Michelle was a joy to work with - we used her private training services after adopting an 11 week old puppy. Michelle was flexible with our schedule so we could have training sessions in the morning before work. She was constantly available for follow up questions and provided long, detailed and thoughtful responses to our questions and concerns. After several classes with Michelle, she recommended another wonderful trainer to us (Sam Matlick) who was able to do more intensive board & train work with our puppy to address some behavioral issues. I can't recommend Michelle enough, she really knows what she is doing and was great to work with!

CR

Michelle is THE ABSOLUTE BEST dog trainer – I cannot recommend her enough. When we decided to add another dog to our family after 8 years of not living the puppy life, we instantly felt in over our heads… until we found Michelle.

Michelle brings an incredible mix of expert knowledge, care, and a true passion towards dogs training to each session we’ve had with her. From day 1, when we called frantic and feeling lost, she brought a calming presence and deep level of insight to our interactions that helped us feel at ease.

Cont >

…Our pup, Hugo, has gone through her puppy boot camp where he learned SO many things. From helping to get him to love his crate, to loose leash walking, and from basic commands to socialization, we wouldn’t have the well behaved pup we do today without her. You can watch his “graduation” video here where he shows off all his skills – https://youtu.be/yLb3ie3iKDI

Michelle has also been there for us through his “teen” years and helped us navigate things like marking, reactivity, and polite greetings. She’s also done joint sessions with Hugo and his brother Miyagi that have been immensely helpful.

Michelle’s mix of professionalism and compassion make each lesson informative, actionable, and leave us feeling like we have the tools to succeed… even when Hugo makes us second guess if that’s possible :) We feel so lucky to have found her!

KM

I’ve known Michelle for 15 years, and asked for her help numerous times with my own dogs and other dogs with whom I’ve worked. She’s amazing! Her ability to read a dog’s body language, her calm demeanor and ability to communicate clearly with both humans and dogs is a true gift. Michelle didn’t stop there though, she pursues education with a fierceness that’s impressive, always looking for ways to help dogs and families more efficiently, more effectively. Michelle makes a difference with the families of shy or reactive dogs, but most of all, it’s her work to help puppies get off to the right start that impresses me the most. A family would be lucky to have Michelle on their side.

S Matlick

Michelle is such an excellent dog trainer. When I adopted my little rescue beagle the pup and I both needed some training! Because Luna was a stray she wouldn't walk on leash outside, she wouldn't respond to commands, and housetraining was challenging. Michelle taught me how to understand my rescue pup, and we walked through the training together so I could implement things well with Luna going forward. She makes the experience easy (comes to your apartment, answers all email inquiries/questions) when dog training can be tough! Luna is now doing great. A very happy little beagle. :)

JS

We worked with Michelle over the course of a few months with our JRT/pointer mix rescue through private lessons. We would have continued to work with her had we not moved out of the area. Michelle is awesome and I highly recommend working with her. What I liked most is her realistic approach. We have a dog with behavioral issues and high anxiety. If positive reinforcement wasn't doing the trick, she was willing to make alternative suggestions and try something else. Any issue I mentioned, she had a great suggestion as to how to work on it and provided helpful follow up after each lesson to refer back to. Michelle is easy to work with and was incredibly accommodating. We also did a lesson at the studio, which is a great space.

SB

Michelle is truly exceptional, and I have entrusted her with the training of all my dogs from the time they were puppies. Her depth of knowledge, combined with her patience and kindness, sets her apart as a remarkable trainer. She has a unique ability to break down complex training concepts into clear, practical guidance that is easy to understand and apply. Her thoughtful approach not only helps dogs learn effectively but also empowers owners to build strong, lasting relationships with their pets. I cannot recommend her highly enough!

J Lamb

Michelle did a really great job helping our dog Milo when he developed aggression issues. We saw another trainer before her and there is no comparison -- not only did she come up with an initial treatment plan that was better suited to the problem, she took the time to get to know our dog and came up with ways to incorporate his personality into his training. He is much calmer now and continues to improve as we implement what she taught us. She's really knowledgeable and is an impressive handler - highly recommend!

CW

SO glad we came here - it's not a cookie-cutter program, the small studio and dedicated staff make the entire program feel personalized and we feel remembered/appreciated. Michelle and her entire team are incredible. Their training methods are effective, and I love their focus on socialization/nice play for pups as well as their flexibility to work on issues relevant to what dogs in the class are struggling with at any given time. We did not do academy but have seen such amazing results out of others who have done so (and then joined into our regular classes). Workshops are sporadic but are also a great way to focus-in on specific issues.

KP

Michelle is fantastic! We brought our 15-week old puppy to her. She provided specific tips and drills that within just three days generated remarkable improvement! In less than a week, our puppy was walking much better, and became able to stay focused during distracting times in the city. Michelle's ability to communicate with our dog, evaluate his needs, and build an effective training program has made all the difference (she also showed us specific training devices that have made our lives much easier!). In addition to obedience training, Michelle also took the time to ask us about how our pup behaves at home when he is not being trained. She is helping us develop a game plan to improve behavior, and already we can tell it will be super valuable. Beyond all this, Michelle is a lovely, kind person. We are so grateful to be working with her and could not recommend her more highly!

ML