We purchased our Moyen Poodle puppy from Michael and Sandra at the Dog Academy of NC. We had a…read moregreat experience. Our puppy, Raven, was 7 months old when we picked him up and Michael had worked with him and he was amazingly well trained and behaved. Michael took time to teach me his approach to training and it was tremendously effective. I can't say enough about the good experience we had with the Dog Academy of NC.

If you have any reservations about training with Mike at Dog Academy of NC, I'm here to dispel them…read morefor you. Mike is one of the best trainer's we've ever met and I can't express how happy we were with choosing him. He is professional, extremely knowledgeable with decades of experience training dogs, and most of all really does care about your dog. But even more important than that, he cares more about who your dog could become; stronger, happier, and more capable in every way. As I'm sure you can relate, its hard to choose the right trainer for your pups. They're family and we love them like children so this can make us very protective of them. We want them treated right and with love. Sometimes that makes us overly protective of them and blinds us to the fact that our own over-loving can be what's contributing to behavioral or confidence issues with our dogs! Sometimes we just don't even realize we are holding our dogs back and that discipline and structure is the best love you can give them. To some people his methods may seem harsh at first, but I assure they are safe and effective. My wife and I were this way at first, but after we understood the process and saw the results, we were converted. Structure, then love. And the love will fix your dog, but first there needs to be structure. This was the case with our 5 year old pitty Max. He is the goofiest sweetheart and was never aggressive, but had major confidence issues. He was good with dogs, but fearful of people and even flies. Any loud-ish noise would make him nervous and he had separation anxiety. We brought him to Mike to get some training on being less afraid of people. We thought he was pretty well trained and only needed some touching up. From the first session we found out that his issues were much deeper than that. And worst of all we had no idea that we were essentially contributing to them and reinforcing his nervous state. Through the next 3 weeks we left Max with Mike for intensive training of which we participated in 3-4 training sessions a week. Max made great progress, but more importantly, we did too as his dog parents. Mike taught us so much about dog psychology and how to better communicate with him. By the end of the training we were doing what we thought would be impossible with Max; calmly hanging out at a brewery with him! Mike taught us all how to be more confident and build a better relationship together. Mike's training exceeded our expectations and it was worth every penny.

Worth every single penny. We started with Sally Said So in the fall with our 3 y/o rescued German…read moreShepard. I was convinced she was untrainable. She's a very stubborn dog and taking her for walks was an absolute miserable experience every time and constantly resulted in my tears. Dale was our trainer and he's a miracle worker. He has two GS himself; he knows what he is doing. Our dog took to him so quickly. It was amazing watching her listen to his commands. He was very encouraging to work with. He taught us how to speak to out dog, how to give a correction, how to praise her. By the 3rd appointment, I was feeling much more confident in taking her for walks, which was our #1 goal. The thing is you (the owners) have to be willing to put in the work. If you don't, don't bother. Sally Said So is training for the dog and the owner. Dale trained us and our dog is happier and more controlled because of him. Our dog prances on the leash now! We still have work to do but we know Dale is just a phone call/text message away and he's given us building blocks to continue forward and hopefully, eventually, have ourselves a canine good citizen. Thank you, Dale!

Jake has been amazing training our rambunctious Aussiedoodle and US to get to the level of…read moreobedience we need to all live together peacefully. It's made a world of difference and we couldn't be happier.

We had an absolutely amazing experience with ReWild Dog Training! We did the 2-week board and train…read moreprogram with our 6-month-old Labrador Retriever, and we couldn't be happier with the results. From the moment we started the process, Jon and Aubrey were incredibly kind, supportive, and helpful. They made us feel comfortable and confident throughout the entire experience, answered all of our questions, and were always so encouraging. Our pup had an absolute blast during her two weeks there and learned SO much every single day! We could genuinely see the difference in her confidence, obedience, focus, and overall manners when she came home. It was clear that she was not only being trained, but also cared for and having a great time while doing it. We are so grateful to Jon and Aubrey for everything they did for our girl and for giving us the tools and guidance to continue her training at home. We absolutely recommend ReWild Dog Training to anyone looking for knowledgeable, compassionate, and effective trainers.

Quick professional and welcoming response that focused on my dogs areas of need. I wasn't expecting…read morea response this soon, but was happy to have a quality response like the one I received.

After having dogs most of my life but never having them formally trained, I knew that it was time…read morefor a change. I wanted to ensure that everything was covered, and boy did Andrea come through! Over the course of 8 sessions, she took my rebellious pooch and turned her into a proper princess. Andrea has an abundance of knowledge and was always willing to help any way she could. From checking in, answering questions, and referring us to additional training videos an aids between sessions, to recommending treats that would help in the process, to being very flexible in scheduling sessions; I couldn't have asked for a better experience for me and my pup. Without hesitation, I will be bringing any future pups of mine to her a well as referring any new pet parents I may know. Thanks again Andrea and Bark to Basics!

Melissa was absolutely amazing and really turned our situation around with mine and my gf's new…read moredog. Background, we adopted a 6 year old basset hound with a some serious issues, including separation anxiety, not house broken and fear of men. He was quite afraid of me, had trust issues, and got really stressed when my gf wasn't around. I was frankly nearing my wit's end before we got referred to Melissa. In only a few sessions I really felt equipped with the necessary tools to make progress with my dog, despite being a notorious breed. There are no magic tricks, it took time, and we still have work to do, but Melissa kept us honest and consistent with the training, modifying it as needed. We felt we were an extreme case and in only a few months we've seen a remarkable improvement in his comfort level around me (stops shaking when I come near him!), and he doesn't freak out nearly as much when left home alone. She was also extremely flexible with our schedules and after each session provided great detailed notes we constantly referred to. Bark to Basics can do wonders for you and your furry friend! Can't recommend enough.

I have worked with several dog trainers who all use different methods and was not making much…read moreprogress. Steve's methods worked best for me and my very energetic adolescent male dog. I could not walk him on the street or put him in the car without him being a nervous wreck. The whisper training focuses on the relationship. No treats or corrective collars or leashes of any sort are used or needed. It does take commitment and consistency from the human. Steve is equally committed to making sure that you and your dog continue to progress. We just went to the American Tobacco Trail on a Saturday. Very crowded parking lot, runners, walkers, cyclists, etc and while it wasn't perfect yet - I could not believe how well we did given where we started! I would recommend Steve to anyone who wants to have a positive relationship with their dog over the long term as opposed to short term gains using other methods.

I was desperate. My housebroken Beagle had been urinating in the house the last few weeks and I…read morecould not figure out why. I was at my wits end! I decided to look into having a dog trainer. When I contacted Steve by his website, he called me the same day. He was so helpful during our phone conversation. We talked right at an hour and that is just something you won't find! I couldn't believe all the time he took, just over the phone. Not only did he ask questions, but he gave some advice as well. Steve made me feel comfortable and he came across as very friendly on the phone. He was not the least bit pushy about coming out or setting up a session. No pressure at all. He came out, met me and my Beagle and went above and beyond for us. He not only got to know me and my Beagle and the situation, but he explained so many things that I would have never known about dogs and their behavior. During our session, he was so patient with me and my Beagle. My Beagle did better at taking instruction than I did and when I was confused or had to ask Steve to tell me something again, he never once came across as frustrated or impatient with me. He never made me feel like I was an idiot. He simply re-explained things to me. He is incredibly patient, kind, professional, knowledgeable and nice! I learned a lot during our session and he even told me to call him anytime I had any questions. He is an asset to the dog training community and I look forward to implementing what he taught me. I can't thank him enough. If you're in need of a professional dog trainer, look no further than The Raleigh Dog Trainer. Should anyone I know be in need of one in the future, they will be getting his name! Thank you so much, Steve. Beth Wilson

Came home to a dog and who had clearly been neglected. She had dried pee all over her fur and was…read moresick for the week after. They will not be having our service again.

We, myself and my boy Galileo, love it here! He has pretty bad separation anxiety and I often have…read moreto work longer hours, meaning he needs care Monday through Friday. Top dog has made a huge, positive difference in our lives. At other daycares, I found he was picking up naughty behaviors and becoming more high strung. But the structure, training reinforcement, and stimulating environment that top dog provides has helped him become more obedient and happy. The trainers have really been a god send and we haven't even started doing individual training or the boarding program (yet!). Galileo's manners have improved just from being at day school. I drive 20 minutes out of my way every day because we just love it that much (40 minutes/day)! Thanks top dog for all you do for us!

My dog, Julep, was very reactive on the leash and would get extremely overwhelmed with meeting new…read morepeople and hearing loud noises. After working with Kassondra for four weeks, Julep has shown tremendous improvement on her walks and has gotten more comfortable with meeting new people and dealing with loud/scary noises. During our training, Kassondra was extremely patient with Julep, who often takes a while to warm up to people. Kassondra was also very patient with me as I was learning the proper ways to handle Julep on a leash. In the past, I had dealt with trainers who were not as patient, so working with Kassondra was a breath of fresh air. After each lesson, Kassondra would send a write-up with homework, which was a great way to get an outline of our session and what I needed to work on in between trainings. Kassondra also helped us work through some of Julep's separation anxiety issues and gave us some great resources to use on addressing this anxiety. Kassondra is extremely knowledgeable on dog training and how to handle reactive dogs with high anxiety and fear of new people. When looking for a trainer I talked to several local businesses/trainers, but after speaking with Kassondra I knew she was the pawfect match and would give Julep the support she needed! I wish I had found her sooner!! If you are looking for a dog trainer, I highly recommend contacting Kassondra as she has plenty of programs that can fit your dog's needs!

Had Kassondra come to train my new Golden Retriever puppy as a first time dog owner. On top of…read moregiving me great guidelines for where to start and how to go about teaching a new puppy in general, she made herself available for questions and concerns about generic puppy care and things to expect. Couldn't recommend her for new pup training, and am looking forward to following up with her for more advanced training as my girl gets older!

I am so happy with the training my dog received. The trainers are incredibly kind and patient and…read moremy dog learned at lot of great new behaviors. I'm looking forward to bringing him back for group sessions very soon! I want to thank Sean, Sam, and Greyson especially for their patience with Duncan. He loves all of you.

Everyone at the facility was so supportive and informative in helping us learn to continue Tux's…read moresuccess with training. They took the time to make sure we felt comfortable with the new skills and provided tips for when we got home. In 4 training sessions, this is a new dog! We'll be continuing with the group classes so Tux can gain even more skills.