Riverbend Canine Training

We worked with Brandon and Cody at Riverbend. Ranger, our 1 year old German Shepherd, spent almost two weeks in the board and train program. While there we received photos, and videos of them working with him in several local places in the community. They worked on some targeted skills we wanted and other skills that were needed. Brandon spent a lot of time with us when it was time for pick up, making sure we were comfortable and understood what we needed to do for Ranger to be successful. Brandon, the owner, has followed up with helpful information after our training session as well. Ranger adored both Brandon and Cody. They provided genuine, positive affection along with tangible rewards. We have been pleased with Ranger’s performance. Now it’s up to us to utilize the expertise that we have experienced. Riverbend is a great asset to Hopkinsville.

Highly recommend this place to take your dog to! The owner is awesome and he knows what he’s doing and is very nice and staff is nice as well they keep you PUPDated every other day or everyday ! We just got our boy back Doom and he has done a whole 360 and we love it ! They are up front with everything and will answer any questions you have and I couldn’t have asked for a better place to train our dog !

Honestly, I’m a bit frustrated. I understand that many people utilize e-collars as a tool to train their dogs, particularly for off-leash recall. My dogs were not that case. They were supposed to be leash trained only, which does not require the use of e-collars. Further, I asked what the method of training was at multiple points prior to my dogs’ training beginning, and I was only told “every trainer has a bit of a different style”, not ever that the entire business’s method involved the use of electric collars. Had I known this, I wouldn’t have signed up. If I’d wanted to use electric collars on my dogs, I could’ve saved a lot of money and simply purchased and used them myself. We’ve been struggling because we didn’t have the resources for positive/negative reinforcement training, which is why we sought out a professional. I’ll admit, our two are fairly unique, but I would have much rather heard “we don’t have the ability to do what you need in that span of time for both dogs” than to have been out the amount of money we’re out with two dogs who have learned absolutely nothing. My only directive at turnover was how to use the collars and “tell them to do something once, and then buzz them if they don’t until they do”. That is not a trained dog. I will say that I’m adding a star because Brandon and Alisha were kind enough to pick up my dogs and bring them to training on my behalf, as I was worried about their safety if I drove them myself since they don’t do well in a contained environment together. They were both very kind and listened to my worries prior to training, but I am immensely disappointed in what feels like a deliberate avoidance to tell me what training would entail. We’re now pursuing other trainers as all other professionals we’ve spoken to have said they wouldn’t have recommended the use of e-collars in our situation, and that they feel if a trainer can’t get a dog to do something without using an e-collar, they shouldn’t be using one at all. I hate to say that I agree.

If you’re considering any portion of this training: you are not just buying training, you’re investing in you and your pups future, and it’s 1000% worth it!! I recommend anyone and everyone I come across to go see Brandon. He helped me tremendously with my dog. Honestly turned me and my dogs life around with his 2 week board and train. My dog was a menace to society! He tailors the training to the individual dog, it’s not a cookie cutter program because every dog is different and comes with different sets of challenges. I have seeked his advice long after the training and he remembers me and my dog very well, I’m happy that he doesn’t train and move on to the next and forget. I’m sure it would be very easy to do with the volume of dogs coming and going which should also speak volumes about his training capabilities.