Had an amazing experience with Mark! The progress my dog has made with him is amazing and in short…read moreperiod of time! I use to struggle to take him on walks or go to an outdoor restaurant without him barking, whining, and getting overwhelmed. Now he sits under me and watches calmly. I also feel like my dog trust me so much more because Mark taught me the importance of advocating for him and how to. He has an extensive knowledge on dogs and does an amazing job of teaching you about your dog and their behavior. Would 1000% recommend!

I hesitated to write this for nearly a year because I believe Cheryl is passionate about what she…read moredoes, however, her training was not a good fit for us, and we did not see results, despite spending $1700. For what it's worth, she's respectful, prompt, and brought her own dog to a few sessions to help my puppy with anxiety. She also has a good game for place training, and when I switched away from her methods this was the only thing we kept doing. This review will be long, but this is the main takeaway. I'd caution anyone from considering this "balanced training". It is not. The primary goal is conditioning a prong collar correction to a verbal "No!". It is purely punitive, not balanced. It's no different (& arguably worse) than the traditional 'crank & yank' style described in her book, just dressed up nicer. I'd advise future customers to use *EXTREME* caution if considering using an e-collar with Raise the Bar. An e-collar is NOT a punishment tool that you can slap on and hammer a dog with. For any behavior. Increasing punishment without clarifying the alternative desired behavior creates conflict. It's bad for the owner-dog relationship. Despite this, when unclear prong collar corrections didn't work, escalating to the e-collar was suggested at every single session. When I had concerns about shut down dogs/frustration, or feeling uncomfortable with the w/the level of corrections, I was met with contempt and told that based on 30yr of experience, this is just how it's done. Years of experience don't equal best practice. 1. Prong collar- it needs to be properly fitted. A loose prong (recommended by Cheryl) delivers inconsistent corrections and takes away the physics of the collars design, so you're no longer protecting the trachea or distributing pressure evenly. She recommended increasing the gauge of prong when corrections weren't working. I tried to discuss that this would require more force to deliver a similar correction, but shut down and told a 2.25 is a "puppy collar". In reality it delivers a higher level correction or "bite" with less leash pop. Most dogs should not be using a 4mm prong, especially loose, bc it's virtually ineffective. 2. Balanced training uses all quadrants of operant conditioning. Raise the Bar is almost entirely punishment based. Praise is not positive reinforcement. You can't be balanced and anti-treat/reward. When you hire a private trainer, you're paying for someone to train you, not your dog, and when asked 'why' she does things, she's not able to articulate it well. 3. Leash pressure- she couldnt get 1 of my dogs on the placeboard and gave up when he put the brakes on and reared back on the leash. She couldn't see that he just didn't understand leash pressure (which I've now taught him). He needed to be encouraged to go on in a way he understood. Next visit when he was on it she asked how, & I told her I was able to get him on in minutes with treats and free shaping, she was disappointed I had used food despite her method being ineffective. 4. **E-COLLAR**- please do NOT let Cheryl put an e-collar on your dog. I am SO glad I was enrolled in an e-collar course before she started suggesting it. She lacks fundamental knowledge of modern day e-collar use, likely bc it relies on foundations she doesn't use (ie a positive marker word & reward, low-level stim overlayed on well known commands via neg reinforcement, working under threshold). For crate anxiety she suggested putting an e-collar on my fearful puppy, & stimming at high levels until quiet, also suggested dropping a heavy textbook on the crate. Frankly this is abhorrent training. My dogs are now all e-collar trained and it's rarely ever necessary to use at aversive levels , esp not paired with "No" to induce handler fear and certainly not on a fearful/reactive dog. I could go on, because I don't think this is individualized training, but will digress. This training is conflict & punishment based & we did not reach any goals with her methods. I am pro-balanced, but this is compulsion. I'd suggest she expand her knowledge because her current methods have the potential to do serious harm. My relationship with my dogs was never worse than when we trained with Raise the Bar. The best thing about this experience, was that it lit a fire in me to learn to train dogs myself. They're now off leash heeling, hiking, no more reactivity, even went on a trip with us. Our results speak for themselves. I'll leave it there.

I cannot say enough good things about K9 DNA and especially Doug…read more We had just rescued our 2-year-old fluffy Frenchie, TJ, and to be completely honest, we felt like we had made a mistake. He pushed every boundary imaginable. His energy was out of control, jumping on everyone, unable to be around people or other dogs, and even knocking elderly people over. It was overwhelming and stressful, and we truly didn't know what to do. Then Doug came in, and in just two sessions, everything changed. He helped correct TJ's behavior, but more importantly, he taught us how to be better leaders. He showed us how to properly correct bad behavior while still loving our dog. What meant the most to me was how seen and understood I felt. Doug didn't make me feel like a bad dog parent for struggling or for not instantly feeling that perfect bond after adopting TJ. He understood. He helped me realize that TJ is a good boy who wants structure, leadership, and a pack to belong to. Doug gave us the tools, the confidence, and the consistency we needed, and the results have been incredible. When I say TJ is better, that is an understatement. We can now have people in our home without worrying. He greets guests without jumping all over them or scratching them. We no longer have to put him away when people come over. He is calmer, more respectful, and honestly happier. He is not stealing food off plates or biting hands for snacks anymore. He comes back inside without trying to go after other dogs at the fence. Our entire home feels more peaceful. Even our 2-year-old son interacts more gently with TJ now, because TJ is respecting boundaries in a way he never did before. Most importantly, TJ now has a permanent, loving home, and that is because of Doug. I was genuinely worried about my elderly grandma getting hurt before, and now I feel confident that TJ will be calm and respectful around her. That peace of mind is priceless. Doug is incredibly knowledgeable, patient, and effective. He does not just train your dog, he equips you with everything you need to continue that progress long-term. Thank you, DNA K9 for not just training our dog, but for helping us truly fall in love with him. I would recommend them to anyone. And I promise, the price is better than you think, especially for the life-changing results you get.

Review for DNA K9 If…read moredogs could write Yelp reviews, Daisy (my mischievous little Shihpoo) would be pawing at the keyboard right now to gush about Doug and Tracy. Before training, Daisy had perfected the art of "selective hearing" when her mom called. But after just one week with Tracy, she's now a pro at come, sit, paw, and even place (which basically means she's ready to audition for Cirque du Soleil with her stepping-up skills). Tracy is truly the dog-whisperer--patient, skilled, and clearly dedicated to every pup that walks through the door. And Doug? Let's just say Daisy may have developed a tiny crush. She perks up whenever he's around, and I'm starting to think she listens better to him than to me! What makes DNA K9 special is that they treat every dog like their own. You can feel the love and commitment in everything they do. I cannot recommend Tracy (the training mastermind) and Doug (the doggie heartthrob) enough. Daisy and I are both grateful--and maybe just a little smitten.

Blue Dog K9 Care literally saved the day for me. My usual dog sitter was unable to look after my…read moreBoxer/Pit mix for my weekend trip, so I had to really scramble for other options. Bobby, the owner, was able to take him in on such short notice and was willing to accommodate my hectic schedule for drop-off. As soon as we arrived, I could already tell my Bruno (who doesn't trust new people right away) was feeling right at home. I loved being able to get updates on how he was getting along with other dogs and even getting to see some videos of him playing. A major bonus was the fact that they offer grooming services since I had been struggling to find a groomer that would be willing to work with him. I am so happy with the service I received and will definitely be back!

I dealt with Bobby last year and had a positive experience, but he has dramatically changed his…read moreattitude and his policies. He now insists upon CASH ONLY, PAY UP FRONT. I would NEVER pay up front for this type of service; there are so many risks involved with leaving your pet in the care of another. I'm not sure why he'd require cash only unless he's attempting to avoid paying taxes. Whatever the reason, I find it extremely unprofessional. Also, drop off and pick up times have become very limited, which seems rather odd to me, since he touts that he's around 24/7 with your pet. Don't bother asking Bobby why his policies have changed. Bobby has a terrible attitude, as is mentioned in a number of other reviews. I suppose he'll do just fine without my business, but I would recommend that you direct your business elsewhere as well.

Excellent service. I always get great advice on how to maintain the service and they set me up with…read moreanother appt so wait time to keep his grooming timely. My dog Ace looks awesome !!!! Thanks Fuzzy Butts

I've left several messages to try to make an appointment with ZERO response. Never one phone call…read moreback. I have 3 dogs so their loss.

Megan, our trainer, did an amazing job with Bowie! He now listens, doesn't jump on people and comes…read morewhen he is called. Thank you so much for all of your help! I recommend Unleashed to anyone who needs help with training their dog, they do such a wonderful job.

Virginia Simpson and her staff are extremely professional and attentive to the dog owner and the…read moredog. Her training of our German Shepherd was excellent and she continues to help our with training if something comes up. We have been with Virginia for almost a year and I cannot say enough good things about her knowledge of training dogs. What I like the most is that once the 2 or 3 week training is complete she doesn't just say goodbye and you never see her again. She continues to support and that is of utmost importance to me.

I connected with Haley when my husband and I unexpectedly adopted a puppy back in July. We had no…read moreprevious puppy experience, and we were feeling very lost and frustrated until we started working with Haley. We had set up a consultation visit, but a couple days prior I texted her with some questions because we were having major issues with jumping, nipping, and overall out of control behavior. I was at the end of my rope, and I think she could sense the desperation because she offered to come over that same day. She was at my house for almost two hours working with Sebastian and me and helping me set up a routine that made sense. After that we continued doing private lessons with Haley every few weeks over the next six months as well as attending her group classes, and I can honestly say I do not know where we would be today without all of her help and guidance. If you are a new dog owner or have a dog who has developed some bad habits, I highly recommend you get in touch with Haley. She is a patient, kind, and compassionate person who is a great teacher of humans as well as dogs.

Haley is incredible! She's nonjudgmental, caring, and goes out of her way to make sure you have all…read morethe resources you need to be successful with your dog. She smart and incredibly willing to help in anyway she can. I can't recommend her enough.