The Better Dog states that you can do a free 30 minute consultation with Ursula and Dennis to see if they are the right fit. So we set one up. I messed up and had to change the date and they responded with "no problem, we adjusted, look forward to speaking to you." When we finally had our phone consultation both my husband and I fell in love with Ursula's bubbly personality and knowledge. She spoke to us about our dog's issues and made some suggestions for immediate help and then suggested a trainer for anxiety. But we wanted to make sure we could try with her first so we are setting up an in person as we feel she can definitely help us and our dog. They are responsive, understanding and truly care. Ursula listened carefully to our concerns and gave us great suggestions and feedback. So I cannot recommended them highly enough just based on that. BUT I know we will love her when we start training (and I'll definitely update my review!) read more

The Better Do Co, has made such a huge impact on our lives and our dogs life. Habibi went into the program anxious, aggressive and for lack of better words, a TOTAL brat. Ursula and Dennis, are not only dog whisperers but are easy to communicate with, quick to respond to any questions or concerns and are all around two of the nicest people we've met in Portland. They did not promise a "quick fix" but rather provided us with a foundation of rules and tools to help improve both our lives and Habibi's life. We enrolled Habibi in the Lodge & Learn program, and we could't be happier or more impressed with the results; he came out obedient, confident but still his goofy self. Honestly, we were anxious to to trust someone with our baby for an entire month but after speaking with Ursula on the phone, we felt confident he would be in good hands and that the Lodge and Learn program was the right fit for him. The transition from our home to their place, was the hardest part, but also went flawless and was executed perfectly. Once he was back at their place we constantly got pictures & texts to update us on his progress and they always felt like just a text or phone call away. They have continued to be impactful and available in Habibi's training once he has been home. He continues to grow and improve thanks to their love, training and guidance. The visible changes Habibi has shown speaks volumes to the program they run & the people they are. They have given so much love and attention to our guy & instilled confidence and happiness, and Habibi is truly a BETTER DOG! His ability to listen to commands, walk on a leash without pulling, or simply sitting at a park has brought so much happiness to my family. We will forever be thankful for the work The Better Dog Co, Ursula & Dennis have done for our lives & Habibi's life. read more

The Better Dog - Habibi, chilling at the park. - Pet Training Near Me

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Honestly cannot thank Dennis + Ursula and the Better Dog team enough. We have a 110lb Shepherd Mastiff mix that is a complete handful, and needed to find a board + train option for him for two weeks while we were out of town. They not only gave him a good home while we were away, they worked with him on his stranger danger, impulse control and a slew of other items that he needed help with. All that said, can't tell you how much I appreciated knowing that he was in a good home while we were away, and I'm looking forward to our next training sesh! read more

I was about to lose my mind with my young girl dog. I wanted a calm walking partner when I got her as a tiny puppy, the bigger she got the harder she was to walk. Constant pulling and no impulse control. Our walks were a disaster. Better Dog, Dennis and Ursula changed all of that and more. My girl isn't perfect (yet) but she is my most amazing walking partner. We work as a team and have so much more to learn. Trust these people with your most trusted pet! I am so happy I found them. read more

The Better Dog - My wild child - Pet Training Near Me

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From my first phone call with Ursula I knew she was the one. We met Dennis at a later training and felt the exact same way about him. These guys are the real deal. We had a very challenging training situation - we were only in the Portland area for a short time. Dennis and Ursula developed a plan that we could all execute together to make the most of the short time we had with them. The training time we had with them was extremely valuable to us. We were so happy we booked a two-week board and train session (weeks later) for one of our dogs and drove 5 hours each way to get him there!! Totally worth the drive time! Any time we are in the area we will do refresher sessions. Lastly, Ursula and Dennis want you to be successful. They provide a thorough knowledge transfer after training, text messaging and video meetings to make sure you have all the tools you need. read more

The Better Dog - Louie learning Place and waiting patiently for a treat!! - Pet Training Near Me

I've been working with Dennis for a few weeks now and called specifically for help with one of my dogs with leash reactivity and separation anxiety. Honestly, after our first session, I was a bit skeptical about the training style because it didn't seem like it would be enough to really turn things around. Initially, there wasn't a lot of focus on the immediate problem so I thought I was wasting my money.....BUT..... Just a few weeks later, I'm able to walk my two dogs in one hand, and coffee in my other hand. We get fairly close to other dogs on our walks with nearly no issues. And I can crate my dog for an entire night without him sounding like a fire truck. A few weeks ago I was nearing a breaking point and about to give up. Today, I'm enjoying and loving so much time with my pups. Zero regrets and well worth the money. read more

I cannot say enough good things about Ursula and Dennis! After a regrettable incident in which a roommate lost control of my dogs - one bit another dog, one bit a human - we decided to try this as a hail mary. I do not exaggerate when I say they changed our lives within a few short months. I was under the impression one of my dogs would need to be rehomed or put down, and the other could never be comfortable or trusted in crowded public places. Fortunately, with their training, both dogs are extremely agreeable members of society, are confident in themselves, AND still have the sweet personalities that made us so invested in them in the first place. Previously, I'd only done positive reinforcement training (clicker/treat training) with my animals, largely because many loud voices in the dog training community claim that anyone who does anything other than positive reinforcement is an abuser, other methods will only increase aggression, etc, etc. I spent hundreds of dollars on this type of training and it worked for certain things. But for the extreme dog fear/aggression I was dealing with in one dog, it wasn't working even after a year. And, I was literally making my dog sick trying to find food bribes that could entice her more than a cat or chihuahua. For my other dog, well, she would only behave when she knew treats were within reach, and that just wasn't going to cut it for me. As I have learned with The Better Dog, those myths touting positive reinforcement as the end-all-be-all could not be further from the truth! The Better Dog uses dog training methods that are friendly, fair, and grounded in natural dog behaviors. Ursula and Dennis are both EXTREMELY positive with the dogs (and their humans!) while still providing consistent, fair correction as needed. They give instruction enthusiastically and clearly, and each time I meet with them I am so impressed with their knowledge and skill. Both my dogs love Ursula and Dennis, and I think that also speaks to their methods. We have the results we need for both dogs to live happy, well-adjusted, and obedient lives, and we have confidence in our dogs again. If this speaks to anyone who is in the place I was in - near hopeless, considering options I never wanted to consider - please, please give The Better Dog a shot. It is the absolute best decision you can make for yourself and your pet. read more

I write this review snuggled up with my 3-year-old black lab, Layla, listening to "Dogs and Banjos" with Dennis Dabbs from The Better Dog Co. Layla started her training journey with Dennis after two rounds of "cookie-cutter" training at a pet supply store. Just like no two people are alike, no two dogs are alike. Dennis created a personalized training program for Layla after discovering her learning style and what our goals were for her. We wanted Layla to be able to chill with us at the local breweries but also to be off-leash on hikes with pristine recall. I am here to say our goals were exceeded! Before training with The Better Dog Co., Layla was overweight. I am a full-time nursing student so I was giving her treats ALL day because I felt bad for studying for hours. Layla is also very food/treat driven so all of our training involved food or treats. She had a limp and would tire quickly on walks. Enter the miracle worker, Dennis. He introduced me to a world where fitness, play, and training co-exist. "Behavior modification based on fitness training", he calls it. Dennis taught us how to use play while training and now Layla is fit as a fiddle. Her limp has vanished and she can play for what seems like hours without tiring. Dennis taught us how to understand Layla from the inside out and how to work WITH her. He is a master at dog psychology and passed that knowledge along as we trained. "Why does she do this or that?" Dennis has an answer. For us, it was usually because of her "hunting drive". The solution was not to try and diminish that drive, it was to utilize it in our training. Just because Layla is a domesticated pet does not mean she doesn't have that primal DNA and genetics of a wild pack animal. You can't burry or mask that, you have you USE it. Although we had a lot of upbeat and fun training sessions, Dennis also taught me how to use "passive training". While at home or the park studying, Layla practiced just hanging out and existing (one of her biggest struggles) ...watching the world go by, not chasing squirrels or bugs. Dennis taught me how to use those times to connect with Layla through massage and just being present with her. Training days with Dennis quickly became the highlight of our week not only for Layla but also for me. I have never met a person more dedicated to their job. I wouldn't even call it his job...it is his passion. His passion for creating a connection between a person and their dog is exuded in every second of every training session. I cannot thank The Better Dog Co enough for creating this amazing relationship I have with my Layla. Without a doubt, Dennis and Ursula will be the last dog trainers you will ever need. read more

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It is hard to put into words what Ursula has meant to my family, and our dog, so this Yelp review may be a tad long! If you're interested in hearing the whole story, read on - but if you want a quick summary: Ursula is simply amazing, and I cannot recommend her services enough. She is an exceptional trainer, very knowledgeable, clear, and communicative, and a joy to work with - and she truly gets results. It is clear that she loves what she does, and cares so so much about the dogs she works with. She has changed our lives, and helped us forge the kind of relationship with our dog that we always hoped we could have. So some back story: my partner and I adopted Frank - an 8 month old (at the time) cattle dog mix - about 6 months ago from a for-profit animal shelter (a grim story, for another Yelp review). Sadly, we were quite deceived by this shelter, and not informed of any of the challenges we would potentially face with Frank, due to some of his history of troubled behavior (which was well-documented, but not shared with us). He was adorable, and seemed sweet enough, plus he really liked belly rubs, so we were happy to give him a new home. We quickly found out however, that this sweet little guy had some pretty-serious problems. Like, a lot of them...you name it, he had it - resource guarding, snapping, snarling, no training what so ever, aggressive towards other dogs, towards us, towards small animals, small children, strangers, and pretty much anything that moved - including his own reflection in a mirror. I did a little more homework, I discovered that we were actually his 4th owner (remember, he's only 8 months old at this point), and that the three previous owners had returned him due to - I'm sure - any one of the multitude of issues we were dealing with. My partner and I were frustrated and sad, but determined to make this work. We both grew up around dogs, and as a couple - we had wanted one for the 5+ years we had been together. So onward we pressed - working with 3 different trainers over the course of the next 2 months. The trainers we worked with focused on positive reinforcement - food, and reward-based training. Boy oh boy, did this create problems. Working with these other trainers, Frank became more unruly, more problematic, and just didn't seem to listen at all. Our last trainer before Ursula, really made us feel terrible, as though we were not fit to take on the challenge of this dog. We were at our wits end when I went out of town on a business trip, and my partner was home alone with Frank for the week, and all kinds of calamity ensued. Ever determined, we found Ursula via Yelp - and decided to give training with her a shot. We had our consult, and I explained our challenges - that long list I mentioned above. I was shocked that Ursula not only didn't blink at any of the behavior I reported, but that she genuinely seemed excited to take on this challenge. At the time, I truthfully thought she was nuts, but at that point, we had nothing to lose! I'll spare you the details of what our specific training program included - because this review is already too long, and because I think you will learn all of that from Ursula - but fast forward 3 months, and we have a completely different dog, but in all the best ways. He is still as cute and sweet as ever (he has actually always loved cuddles and pets, despite his sometimes salty demeanor), but man oh man, has this little guy grown. Frank listens to us now, and understands the dynamic of our relationship. He no longer snaps, snarls, or growls at us, and his resource guarding is no longer a major issue. We feel so much more comfortable taking him on walks now; he can see other dogs, and not react. He can pass moving objects without literally jumping and thrashing to go towards them. Just today, we took him to a very crowded water-front park, with many triggers all around. He handled it like a champ, and with a calmness that I would have never thought possible 3 months ago. My partner and I were honestly overwhelmed with happiness; it was such a special feeling. Ultimately, we do still have more training to go, and Frank is far from perfect, but I think the beauty of working with Ursula, is that she has promised from day one that she will continue to work with us until our goals our met. The changes we have seen so far are literally astounding, and have enabled us to have the kind of relationship with our dog that we had always hoped to have. If we hadn't met Ursula, I don't know if we would have been able to keep Frank, and to be honest, I don't think that with his rocky history, he would still be alive. This was a dog that seemed unmanageable, and in the span of a few short months, Ursula has completely flipped that script. If you are looking for a dog trainer in the Portland area, your search should start and stop here with Ursula and Better Dog Co!!!! read more

The Better Dog - Pet Training Near Me

Ursula is one of the best things to ever happen to me, no exaggeration. Our life is so much better since working on our dogs' behavior with her. We have two corgis, and while they are great dogs, they were having some issues getting along. Our younger dog (about 1.5 years old when we started working with Ursula) had become very food aggressive. It seemed like the smallest thing would trigger him, and we were honestly afraid. They would get into violent fights that had to be broken up by either my husband or I, and we got bit quite badly a few times. We chose to do at home training, which is super convenient as Ursula comes right to your house so she can see how your dog(s) are in their own environment. We initially focused on our younger one with the food aggression, and used an ecollar for him. We did prong collar training with both to clean up their walking, which is much more enjoyable now! Ursula is professional and very knowledgeable. She taught us so much about how to interpret our dogs behavior and correct it. She's patient and explains things thoroughly and always makes sure we feel safe and comfortable. They are almost different dogs now! They get along great, play so well together, and we haven't had an issue with food aggression in MONTHS! (And we used to have fights daily). There are so many other things she helped us with, including poop eating, barking, jumping, just to name a few. We've also had her dog sit while we were out of town, and couldn't have been happier with that either. We were able to finally take a vacation and not worry about anything happening while we were gone. Sent lots of pictures and kept us up to date on everything. He had so much fun playing with her dogs and was perfectly behaved when we got home. In short - Ursula is the best and I would recommend her to anyone. The best money I've ever spent (other than getting the dogs in the first place ). read more

I connected with Ursula after having my 2yo adopted Border Collie for about 7 months here in Portland. Gambit is a smart and sweet boy, but like many herding breeds, didn't yet have the tools to deal with his drive. After 7 months of trying things on my own to combat his pulling on the leash, he developed a new reactivity towards other dogs -- especially moving ones. On-leash dog meetings were turning sour at every encounter, and our daily walks were becoming less enjoyable. I was a busy law student at the time, and taking Gambit to school with me often. Determined that Gambit reach his potential, I decided to reach out to Ursula. I was blown away after our initial phone consult -- I had A LOT of questions and she spent the time to explain her techniques and understand our goals. With just a few sessions, Ursula taught me how to communicate with Gambit effectively, and he was eager to learn what was expected from him. Now, when faced with stressful circumstances, he's more likely to look to me for guidance or use one of the tools we've given him to deal with the world around him. Ursula always has thoughtful answers to my questions and continues to be a helpful resource for Gambit and I going forward. I am so thankful I reached out early on and made this investment in my dog's future! Ursula helped me give Gambit a job to focus on -- every herding dog's dream -- and he is much happier for it. I have no doubt that she approaches every client with the same thoughtfulness and expertise as she did for us. read more

The Better Dog - Pet Training Near Me

After rescuing our dog Pancho when he was around 18 months old, we did what a lot new dog owners do and tried to start "training" him on our own. This consisted of YouTube videos and taking him to a fenced-in dog park to socialize. After a few months, we realized that he wasn't making any progress with listening or obedience, especially at the dog park. We would yell his name and tell him to come back to us, but he would just look over and pretty much ignore us! After Pancho had several incidents of fighting and aggression with other dogs at the park, we finally decided to get some help. Dennis and Ursula were great from the very beginning, listening to how it had been with Pancho and observing our interactions. We enrolled in the Dog Training Foundations program, which was a series of weekly lessons, where we worked on foundational tools and techniques to develop Pancho into an "everywhere" dog. Slowly, but surely we started noticing changes in Pancho's behavior. He loved his training sessions and quickly became hyper aware of our signs and verbal cues. It began to feel like we could "talk" to Pancho and he actually understood what we were saying. Dennis and Ursula struck a nice balance between some sessions focused more on play and games and other sessions focused more on obedience and behavior. Overall, it was just great to have them as real partners on our journey. We could reach out with any random questions and they were always very responsive and helpful. Pancho just completed 4 months of training and now has our trust to be "off-leash" in many situations in and around Portland. We never thought we would get to this level with a rescue dog, but Dennis and Ursula proved that wrong! Now we have the freedom to take Pancho basically anywhere and have the tools to make sure he is safe and happy in all those situations. I would highly recommend working with the Better Dog Co. if you are looking for cool, down-to-earth trainers in Portland. They also offer pack walks and other continuing activities with their clients which is great to keep the relationship going. read more

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Ursula and Dennis are fantastic dog trainers and caring humans. We have seen great results from their private sessions. Our dogs really struggled with aggression, and it got to the point where it became a burden to walk them in our neighborhood. Their training method has totally changed that. They are a joy to walk, and the dogs themselves are so much more confident and comfortable. Ursula and Dennis's communication and correction suggestions instill confidence in the handler, which ultimately leads to improvement in the dogs behavior. They are extremely knowledgeable about training, and they continue to research new techniques while keeping clients in mind. They will stay and answer any questions or concerns you have even after your session is over. You can tell they really care about their clients. Highly recommend. read more

The Better Dog - Working on "Place" commands on a busy hiking trail. - Pet Training Near Me

These are two fantastic people to work with! Not only do they train the pups but they help teach you to be more confident with your pup! That is priceless. I've rather enjoyed working with Dennis and Ursula. Two fantastic people offering a fantastic service. 20/10 would recommend read more

I've been working with this team for my 3 year old English Mastiff's private lessons, and I've been blown away. Moose started to struggle with impulse control and lunging on walks along with a few other quirks, and it made everything from walks to traveling a lot harder. Within 2 weeks of working with this team, walks were already more manageable. At this point I can confidently walk Moose in new places, and his anxiety had noticeably improved after a month or so of lessons. I appreciate that they are focused on finding common ground between you and your doggo, and enhancing communication. It's not about intimidation or the alpha mentality. It's all about engagement, consistency and trust. I'm definitely going to hire them for workshops after our private lessons are finished. This has changed both of our lives for the better and I'm extremely grateful. read more

The Better Dog - Pet Training Near Me

I write this review not as a client but as a former colleague. I brought Ursula on to work for me as my lead private lesson trainer and to supplement my own work with my companies board & train clients. In that time she proved to be among the most talented of trainers I've ever worked with, and I've worked with at least half a dozen others in the last 8 years. She worked hard and never stopped stepping up her game. She never made excuses, she just made things happen. The worst I can say about Ursula as a trainer is that she's probably too hard on herself. As a client though: that's exactly what you want in a trainer. You want someone who will keep working until the job is up to snuff. A big part of training success is teaching you, the owner, not just what is going on, but why; and doing so in a way that's easy to understand. Ursula excels at this. I'd keep her on my team forever if I could, but I've recently decided to relocate my business across the country. It's not easy leaving all of my clients behind, but it's a really weight off my shoulders to know that I'm not leaving them high and dry, but instead I know they're in the talented and nurturing hands of one hell of dog trainer! read more

We were referred to Dennis and Ursula from a friend and we couldn't have had a better experience. From our initial call and consultation with them and throughout training, they were very clear with their plan and clearly have a method that works. The best part was that they tailored the training specifically to our needs and what we wanted to accomplish with our new dog. He was pulling on leash, jumping on counters, and had no impulse control - We wanted a nice walking companion who was well-mannered inside and who we could trust to come back to us when he was off leash. At the time it seemed like a daunting task, but they were amazing in working with Cooper and we always loved seeing his improvement week after week. My wife and I talk about it all the time that it was worth every penny and some of the best money we've ever spent. Highest of recommendations for them! read more

I can't say ENOUGH nice things about Dennis and Ursula! I actually found them via Yelp and saw that they had a five star review so I called. From the get go, Dennis was super helpful and reassuring. Luna is my first puppy and I picked a doozy! I had NO idea what I was doing as a first time dog mom. Luna was young and eager to have someone who had a clue work with her. At first, she was NOT a fan of Dennis but now he is her VERY favorite person; maybe even more than me! ;) I chose to do the board and train for a month and I couldn't be happier with the results. Luna came back a much more enjoyable dog to be around and I love, love, love the fact that there are follow up lessons. All of us, my mom, Luna and I, continue to get so much out of spending time with Dennis and Ursula. They are SUPER knowledgable and you can tell they absolutely love what they do. We are all eager to learn new things and get the very most out of our pet/owner relationship; including Dennis and Ursula. They are very hands-on teachers and for me, that is the best way to learn something new. They are patient with both the dog and the owner, which is so great. I would have loved Luna no matter what but it makes it so much easier now that she has the basic manners. It's a work in progress but that is the BEST part about working with The Better Dog Co.; the continuing education and time spent after the initial training. You won't find that anywhere else. It is a life-long relationship for everyone involved and I am beyond thrilled I found them. read more

The Better Dog - Luna's first year of life! - Pet Training Near Me

Working with Ursula has been amazing. It started with the consultation where she took over an hour to answer my endless list of questions.This same level of patience carried over in our training sessions. She offered knowledge and advice that was in-depth and very effective. My dog started the training not being able to walk on leash. We ended the training with him walking on leash, among other improved behaviors. He responds better to everything since completing our sessions. I would highly recommend Ursula, you won't regret it. She's a great trainer and person to work with! So happy that we found her, thanks Ursula!!! read more

Ursula and Dennis have done wonders for our dog Maggie. We picked Maggie out at the dog shelter because of her mellow demeanor, but after getting her home her behavior changed. She was playing too aggressively with our other dog Nudie, guarding toys, and even being physically aggressive toward me and my husband. We also couldn't walk her past other dogs without her pulling and shrieking a noise I didn't know could come from a dog. We found Ursula through her old company Dogs Listen to Us, but have continued to work with her and now Dennis with The Better Dog Company. The difference has been incredible. We've been shown little things we can do that cleaned up a lot of Maggie's poor behavior, and have been given the tools to make her an incredibly well behaved obedient dog. Maggie is also a much happier and confident dog thanks to her training. We could not have done it without them, and can't recommend The Better Dog Company enough! read more