DePaul K9 Academy

Working with Carol has been an absolute game-changer for us. Before we started, my dog Stella struggled with severe door aggression, intense insecurities, and a total lack of confidence. Stella would lunge at joggers and children. She was very reactive towards strangers. It was at the point where I couldn’t walk her at all. I was afraid I would lose control of her and she would hurt herself or others. I didn’t want her life to only include her home and backyard. I wanted Stella to experience more than her small version of the world. Through tailored training, we focused heavily on building Stella's confidence and learned exactly what we needed to do to move forward. Carol taught me how to use tools like an e-collar, prong collar, and slip leash. We spoke about giving her a job to build confidence, how not to unintentionally reinforce anxiety, and desensitizing her to her triggers. These skills not only made it easier for Stella to experience the world, but also made her safer. The transformation has been incredible. I’ve gained so much control as a handler, and Stella has become a completely different, more polite dog in public. We went from not being able to walk down the street to confidently enjoying walks in both our neighborhood and public parks. I can’t recommend Carol DePaul enough!

Carol has been working with us via FaceTime for a few weeks. She just spent a full week in CA with Luca and I to help with e collar training. This was a major game changer, she not only helped get Luca on track with impulse control in the house and on walks, but gave me the confidence to walk him and manage his reactivity to other dogs on walks. In addition, she trained him with the flirt pole and treadmill. These are fantastic tools to use before going on a structured walk. I can See the difference already when on walks.

We cannot say enough wonderful things about Carol DuPaul and K9 Academy! From the moment we met Carol, her passion, expertise, and genuine love for dogs was evident—and it made all the difference for our new golden retriever puppy, Daisy. Carol and her husband, David, went above and beyond to help us get started on the right paw. Not only did she offer thoughtful, personalized advice tailored to Daisy’s temperament, but she also gave us a fantastic training book to guide us between sessions. What truly impressed us was that Carol took the time to meet with us on Friday and return on her day off to set us up—a gesture that speaks volumes about her dedication and commitment to both dogs and their people. Thanks to her calm, confident approach and deep knowledge of canine behavior, we left our first session feeling supported, empowered, and excited for what’s ahead. Daisy responded to her immediately, and it’s clear she has a gift for connecting with animals. We wholeheartedly recommend Carol and K9 Academy to anyone looking for a kind, experienced, and truly exceptional trainer. She’s already made a huge difference in Daisy’s life—and ours!