Beware, Ira will advertise his ability to task train animals for PTSD but that is false. We signed a contract with him and one day post the cancellation timeline he tried to cancel the contract with zero refund -- citing he wanted to focus I his flying instruction. After 3 no notice cancellations (day of, within an hour of our scheduled session) he stated "he didn't know how he was supposed to task train a dog for PTSD anyways" and quit. We only received a partial, prorated refund (at a higher hourly rate) after threatening legal action against him. His only sessions repeatedly focused on having the dog walk with a shopping cart even after being specifically told that was not a priority for us. I regret working with Ira and losing thousands of dollars. Spend your money elsewhere. read more

The K-9 Handler, Ira, was refered to me to work with my 8mo old rescue cattle dog whom had zero training. With several visits to Ira either though group or one on one training my Molly has turned into an attentive, obedient and very well mannered consistently. Ira is an excellent, organized, & patient instructor to both his human and four legged students and goes the extra mile to address your concerns, needs and questions. He truly is the "Bruce Lee" of dog trainers in my opinion. Thank you Ira! ~ Molly & me read more

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The K-9 Handler will help you train your dog the right way. Between group classes and private 1 on 1, Ira is the best choice you can make for proper training. Your dog will be happier AND so will you. This is where you want to be! read more

The K-9 Handler All Breed Certified Dog Training - My Navigator. - Pet Training Near Me - Henderson, Nevada

Experience counts. Ira has the experience, the knowledge and the patience to train you while he is seemingly training your pup. All sizes - all breeds. Mine is a Rottweiler, five years old. Ira completed her (and mine) basic obedience training three years ago. I now take Jesse for the K-9 Handler's weekly dog - and their people - socialization classes, here in Henderson, NV. Ira provides a safe environment for dog interactions while training owners in how to train their dogs in a variety of social situations. Both Jesse and I are happy and she is a well-mannered, well traveled pup. Thank you Ira. read more

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I am adding to my review from a few months ago. Our service dog Aerys, a two-year-old German Shepherd, has made leaps and bounds since that time. Just last month, he completed all four of his American Kennel Club certifications (which we spaced out over the course of a year) by passing the Canine Good Citizen Urban test. And also, even more exciting and such a huge deal for both him and myself, he finally passed his Public Access Test. So now he is a full-fledged service dog! With his maturity comes heightened awareness, that continues to surprise me on a near-daily basis. Recently, he picked up on more skills that add to his growing list of service tasks. Early detection of panic attacks and mood swings, as well as nightmare wakings. Just two nights ago, he nursed my husband back to health by staying up with him all night, offering himself for my husband to lean on whenever he needed to get up, staying right by his side in case he loses balance from dizziness, and even herding the cats away so they don't pester him, allowing him to rest more fully, to where his fever broke before morning. We are now working on getting him acquainted to being touched by other people, which was discouraged during his entire life of service dog training. We are aiming for him to be a therapy dog as well. We owe Ira much gratitude for his guidance, on honing Aerys' attention, as well as learning how to target and build upon his intuition. His confidence is growing rapidly, and he's much more inclined now to act upon what comes naturally to him when it comes to offering assistance. Also greatly appreciated is the lifetime Saturday group sessions, which are great for Aerys even though he is fully trained, because as all good handlers should know - the training never stops! read more

The K-9 Handler All Breed Certified Dog Training - Velcro dog - he's never far from us, ready to offer assistance whenever required. Such an amazing dog, thanks to incredible training! - Pet Training Near Me - Henderson, Nevada

Ira Smith is a blessing! I am truly beyond grateful for him! I suffer from PTSD, severe anxiety, and panic attacks. My husband did a bunch or research on service animals and we decided since nothing was helping me in life to alleviate my issues that we would try the route of training a service dog. We added a new addition to our family.. an English Cream Golden Retriever. My husband did extensive research on trainers in Las Vegas and we felt a bit uneasy with 99.9% of our results... until we came across Ira Smith, The K9 Handler! For our first initial visit he came to our home to evaluate our puppies personality and demeanor. He spent well over 3-4 hours with us to ask everything we were wanting/expecting out of him. And he explained in full detail what he could and could not do in his training. We were ecstatic with everything he had to say. He was very professional and kind to us and he treated our baby boy like he would with his own dogs. He actually got down on his level and had a heart to heart with our puppy... it was precious and heartwarming. After he left my husband and I knew he was everything we wanted in a trainer and MORE! Ira is SO passionate with his training and ALL of his dogs. He treats them with the same respect as he does with humans, which is beyond incredible. He truly care and wants your dog and also you to succeed in his training. He never loses patience. He is calm and makes sure you understand completely with what he is saying and training. As listening to him and following his advice is key to getting your dog where you want her/him to be! We started training with Ira when our puppy was around 4 months and he is now 10 months old. So he has been under Ira's care for about 6 months. Our puppy is now almost a full grown boy and I am truly amazed at HOW far he has come. His obedience is incredible. He listens so well with Ira's methods of verbal/hand commands! He NEVER uses any pain inflicting methods, as shock collars or hitting your dog, etc. He teaches you, it is all about how YOU train your dog with constant communication, repetition, and patience. Our boy does NOT act out and when he gets a little snotty during his puppy stages we just use the verbal commands we were taught and sure enough he listens!!! As far as service dog training goes, I am almost at loss for words! This has been such an incredible experience, and this would NOT have been possible is it wasn't for Ira and his guidance! My dog helps with sensory alert and mitigation. He has been trained SO well in obedience it was a VERY easy transition into the service dog training. Ira got him exactly where he needed to be to take the plunge to go further into training. Ira always makes sure you are comfortable before moving forward in training. Our boy goes everywhere with us.. restaurants, grocery stores, public events (inside and out), the mall, movie theaters and more! He has learned "manners" and does not seek attention as it is on "working" for me. So he does NOT act out with public distractions or even over dogs. My dog was able to pass the AKC S.T.A.R. PUPPY award and he is moving at a wonderful rate for future AKC evaluations and testing. Also Ira always makes sure you understand 100% of what these evaluations require and he makes sure you are prepared and confident for them. He also evaluates your dog to make sure you BOTH are where you need to be in training. It's YOU and your DOG... it's not one or the other.. it will not work! These are just SOME of the things my dog is able to perform for me BECAUSE of Ira -alarms me when my pulse gets too high -never leaves my side when I am in a panicked state -kisses, loves, snuggles all over me to help bring me back to the "now" -deep pressure therapy -and we will be working soon on mobility for when I loose my balance during my attacks Not only do I HIGHLY recommend him, but I wouldn't recommend anyone else. Ira is professional, patient, understanding, passionate, compassionate, empathetic, kind, gentle, caring, and he will never give up on you or your dog! He follows up wonderfully to make sure you are doing well as is your dog, and also asks how training is going and offers extra assistance if need be. He LISTENS and CARES!!!!! He is a life saver and if it wasn't for him I wouldn't have my best friend helping me through some of the hardest times of my life! I will FOREVER be grateful for Ira Smith!!!! He is the only trainer I would EVER trust!!!!! Forever grateful!!!!!! He is a wonderful man, trainer, AND now friend!!!! read more

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I have a very lovable 4 year old that was never trained because we could never find a decent trainer in Lake County, FL. I found this trainer on line who was amazing! He helped with some basic questions and as Alexander is my first dog I was quite lost. This K-9 Handler in Henderson, NV was patient with my inexperience. I have seen many trainers on line and in my area, but no one was as knowledgeable, too. read more

The K-9 Handler All Breed Certified Dog Training - Pet Training Near Me - Henderson, Nevada

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My dog Kimber is very timid. Ira has worked with her and his classes have helped her immensely. She now plays with other dogs and interacts better with people. I highly recommend Ira. read more

The K-9 Handler All Breed Certified Dog Training - Kimber - Pet Training Near Me - Henderson, Nevada

Ira is an amazing dog trainer. He is currently training our 5 1/2 month old pure bred Siberian Husky Zody. Ira is professional and he loves dog training. He is kind and always concerned about the dogs and their progress. He is reliable and even calls to check on Zody. His personal sessions and dog park group sessions are great ! We are so happy we found Ira to train our Zody boy. read more

Last June I got a german shepherd at a rescue. She was one at the time. She had a lot of issues. Ira and I started with basic training then into service dog training. Now we are working on her tracking. In no time at all she has gone from a fearful dog that had no idea what "sit" means to a confident well behaved dog that I can take anywhere. I wouldn't go to anyone else for training. read more

Ira is very professional, always treats the dogs and owners with the up most respect. Knows what's he's talking about. Very helpful.

Ira is the best! He truly understands canine behaviors and provides training in a positive and loving approach. Ira will teach you and your best friend without bribing your dog with treats or using negative reinforcements. Look no further, Ira is THE K-9 Handler AND dog whisperer! read more

We bought a puppy! It was only exciting until we got home and realized how much work was involved. We contacted Ira and he was quick to respond, friendly, and came over promptly. We are only one lesson into our training and already see a marked improvement! Ira is so patient with us and our rambunctious puppy. I look forward to his continued guidance and skill turning our Tasmanian devil into a good canine citizen. read more

Ira is a great trainer, very professional and with tons of experience! I highly recommend him!

I have a 3 yr mutt that has been a wholly terror. She has some Boarder Collie in her so she's quite bright and has endless energy. She listened when it suited her. Obtaining dominance over her was a daily struggle. She actually challenged me on a daily basis. Ira, owner of K-9 Handler helped me understand how she looks at the world. He has trained me to be a good dog handler and a better pet owner. She listens so much better now. She's not perfect and I have much work to do with her yet. But when we started looking for help I was afraid we might have to give her away. I'm so happy Ira has been able to help us keep her apart of our family. read more