Any Breed Training

This review is strictly regarding the business owner's communication and lack of transparency with prospective clients, not her actual dog training. I reached out to Nikki about training for my new puppy. She responded with a standard pitch detailing her credentials and a premium rate of $200/hour, claiming she trains dogs "in a different way" than others. Naturally, before investing that kind of money and inviting someone into my home, I politely asked if she had any short video clips of her training style so I could understand her methodology. Her response was incredibly curt and defensive: "No i dont have social media you are requesting. My training is very personal and not media income for me." I didn't care about social media; I cared about understanding her teaching style. Because finding a trainer is about compatibility and trust, I actually went out of my way to apologize for any misunderstanding and asked if she could point me to any online video of any trainer with a similar style, just so I could get a rough idea of what to expect. Instead of a professional response (like suggesting client references or pointing to her Yelp reviews), she completely shut down the conversation: "I have provided the information I provide to all my clients. It seems we will not be a good fit." Nikki expects clients to blindly commit to a $200/hour rate with zero visual proof or demonstration of her "unique" methodology. When asked basic, polite questions to ensure a good fit, she met me with defensiveness, a complete lack of flexibility, and a curt dismissal. If a trainer is this defensive and difficult to communicate with before you even hire them, imagine how stressful it would be to work with them. There are plenty of highly qualified trainers who welcome questions and treat prospective clients with respect--IMO go to them instead. I've attached our communication as proof.

I can't say enough about Nikki and her training methods if you want a dog that is calm in all situations, listens to voice and hand commands, and does not need food treats in order to listen. Nikki is not the one training your dog, but rather giving you, the owner, the skills to do so. Her method is based on solid, consistent, clear communication that is reinforced with lots of physical praise vs food treats. She takes the time to get to know you, your lifestyle , your goalsmand where you will be taking your dog. She works on helping you and your dog reach YOUR goals vs general goals. Our 1 year old, 90 pound, enthusiastically friendly golden retriever accidentally injured my knee when he pulled me on the leash. I honestly can't believe the difference now. We have put a lot of time into all the drills and suggestions Nikki has given us on the long and short leads, on the trails and in the city. His recall is now excellent, he can meet other dogs much more calmly than his "coming in hot" tactics that scares some dogs, he greets our guests with lovely manners, and honestly, he seems so much happier in a calm way. I would strongly recommend Nikki for any kind of dog. She herself is calm, matter of fact, fair and consistent.