**NOT ABOUT TRAINING, BUT ABOUT SCHEDULING**…read more I don't want to negate this company entirely because they seem like honest people who want to (expertly) improve/better dogs. They're professional in every avenue except for scheduling. Perhaps this is a one time experience for one person that happened and was bad & will not happen to anybody else. Perhaps it was a situational thing because I go to school in California and was asking for this training on short notice. By everything else, they are incredibly professional and thorough. I also did not have my dog trained by them so I cannot give any information in regards to that, but from what they did during the consult, they are very professional & great with training/teaching dogs. I had been looking all over KY for someone to take my dog for specific dates between June 30th (or up until July 3rd) to July 16th. I was going to be out of town and this was the perfect time for board and train. I mentioned this at least once (in the online form ) before I got an email from the official account saying they could "certainly assist" in my boarding/training needs and to reply w my number so they could get us "on the calendar". I assumed this meant they could take him for these dates. I scheduled two meet ups with someone from the company (the first where I texted at 4 pm central night before to confirm and set multiple texts that night). This could have been on me, but we had agreed on a time a few days prior and I had never received a text back. I am from Owensboro so the drive to Lexington is tedious. So the texting at 4 pm central when the company was already closed was on me, BUT I hadn't gotten a confirmation text/email etc when we agreed upon this appointment days before. (I had a mostly free schedule at that time (college student at home for the summer) so I was waiting on the company's availability. I assume in the time I had made initial contact and set a CONFIRMED appointment, they had agreed to take other dogs (esp since the start date would be near 4th of July weekend). I get that it's not their fault but since I had been in touch about specific dates, they would have told me ahead of time that they were booked for those dates and couldn't take the dog. I finally arrived for my appointment. It was VERY professional with a trainer and a representative of the company. They covered all bases and answered every question. And perhaps this was a misunderstanding, but I did mention my dog is an emotional support animal (ESA) in Los Angeles (in CA, you only need a prescribing letter from a psychiatrist). I assume the person misunderstood what I was saying but then warned me that "support/service" animal dog fraud is a very serious felonious crime. I was offended, since I was assaulted and had a stalker on the college campus I was on. The school allows me to bring the dog to class so that I can feel safe. I explained this ESA comment because I wanted to segue into explaining that one of my wishes was that when I put on the support animal vest (NOT service dog vest), the dog knew it was doing its job of supporting me emotionally & needed confidence/training from that standpoint. The person who was explaining everything to me had mentioned his dogs were ESAs for PTSD. To assume I was having my dog prescribed as a support animal just for fun and not because I actually suffer from PTSD (which I have been diagnosed with) simply because I was a female was icing on the cake. I do not force myself into places in Kentucky under the guise of my dog being an ESA. I simply use the dog legally to accompany me on campus in CA. After being told the prices for various programs and THEN being told there was no space, (even when I had offered more since I had extra cash in my budget from when I had planned to board and train in Los Angeles.) I felt this was the nail in the coffin on an incredibly crappy iced cake. I left incredibly upset that I had wasted SO much time on this company to the point of even driving from Owensboro to Lexington to/from the appointment (2 hr 45 min each way, 5 hours and 30 minutes total). I found someone from Off Leash KY Louisville and am SO content.

As someone who participates regularly in dog training and canine performance activities, I've had…read morean excellent experience with Manners Matter and highly recommend them to anyone looking for professional dog training in the Lexington area. My beagle, Thea, has completed two classes so far: the Manners Matter foundational training class and Intro to Scent Work. She is about to begin Advanced Scent Work, and she has also participated in the Canine Performance Club where we work on training homework, build conditioning and fitness, and introduce her to different performance sports. What stands out most about Manners Matter is their training philosophy. The environment is supportive and fear free, the classes are intentionally small, and the trainers are knowledgeable professionals who truly put the dogs' wellbeing first. They also take the time to explain the "why" behind the training, which has helped me become a better handler and better understand how my dog learns. One thing I especially appreciate is that Manners Matter focuses on building a strong foundation in dog training rather than rushing ahead and setting dogs and their owners up for frustration or failure. That thoughtful approach makes a huge difference and you can clearly see it in the confidence and progress the dogs develop over time. I have a beagle, and scent hounds can be independent thinkers that easily get themselves into trouble without the right structure and training. When I tell people I have a beagle, the common reaction is often "I could never have a beagle because they're loud, stubborn, and don't listen." I love when people meet Thea and see what consistent training can accomplish. My response is always that you get out of the situation what you put into it. Thea has had an incredibly positive experience in both obedience training and scent work classes, and I've watched her grow into a confident, well balanced dog. She is only a year and a half old and the progress she has made has been amazing. Good dog trainers you can trust with the care of your dog are not easy to find. I drive 45 minutes to attend classes at Manners Matter and it is absolutely worth it for the peace of mind and quality of training we receive. My goal is to be able to take Thea anywhere and know she has the temperament and skills to handle those environments, and this training has played a huge role in making that possible.

Manners Matter has been one of the best investments I've made for my dog, Norah. I feel completely…read moreconfident knowing that she is well cared for, her safety is a top priority, she's loved on, gets plenty of playtime, and is continually learning new skills and appropriate behaviors while she's at school. Norah absolutely loves going to school! She knows exactly where we're going as soon as I turn onto Industry Parkway and starts whining with excitement. Every morning she runs to the door, letting me know she's ready for school. She even knows the word "school" and gets excited when she hears it. Then, without fail, she's fast asleep within minutes of getting in the car to come home after a fun-filled day. One of my favorite things is seeing her whole body, especially that wagging little butt, light up when she sees any of the amazing staff members. That tells me everything I need to know. She is genuinely happy to be there, and that gives me incredible peace of mind. We've taken multiple training classes, Norah has participated in Day Training, and she regularly attends Mutt-essori. Every experience has helped both of us learn and grow. The staff are knowledgeable, patient, and truly invested in helping dogs and their people succeed. I look forward to many more years of Norah attending school at Manners Matter, continuing to learn, make friends, and eventually earn her "Dogtorate!" I can't recommend Manners Matter enough to anyone looking for exceptional training, enrichment, and loving care for their furry family member.

6/4/22- Here's my review of Artisan Dog Training (Adam)…read more Adam spent 2-months on my Dutch Shepherd correcting problem areas & teaching good obedience.  Initially I wanted to focus on this and that for Cassie, but I was going about it the wrong way. Initially during a few 1-hr sessions, I saw Adam's mastery in action almost instantly.  I realized that  weekly 1-hr classes weren't cutting it, and that month-long bootcamps were MUCH better for my hyper Dutch Shepherd. She was hyper, wouldn't listen, had obedience issues, beginning to be destructive, and VERY unsocialized (frightened of people!).  Not good for a Dutch Shepherd puppy of 3-months!! During the 2-month bootcamp, Adam first established a framework to FOCUS my dog's attention by establishing trust & communication which doesn't happen overnight.  This takes time, but KEY to garner my dog's obedience. Once done, Adam was able to unlock my dog's potential & focus on obedience training for her to be a good citizen. These are the things Adam worked on with Cassie: - Corrected bad behavior (jumping, biting/nipping) - Basic Commands (come, heel, down, wait...etc) - On/off leash activities (verbal/non-verbal commands) - MAJOR work on socialization (people, dogs) My lack of understanding how to socialize my puppy had drastic effects on her.  She would cower behind me or pull away strongly when meeting strangers.  Fixing this took more than just going to PetSmart for socialization.  She needed to focus first, understand that strangers were normal.  Again, Adam worked pretty hard on this. Result: My hyper Dutch Shepherd was much more manageable, no longer jumped on me or would bite thinking it was play.  She also learned how to potty on command & her socialization improved GREATLY compared to before!  Now I have to do "my part" to reinforce this training & make this permanent.

I enrolled Henry in sleep away training with follow up classes and was very happy with the manners…read morehe learned under Adam's direction. Henry is happy to see Adam on our return visits. Adam is reliable for our appointments and patient with me and Henry. He goes above and beyond helping to find solutions and checks how we are doing on our home training. I recommend Artisan.

I've been taking my daughter or son-in-law and their wild dog to this class for the last few weeks…read more This is a really nice and calm setting at the National Guard armory behind the airport with a great teacher "Ms. Furry". It is a good place to learn how to do basic training, although we haven't gotten to the part with how to stop dogs from jumping all over you when you walk in the door, or trying to jump up on the kitchen table, or barking wildly and trying to jump over the fence in the back yard at the dog behind the fence. These are my main concerns and hard to address when not in the house. But they also have 1:1 training, so we may have to do that next! Altogether an enjoyable class with good training tips.

From the owner: Everybody comes to class with different goals for their dogs. Our classes provide a solid…read morefoundation, whether your goal is a well-mannered pet or ultimately an advanced obedience title. Just as the weekly classes build on one another, there are multi

Stonnie and Amy have an amazing facility. Stonnie has you working with all types of dogs, and…read morereally helps you understand yourself as a trainer for your dog. After a month with uncle Stonnie, our lab is a perfect gentleman!!!! Wonderful experience! Wish we could go back just periodically to work with the dogs. So much fun and interesting. Thanks Stonnie and Amy!

I highly recommend Stonnie's online puppy classes…read more We never met Stonnie in person but he replies to all our inquiries really fast. His instructional videos are very educational and his program is very informative. We started seeing results within one week of doing his online puppy program. His online puppy classes is beneficial to our family. Our pup, Newton is healthy, happy and on his way to be a well-behaved dog. With Stonnie's program we solved jumping to people, counter surfing, excited urination and pulling. Our pup doesn't chew our sofa, socks and remote control! He only plays/chews on appropriate objects. Thanks to Stonnie! Getting this puppy program is so worth it!

We hired Kelly to help us with our baby. BB was going blind and was constantly bumping into things…read moreand hurting himself. She knew of the collar that also had a band that went in front of his face that helped protect him. In his last year he was able to walk around and not get hurt any more. Thank you so muck Kelly for your knowledge and help. Hod bless you.

I hired Kelly to help my male basset hound start entering dog shows. She was well prepared for our…read moredogs needs on what he needed to learn in order to pass through the segments. She's not only knowledgeable but extremely patient with my dog and myself as well. She truly has a way with animals and just entirely speaks their language. At no point in time did I feel hopeless for my stubborn basset after Kelly came into our life. Bassets are known to be difficult to train but Kelly's technique was just unremarkable. Kelly also send a personalized recap of how our sessions go together specifically on what we worked on that day. Makes it extremely convenient because it's a lot to absorb.