Hungry Dog Training, LLC

Alyse is amazing!! I was referred to her by a friend. My family and I adopted a puppy in March of 2025 and we wanted to make sure we had the right and proper training for him. After training with Alyse, I noticed a huge change not only in Cooper’s behavior, but also in myself as a handler. I became calmer, more focused, and much more responsive, especially in situations that used to be challenging. As a handler, I felt more aware, patient, and intentional. I learned how my actions, timing, and energy directly affected my dog’s behavior, which made a big difference. Alyse’s coaching was clear, practical, and easy to understand. She didn’t just tell me what to do—she showed and explained why it worked, which helped everything click. She broke things down into manageable steps and adjusted your explanations when needed, so I never felt overwhelmed or confused. I feel more confident in training Cooper. One of the biggest takeaways from training was confidence. Because she focused so much on teaching me how to read my dog and make good decisions, I felt comfortable continuing the training on my own. Even when challenges came up, I knew how to work through them instead of feeling stuck. What stood out most was how individualized and thoughtful your approach is, Alyse clearly cares about both the dog and the handler, and she adapts lives to fit real-life situations. Her calm, encouraging style made learning enjoyable and stress-free, and it felt like a true partnership rather than a one-size-fits-all program. I would 100% recommend Hungry Dog Training. The results go beyond obedience—you gain understanding, confidence, and a stronger relationship with your dog. Anyone looking for effective training with real support for the handler would benefit from working with her. Cooper and our family will be forever grateful for Alyse and her training. We look forward to working with her more this year.

We adopted Frito in July, and quickly noticed that our sweet-with-us, 3ish-year-old, lab/husky mix was very anxious when he saw other dogs and met new people. At the recommendation of a neighbor, we reached out to Alyse. Immediately, we knew we made the right decision. Alyse assured us that Frito's arousal could be managed. Through weekly in-person sessions with Alyse, we moved from learning how to introduce Frito to house guests to taking him on walks at busy parks, with lots of other dogs around! Frito is able to regulate more quickly and appropriately check in with us when he is feeling overwhelmed. Now, we are confident taking Frito on walks around a busy neighborhood, trusting that we have the skills to help him. Throughout the whole process, Alyse has made us feel supported and capable. She has seen the best in our sweet boy and has challenged us (and Frito!) to face fears. We even took Frito for a bath and he did great using his skills! Frito has a grain allergy and Alyse has been wonderful in recommending new treats for us that also work well for Frito. She always brings some treats to training, and Frito LOVES when he sees his favorite treat lady. Recently, Frito spent a night at Alyse's when we were out of town. Upon arriving at Alyse's, Frito bounded out of the car and was beyond excited to be with her, making us feel confident in our choice. Alyse sent us frequent updates on how he was doing, sent photos, and when we got back, Frito was exhausted from his sleepover! While we aren't done with our training yet, we are so grateful to Alyse for her help. She has become an integral part of our dog training journey and our lives are forever changed because of her!

Astro and I have been working with Alyse for a year now, and we both love her! When he boards with her, he has a lot of fun playing with her dogs and working with her, and I really appreciate all the video and picture updates she sends me each day (and she takes really good pictures!). I've also worked with Alyse on training Astro. When I've trained with her, I always come away with fun, positive reinforcement ways to help him with impulse control, recall, etc. Her outdoor space in Gaithersburg is quite large and lots of fun for dogs to run around in, but I've also met with her at various parks to help Astro work through distractions, which I really appreciate. In short, I would highly recommend her as a trainer and boarder for anyone with a dog!

My dog Smudge is reactive towards people. We are managing fine, but it usually means that we cannot fly to any holiday destinations and we have to ensure whatever accommodations we pick provide enough space to any potential neighbours. I am so glad we found Alyse! She has been willing to work with us and Smudge from day 1 and he really trusts her. When we drop him off at her place, we know that he is safe and that she will be patient with him. Alyse also makes use of the time with Smudge to provide training opportunities, which means he gets exercised physically and mentally. We can finally go on a vacation just the two of us and we are kept updated with Smudge's shenanigans via SMS and photos. Again, I'm so glad that Alyse agreed to take Smudge on - I highly recommend her to anyone who wants a more personalised experience when boarding their dog!

Hungry Dog Training and Alyse have been a huge part of not just our puppy's life, but our life as a family! At first we were very lost after bringing a puppy home and going, "Now what?" But Alyse has guided us with her wide range of knowledge and empathy, we are yet to throw a situation at her she couldn't handle or troubleshoot! From reactiveness, to leash walking, to scent work, to even helping us find the best treats for our sensitive stomach pup Alyse has been beside us. If you're looking for a trainer who is gentle yet effective, passionate about her work, exceedingly capable, and willing to go above and beyond then send Hungry Dog Training a message today!