Always Training K9s

Hawks is a 4-year-old German Shepherd mix who has experienced trauma and has become reactive to multiple different things. I reached out to Nikki for help, and she went above and beyond for my boy! Nikki is attentive, patient, intelligent, perceptive, kind, and incredibly well-educated. Hawks stayed with Nikki for two weeks, and he came back calmer, more confident, less impulsive and reactive, and happy. She not only taught Hawks how to make different choices, but she also taught me so much about Hawks, dogs, and life that I will continue to implement moving forward. Nikki took the time to understand where Hawks was at, earn his trust, and then teach and train him. Nikki and I discussed goals for Hawks, and she continued to keep me updated multiple times a day on his progress throughout his two-week stay. Hawks struggled with reactivity to cars, people, and dogs, poor leash manners, and impulsivity. Before working with Nikki, I was not able to take Hawks on walks or have people in my home because of these issues. Hawks and I are now walking twice a day in my neighborhood, and I have so much more confidence in how to advocate for him and manage situations when inviting people into my home. Nikki continues to be a part of Hawks and my lives. She asks for updates, pictures, and genuinely cares about his progress even after he came home. I can confidently say that she has changed my dog’s life and mine through her training. I cannot recommend her enough. If you are having issues with your dog or simply want your dog trained, you have found the right person in Nikki. She will love and care for your animal like it is her own. I am a one-dog person, but the next time I get a dog, they will be going straight to her. 10/10. 5 stars.

As a first-time dog mom, I had absolutely no idea how much I had to learn. When we rescued Hendrix, I thought dog training was mostly about teaching commands. What Nikki taught me is that it’s really about communication, trust, leadership, and creating a relationship where your dog understands what is expected of them and feels safe because of that clarity. Hendrix came to us with a lot of fear and anxiety. She struggled with barking, reacting to people entering our home, fence fighting, and feeling overwhelmed in everyday situations. We loved her so much, but honestly, I often felt frustrated, confused, and unsure of how to help her. Working with Nikki completely changed that. Not only did she help Hendrix become calmer, more confident, and more successful in the world, but she taught me how to be the kind of dog owner Hendrix needed. Nikki helped me understand how dogs communicate, how my own actions and energy affect Hendrix, and how important it is to set and maintain clear expectations with consistency and kindness. For the first time, I feel like Hendrix and I truly understand each other. The transformation has been incredible. We can now take her to restaurants, dog-friendly stores, busy public places, and even simple errands that once felt impossible. But beyond all of that, the greatest gift Nikki gave us was confidence. Hendrix is more confident, and so am I. What stands out most about Nikki is how deeply she cares. She isn’t just training dogs. She is teaching families how to build stronger relationships with them. Every interaction is rooted in patience, compassion, knowledge, and a genuine desire to help both the dog and the owner succeed. I am so grateful for everything Nikki has done for our family. Hendrix has a happier, calmer life because of her, and I have become a better dog mom because of her. If you’re considering training for your dog, I cannot recommend Nikki and Always Training K9s highly enough!

We rescued Hendrix, who was about six months old at the time, and after almost nine months with her, we were still struggling with some really challenging behaviors. She would fence fight, bark at anyone passing by our yard or windows, and react aggressively when people tried to come into our home, even people she had met before and had previously been friendly with. It was clear she had a lot of fear and anxiety, and we wanted to find someone who could help her in a loving, thoughtful way. After looking at many different training programs, we found Nikki at Always Training K9s. Watching her Instagram stories gave us so much confidence because we could see how she works with the dogs in her two-week program with care, patience, love, and consistency while achieving incredible results. Hendrix completed the program a few weeks ago, and we are honestly amazed by the difference. She is a completely different dog. She is so much calmer, happier, and more confident. We can now take her to restaurants and sit with her in public, walk her in busy areas, bring her into dog-friendly stores like Home Depot, and even go through drive-thrus without her barking like crazy, which was impossible before. We are so excited for the life we now get to have with Hendrix, and for the calmer, happier life she gets to have with us. We can’t thank Nikki enough for what she has done for Hendrix and for our family. We are incredibly grateful and highly recommend Always Training K9s.