We had such a great session with this trainer. In just one hour she gave us so many useful, easy-to-follow tools and even sent notes after so we wouldn't forget anything. Our dog is reactive, and we were honestly shocked at how quickly her techniques started working. She explained things in a way that actually made sense, focused on helping our dog feel safe, and even stayed longer to help us practice around other dogs. We left feeling way more confident and hopeful. Highly recommend her if you have a sensitive or reactive pup. Also, Heidi is incredibly funny, so it was a great time! read more

Happy Tails Dog School - Our girl was listening within the first five minutes of meeting her! - Pet Training Near Me

Heidi did an excellent job with our pup, and was able to come over and do a private lesson quickly. We feel much more confident after just an hour session. She knew just how to teach not only the puppy, but the humans as well. We are excited to join her puppy manners class next month too! read more

Heidi is a remarkable trainer--combines a light hearted, fun approach with excellent techniques. Very positive experience for dogs and their people! We've had several dogs over the years and trainers with each one. She is above and beyond the most effective and enjoyable trainer we've used. We will continue to attend her classes. read more

We attended Heidi's Manners 101 class and had a one-on-one training session with her and our 3-month-old puppy. We learned as much as our pup did and we made significant progress is walking on a leash, recall training, and getting our puppy addicted to treats. :) Heidi is wonderful, in addition to being extremely knowledgeable and highly professional. Her expertise and experience are surpassed only by her love for dogs and the positive approach she embraces. If you want a training experience that achieves positive outcomes while prioritizing the health and welfare of your dog, take Heidi's classes. She cares about you and your pup, and you will both be better for the experience. read more

Heidi is incredible! She helped me with a very leash reactive Labrador and I could not believe how quickly the games and tools she taught us made a remarkable improvement. Heidi is extremely knowledgeable and clearly cares for the dogs' wellbeing above all else. I loved the way she listened to our specific history and needs and tailored a program to help. Cannot recommend her help enough!! read more

We had a great experience with Heidi during our class. The class was straightforward and our puppy came out well-behaved and trained. We are considering doing the next level and it was worth every penny. read more

Heidi is the most loving, patient and knowledgeable dog trainer. Do yourself a favor and sign up for one of her classes! We enrolled our 5-month old goldendoodle puppy Archie in her Manners 101 course and she really took the time to get to know all the dogs, sharing so many useful training tips along the way. You could tell very quickly this is her true calling and she treats your dog like her own. Her emphasis on positive reinforcement techniques will serve you well and the dogs respond quite well to it. She also offers private in-home lessons at a very reasonable rate and we got so much value out of having her over to observe Archie in his home environment. Overall, I'm very satisfied with the quality and value of her lessons and looking forward to registering for Manners 210 soon. read more

Heidi is one of a kind! Her training techniques (all rooted in positive reinforcement) align exactly with our feelings on raising a dog. Even experienced dog owners can/ should consider help in being better dog parents; Heidi is the perfect partner for private training sessions (that's how we met) focused on learning new training techniques or just reviewing/ reinforcing the basics. She came right to our home and made us feel so at ease. Her prices are reasonable, and she has a great touch with dogs. We highly recommend Heidi for any of your training needs (we will be enrolling in her training school after our AMAZING in home experience). Here is her website: https://www.happytailsdogschool.com/ Heidi, if you are reading this, thank you so much for your help! -T & L read more

Heidi was phenomenal! She came to our house for an individual session with our eight-month pit/terrier/lab/? mix and simultaneously helped with our four-year old beagle/shepherd mix that has been regressing since having a new pup in the house. I've worked with a few trainers in the past and Heidi far exceeded all of them. She passes no judgement and offers practical tips and tricks that are fun for the dog and human. I'm sure her group classes are wonderful but we really liked the specialized time with our dogs. 100% would recommend! read more

Could not be more pleased with Heidi & Happy Tails Dog School. She makes effective use of the entire lesson time (unlike other dog schools we've brought our puppy to), and she teaches critical things that you & your puppy should know, so you feel like you're REALLY getting your money's worth. Today I just used one command she taught us in our last class and it literally saved my puppy's life. Couldn't recommend this more highly. read more

Heidi is absolutely amazing. I would highly recommend hiring her and no one else. Stop looking now and book a session with her. She made me feel confident and courageous to try new things with Margo my crazy squirrel hunting terrier hound. And as a person who never had trained dog growing up - she was patient with me when I asked all the questions and repeated the exercises she taught me. I left the session in one hour with soooooo much knowledge and hands on activities and already a well Behaved dog ! Heidi's knows her stuff and i can't tell you enough how warm and kind she was to my dog. You'll get more out of one hour with her than any you tube or internet scrolling. I've tired it. And Heidi saved me- now I can enjoy my walks and hikes with my dog and not have her pull my arm out of the socket! I feel confident with recall and proper leash control which was my goal going into it. Heidi is an Inspiration and is really good at what she does and enjoys it. Look no further and book time with Heidi! read more

Heidi was phenomenal! We have a crazy pup who has been giving us a run for our money lately and needed some guidance on training. After an hour session, we felt reassured that we were mostly on the right track with her training and just need more time. Heidi was really encouraging and full of excellent advice/tips/ideas. She helped us brainstorm lots of ideas on how to work through our pups extremely long 'witching hour' which has been lasting 5 hours at night . Would 10/10 recommend giving her a call if you need help with your dog. read more

I'm so glad we found Heidi! She is very friendly and easy to talk to, and she is pretty funny as well. She is obviously an expert on dogs, and we learned a lot of good tips on how to train our crazy puppies. She sends out weekly emails with training tips, which is helpful to reference when I need a refresher. We are sad class is over, but we are looking forward to taking the next level class in a few months when the pups are old enough! Thanks Heidi :) read more

Happy Tails Dog School - Pet Training Near Me

I had wanted to get a dog from the day I moved out of my childhood home, but never really had enough time to properly train and raise a puppy. When my career shifted and I started working from home I admittedly got a bit ahead of myself and quickly had an adorable companion at my apartment. I had the time, the flexibility and the friend, but quickly realized I was lacking in the experience and knowledge department. So I did my research and found Heidi. I absolutely agree with all the reviews here discussing the great course material, mix of in-home and in-class training, and the excellent communication. My pup and I still review the foundation classes from Heidi (which she sends him in very easy to use and simple training plans). The in-class sessions absolutely flew by, were fun for the participants and is probably the most effective tool I have found yet for completely exhausting my little guy. Most importantly, all of the work was effective, starting with the most important topics (bite inhibition, sitting/waiting, dealing with busy places, meeting other dogs, etc) and showing us how to progress into more difficult lessons. I went from feeling in over my head to more comfortable and able to just enjoy my relationship with my puppy after the first class. I also want to be sure and mention the general approach taken in this course, which was a huge part of choosing this class. This is not the place to learn how to put on a shock collar or properly scold your puppy. The entire focus is on positive reinforcement, patience, and understanding that your puppy isn't intentionally trying to drive you crazy. This was the only approach I was willing to take and Heidi can easily demonstrate that this approach is as effective as any fear-based training. And it leads to happier dogs, which is kind of the whole point, right? All of the course material and classes would be enough for a 5 star review, but Heidi goes above and beyond on the personal side as well. I had to unfortunately miss a couple of classes due to work schedules and there was absolutely no trouble in working around that. Heidi was very responsive and professional in emails and in person, and genuinely cares for everyone in her class, human or pup. It's usually not that difficult to tell who is running a class like this for a paycheck, and who is running it because they care about animals, understand the relationship they have with owners and want to help. Heidi is quite clearly in the second group. If you're new to dog training, I can't recommend this course enough. If you're not new, I'd still recommend it. Everyone will take away something from this class and I consider this the single best thing I did in the early days of dog ownership. read more

My fiance and I became new puppy dog owners Labor Day weekend 2019. Owning a larger and newer breed (Colorado Mountain Dog), I thought we could use some support in the way of obedience training. Our goal is to have a happy, healthy and a dog that listens and obeys so that we can enjoy her out in public and with other friends and family. I started some research, reaching out to several trainers. All, except Heidi, were either too expensive or too unorganized with their communication. I found Heidi to both both very professional, prompt, and organized in her offerings, as well as reasonable with pricing. She made our choice so easy compared to what else is out there. We enrolled in the manners 101 training and were very happy with the results. Heidi works with all dog of all breeds, and circumstances. Some are rescues and have some unique challenges to overcome, but it's really great to see her multi-task (with amazing Wyatt!!) and switch gears on the spot so that each owner could receive effective training. She offers lessons each week that build on each other. We gained so many valuable tips and tricks that have made our dog such a joy to be around and also enjoy in the public. I take her everywhere with me because I can!! Now, she is still a puppy and therefore we still have work to do. I am eagerly awaiting Heidi's launch of her next level classes so I can enroll my pup for some help with her adolescent months. Thank you Heidi and Wyatt! Rebecca, Eric, & Sevy read more

Heidi is an AMAZING trainer! My boyfriend and I have a year and three months old dachshund. Before coming to Heidi's Manners 101 beginner training, our dog, Macklin, didn't really know any commands other than one trick we'd taught her. Now, Macklin knows how to sit, lay down, wait/stay, settle, greet nicely, and tonight, she'll learn come when called. Heidi is a great trainer, and she's super effective and supportive with her methods of training. She uses positive reinforcement and clicker based training, which was very important to me. I don't believe in punishment based learning at all. I believe Heidi's clicker and positive reinforcement based training was highly effective! Above and beyond training, Macklin's social skills have improved by 100%. She used to be incredibly nervous, scared, and flighty. She'd never approach another dog or person willingly, and she often barked and growled at others. She now politely sniffs other dogs when they approach her. She's still not a huge fan of strangers, but that's also just her personality. She is doing so much better after training with Heidi! My final ringing endorsement for Heidi and her training is this story-- Last week, Macklin accidentally slipped out of her harness while I was taking her outside. While Heidi's Manners 101 beginners course does NOT technically teach safe off-leash training practices, it was an emergency situation because we were next to a busy road. I knew I had to try something to keep Macklin safe. I gave Macklin a verbal and hand signal command to get her to sit, even though I was about 10 feet away from her. Macklin immediately sat. I then gave Macklin a verbal and hand signal wait. Macklin remained safely seated and waiting until I was able to come over and pick her up away from the busy road. Again, Manners 101 does not technically teach off-leash skills, but Macklin effectively learned enough training that she successfully followed the commands in an emergency off-leash situation. Thank you Heidi for helping me keep Macklin safe next to a busy road! read more

Heidi's training program and schedule were perfect for our young Golden Retriever. Once a week with a group outside and some homework for the week kept him interested and busy! We are looking forward to the second set of classes when he gets older. read more

Super fun class that was well led and provided great benefit to my puppy's behavior.

Heidi is absolutely amazing! I can't say enough amazing things about her. I brought my 1 year old pup to her Manners 101 class with a pretty good basis on the basic commands and learned so much more then I did in previous classes. She always did a great job catering the activities to every dogs specific needs, making it fun for parent and pup! I'm looking forward to progressing through all of her courses! Please please do yourself and your dog a favor and sign up. So worth the price and time as I don't think there are any trainers with as much knowledge as Heidi. read more

Heidi is a wonderful and awesome trainer! I love how her lessons incorporate positive reinforcements on training our beloved dogs. I have learned so much and I am truly amazed on how effective her teaching style is. My dog enjoyed his classes so much and cant wait to learn more from Heidi! If you're looking to learn and have fun with your dog, this is the perfect place! read more

Heidi is just absolutely amazing. She loves your dogs, is patient and funny and is truly passionate about what she does. Let's face it, a major part of "training your dog," is actually training the pup parent and she'll always address and answer any questions/concerns you may have. The amount of detail with her follow ups and curriculum is something I never expected, but something I used tremendously. We loved how her philosophy is deeply rooted on positive reinforcement while letting dogs be dogs. We can't wait until our Tohphee is able to move onto the next class, but until then, we will be implanting everything Heidi and Greta taught us! read more

I strongly recommend Heidi for your puppy/dog training. Her guidance and training has made a huge difference. Both the training and homework for the week are extremely helpful and have kept us focused through the process. Our puppy is a golden retriever - so lots of energy and loves to play - but she did an amazing job of keeping him focused and engaged in class. He loves to play with other puppies and bark, but she didn't let that interrupt class and kept him involved and learning. We'll be signing up for the next class and will continue to follow the homework assignments... read more

Heidi is an awesome, caring person. I just got my first dog, and I was in need of a trainer for some basic obedience. Unfortunately, Heidi was out of town, so our schedules were not compatible for my immediate needs. However, she still returned my call promptly, spent 20 minutes of her time providing me with valuable information, patience, and reassurance. She also sent me an email with links to training tools and informational videos. She even followed up with me while she was on vacation. Although have not yet had the chance to work with Heidi in person, she has already shown that she is genuinely kind, helpful, and reliable. She wants to help, and is happy to share her knowledge and time. read more

I can not recommend Heidi and Happy Tail Dog School enough. We enrolled our seven month old German Shepherd mix in Manner 101 this summer and were so happy we did. Heidi is extremely knowledgeable and not only teaches you how to train your dog but prepares you for real life situations i.e. fireworks, thunderstorms, dogs getting off leash, etc. We loved her tips and tricks and found the class to be invaluable. read more

Wow! So Stonnie Dennis lives in Kentucky and we don't have access...no fear! Heidi and her team are right here in Colorado! No need to be punitive it's all about management and training! Non judgmental, non scolding environment for dog and you! Can't make it to class? Private in home training specific to your needs available! No shock collars! No choke chains! You made it through life without one-so can your pup don't hesitate to call her today...just don't take my spot read more

If you are reading this review, you are probably thinking about using Heidi as a dog trainer. In short, just sign up already! We took Heidi's Manners 101 class with our puppy, Arthur. She went above and beyond to help with Arthur's leash reactivity and we couldn't be more happy that we found her. She is incredibly knowledgeable about all things dogs and we learned so much more than just basic training. We have worked with other trainers in the past and we got so much more out of it for a fraction of the price. I only wish that we had done this earlier! Thank you, Heidi, for all of your work with our sweet (and very vocal) boy! read more

Heidi came out to our house for a private lesson with our golden, Mia. She's a leash puller, jumper, and mouthy. In just an hour and a half Heidi armed me with so many tips and tools and Mia has been responding to all of them. I am so ecstatic that I was able to take Mia on a walk this morning without her pulling my arm off! Heidi is very, very knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and you can tell how much she loves what she does and how much she loves dogs. I also love her focus on positive reinforcement as it was an important aspect that I looked for when finding a trainer. It's such a pleasure to be working with her and I'm thrilled to see such progress in Mia in just 2 days! If you're looking for a dog trainer, please don't hesitate to contact her. She is worth it! read more

We struck gold when we found Heidi & Happy Dog School. After our first session we were empowered and excited to begin the training process. Reese, our Australian Shepherd puppy, loved Heidi immediately, and for good reason. She is encouraging, pays attention to and attends to each dog and their individual needs, and exudes an infectious confidence. Within minutes of our first class, our eyes were opened to how well Heidi's approach works because Reese was responding already! We've now completed Manners 101 and she's helped us transform Reese into a confident puppy who listens, obeys and mostly importantly LOVES us! The thing that really sets Heidi apart from other trainers is that she consistently goes above and beyond her obligations as trainer, because she truly cares. I can email her with question any time, and she'll respond thoroughly and happily with helpful information that is tailored to the needs of our dog. We knew Heidi was great the moment we met her, but she continues to exceed our expectations in her commitment to help us transform Reese a wonderful companion for us. We're already looking forward to working with her again soon. Thank you Heidi! - Cassie, Mark & Reese read more

We brought our wild and rambunctious golden retriever puppy (4 months old at the time) to Heidi in hopes that she could help us with some of the basics that we were struggling with. Our little girl was still puppy biting, would pull on a leash like she was a sled dog, and would struggle to stay focused to a command for any length of time. Heidi was our miracle worker! We were with Heidi in the basic manners puppy classes. She spent so much time with us giving us tips and tricks to help our puppy. There was definitely a marked difference with our puppy between when we started and when we ended classes with Heidi. We were and are so thankful for her! When we were in a class with multiple other dogs and owners, I always felt like I was getting Heidi's undivided attention. She always took the time answer all questions during class and would always explain her answers so we could recreate the training at home. At one point, it was in between training classes and we were struggling with a certain skill with our puppy. I called Heidi to get some help and she spent time on the phone giving me advice to help our dog learn the skill. You can tell that teaching dogs and helping owners have the best, most well behaved dogs is truly her passion and she loves what she does! When I was looking for puppy classes, I wanted one that would love my dog as much as I do, and I felt like this was evident in how Heidi interacted with us, as well as our dog. Compared to other generic dog schools, I feel like she personalizes her classes to you and the needs of your pet and most importantly, I know that I can always call Heidi if I needed assistance with something for our little pup and she would be more than willing to help us out. I would highly recommend Heidi and Happy Tails Dog School for any level of dog training. She's the best! read more

I'm in the middle of the Manners 101 class with Heidi's school for my almost 5 month old puppy. I have been so impressed with Heidi and her training techniques. I never knew owning a puppy would be so much work, but Heidi gives great tips and tells you why they work, as several other people have mentioned in their reviews. Heidi welcomes questions, even if they are between classes, and has really been a great resource to me and my puppy. Her class is really reasonably priced and I would recommend her classes to anyone without a doubt. You can tell Heidi really loves dogs and she knows what she is doing. read more

Heidi has been a wonderful teacher to us as dog parents and our Ruby. Most of the training is for the dog owner, but she makes it easy! We're in our second session with Heidi and Ruby has progressed tremendously. It's a lot of work, but consistency pays off. read more

Great dog training and general education for new dog owners. I enjoyed working with Heidi and having her help me and my rescue. My dog is about 2, but we were in the manners 101 class. I spoke with Heidi before hand about the fears i had for my dog and the current behaviors needing help. She was eager to help and I'm super happy i moved forward. Right away, Heidi helped me and my dog feel comfortable considering my concerns of having an older, fearful, but sweet doggie. Heidi stayed after class to work with me and a few others when needed. She is quite knowledgeable and easy to get ahold of for any reason outside of class time. I highly recommend her training classes and positive reinforcement methods. My dog has really embraced learning new things and is becoming comfortable enjoying the life she deserves. read more

Update: we just finished Manners 210 tonight and WOW! The progress our little 8 month old has made is just amazing. Heidi cares. She cares about you and she cares about your dog and that translates to her work. She's an excellent resource in the classroom and beyond. So happy we found Happy Tails! read more

Heidi's the best! I mentioned I was signed up in another training class to someone I knew at our dog park. He said he had taken classes there in the past but highly recommended I look into Heidi at Happy Tails before I got started. I was so impressed by his encouragement so I followed his suggestion. And I'm so glad I did. Rocky and I felt comfortable immediately. Heidi made a true effort to connect with each dog and owner. Her kind, positive approach was incredibly effective. She definitely makes an effort to be at the forefront of the most current and successful training methods. The class was a great size group; we weren't getting lost in the crowd nor were we bored. Rocky loved play time after Puppy 101 class was over, too. As the weeks went by we seemed to form a nice bond with the other owners and pups. Heidi was even readily available through email or phone if we had any issues in between classes...which we did ;-). All in all, I'd refer anyone who's looking for an effective and positive training experience to sign up with Happy Tails. As I said, Heidi's the best! read more

I researched and spoke to numerous dog trainers and Heidi by far was the most knowledgeable and courteous. I enrolled my two Australian Shepherds on the Manners 101 class and the things I learned are essential to every dog owner. The content and in-class training we did was extremely helpful. I really enjoyed the positive reinforcement type of training along with tips learned for potty training, obedience and others. My wife and I speak highly of Heidi and her class and would highly recommend her to all our colleagues. In the near future we'll be enrolling on the Manners 210 class. Thanks for all your knowledge and support! Jon, Rae, Ben, Buzz & Woody read more

Heidi is absolutely awesome. We joined her entry level class w our Bernese MD and she was fantastic. Stayed late and taught a couple additional things. We've recommended her a few times already and would HIGHLY - without question keep recommending her. Her Rott, Rolo made an appearance at the class and everyone she is teaching us was on display w him- he was unbelievably well trained and well behaved. Can't say enough and we are going to join her intermediate class. Thanks again Heidi!! read more

Heidi is the most amazing trainer My puppy has been very challenging Her ideas and patience are above and beyond I highly recommend her classes She's a god-send !!!!! read more

Recently I had the opportunity to observe Heidi instructing a wide variety of puppies and owners with socialization skills in her beginning puppy class. She demonstrated knowledge, patience and understanding as each puppy and owner had needs unique to their dog. Each step of each skill was taught to the whole class then one-on-one attention was given as she worked her way around the room to demonstrate and assist with each puppy as needed. It was a delight to see how well each dog responded to her. She is an exceptionally skilled trainer. read more

I cannot say enough about Heidi! We have a mutt puppy who is very energized and independent and we had never dealt with a dog like this. She was having accidents everywhere (including our bed!) and chewing our house apart! One hour at our house with Heidi and I swear to God she is a new and improved puppy!!!! No exaggeration! Heidi is beyond amazing - she is the true dog whisperer! Our little Lola is doing so well and our other dog who has been with us for 5 years is even learning some of the stuff! I honestly cannot say enough amazing things about Heidi - I even asked her to move with us because I couldn't believe my eyes when seeing how fast our dog learned from her! LOL!! So very glad we called Happy Tails and met with Heidi!!!! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!!! Sid and Marti!!! read more

I contacted Hedi for my Yorkshire he was 1 1/2 and was terrible on a walk. Constantly pulling. Barking and jumping on guests. Hedi was hired for a private lesson. Her techniques where ridiculous such as picking my dog up when another dog approaches to avoid lunging or walking the other direction.? I wanted him to learn to stop lunging. Not avoid the problem. . Also offering treats for reward as incentive for doing a good job. Which I agree with that but Everyone knows yorkies have extermely sensitive stomachs and are picky eaters. I told her that feeding my dog chicken all day would give him diarrhea. She told me that's a sacrifice I had to make. That's animal abuse if you ask me and cruel to the dog. She ended up making me cry during our appointment telling me, my dogs untrainable. Well good news , he did get Trained. Not by her and he's a well behaved little yorkie now .. in a group setting she might do better with the dogs. One on one Worst experience ever. She still insisted on payment. After patting me on the back telling me some dogs are untrainable. I payed her because I'm a nice person. Until after I told my parents what happen. They insisted I report her to the animal humane society and the local news channels. She ended up refunding me. read more