NOVA Canine Academy

I had a great experience with Ethan and NOVA Canine Academy! My 6 yo rescue pit mix, Kelce, just completed a six week board and train program. Kelce was becoming increasingly reactive/uncontrollable in certain situations (the front door was a nightmare, trash men or delivery people would send him into a spiral that would take him a long time to recover from) and I was at my wit’s end. Ethan took everything back to basics with Kelce and rebuilt a foundation upon which Kelce could accept boundaries and instruction. He also worked with Kelce’s specific triggers to prevent the “spirals” that had become so problematic. All along I received videos of Kelce’s progress along with clear explanations of the training. I was able to see where I had been going wrong in managing Kelce’s behavior and learn how to do things correctly. The difference in Kelce is night and day. Ethan’s right hand man, Spencer, helpfully compiled all of the training videos into a document with links to specific topics and provided it to me as a reference to use at the end of training. Very glad I chose Ethan and NOVA Canine Academy. It was worth the 4 hour drive from NJ to drop Kelce off and pick him up!

I can’t recommend NOVA canine academy (and Ethan!) enough. He completely changed my dog’s life. Before training, walks were something I dreaded because he pulled nonstop and was extremely reactive to other dogs. I honestly never thought we’d be able to enjoy a calm walk together. After Ethan’s 6 week board and train, Bogey is a completely different dog. He’s so well-mannered, walks right by my side, and can calmly pass other dogs without reacting. The difference is unbelievable, and I’m so grateful for Ethan’s help. If you’re on the fence about training, he’s absolutely worth it.

I booked a 1-on-1 session with Ethan hoping to finally find a solution for my Doberman’s reactivity after struggling with it for years. Before finding Ethan, we had worked with three different trainers, watched countless YouTube videos, and spent years trying just about everything. We’d make a little progress, only to end up right back where we started. I felt like my boy needed board and train but I wasn’t able to make that financial commitment just yet. I was also skeptical that a single session could make a difference, especially for issues like leash reactivity and barking at dogs through our home and car windows, but I was VERY wrong. Ethan was incredibly flexible with scheduling while I was starting a new job and even rescheduled when it was too hot to safely train. What really set Ethan apart from the start was how straightforward and genuine he was. I’d heard it’s the owner, not the dog from other trainers before, but no one ever took the time to explain what that actually meant or show me how to improve. Ethan did. He was very up front about where I was falling short, but also gave me the tools to fix it. He taught me how to set clear boundaries, properly correct unwanted behaviors, and communicate with Loki in a way he understood. Once I put those changes into practice, the difference was incredible. Seeing Loki calmly walk past other dogs without reacting was something I honestly never thought I’d experience. In that one session He addressed every concern I had, taught me how to help my dog truly relax too. Through that exercise, I came to realize my dog didn’t actually need medication that he was more than capable of calming himself down, but needed guidance from me on how to. Ethan also made himself available for questions and follow ups after the session which I really appreciate as we implemented these new teachings to my own neighborhood. As someone with ADD, I also really appreciated that he recorded the training session. Being able to go back and rewatch everything made it so much easier for me to retain what I learned and stay consistent afterward. I can’t recommend Ethan enough. If I ever get another puppy, he’ll be going straight to Ethan for board and train. I’m incredibly grateful for everything he taught us and a big thank you to him for also teaching me a very important life lesson on “trying”.

We had our beagle trained as a puppy by another trainer, but by the time he was 4 years old, his leash manners had completely unraveled. Walks had become frustrating—he pulled constantly and wanted to stop and sniff literally everything. We had tried harnesses, regular leashes, and just about every trick we could think of, but nothing seemed to make a difference. After just two weeks with Ethan at Nova Canine Academy, the transformation was incredible. Not only did our dog’s leash manners improve dramatically, but Ethan also took the time to teach me and my husband how to properly use the NCA slip lead and communicate with our dog so that the training would stick. He explained everything clearly and gave us the confidence to reinforce what our dog had learned at home. We’re so grateful to Ethan and the team at Nova Canine Academy for making walks enjoyable again. If you’re struggling with leash pulling or feel like your dog needs a reset, I can’t recommend them enough.