THE MOST AMAZING DOG PERSON IN TORONTO! Caryn is the most passionate dog lover and dog expert you will meet. Her involvement in our dog's life began before we even adopted! She gave us advice and support through the adoption application process, was one of our references, and even accompanied me on the trip to meet and decide on our Malik. She's always there for advice, and she is amazingly well-read and educated on the subject of dogs. Her own dog, Parker, lost a leg in an accident before being rescued and adopted by Caryn. You can tell as soon as you meet Parker that he has the most wonderful life a dog could have. He, like Cesar Millan's Daddy, has a magical effect on other dogs and often accompanies Caryn's clients on walks. Whatta Pup! is the business born out of a tireless dedication to and deep passion for dogs. You can't go wrong if you're working in a field you adore! Caryn offers walking, let-out and visiting services, obedience training, behavioural consultations, selected grooming, and special programs such as dog-safety for children. She's also a great resource to speak with about therapy. And... don't tell anyone I told you, but word on the street is that she's going to start offering canine massage therapy sometime in the future... shhhhh! She will guide you to the best of the best in the doggie universe - "phodography" (pet photography), Martingale collars, wicked cool Whatta Pup! merchandise, as well as her own all-natural, homemade shampoos and treats! Visit the Whatta Pup! website to see all the wonderful ways you can involve her in your doggie's life! read more

Whatta Pup! - Pet Training Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I chose WhatAPup to help socialize my 8 week old basset hound. I was able to enrol in the Puppy Socialization class which was an incredibly easy process. Caryn makes it possible to pay for classes online as well as manage your schedule online. So the flexibility of the courses was a really great feature for us as our schedule is very inconsistent. We're graduated now but our experience here was memorable to say the least! The puppy social class offered exactly what it stated. The room was very clean and well organized. The instructors were very helpful in answering our questions about my puppies behaviour issues I had been experiencing. Caryn is extremely sweet and you can tell she really loves what she does! The male instructor (Sean I believe his name was?) was one of our favourites! He always seemed to have the perfect treat for our puppy that made her pretty much grovel at his feet!!!!!! Something I thought she'd never have the attention span to do! All instructors had a very pleasant demeanour and seem knowledgable even to your specific breed (impressive)! They gave me a great feel on what to expect when my basset was able to go into the real world and how to encourage good behaviour. The only complain I would make would be about the facility itself.. It's very industrial and I'd like them to be able to expand their business into something maybe more inviting? (The building is a bit sketchy on the outside) but the experience was more than I could ask for. I will be enrolling in more classes in the future thats for sure!! read more

As I was walking past another dog, my dog, Dok, stared at me lovingly, walking right by my side. There was no pulling, no barking, no lunging. This would not have possible just one year ago. I realized that I completely forgot to thank the people responsible for this; Caryn and Mirkka. They both taught me what to do when in stressful situations (my first reaction is to panic). They were both very calm and patient, explaining everything step by step and always ready to answer questions. I really appreciate that they don't judge you for having a dog that isn't well behaved. All the classes were stress free, fun, and a great time to bond with my dog. Thank you! read more

Though our dog isn't even done puppy classes yet, I feel the need to write this very deserving review. All the trainers that we have encountered at Whatta Pup have been nothing but amazing to us and our puppy. When we first got him, we were already having some issues. Whatta Pup came highly recommended by everyone we had talked to so I decided to e-mail them right away. Caryn was quick to respond with some extremely helpful tips without us even having signed up or paid for classes yet. This was a good indicator to us that she really does care about dogs. We did not hesitate to sign him up right away. We have done three classes so far with Sean and Caryn and the difference in our puppy's behaviour is amazing. They really do know what they are doing and make extreme efforts to provide a safe, clean and super friendly environment for the dogs (and humans) in class. read more

We were introduced to Whatta Pup and Caryn when I was searching online for a solution to our leash-agressive dog Tater. Tater is sweet as punch off-leash, and then turns into Cujo when on-leash and another dog approaches. I found a course called "Cranky Canine" offered by Whatta Pup, and after reading the course description, I registered right away because it sounded exactly like what we needed. We attended 2 x week for 4 weeks, and applied what we were learning to real-life, and started to get great results. I'd worked with two other trainers previously, and neither of the suggestions the other trainers offered seemed to work for Tater, but enter Caryn (and Mirkka, her biz partner) and everything changed for the better. Caryn really understood our challenges and had easy-to-implement solutions for every situation imaginable. I was so pleased with the results of Whatta Pup's training that I enrolled our younger, more hyper dog Roogie in another course they offer called "Control Unleashed". Again, the techniques taught are easy to implement in real-life, and affect changes very quickly. Roogie graduated just yesterday morning and while we were at the dog park yesterday afternoon I was able to get Roogie out of a situation (that would've escalated into a problem) by using what I was taught and it worked! You won't find better, more dedicated trainers than those at Whatta Pup. And you also won't find more effective solutions anywhere else. They can help you with whatever you and your dog needs. And as a side note, I am a dog walker in Leslieville, and have easy applied all that I've learned in both Whatta Pup courses to make the time I spend with client dogs all the more pleasant for the dogs and myself. Whatta Pup rocks! read more

I want to start my testimonial with a quick story. I have one distinct memory of training our family dog when I was growing up. I was watching a group class. My mother was handling our young Bichon, and was asking her to lie down. This is something we had previously taught the dog, but she wasn't doing it. Instead she was sitting and staring at my mom, apparently not hearing her at all. When my mom looked to the trainer for guidance, the trainer marched over and yanked on our dog's leash (and choke collar) until her front feet were off the ground -- all the time our dog crying in discomfort. I don't remember whether she "obeyed" or not because my eyes had welled up with tears, and I thought "There has to be a better way than this". Fortunately, there is, and Whatta Pup! is the answer. I found Whatta Pup! through Toronto Pet Daily when I found that they'd been voted Best Trainer by the readers. My puppy, Cody, and I had already been through two classes for some basic cues and socialization. He was nearly seven months old, and I'll admit I was at my wit's end. We were living with seven people, and I was experiencing puppyhood -- which is hell on its own! -- with all of them holding grudges towards me over his accidents in the house, things he'd chewed on, and his barking. I knew I wanted to see a trainer who used positive training, and Whatta Pup! fit that bill, so off we went. After the six weeks of our first group class (Basic) ended, we were hooked. Cody and I are both nervous around new people, but Caryn is as great with people as she is with dogs. In the first couple of weeks, I mentioned that Cody was not yet housebroken and she offered a phone consult to talk about it. It also helped that she constantly reinforced *me* by gushing about how smart Cody is. And *I* knew that, but it was so very refreshing to hear when back at home it was being suggested to me that Cody was, in fact, stupid. Our classes with Caryn were so much fun, that I had no reserves about attending another class. We did Agility 101 next. Under Caryn's direction, we saw an entire class of excitable dogs go from just learning the equipment to being able to perform off-leash (and recover from distraction!). I think that's an amazing feat for once a week for just under two months. Some time passed, and we did the Intermediate class as well. Again, the changes in the participating dogs' behaviours by the last class were extraordinary. Cody's loose-leash walking improved so much that I really do enjoy taking him for walks now! I understand now why Whatta Pup! was voted Best Trainer. Caryn bonds strongly with both her dog clients and their owners, which is certainly why she has received so many glowing reviews from the people she has worked with. I believe that having a trainer whom you can trust always has the best intentions for your dog is an invaluable asset. She is constantly upgrading her knowledge to bring more to the table. And, of course, promoting positive dog teaching methods over archaic dominance-based training means that hopefully one day our future generations won't have to see a dog strung up by their leash ever again. My dog is far from perfect, but I am confident that I'm equipped with the tools to get him to that level. Caryn definitely made the puppyhood stage more bearable for me by leaps and bounds. I talk about what I learned in class all of the time. I know I drive people crazy with "my trainer said..." It is customary to tip people when they provide us with a service, and I think this only scratches the surface of the "thank you" I owe for everything I've been taught. Instead, I have a tip for you: if you have or are planning to get a dog, you need Whatta Pup! You won't be disappointed. My only regret is that we didn't find her sooner! read more

Caryn is one of the most thoughtful people I have ever met when it comes to matters of your pooch. What she has set up with Whattapup is nothing short of brilliant. She has compiled a group of amazing trainers and you cannot go wrong with any one of them. you will always be greeted with Smiles and patience when you walk thru the door, (no matter how excited your dog has decided to be that day). My puppy, Levon became such a fan of this facility that he would actually run thru the halls and wait impatiently at the door. I give it all 4 paws. read more

I have been in the dog industry for years. I have studied dog training - including clicker training under several trainers. I can't say enough how lucky dog owners in Toronto are to have a trainer like Caryn at their disposal. I live in Milton, but have had the pleasure of auditing her "Cranky Canine" class. Watching Caryn work with dogs and more importantly their people is amazing. She has a great way of guiding people and gently correcting mistakes they are making in training - without making them feel like they are doing something wrong. Her interactions with pet parents are warm, friendly and calm. I would recommend WhattAPup to anyone looking for real dog training, based in the science of learning and with a firm understanding of dog behaviour, communication and learning. read more

Caryn literally changed my life. When my wife and I got our puppy, all we knew about training was what we see on TV. I had even started practising some of those techniques on our dog. Then we hired Caryn and she taught us the effectiveness of positive reinforcement training as well as the dangers of the dominance-based training that I was familiar with. Thanks to Caryn, we now have a happy, well-behaved and frequently-rewarded dog whom we love. read more

Had the opportunity to take some training with Caryn this weekend. What an incredible and informative session. She really knows her stuff and has a methodology that is possible to implement, consistent in her style of positive reinforcement. It is nice to learn from a professional with a heart who speaks from experience and genuinely cares for the wellness of not only the animals but humans they co-habitat with as well. read more

I have taken my dogs to quite a few schools over the years and have never had nearly as wonderful an experience as I had with Caryn and Mirkka at Whattapup. Not only was I taught powerful and effective positive reinforcement techniques and strategies for training my dog, but gained a far deeper understanding of dog behaviour and why dogs do some of the things they do. I cannot recommend this school more highly. The compassion, care and knowledge of the trainers is exceptional. If you have a dog, want them to have the best in life, and plan on school, take them to this centre! read more

This review is overdue. Being a novice dog owner I decided I should probably take a class with my first dog to understand the basics of obedience training. For the first class, Spencer couldn't come in because he had just been neutered the same week so my boyfriend and I sat in to observe so we could do homework. Our impression of Caryn at first was a decent one (keep in mind she's the first trainer we had met at this point.) She's friendly, goes through all the steps like a trainer would and does her best to troubleshoot. The second class was a bit different though because Spencer was in (side note: he is a Papillon, friendly, full of personality and I had taught him a few fun tricks such as crawl and twirl.) She did the usual, "he's so cute" as she gave him a treat, he ate it wagging his tail. The class commenced and her attitude towards us began to change. There was a time I hadn't give him a command yet but he would perform a series of tricks (which I find cute 'cause he just wants a treat!) This is when she came up to us to explain why he was doing what he was doing as if his behaviour was appalling, then she went on in a way that implied that I shouldn't be teaching him tricks and went back to another dog. This left a bad taste in my mouth at the end of the second class. The third class is when things really hit the fan for us. Before the class began, everyone was lounging around as usual, the dogs would play or sniff. This is when a 12-14 month old Border Collie-German Shepherd mix named Shadow started growling at Spencer, with her muzzle went under his belly, flipped him over and he yelped the whole time. I was TERRIFIED that this dog was going to shake him like a rag doll and kill him! I froze and my only impulse was to pull his leash away from the other dog. Also keep in mind that Spencer at this point was only 6 months old! This is where I ask the obvious questions, what the hell were the owners doing letting go of their dogs leash? They should know by now that their dog is a bully. AND where was Caryn? What did she do to remedy the situation for a dog that needs serious obedience lessons WHICH IS THE POINT OF HER CLASS!!! FIRST she addresses ME and what I had done wrong! She said, "you need to allow the dogs to deal with things their way so you shouldn't pull him away because it just makes them more aggressive." I understand and appreciate the fact that dogs have their own language but when a dog three times the size of mine is stomping, flipping my pup over and he is yelping SOMETHING has to be done. IMAGINE THE RAGE I FELT. If this dog hurt Spencer badly enough IIIII would be left with an aggressive dog traumatized by the event! As the class begins she talks to the other couple and we overhear them asking what they can do to stop her in these situations such as saying, "No." To which she responds, "I don't believe in, 'no' don't do anything. Just IGNORE the behaviour, you'll only reward her by giving her attention for it and reinforce the behaviour" We were shocked at her so called "solution". We stuck it out for the rest of the hour as we knew we would not be coming back. Guess what happened during potty break though? The same dog started to pick on a 4 month old Golden-doodle also flipping him onto his back and tried coming back to Spencer who at this point is crying at the sight of this dog approaching him. This is when I had to stand in to prevent the dog from moving any closer to Spencer, grabbed her collar and could not help but glare at the people in the room who SHOULD be doing anything but IGNORING HER!!! I think at this point I may have snapped and said something to the effect of, watch your dog or wtf. NOW Caryn takes the leash and tells the owners not to let it go. This is when she talks to the class about what happened and reminds us to let nature take its course but if a dog is being a bully to pick our little ones up. Why couldn't she say that in the first place? Why did it have to happen to another dog before she piped up? For the rest of the class we tried to carry on while the golden-doodle owner and I would exchange tense looks every time we noticed the leash had been let go even for a second. We probably kept a closer eye on her than her owners did. My conclusion? Caryn either isn't a fan of toy breeds or just had something against my dog and me because she didn't do anything to help or address the situation until it happened to another dog. You can't claim to be a dog lover when a pup in your class is wailing while being stomped on, then you do a whole lot of nothing but stand by and watch. What an awful experience. FORTUNATELY, Spencer didn't develop small dog syndrome--but since her class--he is wary of larger dogs until he gets to know them. I have Caryns class to thank for traumatizing him, again, thank you. I've been to other classes since and I have to say their philosophies and applications compared to hers are like night and day. read more

Caryn is both a fantastic resource and a consummate professional, wrapped up in someone you feel like you've been friends forever with. Both my fiancé and I took her dog walker training course and were wildly impressed with the amount of great information we received. Not only did we feel confident in embarking on this career change, but working with Caryn actually helped us grow and fill our business faster than we expected. Any time we have a problem, we know that Caryn has a great solution that benefits us, the pack, and our clients. I'd recommend her services to anyone looking to understand dogs or the business of dogs. And by business I don't mean poop. read more

I attended the Cranky Canine classes with on of my clients dogs. I'm a dog walker and wanted to be educated on how to help my clients dog with her nervousness and social issues around other dogs and people. Caryn and her team were amazing!! I learned a ton and would highly recommend this course for anyone who has a dog who is reactive towards people or dogs. Great job Whatta Pup! read more

Choosing Whatta Pup is the best decision I've ever made for my little Maltese. Caryn is, simply put, amazing. Her passion, her compassion, her kindness, her awesomeness are all evident in the way she deal with dogs and humans, both. She cares a lot for the dogs, remembers each one, encourages them and their mommies and daddies, which, I've realised, is actually really, really important. I took Dolce, my Maltese, to Puppy Socialization when he was 3 months old and then to Basic Manners after that. Even at just 7 months old right now, he is so well-behaved, well-trained, and it's all without the use of any force and with only positive, positive, positive methods. He has thrived under her guidance. Caryn is the best and I never tire of telling her this. Caryn is a 100% (maybe even more) positive reinforcement trainer. Her methods work. She helps people understand their dogs, their behaviours, their motivation. She explains everything in detail, the hows and whys of it all, and provides the kind of support that I'm sure you won't find anywhere else. She is very helpful, has a ton of resources on hand, and the people she knows, works with, refers her clients to are really great as well! I'm SO glad that I found Whatta Pup, that I know Caryn and can count on her invaluable, indispensable advice. I highly recommend Whatta Pup and Caryn, both! If you love your dog, this is where you'll be. read more

What do you do when you have the world's shyest dog?? Whatta Pup!!! I adopted a formerly feral dog from the Bahamas who was so shy that if a leaf would blow down out of a tree, it would cause him to shut down for days. Enter Caryn... Caryn just instinctively new what to do with him, her patience, her strategies and her awesome sense of humour really helped us move forward. Caryn started a shy dog class and Indy and I would come 15 or 20 minutes early as it would take that long to get him to cross the threshold of the doorway. After a lot of time, patience, tears, and laughs... Indy no longer needs the shy dog class... he now happily romps at the off leash park and at this very moment is indiscreetly inching closer to me on the couch so I will pet him. Caryn, you are one in a million and your boyfriend Indy misses you... maybe we need a reunion visit! Thanks so much! Lorie read more

My partner and I have had dogs since 1993, mainly rescues, have gone through the whole gamut of trainers , training tools, schools of thought. We started going to Whattapup in Jan after we got our new puppy. If you want to be a full partner in your dog's training, and through your training grow your relationship with your pup, I recommend Whattapup. Love that she shares he theory behind the techniques. The first time my pup 'downed' without me ever nudging her into position was quite magical. Give it a college try. After having dogs almost all my 50 yr life, learnt I can still learn new things! read more

I would recommend Caryn at Whatta Pup! to anyone who is looking for positive reinforcement training for their furry friends! Caryn worked with my boston terrier and I for five weeks under a personalized plan that was geared towards his learning speed and specifically addressed his areas of concern. At the end of it, my puppy is a happier, calmer, and well-behaved little guy. No wonder he loves Caryn so much! Caryn has been a god-send and has helped me in all aspects of my dog's life. In addition to her amazing training techniques, she has provided me with her thoughts and advice on healthy dog food brands, pet-friendly taxi services, in-house boarding recommendations, agility training suggestions, and so much more. She is so passionate about what she does and always provides knowledgeable answers to my questions. You can really tell she loves dogs! Thanks again so much Caryn for all your help! I will definitely be recommending your services to all my dog-loving friends! read more

I felt compelled to contribute a detailed review as I wanted to share my very positive experience working with Caryn, who is a highly credentialed and effective dog/people trainer. As not all reviews have been displayed (see below), it would be a shame for those seeking help (whether for puppy training, obedience, aggression etc.), to be deterred by a negative post, as I truly believe Caryn is one of the greatest resources out there for dog owners regardless of where you live (I suggest exploring her website). She is passionate about helping dogs and their owners, and does it with patience and compassion. Her approach is based on positive reinforcement which yields highly effective results, as well as happy dogs (and owners!) - there is absolutely no place for harsh/aggressive techniques like those unfortunately propagated on television. Our dog Symba is a 9-year old Shepherd-Collie cross who is dog-reactive. My husband and I arranged for a behavioural consultation with Caryn through Whattapup earlier this summer. She was so patient, kind and understanding as we recounted our experiences, fears and worries. She was extremely knowledgeable and taught us a few simple and highly effective techniques based on positive reinforcement to counter-condition his response to other dogs. While we saw some successes, she suggested we could make greater strides (because of the controlled environment and greater opportunity for dog-dog interaction) by enrolling in the Cranky Canine class offered through The Toronto Centre for Canine Education with her business partner Mirkka. With a lot of initial trepidation (not knowing what to expect and imagining the worst), we signed up, and I am so glad we did. Caryn and Mirkka structured the sessions to maintain a calm environment to keep the dogs' stress levels low...to the point where Symba was excited to go to class! They also knew how to keep the owners' stress levels low through lots of humour (yes Caryn, I'm on to you!:)). Both were so attentive, patient and encouraging with all owners, regardless of their experience or nervousness. I also appreciated how open they were to questions and modifying techniques to suit the dog's comfort level. At the ripe old age of 9 yrs, I was highly skeptical that Symba's behaviour could be modified (much less mine). However I experienced firsthand just how quickly his behaviour changed through techniques that we got to practise in class under their close supervision (I was a bit of a slower learner but also improved!). While his behaviour will always need to be managed, I can see that Symba is a much happier dog - he is less reactive to other dogs now that he's learned alternative acceptable behaviours that he enjoys. Because of my overwhelming fear, I had relinquished dog walking duties to my husband; however I've since started walking Symba now that I have the tools to manage situations as they arise. Caryn and Mirkka are both highly qualified, professionally certified dog trainers who clearly love dogs and have lots of patience and empathy for their owners. As a final comment to a previous post, one's perception of an encounter can sometimes be tempered by emotions (evident from the review) and perhaps lack of awareness of canine behaviour (per the reviewer's self-labelled 'novice owner'). From my own experience and observations, Caryn is a passionate advocate for the wellbeing of all dogs regardless of breed/size, and would never risk endangering one. read more

Caryn came and helped us at a time where my brand new rescue puppy's fear issues had peaked. She listened patiently as I described my worries and gave an initial consultation over the phone that I thoroughly appreciated. By the end of our first face-to-face meeting, my very shy puppy had begun to take treats from her (a first for him, and from a stranger!) We eventually took the Basic Manners class at Carlaw and she taught me valuable lessons about dog communication and positive reinforcement. Watson has grown to be a young, gregarious, and happy dog - with much thanks to Caryn! She genuinely loves her clients and their owners! She's remarkably the best people-trainer I've ever met... and the dogs love her too! read more

I have been meaning to write this review for a while now but never got around to doing it. However, after reading the previous review, I wanted to take the time to share my own opinion/experience with Whatta Pup and Caryn. I have a tiny, 3lb, 2.5 years-old Pom/Chihuahua mix named Bella. Bella is the first dog I have had as an adult and I wanted to make sure she received topnotch training from the get go. Having heard great things about Whatta Pup! I decided to give them a try. Bella and I signed up for their Basic Obedience Training class. The class had pups of all breeds and sizes (from a golden retriever to wee Bella sized dogs). Caryn showed a great deal of patience and understanding during the class; taking the time to answer questions and giving each individual the attention they needed. Unlike the previous reviewer's experience, I found that Caryn was very open, patient and caring towards my small breed dog. I never felt as though Caryn was ever discriminating against the smaller pups in the class. Caryn's warmth and kindness made me feel very welcomed. I really love that Caryn and her Whatta Pup! team use positive methods of training instead of the "alpha male"/intimidation methods that have become popular because of certain celebrity trainers. Most importantly, Bella LOVED Caryn and flourished under her training. Caryn just has a way about her that seems to attract every dog that she meets. All the dogs in our class immediately fell in love with her. I would highly recommend Whatta Pup! and Caryn if you are looking for a great dog trainer and dog training facility. read more

We are so happy we found Caryn and her amazing team at Whatta pup! We brought our boxer puppy there for classes as soon as we brought him home at 8 weeks and couldn't have made a better decision! This is our first puppy and it made a huge difference having such a knowledgeable, passionate and caring team of people help us raise our dog! I highly recommend Whatta Pup, especially to folks thinking about bringing thier puppy in for classes. We have the most attentive, calm and confident pup and owe alot of that to Caryn and her team! read more

I took my very timid miniature Dachshund puppy Sasha to Whattapup for puppy socialization and basic manners courses. When I say she was timid, she wouldn't even get out of her carrier. Caryn was extremely gentle with her, coaxed her out on her own accord. Sasha spent 2 classes in her carrier and Caryn told me not to worry about it, she'd let me make up the classes with no extra charge. Caryn always answers all my emails, offering advice, even though I haven't been a client for over 6 months. She genuinely cares about dogs. She loves them. I lived in the west end at the time of classes and the trek to Whattapup was a long one, but I'd do it again in a heartbeat with any other dog, or for future courses. She's really that good. If you want to work with someone who genuinely cares about your dog and wants you to succeed as a dog owner, Whattapup is your trainer. How is Sasha today? She's confident, well-behaved, playful and spunky, thanks to Caryn's patience and gentle nature. read more

Well worth it! "Cranky Canines" classes were exactly what we needed to begin to remedy my dog's on-leash reactivity. Only positive reinforcement techniques are used, and classes are thoughtfully planned which is essential when dealing with this issue. Whether your dog is just SO happy to see other dogs, or REALLY wants other dogs to go away, this class is just what you need--you get individual attention here. To top it off, Caryn is knowledgeable, compassionate, & truly loves what she does. Thanks, Caryn! read more