This is a long time coming. Started with Deanna and Hawaii Dog Training a couple years ago in a…read moregroup training class for our pomsky Marley. Then a year later we added Cleo (Border Collie) to our family. Everything you hear about Border Collies are true! So we finally decided to have her do the 2 week board and train with Deanna. That was the best decision we made. This was followed up with additional session and e-collar training. What a difference! It is an ongoing effort and the training never stops for both Marley and Cleo. But now we are better equipped to take them to the park, the beach, on hikes, have a dull house of family over and the dogs can enjoy all these events with us. Thank you so much to Deanna snd your team!

We are first time dog owners, and picked a somewhat difficult breed as our first pup, the Alaskan…read moreKlee Kai aka mini husky. So many of spitz breed characteristics in a smedium body. We knew we needed help so our girl has had a lot of training, I mean a LOT. On the mainland, we had her enrolled in puppy socialization classes (covid dog) from the get go, and board & train at 6 months for basic obedience. Her first trainer told us she was "feral." We went through the gamut of trainers from hard-nosed strict obedience-focused to purely positive reinforcement only trainers. They all worked to some degree but nothing really hit the sweet spot. Enter Deanna from HDTS- she really understands dogs and works with the natural tendencies of the animal, while still expecting (and getting!) obedience and manners. She might not be the trainer for every human, but she is 100% the trainer for every dog. You can just tell the dogs all love her, she is like magic to them. My dog never liked any of her trainers before, and she's a good judge of character! My girl made a huge leap in her development, and I can honestly say Deanna has changed our lives by working with Maple. I can trust Maple off-leash in some settings giving her the freedom to just be a dog, which she repays with love and never-ending kisses. I trust Deanna with my dog daughter implicitly, and would literally never board her anywhere else. Maple loves her too :)

We've used Island Dog Obedience for both their regular board and train and their service dog board…read moreand train for our two Australian shepherds, and their services have been life changing. The difference in recall alone is worth it. Our dogs come back reliably now, which is something we struggled with for a long time on our own. Their overall behavior improved across the board too, not just the specific things we went in wanting to fix. Raya is the reason this works. She is the real deal. She's incredibly responsive, and she sends updates throughout the training so you're never left wondering how your dog is doing. The videos she sends also provide instruction for you as the dog owner. She clearly cares about every dog that comes through, and it shows in the results. What sets her apart, though, is that she doesn't disappear when the program ends. She's still there for us, giving advice on how to keep the training going at home, answering questions, and helping us hold onto the progress. That kind of ongoing support is rare and it makes all the difference for us to keep up the training at home. If your dog needs real help, go see Raya. There's no one we would trust our dogs with more!

If you're reading the reviews trying to decide, let me save you some time -- you're in the right…read moreplace. Island Dog Obedience is AMAZING. Kristi is truly one of a kind My boyfriend and I came to her desperate for help with our new pup, Kona, who struggled with severe anxiety. He was scared of pretty much everything -- people, new environments, being separated from us -- and we were also dealing with barking, basic obedience, and some unwanted behaviors. After just 4 sessions, the transformation has been unbelievable. Today was our final session, and I honestly wish I had a video of how Kona used to be so people could truly understand how far he's come. At the beginning, he wouldn't even go up to Kristi and was extremely hesitant and fearful whenever she took the leash. Now? He confidently walks up to her on his own terms -- calm, trusting, and self-assured. That alone speaks volumes. Kristi didn't just train Kona -- she guided us on how to train him the right way. She's patient, knowledgeable, supportive, and truly cares about both the dog and the owners. She sets you up for success, but it's important to note that the progress comes from continuing the work at home too -- and her guidance made that possible for us. We are beyond grateful for Kristi and everything she's done for our pup. If you're dealing with anxiety, fear, or behavioral issues and want real results, Island Dog Obedience is 100% worth it. I cannot recommend her enough!

Xavier at K9 Coach LLC is an incredible hands on trainer who is extremely knowledgeable and…read moreprofessional when it comes to dog training. He has been training my dog since four months old. What I love best about Xavier is how not only does he closely work with your dog to teach them important skills, but he too teaches the human these important skills and how to follow through with them at home with consistency. We have come so far through all of his basic commands, gentle walking, tracking and now we are working on open recall. He helps fit different collars and leashes on our dogs so they work appropriately during training. He is also extremely informative in how to approach situations outside of training and how to correct them. There is no one else on the island I would trust to train our guy.

Xavier worked with my Shetland Sheepdog for basic obedience and confidence after a negative…read moreencounter with another dog. He was able to tailor a program to meet my dogs needs as a currently competing show dog and set a foundation for a well rounded future. Xavier is attentive to not only his four legged clients but also their human companions providing direct and encouraging feedback on how to support your pup achieving behavior milestones and consistency. I was instructed on corrections, proper tools for training, behavior rewards, and off leash/outside of training time best practices. Communication for scheduling, classes, private lessons, and checking in is easy to do. Prices are appropriate and reasonable for the high level of professionalism and expertise that Xavier has. I have also utilized them for boarding my dog during a family emergency, where accommodation was made for us not only last minute, but with the kindness you'd expect from close friends and family! My dog was cared for extremely well and made the quick separation at an early age such a positive experience that he was able to make transitions into new environments more easily following his stay with Xavier. Xavier understands dogs and their behaviors in a way that allows him to connect with the dogs he's working with long term to maximize your dogs performance of good behaviors and obedience. My sheltie is more confident, consistent, and happier since going through his program and I am excited to continue working with Xavier!

HIGHLY recommend training with Alaka'i K9! They offer all types of training for all ages and all…read moretemperaments! Jenna has spent years training dogs demonstrating understanding of dogs AND people. She and her team help you to understand your role in working with your dog to develop the best working relationship that trains the best behaved dogs and owners! They really care about your dog and their well-being so if genuine care is your priority for your dog, Alaka'i K9 is your team!

Our senior Yorkie, Shoyu, needed boarding while our family was away over a weekend and had never…read moreboarded before so I was worried. Shoyu has reactivity towards dogs and has a tendency to try make an escape which made finding a trustworthy sitter difficult, but Jenna & Tricia did a great job reassuring me that Shoyu would be loved and cuddled while she was with them :) Shoyu spent the weekend pampered with their family and running around their house like she owned the place, with text & photo updates from Alakai K9. Shoyu also has specialized eye medication for a condition which they dutifully applied every day. They even gave her a bath since it had rained and she got wet - I would recommend their services to board your pup!

We thank Sean and his Pet Perspective team for training dogs on this island of Oahu. The island is…read moreblessed to have him and his team. We sincerely hope that Sean would continue to train dogs here and help out as many owners as he can as he did for us. Several years ago, we found a dog trainer that recommended a prong collar and bark collar for my german shepherd/husky dog. My dog ended up staying overnight at the vet because the prong collar cut through her fur and severely damaged her neck area. It was so painful to watch her suffer, and prong collars were definitely NOT the solution to what our pup needed. These collars do more damage than help. Sean is anti-prong collars, and he teaches exactly how to train dogs through positive reinforcement training. We first found Sean at a time when we were so lost and wanting guidance to issues that I don't think any other dog trainer on this island could have solved. I contacted Dakine Canine dog trainer first, explained to her the issues that we were having, and then she recommended that we reach out to Sean at Pet Perspective. (We thank the head trainer at Dakine Canine for this recommendation!) We were raising a 2 yr old german shepherd at the time, and because she didn't get the necessary training starting early, she grew up to be a reactive dog. To this day, we say to ourselves that if we found Sean when our german shepherd pup was a baby and trained her well from the start, she would have turned out to be the bestest version she could ever be... At that time, we got a baby english cocker spaniel pup, and our 2 yr old shepherd could NOT get along with the pup at all. Whenever the puppy was near her, she would bark and react so badly that for months we had to put them in separate rooms, fearing that if the puppy goes to the shepherd, then she would get bitten and hurt. We did not know what to do with this situation. We were so lost and even thought that we had to give up the puppy to resolve the situation. That's when Sean enters the picture. He came to our house for the initial consultation and was able to figure out a solid plan! What was amazing was Sean was able to quiet down our german shepherd dog right off the bat! We've never seen anybody with such a good command and handling of dogs. He gave us a plan on how we can make our german shepherd dog get along with our english cocker spaniel. And putting to work with what he suggested, we were finally able to get the german shepherd to be OK and calm hanging around with the baby pup. This has been incredible because now the two are BEST BUDDIES!!! They love each other so much, and the shepherd is like a mother/sister/friend to the cocker spaniel. All we did was do what Sean told us to do, and this miracle happened! Sean has been helping us train our reactive german shepherd pup for over a year now, and she is growing up to be the best version she can ever be!! She is an extremely happy dog, and we are so thankful that we have Sean's guidance. If we found Sean earlier when we first adopted our german shepherd, she would not have turned out to be reactive. But that is OK. Because we were able to find Sean at a time when we most needed help, and it has been amazing to see our dog grow and flourish every single day. And the whole reason I'm writing this review is to help spread the word!! There's someone out there that needs Sean and his team. Please don't give up your dog. They need you, and you need them. A Pet Perspective will be there to help and guide you through so that your dog will be the best version of themselves.

Almost two years ago, I became the sole owner of a 100-pound dog with severe fear aggression. It…read morewas a scary and isolating experience, and many people in my life were telling me that I needed to put my dog down. Thank goodness for Sean, Kaimana, and Ginny at A Pet Perspective. They provided the tools, guidance, support, and hands-on training that I couldn't find anywhere else. They've been there every step of the way, whether through scheduled training sessions or emergency texts when I needed help most. It hasn't been an easy journey with my dog. At times, progress came in small increments, but it was always moving us in the right direction. Looking back now, it has absolutely been worth it. Thanks to their expertise and dedication, both my dog and I are in a much better place today. I wholeheartedly recommend A Pet Perspective to anyone struggling with behavioral challenges or looking for a training team that truly cares about both the dog and the owner. Their support has been life-changing, and I will always be grateful for everything they've done for us.

I really don't want to give Marie a less than stellar review because for the most part I really…read morelike Marie and I think her intentions are good. I think there are some issues that were costly to me that might help you avoid the same. I'll start with the cons and end with the pros: Marie is all about the money and herself, first and foremost. You're not entering into a partnership. She's the boss. She can bend her rules, ask you to be flexible with scheduling and rescheduling but you can not. There is a language barrier that became more obvious over time. English is not Marie's native tongue. She also doesnt hear well (I dont either) so masking isnt an option. Lack of clarity in communication was a huge issue. Pros: Marie is positive, all positive, and uses Skinner's operant conditioning as her model. Lots of treats and rewards and ignoring the negatives. She understands dogs and their language. I saw great improvement in my dogs and their reactivity and regression in their potty habits while working with her. That improvement was in the first 3-5 sessions though. After that it was practice of the same with nothing new. I would not recommend buying a package. I quit the training with prepaid training sessions left. Ive worked with excellent trainers so maybe I'm spoiled. There's a lot of good stuff on the internet that's free, like Doggy Dan. In spite of it all, Im grateful for Marie and our time together and the improved relationships with my dogs and their more relaxed way of life since I'm more relaxed.

I would give ProDog Hawaii 10 stars if I could! Marie has changed our lives for the better...we…read morewent from constant stress and tension to being able to relax and enjoy time with our dog. I was in search of a force free dog trainer after our 8 year old rescue dog had regressed after an event and had become fearful of pretty much everything and she became reactive towards my husband. I remembered a friend had worked with Marie years prior and she was highly recommended so I emailed through the website and received a very speedy, thorough and nice reply from Marie and quickly decided I wanted to work with her. We've also been working remotely with a Veterinary Behaviorist in San Francisco along with our local vet. Although we had not gotten her stabilized on medications, we started training right away. There were months of trying different medications and different doses, and our dog having bad side effects. We had Zoom sessions with Marie throughout this time and she was so helpful and supportive with giving us ideas and suggestions of what to try to get her from being in a frozen state of fear and building her trust and confidence. I just wanted my scared girl to stop hiding and be able to relax on the couch like she used to do. Marie has been so accommodating with our schedule (there were weeks I would postpone and reschedule due to our rescue girl not feeling well). Marie encouraged us to video our training and she would analyze the videos and she has taught me so much about our dogs body language. We have been working with Marie for about 4 months and have seen great improvement. She is off all behaviorial medications and rarely hides. She is much more tolerant of noises and is now eager and more engaged when we train. She is happier and more playful than she's ever been. We never would have gotten this far without Marie's guidance. She truly cares about her clients. She is so knowledgeable and is amazing at what she does. Thank you Marie for helping us build a better relationship with our sweet girl and helping her to gain more confidence!

Eric Sacks is currently under criminal investigation for dog abuse…read more Sometimes I wake up with nightmares because of the way Eric and his employees injured my dog. I sent my dog away for three weeks in January after assurances that he would be well taken care of. My dog was supposed to work on his separation anxiety and crying. Eric and his team cut and burned my dogs neck (see vet analysis) with a shock collar for three weeks, and didn't give him his medicine as instructed. He didn't take him to the vet after he hurt his neck, either. Furthermore, he refuses to give us a full refund, which shows that he cares more about money than the animals he is trusted with. I am posting this as informative information to others. The photos show my dog's neck after the veterinarian cleaned his wounds out. He was prescribed painkillers and antibiotics for two weeks. I wish I never sent my dog there. I wish I never trusted Eric. He should not be caring for animals. Update in response to Eric: Eric is a liar, and took advantage of my emotions when I was processing that my dog was hurt by him. He isn't even quoting the right amounts of money he owes me ($2,250.72), and is violating his confidentiality agreement with the mediation center. A business owner should refund all money to the owners, including vet costs. My dog's training did not improve, nor have I ever said that it did. He still cries from separation anxiety when he is alone. Eric's services did not do us any good and he is weak and incapable of owning up to his mistakes. Furthermore, I sent my dog to Eric with instructions for giving my dog medicine. Eric is clearly disorganized and neglectful of this. The veterinary bills show that there IS thermal damage. Anyone with a brain knows that thermal damage means burns. Get over yourself. I HAVE NOT CREATED ANY FAKE ACCOUNTS NOR ASKED ANYBODY TO LEAVE A BAD REVIEW. I only shared my own story on my own social media accounts. People do what they want on their own free will. Many people love my dog, and it is their constitutional right to free speech to vocalize their own perspectives on their own free will, especially about matters of public concern - including dog abuse. At Eric's request, I tried to settle our dispute privately, which is why I did not post in January. I wanted to, but gave this horrible trainer the benefit of the doubt in being a good business owner and handling this appropriately. Now I am sharing the truth. There is no slander. Only truth.

We did the 3 weeks boarding training with Eric and received the best results. Now I can take Fen…read moreANYWHERE without him pulling me or being scared. It was amazing to see how much he helped us in only 3 weeks, we really loved the results! Apart from that, they sent us updates of his progress and always answered our questions! They took great care of him

10/10 recommend Elle. She is absolutely phenomenal. She treats your dog like it is her own and is…read morevery gentle. Her knowledge and expertise on every breed is impressive. We have been working together for a few months and I can already see a huge difference in my doodle. The video below speaks for itself. My doodle was 9 months old when I took this video. Levi does great on a leash now with little to no pulling, he looks at me for commands, and doesn't bark as much. She can work on anything your family needs or wants. She will tailor the sessions to accomplish your goals. You won't be disappointed if you hire her!!

From the owner: Connecting Smart Owners and Smart Dogs - Discover Akamai Dog Training!…read more Welcome to Akamai Dog Training, the ultimate destination where the brilliance of both owners and dogs comes to life! Our name, inspired by the Hawaiian term for "smart," perfectly captures our mission: fostering an unbreakable bond between smart owners and their equally intelligent furry companions. At Akamai, we believe that training isn't just for dogs – it's for forging a lifelong partnership built on trust, communication, and shared accomplishments. What Sets Akamai Dog Training Apart? A Two-Way Learning Experience: At Akamai, we believe that effective training involves teaching both ends of the leash. Our programs go beyond teaching dogs; they empower owners with the knowledge and techniques they need to communicate effectively, build trust, and forge a lasting connection. It's a journey of shared growth and progress. Tailored Programs for All: No matter your dog's age or skill level, our programs cater to diverse needs. From essential manners to advanced challenges, we tailor our training to ensure both you and your dog achieve the best possible results together. Ready to embark on a journey of mutual discovery and companionship? Join the Akamai Dog Training community and experience the power of unity between smart owners and their brilliant dogs. From the vibrant streets of Honolulu to the serene beaches on the North Shore, our training goes beyond the ordinary to create an extraordinary bond.

Tanima and her team blew me away with their professionalism, utmost care, communication, and level…read moreof service for overnight dog sitting services. I have two naughty dogs who don't do well with separation. Our amazing pet sitter (or dog nanny as our daughter calls it) took incredible care of them, provided detailed daily updates, and also (bonus) acted as a "house sitter" in a way (see service list on their website). Dogs are never left alone for more than a few hours, get walks, playtime and pets, and get to be in their comfortable and familiar space. For us, this service made way more finanial and practical sense than putting 2 pets in a boarding facility (no need to struggle with drop off and pick up times and all the paperwork of a kennel plus no risk of injury or disease exposure). Communication was stellar from start to finish. Will be booking again and again for all our travel needs.

Tanima has recently started taking our puppy out during the day and she has been wonderful. Tanima…read moreprovides a very professional service that is responsive, timely and most important , very loving, for the newest member of our family. Thank you, Tanima!