During quarantine, I adopted a sweet little 6 month old Staffy mix that made a long journey from…read moreTexas to the PNW through a Second Chance Dog Rescue Program. I was new to dog ownership on my own (had dogs growing up and had partners with pups in the past) and was looking forward to the training part. I watched lots and lots of videos and felt that I was really finding a method that was going to suit my lifestyle. But alas...there were just some things that I couldn't seem to nail it all on my own. I found Nicole through a quick google search for a dog trainer and was excited to see that she was also based out of NW Portland. I reached out to her through her website and was excited to hear back from her the next day. My pup was struggling with building up confidence on walks. Our first obstacle was getting her down the stairs in the building on her own. I tried all the tricks in the book. I'm not kidding - after one session with Nicole, not only could I get my dog to walk down the stairs without luring her with treats, she could also now walk down the end of the street without freezing to panic as we passed other dogs/people. it seems so simple but this was a huge break through for us! After that first win, I've been working with Nicole to just continue to finesse different things that come up with my dog - i.e: not jumping up to greet new people, staying in the "lay down" command and not popping right back up, etc. I can't say this enough - working with Nicole has been fantastic. She has the right balance of tough love in her training exercises. If anything, I think a lot of the training she has helped me with has been around how I can be a better dog owner! :)

Nicole was so awesome and her training was very efficient and humane. We sent her our 6month old…read morepug puppy for a board and train, she got all the help and knowledge that she needed! Plenty of one on one time with Nicole as well as a ton of socialization with her own dogs! She learned basic commands (sit, stay, lay down, and come) she also got trained on some extras like not jumping on people and children (OFF) as well as minding others personal space (AWAY) We also got almost daily updates from Nicole so we didn't miss our baby too much! We are overall pleased with our dogs growth and would recommend Nicole in a heartbeat!

Wow, where do I start? Our pup was deathly afraid of everything, and had so much anxiety! Walking…read morehim was no fun because of his fear of people, cars, other dogs, bikes, etc.. We reached out to Maritza in hopes of her training help, and we are so happy we did! She is such a nice, down to earth, and very professional trainer who really knows her stuff! We learned so much about reducing our dogs triggers in order to teach him how to be more confident and have less anxiety. Her method for training is also really cool and very kind toward the dog. We learned that training requires patience but also persistence. The fee she charges is well worth it and we would for sure do it again! We are all going to miss her! Our pup is a much more confident and happy boy!

Maritza has been a great help working with my dog on his separation anxiety and lease reactivity…read more She provided great insight on the reasons for my dog's behavior and offered great advice on addressing these issues. I appreciated her ability to adjust the training specifically to my dog after seeing the results of each session. I feel encouraged after each session and excited about doing the homework that she assigns. It is also very clear that Maritza loves dogs and wants the best for them and their owners. Thank you Maritza, for your help!

Left voicemail messages and emails; did respond to emails but never responded to set date and time…read morefor a phone consultation and/or meet with our pup. When responding Heather gave no apologies or reason(s) for not replying except for we don't work on Sundays. Very unprofessional and disappointing. Our friend who made the recommendation felt so bad because her dog did well under their training.

Great experience with Heather of Pooches Pals. Our dog Kona adores her & has learned so much & is…read moredoing great on walks. Thank you Heather!

When we first started at Doggone Fun Doggy Daycare, it seemed like an ideal environment for our dog…read moreto socialize and burn off energy. Our dog had been attending weekly--sometimes twice a week--for almost a year, 45 times in total. Each time we picked him up, we made it a point to ask, "How did he do today?" and every single time, we received positive feedback that "he did great." Based on these 45 visits, we thought everything was going well and that the daycare staff was happy with his behavior. We'd even invested in training sessions (both private and group) through them. Then, a month ago, the owner (whom we hadn't met before) was the one to retrieve him. We saw through the window as she aggressively put on his collar and yanked him out. We were taken aback, but after learning that other former clients had left due to her and issues similar to this, we didn't bother to complain. We hoped it was a one-off incident. Unfortunately, things got worse. Last week, we dropped him off for his usual visit and received a call just two hours later from--you guessed it--the owner, informing us that our dog was permanently banned for being "too hyper" and "endangering other dogs with his running." This was not only a shock but incredibly frustrating. He wasn't aggressive or harmful to any other dog; he was simply being a dog. For an establishment marketed as a daycare, you'd expect some understanding of typical canine energy. He doesn't have a mean bone in his body, as their own trainer has stated on more than one occasion. When we pressed for details, we were told this was the "final strike" and that our dog "doesn't listen." This accusation was both unfair and absurd, especially since we were never informed, not even once, that his behavior was supposedly an issue. Let's not forget we invested heavily in training with their staff. If his behavior truly was a problem, then the training was a complete waste. On more than one occasion, we had watched through the window after dropping him off, and the daycare often looked chaotic, with dogs running all over and a single worker standing there, blowing a whistle and tossing treats without any structure. Looking back, it also explains why our dog would vomit almost every day after his visits, on top of the smell of urine and rubber that lingered on him after each stay. He even contracted Giardia twice, which should have been a red flag for us to stop going much sooner. To add insult to injury, we still had one private training session left, but when we requested a refund for it, we were met with resistance and disbelief from the trainer, who claimed they "can't really refund one training lesson." The lack of professionalism, transparency, and basic respect for clients here is astounding. Save your time, money, and peace of mind, and steer clear of Doggone Fun Doggy Daycare.

Hands down the best place to take your dog for doggy daycare! Unlike Safe and Hound in…read moreWilsonville, and Reynolds Dog Resort that both cage the dogs all day during 'daycare', Doggone Fun lets the dogs play ALL day except for a lunchtime relax time for dogs once a day. They are clean, organized, always have 2+ persons on staff, and the owner is a dog trainer and behavioralist. She knows exactly how to train staff and keep the dogs safe and happy! Also they use chemical free cleaner for clean ups so it's not toxic to the dogs if on their paws and lick. I know about 10 other people who are just as obsessed with their fur babies as I am, and none of us have had issues. Highly recommend.

My family was very happy with the training provided by Justine, the Dog Lady of Forest Grove. She…read morewas strict, very results driven, and spent just as much time training us (owners) as she did training our dog, to ensure we could continue proper training at home. She gave us homework after each session, provided a special collar, and indicated items we should purchase on our own. It was truly a pleasure and we're very grateful, especially since we've had such negative experiences with other trainers in the past.

Update: It's been a little over a month since our last of three sessions with Justine. I took Leo…read moreto the beach, Home Depot, and a small pet store where a couple of tiny toy dogs practically walked under my dog's belly. He was super calm and stuck by me. Before I met Justine I wasn't sure I could ever have the kind of dog that I could take anywhere. Now he gets so many compliments for his good behavior.

We contacted her after struggling to teach our newly re-homed 6 month old mini-Aussie (Essie) some…read moremanners. She is crazy smart, our dog, but also high energy and was bowling over the other (smaller) dogs. I thought I had a good handle on every-day dog training but I was mistaken! In a single lesson, I knew this was a great plan and worth every cent and every minute we spent working between lessons. More than that, though, she gave us suggestions and assistance with the other dogs, since they are part of the household and were part of Essie's needs. I 100% recommend this trainer and have no regrets at all.

I was checking around for someone to train my GSD, Fifi, and was lucky enough to discover PAVLOV…read moreDog Training of PDX. Our initial interactions were professional, informative and comforting. Fifi and I were matched with Meredith. Together we chose the Board and Train Camp which included on-leash obedience level 1 and off-leash obedience 2. Meredith is a highly skilled dog trainer with impressive credentials. She has some kinda magical powers over dogs. But, what I liked most is she understood my Fifi's personality and capabilities. . I knew Fifi was in good hands and would be safe during her time away from me. Fifi was returned to me with a solid, SOLID, set of skills. She also is confident, brave and excited to join my daily excursions. We are able to understand each other's language and now we work together very easily. We are very grateful for Meredith's magic !

The best dog trainers in town! We adopted a 4 year old "barn dog", no manners, no confidence, no…read morecontrol. Thanks to Canine Classroom she is now a (nearly) perfect little love. A calm, focused, and super fun follower!! If you are looking for a trainer, today you have found them right here.

Current clients and so glad to have found the Canine Classroom! Steve has helped us so much with…read moreour sweet pup! We brought in a reactive dog who didn't listen and now have a calm, happy obedient boy! We love the real-life scenario training and the fact that we get these services for the life of the dog! Worth every penny

As a family with a younger dog who had never stayed overnight with anyone, we were worried that we…read morewouldn't find a place that felt like home for our long European vacation. We After some online research, we found Unleashed Dog Boarding. Our beloved pug was cared for and safe in a nice home that was set up for dogs. After a successful meet and greet and then practice overnight, he was given the green light. During the trip, we were able to see photos of him daily posted online, which was fun to see what he was up to. Upon pick up, I could see he didn't lose weight, and came back well adjusted, healthy, and happy! I know Unleashed Dog Boarding gave him attention every day too. Unleashed Dog Boarding was professional and very knowledgeable in the care of dogs. I would definitely use them again. The owner is a true dog lover!

This is such a lovely idea, hosting a few dogs in your home. Our experience with this business was…read moreless than ideal, though. The owner asked us to bring our dog (a 12 year old male miniature schnauzer) over to meet her dogs, because she needs to know our dog will get along with her dogs. So far, so good. Our dog, while far from perfect, loves other dogs. He loves other dogs so much that at TWO of his past doggie daycares, they used him as the test dog to see if other dogs would fit in. He has gone all the way up through advanced obedience classes, has learned circus tricks, and has competed in agility. He even used to work as a therapy dog, visiting long term care homes. He has never been aggressive towards anyone, much less another dog. He is more likely to play himself to death with them. After he met the owner's dogs (which my husband thought had gone just fine), she let me know she was uncertain if he and her older male lab got along. She wanted our dog to stay for a night at her house while we were still in town to find out if they were compatible. This seemed like a lot of effort, but, okay, I can understand being cautious. We took him to her place (at the cost of $50) and left him there for a night. The next day, my husband picked him up and she did not say a word to him about what had gone on. We assumed that meant we were good to go. We had already made reservations with her for our upcoming vacation, WELL in advance of the time we would be out of town. With less than a week before we were due to leave town, the owner contacted me to let me know that she had another male dog staying with her and she would need us to bring our dog back to her house again to see if our dog got along with this other dog. Seriously? What was she going to do if they did not get along? It seemed glaringly unprofessional to tell someone with less than a week notice that you are not sure if our dog (a much beloved family member) would be acceptable to stay with her when the rest of the family is about to leave on vacation. Talk about stress inducing. The owner's continued suspicion that our dog will be aggressive towards other dogs was unfounded and, frankly, offensive. We have found other, better options for boarding our little guy. I guess if you have a female dog or a young pup, this might be a good choice for you. The yard she has for dogs to run in is wonderful, and they have lovely little beds to sleep in all around the house. If you have a male dog, especially an older male dog, be forewarned you might want to look elsewhere.