James and his staff are simply amazing! He works wonders with all dogs. Is willing to go above and beyond with every owner who is having an issues with their dogs. James is good with all dogs but where he really shines is helping the dogs who really need it. I have yet to hear of a dog that James won't take in day care and won't attempt to work with. Which is not the norm of the industry. He also does a lot of work with local rescues to help them with dogs who are struggling getting adopted. I would highly recommend Dog University and James and his staff. It's where my dogs love to go when we are out of town! Bonus they are exhausted when we get back!! read more

our puppy was kept in an unhealthy environment, kept in a crate for several hours after having an accident in the crate, not given food and obviously not trained. He fell sick from going to the Dog University. They make you sign the contract prior to rendering the services and then not provide the needed training. You will end up wasting your money and have a sick dog. read more

the people at Dog University are wonderful!! From the moment I walked in, I felt welcome! And my dog? He can't wait to leave me at the door while he goes and plays with his friends!! I am told when my dog is out of sorts (i.e., doesn't eat all of his food). he is cared for and loved at Dog University! Can't see my baby going anywhere else!! read more

It's like a second home for my dog where she has learned to socialize with all sorts of dogs and has learned great manners!

Our families 9 month old puppy was attacked and bit at the daycare here. Upon confronting, James Oliver, the owner. He made us feel guilty, attempted to put the blame on us and even had the audacity to state we were now claiming she had punctures and wounds when she left his facility fine. Despite the FACT, Johanna, his facility/office manager (who treated her punctures/wounds and advised us to, "watch it") was fully aware of the incident along with both morning and afternoon shift leds for daycare. On top of vet bills, we will now have to pay to send our puppy to an advanced daycare/ dog trainer. This place is either highly MISMANAGED or he is lying. Either way this is no way to treat someone who had their puppy attacked on his employees watch. To top all this, he claimed it would take him a day to review the video of the incident and he would call us. Even though this has NO IMPACT on us and only his employees. Guess who never called us? Upon my wife returning to the property to get answers she was instructed to never step foot on the property again! This is how dog owners are treated at Dog University! read more

James is a dog whisperer. We brought in our 6 month-old puppy who was showing starting to show signs of aggression from fear and anxiety. She stayed at Dog University for two weeks, doing daily playtime with other dogs and going on field trips with James to learn how to experience the world. She came back from Dog University 100% improved and James taught us how to manage her strong personality. She has learned her place in our pack (she thought she was in charge because she got everything her way... we were beguiled by her adorableness). James recommended using a prong collar to better communicate with her. They look scary and many people frown upon them because they think they are cruel, but James taught me how to use it correctly. A gentle tug on the collar reminds her that I am in charge and she is not, it has helped me control her when there are distractions. She is always on high alert when we are in public, she wants to protect me, but that anxiety can turn to aggression if it is not controlled. Dog University does not use punishment or cruel corrective methods like shock collars. James speaks dog and knows how they think. He helps dogs with behavior issues learn how to interact with the pack and understand their place in the world. There is no cruelty involved. Thanks to James, we've been able to enroll Holly in daycare and she plays with a variety of dogs every day to release her extra energy. We still need to work with her and keep up with the lessons James taught us. He cannot completely fix a dog, it is up to the owners to keep up with the methods and training themselves. As part of our enrollment in the two week program, we can bring Holly to James' obedience classes every week for the rest of her life if we choose to do so. I know about James because I am an adoption coordinator for a rescue organization, and James has rehabilitated hundreds of dogs who seemed beyond help. He does this work at a reduced rate because he truly cares about helping dogs who need him. I highly recommend Dog University to help any dog with behavioral issues, no matter how severe. read more

I want to start by saying I was not going to write a review initially because I thought it might be an isolated situation given my dog was "stubborn" but after a friend asked me for a recommendation I discussed our experience at Dog University and she felt strongly that I write this review. My 4 yr old "yeller" has had some issues with barking and acting a bit aggressive with new dogs and new people so I thought a 2 week intensive with James Oliver and many other friendly staff and dogs may just set her off on the right foot. After meeting with James for a "interview" of sorts I left a bit nervous (some of the comments he made were confusing or odd) but I assumed it was because I was handing over a family member to someone I do not know. I signed up and was scheduled for a couple weeks later (this was in July). The staff were great, especially Cody who was responsive and understanding of the many questions I had. I was nervous to hear that "James does not typically give updates on the dogs" and that I wouldn't be able to see video or get a picture or two of my dog showing the work being done. I was concerned but not enough to back away... I think in part because of the great reviews. I dropped my dog off and said my goodbyes, I was told I could call if I wanted an update. I waited 2 days and sent an email asking "is she getting along ok"? But did not get a response. emailed again the next day and got a response with "James will call you later". 3 more days went by where I CALLED each day asking why I couldn't speak with ANYONE who knew what was going on with my dog. Finally I got a call from James that basically said "your dog is stubborn and its going to take a lot of work". This made me so sad. My dog is so super sweet and I did NOT consider her stubborn at any time. James told me to "not expect much". What does this mean?? I wish I would have listened to my gut and picked my dog up. Another 10 days or so went by before I was told my dog was ready. I AM NOT EXAGGERATING when I say I walked through the front door so excited to see my dog. I saw James sitting in a chair and a dog laying, curled up in a ball, on the floor next to him. I HAD NO IDEA IT WAS MY DOG. She did not respond to my voice in the room, she did not wag her tail, she was thin and looked BROKEN. She did not even attempt to come to me. I thought he would show me how great she played with other dogs but instead just insisted she "did great and loves playing". THIS WAS A SHOCK. My dog? Prove it, right? No, he wanted to show me how she can "sit" and "leave it" not growl at his German Shepard. She already knew how to sit, lay down, stay, I didn't need that. He threw treats on the floor and my dog immediately tried to eat them. What training was done? Then when his dog came out my dog immediately growled and when she attempted to bark he snatched her up so hard. I noticed she had a prong collar and was I confused, we had not spoken about this beforehand. It could have been mentioned by phone or email, anything. My dog was so tired she was falling asleep standing up, she had scrapes and cuts to her face, underbelly, inside of both paws, fur worn on all "elbows". James said "oh, I didn't see that". I felt so terrible for putting my dog through that. I can only assume she spent 2 weeks in a cage since she still did not like other dogs, obviously not eating much as she lost 5lb (we went to the vet 2 days after leaving) and she did nothing but sleep for the first 4 days we were home (she had a lot of thick yellow discharge from both eyes and her excessive sleeping is why we went to the vet, I thought there was something more serious going on). James spent much of our final meeting lecturing my 13 year old and I about how to handle children and how his parents handled him. He was arrogant and boastful. When I asked why my dog looked so bad he told me "her tail is wagging, she is happy"... she looked like she had Stockholm syndrome. BTW, just because a dog wags its tail does not mean its happy. I thought everyone knew that. He kept telling me "I don't know why but people do the 2 week intensive and never come back for the included classes afterwards, I never even hear from them again". I bet I know why! It took my previously very sweet, happy dog weeks to go back to her happy self. If I had to sum it up... maybe Dog U is good for daily dog play but I would not, in good conscious, recommend for an intensive program. I have no idea what happened during my dogs 15 days there but I can PROMISE you it wasn't therapeutic in any way and in the end, did not benefit my dog or our family at all! read more

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I just picked up my sweet Rottweiler from a week of boarding at Dog University. When they brought Daisy out to me I was amazed at how good she looked ... happy, alert, and eager to greet me. The staff gave me a full report on her behavior while being boarded and even gave her a free bath. Apparently while I was on vacation my dog was on vacation as well. Dog University is the best! read more

I've never seen someone handle my dog so well in so little time on the first impression. Within the hour they had my dog laying next to another dog he didn't know (my dog is aggressive towards other dogs) no problem. At first, they were extremely helpful in providing me with information and advice to WAIT to put my dog in board and train for him to lose weight the reason being, his weight could be contributing to his behavioral issues and it would ultimately cost less if he lost weight. I followed what I thought was genuine advice and came back after about 5 months with my dog slimmer than ever. To my surprise when I came back in for another evaluation, they DOUBLED their original price of MAX $5,000 to $10,000 MINIMUM I pleaded with them to understand if I knew the price would double I would've taken the $5,000 deal ON THE SPOT regardless of my dogs weight. This really rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe I'm the unreasonable one but in any other industry, this would be unprofessional and ridiculous at best. Tell me to wait for a cheaper price then what do you know, it doubled. I refused to enroll my dog out of principle. VERY unprofessional read more

I was very happy with my dogs training until, I tried to call multiple times to ask for help and advice and was never called back. After my 5th attempt to get someone to call me back I gave up and decided to find a different trainer. When my dog finished his two week board and train I was told by James one of 3 things would happen with my dog he would need to be rehomed, euthanized or I would have the best dog. For him to say this to me and then basically ignore me is very unprofessional to me. read more

I don't leave reviews often, but very much like Tina's review I felt compelled to leave one in hopes that another dog owner would find it helpful and look elsewhere for a dog trainer. Our dog Molly took part of a two week boarding training program at the end of April. We had a consultation with the owner noting in our intake forms that our main area of concern was Molly's aggression issues that had slowly started making appearances after she turned one. I also made sure to note in her intake form (several times) that we do not believe in negative reinforcements for dogs and do not want that for Molly. When we picked up Molly after her two weeks, she looked frail, exhausted and scared and later noticed small patches around her elbows similar to one of the other reviewers. The owner had her on a prong collar (which I didn't like but was trying to be open-minded about his training approach). He essentially took an hour to show us how to walk her on the prong collar while spending a lot of our time sharing stories of how he respected his mother while being a kid and how being a "little scared" of your owner/ parent is a "good thing". He didn't take any time to explain how they addressed her aggression. Once we brought Molly back home she was withdrawn for several weeks. A few days after arriving home, she bit our other dog which had never happened in the past. We called the owner (my fiancé was adamant about getting his feedback) and without asking too many questions or trying to understand what may have triggered her, he quickly said "put her in a crate". Okay? So you want me to keep my dog in a crate all day and night? How is that humane? "She needs to earn the right to roam freely around your house". Great, but what about trying to understand what is causing her to react in the first place? Needless to say, one of my biggest regrets is taking her to this place. We have been setting boundaries while gaining Molly's trust back and avoiding triggers, all while on the wait list to be seen at a behaviorist clinic. My advice, seek help from a trainer/behaviorist that actually cares about dogs and treats them with kindness and respect! read more

I wrote to Dog University 3 weeks ago now giving them ample time to respond to me before writing this review. First off I will say the training services provided to us by James were exceptional for our German Shepherd. If all you need is training and not boarding or dog day care then absolutely go for it. We've had a few unpleasant interactions now with the rest of the staff at Dog University. The first time was summed up to a misunderstanding and we were apologized to which I greatly appreciated. The most current incident and the reason for this review has gone completely ignored. I am a parent to a disabled child and spent the first 2 weeks of March in and out of the hospital with my daughter. During that time I missed the reminder that our dog was due for her vaccinations, I'm human, I had a lot going on, people make mistakes. I'd never purposely put anyone or their pets in danger. When my husband showed up to drop our dog off that morning for daycare a female employee was very understanding and was trying to come up with a solution for the day that would reasonably work for everyone. Then suddenly a male employee appeared and unnecessarily berated him for being irresponsible for even leaving the house with our dog. (Her vaccine was only due 4 days prior). I'm not saying we should have been accommodated but we should have at least been treated with respect and a benefit of a doubt. He brought the dog home and called me (I was out of town) and she was vaccinated the following night. We were planning on enrolling our dog in day care 2-3 days a week. We've used dog university for boarding on several occasions prior to this but we will not be returning based on this most recent interaction. Customer service is so important especially when it comes to peoples pets and children. Although not as convenient to us we've since found an alternative facility with friendly staff who were more than happy to have us as customers. read more

This is the BEST place for your dog! James, Joanna, Matt, Derek and the entire staff love your dog like their own. This is THE PLACE to bring your dog for the day or an extended stay. Our dog, Olive, recently completed 2-week basic training. Wow, what a difference! If your dog needs training, THIS is THE PLACE. The staff cares for your dog as if they are their own. read more

James was very helpful and informative. We look forward to having our dog here and we will update once the training has occurred.

Please please stay away from this facility and it's only trainer James Oliver. This place seems so odd as soon as you walk in. There are many many dogs crammed inside and many crated. Being in the facility didn't give a good vibe but we still went with it because our pup had some issues. We enrolled our dog into the board and train and feel we were ripped off. Not only if money but care for our dog. He had wounds when we picked him up. This trainer is ruthless and has no care about how our dog feels. Punishment isn't the answer to training dogs. I can't see how people recommend this place. Based on reviews we have it a green light but if you loved your dog please do not put them through this misery. The owner is awful and has no sense of how to welcome people and their dog to the facility. Tina wrote an amazing review about what goes on there. We had the exact same thing happen to our dog. Please be aware and find a training facility that actually cares for dogs and their well-being. read more

James, I wanted to thank you for taking Ben and Keegan. I only wish Lab Rescue would have sent then to you before we took them in. The are great dogs, but they needed to be separated and socialized. Please fix them so they can have a wonderful life in a loving home in the future. Thanks you. BH read more

James and his Team do a Great Job. He is the Best Trainer in the Business. Our Dogs love going to Day Care. Ask to meet Max. He is the German Shepard who makes sure all of the Dogs are having fun and behaving themselves during Dog Day Care. Highly recommend Dog U. read more

I have been taking my small dogs to Dog University for 7 years. The owner, James Oliver, is wonderful with my dogs, and all the others. My current dog is 22 pounds and one of the smaller dogs in doggie day care, but I never worry about her. The staff is caring and competent. I also board her when I travel. James has also trained both of my dogs and I highly recommend him. read more

I am trying a third time before I make my final assessment of this facility. So far, I'm a little disappointed but we will see how things go this time. Have used for "boot camp" training and boarding. read more

I very rarely write reviews, but I feel compelled to share just how fantastic Dog University is. If you are looking for a place that really knows how to work with and train dogs -- humanely and effectively -- this is it! I brought my 16 month-old cur here after trying two other dog trainers in the Northern VA area (one of which was known for specializing in aggressive dog behavior actually made my dog more aggressive and suggested we consider putting him down!). James at Dog University immediately proved his expertise at handling my dog, and gave us hope that maybe he could turn my dog around. James really knows his stuff when it comes to dog training...he understands how to work with different breeds and their issues, absolutely cares about the dogs he works with, and has gone above and beyond in terms of patience and service. I can't praise this place highly enough...I only wish I knew about James and Dog University before I tried other dog trainers (who only exacerbated my dog's behavioral issues). Seriously, if you are looking for a great trainer, who really cares and is knowledgeable about dogs, you need to try here! read more

Great dog training services! James is truly an expert in his field. He instills discipline but it's also obvious how much he loves and cares for dogs. Highly recommend his services. read more

James, at Dog University, saved our dog. Layla was a fearful Labrador we adopted from a local rescue. That fear eventually surfaced as aggressive tendencies. She was initiating fights with our other dog and was wild when walking around the neighborhood. James spent a lot of time with her over a couple months evaluating and training her. He identified that she was fearful from a lack of confidence. He emphasized a lot of basic training and exposure to a variety of new environments to desensitize her fears. He has a great way of making complex issues understandable to the lay person. Now, we are working with her daily. She can walk the neighborhood calmly, visit Petco and Home Depot and we even can walk around Reston Town Center with her on a loose leash. The transformation is remarkable. She was so afraid of James and now she curls up against him to get loving attention. We are so thankful for the time and attention James gave Layla. In addition to the training, we continuously use Dog University for day care and boarding. Both our dogs are well taken care of and we would not trust anyone else with them when we are gone. read more

My wife & I were referred to DogU through our dog walking company & we couldn't be more grateful for these amazing people. We adopted a 10 mo old dog (Alfie) in Dec 2018 and a few weeks later discovered he had serious aggression issues. We loved Alfie and were terrified of him. He bit us on several occasions and was on the fast track to be euthanized it wasn't for James (owner & trainer) and his staff stepping in. James put so much work and heart into not just rehabilitating our guy, but teaching us as well. Initially I was wary of his training methods- it seemed so strict! But I quickly saw that it was just a different language and one both Alfie and our other dog understood. I've struggled to master some of the techniques James uses, but he has been nothing but patient and professional as he's worked with me and time again. This time last year I couldn't have imagined spending a day relaxing or even going for walks with my dogs & wife, but now that's how we spend almost every weekend. And that's all because of James and the staff at DogU. read more

I wish I could give a review with 0 stars but 1 is required. Called about boarding my to dogs from July1-10. I'm a Dogtopia client but they were booked. I was told that they needed fecal since they require it be tested twice a year. I called Deep woods my vet and they sent over all there vaccination's. Since these are Turkish street dogs that I adopted they have passports and with all vaccinations. After deepwoods emailed the negative test results and a attachment with there rabies I stated I'll see you in the morning. Drove from Centreville to Vienna and was told that the Vet certified rabies documentation wasn't excepted they needed the US certificate. After showing him the email from my vet which he said he never received back and forth I finally said " are you not going to be able to take my dogs?" No........ Ok so all in tears I drove home. Thank god we had a lake house in SC that they could go with us. A call would have been nice in the morning or evening to tell me they wouldn't take them. Needless to say I will never try to board my boys with them again. read more

Such a great place to take your dog we being taking our dog since he is 3 months old and we love it. James did a wonderful job on his basic obedience training dogs get to play outside now that the weather is nice Mateo comes home pretty tired from his day of play! This is place that I can totally recommend our experience has been great! read more

I have absolutely NOTHING but amazing things to say about this place. I have had my puppy trained here and boarded my dogs with Dog University for over three years. My dogs are well cared for, in fact the owner, James, has personally returned my pups to my house when I was in a bind. It is clean, the employees are flexible and attentive. My dogs have never returned with any infestations. Recently, I had an issue and again the owner took the time to call me after hours to assist. great place, reasonably priced. Highy recommend. read more

My dog barked in my ear the entire ride to our first training session. He pulled on the leash and attacked cars. My car ride back was blissfully silent and we had our first normal walk that afternoon. No cars were attacked! read more

We stumbled upon this business 6 months ago. Our dog was sweet to us but mean to others and it had become a true source of stress in my family's life. Not only has she responded to training unlike any other class we took, but they have walked with us fine tuning her behavior and rescuing our life with a pet. The proof is in how others see our dog. My parents, neighbors and friends all comment that this is truly a different dog. Well behaved and finally a pleasure to walk with and travel with!! And the dog? Well our dog hated every daycare and kennel we took her too. It was a problem affecting our travel and other plans. But she LOVES going there! Even after extended stays she is happy. She always is excited to go back and that is why I am writing this review. If you are serious about training and you want a place that is healthy for you and your dog, check them out. And no I dont have any financial stake in them read more

I happened to find James and Dog University when I needed assistance on integrating a puppy into a household with a 12 year old male. He was FANTASTIC, he spent countless hours giving us guidance and walking us through dealing with all of the situations involved in dog ownership. He is always available for questions/concerns/advice and he gives the best personalized service and guides you on what is best for you and your pets. His boarding is the BEST, the dogs are excited to go and have a blast while there, they are always excited to go back. He has meet-ups at Reston Town Center for dogs and their owners to hang out, get advice, socialize pets and relax for 2 hours!! Everything this man/company does is wonderful and we couldn't be happier that we found James (and Max!). read more

James is one of the best trainers I have met. Everyone else suggesting I drug my dog. James was able to help me correct her behavior and now I have one happy pup. The kenneling facilities are clean and disinfected on a daily basis. Great group play for the pups and dogs are always well cared for. Would highly recommend. read more

As first time dog owners, rescuing our lab proved to need more than just your average obedience training. We were recommended James and Dog University in November of 2013 and we've been going almost daily since! I cannot say enough good things about James and his staff. They are exceptionally trained and James is a leader in his industry. Our dog has progressed leaps and bounds behaviorally with James' expertise and patience. Beyond helping our dog (and us!) through the behavior issues, DogU is a fantastic daycare facility! The dogs are well cared for, attended to with mindful and trained eyes, and happy to play and be dogs!! We know when we leave our dog at DogU, be it for a day or for a few nights, she's in good hands and we need not worry! We affectionately refer to James as 'Uncle James' and the staff has become an extension of family, our dog LOVES it there! Additionally, James is the most affordable trainer and daycare in the DMV area, and the dogs are allowed to do their business outside (yes, you read that right - most daycares make the dogs go INSIDE!), so that's an added bonus. All in all, if you couldn't tell, I would 100% recommend DogU to any dog owner! read more

We have hired over 3 trainers to help our 2 year old German Shepherd control his aggressive behavior around other dogs. Needless to say they were not effective. We recently enlisted the services of Dog University and Krystal to help our dog with his reactive behavior. After 2 weeks of boarding/training our dog not only can be around other dogs but actually play with them in doggie daycare. We felt this was a miracle. Krystal took our dog on field trips to parks, pet stores, and outdoor shopping centers to reinforce the work she did with him at the program. We are so grateful to Krystal and the Dog University staff for taking such good care of our dog and helping us. All other trainers were afraid of having our dog anywhere near another dog, they were not. Thank you! read more

Let me start by saying that I have very high expectations when it comes to service. Rarely do I feel that businesses these days understand the concept of customer service or accept responsibility for their mishaps and try to make it right for the customer. Our experience with Dog University boarding our dog Vinnie surpassed our expectations. We decided to go away for a long weekend and board our border collie/rottweiler mix, Vinnie at Dog University where he was initially trained. My husband called earlier in the week to ask if there was availability and was given most of the information/requirements except for one important requirement - an up to date fecal exam to ensure that the dog is not carrying worms or other parasites. The morning we dropped Vinnie off, we were told that an exam was needed. Needless to say, we were caught a bit flat footed and felt stuck since we were leaving in 3 hours for the airport and didn't have a Plan B. This is where the staff, especially Mona, Gus and James at Dog U handled the situation goes beyond outstanding service. Businesses are run by people, and people make mistakes - it's normal and expected for people to make a mistake, as was the case when the girl that my husband spoke with didn't share all the information required for boarding your dog. The most important thing is not the mistake, but how the business handles the mistake - and this is where Dog U heralds from a time and level of integrity and values that is rarely seen any more in how businesses operate. They told us not to worry and that they would take care of it - at NO EXTRA CHARGE to us. They separated Vinnie from the other dogs (to be safe and not expose the other dogs potentially from worms), and walked him 6+ times a day until he gave them a stool sample. Mona drove him to the vet for the wellness exam and to have his sample tested, and routinely called us to give us peace of mind that he was okay and that he had a surrogate family at Dog U looking after him. I cannot thank Mona, James, Gus and the staff at Dog University for taking care of Vinnie and the situation without putting any additional worry or stress on my husband and I while we were gone. Integrity and values is something that you can count on finding in their business and loving care for your dog. Thank you Dog University again for all you did for us and our very much loved rescue, Vinnie. He will definitely be back to see you guys, especially his new BFF, Mona next time we are out of town! read more

I just want to give a shout out to James and employees at Dog U. I have trained dogs and horses but was at a loss with the dog I adopted from Iraq. I was desperate to get this dog under control enough, to take him out in public. James was amazing in helping me and my dog ! Just want to thank you and all that you do to help dogs that may not have made it into society. I highly recommend Dog U !!! My boy has been in several papers, goes to doggy daycare and boarding (at Dog U) and has even received his Good Citizen Award None of this would have been possible without James and Dog U read more

Dog University and James have had a huge impact on our lives. James has helped our 4 year pitbull, Boomboom and our 8 year old chihuahua/rat terrier, Gambit since June 2014. Boomboom had some behavioral issues that my wife and I needed to learn how to change and control. James came in and saved the day. His approach and attitude are straight forward and purposeful. He has a way of breaking down any situation and be able to relate it to our own personal experiences. He understands dogs in a way that most people don't. After Boomboom's initial 3 week stay at Dog University with James we were able to see a HUGE change in her behavior. James and the Dog University staff care for all the dogs that come through their doors and it SHOWS. I have 100% faith and trust in James and his staff when it comes to the caring and training of our dogs. Going in we knew that it would be a long road ahead for our Boomboom, but knowing that James and Dog University will be there along the way we have nothing but confidence that our dogs, my wife, and I will get the proper "dog" education we need. I cannot say enough good things about James and Dog University, they are truly a treasure. read more

Extremely disappointed!!! I would avoid this place and the reason is below: I had dropped off my dog on a beautiful mild day for some outdoor recreation time (in the winter). I had noticed that ALL the dogs were inside and in a crate at 10:00am in the morning, this seemed very unusual. So the owner James was there and I asked "are you open for business" and he deflected talking about some office file cabinets. I felt that there was something wrong and shouldn't have left my dog there. But I did, and had my spouse called up and they said that they were "short staffed" My spouse immediately returned and noticed my dog sitting in a small crate INSIDE!!. He had to pee so bad when I picked him up that it appears he was neglected the entire time. The owner should have informed me that they were short staffed but he did not!! Very bad business practice and not much integrity at all. I would avoid this place at all costs!! read more

I had heard that a friends dog had gone to Dog U for some behavioral modification training. So, I called and scheduled an evaluation. When I came in, James carefully observed my behavior with my Kuvasz and how the dog was leading me to what he wanted instead of me leading him. It was a wake up call - and I listened! I enrolled our dogs (Kuvasz and Pyrnees) with James for basic obedience training and my dogs came back different (and respectful) creatures! It was a major change!!! Since that time, I've boarded them, taken them for daycare, etc and had a few follow up lessons with the dogs and James. The biggest behavioral change I have see is that I can now walk both of my dogs on leashes with them held in one hand while being able to talk to someone, use my phone, etc. I never could do that before! For us, it was revolutionary! My kuvasz has dragged me around the neighborhood, sulked on his Gentle Leader, etc. Now, I have his attention and respect and he knows exactly what I want and expect from him. James and his team are Life Savers!!!! read more

This was my letter to them 2 years ago, that I sent multiple times to multiple emails with no response. My dog spent a total of 3 weeks under your care for training. Before he left he had some basic obedience with commands such as sit, stay, down, leave it. These commands were not always strong and part of the reasons why I enrolled him in your training was to strengthen them. He had many behavioral issues that needed to be addressed which I feel have been addressed with methods used at home such as the mouse traps and Sccat spray for countersurfing. This particular behavioral issue is being corrected in his home environment with your recommendations. He continues to dig in the trash, jump on arrival, mount other dogs and has not so great leash manners. I am still struggling with him to do certain basic actions that I thought he would have learned in your training. I still have those same issues about his behavior that I had before I sent him to your training, and this makes me frustrated. I have seen very little progress since his return and this makes me wonder, what he learned after three weeks of training? Most of his training has been done by me in my home with your advice and I feel we have only learned things in your follow up sessions. Private lessons may have been more beneficial than a 3 week boot camp. I don't believe after 3 weeks of extensive training that I would still feel the need to put him through another training course and that is where I stand at this moment. I assumed when he returned that I would see great improvement in his behavior, I have seen very little progress with his training and while I understand he is a very smart dog I have called upon your services to help me train him to be a better dog and correct some of his behaviors. I am disappointed with the outcome of what I thought your training would provide, it was only recently where he started to relearn the down command, a very basic command. I have no other option than to seek further training to help with his behaviors which I was hoping you would be able to assist in after spending 3 weeks with him. I would appreciate some compensation for the additional money I need to spend to send him to more training read more

I am so thankful I stumbled upon this place! They not only helped my pup who had aggression issues with other dogs but also gave me the tools to help her myself. I came to them desperate trying to find some help for my pup. We had gone to trainers before and they just made the issue worse. So we left of fur baby with Krystal and James just for a week and it was a night and day difference. By the end of the week she was in daycare and around other dogs all the time with no problem. The best part is we were moving and were not going to be able to keep attending the university. Krystal and James said we could call them anytime for help, gave us there personal phone numbers so that we would be able to ask them questions over the phone! They got our pup back on the right track! Now she can even go to any daycare and be completely fine! We love theses guys! The staff was amazing they knew my name and my pups name by heart and would be so friendly every time we walked in. I am going to miss this place read more

I felt very weary upon arrival of this place. When my dog and I got out of the car there were about 20 dogs outback lined up at the fence and not one of them barked! Strange right? why are none of these dogs barking at a new person or a new dog?? I Scheduled an evaluation and James showed up 15 mins late and didn't read the paperwork I had worked a long time on to give an accurate description of our dog and what our concerns were. Before getting a full picture of what my dog can and can't do, he jumped to a prong collar. I know this is a common tool in dog training, however I am not a fan and neither is my husband. I explained that to him and he insisted on trying it. When she wouldn't cooperate with him he pulled the leash up so almost her front paws were off the ground. This very friendly pup had her ears back, tail between her legs, and then started having difficulty swallowing. I put a stop to it and asked for someone else. Unfortunately, he is the only trainer there. I was still interested in trying the class until I asked him if the prong collar was a requirement and he responded with "for this dog, it is". He didn't even meet her for 5 mins and during that 5 mins she was not hyperactive at all. It was uncalled for. I left very upset that he was not willing to try something else and that this wasn't a true evaluation. If your customer is uncomfortable with a strategy, adapt and move onto something else and maybe try again later. I came home and read some other reviews and while they may be helpful to some people, there were some very disturbing reviews relating to animal cruelty and neglect. James became defensive when I got upset and proclaimed "we might not be right place for you". He's right, I like my dog happy and not tortured to sit when she can already do it on command. read more