Boss K9

I can’t say enough good things about Boss K-9. After being told by trainers (facilities located in Mentor, Ohio) that our rescue German Shepherd was “untrainable,” we were at a complete loss. During the pandemic she was somewhat social and attended doggy day care however, that seemed to one day go out the window. Her anxiety had gotten out of hand, and it felt like we had exhausted every option. But that all changed when we found the incredible facility at Boss K-9. From the moment we walked in, the owner and staff made us feel welcome and understood. The trainers here have such a deep knowledge of canine behavior. Their professionalism, expertise, care, support, and patience are truly remarkable. They took the time to assess Maple’s (our dog) needs, never once labeling her as "untrainable." Instead, they developed a personalized training plan that considered her temperament and unique challenges of anxiety. What really stood out to us was their commitment to positive reinforcement. They worked with us and our dog, Maple, in such a compassionate and motivating way, teaching us how to communicate better with her. It wasn’t just about fixing behavior; it was about building trust, respect, and understanding. After Maple did a 4-week board and train we saw marked improvements. Our Maple, who had previously been difficult to manage due to her anxiety, began responding to commands, walking calmly on a leash, and showing a more balanced and confident demeanor. Though at times it was challenging, I had to follow the regime provided to me by the Boss K9 staff! I’m genuinely amazed at how much progress we’ve made with our Maple, and it’s all thanks to the expertise and dedication of the trainers at Boss K-9. If you’re looking for a facility that doesn’t give up on your dog, no matter how challenging their behavior may seem, I can wholeheartedly recommend this place. They truly work magic! Dr. Michelle Jackson, Ph.D.

We are posting this a year after training, as we held out on the hope of progress for so long, but wish to share with others so they can make an informed choice. Last January we sent our dog to BossK9 for a 4 week board-and-train. After the four weeks they recommended one more, providing hope that car training and full obedience might improve with a little extra time to work on it. At their recommendation, we added a 5th week, bringing the total (time and cost) to 5 weeks. We did get a slight discount for a of the boarding days due to holiday scheduling. Throughout that month, we received weekly progress reports by text. While the updates were fine, they didn’t leave us feeling confident as they often lacked dept to much progress. There wasn’t much focus on our dog’s unique needs, like what specifically motivated her or how they could adapt her main ‘drives’. Instead, the approach felt very “one-size-fits-all,” relying heavily on obedience and aversive techniques such as muzzling consistently and the eCollar, with limited positive reinforcement or use of play within training. As a rescue dog with some trauma, this style seemed to do more harm than good. We had issues continuing the training at home which we shared with BossK9. What was particularly disappointing was the continued stress and anxiety seen during car rides and regressive behavior continuing during our neighborhood walks. When we asked for help, we were told the problem was our “relationship” with our dog and were advised to push her harder—something that didn’t sit right with us given her background. We were also advised to keep her in ‘bed’ 4 hours a day and the crate 4 hours a day as a training technique. It seemed like our dog could ‘behave’ basically if given no privileges or space in our home. Follow-ups after the initial stay also left a bad impression. After two visits, we were charged extra for the cost of their gas and travel and were told after two visits we’d have to pay more for additional support, which we declined because we already felt like we’d wasted enough money. We had thought follow ups were all free after 5-weeks investment, based on the wording of the website. We made this dissatisfaction of these extra charges clear several times, but it didn’t lead to any meaningful resolution. Overall, we wouldn’t recommend BossK9—especially not for dogs who need positive reinforcement or more personalized approaches. Despite doing our research beforehand, we feel misled by the initial promises and unprepared for the lack of progress and support. If you’re looking for a balanced or trauma-informed training style, this may not be the right fit. We’ve made much more progress with our pup using play, clickers, and praise over more balanced training with the eCollar, choke collar, and submissive techniques.

We used Boss K9 for our Bernese Mountain Dog puppy, Cookie. Knowing she would grow to be a large dog, we wanted to make sure she could learn to contain her energy and excitement. We did the Puppy Core Package to learn the basics which helped us with walking and basic commands. A few months later, we did a 3 week Board and Train for Cookie. Anna, Audrey and Marlie were very communicative throughout Cookie’s training, which was reassuring and helped us feel more comfortable leaving her for what felt like forever. We were especially blown away when we picked up Cookie and did our send home session - it felt like meeting a better version of our dog. Since coming home, Cookie, who is very stubborn and full of energy, learned how to calm herself down, no longer jumps on family and friends and listens to our commands. The balanced training process Boss K9 uses allows us to better communicate with Cookie and vice versa. The follow up classes helped us with a few quirks and questions we ran into the first week back to make sure we keep Cookie on track. We also want to share that Boss K9 will get your dog where they need to be but you will need to continue the training and routine at home. As Anna said, train how you live! Cookie has been home for just over a month now and we can tell such a difference in how she listens to us. She is obedient, but has not lost her goofy, excited, fun personality. We enjoy our walks together instead of being pulled, stays in her bed when told and waits until we let her up onto the couch instead of jumping onto us. It is the best feeling when we are walking Cookie and strangers compliment on how well behaved she is. Boss K9 also continually supports us and Cookie. We’ve received numerous check in texts since Cookie has been home and we continue to board her there when we are out of town, since they offer touch ups and make sure she stays on a routine. We are so thankful for Boss K9 and we highly recommend!

We completed a 4 week board and train for our 6 year old dog Otis. Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks! Boss K9 was amazing with our boy. He is a better, calmer more confident version of himself. The trainer Bethany was amazing and used the right balance of trust with structure to help our boy work through his anxiety while teaching him basic obedience and leash walking skills. She worked with us to make his transition home smooth and successful. The entire staff was responsive and went out of their way to update us on Otis. This was a very positive experience for our dog and our family. We would recommend BossK9 CLE hands down!

We are incredibly grateful for BossK9! I don’t know where we would be without Anna and her amazing team. We have a high energy pup and because of BossK9 we are learning how to understand our dog and truly enjoy her. We have completed one on one training, multiple day boards, and recently a 2 week board and train. I am so thankful to have them in our corner and would recommend to any dog owner no matter their stage of life! Rosie is becoming the dog of our dreams and we can’t wait to see what she will be capable of!