One hundred thousand percent yes!! The answer to your question if you're wondering about alex and dogfather. We have a mini Aussie who's 9 months also and was very reactive. Not his fault because it's in their genetics, plus in the fear stage but we wanted to do our best and provide the training so we can set him up for life. Alex is really one of a kind. after 5 weeks, our little guy knows boundaries of doors, sit, wait, down, plays fetch, come, stay, place, walk - what more could we ask for? What I like the most too is that you go to his location at least once a week and you train alongside him so you can also learn and do right by your puppy which is just as important. Don't look anywhere else! Alex is amazing. read more

Working with Alex was truly a game changer for our dog Charlie and for us. Given Charlie's issues we decided to do a board and train program. Charlie was reactive (barking and pulling at the leash upon seeing other dogs) mouthy with constant nips to the hands, resource guarding (which really freaked us out) and really struggled with confidence and basic manners. We knew Charlie is a sweet, loving boy but training him was out of our wheelhouse. Upon meeting Alex, we immediately were made to feel supported and hopeful. What stood out the most was how calm, patient, and warm Alex was with our Charlie. He clearly understands canine behavior and approaches training in a way that builds trust and confidence rather than fear. You could see our Charlie begin to relax and learn almost immediately under his guidance. His mouthing stopped immediately, and the unique new schedule Alex provided has brought order and calm to Charlie's day. Not only are his guidelines used to create order, but also to strengthen the bond and relationship we want with our dog. Most importantly Alex is patient while trying to train US. He did an incredible job communicating with us throughout the entire process. Every day he sent videos, updates, and check-ins so we could see our dog's progress and understand what he was working on. Weekly at home training sessions helped us with Charlie's behaviors specific to our home. Alex made us feel included in the process and helped us learn how to continue reinforcing the training at home. The transformation in Charlie been amazing. He's more confident, far less reactive, and his manners have improved tremendously. We're so grateful for the care, dedication, and expertise Alex put into helping our dog succeed. I am sure Alex will be in Charlie's life for a very long time. I would absolutely recommend him to anyone looking for a knowledgeable, compassionate trainer who truly cares about both the dog his family. read more

Dogfather Dog Institute - Charlie - Pet Training Near Me

We are about three weeks into board and train with Alex at Dog Father Institute, with about another week or so to go, and the difference in our puppy has been incredible. He's almost four months old, and we only had him for about a week before he went to train with Alex. Alex has been amazing throughout this entire process. He provides daily videos, pictures, and thorough, detailed updates on how our puppy is doing and what he's learning each day. He's always responsive, answers all of our questions and concerns, and makes sure we feel involved every step of the way. We also have weekly one-hour sessions with our puppy, which has been extremely helpful for learning how to continue the training at home. I was very hesitant at first because board and train is a big investment, especially for a puppy, but I am beyond impressed with the time, care, and dedication Alex puts into his work. He is a genuinely kind person and an excellent trainer, and it truly shows in the results. I highly recommend Alex and Dog Father Institute to anyone looking for professional, consistent, and caring dog training. read more

Dogfather Dog Institute - Teddy learning to use the turf - Pet Training Near Me

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My puppy Murphy and I have been training with Alex for almost a year now. We continue to do individual sessions, but have done board and train as well and we have learned so, so much! Murphy's board and train with Alex was incredibly beneficial and really helped instill a firm foundation for Murphy as well as me, as we continued into our single sessions. I was having the hardest time with crate training as well as reactivity with Murphy (who is an Australian shepherd, if you know...you know). But I also wanted to help instill basic manners and boundaries as well. Murphy has made so much progress with his reactivity and is an absolute angel in his crate, all thanks to Alex. I know that we as pet parents are also a huge piece of the puzzle, and Alex sets you up with all the tools and advice you need to make progress in what ever area you're looking to address. He's also there to support outside of training if you have questions or concerns. He has been the best trainer and Murphy loves his Uncle Alex! I would (and do) recommend him to anyone that is looking for training services for their pup! read more

Dogfather Dog Institute - Murphy - Pet Training Near Me

I've had my dog Koda for about 2 years and we've always struggled with his bad reactivity and anxiety. I tried a couple of dog trainers and even a board and train in the past with no results. Koda is a very smart dog so I knew he could learn but I reached a point of almost giving up on training him, that's when I found Alex and on our first call I could tell how knowledgeable he was and most importantly, how much he cares! Koda spent 4 weeks with Alex on his board and train program, and came home so much better! Alex would send daily updates with pictures which made me feel better about leaving him for so long. We keep doing private training lessons and we can see so much improvement in his reactivity and overall behavior. Alex has also been so patient with the human training side of it, helping me understand my dog and the ways I can support him which improved not only his reactivity but also our relationship. I am so grateful to have found Alex and for how much he's helped us. If you're looking for a dog trainer, I can't recommend him enough! read more

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I cannot recommend Dogfather Dog Institute (DFDI) enough! It's only day one of having my puppy back from the board and train program (3 week length) and I can definitely see a huge improvement! Alex is such a kind and patient trainer who focuses on positive reinforcement, which is the type of training we wanted for our puppy. I honestly heard so many bad things about board and train programs that seemed off-putting, but after meeting Alex, I knew my puppy was going to be in good hands. I think dogs can definitely sense what kind of person someone really is and my puppy, who wasn't big on meeting new people, actually opened up to him right away during the meet and greet. Alex also sent daily updates (pics, videos, and long detailed texts) about my puppy's progress which was very comforting. I looked forward to all of the updates every day. It honestly feels like my puppy was treated like another family member over there. It was also nice to have a lesson each week of the board and train program to teach us the commands that my puppy was learning each week. I think that definitely helps with the transition back home from the program. In regards to my puppy's progress, I am extremely happy to see that he is actually eating well now. I was really struggling with getting him to eat. Right before the program, he would skip all meals and I would have to try to convince him to eat by dinner time. Today, he took his dinner without any struggle! My puppy also now seems to have toned down his biting, he is giving kisses when he's excited as opposed to bites. Before the program, I was redirecting a lot and he was still very bitey. Another great thing I noticed is that my puppy is now ignoring a good amount of leaves. He would try to go after every single leaf that he saw but today I saw him walk through a pile of leaves and ignored them! Also, there is definitely a lot of progress in his separation anxiety. Today, I saw how Alex got my puppy to stop reacting to the living room door opening/closing. I was pretty amazed by that as well! I've only just mentioned the top issues that were worked on during the program, but my puppy definitely learned a good amount of fundamental commands as well! I am very pleased with the results and loved how we received a list of the commands my puppy learned and a schedule to follow with recommendations on what to do for different scenarios. We will definitely be doing the remaining puppy obedience lessons! read more

Dogfather Dog Institute - My puppy Stitch and Alex's dogs (the big dogs lol) - Pet Training Near Me

If you are looking for a dog trainer that trains with love, patience and positive reinforcement, Alex is the trainer for you. My husband and I were looking for a dog trainer for our Aussiedoodle 6-month-old named Frida. Alex was highly recommended by one of our neighborhood friends that went through his board and training program. We signed up Frida for his 2-week board and training and did not regret it. Worth every penny! Alex is extremely knowledgeable and is not only great with dogs, but he's also great with humans. He taught us so much throughout the entire process and gave us the tools to successfully carry on all the training Frida learned in those 2 weeks. We were having issues with Frida's jumping, puppy biting, pulling and her lack of impulse control. Alex was able to help with all those issues and more. I highly recommend Alex and his board and training program. We look forward to continuing our training journey with him and I know Frida feels the same way. read more

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Alex is the best dog whisperer! Absolutely one of the best dog trainers I have come across and had the pleasure to do business with. Super cool personality and very flexible to work with. He will transform the way you interact with your dog. The best part is he does it with a big heart and care for your animal so you can rest assure, your pet is in good hands! I can't say enough good things about Alex and his methods. Not only does he train your dog, but he's also excellent in training humans how to interact with their pets. Excellent interpersonal skills and very motivating and realistic on what you can expect to achieve. Definitely recommend anyone to check out his services. He will not disappoint! read more

Dogfather Dog Institute - See how my dog just adores Alex! Just Amazing! - Pet Training Near Me

Alex is a great trainer. We did the board and train experience with Alex when our dog was just under 6 months and it set our schnauzer up so well for building future behaviors in addition to a solid foundation in the basics. read more

When we brought Maple home, our English Labrador Retriever, we instantly fell in love and were committed to ensuring she was a well-trained pup. It was clear to us that Maple was highly intelligent and enjoyed mental challenges. However, training Maple with techniques learned online only got us so far and we struggled with crate training & separation anxiety amongst other areas. Before we met with Alex, we were starting to become discouraged with training as we tried to work with other trainers but they labeled Maple as a problem child. Alex immediately put our concerns at ease from the first lesson as we saw how he was able to connect with Maple and that he was confident in her potential. We worked with Alex for both private lessons and his 2-week board & train program. Private lessons: We saw immediate results with training from very the first lesson. His positive reinforcement techniques actually worked with Maple as he taught us how to bridge the communication with her 4.5 month-old puppy brain while also establishing our role as her handlers. Alex also has amazing communication and training for people. He always took the time to explain the purpose of the training techniques, demonstrate them, and then shadow us while giving us positive reinforcement in our own training. This made for fun sessions that we always looked forward to and that gave us homework to continue practicing in between. 2-week board & train program: We had our honeymoon planned and it was important to us that Maple continue her training while also being in good hands. We saw from our initial lessons that Alex would take care of Maple as if she were his own and had confidence that he would take her training to the next level. Throughout the program, Alex was incredibly communicative and gave us updates through text & videos. It gave us so much comfort knowing that Maple was having her own vacation and we could clearly see her bond with Alex & his pack. In just 2-months of working with Alex, Maple has transformed into a well-behaved puppy at 6-months old. We get so many compliments from fellow dog parents on our walks. If you're reading this review then do your pup a favor and work with Alex! You will only see results. read more

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Are you stressed, overwhelmed, doubting yourself or sleep deprived? Stop reading and call Alex- no really, just do it (what are you waiting for?). Like many puppy owners, I felt in over my head with my then 4.5 month old Doodle mix. It felt like no matter how much I tried or what I did, I could not get Phinny to sleep or stay in his crate, would cry constantly and was making me think what the heck did I just get myself into. Thankfully, I found Alex and his pack. After 2 weeks at the Dogfather Dog Institute in August, Phinny came back with his spunky attitude- but now more well-mannered, and best of all, sleeping with no issues in his crate. Alex makes sure to not only treat your dog as his own, but ensure they're the best versions of themselves once they're ready to come home. Alex also did a really great job of educating me as well on how I can improve as an owner, which was very helpful. Phinny is now 10 months old and I believe the foundations Alex instilled in him has made a huge difference in the way he is today. We look forward to continuing Phinny's training with Alex in the near future. If you haven't already, set up your initial meet and greet with Alex now! (This shout out is long overdue, my bad, Alex!!) read more

We're extremely grateful for Alex!! The 28 day board and train was the best investment we could have made for us and our fur boy, Fedor. We have a 5 month old staffy bull terrier who was very bite-y and had major separation anxiety. We both work, go to the gym and practice a sport and we felt extremely guilty leaving him. We tried leaving him with family but he was a little nightmare (bit family members and was very destructive) because he missed us. Since he's had training, my boy knows how to: wait, sit, answer to his name, lay down, stay, leave things alone, drop items on command, roll over, walk and a bunch more and he is definitely now getting his proper rest. Alex also had 1-1 sessions with us to make sure we can carry out his training by ourselves and left us with a very detailed command list that we use to continue training. We also received a holly grail of a schedule that makes having a life possible with a 5 month old bully breed and ensures that his training continues so it sticks. Our first day of having Fedor back we were able to run an errand and get a work out in. THANK YOU ALEX!! What we really appreciated about The Dog Father Dog Institute above all other board and trains we spoke to was that Alex really really cared, he was very curious about our dog and our desires and he trained us along the way. He doesn't just take your dog and your money, he talks to you on the phone first and then sets a meet and greet and we went from there. Another MAJOR PLUS was that our dog's training was carried out in a home and not a facility. We had our first meet and greet at Alex's home where we got to see his place, know his dogs and feel comfortable about where our puppy would be staying. ANOTHER PLUS was that we received DAILY photos, videos, updates and we even saw our puppy train live on social media. This made having our puppy away for a month much more bearable and reassured us that he was happy, loved and in good hands. Overall very pleased and very grateful that we found this program. Thank you for all your work, love and care, Alex! You and Julia are welcome to come by and see your new fur nephew anytime!! read more

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If you're looking for a compassionate dog and people trainer, Alex is your guy! I was looking for a board and train for my reactive dog Walnut, but specifically I was looking for dog trainers that did not use harsh/fear tactic methods like e-collars or prong collars. Alex helped us understand our dog from the behavioral side on why he was so reactive and taught us methods on how to combat it. Walnut would lunge at everything in dog walks and at home when strangers would come over. I was amazed to see Walnut's progress with the help of Alex! Walnut is learning to be less reactive and more trusting of us the owners. Alex loves what he does and will provide the best care for your dog. He's a a great people communicator (not all dog trainers are). Overall great investment and would recommend Alex! read more

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My French Bulldog thought she was a wild pony starting at 2 months old and made sure everyone knew she was the boss. The barking and constant terrorizing of her sister were out of control. I knew immediately that she would require a boarding situation but didn't want to leave her with just anyone. After 2 more months of searching and reading every review in town, I found Alex. Not only did he love her like his own dog, he taught her obedience through positive reinforcement, which was super important to me. Not only did he train Coco, he trained me, too. I now am the proud owner of another well behaved dog that is so happy and relaxed in her new world. Do yourself the favor and book the discovery meeting. You will see how wonderful Alex is before you even commit. You will be glad you did. read more

Dogfather Dog Institute - Coco - Pet Training Near Me

I can't say enough good things about Alex the Dogfather! An absolute pleasure to work with during a very stressful time. Alex helped us learn how to act and react with our dog, Archie. When we adopted our Archie we never thought that we'd actually need a trainer. But Arch soon began to show signs of aggression and disobedience and it became clear to us that we all needed professional help! By the end of Archies 3 week board and train with Alex we were more confident in our abilities as handlers and Archie is now a very sweet, well behaved boy. Alex worked wonders with him and got Archies reactive tendencies and aggression in check. We will be continuing our training with Alex. It's one of the best decisions we have ever made. read more

Dogfather Dog Institute - Archie at board and train with Miss Penni and Zeke.. The Dogfather Doggies and Archies BFFs - Pet Training Near Me

Lilly and Saison would highly recommend Alex! 10/10 bones! We have a 2.5 yr old pug, Saison, and recently got a pug puppy, Lilly. I reached out to Alex about training program options as we transitioned to having two dogs. We decided to enroll Lilly in the 2 week boarding training program. It was a prefect option, as Lilly learned commends and to better handle her puppy excitement it gave us time to work with Saison who was not used to sharing our attention. In addition to the training, Alex provided daily updates to ensure our pup was safe and having fun during the boarding, which as a dog owner is so important. Thank you Alex! Lilly, Saison, and their owners had so much fun working with you. We leaned so much and continue to practice our training tips. read more

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Sometimes you meet people and it's immediately obvious 'why they're here.' For us, Alex is everything a dog trainer should be and so much more. He is friendly, caring, knowledgeable, instructive, dedicated, and helpful which seem like prerequisite personality traits for his line of work, but he takes them far beyond what you'd expect. Our 5-month-old German Shepard pup recently completed the 21-day board and train program with Alex. It was clear he was in good hands from day one. Three weeks is a long time away from a new puppy, but we got photos, video updates and lengthy texts everyday which detailed every step of progress. Going back to review those videos has been an invaluable resource for us, and they act as a reminder that Alex not only trained our dog - he trained us too, which we're thankful for. Honestly, I was hesitant to spend this much money when we first researched dog training options in our area, but in hindsight I'm glad we did because it was worth every penny, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I used to believe dog trainers simply engrained strict commands to essentially 'reprogram' each dog...and boy, was I wrong. Through kindness, repetition, and a ton of positive reinforcement, Alex trained our puppy with the goal of enhancing his personality while offering tools to enrich his future as he grows into a dog. Our pup came home with a new toolbox full of useful commands, which we now can emphasize and continue. Imagine getting rid of 'no' as a command, or having dog that doesn't pull at the end of the leash during walks. Imagine a dog that listens, checks-in with eye contact and 'asks' permission. Alex is the trainer capable of turning that fantasy into reality, and that's not an exaggeration. read more

Dogfather Dog Institute - Pet Training Near Me

Alex was awesome when we got our new husky german shepherd puppy Dewey - I have recommended to many friends already! We did a 6-class package starting the week we brought him home at just 7 weeks old. Every week we felt like we learned so much and had homework to work on throughout the week as well. Dewey is such a well adjusted young dog now and a HUGE part of that is Alex training US and setting a good foundation. Let's be real he's training us not the dogs We also have an older dog that has gotten much better thanks to all the techniques we've learned. We will be using Alex again in the future to help us with follow up training! can't say enough good things. read more

Dogfather Dog Institute - Pet Training Near Me

Working with Alex has been the best decision I've ever made. I got my Great Dane, Fred as a puppy. He was a cute little monster quickly growing and taking over my house. I was overwhelmed and I needed help. I was searching the internet for weeks for a trainer to help me. I was very specific about the person I wanted to work with and the type of training methods I wanted for Fred. I luckily stumbled upon Alex's page and I instantly knew he was the best choice. We started with the puppy level board and train to address his behavioral issues. He made sure to send me regular updates and videos of his progress. It was clear that Alex put a lot of time and work into Fred. Once he was back home; Fred's naughty habits greatly improved. This included play biting, destroying everything, jumping on people, pulling on clothes, biting ankles, etc. He learned to listen to basic commands which proved to be very important in our everyday lives. Fred made a tremendous positive change with Alex's help. He graduated from puppy level 1 and did so well! Alex was very patient and loving with Fred and cared for him like his own. He also was also very patient with me when working on all the commands and going over everything Fred had learned. He had no problem going over thing's multiple times and answering the many questions I had. He wanted to make sure I was confident since I too, was learning everything along with Fred. As Fred got bigger I realized I needed help with walking him. His large size and weight made it a huge struggle for me to safely walk him on my own. I asked Alex for help again and he delivered! He helped Fred learn to walk calmly on leash and control his excitement with distractions. Walking passed other dogs was a huge issue. He would lunge and try to bolt after them, which proved to be unsafe for me as a small statured female. All the commands and routine helped Fred focus on walking because he knew once the leash was on he had to follow a structure. Fred is now the sweet, goofy, gentle giant Great Danes are known to be, all thanks to Alex. I honestly would not have been able to handle Fred without his help. read more

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Alex is amazing dog trainer. He makes it easy and fun for the dogs and you. After six lessons and I can see what this training have done for my dog but most important, what it has taught me. Alex has gave me a strong foundation to build off. Very thankful to have meet Alex and would recommend anyone looking for the best trainer in town. Thank you again Molly read more

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My fiancé and I rescued a corgi from Korea with the help of The Big 3 Rescue. Alex, The Dogfather, was recommended to us by a client of my fiancés and we couldn't be happier with our choice. Atti came to us with severe separation anxiety and not knowing any English commands. We chose to do the two week board and train and she came home a new girl! Anxiety was dramatically reduced, she had learned both verbal and hand signal commands. Alex also gave us a super in depth schedule and command list as a working sheet for us to refer to as we continue to work and practice with her. Alex is amazing human and offers an amazing service. read more

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We found Alex on TikTok and we are so lucky we did! Our puppy had spent the first few weeks of her life in a shelter. Once we got her home she was placed on "puppy bed rest" to recover from several medical issues due to being in the shelter. As a result she was extremely cautious and fearful. Despite our efforts, she lacked confidence. She struggled with nipping and jumping, and was fearful of new experiences and our 3 year old daughter was becoming fearful of her as well. We knew we needed professional help to ensure that everyone could exist peacefully and confidently. We reached out to The Dogfather Dog Institute and got her enrolled in 2 weeks of board and train for some basic obedience training, which included lessons for us as people too. Our sweet puppy came home and had learned so much in that time. She came back to us with confidence and new tricks and is able to interact with our daughter without nipping or jumping! Throughout the entire time she was gone, we were able to watch and her progress on the Dogfather TikTok lives. (Which also helps us learn!) We are so glad we found this trainer, and we are excited to continue our journey of building our pups skills and confidence. And we are so happy to be developing a positive relationship our puppy as she grows and matures. read more

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No one works harder than Alex, owner and trainer to bring the very best out of you, your family and each individual dog and breed. Alex builds trust from the moment you and your dog meet him. Trust equals love and it's abundantly apparent by his actions, the amount of time and dedication he spends on his profession that he loves what he does! The world is a better place due to his consistent, patient and individualized training which promotes both positive behavior from the handler and dog. Highly recommend this business. read more

If you're reading this then most likely you're in need of some help with your pup. Look no further, the dog father is here to help. My wife and I were fortunate enough to be able to send our puppy, Vera to his training program. Not only is our dog on the path to success but we were given the tools and education to ensure our puppy continues to thrive at home. I do not possess the vocabulary to express the gratitude I have for the dog father institute. If you love your fur baby then this is the place for you. read more

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We got our first puppy earlier this year, a golden doodle. I have some experience with dogs and we crate trained and potty trained our puppy pretty quickly. We were able to teach a few commands but our puppy was very energetic and was hard to manage. We decided to use DogFather and board and train for 2 weeks. My wife says we got a different dog afterwards. Alex had transformed him! He wasn't jumping on people or nipping at us anymore. We are able to loose leash walk him too! The added lessons at home really reinforced all the training. Most importantly Alex trained us humans to be better parents to our dog. Highly recommend to anyone getting a puppy. read more

Last month I got a puppy, and after bringing her home, I quickly realized I was in over my head. I was overwhelmed with the biting, separation anxiety, etc., and knew I needed help. I did some research, and found Alex. I decided to send my girl Harlow to his 2 week board and train program, and I can honestly say it's one of the best decisions I've ever made. By the first visit back home, my girl was such a different dog. Same personality, but much more well behaved. And a lot of it has to do with training the human as well. I couldn't believe how much she's learned in just 2 weeks, I still can't! Alex checks in almostdaily to let you know your pups progress, and sends photos and detailed videos of training. I can't wait for my girl to start doing further training with him. Oh, and she LOVES her Uncle Alex! Even when I'm around, she goes straight to him instead! I highly recommend him. read more

Dogfather Dog Institute - Harlow at training with Alex - Pet Training Near Me

We knew we needed a trainer for our 1.5 y/o rescue when she started to show signs of fear reactivity towards our guests and other dogs out on our walks. She became difficult to manage and as first time dog owners, we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. When we found Alex, he was so easy to work with and knew exactly what our little rescue pup needed. We started a 3-week board and train program with him and even though I missed her during that time a whole lot, he gave a ton of videos and pictures and even went live on his TikTok throughout the week so we can watch how he's training her. He's so kind, flexible, nonjudgmental, and knows exactly what he's doing and talking about. He's so thorough and is a great teacher, we have learned so much from him! Our dog is now way more manageable and fun, and has gained a lot of confidence since working with him and living/learning with his two dogs. She really is a different dog! I can't recommend Alex enough or thank him for everything he does for all the dogs out there! read more

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Alex really transformed our relationship with our puppy via a custom 5 week board & train program. Our golden retriever was 3 months old and we were tired and frustrated mostly from his biting and our inability to communicate with him. Over the course of 5 weeks broken up in increments, Rocky was transformed into a puppy who had incredible impulse control, didn't bite/jump/bark/hump anymore, waited before given permission to eat, exit doors or leave specified areas, made eye contact while waiting for a command, and so much more. It helped us communicate without ever using the word "no" and everything was centered around positive reinforcement. We learned to use gestures, sounds, and cues with commands. Exposure therapy was used to help him get comfortable with being bathed, brushed, wiped, comfortable with loud noises and so much more. We are extremely satisfied with the program and we are able to enjoy all the fun parts of puppyhood now. We would recommend Alex and his training to every dog owner regardless of the dog's age, but strongly recommend for new puppy owners because we had less undoing to do, but rather could focus on setting expectations with our puppy. We are extremely grateful to Alex and Julia! Rocky is now 5 months old at the time of this review and he is thriving with absolutely no problematic behaviors. read more

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We rescued an australian cattle dog from a small dog rescue, we didn't really know much about the breed at the time. We were lost, he was so full of energy and very stubborn. Alex taught us to work with Frances and now he is very well behaved. He is a totally new dog, he listens and best of all, Alex helped us find our dog a "job" which apparently is what they need to find structure. We are so happy we used The Dogfather Institute, and would hire him again if we got another dog. read more

Dogfather Dog Institute - Pet Training Near Me

Alex literally saved our family!!! One of our dogs passed away and we got Ella a Massiff Rottweiler mix. Ella was an aggressive and dominating dog from the start. She would bite us and attack our 16 year old standard poodle. We had almost lost hope when she would not stop jumping and bitting. We found Alex and sent Ella to his puppy boot camp. He had the best price and the best reviews. Every time we did a training session we saw an unbelievable change in her behaviors. We are so great full to Alex. He has become apart of our family. He always makes time to answer questions and to offer guidance. He truly loves his job and our Ella loves him. We were at the breaking point none of our training was working until Alex came into our lives. There are no amount of words that can describe our gratitude. If you want a dog trainer that can truly help your family call Alex. 1 phone call changed our lives and gave us our hope. Ella is extremely intelligent and eager to learn new things. We are so excited to start our next set of classes with Alex. read more

Alex is the best!! My sister and I have a 3 month old maltipoo that is really hyper. We were having hard time controlling her 'cus she's still puppy. Good thing we found Alex in Yelp. He helped us a lot. We decided to board and train our little Cali for 2 weeks. He keeps us updated, calls us in the morning and send videos of their lessons. We got Cali back last Friday, and she is a complete different pup. She now listens to us, she is well behaved. We totally recommend Alex to train your dog. He's awesome!!! read more

Dogfather Dog Institute - Pet Training Near Me

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Alex is the real deal! After searching around, I thought I'd start making calls to discuss my issue--I was pleasantly surprised when Alex answered the phone and made the time to have a decent conversation about Baron, some history and the type of training we were looking for. Alex has great options and flexibility, so we decided to go with a 6 week package. The pricing is GREAT considering this is private, in-home lessons when it works for us. Each week we had a different set of things to work on all building on the last week's lesson. Before I go on, here's some background... Baron is an 8-year-old Rottie and had extensive obedience and manners training in his youth. Once we moved to this area he decided he wasn't so cool with skateboarders -- too loud, too fast, too scary. This escalated into really negative reactions and we were looking to get him desensitized, hypnotized or something. He's a very sweet dog and we just couldn't even take him into public for a basic walk. So we thought we'd try the Dogfather. So Alex shows up each week and we did our best to stick to the homework -- Alex writes up custom homework after each lesson, tailored to exactly what we're focusing on. How cool is that?!? We really felt that Alex was fully invested in Baron's success -- we even got text messages of encouragement during the week between lessons. By the 5th lesson we decided that Baron needed more advanced training with an e-collar in order to be "cured" of his skateboard crazies. Alex was totally "on board" (ha...a pun) and started working to teach us how to introduce this new collar properly. It proved to be very challenging for us at home so we opted for a new approach...Board and Train at Alex's house! AMAZING!!! Baron went to Uncle Alex Camp for five nights and was immersed into intense training with the expert. Alex took him to the skate park multiple times every day, sent videos of each event--not just videos, but explanations of what he was doing and how Baron was reacting. Showing the results...and PROGRESS! By the third day, we got to meet up with Baron and Alex so we could get trained and start to practice at the skate park. Very nerve-wracking, but I think we "passed" our first round. Day six we met for pick up in downtown HB with all the Main Street Fair excitement happening. We all took a nice stroll past multiple skateboards, bikes, dogs, children and Baron was a 90% different dog. Sure he still thinks he should pay close attention to the exciting things, but with the e-collar and our collective training, we all know how to address these issues. Today, we can comfortably take Baron on a walk anywhere, without worry of encountering skateboards. We simply say "leave it" and "look" (at me) and continue on our merry way. I can honestly say he is CURED! We still work and practice all the tools Alex gave us and can tell you it's been worth every penny. We look forward to seeing Alex the Dogfather at one of his Sunday group sessions in LBC regularly. If you need a trainer, someone who listens and is truly passionate about his clients, please call and chat with Alex...his energy comes through the phone and it will be the best call of your day. read more

Dogfather Dog Institute - Baron graduated! - Pet Training Near Me

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Alex is absolutely fantastic!! Both my dogs love him. He spends a tremendous time explaining the training and gives you homework to do with your dogs. My Great Danes have excelled working with him. Alex pricing is very reasonable and worth every penny. I highly recommend him!! read more

I contacted Alex after having an incident at home with my (then 9 month old) Australian Cattle Dog, "Ozzy". I knew we needed serious help and needed to address some issues right away, before things got worse. It got to the point where I was fearful of my own dog. Ozzy was basically doing what he wanted to do, had a lot of bad habits and bad leash pulling on walks. I reached out to a few trainers, but after talking and having a meet and greet with Alex, I knew he was the one! We signed up for Puppy Level 1 - six week course. Alex was very thorough in his training sessions, and we addressed Ozzy's bad habits that needed correction. He gave us notes, homework for the week, and I was able to take videos to aid in my home practice. Alex has a lot of patience and great communication skills. He uses great training techniques (for both Ozzy and I) and week after week I have noticed a significant difference. I am no longer fearful of my own dog. I can walk him without him walking me. He listens to my commands and the transformation is unbelievably amazing! I would recommend Alex to anyone out there who is seeking a trainer, or simply anyone who has a dog. Us humans and our dogs can never stop learning! Thanks Alex/DFDI!! read more

Dogfather Dog Institute - Pet Training Near Me

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We just finished Level 1 dog training with Alex. And will be starting Level 2 in a few days. We cannot say enough about Alex and his training method. Not only is he training our dogs but he's training us as humans so we can be better pet owners to our pups. Our dogs LOVE Alex.... absolutely love him! Alex displays a genuine love for animals and has been a delight to work with! read more

So glad a friend of mine got me in touch with Alex and Dogfather Dog Institute. He is absolutely wonderful, an extremely nice human being and super great with my little pupper. My 5 month old German shepherd absolutely loves him and will follow him around everywhere and happily listen to his commands. It definitely helps to have the training in a setting where the dog spends most of his time. I highly recommend Alex to anyone who is looking to train an overexcited, energetic puppy. We are just on week 2 and have learned so much with so much more to go!! Thanks, Alex!! read more

Dogfather Dog Institute - Pet Training Near Me

Alex is a real pro! I got a blue nose pit for my family last year and quickly realized training is a must. I was on the fence about going to Petco so I decided to check out yelp. This is where I found Dog Father Institute. 5 stars on Yelp so I called them. After talking to Alex, I was happy I made the call. I wanted a professional experience that could come to me and Alex delivered. We did each class in my back yard. Whenever I couldn't make a class I would call Alex the day before to reschedule and it has never been a problem. After the 6 weeks my dog was like night and day. My dog's level of obedience far exceed my expectations. My kids and I learned a lot from Alex. I HIGHLY recommend DFI read more

My fiancé and I got a Belgian Malanois puppy (Zelda). Within the first couple weeks, I was very scared that she was going to be too much for us, so we contacted Alex for his 3 week board and train program. Right off the bat we could feel the compassion and knowledge Alex had to offer. It was tough to think about not having our puppy for 21 days and miss out on watching her grow. Alex consistently updated us with daily progress reports and photos/videos, that made us feel almost like we got to see her everyday. Throughout the 21 days we had 3 private lessons and the results were incredible. Zelda has been back home for about 4 weeks now and she is a whole different dog. She has not once tried to escape her play pen, she has not had any accidents, and she follows all commands like a trained soldier. I am constantly getting compliments from friends and neighbors about how incredibly behaved our Zelda is. Looking forward to more private lessons and a long lasting relationship with Alex. read more

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Where do I even begin with Alex ?! I contacted him frantically as I definitely underestimated the work a puppy was, especially with a 2 year old. He was so calm and offered to come meet Kai the very next morning. When he came he was great with her! We felt the 3 week board and train is exactly what we needed. He had her for about 6 days before she came home for a couple days and I'm not kidding, I thought she was a different dog. She was so well behaved, potty trained and listened. I was shocked! Fast forward 3 weeks and her transformation has been incredible. I will say the hardest part is me learning how to communicate with her. With Alex's private sessions this definitely helps. I am still a work in process but Alex is always a phone call away. I highly encourage anyone struggling to contact him . You will not be disappointed! read more

Alex is a fantastic trainer!! Our dog loved him and so did we. He is patient and thorough and always willing to take a call for a question. We would recommend him to anyone looking for help with their dog. read more