Testimonials

After we got our sweet Josie we realized we needed a little help training me, I mean the dog. I was making her a little anxious! Daniel’s relational approach was perfect for us. Josie is a calm, happy, joy to around dog! We Thank you so much Loudoun K9 for your knowledge, care and professionalism!

We adopted a dog from Kabul many years ago. He came to us at about 18 months and had lived in the streets as a lone dog and not part of a pack and did not know how to interact with people or dogs very well. Daniel and Loudoun K9 took the extra time and effort to understand Abi’s individual needs and helped him grow so he could be part of our family. If I could give them a millions stars I would. Loudoun K 9 is the best!!!

Daniel saved our dog! When we relocated here from Georgia, our Great Pyrenees mix did not transition easily. She had always been a skittish dog with her share of issues, but everything was exacerbated when we changed her environment. She became unpredictable, Jekyll and Hyde. She’d let you pet her then quickly snap and snarl. We were at a loss. Our vet recommended a few trainers, but Loudoun K9 was at the top of her list. When we first met with Daniel, he took time to listen to all of our concerns and everything we’ve tried, and he shared his expertise before we had even agreed to training. That’s when we knew he is in this for the good of the dog. When we started training, Daniel met us with care and compassion, but he was also skilled enough to navigate difficult conversations: the ways we were contributing to Piper’s problems. It took months, but we are finally at a point where we can see that Piper is enjoying life again, seems comfortable in her environment, and is learning to trust again. We can’t thank Daniel enough for helping us navigate such a difficult time. We cannot recommend the team at Loudoun K9 enough.

Loudoun K9 has brought trust and control to my life with my dog. I rescued my dog about 1.5 years ago when she was 5 years old and realized she was stuck in her ways, and I was afraid it was too late to train her. My primary concerns were aggression toward other dogs and lack of control on walks. I contacted Loudoun K9 for a free consultation and it was clear this was the best path. Daniel made sure to promote a strong dog/owner relationship before moving forward with the next steps. My dog and I went through 8 in-home sessions, and I am shocked at how much progress my dog has made. She is no longer aggressive and listens to recall commands very well. Our last session was walking around the outside perimeter of a dog park with about 15 dogs barking, and she literally did not care at all. She ignored them and walked around and did her own thing. This time a year ago, she would have tried to attack anything that looked her way. The progress is phenomenal. Also, Daniel made himself available anytime by phone for questions and support. Anyone looking for dog training should go with Loudoun K9.

Loudoun K9 and especially Daniel are wonderful. I had in home training with Daniel. He did a wonderful job working with me and my pup Louie. Louie has a lot of long term health issues. Those issues meant that we needed to spread out the training days when Louie wasn’t up for training. Along with health issues Louie suffers from separation anxiety, impulse control and basic behavioral issues. Daniel has taught me the skills to help Louie be the best pup he can be. Even though training has finished I know that if I run into a question or a problem Daniel and his staff will be there for me and Louie.

Daniel & his team did an amazing job with my 9 month old puppy. I did the at home training as well as the 3 week board & train program. The 4 training sessions before I sent my dog away for 3 weeks was the assurance I needed that they would take great care of my pup (& make great progress) when he was away. At the board & train they sent me updates every few days by text with photos & videos & a nice long explanation of what they had accomplished so far. I couldn’t recommend Daniel & his team more! Thank you Loudoun K9

Daniel and his Loudoun K9 team deserve all five stars and more! I reached out to Loudoun K9 to help me with two behavioral challenges with my 6-year-old coonhound rescue, Hazel. She would often refuse to walk around the neighborhood with me, limiting herself to a small radius of territory from the house. She was also impossible to control off-leash. Daniel said he could have Hazel walking fear-free and off-leash within 8 sessions. He did it successfully in 7! I was immediately impressed by how carefully he observed Hazel’s behavior, as well as my relationship with her. He used this information to expertly tailor the training to our specific needs, rather than just following a standard training formula. Every lesson (and the required homework) built the strong foundation needed to reach our final goal. In between lessons, if I was confused about an exercise, or not getting the proper reaction from Hazel, I only needed to text Daniel to get immediate, sound advice on how to handle the situation. His approach really (really!) works. Within two lessons, Hazel’s fear of walking beyond her comfort zone completely disappeared. She confidently heels at my side no matter where we wander, even alongside busy streets full of traffic. Our off-leash training took longer, but the slow and steady approach worked. I have now had her off leash in an unfenced yard and a quiet field. She roamed nearby and came back right away when I called. Both of us now LOVE taking walks together because we are entirely in sync. A final selling point in my opinion: Daniel and his team not only train the dog, but also the owner. This for me was essential to our success. Daniel showed me that the way I was interacting with Hazel was negatively impacting her confidence. When I changed my behavior, Hazel’s improved. If you want an experienced, professional dog trainer who will custom tailor a training program for you and your dog, and you are ready to invest the time and effort to train both human and hound, then you can’t go wrong with Loudoun K9. They are the best!

Top notch, Loudoun K9 was! Our Aussiedoodle Aspyn just 8 months old we knew we wanted, needed to get her some training as she is a bigger, stronger dog than we have ever had. Our initial consultation with Daniel was really professional and yet he was so down to earth, loved his story and listening how this experience for animals brings out the best for all involved. The board & train, seems like it’s a lifetime but in all fairness, it really went by fast with periodic updates with pictures/ videos of her in action. Thank you to the Loudoun K9 team, Deidra. We highly recommend this program, we still practice what she has learned for reinforcement. A major plus is lifetime follow up help for anything that should develop that needs resolution. Paul & Christine McLane

The major reason I wanted my 1 year old terrier mix Tucker to participate in Loudoun K9's Board & Train program is because he was so reactive to new people and situations. When he returned home, I immediately saw a difference in his confidence levels and walks have become more enjoyable for the both of us. Recently when we were walking in our favorite Ashburn park, we passed a group of special needs athletes using the bocce ball court. A few minutes later I looked back and noticed a woman jogging after us and trying to get my attention. We stopped (we were in heel and Tucker sat down) and she explained from a good distance away that her teenage son, one of the athletes we passed, has had a big fear of dogs for the last 6 or 7 years but when he saw Tucker walk by, the son was happy and excited, which was a significant behavioral development. As I was about to explain that Tucker can be nervous around new people so he might not be the right dog to conquer fears with, the son dashed up to us and Tucker DID NOTHING. He just let the young man look at him from a short distance away - no jumping, no barking; no commands or e-collar needed. You could have knocked me over with a feather since historically fast movements, males, and loud voices were all triggers for Tuck's anxiety. I believe animals are attune to human emotion in special ways and the fact that this boy who feared dogs was able to peacefully connect with a dog who feared people was a really special moment for all of us. We wished the family well and parted ways. .... Of course Tucker lost his mind barking when a bicycle sped passed us on the trail 3 minutes later so we're still working on some things! But I truly appreciate Loudoun K9's great work and the strong foundation the Board & Train program left us to build upon. Having Tucker's confidence boosted and my stress reduced has done wonders for our partnership. We look forward to doing more Hound Hikes to practice our skills and hopefully the agility program in the future.

My dog and I did in home training with Daniel. I had on my hands an easily overstimulated dog with separation anxiety and no impulse control. The most helpful thing that Daniel taught me was how dogs think—what motivates them, what reinforces behaviors, and how to set them up for success. I would use different training methods I found online but never felt positive that anything I was doing was making a difference. With Daniel’s guidance, not only did he teach me how to teach my dog to walk with a loose leash, have stellar recall, learn ‘place’ and good door manners, major progress with separation anxiety, and NEUTRALITY around other dogs, but he gave me the ability to navigate new situations with my dog and feel confident that I’m reinforcing the right things in the right way. I cannot recommend Daniel and the Loudoun K9 team enough—their assistance has been life changing. It is absolutely worth the investment. It will be a lot of really hard work, but if you put the time in now, it will pay off in the future. Daniel’s training has enabled me to go on adventures with my dog across the country—she’s my travel buddy and the whole reason I wanted a dog in the first place! Now I can adventure with her and enjoy myself to the fullest, without worrying that she’ll pull and jump on people or lunge at other dogs. I can let her run around off leash, go swimming and hiking and feel fully confident that she will come back to me when I call her. We have both gained so much freedom and stress free time together. Thank you Daniel, so very much!!! We are extremely grateful for the work that you do!!