Life changing training taught with love and respect…read more I cannot say enough great things about Susan & the services she offers at N.D.O.T. It was soon into our initial consult with Susan that I knew she was offering something special with the training methods and communication structures that go into her Board & Train services. At the time of our consult we had a 2-year-old energetic blue heeler that was a perfect storm of energy, anxiety, and smarts. Arriving from HSSA, we are the second home for our little girl and knowing she's a working breed we tried to keep her both physically and mentally stimulated. We had already been through courses with another highly rated training facility here in Tucson (multiple individual 6-week courses: beginner-advanced as well as private lessons with trainers from the facility focusing on reactivity). One of the difficulties we still ran into was leash aggression and her anxiety around other dogs. Concerned she was going to hurt another animal or cause health problems to herself we were struggling to find a path to harmony with our little one. During the initial consult we discussed our backstory and the current training methods we were practicing. Susan shared the outline for how her typical board & train program progressed and then she spent time discussing how she planned to tailor the program to focus on the areas we were most concerned with. We left the first meeting with a boarding start date, some diet adjustments [we were overfeeding / treating :( ], and a ton of relief knowing how much we clicked with Susan's outlook/experience/reassurance. After starting and throughout the program Susan gave us regular updates on our little one's progress. It was incredible to witness the growth of confidence and trust this cattle dog gained during her first week with Susan and the pack. She transformed from an anxious, reactive, & lungeing terror around other dogs to a playful, curious, and happy member of Susan's pack. She was getting along with and safely learning how to interact off-leash around dogs of all sizes. During the final half of the program Susan went out of her way to ensure life 'post-graduation' was going to be set for success. We were able to join pack-walks at N.D.O.T. to learn and demonstrate the communication techniques Susan provided us. Susan brought our little one home prior to finishing training to join us for neighborhood walks in our own streets (helping us discover new opportunities for successful play and training in the future). We even got the opportunity to join Susan for multiple field trips with the pup. The communication had improved so much that we were practicing public training outings at everywhere from hardware shops to farmers markets. The program ended after enjoying a wonderful meal on a Resturant patio the pup calmly resting throughout (this is something 3 weeks earlier I never would have believed possible!) I am unable to overstate the gratitude I have for Susan's training and the improved communication skills we have developed with our four-legged loved one because of it. This training pays dividends. Keep Susan's contact info saved because even if it's not today someday you will want it. To me N.D.O.T. is the equivalent of a low-key amazing restaurant or bar. If you know someone who could benefit from working with Susan and you want to give that person the gift of a lifetime then just share Susan's info and let them know she really is life changing.

I can't say enough about the amazing work that Susan does with dogs. Our young Corgi,Benny, missed…read morepuppy classes because of Covid. At the same time I broke my wrist so five months later I had a young dog who had not been socialized and was totally out of control. I was completely overwhelmed. Susan took Benny and after three weeks he was a totally different dog. He is socialized so I can now take him out in public without him causing total chaos. He is now attentive and well mannered. Susan constantly stays in touch with me to check on his progress. It was worth every penny to have Susan work with our dog. I am very grateful for what she has done. Roni Woolston

I adopted Roama (1yr old chow/shepherd/cattle dog/pit mix) from PACC in late June. There was very…read morelittle known about her other than she'd seriously bitten the ppl who found her as a stray. I was very nervous bringing a new dog into my very comfortable pack with 2 small, 9 yr old dachshund mixes. My dogs had always been chill with other dogs but since Roama was a wildcard, I enlisted help from Terra to make sure I was prepared. Terra came to my house before the adoption, gave me ideas how to set up the space, tips for feeding in case there was resource aggression, and general training planning after meeting my 2 littles and getting their vibe. When Roama arrived, she made another visit to the house to see them (and me) interact. Let's face it, the human is usually the problem and I'm not exception. She helped with great tips, especially the magical squirt bottle (the horror!!) Roama has a lot of puppy energy that her elder siblings aren't able to match, and Terra invited her to the socializing play group! This has been a game changer. Roama can spend the day with pups that match her size and energy, then come home tired for cuddles with the sibs! It's been so great for her! Terra even let me join to watch her play and see how she shows her emotions (all in that toothy mouth of hers.). Hoping she'll be ready to try a dog park soon! Can not recommend her enough if you're anxious about adopting a new friend (DO IT) or if your current pup just needs a nudge in the right direction! Rise Above is amazing!! Enjoy the happy dog photos!!

I am so grateful to have Just completed my five weeks of training and lessons with Terra, for my…read morehigh energy Border Collie, who was having reactivity issues to other pups as we were on our daily morning walks through our neighborhood. Terra 's professional, caring , focused training taught me the exact skills I needed, to help my pup get over her reactivity issues. We are now able to have relaxing , fun walks , through our neighborhood, every morning. I know what to do to help my pup, should she become distracted, so we can continue at a leisurely manner during our walks. Terra came to my home, in a space where I and my pup were relaxed. She even brought her sidekick "Bucket", to help us with our reactivity issues. We were given homework to do after every lesson, and did it faithfully, 2 times a day. My pup now looks forward to going on walks and reinforcing what we have learned. Terra was always available for any questions I had and returned my text messages promptly. I am truly grateful to have found Terra and Rise Above Dog Training. I know , soon, there will be a day, when reactivity is a thing of the past, but, I will continue to train my pup, as she is a member of my family, and deserves to have the best of care. With all of this said, I highly recommend Terra for your dog training /owner of dog training needs. My pup and I thank you Terra.

Before choosing a dog trainer, we looked at countless options online. Ruff House was the only one…read morethat got back to us and was accepting new clients, or in some cases, got back to us at all. We weren't sure what to expect, as we are new to dog training. We scheduled an initial appointment for private in-home training that was $150 and was listed to be up to an hour and a half. Following the payment, we received an email with the trainer's availability and requested a time within it. We then had to go back and forth to find a time that worked for the trainer. It would have been much more helpful to just receive a list of dates/times that were still available instead of just a general schedule for booking. Again, we weren't sure what to expect but got up bright and early for an 8:00am session in our home the morning after Thanksgiving. The trainer was 8 minutes late. I know that isn't a huge amount of time, but it was our first meeting and we were ready on time and waiting. We received some helpful tips on how to start working on the main concerns we had with our dog, but felt like we didn't receive clear instruction on what to do if the dog didn't do the command, etc. We contemplated booking more sessions, but ultimately decided against it for the amount of money we paid vs the information we received. Maybe dog training just isn't for us. Maybe we just didn't mesh with the trainer. This was our experience.

This review is my personal opinion and not that of OVPD. We just completed Intermediate Behavior…read moreclass, which is another in a series of classes I have had the privilege of taking with Ari. They do an outstanding job of training both the dog and me. They have transformed Ari from a hyper uncontrolled dog to a well behaved sweetheart. Thanks Ruff House!

Gerard does not deal with large dogs. That is his choice, but, as the owner of two large dogs, it…read morewould have been nice to save my time and not waste Gerard's or mine with studying his website, reading reviews, setting up an appointment and then, OOPS! I do not work with large dogs. That, Gerard, is a bummer. You may be the greatest trainer in the world, but you owe people the courtesy of telling them what you do, and what you do not, do.

OMG..........this man is a miracle worker! He took our rescue terrier from completely…read moreundisciplined, to an obedient, well-behaved joy to have around. We also had major housebreaking issues, which he resolved immediately with some very easy tips. She had one accident after the first session and that has been it. I feel his prices are very reasonable for the results we received, and even my cheap *** husband said it was worth every penny. Gerard is extremely reliable and always shows up when he says he will. He is accessible by phone anytime I have questions. I recommend Gerard without any hesitation whatsoever!

I take my 15 1/2 year old Queensland healer mix to see Kate to work on maintaining his rear…read moreagility. Jaimme's experience is one of fun and enjoyment and he has shown improvement in his rear strength and balance which allows him to continue his daily walks and other doggy's routines. In addition, Diablo a foster with Valley fever has benefited from the gym routines as the valley fever he has has riddled his body with bone damage and it is clear that the therapeutic benefits are helping him develop a more normal range of motion.

Our dog had an injury that will require months of rehab and therapy, and our vet recommended A…read moreLoyal Companion. Our dog needed a custom made brace with adjustments and A Loyal Companion not only created the brace but came to our home in Phoenix (two hour drive from Tucson) and fit him and instruct us on how to put it on and take it off him. We also were given two free adjustments and they have a great pool especially for dogs. I highly recommend them!!

I am 100% permanent and total disabled veteran. I was awarded an American warriors Grant, they…read morechose rainbow service as the training facility. The worst mistake ever this woman shows up at my house with a dirty smelly van and a plate of food she's eating and talking to me while driving. Her house was absolutely disgusting she had a bunch of dogs fenced up in the kitchen with my dog in the living room throwing treats on the floor and then her dogs were all barking and creating havoc for my dog. Now my dog is a pitbull however she was an amazing animal yes she recently passed . Do not use this woman if you want your dog trained properly she has absolutely no idea what she's doing disrespectful dirty unprofessional all around trashy service if you love your dog you keep them as far away from this evil woman as possible

My dog Winston has been training with Rainbow Service Dogs since he was 3 months old and he'll be 3…read moreyears old this summer. I've appreciated the one-on-one training and how well Kelley has shown me ways to continue his training outside of our weekly classes. Winston is a blue heeler, which is an energetic breed, but thanks to Kelley I can confidently have him work as my service animal in any public setting. He accompanies me to work and on international trips. Thank you

Can't thank Cathy enough! I had an emergency drop off due to medical emergencies and she was super…read moreaccommodating. Send your dog with everything they need, provide detailed instructions and you should have a great visit! The welcome introduction is super important, make sure to think of any details about your dog or special needs your pet may have. She is great at communicating and updates with pictures. If you have a small dog who needs care this is the place!

We hired Auntie Cathy to care for our dog while we were on holiday. He stayed in her home. She…read moreseemed trustworthy and responsible. While we were traveling she called and informed us our pet was in distress. He needed emergency surgery for ingesting play toys to remove portions of his intestines. Auntie Cathy informed us her insurance was not up to date. We were Very Disapointed to hear this. Pet owners beware to ask for proof of insurance and know that supervision may not be as what one would expect under her care. Hoping maybe a lesson was learned here.

I think that Nancy saved my dog, Penelope. In January, Penelope had a mystery illness that our vet…read moresaid was liver cancer and not to bring her back because there was nothing she could do. Not wanting to give up, I drove her to Phoenix where an internal medicine specialist figured out it was the rimadyl that Penelope was taking for arthritis that was causing her elevated liver enzymes and enlarged liver. He immediately took her off of this. Penelope is 10 and a mastiff mix. She's still active but very stiff and has difficulty moving some days. Since she couldn't take her pain medicine anymore, I asked Nancy if she could meet with her and give her a massage. She got Penelope moving around so much better. For days after her massages she was moving like her old self. Nancy showed me the pressure points on Penelope so that I could help her in between massage sessions, which has definitely helped her. Nancy is so polite and kind. Penelope warmed up to her immediately. She provides an invaluable service to animals. I'm forever grateful.

We can't recommend Nancy and Animal Ally of Arizona highly enough! We are so grateful we found…read moreher. We have a very arthritic nearly 16 year old Sheltie. His nearly immobile hind legs wouldn't support him in a standing position for very long, and he needed to be carried in and out of the house for his "duties". A dog trainer friend suggested Animal Ally. Nancy came to our home, brought her massage table, and worked on our little guy for an hour. He is a totally different dog. He walks in and out of the house, and actually "loped" after our other dog this morning. I am able to take him for SHORT daily walks now, which is a miracle! Nancy is professional, very loving and kind in her work. We think she is terrific, and the healing she does, is as mentioned, a miracle!!