Working with Urban K-9 has been life changing for me! Lulu was absolutely incredible in helping us with Charlie's separation anxiety. From day one, she was straightforward, honest, and clear about what we needed to work on, which I truly appreciated. She didn't sugarcoat things, and she was always patient and supportive throughout the entire process. Her knowledge and expertise were obvious in every session. She explained the "why" behind everything we were doing, which gave me so much confidence and clarity. Thanks to Lulu's guidance, Charlie has made huge progress, and I feel so much more equipped to help her continue to gain confidence. If you're dealing with separation anxiety (or any training challenges), I can't recommend Lulu enough. She's the best! read more

Natasha was such an incredible support for me and my delightful but very challenging teenage pup. My dog had quite literally eaten my couch the day Natasha showed up for our initial consultation, during which she recommended very doable environmental and routine adjustments that made an immediate difference in the dog's behavior, the state of my home, and my completely frayed nerves. The training sessions that followed helped transform my pup from an extreme leash tugger with zero regard for my attempts at recall and a tendency to eat things that landed her in the ER into an attuned dog who, despite still making her way out of the teenage phase, is now pleasant to take on walks, fun to play with off leash, and often gets praised by unknowing strangers as "so calm" and "well trained." We achieved this during a perfect storm of digestive challenges limiting the ability to reward with high value treats, hormonal swings during a rager of a heat cycle, and high exercise needs that were challenging to meet for a dog that couldn't safely be off leash. Natasha made me feel optimistic, free of judgment, and had so much empathy for me and my dog throughout. read more

Life-changing for us. At my wit's end thinking there was no way I could make any progress with my dog, I reached out to Urban K-9. UK is our third trainer--the other two were also quite valuable, but we needed something different for this time in our lives and in our dog's life. First, our initial inquiry was answered the same day. That's a big deal. Second, We described our dog and the issues we wanted to address, so we Natasha was assigned to us. She's wonderful, and we've only had two sessions. I already feel hope and I see progress. We're getting the training--not just our dog. Third, For the level of expertise UK offers, the cost is not a lot. I've paid double, which was also "worth it," but that for us, the cost doesn't break the bank. I'm writing this like a list for some reason. Forget the numbers. UK and Natasha are a gift. A total gift. I appreciate it understanding the "why" and the "how" of our lessons. It's clicking for us and the doggie digs Natasha, so there's that. Also, aside from the in-person lessons, Natasha gives us such good homework. The dog himself seems to enjoy the lessons--it's like a game for him. The mental stimulation makes him tired. I am beyond impressed, happy, and grateful. In a nutshell: Responsive, cost-friendly, effective, and fun. read more

Urban K-9 - The dog himself. - Pet Training Near Me

I will be forever grateful I found Urban K-9 and Natasha and I'm sure they will change the lives of any dog owner they come across!!! I have a little Havanese fireball that I got when she was 2 months old. Unlike my previous gorgeous, gentle natured Golden Retriever, this little Havanese is just energy all day around and, not sure why, very nervous and shy around anyone that is not her family members. We tried a few puppy socialization classes and some at-home training, but it wasn't enough. I wasn't able to properly communicate and train her in the way that she needed so I started looking for a trainer that would be able to board young puppies for training... in comes Natasha. She was great from the get go!!! While they weren't able to take my puppy right away as she was still pending some shots and they had no open spots for boarding, Natasha offered a few in-home sessions while my little pup could go to her home. Mind you I'm in Manhattan and Natasha is in Brooklyn, but she still makes it work. We had two sessions before my little one went home with Natasha, and while progress was not huge (which I totally think was on me) Natasha was amazing at giving clear instructions, identifying problem areas that I should focus on and following up to see how we were both doing. Once she was able to take the little one home, she immediately made me feel at ease. It wasn't more than 45 minutes before i got a video with my pup getting acclimated to her temporary home and Natasha's dogs. She followed up every day with a ton of videos, pictures and audios of her progress. It was also great that in addition to her dogs she also boards other dogs that she knows are well behaved and friendly so any pup that she's training at home gets an incredible amount of socialization. This was one of the most important things for me, because it was definitely not something that i was going to be able to do in the middle of a pandemic. To top it all Natasha has a great sense of humor so I found her commentary hilarious! When my little one came back 2 weeks later she was a completely different dog. She knew all of the important commands (sit, down, place, stay) and came with a few parlor tricks that I found just absolutely adorable (paw, roll-over). She was even doing much better at walking on the leash. More importantly, she loves Natasha, her husband and her dogs. My little one has stayed with Natasha a few times for boarding after her 2-week training stint and every time they come and get her she's just excited to see them. At 10 months, she still has a bit more to go to be a fully well trained dog (I'm thinking GCC level), but thanks to Natasha she's a perfect house pet and member of my family. Anything she does that is not necessarily a good behavior I know is because I haven't followed Natasha's instructions :) read more

Our 7 month old mini-Doubledoodle Merman has had it rough. He broke a paw at 10 weeks, and re-broke it at 16 weeks. As a result, he spent a lot of his puppyhood in a cast, unable to play, walk, learn, or socialize with other dogs in a normal way. Thank GOODNESS for Dani, Urban K-9 and their amazing trainer McClain, who started working with Merman between casts, and who took him home for puppy training for two weeks! Merman came home 24 hours ago, and we really feel he has turned an incredible corner from sad puppyhood to big dog fun!! He sleeps in his crate without a whimper. He heels with an auto-sit when we stop walking. He sits, stays, responds to off, down, and place -- all amazingly helpful. He seems happier and more engaged, and really just thrilled to be a puppy bouncing around Brooklyn! Our neighbors are AMAZED. Thank you thank you!!! read more

Urban K-9 - Pet Training Near Me

Urban K-9 exceeded our expectations. We recently moved to Brooklyn and our border collie was experience some anxiety/new behavior. That's when I reached out to Urban K-9 and Dani set us up with McClain. McClain provided us with the right tools, offered suggestions and gave us homework to do with our pup. For example, our border collie would get "jealous" and would also want to get some affection every time we hugged each other, McClain should us a technique we could use and in a couple of hours our pup gave us our space. She genuinely listened to our concerns and spoke to us from one dog parent to another. We highly recommend them! read more

Dani is a Godsend. I don't often write reviews but when I write one like this, I make sure that I have used the service for an extended period of time to make sure I'm have enough data points about the service. We have a large working dog in Manhattan (70lb 7 month old giant Schnauzer). It is so hard finding a good trainer in NYC who can train LARGE WORKING DOGS. Then we found Dani. Our issues ranged from him peeing in the house to him lunging at strangers to his intense teething. We used another well-reviewed trainer before Dani who cost just as much as Dani but we didn't feel confident in their abilities and hoped that there was a better alternative. We reached out to Urban K-9 based purely on the huge amount of positive reviews. She responded IMMEDIATELY (a common response time for her), but told us we would have to wait a month until our first session (clearly she was in high demand!). We were desperate for a better solution, so we waited the month. From our first meeting, we knew she was the right call. She had actual techniques, that we couldn't arrive at on our own, to help with walking as well as with his "active mouthing" (I'll call it). I don't want to promise similar results, but within a week, he was walking sooooooo much better when we started to walk with him how she told us too. I will say this, her techniques are not always convenient :) but when you have a large working dog in a city, you better listen to her because we have made HUGE improvements sticking to her processes. Even recently, our dog stopped going into his crate for some reason and she pointed out a big mistake we had been making in teaching our dog to relate to this crate. Since following her advice, he will now generally enter his crate when we ask versus running away from it. I can't say enough good things. And we're very harsh critics. We have let go of several walkers, groomers and trainers. Dani is the real deal. We have been with her 4 months and will stay with her as long as she'll have us and our massive pup as clients read more

My husband and I adopted Bowie from a rescue when he was just over 1 year old. At first, he seemed like the perfect dog, but as happens often, once he was comfortable with us some bad behavior cropped up - lunging at dogs and people on the street, not coming when called, tugging on the leash - culminating in him nipping a stranger on the street. I grew up with dogs all my life, watched a lot of Caesar Milan, Solid K9 and other dog training videos, but it wasn't clicking and having a dog in the city is an entirely different animal. Cue Dani! She showed us all the fundamentals - how to use a prong collar, place command, down stay, voice recognition, recall - that put Bowie back on track. He's an even better version of himself. We also got our confidence back walking him and his record has been clean since! She also was great about coming to us in Hoboken too. Don't wait too long like we did until things escalate if you have issues - get a great trainer like Dani ASAP! read more

Urban K-9 - Pet Training Near Me

We've been using them to help train our new puppy. McClain is terrific and our puppy has been making great progress. McClain also introduced us to others locally with similar age puppies for socialization play dates - and that has been so helpful during Covid. read more

Dani and the Urban K9 team are as good as it gets! Our beautiful Ruby joined the family when she was 8 weeks old and so did Dani. Dani guided us thru every phase while diligently training Ruby to be pure joy. We could not have done it without Dani! Thank you, Dani! read more

Urban K-9 - Ruby being a wonderful guest at the neighbors. - Pet Training Near Me

My sister and I are two Oregon transplants living in Brooklyn. We grew up around large dogs and when we decided to get a dog, we knew we wanted to stick to a larger, sporting breed. We also knew it would require a lot of time and commitment to keep him happy and healthy, but we were ready and willing. What we weren't prepared for was what it took to raise a happy, healthy, well-mannered dog in NYC. It's a whole different ball game. Working with a dog trainer was a foreign concept for us, but at the ripe age of six months we knew we needed help. We met with a few trainers along the way. There were a variety to choose from, but not many who seemed to have a ton of training and background in the profession. It was almost like the stumbled into it instead of having a proven and trusted background and commitment to learning and teaching others about dog behavior and training techniques. (Let alone hire people to work for them that have certification and training). Until we met Dani! When we first met with her she just "got us," understood our frustrations, knew our goals and was very honest about what needed to be done. We can say, without question, if it hadn't been for the foundational skills Deacon (our dog) and WE learned through the initial two-week board and train, we would not be the happy household we are today. He had a habit of lunging at joggers, scavenging for "street treats," jumping up, nipping, pulling on walks, barking at skateboards - you name it, he probably did it. He was a puppy, but he was slowly taking over. Knowing that this 20lb fuzzball was going to be a 63lb, muscular dog we knew all this needed to change. In two short weeks, and with the follow up training sessions, Dani helped us re-establish order and hierarchy. She trained him on the foundational skills, then trained US to reinforce the rules and set expectations for him. Reminding us (always) that just being cute isn't enough to get away with improper behavior. And showing us that he could do a lot more than we were asking of him. After the board and train, we were all much calmer. He loved his crate, he stayed in his place (bed) when we ate dinner, he didn't lunge at joggers, he knew there were rules and that he was expected follow them. Overall, he was a happier dog, and we are much calmer and happier household. Over the next 18 months we have continued working with Dani on obedience and recall. In fact, when we are at the park or dog runs, we are repeatedly told by other dog owners how amazed they are at our ability to call him off of dogs, toys, or rowdy behavior. He's even been used as the 'example dog' during some other courses as to what a good recall looks like. Talk about being a proud parent! This week Deacon successfully received his very first TWO titles for the AKC's Canine Good Citizen Program both the CGC, and the advanced CGCA!!! He did so well that after the evaluation one of the dog owners in the class was asking another trainer "How can we get our dog to behave like that big red one?!?" I can trace it all back to the foundation that Dani help us set and her ongoing commitment to training Deacon and US!! I would highly recommend Dani and her team at Urban K9 - including the amazing Rain - if you have any behavior issues with your dog or not! We should all continually be learning how to be better dog owners. Thanks Dani!! read more

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Meant to do this sooner. Dani and our little rescue had an instant connection. He went from pulling us down the block to walking right beside us. She was patient and calming when we were at our wits end. Even his leash reactivity when seeing other dogs has improved so much. Thank you, Dani. read more

Urban K-9 - Pet Training Near Me

By chance, we spotted Dani and a colleague training two dogs in our local park early last summer and were almost mesmerized by how they controlled their two dogs in training. We had our little toy breed mutt with us, who was and is pretty easy to control....and felt almost smug that we didn't hadn't needed to use a trainer for him. Fast forward just a couple of months and we've just adopted our beautiful small-ish shepherd mix, at about 9 months old. We quickly realized that we needed help, and Dani/Urban K-9 popped straight into our heads. With our easy little dog we'd become accustomed to off leash time in Prospect Park and general easy going hanging out. With the new doggy it was clear that she was just so excited about the outside world, and the creatures (squirrels etc.), that there was no way we could just expect to her to go along with things. Despite our best efforts she pulled on the leash and just generally paid us no attention at all outside the home. From the outset Dani was just amazing. She is always calm, clear, reassuring and encouraging. To us she's just one of those people who is completely genuine and straightforward, and evidently extremely knowledgable and experienced. She gave us simple takeaways and things to practice and we really saw a difference. We started with the basics of clicker training and then that carried us through the things we learned. For us it mostly focused on heeling, sit/down stay etc. We did about 5-7 sessions and then of course carried on practicing. Now we about 9 months on from working with Dani and I can confidently take my dog for off leash time in Prospect Park. It's still a work in progress and I notice that anytime I'm not consistent with the approaches Dani showed us things slip a bit, but we really are in such a different place from before we started working with Urban K-9. Another achievement for our new dog that was only possible thanks to what we learned with Dani is that she was certified by a non-profit to do therapy dog work with me (visiting hospitals etc.). This involved passing a brief exam, and then taking a six week course where she had to sit in another room with other dogs and be disciplined enough to ignore them while all the teaching when on, something again I never could have imagined before taking classes with Dani. We would really highly recommend Dani and her team. She takes a personalized approach, taking time to listen and understand what your own needs and goals are for your dog, and works together with you to meet them. read more

Day one: sit/stay, down/stay. Clicker is magic! Week 3: walking with less pulling?1 more, More, MORE! I'm loving it! read more

We were at our wits end after a bad reaction to an anti-inflammatory undid all our housebreaking training. But after just one session with Natasha the accidents stopped cold. She was so helpful and informative--I felt totally empowered and back in control. And by following her instructions, not only do we now have a urine-free home, but also a MUCH more relaxed and happy dog. Yay! read more

Natasha and Urban k-9 went above and beyond to help my son and I with our rescue pup. From before our initial visit Natasha was available to help with every question and concern I had (and there were many). She was patient, endlessly empathetic and brought a depth of knowledge to all of our sessions. She respected my son and included him in our training, empowering him to be a leader and a big part of our dog's training. Whenever an issue came up she had a solution. She was flexible and listened to our needs. If I could give her ten stars it still would be be enough! read more

Dani is truly a MIRACLE WORKER! I was at my wits end with my 3 month old puppy, I had no idea where to start between the teething, ankle biting, crying, and leash pulling. But then, Dani came to the rescue. Within minutes of meeting and getting to know my puppy Chip, she had him figured out, and he was listening to sit and come within minutes. Dani takes the time to analyze your concerns as a pet owner, observes your dog's behavior, and gives you all the resources and training needed to train your dog to be your best friend. One thing I find fascinating is that she brought her older dog Rain with her to our training session, and taught me the importance of socializing your animal to other animals, humans, and stimulus in the environment. Her adorable dog Rain even provided some "corrections" to my dog, which allows him to learn what is acceptable and what is not. Dani is the best, she has made being a dog Mom the most amazing experience! read more

Dani is a brilliant and natural dog trainer. I had never owned a puppy before and Dani was the perfect guide to help our family train our new toy poodle. All the stress of sleeping, pooping, peeing, sitting, etc. were gone with a handful of sessions. Dani is quick at responding to questions and is warm and reliable. read more

Dani was wonderful at working with our dog Frankie to combat her fears and to make her LISTEN. Frankie was incredibly willful and refused to come when we call her (or follow any basic commands). Dani even took extra time to work with Frankie, and we could not be more grateful. We highly recommend her for all your dog training needs!! read more

Dani is fantastic! She worked with our puppy and, while he had no real behavioral issues, she showed us how to work with and manage his puppy exuberance. He now listens to us promptly and walks politely on a leash. More than anything, we appreciated how she concentrated on showing US how to control and teach the dog so that we can continue to work with him after the sessions are over. read more

10 out of 5 stars/ I can't recommend enough! I started working with Dani (referred to me by some friends) as soon as I adopted my new pup (Yzma) and it was the best decision I could have made. I spent a week just trying to get Yzma to sit, and Dani had her doing it within the first 5 minutes. Not only that, but Yzma has retained it (and numerous other skills Dani taught her) ever since. Dani also did a fantastic job teaching me how to do the training on my own. She is so smart, knows how dogs think, and knew exactly how to communicate what we wanted to teach the pup. Even if you think you have a well behaved dog, work with Urban K9 and you'll have one of the best trained dogs in Brooklyn! read more

Urban K-9 - Working on our recall. Dani had her obeying "sit", "stay", and "come" within (literally) minutes! - Pet Training Near Me

We got our dog, Zelda, when she was just 5 weeks old. Zelda is half Great Dane and half Catahoula. I'd never gotten a puppy before and felt very unsure of myself. I found Dani thru an internet search and called her, pleading her to come to my house ASAP to help me. She was there the very next day. Since then, our family has come to rely on Dani for all our dog training and boarding needs. Dani immediately gave us the tools to help train Zelda. She didn't only work with Zelda, she worked with our entire family. The truth is that you can't train a dog unless you train the entire family. To add to the difficulties of training a puppy, we soon found out that Zelda was deaf. Dani was very confident that she could still train our dog...and she did. Within a short period of time, Dani helped housebreak Zelda, helped us get Zelda to come when called, got Zelda to walk on her leash without pulling us and a bunch of other great things. Today, at 2 years old, Zelda is a well-behaved pooch and, honestly, we could not done it without Dani's love, patience and keen understanding of dogs. I have no problem calling Dani for any question or problem I have with Zelda - and Dani always calls me back within 24 hours and gives me sound advice that always seems to work....she's our own dog whisperer :) read more

Seriously the best money I have ever spent -- Dani is an amazing dog trainer. When I moved to New York, my 4 year old rescue pup was extremely overwhelmed and was having severe issues with leash reactivity to other dogs to the point where I absolutely dreaded going outside. It took literally one session for a MASSIVE change in her reactions, and in just a few sessions and consistent effort on my part, my dog is able to walk behind, in front of, and towards other dogs on the busy streets of Manhattan. We still have our imperfect moments - especially another dog is ferociously barking and lunging at her - but it is 1000% more manageable, and my dog recovers so quickly with the tools that Dani has taught me. She has also helped me immensely with other basic obedience skills that my dog was lacking (like jumping on people, leash pulling, and not following the "stay" command). I can't thank Dani enough for changing our lives! Don't hesitate to reach out to her -- her balanced approach made positive change possible for a situation that felt hopeless. read more

Meh, I experienced better client communications from other trainers. I'm not saying that what these folks do here is bad. I just wouldn't know. I emailed dani several times over the last week and so but not once did I get any followup after the initial email. Perhaps they didn't want my business. Perhaps it was something else but that's fine with me. That's just 3k to someone else who is willing to respond to a simple email. I even followed up with a call after 48 hours and that went straight to voicemail several times to email again. Not really sure what the point of that is but maybe other people would have better luck than me. I overall went with another trainer who sent me 5 follow up emails before the initial consultation which to me, is key to a great business relationship. read more

Buying a ten-session training package with Urban K-9 was the best money I've ever spent. My fiancé and I adopted a three-year-old dog in December. We're first-time dog owners, and Hank, our pup, came to New York from a shelter in Tennessee. He didn't know any commands, and had no idea how to walk on a leash--he pulled so hard that every walk with him in Brooklyn was a risk and a strain. From the first session, our trainer, Natasha, was magic. On the very first day, after a thorough conversation with us, in which we told her about Hank and she explained her positive-reinforcement training method, she started us crate training Hank. We hadn't been able to get him into the crate at all; within 15 minutes, Natasha had him in and happily eating treats. Three months later, we have a trained dog who can walk on a leash, sit, stay, and, amazingly, do recall to go off-leash in the park. We revere Natasha, who is so knowledgeable, thorough, efficient, and an all around great person. Could not recommend Urban K-9 more highly. read more

I worked with Natasha to train my adopted dog on some walking and socializing skills and it was great! She taught us methods to curb leash aggression and separation anxiety, and was always communicative and attentive. I highly recommend Urban K-9! read more

We have had the best experience with Urban K9. My husband and I brought home an 8 week old bernedoodle. After one night of my husband sleeping on the floor next to the puppy's crate, because he couldn't handle him crying all evening, we called Urban K9. Natasha was able to come the same day and spend 1 1/2 hours with us going through all the basics. We purchased a 5 pack with Natasha and she came every week for solo sessions with us and our puppy. Our pup is now 4 months old and I can't imagine where we would have been without her help. He is now well on his way to being fully potty trained, sleeps 8 hours per night in the crate without making a peep, is doing sit/stay on command, and stopped chewing furniture. Natasha is so personable, very understanding, and patient with the dog and us, as we were learning about life with a new pup. We will definitely be going back as our pup continues to grow and needs to learn some new tricks. I definitely recommend their services! read more

Dani is absolutely AMAZING!!! We brought her over to our house for private sessions with our 5 month old puppy B.B. who was pulling like crazy on her leash. With in 1 minute of working with B.B., Dani had her walking perfectly. We have since taken 3 private lessons, 2 puppy obedience classes, and tricks class. We have never been disappointed. Not to mention, B.B. can open the back door to go potty thanks to Dani!!! This woman is fantastic. More than anything though, she teaches the dog owners tools to continue training long after class. She is warm, kind, and knowledgable. You really can't loose if you call Dani. read more

Dani is - without a doubt - the best trainer around. She came highly recommended from several close friends whose dogs, many years after training, are still exceptionally well-behaved. Before we even brought our lab puppy home, Dani had shared really helpful tips about adjusting to life with a new puppy and also some of the things we'd definitely need, and others that we definitely wouldn't. Dani's first session with us was just a couple of days after the puppy came home and while it seemed unlikely for a brand-new puppy, we all felt like he was making progress in the first session. Dani also recommended that we join a local Westchester puppy class for socialization, and while the socialization was important, our puppy learned more in a few sessions with Dani than any of those other dogs learned in months of classes. What makes Dani really unique is that she spends as much time with the family as she does with the dog. Our family included two young girls under the age of 10 and a nanny who has no experience with dogs. Dani gave everyone the right tools to help our puppy be a well-behaved, fun member of the family. We also did the additional board and train after about six months and it was an important part of continuing the training at just the point where our puppy was growing into a full-grown dog with his own mind and a lot more weight and strength. Dani's approach to training really helps to maintain and reinforce the lessons over their lifetime. Moreover, our entire family, dog, kids, nanny, parents, all knew instantly that Dani was someone we trusted. Bringing a dog, particularly a large/powerful dog, into a family is a terrific way to grow together - but it requires a lot of work and everyone has to be properly trained to make it a wonderful time for everyone...Dani takes enormous care to ensure that everyone has the tools they need and that she's always there to help along the way. And during those times when we can't bring our dog with us, there is no one we trust more than Dani to ensure he's safe and having fun while we're away...we call it Camp Dani and our guy is always ready to jump into Dani's car and really misses her after he comes home. read more

I have a charming, but high-strung and willful, goldendoodle boy named Bode. We had been through puppy training, dog training, private sessions with two terrific trainers, yet Bode was never totally reliable with many of his commands. Then we were introduced to Dani and worked with her first in a group setting and then privately. Dani's firm but gentle touch, clear instructions, and diligent follow-up did the trick, and Bode FINALLY has a consistent recall and we have a much better, more enjoyable, and - most importantly - safer time in the park and on the street. Even after Dani (sadly for us Brooklynites) moved to sunny San Diego, whenever an issue has arisen (and they continue to come up - that dog!), I have reached out to Dani and gotten an IMMEDIATE response, and sane, practical advice. She also gave me a great recommendation for a new trainer, who is really good, but Bode and I still miss Dani. read more

If I could give more than 5-stars I would!! Dani (and Rain) have been so incredible to work with over the past year. When we adopted our rescue we quickly realized we were in waaaay over our heads, and that's when Dani came to save the day. Immediately upon meeting her our anxious dog was suddenly at ease. She taught us all of the important things that we needed to do, and helped us focus on the baby steps needed to work up to our long-term goals. Not only was Dani attentive, supportive and extremely knowledgeable during sessions, she also made (and continues to) make time to support us and answer our questions outside of sessions. When it came time for our first trip away from Moose I knew the only person I would feel comfortable leaving him was with Dani. We were provided with daily updates (pictures and videos), and he got much needed socialization time, which has been a saving grace in a now multiple dog home during quarantine. Anyone that met our dog when we first adopted him last summer and has seen him since is shocked at how much his confidence has changed. Anytime someone I know even hints at dog training I tell them about Dani. We would be so lost without her and Urban K-9! We can't wait to get back to Brooklyn to continue our trainings with her and the team. read more

We recently worked with Dani on a training package for our 5 month old rescue puppy Millie--a Shar Pei mix who was exhibiting signs of aggression, territorial behavior, and couldn't walk on a leash. It was a serious struggle at first (Millie is fearful of strangers and slow to warm up to people) but Dani was incredibly patient with her, tried multiple strategies, and at a certain point we all had a breakthrough. By the end of the package, our little monster had transformed and loved her sessions with Dani. My husband and I learned so much in the process as well, with Dani teaching us how to structure Millie's life, handle her when she exhibits territorial behavior, walk her perfectly on a leash. Perhaps most importantly: we learned how to communicate effectively with our dog and our relationship with her has changed because of it. Millie's still a work in progress and we continue to work with her daily, but because of Dani we now have an incredibly solid foundation to build on. Highly recommend. read more

Dani was incredible! I rescued a little 4 year-old poodle who had really been through hell. As a result, he suffered from sever anxiety, fear and was extremely stubborn. He also had no prior training foundation. He also barked so much it would have made Mother Theresa snap!!! His world had no structure and was just filled with chaos. After 3-weeks of boot-camp training with Dani and the Urban K9 team I have a little lovebug who is well adjusted, has structure, is obedient, bark free and for the first time in his life, HAPPY!!!! I really can't say enough wonderful things about Dani and the Urban K9 team!!! read more

4/11/17 Working with Dani on my rescue terrier (Lola). My lola is mess... in 2 months of having her.. she was able to runaway in turn paws are all raw and bloody. she was immobile for 3 weeks, when Lola was healed. i did not have the chance to focus on her personality aka separation anxiety bc her medical took priority. once she getting better.. I notice she has severe separation anxiety to the point i am getting complains by neighbors.. i am telling u my life was miserable.. She is totally depend on me... I was recommended by the shelter and vet to crate train her.. and guess what now her teeth are grind down! I am on my wits end.. from crate training, to getting a dog walker, to walking her 4x a day, kongs, 3 hours walks every night, petco basic trainings, thunder shirt, staying with my mother all day, I even put her my 11lb terrier on prozac and trazadone.. my vet recommended me to get another pet for lola anxiety.. no way!! I am already overwhelmed to have 2!! she does not like dog parks.. I know she does not adjust well with other animals...now Dani comes in with a spray and assertiveness.. Dani was very informative.. This was the first time I ever saw.. my lola not barking or running after me when I leave the apartment bc Dani was able to intervene. I saw Dani's yelp reviews. I wish I found her from the beginning meaning 2 months ago.. she could of saved me from a bunch.. We have along way to go.. but she is literally my last hope for my rescue so my dog/mine faith is in her hands!! We are working on the "stay" and stop barking collar... will update. Dani is very professional and understand dog behavior. I always practice every night with my Lola. I hope to get some resolution! because really I dont know what else to do.. im hopefully she can change our lives around! and of course my efforts plays a role in it too.. update 4/11/17 few hours after Dani left.. we have been practicing stay and me leaving! so far she is staying longer than usual.. and when I left to the hallway.. it was nice that she is not bombard me out the door!! or crying or whining!! I was literally outside my hallway for a good solid 5mins! never this was possible! i would always bring Lola to throw the trash or do the laundry bc her cry was horrendous. just 1.5 hours lesson really got me out in the hallway with no issue.. practice! practice! practice! read more

We've been working with Urban - K/Dani since we got our 8 week old Golden puppy and we couldn't be more appreciate of her expertise, style and approach. We've worked with her both in our home, in the park and she's boarded also Bailey when we've gone away. In all cases, she is a total pro, super communicative, and personable. She gets dogs, she gets people, and she has an uncanny ability to break down our training goals into manageable, clear, and focused ways. We have two kids and she works with us as a family, and is great with them as well. Dani gets all the credit for how well trained our dog is and we'll keep working with her, both for training, as well as boarding. We recommend her unequivocally. read more

A number of trainers had tried (and failed) to help us with our skittish, fear-aggressive, and leash-reactive dog (named Daphne), but our search was over when we found Dani. Dani is a one-of-a-kind dog trainer and I only wish we had hired her the day we got our dog. She is absolutely fabulous -- professional, kind, prompt, and efficient -- and we haven't yet encountered a single problem that Dani hasn't been able to help us tackle almost immediately: counter-surfing, recall, leave it, snapping at new dogs, and unwanted barking, just to name a few of the bad habits our dog first developed. Every minute that Dani spends with our dog -- or any dog, if you try out a group class -- you can tell that she is 100% in control, and her calmness, friendly go-get-it attitude, and helpful, detailed advice make her training services truly exceptional. A little bit of backstory: our dog Daphne came to us as a skittish and abused rescue. After being attacked by a dog in the dog park, she soon developed crippling leash reactivity. Walks with her were a nightmare: she would howl, snarl, and bark at every dog we encountered. We tried other NYC trainers who said that our dog would never improve without the use of a shock collar, physical corrections, or thousands of dollars of "aggression bootcamp." Well, they were wrong. After one private lesson with Dani and the use of commands, treats, and a clicker, Daphne -- for the first time -- began calmly heeling and ignoring some of the dogs we encountered during walks. After two lessons, she was happily playing and walking side-by-side with Dani's own dog. And slowly but surely -- as Dani predicted -- by practicing and reinforcing different commands with Daphne at home, a number of other behaviors improved. It took time and energy on our end to make it happen, but without Dani, we never would have had the tools (or the confidence!) we needed. And now, six months later, our dog now acts like a completely different dog. Her focus and attention are better. She calmly greets strangers at the door. She seems happier and less stressed out in new situations. She sits and looks at us when strange dogs approach. She immediately drops things when we say "leave it!" (My boyfriend and I actually kind of felt like gods the first time Daphne tried to grab a piece of food that she spotted on the sidewalk only to spit it out at lightning speed after we told her to leave it). None of this would have been possible without Dani's truly exceptional training, insight, and advice. One last example of how terrific Dani is. At the beginning of the summer, Dani suggested we try Daphne out in a group obedience class to help socialize her while reinforcing basic obedience commands. A few months ago, Daphne being in a room with five other dogs would have triggered a meltdown of epic proportions. Now, Daphne not only happily arrives at class each week, but she is calm and focused even with other dogs walking around or practicing just a few feet away. (The classes, by the way, are fantastic -- it's actually not clear how Dani manages to cram so much individual attention and training into a one-hour class, but every class we walk away having tried out several new commands and drills in a fun, social setting). And, in a real testament to Dani's character and how she runs her service, when we initially approached her asking if we should continue individual lessons or move to a group class, she immediately recommended group classes instead of additional individual training even though group classes are significantly cheaper because she believed it would be better experience for Daphne. I'm usually skeptical of glowing five-star reviews on Yelp, but this time, the hype is real, guys. read more

Dani was the perfect trainer for our crazy pup, Maggie! We adopted Maggie when she was 6 months--sweet as can be, but had loads of untrained energy. Dani came over for a consultation and I knew from the start it would be a great fit. I did lots of research on trainers in the neighborhood, but you still never know if the personalities will mesh. Dani was extremely kind and has the most calming demeanor. We originally wanted to board and train to whip our pup into shape, which was also the most expensive option. After the consultation, Dani suggested we do Brooklyn Day School instead based on our schedules and lifestyle. It was really refreshing to see someone not push you to spend more money than necessary. We booked a 10 session package where Dani would come to the house to train Maggie while we were at work for 2 days during the week and then teach us on the weekend. She would send us videos of her lessons alone with Maggie so we had a reference and then follow up with our progress too. Sometimes we would get lazy with our training, but Dani always caught us! She really took the time to explain the importance of being strict, crate training, and practice, practice, practice... While training a dog takes a lot of time and energy, she was always sympathetic to it being difficult with our busy schedules. Dani never gave up on us--we now we have a very well trained dog that can finally go off leash in Prospect Park! I can't speak more highly of Dani--she's extremely thoughtful, caring to the dogs, and is very relatable. I would recommend Dani for any kind of obedient or behavioral training! read more

Dani is great. My wife and I opted for five training sessions and that was perfect for us and our pup. I did a good bit of research on dog training before adopting and I was still grossly underprepared. Dani helped me get organized and learn how to train in a stepwise manner, building up to more difficult commands with higher levels of distraction. After five lessons and several hours spent training in the park, we have a polite and well socialized pup. Most importantly, we have a great bond with our dog. We're able to bring her everywhere and she is a pleasure both on leash and off. At only 9 months I have taken her to beaches, lakes, hiking trails, prospect park and all sorts of fun places off leash. I'd highly recommend Urban K-9 to anyone looking to build a happy trusting relationship with their dog. Just know that you're the one who will be trained and expect to put in the work to get there. The outcome is absolutely worth it. read more

Mingus and I moved from Los Angeles to Brooklyn and it was a bit traumatic for the big guy. So many distractions and so little grass was giving him anxiety and his anxiety was giving me anxiety. From growling at my doorman, to other dogs on the street, to not sitting, staying, and barking at home. I contacted Dani and we met for a consultation, which Mingus barked through. She took Mingus in and 3 weeks later our entire lives have been changed. I take him to the park and the beach regularly, we sit at outdoor cafes and enjoy the summer time, and the best part is, he sits, stays, stops barking, and comes when called off leash, all with the distractions of other dogs, people, children, cars, motorcycles, sea planes, you name it. I would recommend Dani to any and all dog owner who wants to have an amazing and healthy relationship with their dog. Mingus has never been happier and as a result so am I. If I have an issue, which there have been a few, she is happy to help. And,very time I take Mingus off leash to the beach and shoot slow motion videos of him swimming out into the waves I email them to Dani. And she always responds. She cares about the dogs and the owners. read more

We had Natasha for 3 one-hour private sessions with our English bulldog puppy. She was very attentive, timely, patient, and effective. She worked with our schedule to come when we needed. She covered basic training commands and methods, as well as helped us work on some behavioral issues we were having. She also followed each session with recap emails so we didn't feel the need to memorize everything. Definitely recommend! read more