Oliver M.

My wife and I welcomed our first baby boy back in October... and then immediately realized that our spunky little Corgi was going to need some (read: a lot of) work to learn to co-exist with her new baby brother. Sully is 5 years old and had some pretty stubborn, well-established behavioral issues that were heightened by the arrival of the baby... she barked at the TV, other dogs, the baby crying, and was pretty leash aggressive with other dogs when we were out and about. She also had a history of resource guarding which worried us with the kiddo. She has always been the most loving and affectionate little pup, but she definitely needed to learn some new skills and understand who is in charge. After a panicked search to find a trainer in the weeks after our sons birth I had a nice chat with Tom. He recommended the four week program as she was a little older and it might take longer for her to unlearn her old habits and learn new ones. We dropped her off and four weeks later picked up a new dog. She's the same loving, derpy dog, but she doesn't bark at anything (like ever), coexists with our baby perfectly, is a fantastic walker, doesn't care about other dogs when we are out, and is just generally easier to be around. We took her and the baby to a brewery on Sunday and she just sat there, surrounded by other dogs without making a peep. Just content hanging with mom and dad. We can't recommend Tom enough--both the skills he taught our dog, and the hands on teaching of how to manage our dogs' anxiety has created a new, healthier relationship for us all. I wish we'd done this 4 years ago!

Crystal L.

Wow, I'm so grateful for Tom. I have a 6 year old adopted pup, whose leash aggression got significantly worse over the years despite working with different trainers. I lost hope in being able to fix her reactivity due to her age, and was told by a previous trainer I was too soft spoken to get my pup to listen to me. When I reached out to Tom, my anxiety was the highest it had been, as my days revolved around taking my reactive pup out for walks. I considered a board and train as my last option due to the price and uncertainty if it could work for my pup. But I wish I committed to it sooner! It is the best investment I've made. When researching board and train programs, Tom's stood out. I appreciate that he runs his own business so all communication is directly to him. Having a trainer that's responsive and easy to reach was important as my experience with a previous trainer lacked those traits. When I reached out to Tom, he called me right away and we discussed my situation and his training methods. He recommended a book that helped me understand a different perspective regarding obedience and reactivity. We exchanged countless emails before my pup's training even began and he was so patient with addressing all my questions. Fast forward to now, my pup finished Tom's program 2 months ago and I cannot thank Tom enough!!! He's made the most positive impact on our family--one that I did not think was possible. Our once reactive pup, is now the most well behaved pup in public settings and in the house. We look forward to taking her to busy parks, walking trails, coffee shops. Her adorable personality is still the same, and it feels incredible to be able to bond with my pup even more--now that I'm no longer stressed and frustrated at her because of her uncontrollable leash reactivity (lunging, biting, pulling, barking). Tom continues to check-in with us and is available anytime I have questions. He's a great teacher and allowed our sessions to take as much time as we needed, and would make sure we left our training sessions with no unanswered questions. He also provides some written notes after the board and train which is helpful to look back on, since there's a lot to remember. We are still enforcing the training at home, but with practice and time, it takes little effort--especially because our pup is used to our new routines and is just used to staying calm on walks! I wish anyone with issues with their pup could have the opportunity to work with Tom. He's truly wonderful and I'm so grateful for his expertise. Thanks Tom, I can't thank you enough!!!

Sean H.

Tom helped us and our dog Desa, a stubborn 1.5 year mutt who did what she wanted when she wanted to do it - even when we felt like we were "disciplining" her. Discipline and rules meant something different to us than they did to Tom. Tom established and reinforced with us the foundations and basics that are critical to ensure Desa could go anywhere with us under control, and we both enjoy ourselves. Be ready to ask lots of questions, and be ready to change the relationship, old habits, and behaviors you have with your dog - because it will change. I appreciate Tom's training approach and communication, and met one of his trainers who worked with Desa and he was great too. Overall super happy and enjoy practicing with Desa since she's been with us when we got her back about a month ago.

Tom and Bailey did an incredible job with our 8-year-old Maltese Shih Tzu and our 5-year-old Cockapoo. Our dogs were generally timid/anxious around our son and as he reached toddler stage there were some troubling moments. We didn't want to rehome our dogs, especially with a second baby on the way, and were hoping Leaps N Bounds K9 could help. We were referred there from a friend who had a very good experience taking their puppy to Leaps N Bounds. Tom and I had an extensive initial discussion over the phone and he listened through my concerns, and I could tell he genuinely wanted our situation to improve, whether we ended up utilizing his services or not. He didn't guarantee success and expressed that it will be a lot of work, especially considering the age of the dogs, but he was optimistic they could help. I appreciated this because Tom is not a salesman pressuring you for your business, he just wants what is best for your dogs. After an in-person consultation (Tom did not charge us for this, I know some other trainers do) Tom felt confident and recommended the four week board-and-train program. Tom and Bailey kept us updated throughout with informative videos, documenting what the dogs have learned. We were pleased when we finally got the dogs back home, and Tom took us through two separate sessions, instructing how best to keep the dogs behaving the way they did at Tom's. We were specifically impressed by their discipline on walks, and around the house, especially when someone new enters the home. The easiest way to describe it is a 'night-and-day' difference. My wife and I hadn't realized how much extra stress the dogs were adding to our daily lives, and much of that has now dissipated. The best part is, the dogs genuinely seem happier to make us happy, they are eager to do the 'right' thing, and get excited when we let them know they are being good.

Annie W.

We worked with Tom for two sessions at his house with our pup, Cooper. Cooper is a two-ish year-old lab mix who we adopted from a rescue three months prior. Though we only worked with Tom twice, he made a big impact on Coop's training. The hour he spent talking to us (for free!) prior to our first session was also truly a training session for us too--we introduced things he coached us about on that call prior to meeting with Tom and saw progress before we even met. The critical things he taught us were 1) the safe and effective introduction of a prong collar, which has been essential for us in working with Coop, and 2) the implementation of lots of "self control" training (place, threshold training, staying put while we throw a ball, etc). The first week working with the prong collar was emotional. Coop would "freeze" and resist following a command, and our first walk we didn't make it down the street. This changed so, so quickly, and I'm glad we were firm and pushed through that first hard week. He hasn't resisted commands or forced us to escalate pressure on the prong collar in months. After about a week we started seeing him relax on the prong collar, wag his tail when we got it out and on walks, and instead of looking amped and frantic on walks, he looks calm, happy, and relaxed. Before working with Tom, 1/3 of our walks were pleasant, 1/3 were neutral, and 1/3 were stressful, with Coop lunging after birds, barking and whining at other dogs, and generally being on high alert. Now the vast majority of our walks are pleasant, and the rest are neutral. I find myself saying "you're a dream dog, you're a role model, you're such a delight" to my pup all the time on walks--we're having more fun, we're focused on each other, and our walks are really enjoyable. We can throw ball at the park off leash. We can walk in a "heel" past another dog calmly. I can put him in a "down" with just my quiet voice while another dog loses their mind across the street, with at most a little whine. He no longer rushes through the door. He is still sweet, snuggly, goofy, playful--none of that goes away. If you have the skills and the time to commit to working daily with your pup between training sessions, as-needed sessions with Tom are a great option. We will definitely be back if we hit a wall with Coop!

Tl;dr: Tom is a confident and calm trainer who improved the behavior of our 3.5 year old black lab mix, Kumi, dramatically! Before Kumi's 4 week board/train program, she was very anxious, reactive, and did not heed commands when going on walks or outside the house. Now, Kumi has a routine and structure that makes her a pleasure to walk with around town! We adopted our black lab mix, Kumi, when she was about a year old from an animal shelter. She is a sweet and gentle dog at home, but when she goes out for a walk and/or meets new dogs, she suddenly flips a switch and becomes very reactive, anxious, and erratic. We tried various harnesses and collars to no avail, and when we moved to Seattle, we decided to find a trainer for Kumi. When we had our intro call with Tom, we can tell he was interested in diagnosing Kumi's behavioral issues and tackling it at the root. He suggested a 4 week board/train program with him, and we agreed. During the 4 weeks, Tom kept us updated with Kumi's progress, and even though Kumi was slow going at first, Tom was honest about the situation and never gave up. We had an in-person session together at the 3 week mark to understand Kumi's progress, and at the end of the 4 weeks, Tom dropped Kumi off and had an additional session to educate us on how to work with Kumi moving forward. Since the training, Tom has continuously been helpful, such as his regularly scheduled pack walk with alumnus of the training program so we can bring Kumi out and address any lingering issues she has. Also, Tom scheduled an additional follow-up session a few weeks after the training to evaluate and monitor Kumi's progress, which was much appreciated. We are very thankful for Tom's professionalism with Kumi, and we can tell he loves dogs and really puts his clients first! We totally recommend Tom as an amazing trainer who can bring peace and safety for your dogs!! Thanks so much Tom!!!!

Tatiana B.

I am so glad I found Leaps N Bounds by total accident on Yelp. When I initially spoke to Tom, my anxiety was at an all time high, we had 2 yo twins, an 11 yo beagle and a 5yo corgi. Our corgi, Pumpkin, is super sweet but was reactive on walks and barked at everything inside and outside of the house. Walking her became extremely stressful as we had to be extra vigilant and hide behind cars, trees, etc to keep her from reacting to other dogs. Furthermore, the barking was a major problem for us because she would occasionally wake up the babies (thank goodness for white noise). If a package was delivered at the door, she would bark, if a dog barked in the distance, she would bark, if we were coming up the stairs, she would bark, you get it, she barked all the time. I have a professional background in behavior and always assumed I could help Pumpkin without much assistance. We worked with a few trainers in the past, but we were always told "she has an impulse control issue" but never received guidance on how to help her. I was tired of managing the undesirable behaviors instead of working on them. Thankfully, I found Tom. Tom worked with Pumpkin for a total of five weeks. I cannot believe we didn't do this years before. Pumpkin came back to us as herself, but without the unwanted behaviors. We continue to work with her at home but at this point we're just generalizing and maintaining what she learned with Tom. Walking her is so enjoyable now with zero reactivity. I sometimes have to look down to make sure she is still at my side and I'm not just holding a leash because there is no pulling -- It's a great feeling. Additionally, not a peep since she's been back, unless it's a little vocalization during play, which I am totally okay with. It warms my heart to see how much more relaxed and happy she seems now.

Roni J.

Tom was clear and concise on the training he provides for dogs and their owners. I'm am so grateful for his advice, the resources he provided, the videos he shared and the stunning results of spending 3 weeks working with our dog. He has given us the tools to continue what he started and it has already been life changing. I am now confident that my dog will listen, be safe, and feel calm and secure. Thank you Tom!

This review is long overdue! Our dog, Kona, did Tom's four week board and train program in March 2023-- but that should tell you the longevity of his training methods and how he has transformed our dog and our lives! This review is long, but I hope it's helpful to anyone looking to make the commitment of doing a board and train for their dog. Our 3.5 year old 55lb rescue Pit Mix did the four week board and train at Tom's house and was able to work with Tom, Bailey, and a couple other trainers during her stay. Prior to training, Kona was reactive on leash -- barking/lunging at other dogs, unsure and anxious at dog parks, and had very little (zero) recall off leash. It was stressful to walk her, let alone try and introduce her to other dogs. In the house, she is a model citizen -- the calmest, cuddle bug -- loves people and to be a couch potato. She also had a bad habit (our fault) of sleeping in our bed and would not listen to us when we tried to get her off the bed. When we let her out into the backyard, she would never come when called and it turned into a game of chase to get her back in the house at times. In general, it was clear she didn't respect us or listen to us. Kona also had car anxiety, as a result from a fender bender months prior. She would plant and lay down in our driveway, refusing to get into the car. When she finally got into the car, she would pant and be anxious the whole car ride. It was clear her confidence was shaken. Because she is low energy and more timid, my husband and I were not sure how she would cope with a board and train environment, especially with other dogs. We have never boarded her before (friends watch her when we travel) and she had only been to a doggy daycare once (and didn't do particularly well...). Before training: I was a nervous helicopter parent, unsure if I could be without my dog for four weeks. I was also afraid that my dog would lose her personality and come back a robot. I researched several training programs in Seattle and was unsure if this was the right approach for Kona -- to be honest, it felt like 'overkill' -- she was a good dog, and great with people. However, I knew she needed help to become the best version of herself. Tom was gracious and connected me to a former client who I spoke with for almost 30 minutes on the phone to understand her experience and heard her glowing recommendation. Tom also allowed my husband and I (with Kona!) to tour his home and see where she would be staying, walking us through in detail about his training methods and showing us where she would be crated alongside other dogs in training. (Another thing I was worried about since we never did crate training). It was so comforting seeing his home and training space before we committed to any contracts. During training: Tom sent us updates via texts (pictures and videos) and always took the time to reply quickly if we had questions. Since she is low energy, Tom worked with her to ensure she stayed engaged and did not overdo the training sessions. About one week before the end of the program, we did an in-person 'train the trainer' session at Tom's house. It was so good to see our Kona, but so hard to leave at the end. She did great during the session and showed us her new tricks (place, down, walking in a heel). Tom also showed us how to use the prong collar and e-collar which were tools we had never used before and it was reassuring to be taught by a professional to ensure we were using them properly and safely for Kona. After training: At the end of the four weeks, Tom brought Kona home to do an in-home session with us to set us all up for success. Prior to this, he sent us links to some elevated dog beds to buy which we used to reinforce 'place' with Kona at home. Tom spent over an hour with us in our home, showing us how to keep up the training from everything about how to feed her, put her in place, correct her if she did not follow a command. Now: almost one year later, Kona is our same lovable goofball, just with impeccable manners. Her recall is reliable, she listens to us, and we trust her on walks. We use the e-collar to let her roam off-leash at parks without worry. We had a great trip to the Oregon Coast over the summer and she loved running free on the beach. She stayed in a 'heel' and 'down' when horses walked past -- a huge accomplishment for us! She listens to us in the home, sleeps in her own bed, and is generally more relaxed. She is more confident outside of the house, and especially with car rides. She hops right in now, something that was a non-starter prior to training. She still does not love meeting new dogs, but she is much closer to neutral -- which was our goal. We learned that not all dogs need to be social butterflies, and we are better owners now that we know when to advocate for her in various situations! I highly recommend Tom and the team at Leaps N Bounds and am so glad that we decided to do the program for Kona.

About 4 weeks ago, our dog completed the 4-week board and train program with Tom and his staff, and I could not recommend them highly enough. Our dog, Stella, is a 2 year old rescue with an incredibly sweet, but often stubborn, personality. Over our first 9 months with her, she developed pretty severe leash reactivity toward other dogs, squirrels, rabbits, etc. She was also consistently anxious in our apartment, reacting to and barking at any noise from outside or our neighbors. We worked with a positive reinforcement trainer for several months but despite everyone's best efforts, these behaviors continued to escalate and get worse. I kind of considered a board and train program as our last-resort option, but honestly I wish I had called Tom sooner. During our intro call, Tom was incredibly helpful and generous with answering all of my questions, including around my hesitations using any negative reinforcement techniques. Throughout Stella's stay, Tom kept me updated with her progress and was really great about making us feel like there were no silly questions, and that no question was too small to ask. He also seemed to really understand the emotional side to training for owners with reactive dogs and made us feel heard and comfortable with the difficult parts of the process. Stella has now been home with us for almost a month, and I can't believe her transformation -- I didn't think this progress was possible. She is now able to walk in busy parks and on narrow hiking trails with me without lunging at other dogs. She can lay down in a park and ignore the squirrels and geese nearby. She is so much calmer and more relaxed in our apartment and in general -- she really seems more happy and less stressed. She still pushes us from time to time and she's not perfect; we've worked hard to keep up on her training and it has taken time and diligence, but it's easy with the foundation Tom and his staff laid with her, and with the training they did for us on how to work with her. I'm finally able to bring my pup on adventures with me that I always wanted to, but didn't think were possible. She feels much more integrated into our lives, and being out and about with her is so much more pleasant and fun. I can't thank Tom and his team enough!

Raj S.

Tom is a miracle worker! We almost wanted to rehome our dog when the shelter recommended Tom. He trained our dog so well that he's perfect now! One of the best decisions of our life. Our dog was very reactive on walks, at parks, starting to nip, etc. With a baby on the way and many toddlers in the family we were exasperated. Treat based training hadn't worked; pure prong collar training hadn't worked. We just presumed we had a crazy dog (he's 90% perfect, 10% crazy!). When we called the adoption agency to discuss rehoming, they recommended Tom. I had multiple long conversations with Tom and he walked me through his training process... and what he can and cannot promise coming out of training. It's expensive but we love our dog so we went for it. Dropped off Chutney - Tom was quite flexible on start date. Tom sent videos and updates along the way, amazing to see the changes. 4 weeks later I went for my training. Tom was patient and walked through all the steps multiple times. A couple days later he brought Chutney home and trained him and us in the home environment. He was available to answer random questions in the first few days back. Our dog is like brand new! His fun quirky personality is still intact... but, the craziness is gone. No more reacting to squirrels and other dogs or delivery people. He walks behind me on leash. No craziness at home - he goes to place, sits in chair for one hour at a time, knows all key commands. We love it!!! Our dog loves it as well - he's calmer, no longer huffing and puffing by getting worked up. Tom also was gracious enough to have a couple of follow up classes to reinforce training. All in all, if you love your dog, get them trained by Tom!

Kat Z.

There are very few people I can say has significantly changed my life but Tom is definitely one of them! We adopted our pup, Moo Moo 6 months ago, and she had a behavior issues from her last home that were making day to day activities extremely tough. We tried using other trainers to no avail, and decided to give board and train a shot. After seeing Tom's glowing reviews here and researching quite a bit, we decided to contact him and he very comprehensively walked through his methods over the phone and gave us confidence in his abilities. Tom trains 3 dogs max at a time to give adequate attention for each dog, so he was booked out for a month. We were sad when we dropped our baby off initially, but Tom gave us frequent text updates, photos, and videos of Moo Moo's progress over her 2 weeks stay. Tom does bring the dog to you when he returns them, and spends a great deal of time (he spent 2 hours with us and 1 more hour 2 weeks after Moo Moo's return) giving you the walkthrough of how to maintain your pup's progress at home. Long story short, Moo moo is a completely different dog pre- and post-Tom. Not only is she extremely behaved and non-reactive, she is a happier and more confident dog in general and trusts us to be her caretakers. :) You won't go wrong with Tom, and I can not recommend him highly enough!

Staci I.

We can't say enough good things about Tom! Prior to Leaps N Bounds K9, we tried group behavior classes, an in-home trainer, and even a dog behaviorist. They all recommended the same kinds of "fixes", but only Tom was able to help us get there. We did a 4-week board and train program last fall with Tom (our dog Wicket had bitten a couple of people, so we weren't eligible for the shorter programs) and it was worth every penny. Tom really understands the spectrum of dog personalities and was able to help us learn to tell the difference between our dog's attempts to manipulate us and when he's genuinely in distress. Maybe most importantly, Tom was completely dedicated to ensuring that we were successful after Wicket came home. He was super responsive when we had questions and talked us through multiple unanticipated scenarios. He not only successfully trained our dog but also helped us become significantly better dog owners! If you're considering a private trainer and/or a board and train program, give Tom a call to talk it through, even if you're not sure. Tom didn't try to sell on anything and, even though we initially thought he wouldn't be able to help us because his schedule was so full and because he felt it would be better for us to go with someone who lived closer to us, he was great about educating me about the options and helping me to know what to ask for and look for from other operations. In the end, we decided it was worth it to wait until Tom could get us in, and it was one of the best decisions we've ever made as pet owners!