Very informative. Great staff and Terry is fantastic. The staff is so patient and helpful. read more

We've only gone for the initial screening but we definitely plan to be back at least once a month. We'd go more often if we lived closer!

I've now been here two times and working with Sheridan. I have loved my experience so far and we plan on going back every Wednesday!! My border collie mix is right at home here and has really showed off his instincts for herding. Can't wait to watch him grow and learn in this experience. Such a great training center for these types of dogs. read more

Action K9 Sports - Pet Training Near Me - Escondido, California

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I'm not allowed to give 0 stars otherwise I would. Terry is extremely unprofessional. DO NOT GO HERE IF YOU DONT WANT YOUR DOG BEAT. You heard that right. It's not training. It's threatening the owners and beating the dogs into submission when they don't listen. Her followers are die hard and will blame the animal owner or say "they aren't meant for this" when they are literally bred for that job. I am not the only one who has dealt with this. I actually dealt with this in 2020, when my rescue was a puppy. I didn't say anything, just didn't go back because after she told me to "control your dog or I'll beat the f**k out of it" But when I tried to post warning people I was bullied into deleting the post by what I'm assuming are Terry's followers. I was lucky to leave before she laid a hand on my dog. Others were not. DO NOT GO HERE. *Edit to add, if she is such an incredible trainer, she wouldn't need to put her hands on the dogs. She should KNOW beating a border collie can and will ruin their ability to train and trust people* read more

I went to this facility for the first time in 2018 with my ACD. I don't know anything about this sport and I did believe Terry was a trustful teacher and for a while I considered her as a mentor. Big mistake. I'm not going to share many more details, they are mostly painful but here's a quick summary: - my ACD quit working for me as I did put too much pressure on her. Be careful on Terry's methods: they work for a very small number of dogs (who don't deserve the treatment) - I trusted Terry and bought my first working border collie. Flynn was supposedly "fully trained" and she charged $4000. I was naive, I believed it and trusted my "mentor" HAHA! This dog, who I love so much might never be a good working dog. The first time I brought him out for a clinic with the top US handler, he told me " don't be mad but I've something to tell you: your dog doesn't know his flanks, he's motivated by fear" he was right and I felt umiliated and betraided - I saw Terry training many dogs and now that I know better I would not recommend ANYONE to work under her or her right hand Lori Southern California is not an easy place to train working dogs, nevertheless there are good trainers out there who really understand dog behaviors and can train and successfully compete at high levels. Don't let yourself be fooled by Action K9 and Terry. Please learn from others'mistakes, I did learn and that's the reason I decided to post this review. read more

I spoke with Terry two days before going and let her know everything about my dog. I told her how he is part husky and part Blue Heeler. He loves to cattle and I felt this place would benefit him. I let her know that my dog isn't the best with new people and dogs and that we adopted him from the shelter not too long ago. Also that he was in training still. She assured me that it would be fine and that he could come check it out and see if he would enjoy it. I brought him that Saturday and everything was going pretty swell. My dog actually didn't bark or act crazy. He barked a few times but only when the dogs got in his personal space. I saw Terry and we walked up to each other. We started talking and she looked at my dog and said, "He looks more Husky than Heeler. I hate working with Huskys and Pitbulls they are hard to work with. Husky's are also very dumb" she was rambling on about how much she dislikes Husky's and why and while we were talking my dog started barking at a dog that got close. She told me, Let me show you how to get him to stop." She grabbed the leash and started racking my dog on his face hard with it. My dog barked at her because he was confused as to why this stranger was hurting him. Then she handed me the leash and said, "If he continues that barking I will kill him. I'm not kidding, I will grab a shovel and kill your dog." She said this 3X as I was walking towards my car. Never going back again and don't recommend this place either! I wish I could give 0 stars! read more

If you have a bigger dog like a German shepherd or Belgian shepherd, don't let Terry or Kat anywhere near your dog. It's been a year since I brought my Belgian Malinois, Pips to action K9 sports. Rich Godfrey (a trainer) Conducted our instinct test. My dog is a very excitable guy and Rich was calm working with him. He corrected him in a way that stopped my dog's attempt at biting the sheep but not so forcefully that it shut down his desire to work. Pips was the happiest I'd ever seen him. My future sessions did not go as well. I did two more sessions that were with Kat, who seemed nervous about working with my dog in the first place because of his sex and breed (if you are scared of a dog's breed, just don't take the job training him, Kat). She lost her temper with my dog and beat him to the point where both he and I were terrified of her. Then he stopped wanting to work at all, avoiding the sheep entirely and Terry (the owner) said "he's scared of the sheep." No. He was absolutely not. He was afraid of these deranged women who chose to "correct" him with far beyond the force necessary or called for. When Rich was helping us, he had no fear whatsoever. Terri and Kat then suggested that I try my dog with a different sport because they said he wasn't right for herding (reminder: his instinct test went very well). It's also clear these ladies only want to deal with breeds like border collies. I am happy to report that my dog and I are working with a calmer, more even tempered trainer (who also has collected titles) that truly does happily take all herding breeds. She helped us get back to working despite the fact that even seeing a shepherd's paddle caused my dog to completely shut down when I tried to bring him back to the sport after Kat at Action K9 sports beat him senseless. He is now excelling in his training and shaping up to be a good herding dog indeed, probably because I stopped allowing him anywhere near Terry and Kat. read more

Dylan and I have been working with Terry for two years now. I brought my out of control, dog aggressive and people aggressive Border Collie to Terry who was recommended by my vet staff. Other trainers I contacted would not even touch my dog since they admittedly had little experience with such an intelligent K9. When I desperately called Terry one Sunday night when my dog broke his chain and lunged after another dog while I was petting him, Terry thankfully agreed to work with Dylan. I have been training my own dogs for search and rescue for years but Dylan was different while being more stubborn than most. When Dylan wanted to quit working, he would just stop listening. Terry helped me understand Dylan's behavior, used her well adjusted dog pack to teach Dylan doggie etiquette and prepare him properly for his service dog tasks. Dylan has found three lost humans and a cat to date. We work as a tight search team and maintain a close bond as a direct result of Terry's expert tutelage. While I am not as interested in getting herding titles, Dylan is excelling at that too and herds my four guinea pigs as well as sheep. Thanks Terry, I don't know where Dylan and I would be without you! - read more

I went to look at the the training facility for my dog's 10 year birthday and the place was in shambles. When we got out of the car my dog stepped on broken glass in the parking area. The staff was very dismissive and rude and asked me to leave their property. The place is run down and the owner is rude. As a retired combat Marine I would never endorse this business. read more

This lady knows what she's doing. All these reviews that are bad are from people that don't truly understand what it takes to have 110% control of an animal. Go there and she will tell you straight up if your dog has what it takes to heard sheep. There is no sugar coating - some dogs have it - some don't and she will tell you in 5 mins read more

My girls and I had a great time at Action K9. Mallory tested my little girl (who was all over the place and has a lot to learn). She also tested out my older girl (whom we rescued and wasn't able to do anything). She was able to do well. read more

Wide variety of instructors with experience across almost all breeds, including mixed. Full disclosure, I'm one of them.

If you have a herding breed, Action K9 will change your life. Herding dogs have innate behaviors that are hardwired into them. A Border Collie cannot be trained to stop herding, nor can many herding breeds. This is something that is engrained so deeply in them that they need to express it in some way. Unfortunately for many people who have herding breeds as urban pets (ESPECIALLY in San Diego), this manifests into some really dangerous behaviors. Car chasing, nipping the heels of small children and otherwise "weird" moving people, staring other dogs down and starting fights, obsession over lights and shadows, etc. Herding is a behavior that needs to be controlled, and what better way to help give your dog an appropriate outlet than to let them herd? My own experience with Terry started a year ago when I brought her my out of control Border Collie from working Cow lines. I am a trainer of 26 years. I have trained, trialed, titled, and competed in Rally Obedience and agility. I have trained and utilized a Service Animal since I was 18 years old. I have worked with pet dogs, puppies, and everything in between. Since starting with my Border Collie, I have continued and will continue to come to Terry Parrish. I have now titled both my Border Collie and my Shetland Sheepdog, and have just begun exposing a new puppy to sheep as well. Terry Parrish is a highly accomplished trainer and judge who has trained, raised, and produced dogs to National Levels and beyond. She has travelled abroad and helped put on AHBA trials in the UK. She is a phenomenal trainer and worthwhile to hear out. Terry has a true eye for a dog and what she says isn't always easy to take, but it will help you understand your dogs better and the bond that this training will give you and your dog is unbelievable. Your dogs' confidence will skyrocket, they will understand how to control their impulses and respect your cues. Rich Godfrey is also an accomplished trainer and judge who has trained and raised German Shepherds to Championships. He is the gentlest soul you will meet and has such a calm manner about him. He makes everything so easy to understand and breaks it all down for you without making you feel terrible about yourself. An excellent instructor. When I was in a serious car accident that totalled my car, my dog was in the back. I opened the back hatch of the vehicle to free my dog, who was terrified. She leaped out of the car and was making a bee-line for the busy highway. I firmly stand by the notion that herding training saved her life, because you bet when I told her to "down" one time, in a very serious tone, she did as she was asked. read more

My puppy and I started herding training with Rich at Action K9 a few months ago after trying a trainer closer to home. Right away, I was so impressed with Rich and his ability to teach both the handler and the dog. Having little experience in herding, I had more to learn than my dog. Rich makes everything so easy to understand and is a talented instructor. I've also watched the owner Terry with her students and have been equally amazed. They have student who drive 3-400 miles a week to train here and now I know why! My puppy is only ten months old and already has both his AKC HT and PT herding titles. He loves herding! If you are serious about herding or learning herding, you need to give Action K9 a try! read more

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Great local place to learn herding. Also home of the San Pasqual Valley Herding Club.

I've been taking lessons at Action K9 for just over 2 years. I started with my adopted Boxer and both she and I have loved our experience. The sport, the training facility and the people there have had a much greater impact on my life than I ever expected. As I learned and progressed, (for most people it is OUR learning curve, not the dog's, that is the issue!) I got the opportunity to handle a Border Collie for its owner, who couldn't do it herself. I was really concerned about screwing that dog up, but Terry has been with me every step of the way, helping us progress! She was also extremely supportive when I made the decision to get my own Border Collie and is walking me through the entire experience, including helping me learn and understand the process involved in "starting" a young dog. Terry is no nonsense, straightforward, knows her stuff, and one of the best people you'll meet! All the trainers at Action K9 are excellent and bring something different to the table. My favorite thing is that they are truly invested in the success of you and your dog. It often happens that when I'm practicing on my own one of them will stop, watch, and then take the time to ask questions about what I'm doing or give me their observations. It's a great community and one of the best decisions I've made was to bring my dog for an Instinct Test. I highly recommend! read more

I always read the Yelp reviews before trying something new. This was the only time I didn't. I regret it to this day. I beg you, please read ALL of the Action K9 reviews, especially the mysteriously 'hidden' ones. Then you can decide if you want to take your dog to this place. Our 1-year old border collie, Gracie, came with us for an introductory sheep herding class and evaluation to Action K9 Sports in Escondido. Gracie is a barker and has a high drive. She is also sweet and has never hurt a fly, or sheep. Gracie was so excited! We were so excited! Her turn in the ring. The owner/instructor uses a long stick for the sheep and dogs. Gracie, being the playful pup that she was, grabbed the stick in the middle. Maybe Gracie thought it was a new toy. We don't know what was in her little mind. But, we do know what happened next, and it was horrible. The instructor flew into a rage. A full on can't- control -herself rage. She split the long stick in two over her knee, and taking both sticks in her hand beat our little pup. Gracie was cowering and crying out in pain and fear, but she kept hitting our sweet little Grace. Again and again while crying out" "I bet you will never do THAT again!" You know that sound strong sticks make when they quickly cut through air? That swatting sound? And then that thud sound of the stick contacting the body? I'll never forget it. We were also to blame. We should have swept our little one in our arms. We should have grabbed the stick from the instructor. We should have stopped it, but we were in total shock. Frozen. We regret that we did not do anything to this very day. We regret not reporting the instructor. We regret not reporting Action K9 Sports. We regret not putting ourselves in between the beating and our little puppy. We regret a lot of things. We can promise you that we have never set foot at Action K9 Sports again and never will. Our little Gracie? She is a happy, healthy doggie, and we can promise you that no one has ever raised a stick or finger to her again. And they never will. Why write this review now? If we can stop one dog from getting beaten, if we can stop one dog from getting abused, then the review would be worth it. read more

This facility is a great place to learn the sport of herding. You will gain a much closer bond to your dog from the experience if you stick with it and listen to your trainer. They have trainers for all levels and temperaments. I recommend giving Terry and her team of trainers a try. You and your dog will love it. read more

I've been working with Action K9 for about 6 months and absolutely LOVE it. I have somewhat neurotic border collie and the change I've seen after taking him herding has been incredible. It's absolutely wild getting to see your dog completely in its element and excelling at what it does best. Don't be turned off by any of the negative reviews. There are times when a correction needs to be given to a dog during herding - especially when another animal is at risk of being injured or killed. The corrections are a necessary part of the sport, but should not be something that dissuades you from going. No one has ever laid a finger on my dog and going to Action K9 is the favorite part of his week (and mine too)! The instructors are great and will work with you to get your dog doing what it was born to do. The changes in my dogs behavior after going to Action K9 are drastic and he's such a happy little dude at the end of our sessions. read more

My dog has been training at Action K-9 Sports for a few months and I wholeheartedly recommend this facility to anyone who wants to train their dog to herd. Terry is a very no nonsense gal, and if your dog is not cut out to herd, she will tell you, and you won't waste your money trying. It is amazing how my dog has gained confidence, and it's so fun to see her work, like she was bred to do. read more

Terry is great with all personalities and all levels! I noticed some reviews said she was rough, she's tough when she has to be but its part of the sport, she's not abusive and all the dogs love her. You can't be a softy if you're raising champions! read more

I have started to train my Border Collie Shelby with Terry. What I have experienced is completely different from the few negative reviews that are listed here. She has treated my dog and the other dogs that I have observed her train with the utmost in compassion. She is educating the handler to give good directions to the dog and develop a lasting deep bond. She also treats the livestock with respect and compassion. The dogs are not there to injure the livestock that you train with . This is a fun but at the same time a sport that I can see takes a lot of work to become good at I am very careful with my dogs and would never have them around an irresponsible or cruel trainer. read more

I trained with Terry for a year, several years ago with a non-herding breed. I am shocked to read all these negative reviews, but I see a common theme...Lack of personal responsibility on the pet owner's part (with the exception of one post). Terry NEVER touched my dog, her philosophy was that I was training my dog and she was using her years of experience (in training dogs to herd) to guide me. She is straight-forward and no nonsense person. The few times I felt her recommendation in the training was not something I wanted to do I let her know and we figured out a solution. It was ALWAYS up to ME to decide what I was going to do in the end, and since I was the one implementing I either did it or not. When I didn't want to follow Terry's recommendation, she explained why she thought it was the right way to go (was usually right), but in the end she always allowed me to discipline my dog they way I felt appropriate. You might have to have a bit of self-confidence and ability to speak up to make sure YOU make the decisions, but Terry respects all her clients (dogs and humans). My full story: I am a doctoral level Board Certified Behavior Analyst (working with humans, but have experience training all types of animals). After owning an Old English Sheepdog many years ago, I always wanted to learn how to train him to herd as it was his instinct and I thought I'd have a good time learning with him. Fast forward several years, I went to the Scottish Games in Vista and fell in love with herding, but I had a standard poodle. I reached out to K9 Action Sports (Terry) and she instinct tested my girl and we passed. We started herding lessons and it was incredible. We reached Herding Dog Level I (and if life didn't intercede, we would have kept taking lessons). I now have three standard poodles, the relationship with my herding poodle (Inara) is beyond special and I attribute it to our lessons with Terry. Inara poodle and I can fully communicate on so many levels. I have terrific off-leash control with her, that I don't have with my other well-trained poodles. She seems to really trust my decisions in a way the other poodles do not. It seems we are much clearer on our roles in our relationship than I feel with my other dogs. She seems very happy with that clarity, like there is a sense of structure in our relationship that is unspoken but comforting. In reflecting I think the herding gave both of us a sense of trusting each others decisions. I believe it came entirely from our herding experiences at K9 Action Sports. Not sure I can explain it any better, but I highly recommend this experience. With the caveat that YOU must take the role of deciding what recommendations you will take or not. read more

I have to concur with some of the past reviews about Terry's temperament. I found her to be ill-tempered and unprofessional on a number of occasions. I kept bringing my Shepard there because I thought time on a sheep farm would be good for her soI weathered Terry's moods, along with her frequent forgetfulness, along the way. I originally brought my dog there for a little training, then boarding. She once had a guest dog trainer, a long time friend, who willingly told me that he used a stick on my dog to "push" her out from behind a dog house. I informed Terry and she said he shouldn't have told me that. I further became concerned when I noticed a change in my dog's attitude toward Terry; what was once a tail wagging greeting was all gone and my dog just couldn't wait to get back into the car so I stopped bringing my dog there for training. Boarding Issues... Twice, her prices changed without prior notice and she even blamed me for not knowing about her fee increases in advance ("the price of hay went up"...really!, how am I supposed to know that and why wasn't I informed before I had my dog stay with her?). The last time I boarded my dog there, I discovered only when I picked up my dog that Terry had been out of town for days and someone else was watching the farm; I was not told about a guest caretaker ahead of time. Later, Terry emailed an abupt note that boarding had another increase, 30% this time, and I still owed her. In fact, during this last boarding stay, my dog's feet were not checked by this guest caretaker, as Terry would do, and the foxtails had worked their way into my dog's paws which needed surgery for removal. I didn't pay Terry's post-notice price increase... I think the past reviewer who saw Terry beating, slamming and choking a dog should have reported her; if I knew of my dog being hit, there would be reports made to every possible agency. GOOD BYE TERRY!! read more

I love the concept K9 Action Sports delivers and the staff seems knowledgeable. However, the required initial class is heavily reliant on your dog's obedience. Being a service dog trainer, my shepherd needed more advanced curriculum. My take home message, ensure you ask for what is needed for your dog. No two dogs are alike, some absorbing training better than others and if the service cannot provide specific instruction for your specific dog then maybe look (in my case, research) at various venues. read more

Terry is a great trainer and it is always nice to see all of the friendly faces out there at her property. She is a champion herding dog trainer and when you get in the arena with her or listen to her training, you know she is for real. I am really happy with how far my dog ha progressed in just the 6 months we have been going. We might even be able to enter a trial this coming month depending on availability. Price is high for your dog, but the bond and skill that they get to show is worth it. Great stuff. read more

Did a instinct test with my Cattle dog Hazel and it was so fun! We have since signed up and started lessons. It has been great for our dog. She gets to socialize with other dogs and she is so excited to get in with the sheep. This has been a great experience! If you have a working breed this is a great opportunity for them to have fun as well as you! read more

Terry is hands-down the best game in town for herding dog training. Her medals, awards, champion dog line, and long business history speak for themselves. I've known Terry for almost a decade, and my aussie and I trained with her for years. It was a blast, and we learned a lot. If you want to train your herding dog and you live in southern California, this is the place to go. Perhaps some of the people who left negative reviews here didn't realize that part of training a herding dog on live sheep is the need for physical correction. But it's always done in moderation (a bamboo reed to the nose does the trick), and no dog is ever abused or hurt. I think some people are just shocked when they see a dog getting bopped on the nose when it's doing something wrong that's putting the sheep in danger. If you can't handle your precious fido getting a soft bop on the nose with a bamboo reed, you shouldn't be on a ranch trying to herd sheep. There are plenty of activities for dogs where their mistakes don't endanger the safety of other animals. But if you're serious about learning how to herd sheep (for you and your dog), give Terry a call or send her an email! It really is an amazing experience. read more

i have a 6 year old Sheltie that I rescued from the San Diego Sheltie Rescue 2 years ago.When I adopted Kobe I was told that he was a very good dog needing positive behavior training. One of the behaviors was when he was on walks, he would see another dog he would go from 1 - 100 in seconds. I have read and watched documentations on dog behavior and the common thread in my studies are dogs need three things, (1) exercise (2) discipline and (3) Love.. I have worked with both Terry and Rich. They have taught me how to support the three needs of an animal. They have demonstrated how to provide an exercise program to allow you and your dog to work together, both in exercise and mental. I have been taught discipline methods that support a dogs mental and physical makeup. I love my dog and would never do anything abusive. Since I have worked with K9 I have found that this method of training has increased our bonding. I would highly recommend K9 Action Sports if you are interested in your dog development and increasing the enjoyment of a dog developing into its full potential of a loving pet (it will also develop you as a pet owner) read more

It seems Yelp keeps dumping my positive review into the "Not Recommended" pile. This is probably because I don't post much on yelp. However, I have been active in the competitive dog community for over 40 years. I hope you find my review of the K9 Action Sports training facility useful. It was my intention to voice an opinion from someone who has actively trained dogs for multiple dog sports and numerous facilities. Competitive herding is a sport that involves livestock. It is not for everyone and not every dog has what it takes to participate. But the fact is, Terry Parrish and her staff are among the finest. We drive 85 miles each way to come to the K9 Action Sports facility to train our Belgian Sheepdogs with Terry Parrish. We have opportunities to train elsewhere but we bring our dogs to work with Terry because she understands and can teach both basic, for the novice and advanced techniques. and guess what? Our dogs learn and are EAGER to work. If your dog needs to learn outruns, flanks, walkups, stands, etc., K9 Action Sports is THE place to go. If you wish to learn how to think on the course, learn the strategy of technique, K9 Action Sports is the place to train. Sheep herding is not for the timid, nor is it for weak dogs who lack drive. We have seen many dogs who run out of gas simply because they are out of shape. This can be a time where dogs are at risk of injury. It is also a time where because the dog is fatigued it starts to learn bad habits or shortcuts. Terry is very big at stopping a practice session on a high note. I would highly recommend this facility and Terry as a place to go for learning how to herd whether you are a complete novice or an expert read more

We came here today for a sheep herding test. It was a really great place. Terry is super nice. She is really positive and encouraging and just a super sweet person. We spent almost 2 hours there - between testing and a herding lesson and just hanging out and playing with all the cute puppies. I can't wait to go back. My dog had an awesome day and my daughter had the most awesome day too. She loved all the animals. I read the reviews below that were really tough on Terry and I don't agree with them. She was really hands on, took her time with each of us and is a really great trainer. Her dogs were all so amazingly well behaved with a sweet personality - so obviously she is doing something right. I liked her and I liked the sheep herding. Coming back. read more

We have trained at Terry's for a number of years. We work sheep and ducks. Our 10 year old dog recently earned her Herding Championship. Our younger dog (4) has finished her titles and is now working on her championship. Our trainer is Barb. read more

Unfortunately, I may have to stop herding lessons with my dog because this is more or less the only place within reasonable driving distance in San Diego that offers herding lessons. I started out here the same as most people -- we went for an instinct test and then were offered a 4-class package at a rate that is discounted from normal price. So, we completed all 4 lessons. It started out well. I have a BC pup who was, when she started, about 7 months old or so. Her first lesson she just had fun with the sheep, ran around them, chased them some, no problem. Her 2nd lesson we began using the crook (that long stick shepherds use to help them) and Terry instructed me to use it on my pup's ribs to keep her out further from the sheep -- no problem there. She insisted I bop my pup on the nose with the stick some because she wasn't afraid of it enough to change directions when the stick was put in front of her, and I reluctantly did bop her on the nose pretty harmlessly, and that even seemed fine. Then what every other negative reviewer here speaks of happened. On my pup's 2nd lesson, Terry began "helping" me in the pen, having me stand next to her as she directed my pup around the sheep. She struck her in the face with the stick several times, enough to make my pup stop herding entirely and instead hang out by me for protection. If this was the only time this happened, I might still be going to these lessons. However, the most jaw-dropping display of violence I witnessed was on my pup's 3rd lesson, in which Terry was again in the pen with me and before the lesson began, just as we were approaching the sheep and my pup started getting excited about them Terry took the long piece of bamboo she had brought with her and literally beat my dog to the ground, hitting her 3 or 4 times in the face with the stick, using both hands to hold the stick for greater force. It looked very harsh and I was dumbfounded. I very much wanted to stop her, but I assumed she knew what she was doing. After this happened, my pup again kept next to me, sitting at my legs, wagging her tail but with it between her legs, basically looking pathetic and trying her best to look cute enough not to get hit again. Rich, the other main trainer there, has hit her too, such that my pup will not even go near the sheep if either Rich or Terry are in the pen. She pulls at the end of her lessons to go back in because she loves being with the sheep seemingly more than anything, yet she will not even look at the sheep if Rich or Terry are in the pen -- what does that say? Now they are telling me I need to be harsher with her because she won't "listen" to the stick and change direction, and I need to bully her with it, too. I really like herding and think it is something I could get into, not the least because I have a cattle-dog bred border collie who was literally bred to herd. But after speaking with other people who have been in the herding world for years and have trained dogs successfully at it, I have learned that the last thing you want to do is make a dog afraid of the crook. I don't understand why anyone would want to train this way when you can train a dog to herd without abusing it or causing it lasting psychological issues. Another girl I've seen at this place, who took the instinct test at the same time I did and also did 4 lessons was talking to me about how her dog seemed ruined from herding, too. She told me that Terry had hit him, too, on his 2nd lesson, and that before that he was really doing all the things a beginner should be doing, circling and chasing the sheep, but that now it's all she can do to even get him interested in the sheep. I am looking into the only other place in SD that offers herding lessons, in Poway, as an alternative. But if that place doesn't pan out, maybe we'll take up agility instead. I think my pup hasn't been soured to herding, luckily, as she loves doing it with just me in the pen. Hopefully the place in Poway is as much NOT a fan of of animal abuse as I am. I certainly won't be back to this violent place which seems to ruin perfectly good herding dogs, and I caution anyone else thinking of starting here, too. Somewhat as an aside, because I don't think these reasons are really sufficient to impact much of anything, but I did want to echo what other reviewers have said about Terry. Namely that 1) she is fairly forgetful and misremembers things all the time. She is sure she has seen my pup's pedigree and even commented on the great dogs in it, but in fact I have never shown it to her. And 2) Her lessons are supposed to be 30 minutes of you and your dog working sheep. She even told me, before we bought the package, that if your dog needs to take breaks because it's too hot out, that time doesn't count against your half hour. Yet no one times the lessons, and if you yourself do, you'll see that they are usually much less than 30 minutes. If you advocate for your time, she seems to get annoyed with you. read more

My Border Collie puppy was beaten with a stick on our first evaluation visit with Terry. He has been afraid of anyone with a stick ever since (a walker, a hiker, etc). I found Terry being more interested in getting paid than training dogs. There was no love for dogs in the air, only her frustration and disinterest. read more

Terry trains with violence and abuse. Do not take your dogs to her. While she has been sheepherding for a long time, so knows a lot, her methods are 1800s-style. She hangs dogs by their collars to choke them, takes them around back so you can't see what she's doing while she beats them, picks them up and slams them on the ground, hits them with any object available. You should NEVER leave your dog with her. Trainers like her should be banned for life from ever coming near another dog. When you are new she will not show you this side, but if you hang around a bit, you'll get to see her real training methods. I feel so sorry for the dogs she owns, and the ones that people entrust in her care. Our dog wouldn't come within 20 feet of her after she hit her once with a stick. There are other, more humane trainers out there. Look elsewhere. read more

Both, my GSD and I enthusiastically entered the training with Terry. A few first lessons went very well and we were happy. My puppy even got a ribbon at the puppy level competition. He was also great in open space area. After that and for unknown reason to me, Terry changed the mood, put him back in the pan for a few sessions and started using a nylon stick beating him on top of his head and ribs and back. When Terry tried to force me to do the same, I decided to quit. Something is not right at that place!!! I share the same the same feelings (and pain) with other reviewers who provided similar reviews. read more

1st training video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uSqZ36WKN0&feature=plcp I was satisfied with the training and plan to do more. However I'm concerned with some of the reviews. Be aware that your dog will not be allowed to bite one of the sheep. Sheep are animals too, and Terry will not permit them to be abused. read more

I have taken my border collie rescue dog to Terry for about a year. It was a game changer for us. My dog is now very well trained and the herding has really calmed him down. Watching a dog instinctively move stock around a pen is really amazing. I have bopped my dog on the nose with a bamboo reed and it's the equivalent of swatting a baby's bottom to get their attention. There is no way it hurts the dog. Thank you, Terry, for giving our crazy border collie mix a purpose in life that has calmed him down and made him a better citizen. read more

I moved to San Diego 6 years ago with a Border Collie that I had taken to several other highly respected trainers in the Midwest, but we still had major problems in our herding training. Terry at Action K9 Sports had us working together, understanding each other better and managing the sheep very quickly. In one year, we not only had accumulated some herding titles, but were starting to gather points towards our herding championship!!! I had never even thought that possible. I had totally given up on herding with my dog 4 times in the past because she was so aggressive with the sheep, but I knew she had a lot of instinct and desire to herd. Yes, we had to be tough with her when she disobeyed and tried to harm the sheep on several occasions, but the results speak for themselves--she finished her AKC Herding Championship 3 years after we started with Terry and our dog/human relationship IMPROVED in the process. No dog abuse involved! With over 25 years' experience, Terry has a way of reading a dog's actions and responses instantaneously. With tough dogs, she is tough, with "soft" dogs, she uses a softer approach. My second Border Collie, daughter of the first, is of the softer temperament, and her training regimen has been very different from what we did with her mother. But you know what? Working with Terry, we earned both AKC and AHBA Championships on this dog before she was 3 years old! Now we are working on the challenging USBCHA big, open fields, and getting better with each training session and trial. At the recent Scottish Highland Games Sheepdog Trial in Vista, CA, the judge was very encouraging to me, and said, "If you just stick with Terry, you will be very surprised where you will be (in herding competition) in another year!" And it is a blast to train with handlers with dogs of all herding breeds, not just Border Collies, at Action K9 Sports! If you are really serious about learning what herding stock (sheep, ducks, geese and cattle) is about, I highly recommend Terry at Action K9 Sports. read more

I have trained out at Action K9 Sports with my Belgian Teruvrens. My trainer right now is Rich Godfrey. Rich is a patient trainer, who sees what I don't see when I'm trying to move stock and explains it to me in a way I can understand. At times, he has come in the arena and have me stand with him while he shows me how to work with the dog and the stock. I nearly gave up herding due to shear frustration, but Rich has made it fun and rewarding. I am actually working on getting titles on my Terv. Herding is not for everyone and it is definitely not for every dog. Terry has been in this business for years and has top Border Collies who compete nationally. People come to her facility thinking this will be a good way to exercise their dog on the weekends by letting their dog chase sheep. WRONG. Herding is a job, and a team job at that. You and your dog must work together to move live stock. I have seen dogs chase sheep, Terry's sheep, and I cannot blame her for being angry when dogs chase sheep and won't stop on command. I've seen dogs run sheep into the fence and even take down sheep. In both cases the sheep have died. Most of the time it's "handler error" since we are a TEAM, and as the handler we should be aware of both stock and dog. Chasing is a prey drive and can prove fatal to sheep or lambs if the dog continues to chase and doesn't get corrected soon enough. It can become a very dangerous "game" where sheep or dog or even the handler could be injured. I have witnessed several dogs who cannot get the chase out of them and no amount of correction will change that. Some of the complaints on this site is that Terry is tough on the dogs. You, as the handler, have to be on top of the situtation to correct it or stop herding all together. I wonder sometimes if these are the same dogs that have zero manners and cannot sit still in a public place. Any sport with your companion be it obedience, agility or rally takes discipline and work to make it successful. When you add another component, live stock, it takes a different kind of discipline and skill. Working with a herding dog is the MOST rewarding experience you could have with your beloved companion and the MOST difficult. Terry takes very good care of her sheep and has lovely grounds for all to enjoy. Parking is ample, and how bad can it be when you can see the Safari Park from her property. Great location, easy access from the freeway. The fellowship among fellow handlers is great as we all want each other to succeed and we cheer each other on during training and trials. I encourage anyone thinking about herding to attend one of Terry's seminars. Check out her website at Action k9 Sports and see if this activity is for you. read more