Spot-On K9 Training

My dog Gizmo started training with Stephen when he was about six months old- after he had already completed a course of puppy kindergarten. Gizmo learned so many important skills during his training with Stephen but more importantly I learned training skills! I had to leave NY for a while- so I continued Gizmo’s training with different trainers and I could absolutely tell the difference! I am telling you as someone who has done two courses of puppy kindergarten, a board and train program, at home training for about 12 sessions and recently learned from professional gun dog trainers in Ireland that Stephen is the absolute real deal! As Gizmo continues to get older and recently hit the adolescent phase, you can tell that the things he’s retained are the commands that Stephen taught us.

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We are very grateful to the Spot-On K9 Training program — Stephen helped us break through to some of our dog Henry’s root challenges in a clear and direct manner. This provided a pivotal change in our dog’s journey that we will keep building upon. We highly recommend Spot-On for anyone looking for the tools for both their dog and for themselves. It is also nice to work with somebody that understands the nuances of having a dog in the city. That’s you, Stephen! Thank you again!

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Stephen is amazing!! I signed up for training as my 3.5-year-old baby, Enzo, had issues while walking on the leash and always wanted to be in front. He also got too excited whenever he saw another dog or a bird and would pull me towards them. After just one session, I saw such a big difference. Enzo started walking next to me and became much more obedient in general.

Each lesson had a clear target, which really helped both of us. For one of the class, we learned “place” and Enzo jumped up on a rock and held a “place” command like a pro. That was just the second lesson. He has never jumped that high before, let alone sit still at that height, so I believe his confidence grew, and so did mine too, as a dog parent. The concierge in my building even shared that they notice a difference in Enzo’s behavior!

Enzo really likes and respects Stephen, and it shows in how he responds to him. If you're thinking about getting help with your pups, I can’t recommend Stephen enough. Thank you so much, Stephen you have truly been wonderful and such a good trainer!

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I had the pleasure of working with Stephen to train my dog for off-leash recall, and I couldn’t be more impressed with the results! Stephen was incredibly knowledgeable and tailored the training to my dog’s specific needs, which made all the difference. He took the time to understand her behavior and adjusted the approach accordingly. My dog's recall has improved drastically, and it’s clear that Stephen is passionate about what he does. Highly recommend him to anyone looking for a professional, effective dog trainer who truly understands dogs! Thank you, Stephen!

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Stephen is not the first trainer my husband and I have worked with however the results from working with Stephen has exceeded our expectations. Before starting SOK9T our dog Z would excessively pull on the leash and was very reactive to other dogs, to the point where walking him was very stressful and not enjoyable.

After our first private lesson with Stephen, we saw an incredible difference in Z's behavior on walks and I would say walks became much more enjoyable. We also wanted to work on Z's off leash & recall. In the beginning I had doubts it would be possible, and did not have much expectations for Z to be able to run around off leash. By the final class, Z was walking around Central Park for over an hour off leash with amazing recall and a calm approach towards other dogs.

Stephen was an amazing trainer, he uses both positive and corrective training tools to ensure Z learns boundaries and makes positive choices. Stephen goes above and beyond, answering all our questions and concerns with detailed explanations and plenty of material after each class for us to reference while practicing on our own.

Although our private lessons have ended, Stephen still offers free monthly group lessons to reinforce the training learned during our private lessons and is still available to support and answer any questions we have.

It has been an amazing experience that has exceeded our expectations and we would highly recommend this training to anyone who wants to give their dog more freedom but still understand their boundaries.

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