We brought our dog Doug into training with equal parts hope and skepticism. He's smart, loving…read more.. and wildly mischievous. From the very first session, though, something shifted. Almost instantly, Doug went from chaotic curiosity to calm focus--not because his personality was suppressed, but because it was finally understood. What stood out most wasn't just the effectiveness of the training techniques (though those were impressive), it was the perspective shift. We stopped seeing "bad behavior" and started seeing misplaced energy. Instead of correcting Doug, we learned how to redirect him--turning frustration into purpose and impulse into productivity. That change alone was a game-changer. The training style blended structure, consistency, and genuine affection in a way that felt natural and kind. There was no harshness, no shortcuts--just patience, clarity, and a deep respect for the dog in front of her. Doug didn't just listen; he trusted. Best of all, the improvement has continued. Each week builds on the last, and Doug grows more confident, controlled, and happy. The process didn't just train our dog--it trained us to be better humans for him. Sweet, intuitive, and deeply caring, she has a rare gift. Doug is proof.

Update: As John Van…read moreOlden has indicated in his comment on my previous review he has apologized and refunded *his portion,* but an apology is not worth $740 to me, which is the amount remaining that was paid and that I have yet to receive. This is not an inconsequential sum of money. I recognize that I can't hold John accountable for Greg leaving the company, but working with Canine Trade Group means there will be absolutely no oversight over your trainer. Regardless of whether the trainers are independent contractors or not, someone in business with them should be culpable and take ownership of the situation. Efforts made in John's comments to characterize this as a misunderstanding between Greg and myself about "events that transpired" could not be more disingenuous. I paid Greg and got nothing for my money. I fail to see how this could be a subjective dispute. As for Gregory J. Stewart, he has seemingly vanished off the face of the earth, after indicating that he would return a comical fraction of my initial payment and failing to deliver on even that. I don't know if he's training dogs elsewhere but wherever he may be employed I can't recommend hiring him or working with him in any capacity, as he has shown me that he has no ethics as a professional or even as a human being.

The dog trainer Lilian Akin has worked in the dog-training industry since the 1990s. She is a…read moreCertified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT) as well as a Certified Behavior Consultant for Canines (CBCC). She offers in-home training and behavioral consultation for dogs that suffer from anxiety or aggression, and she uses positive reinforcement techniques to change their behaviors. Specific techniques might include using treats, head halters, harnesses, toys, clickers, and others. She does NOT use choke collars, prong collars, shock collars, or other forms of correction-based training. Most other dog trainers in the Pittsburgh area combine positive reinforcement with correction-based training, so I searched long and hard for a trainer who uses only positive reinforcement. My dog is very anxious and sweet, and I think that based on scientific studies, she would do best with positive reinforcement, not to mention that the shelter's contract forbid correction-based training. I felt very happy when my friend recommended Lilian Akin, and Lilian agreed to work with my dog and me. Please note that Lilian is an attorney during the day and a dog trainer only in the evenings and weekends, so she is very busy. My consultation was about 1.5 weeks after I first contacted her. She accepts payment via cash, check, Venmo, and Zelle. On the day of the consultation, Lilian arrived at my house on time. She wore a KN95 mask, and she said that she is vaccinated and boostered--which I greatly appreciate during this pandemic. Lilian had a very warm personality, and I enjoyed talking with her about my dog's behaviors and possible training methods. After 1.5 hours, Lilian handed me a two-page paper on which she had summarized what we had discussed. My dog does not go outside to pee and poop, so Lilian suggested that we 1) bring out the leash when we give the dog food and treats, 2) feed her near the front door, and 3) teach her hand targeting so she follows us. For the last 1.5 weeks, my husband and I have been using these techniques, and the first two have helped our dog to feel less nervous about the leash and front door. My dog is so nervous that we will likely need to train her for months, but I feel relieved that she is making some progress. For future appointments, Lilian said that we can hire her per session or with a package of three sessions for a discount. Lilian does make herself available via email and text if we have questions in between sessions.

Lilian Akin came to observe my pup, Kizzie, who was having behavior issues such as resource…read moreguarding, fear biting, unsociable actions towards my other dogs and also people. Lilian was here for more than 2 hours, asking questions and making notes. I'd known Lilian from my pit bull rescue work and knew she'd tell me what I needed to hear. At the end of this session, she gave me a plan of action to follow, notes to share with my vet, worked with me on some exercises to do with Kizzie and my other dogs, and gave me literature to read up on. Lilian was teacher to not only Kizzie, but also to me. She listened to the behaviors I noticed, helped me work through them, and celebrated the milestones we accomplished. It's always scary when you see your dog is struggling, but Lilian helps you not feel alone and provides you with sound exercises and cues to work on. She's calming to both you AND your dog.

Jen has been my pet sitter for over ten years now. Before I plan any vacation I make sure that she…read moreis available to watch my cats because I know they are in good hands with her. Jen will send me a daily text with updates on how the cats are doing and always sends pictures. She understands the personalities of my cats and treats them in ways that make them comfortable. It's such a relief to know they are really being cared for. Jen is also very knowledgeable about animal health and well-being. She is certified in pet services and continues to stay up to date on animal welfare topics. I am planning on taking her pet first aid and CPR class this fall. Jen will always be the first person I recommend for anyone looking for a pet sitter.

I absolutely love Jenn. She did a fabulous job of taking care of our two dogs and we have booked…read moreher multiples times throughout the coming year. She stayed at our home and you would never have thought anyone had been here. Everything was perfect. I can't say enough good things about her.

In mid-December, my husband found an English bulldog named Olive on the Petfinder website. On…read moreFoster Farm's website, I filled out an application to adopt Olive. The application asked questions about our employment, housing, any fences, how we would give the dog exercise and other necessary things, our current pets and their veterinarian records, any experience that we have with this dog breed, if we have ever given up any past pet, etcetera. I spent time to write many thoughtful paragraphs of text. Two days later, the Foster Farm contacted me and said that they wanted me to adopt Olive, pending my answer about an invisible fence (which they do NOT allow). (I read other Yelpers' 1-star reviews about filling out applications and never hearing back. The Foster Farm is run by volunteers who have jobs or are in school, so they are low on time, but they should get back to you.) On that same day, they approved my application for Olive, and they scheduled my husband's and my first meet-and-greet/adoption with Olive for a few days later at our request to fit our schedule. In the meantime, the Foster Farm answered our questions via email about what size of collar and carrier to buy, what type of food to buy, etc., so we could shop in advance. They also emailed me photos of Olive. The adoption fee was $325, which was supposed to include vaccinations (DAPP and rabies), a microchip, deworming, and a future spay. Payment options were PayPal, Venmo, or a check. On December 22, a Foster Farm employee drove out to our house with Olive. She wore a face mask as a COVID-19 precaution. She allowed us to spend time with Olive on our couch, and she spent time to answer our questions before she left. I am deducting one star from my review, because the Foster Farm gave us *NO MEDICAL RECORDS.* I asked for medical records multiple times, particularly for the vaccines, and they said that they did not have them. The Foster Farm had told me that they would pay for a clinic to do Olive's rabies vaccine, which was included in the adoption fee, but the clinic for some reason did not do the rabies vaccine. With ZERO medical records for Olive other than for the spaying, I paid my veterinarian to do ALL vaccinations from scratch. The clinic did scan a microchip and give me the number at my request. In addition, the Foster Farm had told me that they had dewormed Olive, but when I took Olive to my veterinarian for a fecal test, the test came back positive for intestinal parasites, and I paid my vet to deworm Olive. Maybe the Foster Farm had dewormed the dog, but she contracted parasites again from other dogs in different foster homes or when she was adopted by another family? Olive is a very nervous dog who needs to be housetrained, but she has a very sweet personality, and she gets along with our cats (yay!). I think that the Foster Farm placed her into the right home, and their fee of $325 for a bulldog was very reasonable. For those reasons, I will award 4 stars. But I do recommend that the Foster Farm pass along vaccination records.

Just adopted a dog from the Foster Farm this past week, and they are a wonderful organization. They…read morereally read our application and took into account what type of dog we were looking to adopt. The process was simple and our pup's foster mom was very personable, understanding, and professional. We could not be happier with our new family member, Rex!

There is no one that I would trust more to train my dog. Tena, Kelly, Coleman, and the rest of the…read moreteam are so knowledgeable on dog behavior and are always working to keep updated on the newest scientific practices in the field. It is so hard to find a good dog trainer, but your search is over now that you've found SJC.

Tena is a miracle worker! She helped me with my leash-reactive rescue dog through one-on-one…read morelessons, and I couldn't be happier with our progress. It's been almost a year and a half since we finished up our private training classes. I can now walk my dog basically anywhere--from busy Downtown PGH streets to Frick Park--and he can get past another dog with little more than a whine. Tena is very kind, patient, and knows how to teach both dogs & people! My relationship with my dog improved so much thanks to Tena's guidance, and I'd recommend her to anyone, especially those with reactive dogs! Positive reinforcement for the win!!

I dropped my 3 bigger dogs there with a bag with mats bones balls vitamins and anti-anxiety med for…read moremy older dog. Nothing was used or given to them. When we went for drop off and pick up they would not even handle the dogs, saying they were too big to handle. I picked them up and they are skinny and exhausted. So mad!

We love boarding our cats here. Construction is complete on a new addition called the Cat Condos…read more Each unit has different floors the cat can access. They also have very large cages with hammocks and play things.

Our dog was sick, asked to have a prescription filled, or just a few pills to get her comfortable…read more They refused , said they needed an appointment. That's the way they really care about our pets. Disgusting place , disgusting care, disgusting people.

Such a sad, horrible experience. An worst of all my baby, Madison is the one suffering most of…read moreall. she has a yeast infection in her right ear. My family, among many others, are struggling. Children, shrink elation, heck lift, COST...AVERAGE INCOME IS NO INCOME THESE DAYS. We break bc Maddie is pitiful...200$ later, they gave her a drop of antibiotic in her ear. Then sent her on her way with a follow up appointment. Just to ensure she was better. what?? yes. They advised she had yeast in her right ear. they would clean it out give her drops and that would take care if it. A they did not clean or wipe any part of her ear. In addition should of sent home aperscription to take care 8f her infection. They did nothing...but make her worse. I even called to get explanation an realize. if you aren't wealthy do not rescue ananimal. when it gets sick there is no where to turn. especially places like this.

in a pinch Shannon was able to take my dog. For the first hour we watched the dogs to make sure…read morethey got along and I am so glad they did! All sorts of dogs were there. They are dog people and have a someone there from about 6a-9p and then its bed time. After 7 days she gives a 10% discount. I will certainly use them again!!!!

I would highly recommend Shannon, we have 2 Shelties and a Pomperain last year while on vacation my…read morestep daughter ran into a problem watching our dogs, my wife called Shannon at 9am and was told to bring the dogs to her for the week vacation saver 100% quality service excellent employees as well.