Control Is Key Dog Training

Loki is a much better dog since his obedience training with Ashley and Matt. It was an exceptional investment which continues to pay dividends. I adopted Loki as a 3.5 year old rescue from the Butler County Humane Society (the shelter) in October of 2025. I named him Loki, after the old Norse god of mischief. Subsequent DNA testing through Embark showed him to be primarily a Husky/Akita mix. Loki was a handful from the beginning, with extreme separation anxiety, atrocious leash manners, stress-related behavioral issues, and a well-developed practice of "counter surfing". The shelter mentioned that Matt was engaged in training for a recent client, and suggested that I might want to consider Control Is Key as a training option. That referral was transformational for Loki and for me. Without Matt's direct involvement from the beginning, Loki would have been returned to the shelter because of his destructive impulses. I signed up Loki (and me) for the eight week obedience training sessions, followed by the two-week board and train session for Loki. Both assignments were handled by Ashley, who was exceptionally capable and patient with both Loki and me. Loki emerged from his training as a much improved and better behaved dog - an understatement. Both Matt and Ashley have been terrific to work with, very accommodating; and have been exceptional in tailoring their training regimen to meet Loki's specific idiosyncrasies, strengths and weaknesses. Their experience, training and professionalism comes through in everything that they do. I am pleased to recommend them and their training program without reservation.

Matt was great! Easy to schedule with and we had great results. We have a bigger dog and he was always jumping on guests and needed better boundaries. Matt was patient with my dog and us since we were new to dog training. We didn't know what to expect but my dog is now very mannerly and I now know how to control him. He gets so excited to when we are training and practicing. He loves it. We hear from our friends and family how well behaved he is. We would highly recommend Matt and his team.

I cannot recommend Control Is Key Dog Training and the entire staff enough! From the moment we started working with Lacey, it was clear that she and the entire team are not only highly skilled but also deeply passionate about what they do and dogs in general. They took the time to understand my dog's unique personality and tailored the training to meet both Finely's (our 4 month old GSP) needs and ours. The techniques they use are effective and easy to follow, even for someone like me who was new to structured dog training. Lacey is patient, encouraging, and always available to answer my questions or provide additional tips. What stood out the most was how much they genuinely cared about building a strong bond between us and Finley. It wasn’t just about obedience—it was about creating trust and understanding. I’ve seen such a positive transformation in my dog’s behavior, and I feel so much more confident as a pet owner. If you’re looking for a professional, compassionate, and results-driven dog training program, Control Is Key is the way to go! Thank you for helping us with the training process for Finley