She's very experienced and insightful. Quick to helpful process and gives good homework

Kim helped me understand my dogs behavioral issues from MY DOG'S point of view and I feel like after our sessions I have such a better understand of Bessie. She offered very interesting perspectives that I hadn't heard from any other dog trainer. I don't want to give away all her secrets but to give an example, Bessie is a high energy high anxiety protective dog. However, she is not mischievous so I never crated her during the day. Kim pointed out that Bessie was looking out the window all day basically going insane so that when I got home from work she would be completely wound up and overstimulated. After literally ONE DAY of crating bess she was a new (dog)woman. Kim is fantastic, kind, affordable, accommodating, and innovative! A few months after I first met Kim, Bessie and I got roommates (another female dog) and Kim came out to the house to teach us how to get the dogs acclimated to living together. She's the bomb! read more

Kim the Dog Trainer - Pet Training Near Me

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Kim is the most amazing dog trainer - I swear she can read dogs' minds. She knows exactly how they're feeling and how to adjust training to fit their specific needs. I have a 1yr 7mo old pup and, while he's great with me, we've had some issues with leash aggression, being territorial, and all around scared of strangers. Not only has Kim taught me valuable training to get his confidence up, but she makes herself available via email so you can send her updates in between private lessons. Training an aggressive dog can be super frustrating at times and Kim has always been so supportive in those moments. Even just discussing how my emotions rub off on my pup i.e. tightening the leash when another dog or stranger comes near, thus making my dog feel even more scared. Helping us newbs understand our dog's mindset is so helpful. I've also done a group class where Kim connected a group of us who's dogs have similar behaviors so we could have a little network to train with one another. So thoughtful and honestly selfless to make sure training extends beyond these classes. So thankful for Kim and all of her help!! read more

Highly disappointed and felt brushed off because she thought my dog was highly agrressive. He is anxious with new people in his territory. She immediately stated that his allergy meds which are as needed are making him aggressive; went on to say to take him to the vet instead and have him evaluated and put on behavior meds. Didn't even bother to try and create a behavior plan with me and didn't offer any organic solutions to medications either. Highly dismissive. read more

Made an initial phone appointment and this trainer did not keep it. Tried to email her and call her back with no response.

My experience with Kim is that she is very professional and is to be credited for using positive methods. Indeed she shows great commitment to positivity in her work. Her demeanor is affirmative even when stressed. Kim's response to anxious scenarios is to say yes, and what can I do to help? My dog Harold greatly benefited from her contributions. Harold used to cause noisy scenes from the slightest suggestion of an unfamiliar person walking on to his territory. Now thanks to Kim's organic process, Harold performs much better. My sister Adele previously refused to bring her dog to my house. Recently Adele, close to tears of gratitude, told me she can visit and bring her dog without it being an annoyance. i owe Kim many thanks. There are few in this city who are in her class. read more

I have a 20 month old, HIGHLY energetic Labrador. We've been training with Kim for a year and I can't recommend her enough. She has amazing patience and knowledge of dog behavior. She uses positive reinforcement training and understands that what works for one dog (or owner) my not work for the next and provides the best guidance on how to train YOUR dog. I don't think I'd be able to go out in public with my sweet but crazy girl if it weren't for Kim!!! read more

Kim worked with me and my red heeler for about a year and a half. We started in the puppy class, moved into the 'middle school,' and then into the 'dog parade'. Throughout, Kim emphasized relationship and awareness between dog and owner. Rather than tricks and simple discipline, Kim helped me learn how to read my dog better - a skill that continues to pay dividends. Kim gave us personal attention in every class and offered helpful insights specific to our phase of learning. If I had not moved away from Austin we would still be working with her. More than a professional, Kim is a gifted trainer who leads with positivity and I recommend her with enthusiasm. read more

Kim is beyond amazing. We just moved to Austin from Dallas and moved into an apartment from a house. Our dog, Bobby, was not handling the adjustment well. He was very timid and wary when outside. Walks were not fun and potty time didn't happen except inside the apartment (he was house broken in Dallas but the rules went out the window when we moved). We went through two weeks of drama before finding Kim. She helped us understand how to work with Bobby and help him adjust. We had a different dog in just one lesson and he got better after every lesson. Everything she has suggested has worked! Bobby is much happier and adjusting great. He's back to potty time outside and walks are much more enjoyable for both of us. Kim is the top dog trainer in Austin as far as we are concerned! She gave Bobby a much better quality of life and gave us our sanity back. She also showed us how to continue working with Bobby and keep it fun. I learned more in a few weeks with Kim than I have learned in years of dog ownership. I don't normally write reviews and rarely give top marks but Kim the Dog Trainer is fantastic. If you are reading this review and need a trainer, do yourself a favor and hire Kim. read more

Kim was awesome! I came to her in a bit of a dark time in my dog's life and she swooped right in. She got to know him and tailored a program just for him. A territorial, neurotic biter, with Kim's guidance, we've gotten Carver to be a much more well-adjusted dog. I can have guests over and he'll even happily say hello, whereas in the past, I had to keep him locked in a bedroom. I seriously don't know what would have happened next with Carver if it hadn't been for all the help. I think one of the biggest things that made the difference is that she doesn't just TRAIN him, she shows YOU how to train him. She was also great at recommending supplemental activities and readings so that I can work on things with him on my own. So for someone with a fear-biting big dog, she was perfect. Highly recommend! read more

Kim is awesome. She is a great dog AND people trainer. We have a very sweet but very reactive pup, and we have learned just as much as her in our private sessions with Kim. It takes a lot of practice and patience -- you need to do the homework. Kim is always positive and full of encouraging stories from her past successes. She gives us hope that our crazy girl will one day be the best dog ever. read more

Kim was incredibly helpful with our pups. She gave us great tips that changed their behavior worth one another and their relationship with us. I watch YouTube channels and read a lot of info online about dog training but Kim was gave us tips that were specific to us and the dogs that i'd not come across in my research. We will definitely use her again when the need arises. read more

I'd like to think we picked out and adopted the perfect dog, like we're some kind of dog whisperer types, but I know that's not true. Kim is our dog whisperer and she has been a huge part of helping our Bailey girl become a well mannered, social, happy dog. I'm a first time dog owner and really had no idea what I was doing. One of my friends had a new dog that was going to Kim's for play/day care and I decided to give it a shot. Bailey was already a year and a half so we had no idea what she would know so the idea of training and a play care day sounded wonderful. Kim definitely either taught or finely tuned the basics with our dog and while Bailey's not perfect (and we don't expect her to be) she is typically well behaved and socializes well with other dogs. Kim has also talked through issues we've had, given great advice/tips and Bailey loves to go see Kim, I can barely get her out of the car fast enough. :) read more

Kim's classes were a great experience! She took the time to get to know my dog and did an awesome job at making her feel comfortable and receptive to learning. Would absolutely take more advanced classes with Kim and would recommend her to anyone who is struggling to communicate with their dog. read more

Kim is a dog whisperer. I am a first time dog owner with a Texas Lacy. Not necessarily a good choice for a first dog. I can't even imagine what Loki would be like without our time with Kim. If you want to work with someone who can spend a few minutes with your dog and know more about her than you could in months, go see Kim. And it's not just the insights into what makes your dog tick, it's knowing what to do. What strengths to leverage and what weaknesses to be working on. And Kim asks questions to gain enough understanding of you so that the homework you get is tailored to what you can accomplish. I strongly recommend Kim. read more

We took our dog Crazy Penny (recently adopted) to Kim's basic obedience class a few months back and we had a great experience. Crazy Penny has some issues like squirrels, cats,pulling on the leash and not being very other dog friendly and Kim really helped us work through those issues and gave us great advice and other resources to practice with Penny. Kim's group classes are kid friendly too, Kim encouraged us to bring our kiddos (8 and 10 yrs old) to the classes so the whole family can participate in the class and we had great time! We plan on attending more of the classes that Kim has to offer. I recommend Kim to any and everyone that I know ! read more

Kerberos was a rescue with some inappropriate behavior that could have ended badly. We are so fortunate that we found the BEST trainer in all of Austin. As a first-time dog owner, the classes were probably as much for me as they were for Kerb. Kim was very astute and quickly got me up to speed in understanding how a dog thinks and how to communicate clear instructions. Kim has a real knack for putting difficult concepts into words and then solidifying it with an example or anecdote that makes it memorable. The experience has been so wonderful for the entire family that we sign up for the next class as soon as we can. With our hectic schedule, it isn't always possible to provide the consistent environment and training that a puppy requires. Luckily, we were able to have some private training with Kim. In just one session, not only does she undo all the mistakes we have made; but she manages to take our dog to a whole next level. Truly phenomenal! You won't regret it! read more

Kim is a true gem of a human. Not only is she fantastic with dogs, she is also equally amazing with humans. She makes training insanely fun. It is very apparent that dogs adore Kim. I would not trust my dogs with anyone else!! Any dog that is lucky enough to snag a spot in her board & train is in for a treat! Kim is so dang fantastic I sometimes wonder, "do we deserve this human?" read more

Kim is amazing! I have 3 working dogs who are hyper and rowdy. One of my dogs, Lucy, resource guards and sometimes becomes aggressive with the other 2 dogs over food. Kim came to my house and totally understood my dogs' dilemmas. She taught me positive training techniques that actually worked! She also helped me regain order in the house so Lucy feels more secure. I learned ways to help prevent Lucy's resource guarding. All my dogs are so much happier and so I am! read more

My pup has taken a few puppy socialization classes, several of the middle school classes and several 1:1 training sessions with Kim. We even signed him up to do a board / train. We got little nuggets of advice that were helpful, but overall, I am disappointed with our interactions. The first 1:1 was somewhat helpful, however she seemed really disinterested in our second 1:1 session. There were long stretches where she just sat there in awkward silence and I wondered what we were supposed to be doing. The classes are disorganized and Kim often seemed frazzled; we spent a good portion of the class just giving treats to our pups as they sit there while she ran around from pup to pup. The middle school classes take place in the street in front of her home. It happens to be where the street dead ends to a park entrance. During one class, she had one of her board / train pups tethered to her car in the street. A car drove through the class to get to the entrance and Kim had to run over to wave down the car down to make sure they saw the pup. She has a driveway so it's not clear to me why she parked / tethered in the street instead. In another class, I asked her about the value of tethering my pup while working in the front yard. She went on to lecture that we should never tether, saying it's incredibly harmful to the dog and is illegal in Austin. If we go to a coffee shop, she suggested we wait outside with the pup while a friend goes in for coffee instead of tethering our dogs. Not long after that, I saw her board / train pup tethered outside alone at a coffee shop for a few minutes before she came back. When I asked her about this, she said she was supervising from inside and that it's a part of the pups training. She dismissed the event and acted as though she's above the law. In regards to the board and train, she was supposed to send us a contract but never did; I asked for it 5 different times over a 4-week period but she never responded back to those requests. All of this caused us to be concerned about following through with the board / train for our pup and we seriously considered backing out. She finally sent the contract 4 days before our pup was supposed to start the board / train and asked if we wanted to make any changes. I asked her to not tether our pup to the car in the street during her classes and I asked that he not be taken to public places. She responded by saying that our pup was not a good fit for her program and she would reimburse our deposit. She had no interest in understanding the reasons for my request nor discussing the training plan for the board / train period. Edit: I have provided clear examples of why we think Kim was unsafe for our pup. In terms of our interactions with her, our pup has never been aggressive to her or other students in the class. If I did anything that made others in the class feel unsafe / uncomfortable, it would be great to know the specifics of that so I could take it into consideration when interacting with other people moving forward. The instructor should have immediately canceled our board / train and removed us from any classes If either my pup or I did anything that made the instructor or other students feel unsafe or uncomfortable. Why even bother with eventually sending the contract and acting like you wanted to proceed training if that were the case? read more

I've really enjoyed working with Kim from puppy school, now into middle school with a couple of private sessions thrown in. Not only is she very knowledgeable, Kim offers excellent advice and context for a first time dog owner such as myself. I especially appreciate that when trying something one way doesn't work, she has other options ready for me to try. To top it off, her methods have had a very positive impact on my pup (and my relationship with her) who is now making lots of progress with staying still and walking politely on her leash among many other things! read more

This review is guest written by Penelope: Kim the Dog Trainer is so cool! I really liked coming to her class every week, and now I'm sad that it's over. Maybe if I'm really good and listen to my Person, she will let me come back for play time. The problem was sometimes I didn't understand what my Person wanted from me. I love her very much, and really want to please her, but at times she would say things I didn't understand. Sometimes I would do something and it was no big deal. I might even get a scratch behind my ears. Another time, I would do the exact same thing, and my Person would seem annoyed at me. It wasn't bad the first time, but it was bad the second time? What was I doing wrong? I wasn't really sure... My Person sure does baffle me! For example, we would be outside so I would think it was play time. Most of the time she loves watching me zoom across the yard as fast as lightening! But one day when I was running super fast, she seemed to get frustrated. I was so confused. I didn't understand playtime was over and it was time to go inside. But now, after spending time with my Person and Kim, I get it! It's like my Person is finally speaking a language I understand. Sometimes I would forget to listen the first time, but Kim helped my Person continue to tell me what she wanted until I got it right! Now I feel confident that I know what my Person is asking for. It makes me feel so good when I get it right, and it makes my Person really happy too. Editors Note: I would highly recommend Kim the Dog Trainer to people with new pups and old dogs alike. I would recommend her if this is your first dog or if you have had several. I would recommend Kim if your dog has behavioral problems or even if you think your dog is well behaved. Basically, I think all dogs and owners should come see Kim. Kim has a true understanding of dogs and their underlying motivators. Though Penelope is a well behaved older dog with an easy going disposition, I was pretty sure she'd never had any formal training. I thought obedience lessons would be a good idea to further my confidence in taking Penelope out in public more often. Not only am I more confident in bringing Penelope with me places now, but our bond has grown stronger. Kim really helped me see how vital structure and consistency is for Penelope's happiness and well being. Even if your dog, like Penelope, understands basic commands there is still real value for you and your dog in working with Kim. read more

It's been a year and I should have written about this earlier but I thoroughly enjoyed my experience in Kim's class. I consider myself someone who knows dogs pretty well, I grew up with lots of dogs and was always a big part of the training and had attended dog behavior classes before. I thought I knew what I was doing when I adopted my basenji/rat terrier mix, Cooper, but he turned out to be the most difficult, neurotic dog I've ever worked with. Kim's patience and techniques really helped us when I often felt like throwing my hands up and was convinced he just wouldn't get it. A year later, he's still a bit unpredictable but has (mostly) good manners. :) Thanks again, Kim! read more

I worked with Kim to help me with my hyper, sometimes asshole, but extremely smart and lovable puppy. I'm very impressed with Kim's commitment to positive reinforcement and creative methods for helping me with my girl. She's never going to be a perfectly behaved dog but with Kim's help I've learned to manage her and she has really helped me appreciate my pup for who she is. Who wants a robot? Kim's taught me to love working with my girl, utilize her strengths and challenge her to do things I didn't think possible. She's really an awesome dog with Kim's help. read more

Kim is an amazing and empathetic trainer. She not only understands how to communicate with dogs, but also how to teach their parents how to build a better relationship with their pets. She helped me with my working breed puppy and I have since recommended her to a number of people struggling with their dogs. She is easy to talk to and puts the well-being of the dogs first. Absolutely wonderful person and dog trainer. read more

I'm going to keep this short and sweet - Kim is a true professional who knows what she's doing when it comes to doggie magic. I took my 10 month old rambunctious Boxer to her and after 6 short sessions she's like a new dog. Kim is very sweet, personable, and most importantly, knows how to work with dogs and communicate proper training techniques effectively to their owners. I will be going back for her advanced training class as well. read more

Kim is great! I brought my 1 year old pup in and he quickly took to her training exercises. She gives good instructions that you can easily take home and practice with your dog. read more

I hired Kim to train my puppy who was very energetic. After spending waaay to much money and time my dog was no better than when I hired her. She was also unreliable, showing up at wrong times or canceling last minute. When I had finally had it with my dog and was ready to send him to boarding school, she offered to take him via text. I was of course willing to pay for this, and said that we could discuss what the best action plan was for my dog. That was in April and I have never heard from her since. I think she still owes me a training session but I don't even want it. She was nice and all but not professional. I would find a trainer elsewhere. read more

I think Kim is as close to an actual dog whisperer as a person can be. We called Kim after our dog started to become very reactive to other dogs on leash. Our dog was such a sweet little mush ball in the house around us and our cats but she turned into an anxious little terror outside while on leash. The final straw was when the people at the Petsmart doggie daycare we were using at the time told us that our pup had been pulled out of the morning play group for getting too rough with the other dogs. We had tried another dog training service when we first adopted her and it was a traumatizing nightmare during which our dog made a complete spectacle of herself around the other dogs and the other trainer was unable to help us cope. Kim came to our house for an initial evaluation and deemed that our pup was capable of and would benefit from a group class. Given our previous experience with group classes I was HUGELY skeptical, but Kim seemed to really know what she was doing so we enrolled our dog for Level 1 obedience. Kim has a deeper understanding of dog behavior than anyone I've ever met, and she was able to help us keep our dog focused and under control during classes. She pushed us to try new behaviors when I sometimes felt that our dog wasn't ready and sometimes held us back from trying others when I felt my dog was ready, and it turned out each time she was right. A little over a month later and I can now walk my dog down the street without her turning into a spinning, barking catastrophe on leash when we pass other dogs and we've had no more issues with daycare. Her manners in the house and her responsiveness to our commands has also improved tenfold. I look forward to group classes now whereas with the other training service I dreaded every session. Whether your dog has ridiculous behavioral issues like ours did or you're just looking for a basic obedience class for your dog, I cannot recommend Kim highly enough. read more

This is long overdue, but I have to express my sincere appreciation to Kim for her personalized assessment and help she gave us! The Austin Australian Shepherd Rescue group recommended Kim when we adopted our first - and then our second, Aussie. Kim gave us practical plans to follow to incorporate both adoptees into our home at two different times. Because of Kim, we were able to minimize the friction between two female dogs and then she later helped us address territorial/fear issues with our adopted male Aussie. They've both settled in nicely over the past couple of years, although I would love to call Kim again to help us deal with our male Aussie's "bossiness" and crazy enthusiasm!! She's amazingly gifted in her understanding of dogs - as well as people! read more

Kim is amazing. We got our first puppy (8 weeks old) a little less than a year ago and were completely overwhelmed. All the books we had read were either only mildly helpful or no help at all. They promoted a lot of scare tactics or physical punishment for training that made me uncomfortable and to which our cattle dog puppy just did not respond. Another ACD owner in town recommended Kim and we love her. Her practical approach to dog training is creative and positive and has helped our rambunctious puppy grow into a well behaved and well socialized teenager. I would recommend Kim to anyone. read more

Kim is the most talented and effective dog trainers that I've ever worked with. She has been my go-to for each and every new pup that has joined our family since 2004. Over the past 15 years, Kim has worked with our dogs in group classes, private lessons, and board and train. Our dogs have always enjoyed the sessions, love to see Kim each and every time (magic treat lady that loves to play games with us!), and their behavior has always improved. Kim uses only positive reinforcement techniques and they work incredibly well. On the very rare occasion that Kim has to reschedule a class, she has always given us notice. She is also incredibly accommodating to those clients who have to miss a class and offers all kinds of additional support to her clients and their pups after they have attended classes. In reading two recent 1 star reviews of Kim's service, I'm struck by how different their descriptions of Kim are from what she is really like - professionally and personally. Never have I ever seen Kim drag a dog by the neck, threaten anyone, or cancel a class without a heads up. She is a true sweetheart and one of the most empathetic people I know. Kim is in high demand, and fortunately she is able to be selective about who she takes on as clients. If you are rude, threatening, condescending, or attempt to assault her, she will refuse to work with you - as she should. It's a shame that such people are able to publicly criticize and potentially harm such a treasure to the dog training world. So if you're a nice person who wants to improve your dog's behavior and strengthen your bond with said pup, I cannot recommend anyone more than Kim. read more

We just finished our 4 week puppy training course with our chocolate lab/vizsla mix. I would be lying if I said he is now perfect, because he's a 4 month old puppy and it's natural for him to push the limits and have temporary moments of relapse. But I wouldn't have known all of this without Kim! She is incredible. She gave my boyfriend and I the knowledge and confidence to go into raising our very first puppy. And don't get me wrong -- our puppy has learned some amazing behaviors. He can sit, lay down, come, and walk loosely on a leash. He is nearly potty trained. He was having some severe separation anxiety issues, so we had Kim come over for a personal lesson and again, she not only built the confidence in us as owners, but I believe in our puppy as well. He has made some amazing strides in his independence through the best practices Kim has taught us. Our bond with our puppy is incredible and we owe a lot to Kim for that. I can't wait to attend Kim's middle school training. I recommend her for owners with dogs of any age. read more

Our dog just completed Kim's Obedience 1 class. He was the most improved dog in the class. Kim's common sense and consistent training provided structure where it was needed. She was interested in our dog's well being and improvement. He's happy and we're happy. read more

We just had our 4th session with Kim and can already see a huge difference in our beloved Roscoe. Roscoe has quite a personality that sometimes drives us crazy, but Kim has taught us how to tame that personality. Roscoe no longer demands our attention by barking, but rather waits quietly for pets and cuddles (not to mention treats). Roscoe is also learning that other dogs in the neighborhood are not the enemy and that walks are much more enjoyable if he doesn't lunge at every dog he passes. We have always loved Roscoe, but it is so much easier to love him when he isn't driving us bonkers. Thanks, Kim! read more

I started my new puppy, Lily, with Kim's Puppy Kindergarten classes and we've moved through her obedience classes and are now enjoying "Finishing School". Kim provides excellent feedback and a calm working environment for her clients. We have worked to develop my dog's positive attributes as well as deal with her changing abilities. Lily has never been over-faced with tasks or expectations beyond her abilities. Kim has always been sensitive to Lily's development. Lily is becoming a confident and engaged dog, willing to try new activities, and meet new dogs and people. She is always eager to attend "Dog School" and happily wiped out after it's over. read more

Kim has helped us with three dogs now. Whether it's basic commands or dogs fighting each other, she knows just what the owner should do. I have come to trust what she says completely because, as long as we do what she suggests, it always seems to work. She truly understands dogs, and her methods are kind, positive and gentle. I wish I could vote 6 stars. read more

We just pulled her off of google, and she's freaking awesome! She was in our house for 5 minutes and Harley was already behaving himself. We didn't even realize that she was training him. She's great at what she does and she's a sweet person to top it off. read more