spoke with me on the phone for a long time before our first session. He told me his aggression was very common with certain rescues. We've had Charlie close to 4 years now and he is the sweetest dog. A few training sessions also trained us as pet parents. We now understand how Charlie is feeling and what we need to do to help our dog. I highly recommend Tuff Pup. I've recommended Matt to a bunch of my clients and they've all used him too. Tuff Pup is a winner! read more

Tuff Pup Training is fantastic. Our 2 yr old lab, Nigel, was generally a pretty good dog, but he had some terrible habits (pulling while walking, for example) that we could not correct, no matter how much we tried. Matt did a great job teaching us how to work on these behaviors and taught us methods that we could use in the future. Nigel no longer pulls my shoulder out of its socket on walks, and in fact, his behavior has gotten some compliments from strangers on the streets! I would recommend Tuff Pup Training to anybody. read more

Matt did a fantastic job with our two pups. He was patient and kind throughout our sessions, training our pups and educating us. Chip & Opie responded to him and his methods of making training into a form of play. I thoroughly recommend Matt and Tuff Pup training. read more

I have nothing but great things to say about Matt, his training techniques, and his impact on both our dog and our lives. In our house we've nicknamed him "The Puppy Whisperer" because he can make our dog do things (from basic to elaborate) that we could not achieve on our own With a new puppy on the way and no knowledge about how to actually care for a puppy, we read the reviews for Matt and decided to give his initial Puppy training 6 week course a try. I was a bit wary and cautious, but signed up after talking it through with Matt. First and foremost Matt is incredibly professional. Always on time to our house, if he is running late he will let you know in advance. He comes equipped with leashes, treats, and other items you may need at first if you are, like us clueless and don't know what you are doing. He always has a leave behind summary of the day's session so that you don't have to take notes but can really listen during your sessions. He mixes up outside and inside activity. Most important, he was incredibly bonded with our dog. He was able to teach our dog to sit, stay, lay down, walk on a loose leash, look at me, drop something, and leave something behind all in 6 hours of class. That's amazing. He is also available by email or phone for follow-up questions and issues. I have been telling any dog owner that is having problems and will listen to call Matt. He's great. J read more

We had a wonderful experience with Matt and his excellent, calm training methods . We adopted a very sweet, very high energy 8 month old pup. We soon realized we had some housebreaking issues and also normal puppy exuberance /craziness issues. I called Matt in tears and he spent 1/2 hour on the phone talkIng me through some options, before I'd even signed up for his services! We chose the six session puppy training, and it was worth every penny. From crate training to leash walking to door greeting to listening, Matt covered it all , in a happy, calm, positive reinforcement-oriented way. I would recommend Tuff Pup and Matt without reservation ! We have a better relationship with our pup thanks to Matt! read more

Matt is a fabulous trainer. He really helped me understand how much potential my dog had, making sure I didn't settle for a pup that was always going to be misbehaved. He is incredibly professional in all he does and a fun guy to work with. We highly recommend him. read more

I had such a great experience with Tuff Pup from beginning to end. I put in the initial inquiry and Matt spent a lot of time chatting with me about my concerns and which program would work best for my puppy. I went with the in-house Puppy Program with Sami and it was great. Each training session built on skills we learned in the previous class and really taught us how to train our puppy Aniston and set him up for success. Sami was patient, super friendly, and knowledgeable. I really can't recommend the classes and training enough working with Tuff Pup has been awesome! read more