Akina K9

Rich is the best, point blank period! We originally met Rich in 2019 with our first pet and after such a great experience with equally great results, had no choice but to return for training with our second pet in 2024. To say that we are satisfied would be an understatement. We originally did private sessions for our first go around and this time did private sessions as well as a 30-day board and train, which to no surprise, went smoothly and completely improved our dog’s obedience. No matter what you are looking for, whether it be potty training, obedience, protection, board and train, etc. Rich is the man to see! I’ve never met anyone who takes their job more seriously who is also genuinely caring and compassionate. Choose Akina K9!

I would give Rich and his team 10 stars if I could. But, let me start by sharing a bit of my story. I brought home an abandoned puppy from the street, and as he grew, he began to show signs of territorial aggression, resource guarding, reactivity, and dominant behavior, which seriously disrupted our household. We’ve taken all precautions to prevent this, but it was almost like these behaviors were harbored within his genetics. It eventually became a safety concern, especially around strangers. He was always unfriendly, barking, and snapping at anyone he didn't know. This made it challenging to take him out or have new friends and family over. It felt like we were stuck, caring for a dog who might turn on us at any moment. At one point, I even considered rehoming him due to safety concerns towards my family. I had my doubts about dog training, thinking it might not work. But when we brought our dog to Rich, he conducted a thorough assessment, testing our dog's reactivity in various situations. Right then and there, it became clear that he was a trainer who knows exactly what he's doing, and most importantly, a trainer who genuinely cares about his clients' dogs. Fast forward to the end of Rich's training program, my dog has gone through an unbelievable transformation. He now behaves in ways I couldn't have imagined before. The quality of life for both my family and my dog has improved significantly, and I've never been happier. If you've ever had a reactive dog, you'll know it can be quite a rollercoaster. But I'm happy to say, life has become amazing after this training. We can now have guests over without stress, take him on walks, go out in public, and he's become a much friendlier dog. I finally feel like I have a normal dog doing normal dog things. Rich has always been responsive, answering my questions through text between sessions and providing thorough explanations when we talked on the phone. He's extremely patient, never making me feel dumb, since dog training can be hard to understand for a first time dog owner. It's clear that he genuinely cares about the dogs he trains and has an effective technique that makes communication between me and my dog clear and effective. If you find yourself in a situation similar to where I was just a couple of months ago, don't hesitate to take your dog to Akina K9. It was hands down the best decision I ever made. One more thing to note is that Rich offers boarding services for your dog, which is a huge relief when you need to go on vacation. I wouldn't trust anyone else besides Rich to take care of my dog while I'm away. He knows my dog well, and I can now enjoy vacations without any stress.

We did the 20 private sessions and initially I felt like this wouldnt be enough for me to see any results in my dog, but I was so wrong! Its amazing to see how much my girl improved in a span of almost a year. From shy and hesitant to confident! I felt like not only did attending these sessions build my dog’s confidence, but mine too! I learned so much like how to read her body language and this definitely helped me build a stronger relationship with her. Rich taught us many ways to make dog training fun for the both of us. I am a slow learner, but Rich patiently answered my questions and explained to me clearly what needs to be done. Even if I had questions outside of our sessions, he made time to answer them. Thank you to Suzana too for making the scheduling really easy! I always got an answer from her very quickly. After completing our private sessions, we started attending group classes. I was a bit concerned and nervous being surrounded with other dogs and their owners, but every class we attended has been such a pleasant experience. I felt very safe bringing my dog out and was inspired by other dog owners. Highly recommend Rich and his team if you want to see results in your dog’s behavior! :)