Best Dog Training Classes Washington Near Me

Kat Jackson: Austin is amazing! I actually finished training with my dog Queen nearly a year ago and everyday I continue to marvel at how much the eight week at home training program changed our lives. After nearly 3 and a half years of waiting for Queen to outgrow her puppy phase I was at my wits end dreading every walk and every encounter she would have with someone new as her 70 pound body was simply too much for me to control. Austin made a 180 degree turn in our lives. Queen now heals and listens to commands on walks actually making me look forward to them!!! And though she's still excited to make new friends, her knowledge of basic commands keeps her nonreactive and manageable. Our lives and my relationship with Queen have fundamentally changed for the better and I could not be more happy that I made this investment!

Laura Waller: I cannot recommend this enough! Jen was AMAZING with Moose and showed me and my twelve year old daughter how to train him to be a CGC support dog in my therapy practice. I would never have imagined that Moose would have such amazing impulse control. Each week Jen gave us something to focus on and taught us how to train Moose between sessions. I HIGHLY recommend The Dog Wizard and plan to continue attending classes just to continue learning how to support Moose.

Greg “EHazardFan” Schaner: Thank you DC Dog Wizard, and especially Jen! We did the board and train program for our 1 and ½ year old cocker Clover in April. While not inexpensive, we found it very worthwhile. This was the first time we had really committed to a training program, and Clover being older, we knew that we needed to basically go all in with an intensive program. DC Dog Wizard came highly recommended by my sister. I can now see why. Jen was incredible, and continues to be available to help us with questions and pointers. Clover is still not perfect, but she is so much better than she used to be. We now have a system that we stick to and continue to make strides at the things that drove us to the training, like her jumping up on the table, begging for food, and barking hysterically if I leave the house. We are definitely heading in the right direction, and we enjoy having her more, which is a huge benefit. Plus, I continue to reach out to Jen, and she responds immediately with helpful tips and reassuring guidance. I highly recommend this program if you’re in a situation like we were.

Rachel Harrison: We sent our 7 year old Jindo/Lab mix to the 2 week board and train. Bella was a highly reactive and anxious dog and came back as such a confident girl! Of course, it’ll take time- she can still get reactive based on the energy of the dog that may be approaching her but the difference is night and day! Gone are the days of leash pulling and snapping at passing dogs and strollers! Jen, our trainer has been so responsive and helpful. She even sent me a video of Bella playing with another dog during training and it made me so emotional to see her thriving!! 10/10 recommend!

Jess C: (Writing this review about three months out from our board and train with DC Dog Wizard.) We did the board and train program with DC Dog Wizard and could not be happier with the results. Jen helped build our dog Mo's confidence and ours as well. When we initially signed up for the board and train program, our dog's anxiety was a huge weight on his and our day to day lives. He didn't want to go for walks in our neighborhood, he would bark at anyone (person or dog) who walked by, and would routinely have big reactions in new circumstances. He's about 60 pounds, so these big reactions were pretty scary for him, us, and our neighbors! Not only that, before discovering DC Dog Wizard we had spent 6 months and probably $1,000 in lessons from other trainers, homeopathic anxiety supplements, and calming gadgets. Our previous trainer had emphasized the need to prevent our dog from being exposed to 100% of his triggers. We live in DC, so that's just not possible or reasonable! We devoted hours and hours every week and nothing worked. Mo's anxiety was actually getting way worse, and we were feeling so downtrodden and inadequate as owners. Even though the board and train with DC Dog Wizard was pricey, I wish we would have committed to DC Dog Wizard sooner because we would have saved a lot of time, emotional stress, and money! Jen is so in tune with dogs. She communicates effectively, provides helpful tools, and expertly adjusts her methods to each dog's personality. Not only that, she's really emotionally intelligent when she speaks to owners. She won't make you feel guilty or dumb. In our initial phone consultation, she took great care to learn about what our concerns were and what our goals were. Our pup is pretty fearful but also very food motivated, so Jen determined that e collar training wouldn't be as effective for him. She relied exclusively on positive reinforcement training with treats, praise, and exposure to new situations to ensure that he would build his confidence and help Mo become a happier, less reactive pup. As an added bonus, the weekly sustainment training every Saturday in Glover Park has been amazing. We've taken Mo several times and he's built his confidence on pack walks with other dogs, in the agility course, and also in drills that mimic real life scenarios. We've learned how to be better handlers and owners of Mo. These lessons are open to us (with no additional charge) for the rest of Mo's life! Jen and Austin are kind, courteous, and well informed trainers who adapt to each dog's personality and specific needs. Mo will always be a bit apprehensive about new environments, but with training, consistency, and some medication from our vet, he is back to his happy, curious self. We cannot believe the transformation and we feel so much gratitude to Jen and Austin for everything they have done for us.

Laura Quinn: I signed up for 8 private sessions to help my recently adopted 4 year-old country dog adapt to big city life - namely busses, construction workers, and other dogs. I worked with Austin and she was patient with both of us, explaining to me how these methods paid off - and treating Chase with a firm kindness, and lots of treats. Walking with Chase is now a pleasure! Worth every penny.

Rosalyn Greeley: We have had a great experience with Scott at DC Dog Wizard! Our new rescue was having anxiety issues, fear based aggression and was not doing well calmly meeting other dogs. We ended up doing the training with both of our dogs so our older dog could brush up on skills as well. They both took to the training quickly and each week Scott was able to build on the skills we learnt the week before. The great thing about Scott's training is if you need a little brush up on training or just a little more structure after your training is done thats provided for you. We felt and still feel supported. With our second dog who already did well with commands we were still able to teach him new things and Scott gave us some additional fun tricks so he got a lot out of the training too. With Scott's help we were even able to teach Bentley to jump and balance on fire hydrants! What fun!

Gm Gm: You CAN teach an old dog new tricks! My husband and I have had a 7-year love-hate relationship with our dog. He’s mini Australian Shepherd. We had him since he was 6 weeks old and he was thoroughly socialized until he was neutered when the behavioral problems began to manifest (aggression, separation anxiety). Walking him was nearly impossible. He barked and lunged at other dogs and unsuspecting passersby. Strolling in parks was always a drama-filled affair with him protesting anyone or anything within a 3-foot radius of us. He also barked at any sound beyond our door to the annoyance and dismay of our neighbors. Leaving home for any reason invited snarling, barking and the occasional bite, which has only worsened during COVID-19 because we do not leave home nearly as often as before. We needed help. It was either the dog or our sanity. I found The Dog Wizard online and enrolled our pup in the 3 week intensive training/ boarding program. Scott and his team were great. We received regular updates of our pup and his progress (though to be honest, I was so relieved and relaxed over the 21 days our dog was away that I would have happily paid The Dog Wizard staff to keep him!) To say that things have changed would be an understatement. I’ve always loved my dog, but I actually LIKE him now as well. Taking our pup for a walk is actually enjoyable and stress free. So much so, that I find myself spending much more time with him walking each day. No pulling, barking or drama—barely feels like he is there at all. When we took him to the closest park, he walked obediently by my side without distraction and then(!) sat quietly on a bench while six other dogs yapped and played nearby. That would have been unthinkable a month earlier. His separation anxiety has also dialed back considerably. Before The Dog Wizard, our dog was 70% unmanageable and 30% lovable. Now, he’s 90% lovable and his crazy side rarely manifests, and when it does, it is no where near the intensity as before. Scott and his team are miracle workers. They have given us training tips as well as the tools to keep our pup on the right path. The Dog Wizard is worth every penny. My only regret is that we did not find and enroll Barnaby in The Dog Wizard years earlier.

Dawnmarie Shipley: Jen was amazing with our dog. She took a shy rural dog, socialized him, and made him big city ready. Great skills for both the dog and the owners, much appreciated!!! 2/16/22 UPDATE - I wanted to come back and make sure anyone reading these knows how wonderful Jen really is. It's not a one and done service. Whenever I have a questions or need help, she comes to my home and works with both me and my dog until we have the skills we need to continue to progress. I didn't think it was possible but I love my doggo more now because of the skills we have learned together with her help. Saturday Support Classes are such a bonus. I can't say thank you enough!

Lyz Ortiz: We just finished up the reactive dog class with our dog Alba and it has made a tremendous difference in Alba's level of attention on walks and response to triggers. Absolutely worth the investment. Avi and Matt are great and very thoughtful in explaining the approach, rationale, and methodology. It was also really fun for Alba -- she really enjoyed the class and looked forward to it every week!

Marta Zeymo: I've completed both the Puppy Basics and the Advanced Adult Obedience and have been beyond happy and satisfied with the training and skills provided both to myself and my dog! Avi is a fantastic trainer - kind, patient and incredibly knowledgeable! It's evident how passionate he is about training dogs, and he was always available to answer questions or provide additional resources inside and outside of class. Both my dog and I learned so much, and I feel like a much more confident dog owner than before! I'm very excited to continue our education with the other courses/workshops at District Dogs, as well as taking part in the daycare!

Emma Williams: I adopted a rescue in October (my first dog) and was having a LOT of trouble - reactive to any strangers, cats, squirrels, and especially other dogs. The reactive dog workshop I took with Avi and Matt has made working through our reactivity issues so much easier. They were knowledgeable, friendly, and very patient. Any questions about the class or skills were answered quickly and fully. They were also very accommodating when I had to miss a class, and with COVID that can be a big issue. Very thankful to them and would recommend the training to anyone with similar issues!

Lauren Victoria Cancienne: Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Reliability, ValueOur dog is a shy puppy who needs help with socialization. District Dog was happy to take on the challenge. She did great at structured daycare— the staff were terrific, lots of updates and feedback. We will be back.

Walker Irving: The training offered by District Dogs has made a huge difference in our quality of life. Our feisty terrier was a nightmare on walks and was having a lot of trouble greeting dogs and people. The help we got from District Dogs has made a huge difference. We've also used them for daycare and boarding - they take great care of our pup and it's very nice to have the webcam and daily "report cards" to see how he's doing.

Alan Alper: They only got 5 stars because there aren't anymore to give. Manny has never looked better!. And his whole personality has changed. He is like a puppy (he is almost 10years old). He loves Alisa and she loved him. She let him lay down during most of his drying. He knows how good he looks. I'd tell everyone to go there but I don't want it to be impossible for Manny to get an appointment (I have already scheduled his next one). My wife and I are beyond thrilled and Manny seems pretty damned happy too. Go ahead and schedule, as long as you don't take one away from us. By the way, the facility is brand new, very modern, well planned and well laid out. I am beyond impressed. Alan Alper and Manny the Akita

Tamika McPherson: I came in the afternoon 1:18 pm to be exact to visit the place and see what District Dog have to offer. No staff in sight they have the dogs in a Kennel. No interaction not sure if it was nap time. There was no staff present, very irresponsible. I do not recommend bringing your pet to their care

Amy Dunne: District Dogs Structured Daycare is awesome! The small group format is great for dogs that may be overwhelmed in larger playgroups. We alternate between regular daycare in Shaw and the Structured class. Luna loves it and always runs in, she especially likes the ball pit! DD staff members at both locations are amazing and always treat Luna like their own.

omar: I just finished a 6 week beginner's course here with Avi and couldn't be more pleased. Avi was knowledgeable and an all around great instructor. I highly recommend the beginners course for anyone looking to learn the basics on how to train their dog.

Gabriella Davida: Our dog coach, Beth Aldrich, has worked miracles with our two pups (cardigan welsh corgi and standard poodle) in only two sessions! She's taught my partner and I so much and more importantly, given us confidence when on walks with the doggos in the mean streets of DC. We have the peace of mind that if the boys starting acting up again on walks (lunging at other dogs, tugging on their leashes), we can give her a call and she'll coach us through how to handle. She's professional and responsive (and really lovely and fun!) She meets us right in our own neighborhood, no need to drive out anywhere, so the boys learn in our normal environment. We're so glad we came to Monument and got a great coach to help us navigate our doggie training plan. Thanks!

Kristen Maryn: In March 2021, I found myself with an adorable Aussie puppy with a multitude of issues - she was high energy, neurotic, stubborn, not food motivated, and fearful of what seemed like everything. I was not sleeping, unable to leave the puppy unattended, and really suffering - likely as was the puppy. Given the pandemic puppy boom, I was routinely getting rejected or ignored by trainers. Then I met another Aussie owner who recommended Monument. I reached out, and Beth, sensing my panic, quickly scheduled me with George Leonard. George has transformed my fearful girl into a more confident, capable dog. They really honed in on what motivates her based on her breed and personality; they helped me understand her and my role as her human; and they met her where she was - we went slow, worked on consistency and repetition, focused on building on basics. George is flexible and responsive - when my puppy would regress or develop new problems, George was there to offer help and guidance to help both me and my dog. My pup is still neurotic, high energy, and stubborn (that is the breed after all!), but working with George, I understand her more, and she's becoming the little adventure buddy I had hoped for. Really grateful for this experience with Monument and George, and looking forward to continuing to work with them.

Jourdan Laures: George has been amazing with my rescue dog who developed some territorial and other negative tendencies. George was so helpful in helping me to correct my handling and her to be the best dog she could be. We’re not even done with our training yet and she is already like a different dog. I love the flexibility of classes as well. When my dog was clearing too tired to continue training, George was quick to end out session and schedule another one to finish the lesson instead of asking too much of her (and me!) to fit the whole lesson in to a single session. Monument and George have both been life changing for me and my dog!

Ivan Collich: Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Reliability, Responsiveness, ValueGeorge helped us train our new 5 month old wild pup to an obedient companion. Geroge always made himself readily available and was flexible in adjusting the training plan to best align with our goals with our dog. Cannot recommend monument dog training enough. Thank you George!

Tom Mathews: We had the best experience with George! It took less than a week for our puppy to heel on the leash and sit regularly. She went from dragging us around town, to staying right by our side so quickly. While crate training is a work in progress, George continues to help us understand our dogs behavior and how to manage it with consistency. The training program makes a lot of sense and really seems to promote lifelong training by setting a good foundation. George explained really well that our pet should adapt to our lifestyle, not the other way around and consistent training really makes for a happy, well adjusted dog. Georges advice and disposition only served to increase our confidence in the training program. Cannot recommend enough. Worth every penny if you’re willing to put in the work

Bianca Temple: Trainer Bethany came to our house for an in-home consultation and dog training session within the first week of getting our 8 week old GSP puppy. Her visit literally changed my whole entire philosophy on what it means to have a dog! She gave us a lot of helpful tips on puppies in general and also specific advice for our dog's breed. I am so grateful she was able to come during that critical time so we could start training our puppy the right way. Thank you Bethany and Monument Dog Training!

Laurie B: Beth has been a fantastic trainer. We hadn't had much success with other training or working on our own. With her, we saw results right away. Our dog loves her! And we're even able to do board and train when we're out of town (for a separate fee). It's important to know that training with Beth is a big commitment. Consistency with dogs is key, so the first few weeks on the new program are really important and require considerable attention. But our dog is so much calmer and happier now then when we started. She knows what we want and we know better how to communicate.

Anne Frenette: Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Reliability, Responsiveness, ValueBethany is an amazing trainer! After only our first training session, I've learned how to get my pup to stop pulling on his leash. He is already walking like a perfect little gentleman. I couldn't be more excited about our additional upcoming training classes. Thank you, Monument!!

Reilly Gossner: Positive: Professionalism, Reliability, ResponsivenessI recently had a consultation with Bethany. She was kind, professional, and knowledgeable. It is clear that she cares deeply for animals and is passionate about reaching goals. My dog has severe separation anxiety and Bethany was open and honest about how to best help my dog. Thank you Bethany!!!

Stephanie Rooney: Absolutely love this place! I brought both my dogs, Taz & Stella, here for training. I have recommended it to several friends as well and they love WOOFS too! The behavioral training is the best and works very well. Carrie and Laura are my favorite trainers (the others are great as well, however I worked mostly with Carrie & Laura). I love the redirect training and it’s not all treat driven (my dogs are not treat driven after a certain point). It’s effective and great positive reinforcement and redirection training.

Lindsay H.: Loved the basic obedience class with Carrie. Small class size, really well run (especially during Covid), and very effective training techniques (even tailored to dogs as needed). Looking forward to the intermediate obedience class next. And if youre considering a class, you can be added to their wait lists and notified when classes open up, so dont be discouraged if they're full/not available right away.

Jorge Osuna Bezara: We love WOOFS! We've done Basic and Intermediate obedience with them and are now doing the class for the Canine Good Citizen test. All of our classes have been with Jen and we love her, she's great!

Katie Tecza: Not all puppy socialization facilities are created equal. I brought Lady to a socialization day camp at @woofsdtc last week, which had positive reviews. I dropped her off, asked them if they had a check in process and a live stream, and they said no. She was nervous heading in and I didn’t bring treats thinking they’d have some, but they didn’t do anything to make her feel more comfortable! I chalked it up to myself being nervous and dropped her off. After radio silence for 3 hours I picked her up, and asked how she was, how long it took her to feel more comfortable, what they did today, and the girl who I picked her up from said “she was fine when I got there” and couldn’t answer any of my questions. Not even what they did that day. All I got was the card. I was upset but didn’t want to make a scene so I left and emailed them in the car in their parking lot asking for them to reach out to me with some more information on the day. Emailed, called, left a message, and I didn’t hear back for 4 days. I finally got an email, not a phone call, back saying “when I got there she was fine” and again- no information on the details of the day or what she did. She said she’d post photos and videos but never did, and I am genuinely wondering what Lady did for several hours. She whined for about an hour when I picked her up which seemed wrong- we go to a really good socialization play and train with @dogtrained as well as a class at @wholistichound and we don’t ever have that issue- she knocks out in the car. So that really makes me wonder what she did the entire time she was there. The MOST concerning part is that I thought Dan sent them Lady’s vaccination records and he thought I sent them.. well, neither of us did and they didn’t ask us for it. *i* know that my dog is as up to date as she can be for her age, but I don’t have full confidence that the other puppies were vaccinated. It’s the safety issue for me. Anyway. Get recommendations from word of mouth- visit yourself before you purchase a package, and use referrals from word of mouth. What I thought would be a great opportunity has just caused me a ton of stress.

Anon Ymous: I wouldn't recommend this place to my worst enemy. I guarantee that you yourself can train your dog better than they can. The room is too tiny for the amount of dogs they fit into it for one class, and it wreaks of urine. Instead of properly cleaning up the mess, they use the same urine soaked mop over and over again. If class is cancelled, expect your dog to be asked to skip class the next week as there will be too many people for the amount of trainers available. We drove 45 minutes and paid two tolls to get there, and then were asked to not attend. You are better off paying a little extra to go somewhere else, with better trainers and better facilities. I've heard better things about Petsmart, and their class is actually cheaper. Go anywhere but here. In response to the owner: I never mentioned anything in my original post about an aggressive dog being kicked out of class. I talk about other numerous problems with the way your establishment (using this word loosely) is run. Nor did I ask for an apology for anything. Did you properly read my review? I can appreciate you taking the time to respond at least, since you have never done so for any of the other terrible reviews you have received. Feeling so special!

Kelsey Ohleger: This is a review for puppy parties at the Ballston campus. I have had a great experience taking my border collie puppy here for socialization. The “party” runs very smoothly and the trainers are great. I appreciate that they let puppies be puppies while monitoring for bad behavior. They separate the dogs by age/size/confidence which is great. The place is clean and has plenty of parking. I’m so pleased with the puppy parties that we’re starting puppy obedience class here soon.

Brett Snyder: We're currently taking our second dog through the Woofs training classes and he's doing a fantastic job. The classes are a good length where you and the dog can stay focused, puppy classes have play time built it to its manageable for them, and the instructors are friendly and knowledgeable. They have weekend play hours free for really young puppies to help get them exposed to other dogs and give them an opportunity to socialize. This has done wonders for both our dogs in helping them know how to play correctly. Wholeheartedly recommend the training classes, they have obedience focus and also skills focus. We've done agility and flyball and the dogs get a kick out of it and definitely a fun thing to do if you own the dog w/ a partner.

Peter Bui: The first and last puppy play date I attended this morning was fine until I noticed the lead trainer, rather than being more cautious, was permissive of aggression from dogs that she was familiar with. I'm assuming those dogs were already paying clients and that she did not want to insult the watching owners. Unfortunately they lost this potential client. The two other trainers who were on the floor were doing their job, regulating the play, but the woman who was in charge was just sitting there making jokes/excuses for the aggressive behaviors, which set the tone for the other trainers. Attached is a picture of the small but noticeable injury from this morning's incident between my puppy and another dog.

Brandon Peart: Woofs! is terrific. We take our puppy here for dog training every week. We have also attended both the Puppy and Adolescent Play Time. We have also frequently used their daycare services. We have been thoroughly impressed with Woofs! throughout our entire experience with them. Our dog loves this place; she get's excited whenever we walk towards it. We learn a lot each time we attend one of the play times as the workers explain what they are watching and how to address the behaviors. We have also bought equipment for our dog through Woofs! They even went out of their way to look up the warranty information for a harness we bought from them and called us to tell us how to get it repaired. We've been so impressed.

Burton Goldstein: Capital is a very old dog training facility, specializing in pet training, also offering introduction to dog companion sports. It's instructors are all volunteers, and therefore not always comparable with the local professional instructors. They have been around "forever", and have a great location. They are in a warehouse area, with associated parking issues, relatively tight interior, but did I mention they are in a great location?!?

Sherry Dauerman: This is a well deserved SHOUT OUT to the Capital Dog Training Club of Washington DC and especially to our instructors for the Basic Obedience Class. Shannon Hall and Carla LaFleur worked individually with each person in the class and provided constant encouragement to us as a group. Every dog and owner practiced behaviors in class, recieved notes on what was covered after each session and even homework to prepare for the next week. The class was well organized and extremely beneficial for both my 6 month old puppy and I. The class included puppies and some older rescues and all responded well. We had a great time and plan to take more classes at CDTC. I only wish that Shannon and Carla taught Advanced Basic Obedience, too. Oh well, I'm sure there are other great instructors for us to meet. Thank you!

Patricia Pierre: Because of privacy concerns I've never written a review. That is how much I want to convey my disappointment in this club. I've been training my guardian breed for nine years. I know my breed and the perception that persist in AKC about the breed so I'm used to the passive aggressive remarks. I'm used to people being shocked by my dogs and how friendly to people and dogs they are. HOWEVER, I would never expect that from a volunteer trainer in a basic level class. Volunteer trainers normally love all breeds and want to help you get the most from your dog. My normal club Oriole didn't have conformation this term and I wanted to put a good foundation on my new puppy. I came here to give this club try trusting that they would have the same culture. Janice the instructor of my basic conformation class was very rude from the instant we walked in. We were late however she still took the time to say is this the XYZ breed? Oh they are hard dogs. You will have to use strong corrections on that one. Then when I said I'm familiar with the breed this isn't my first one. She turned to the class to tell the class that my breed is so bad and were breed to be really mean dogs. She actually said they were manufactured. With her tone her and the was she stressed it, it was clear she wanted the class to think that my breed is illegitimate because it was genetically modified. Which ALL dogs are. During training she was openly dismissive of my dog and visibly irritated when I asked questions. This was further compounded by the joy and praise she gave to dogs that were in the hound and sporting groups. When working on an exercise my puppy sat and downed and I explained she is offering behaviors because she is confused. She said oh that's wrong. She offered no suggestions. Not even five minutes later the dog next to us did the same thing. She said oh this dog is so obedient. It's funny that while she was concerned with my well tempered puppy there was a dog that didn't like being touched by strangers and another that was very fearful. She didn't address how those issues can and will if not corrected turn into serious aggression problems. I don't expect everyone to love my breed. There have been judges that tell me I don't like your breed and in the end place us first with a smile. I know ignorance persist and it is often fueled by someones limited interaction with a dog that may have poor breeding or training. However it is abhorrent for a trainer especially at the basic level which is supposed to build confidence in a dog to be so blatant. How can I return to a place that goes out of it's way to make my dog feel unwelcome. Any trainer knows that how the handler feels travels down the leash. SHAME ON YOU JANICE.

Morgan Heczko: They offer a variety of training courses at a reasonable price. The instructors so far have been wonderful!

Lisa Marie Daniel: Excellent dog training facilities -- offering classes in basic obedience as well as competitive obedience, rally, agility, freestyle and flyball

edward leonard: They seem to really care about proper dog training here, without being unrealistic in what to expect from your dog.

Kathleen Wade: Great vibes and great overall experience.

Lisa Mulligan: It is an awesome dog training club.

The Power of Two Or More: My dog loves it

The birdiegt: We adopted our small dog from the local shelter and brought her home to her new family with my spouse, 2 children, 2 senior cats. She didn't have any obedience training and we immediately started it but it was tough, she wasn't responding in many instances. Her biggest issues were separation anxiety, nipping at the kids, pulling on the walk and chasing the cats. Then she began peeing around the house. I felt like I was losing the battle even though we felt successful with our previous chihuahua of 10 years and read all the training books. A friend recommended bark busters and Tommy came in and immediately set the record straight! We realized we had not been claiming objects, people and territories around the house. The techniques worked and she responded instantly. We kept up with the homework and all of the family worked with our new pack member. She never marked once more in the home in the past month! She did a complete 180. She now walks calmly on the leash 98% of the time, she doesn't bark in her crate when we leave for an hour to go to the store, she gives us space and she stopped chasing the cats and nipping at the kids. We have seen an immense improvement and can't wait to spend the next decade with our cute new family member! Thank you Tommy! I have told all of our friends about Bark Busters.

Vanessa Williams: We elected to work with Tommy after researching several other trainers when our dog’s fear-based aggression got concerning. We saw results after the very first session, and Tommy takes great care to work with both you and the dog, teaching you things to learn and unlearn. We’ve brought him back for a couple of follow up matters after our initial session, only to find some of those issues were brought on by bad habits that were unknowingly being encouraged and accidentally rewarded by us. It’s been training for us at being effective owners as much, and probably more, than simply training the dog. He really gives you the tools and support you need to succeed as a dog owner and I can’t recommend him enough!

Laura Luca: Our vet recommended Bark Busters to help train our puppy, Bailey. With our past pets we always took them to group training with little to no results. We decided to do something different with Bailey, so we took our vets advice and emailed Bark Busters. The response was fast. Our trainer Tommy was at our house about 1 week later. We have nothing but great things to say about Tommy. He is polite, easy to talk to, friendly, knowledgeable, patient, supportive....I think you get the picture. Within minutes after the training started we saw a difference in Bailey's behavior. We couldn't believe it! The techniques Tommy taught us really worked that fast and weren't hard at all. We just had to be consistent. Tommy gave us some homework and we set a tentative, follow up, appointment. After a few weeks of practicing the skills we noticed some other behaviors in Bailey we needed help with. We emailed Tommy. He answered right away and was at our house the next weekend. THIS PROGRAM IS AMAZING AND THE PEOPLE ARE AWESOME!!! Totally worth the investment. Thank you Bark Busters and especially Tommy for helping us have the furry family member we have always wanted.

Taylor Family: We honestly can't say enough about the work Tommy has done with our dog. We have a VERY high-energy Weim that has a hard time respecting boundaries, amongst other things. Tommy has visited us a couple of times and had a bunch of different strategies and methods for us to try. The results were almost instantaneous with our dog. Not only was Tommy fantastic in our training sessions, but he routinely follows up and checks in to see how things are going. It's easy to see that he not only loves what he does for a living, but he genuinely cares to see dogs at their best. If you're considering training for your dog, I highly recommend Bark Busters, but make sure you ask for Tommy.

Michelle Dao: Tommy Meyerhoeffer changed my pup’s life and mine. Tommy gives you the right skills and tools to correct any problematic behaviors or to manage it. My (at the time) 9-year old American Eskimo-poodle dog, Noah, was aggressive (growling, lunging, barking) towards other dogs and food possessive towards humans and dogs. Tommy taught me which behaviors were normal for canines and what were manageable issues. The important thing I learned was that if you truly want change and to improve your pup’s lifestyle, you must consistently train them. Also, I saw improvements the same day that Tommy came to train Noah with me. Tommy took the time to answer and manage any issues that I had or thought of until I had the correct tools to improve my pup’s life and behavior. I really appreciated that Tommy is passionate about his own dog’s lifestyle as well. A year later, Noah is now living peacefully with his new puppy sister and meeting different dogs of different ages without issue. I couldn’t imagine that he likes his puppy sister so much, either...being the dog that has lived without other canines for 9 years. I am so blown away by this. I have such a wonderful life with my pups now. His pulling, lunging, and barking at other dogs is now much more manageable and definitely SO much less than before, now that I have the different skills and methods Tommy taught me.

Gabrielle Petersen: If you are looking for a great dog trainer, this is your guy. Tommy of Bark Busters is the third trainer that I have worked with in this area, and he is absolutely the best. He is responsive, a great communicator, flexible, and very knowledgeable about dogs. Most importantly, he is great at giving information in a way that makes sense to me, so that I can use it to work with my dog. I doubt anyone would regret their decision to work with him. My recently adopted young lab-mix was barking at strangers who came to my door, and he was reacting aggressively to other dogs outside. Within a few minutes of walking into the door, Tommy changed my dog's behavior from a jumping maniac to calm and listening. He had great drills for the dog and me, and shared a lot of information about how I can reinforce the good behaviors and start building on them in the future. Thankfully, he also followed up in writing after the session, which will be helpful. After my experiences with a few other trainers, I was really grateful that Tommy gave me a good framework, but also was flexible and gave us options to create the best result for me and my dog, with our individual personalities and quirks. I've worked with trainers that were set in doing things only one way, and it was frustrating for me, which ended up being frustrating for the dog. Getting started was easy. We spoke for a while first and he gathered information about the dog's behavior and provided some background about what we were going to work on. We then worked together with the dog for a couple of hours in my house. It's hard to believe how much my dog's behavior changed after a relatively small amount of time, but after a few days since my first discussion with Tommy, this dog is acting so much different. I was worried before I contacted Tommy that I might never be able to get my dog's bad habits under control and it felt like we were always in chaos. Tommy helped me bring out my dog's best. I am so grateful for the sense of peace in this house.

Laura Chadwell: Have you heard of the dog whisperer? He’s real and his name is Tommy Meyerhoeffer. My daughter’s recent move into a third-floor garden apartment presented an unexpected problem: her perfectly perfect lab of 7 years wanted nothing to do with the open-riser stairs one must climb to access their home. We tried every trick we could think of over the course of the past few weeks and had no luck. Enter Tommy. We set up an appointment to meet at the apartment building. Spoiler alert: by the end of our session, Tommy had Duke up and down those three flights of stairs, no hesitation in his movement. Tommy moved purposefully and calmly from the moment he met Duke. He simultaneously led Duke and responded to him, adjusting along the way as he observed Duke’s behavior. He pointed out Duke’s subtle behaviors to me and highlighted what they meant. He was patient and resourceful, and Duke responded accordingly. In addition to helping Duke to meet this challenge, Tommy then guided me as I accompanied Duke up and down stairs, pointing out ways in which I and other family members could ensure a safe and stress-free continuation of Duke’s new skill. Happy to report that Duke is happy as can be to be reunited with his family and is a pro at those scary open stairs. Thank you, Tommy!

Laura Manno: I found Tommy Meyerhoeffer while generally searching online for help with our new puppy. While mostly house trained our pup was still peeing and pooping in the house in odd ways that seemed behavioral. We had been considering obedience training but really didn't feel obedience training was going to address our specific needs nor would routine weekly classes work well with our schedules. I also know from obedience training with our other dogs, one 6 or 12 week class generally isn't enough and there is almost no customization within group classes. The reviews for Tommy were excellent and the fact that so many clients reported seeing success after only one visit really drew me in. We hired Tommy last week to help us with our 3 dogs. 2 who just need some minor work and the new puppy who needs more attention. I am happy to report that reviews were spot on! Within just a few hours in our first visit, Tommy taught our family techniques that had all 3 dogs falling into line! While we are still working on the puppy bathroom issues, Tommy has been amazing on that as well. He is very accessible to his clients by phone or email and we have been in constant touch - with me reporting observations and Tommy giving suggestions. We will have our 2nd work session with Tommy this Friday and I am really looking forward to it! While the initial cost may seem higher than a single obedience class, I can honestly say this is much better value for the money. The one-time fee covers training for your dog for the life of the animal and Tommy is on call any time you need him. When I calculated how many general training classes I would need to cover our issues and basic obedience, general obedience classes likely would have added up to be about equal to this fee and I would not have had the on-call support that I have with Tommy. Our family highly recommends Tommy and the Bark Busters methodology for training. We have tried other means and classes and have not had the success we have seen with just one meeting with Tommy!

Jadelyn Martinez: When we moved from another state I was worried how my dog would handle the transition and how her history of aggressive behavior would come out. I contacted Tommy about a month before my move and he scheduled to meet us soon after we arrived. I was skeptical but there was absolutely no need! Tommy was incredibly patient and took the time to explain to me not only what he was doing but why so that I could continue to do the same. He showed me a great way to introduce my dog to strangers (an area of significant difficulty for her previously), as well as how to alleviate her fears and desire to protect me around others. He even helped me with her walking and now walks are enjoyable for both of us! I never thought I’d be so confident introducing my dog to new people but Tommy really gave me the skills to do so and continued to check in along the way! I’m so glad I called Tommy and would highly recommend him!

Djily Lo: Godd

Kristen Thor: Positive: Professionalism, Quality, ValueMy first training with Alex was very eye opening for me. She taught me how I was enabling my 6 month rescue dog’s fear and anxiety and helped to change my mindset. Plus, my dog learned to heel in the first training! We are a work in progress but looking forward to more lessons. Great trainer!

Kasey D.: Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Reliability, Responsiveness, ValueBest trainer in the DC area. We have a 110lb American Bulldog that needed SERIOUS behavior modification. He was becoming such a major liability that we were considering euthanasia. Alex literally saved his life. He’s become a different dog and we now can’t imagine our lives without him.

Katie Schroy: We brought our 3 year old Rottweiler with aggression and obedience issues to two other trainers in the DMV area and neither of them were able to help him. We brought him to Capital State K9 and were seeing results within just a couple sessions, and after a only a couple months he was a completely different dog. Had we not found Alex I don't think we would have been able to keep our Gator. Best investment we ever made in our boy. Thank you so much for everything you do Alex! Highly recommended.

Austin 2: This pains me to write this but I do it with only the intent to help a business owner and future clients. SHORT ANSWER.: The trainer lacks time management, constantly rescheduling sessions. Even when we had the first meeting (consult) she tried to arrive late and still did. Find a better trainer who will have written in contract that they will be on time and commit to pricing. LONG ANSWER: Alex is a great trainer but lacks several qualities of being a business owner. She’s mentioned she’s trained several people in the past Soo instinctually we believe she would be professional in the way she treats her clients. I was wrong. In the beginning when she told us to have a consult she charged us $200 and told us the place and location to where to meet (2pm). The day of she texted us saying if we could reschedule for another time (4pm) We said no but than apparently the plans she had made were cancelled and she could finally make it too the time that was already made…. She still arrived 30 min late. We told her to please keep the time as it was and she gaurantee that it would not happened again. From there after we paid her it all got worst. On the FIRST session she did a no call no show. She told us the reason was because she was at the body shop the whole day and apparently she didn’t have even a single second to text us or notify us she wouldn’t make it. Session was at 3pm and she texted us back at 4pm After words we reminded her we needed professionalism and to please keep the dates as scheduled. The next 2 sessions went fine and we thanked her for being on time. But later on the other sessions she ends up cancelling and rescheduling because of her personal problems and from there we just grew tired of it. All in all we only had 3 session and we were supposed to have 8 in total. We decided to part ways simply because we had soo much patience with her but she could not for the life of her keep her word on anything. Overall I hope alex trully learns about time management. And whoever reads this PLEASE OLEASE PLEASE I urge you to have everything WRITTEN IN CONTRACT and make sure being PUNCTUAL is one of the things you agree on. Other than that I would not recommend her to anyone. I did want to mention that my mother works a full time job and she did have to reschedule ONCE. But she let her know HOURS before hand.

Monique Smith: Dog Training Upon the first phone call, Alex was great and responsive. We discussed payment options and she stated that prices vary with each dog (which is on her website). Our first meeting, she asked if we could reschedule from 12 noon to 3pm, which I agreed. Then she asked to reschedule till tomorrow and offered $30 off for the inconvenience making our consultation $120 instead of $150 to which I agreed. When we met, she seemed very skilled but what I had a problem with was her professionalism with keeping our scheduled time and changing the price of training after we agreed on a price. She told me it would be $110 per training session (7) in total for 1 hour but would bring it down to $90 an hour if I got a package and paid upfront. So we agreed to me giving her half upfront ($375) and the other half after the 3rd session. We then scheduled a time to meet 6 days from then in which she sends me a text at 12 midnight (the night before our session) to tell me she spoke with her partner and he didn’t agree with the price given. She wanted to charge me $110 per class instead of $90; which I would have been ok with because her technique we learned in one day was working with our dog but she even canceled that time because she didn’t want to transport her dog in her partner's car because it was $80,000. She explained that the “home visit” which she suggested that she does with EVERY client was normally $200 and I had to now pay that instead of what we discussed because her partner disapproved of the price. My question was then; If I have to pay these prices, what is your cancellation policy when you change times or reschedule days due to your personal time-mismanagement? Not only that, the entire time we were with her in training, she continued to state that she doesn’t usually work with “civilians” although her site is marketing TO “civilians”. After continuing LONG emails of her explaining her personal circumstances and back n forth about the pricing (which I have no way of confirming since “prices vary per dog”) I just decided to not continue with the training and requested a full refund because we now had to search for another trainer. She agreed and said I would have my refund within a week which would have been Friday, Dec 25, 2020 and it’s now Sunday. I sent her a follow up text to which she has yet to respond. Now I know it’s COVID19 so I’ve been trying to be extremely understanding to people’s situations during this time as I would like the same. Things happen and I tried to be very accommodating however I run a business too which allows me to be flexible with my time. I just wanted to be fair and for her company to be fair with me. If you’re going to charge me a price and I agree to it, please be on time as I too have had to schedule and reschedule training to accommodate training I paid for and needed. I DO think she’s an excellent trainer but it didn’t work out and I still haven’t received my refund.

Jory Stevenson: Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Reliability, ResponsivenessAlex is great. We connected through Thumbtack and she’s been helping me with my 2 year old Husky’s aggression issues for about three months now. Already seeing a night and day difference in our progress. Highly recommend!

Stephen Arnold: Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Reliability, ResponsivenessPatient, confident, professional, and efficient. I'll give anyone who brings their dog to her $100 if she can't fix the problem. In a male dominated niche, I consider her easily just as competent and confident as some of the better males trainers out here.

Dave Batres: Positive: Professionalism, ValueGreat experience and very talented

Sal Quairoli: Mark and his guys are a great crew. Since I have been training my Malinois with them I can see his progress with each session. We always look forward to our next classes to see how much we can push my dog's limits

A.J. B.: Great place with great people!! I drive 2+hours multiple times a week just to train here. My dogs have made huge progress in such a short time. I definitely recommend HCK9!

Shaun Ouellette: Great training. They focus on your needs and tailor the training to assist you. Price is fair, but when you realize you can go as many times as you want it pays off.

Protection Solutions: Mark is one of the best trainers out there very knowledgeable and takes the time to work with people of every level. Excellent work

Kalynn Schusteritsch: Excellent training and services excellent trainer. Some of the best I have ever trained with

Jason Holloway: Never knew they train dogs hear.450$ is the price and its a 1 time fee til ur pets learns

Harry Duffield: As a first time dog owner I can say HCK9 has really helped me raise a well trained and behaved dog

Walter Newbright: Very easy to work with and very understanding. Best trainer in the tri state area great work

BOOKER ROARY JR.: If you want your dog to reach its fullest capability sign up for a class today.

Sneha: Baloo just completed Patrick's Puppy Head Start Part One and Part Two with Nikita, and I can't say enough good things about it. The first day I dropped him off, he was shaking and clinging to me. The second time, and every time after that, he ran right in. He clearly loves going and absolutely adores Nikita. I don't know what we would have done without them, we were very overwhelmed when we enrolled Baloo in their program. It really gave us a structured plan to work on with him, and it's been amazing to see him improve from week to week. Nikita is a puppy whisperer. She helped us with every problematic behavior he had, and he's grown into a really good boy. There are still a few things we need to work on with him, so I won't say we've 100% solved everything....but he is miles ahead of most other dogs his age that I meet. He's polite, he comes when he's called (even in distracted environment ). He's good about checking in. He also has all his important commands down. They introduced it during Head Start, and we reinforced it at home. I find that with new commands, the hardest part is getting it to click, which Patrick's does amazingly. Concepts that take me multiple days to teach the puppy, Nikita manages to do in a few short hours. They've helped him become socialized to grooming, weird noises and different surfaces, all important in a city! He's also learned excellent play behavior with other dogs. Nikita does such a great job of monitoring the puppies and reinforcing positive, healthy behavior. I also loved the photos and report cards at the end of the day, so did Baloo. When Baloo hears Nikita's voice, he drops whatever he's doing to come over and look for her. Overall, such a positive experience. I find that you really get out of the program what you put into it! The more you work with the puppy out of hours and reach out to the instructors for help, the more progress you see. Highly recommend it!

Seraphina Ferraro: I cannot begin to sing the praises of Patrick's loudly enough. I brought my 7 month old puppy, Emet, who is a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, to see them today for his first ever grooming appointment. They were so communicative during the appointment, including me in Zoom calls throughout the day and letting me know how he did on breaks. It was obvious from the video chats that they put a lot of effort into getting him comfortable and gaining his trust. He's already an outgoing little guy, but they were so patient with him and it showed in how happy he was in the videos. Their report card was incredibly thorough and really let me know how things went, and included bonus videos of him getting trimmed as well as photos of the process. It's clear that they really love dogs and love what they do. He came out looking great, and they laid the foundation for many more happy grooming appointments to come.

Simon Roberts: We are so happy with the service and attention that our Shih Tzu/Mini Poodle mix Rocco has been receiving that if I could give Patrick's 6 stars I would. Their attention to detail and general concern for every dog in their care is amazing from Ian with Mini Dog Mondays to Emma with small dog Montessori. Their reports are frankly more informative than anything I ever received for my kids and given our dog's separation anxiety, knowing exactly how Rocco is doing is very helpful. In addition, the webcams give us the option to check on Rocco throughout the day. Great organization.

Jack Zietman: I don’t have enough good to say about Patrick’s Pet Care. Our small dog loves everyone there—human and dog—and the staff engage warmly, playfully, and attentively with her and all of the dogs. Our dog has been through the Day Care 101 program and now regularly attends Doggie Montessori School; she also goes to Patrick’s for grooming and some additional training. I can’t imagine sending our dog anywhere else—Patrick’s is just wonderful.

Susan Patterson: I've been sending my pup Georgia to Patrick's Pet Care Montessori School for two months now, and she is making great progress! Georgia's social skills definitely needed some improvement, and Emma (aka the Dog Whisperer of Columbia Heights!) has been amazing with her, helping her gain confidence and teaching her to play well with the other dogs. Georgia isn't even sad when I drop her off in the mornings any more - she runs right in to say hi to Emma and her new four-legged friends. Highly recommend!

Zoe Yousik: I already recommend Patrick's to everyone I encounter on my walks so making it more official here. Emma Teller first did an amazing job training and guiding my cautious puppy through the newly created Dog Daycare 101. Then in the regular daycare Emma continues training all the attendees. She does the most to make sure the dogs are playing in appropriate energy level play groups, learning new things, and getting constant attention. The end of day report cards are lovely. Getting a video of my puppy walking up stairs, and activity she had completely refused to do, was the highlight of my week! We do grooming at Patrick's as well and they do a great job while still keeping my puppy so excited to attend.

Daniele Wilson: I wholeheartedly recommend Patrick's Pet Care!! Hands down, Patrick's Pet Care is one of the best doggy daycares in DC. My dog has slight anxiety around larger dogs and would prefer to spend all day cuddling with humans, which doesn't make for a great time at most of the other daycares in DC. Patrick's Pet Care not only has a location specifically for smaller dogs but their enrichment activities are a sure fire way to make sure your pup comes home happy and exhausted. The entire team at Patrick's Pet Care is great, but Emma is by far the best. Emma takes great care of my dog and makes the best report card videos that I look forward to watching every single time. I'm so happy that I found Patrick's Pet Care!

Capree Houston: Patrick's Pet Care is 5 star! After researching various doggy daycare options, I decided to give Patrick's a try. It is one of the best decisions I've made for my 11 month old Frenchie! My pup is a very "spirited" dog who goes from 0 to 100 in an instant, and never meets a stranger. Emma has done a great job helping her to focus, learn how to regulate her excitement level, and learn how to play at appropriate levels. I love that Emma teaches her new things and has helped her meet her goals in such a short amount of time. Although I pass several doggy daycares on my way to Patrick's in Columbia Heights, I wouldn't take my dog anywhere else!

Michon Bunch: I am super grateful to Patrick's Pet Care especially Emma. My pup absolutely adores Emma and loves the Montessori School curriculum. During drop off, Kori jumps out of the car and runs and dances all the way to Patrick's front door! As soon as Emma greets us, Kori runs in not even looking back for me. At the end of the day, I always look forward to the detailed report card and pictures of Kori's exciting day. Don't look any further than Patrick's for all your pet care needs even the excellent fear free grooming. Signed, a very satisfied mama and pup.