My dog was boarded there for a weekend and he had the time of his life. The staff is super friendly and we love that it's a structured program for our puppy. He seriously came back a better dog! After his stay there he falls asleep no problem in his crate read more

I've used lak9 for every service. Dog training, daycare and boarding. I first went to them for dog training with our Chihuahua mix Tango, who was a nervous, hyper alert and at times snappy 1yr old. I'd tried one trainer before but they couldn't fix the issues that came from his nervousness. My friend used Coleen to help their hypoactive poodle mix and so, we gave Tango to Coleen for 8 days board and train with two human training sessions. It was well worth the investment. Tango can now control himself and we understand him on a dog leave. I take Tango to daycare when ever I can, even though we moved away to Woodland Hills. All the staff know him and are all dog trainers. My dog is very needed and I have trouble trying to get him to be independent and confident, not follow me around the house. I notice that after a day at daycare he is happy to sit away for me or even in another room happily on his own. We always use LAK9 for boarding because he knows the staff and is moved into daycare during the day, and not left in a cage or room for hours on end. All the staff are very nice and they know all the dogs by name. 5 star all round! read more

I have boarded both of my Pomeranians here multiple times. One is a rather spoiled pandemic pup with mild separation anxiety and the other is a rescue who is still learning to be a pet. Both are quite happy when I pick them up. LAK9 provides structured feeding and playtime and the staff is very understanding of my dogs' behavioral issues. They also post everyday on Instagram so that we are able to see how they are doing. read more

8 Years ago, my partner and I rescued a small mixed dog who was literally found on the streets of LA. He wasn't fixed, chipped, no shots, and was rough around all edges. We think he was used as a bait dog and the moment he went on his first walk he started lunging at ankles & other dogs. He was severely damaged, to say the least. Fast forward through the years, we went through SEVEN, yes seven failed trainers (& thousands of dollars wasted) and we had given up hope on fixing Mico's problem areas. Instead, we decided to just alter our lives around his behavior. This was not an easy task. Vacations were a thing of the past, we could never have someone come walk him, & friends had to tread lightly when they walked in our home. A year later our friend had given us one last hope, Colleen. We met with her and instantly felt that she was the ONLY one that would understand his mental state. She took him for a month long rehab training at her space & what we saw two weeks later was nothing short of a miracle. He was playing with other dogs, being handled by her staff, & acting like a normal dog. He wasn't fixed, he was learning. Through the weeks thereafter, we learned how to navigate his behavior and see the signs before he would react to something that triggered him. All with the help of Colleen & LAK9's we came home with a different dog. He can now come to work with me, head to the stores, & even travels on the plane (on my lap) on out of town trips. On top of all of this with the Colleen's new facility we now have a boarding home for him and his sister when we are out of town. I thank the stars daily for the semi-normalcy that Colleen has brought to our lives. More than that, I can honestly rest my mind when I need to leave him when out of town with someone who understands him & can handle him properly & care for him. I could not recommend LAK9 any higher than five stars, sadly. I look forward to many years ahead with the LAK9 & their new team & facility. read more

I took my 5 year old pittie here for day care because I think she could benefit from some off leash play and socialization. Even coming once a week has helped so much! They have VERY attentive and have complete professionals (actual behaviorists) watching the dogs to ensure they are not anxious and supporting them. To be clear an anxious or scared dog will react, and most daycares don't know how to identify these behaviors and fix them, rather just saying they "will get used to it". LAK9s is 16 miles away from my home and I drive for their wonderful service. Highly recommend! read more

Colleen, Dave, and the entire LAK9s team is incredible! My rescue pup used to be a street dog before I adopted him (and it showed) - he needed intense training to relax at home, go on walks without pulling me all over the neighborhood, listen to commands, and interact with other dogs. He improved so much with Board & Train and continues to improve when he comes home from doggie daycare. It is such a pleasure to spend time with a calm dog and to have learned the tools to redirect him. I cannot recommend LAK9s enough!! read more

Did a training session. It was alright but definitely other places where you can get your money worth.

LAK9s absolutely deserves all these 5 star reviews. We don't live that close to this location but we consistently bring our dog Leia here when we go out of town because we know she's in good hands and she loves it there. Before we boarded our dog there we had a 2 hour training session with Colleen who had some really useful advice for us regarding leashes and the overall best approach to trying to train a headstrong german shepherd! Love this place, absolutely recommend. read more

Colleen is so incredibly talented. Learning from her is a privilege. If you have a dog LAK9's is where it's at for boarding, training & classes. read more

We left our dogs here (3!) when we left town for a week for our honeymoon. We'd never boarded our pups for that long but we knew they were in good hands and it allowed us to relax (a difficult task!). The good condition of the facility and caring attitudes of all staff is evident as soon as you walk in. Thanks for taking such good care of our babies. :) read more

I'm a dog trainer and brought my client's dog, to the groomer, Joy, at LAK9s. He is a Lagotto Romagnolo and has been months over due for a cut. Previous groomers had rushed and pushed him, making grooming a very nerve racking experience for him. We have been working on him being more accepting in his sensitive areas and we are so thankful Joy took the time to honor that. I was most impressed to hear that when Teddy started to scream and shy away from his nail trim that Joy assessed him to be "frustrated". She took him "for a little walk" and when he came back, his frustrations were purged and she could cut AND buff his nails! Every other groomer I've used before would have just given up once the challenges started or forced the dog into compliance. Kudos to Joy for taking the time to honor the dog and not a schedule!! Also, the clients were quite specific about how they wanted him to look. I was able to provide a photo for her and he came back looking exactly like they requested. This was my first experience with Joy, but I can't say enough good things about her! read more

I can't recommend LAK9s highly enough - for any dog owner with any need. After going through countless trainers to help me with my pit bull's dog aggression, I was ready to give up when I found LAK9s on Instagram and figured I'd try one more trainer. It turned out to be the best decision I've ever made! I never thought my dog could make "friends" and all I wanted was to be able to walk down the street in peace. Over the past year Colleen has guided us far beyond any expectations I had and completely changed my relationship with my dog. Seeing my dog be social and balanced after years of being antisocial has been the greatest gift. Not only do I get to enjoy walking my dog again, but I've made great friends with everyone at LAK9s as well. In addition to training, they do daycare and boarding which is a HUGE relief for those of us who stress about leaving our dogs alone! In the six years that I've been a dog owner, I've never felt more comfortable leaving my dog with anyone (even more than friends or family!). read more

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LAK9s was recommended by a dear friend of mine. My dogs are very large and active so it's important to me that there is an outside space with room to roam. During their last ten day visit Colleen said that they did a great job and displayed behavior that they wish all big dogs had. It made me feel so good to hear that and gave me additional confidence in my dogs. Colleen and her team are wonderful! I drive across town to come here because I trust them with my doggies and I won't be going anywhere else. If you are looking for boarding look no further. This place is great! read more

Colleen, Dave and all of the staff at LAK9s are the absolute BEST people!! I never thought my dog Abigail would pass an obedience test in order to get into daycare, because she was so anxious when I first rescued her. Colleen, along with the LAK9 staff went above and beyond to assure me they would work with Abigail to help her become less skittish and more socialized. She has come so far since I first dropped her at daycare almost 7 months ago. Now every time we pull up to LAK9s, Abigail cannot wait to get out of the car and play with her friends. I am so grateful for these people and their facility. read more

Colleen is an amazing with animals- she understands dogs better than I understand most humans. She has been caring for our dogs for 15 years- it started with daily dog walks, followed by training 2 of our dogs and boarding on occasion. Our dogs respond to her in a way that is phenomenal to watch. Colleen takes care of our 3 dogs as if they were her own. She is responsible beyond words and amazing at her job. We love her & couldn't imagine our lives without her in it. We can not recommend her and her facility enough! read more

I sought out Colleen to help with our dog Bird. Even though she's a diminutive dog, she developed some aggressive tendencies and put her smaller Chihuahua-mix brother (Squeak) in the hospital more than once. I knew a treat-based or clicker obedience trainer wasn't going to solve our problems so I sought out the best dog behaviorist I could find-I found Colleen. She met with us, assessed Bird and helped me to see I wasn't providing the leadership she needed to be a calm pack member. Colleen worked with Bird for three weeks as part of her Board and Train package and then I followed up recently with her Cesar's Way Training class, Socialization I, at LAK9's beautiful Culver City facility. Once you've worked with LAK9's you're a (pack) member of their family for life. Bird and I are so thankful to Colleen and Dave (her husband who runs operations) as well as her other trainers and support staff. Of course Squeak is grateful to Colleen as well! read more

I don't normally write reviews but as a dog mom with high standards who has struggled to find a place/ people I trust with my precious and sometimes "problematic" fur child, I found Colleen and her team on yelp and they really saved my life - so I think it's important to share for anyone else like me looking. My 3 yr old boxer Bogey was kicked out of a well known LA daycare for being too excited and getting into a little trouble here and there- I was distraught when it happened as I rely on daycare daily while I'm at work and I had no idea what I was going to do. Turns out it was the BEST thing that could've happened to us - I am SO glad Bogey got kicked out now because it led me to Colleen and Dave and her incredible place. Colleen's model of daycare is completely different than any other doggie daycare out there and it is GENIUS and makes so much sense now. All other daycares in LA just have the dogs in the play area all day long. At LAK9 they do STRUCTURED daycare, which to me is the evolved, intelligent (researched) version of doggie daycare. The dogs are put into packs depending on temperament, then they have a structured day - they play for a certain amount of time, then they rest for a certain amount of time, then they play again, etc. When I heard this it made so much sense - duh! Bogey is like a kindergartner who can't regulate his excitement so if he's in a play yard with the same dogs all day long for 7 hours with NO Breaks, of course they will get into trouble! Like kids who have tantrums and fight just because they really need a nap. What this "nap time" does is basically give them a little break so they don't overload themselves or each other. Also they keep it small, which is so nice, and allows for the intimate attention the dogs get. The people that Colleen and Dave (Colleen's husband- its a family business!) hire are amazing and SMART. The team feels much more professional and confident than I've experienced with other daycares. I believe this is because this place is training first, then daycare, so it's founded in education and expertise and it shows. Prisma and Amanda share amazing photos and videos and love on the pups all day, Gus and Justin are incredible and highly experienced trainers themselves, and well, Colleen is actually magic. The first training session I had with her I couldn't believe my eyes how her actual ENERGY kept bogey from doing things I "knew" he would do (chase skateboard, lunge, etc) - she is the real deal. When you work a lot but love your dog more than anything else, the people who you entrust with your dog become a HUGE part of your life, like family. Bogey is behaving better on walks, with friends, socially, everywhere because of this place. When you realize what you get, It's SUCH a good deal. So grateful I found you guys!! read more

Colleen, Dave and their crew are awesome. While known for its excellent training, LAK9's daycare is also great as well. It's fun for pups and overseen by real trainers who know their clients (dogs) and manage it to provide a safe and great experience for each one. And it has both outdoor and indoor yards! Check it out! read more

We have a 2 year old pit-mix who came to us with medical issues as a foster. We have since adopted him. Unfortunately, our big guy was never socialized by his original owners and is therefore reactive to other dogs. We went to LAK9s for help with proper socialization and to get a better idea of how to train our pup properly. We had a 2-hour consultation with Justin two days ago and it was AMAZING. We got a ton of homework, a detailed evaluation of our dog's reactivity to other dogs, and in person skills training for how to properly walk our dog while working on his reactivity. We have a lot of work to do, but cannot say enough wonderful things about Justin. We will be going back for check-ins with Justin and plan to have our pup stay at LAK9s for training when we go out of town in the future. If you have a bully breed and need some help, the is definitely the place to go. If you are questioning whether it is worth the investment - this is your sign that IT IS. read more

Colleen, Dave and the LAK9s team have simply changed my life. My golden retriever-chow mix Leon has behavioral issues that make him very sensitive to strangers and new dogs. I first met Colleen to address these issues. After training with her to understand how I could change my behavior to make Leon more calm, I knew we were going to be LAK9s lifers. I went from keeping Leon from all people and dogs to taking him into social situations I would have never imagined. Colleen and Dave are just CALM - they immediately put you and your dog at ease. I can't take Leon to any other day care in LA without fearing that he might have an issue with people or the other dogs. When your dog is at LAK9s, you know you have professionals and people who understand dogs and know how to quickly correct any issues. Leon LOVES going to day care and any behavioral issues he has seem to melt away at the door. Colleen assesses all dogs and groups them in packs that work well together. By the time I pick Leon up after work, he's tired after a day of playing with dogs that he meshes well with. Because of them, he has a wonderful quality of life. Extremely grateful for LAK9s and all the truly amazing people behind it. Couldn't be more thankful to be a part of this pack! read more

I'm a dog trainer who started as a dog walker and it was Colleen who helped me gain the knowledge and experience to take my business to the next level. I've been through her classes at the DPC, her e-collar program, worked various Cesar shows, events and the Fundamentals workshops. She's been a great mentor to me and I appreciate everything she's done so much. She even helped me with my own dogs and client cases I've had trouble with. Whether you're a dog trainer or a dog owner, there is no better teacher than Colleen Steckloff! Thank you Colleen, my friend! read more

I feel truly lucky to have crossed paths with Colleen and Dave. Not only did Colleen train my adopted labradoodle Diego in ways I never thought were possible (he's the sweetest & the best! but not the sharpest tool in the shed)...but they have been there for me, through their support for Diego, for over 2 years now. I have a hectic work schedule, I am not always in town, I have dealt with unexpected death in my family and the Woolsey fire - all in the past 2 years. I really don't know what I would have done without the LAK9s crew. Being able to trust whoever you are leaving your dog with when life happens and things temporarily shift is the most important. Knowing that they are getting lots of love and are truly being cared for is essential. Knowing their training is coming from someone who is the best in the game, has a big heart, and truly understands animals is irreplaceable. I have sent many people to LAK9s who have the same experiences with their team and Colleen and Dave, and I will continue to. So grateful for LAK9s! read more

Colleen, Dave, Gus, and the rest of the staff at LAK9s are incredible. We recently moved out of the area and have been missing LAK9s ever since! There really isn't anywhere else like it... the staff here is experienced trustworthy, and knowledgable. They truly understand dog behavior, and your pup will come home better behaved than when you dropped them off! We used to take our Labrador here several times weekly - a total godsend during his puppy phase. Pet owners have a ton of options when it comes to daycare/boarding/training in the LA area, but LAK9s is truly the best you can find. To everyone at LAK9s: we miss you!! (and so does Linc!!) read more

Colleen and her team are nothing short of amazing! I travel often and have peace of mind that my pups are in the best care possible. Structured boarding, daily exercise, and excellent care. Their place is always clean and spacious. My dogs are so much better when they come home , relaxed and not stressed out. Every team member is well trained in dog behavior and truly take the time to know everything about your dog. It is a home away from home for my pups. Colleen also offers training sessions which I highly recommend! Puppies, e-collar , socialization, learning how to master the walk , there is something for everyone ; it is never too late to learn and give your dogs a balanced life! The LAK9s Pack treat your dogs like one of their own! 2 thumbs and 4 paws UP !! read more

What an amazing facility!!! The staff there is literally the best! Their services and training have transformed my relationship with my dog. LAK9 has helped me become the pack leader I was ment to be! read more

I was on the edge of returning my beloved German Shepherd to the rescue shelter. I was too old, she was too unruly. And then my neighbor-- a retired mail man -- recommended Colleen and LA K9s to me. When a mail man suggests a dog trainer that gives instant credibility to the tip! Colleen evaluated us individually and together, put together a simple action plan -- pack walks, intensive training and commitment. She heard me when I told her I wanted a pet not a police dog. When I needed pet therapy she and her superstar staff coached me. Her training is 10-Star as is her day care and boarding facility. She and her crew engage, play and love my dog. They are simply the best. read more

These guys are hands down amazing. Thoughtful, caring and incredibly knowledgeable. We worked with three other dog trainers before landing with LAK9s. Now we board our dogs (one difficult, one easy) and I know they are getting their training reinforced with staff that aren't just dog sitting, but real professionals. When one of our dogs was a little lethargic they texted right away to see if there was something wrong and needed a vet's attention. It turned out that with a little extra attention she perked right up - and they gave it to her. Grateful to have LAK9s on our team! read more

We had a great experience boarding our Shiba Inu with Colleen. They are clearly professionals and we look forward to having them look after our dog again. read more

Dropping Luna off for daycare/ boarding has usually been a struggle to get her in the door, with her frantically pulling away from the entrance. If she is not happy going in, it's uncomfortable as an owner to bring her to a place she doesn't want to be. After using various trainers and boarding/day care facilities, LAK9s is the only one my dog loves. When we bring her to the door, she is so excited she presses her front legs against the door, anxiously waiting to get inside. As a dog owner, I feel so much better knowing my dog is in capable hands and is actually looking forward to being there. It's great to see her comfortable with whomever greets her. Collen, David, Justine, Gus, and the rest of the crew (sorry I don't know everyone's names!) have done an excellent job training her to be less anxious/aggressive with people and other dogs, as well. It's a continuing process we feel will only help us improve our skills/knowledge as owners and improve our relationship with Luna. read more

We met with Colleen and our 2-year old highly energetic German Shepherd. We've received a lot of advice over the past two years regarding dog behavior (our dog gets along with other dogs just fine UNLESS she is on her leash or taken by surprise she will bark - not aggressive, but also, not a behavior that lends well to walking her around the neighborhood!). The moment we met Colleen, our dog immediately responded to her energy. While many dog trainers are great with dogs, it's really about translating and transferring that to the humans! Colleen's tips are no frills and so practical - it all just makes sense! We know that she completely understands our dog (and us) so that makes it the perfect for for our dog training needs! LAK9s facility is super cute, clean and scheduling w/Dave was seamless. read more

LAK9s - Colleen and Dave and Team are the best. Wouldn't think of boarding our Finn anywhere else. They totally "get" the dogs and you can feel it the minute you walk in. It feels like family. Not a boarding "facility". Finn does boarding / training at LAK9s. He has a great time with the other dogs and does some training when he is there as well. Reinforcement of going to his bed or into his crate. Or dealing with issues like barking or not running out the door. And whether it's two days or two weeks, when we pick him up from boarding, its like a new dog. Happy as ever, and now also just so well behaved. I'd say it was a miracle, except I know its Colleen. If you are like me, you probably looked at a lot of boarding places to make sure your dog is going to be well cared for, safe and happy. Honestly, this is where you want to be. With Colleen and Dave and their great team at LAK9s. Go! read more