The Dog Behaviorist NYC

Dominik has been insanely helpful at getting us to a better spot with our Mini Australian Shepherd. Living in the city with a working breed has been a challenge, but he's given us the tools and understanding on how to best communicate and create a stronger bond with our dog. She's been much less reactive, calmer walking on the leash, and has gotten SO much better at controlling her impulses and checking in with us. Definitely would recommend Dominik to anyone who wants a professional that understands dogs, their breed specific tendencies, and can teach actionable steps to make our relationship stronger and more trusting. He's been great.

TLDR: If you’re on the fence and dealing with a challenging dog, don’t overthink it. Just book him. Even the initial evaluation alone is worth it. When I first met Dominik, I was anxious and frustrated and so was my dog. We had no real way to communicate beyond using treats to distract or lure her. I have a 10-month-old Dalmatian rescue with reactivity and behavioral challenges. I started training early at 3 months old and she did well initially, but by 5–6 months things started to unravel. She was struggling with leash reactivity, elevator triggers, and group settings like daycare and dog parks. Like a lot of owners, I initially leaned heavily on positive reinforcement. And while that can be great for very young puppies, I reached a point where it wasn’t enough for my dog. She needed clearer communication, structure, and accountability not just redirection. I tried a positive-only trainer first, and after a few sessions it was clear it wasn’t working for her. Within just two sessions with Dominik, I saw a dramatic shift. A concrete example: before working with him, passing another dog on leash or getting into the elevator almost always meant pulling, fixating, and reacting. It was stressful every time. Now, she can walk past dogs calmly and ride the elevator without escalating, checking in with me instead of making her own decisions. That alone has completely changed our day-to-day life. He introduced tools like the prong collar, which I was initially hesitant about. I worried it might increase aggression or stress. The opposite happened. Under Dominik’s guidance, it became a communication tool that gave my dog clarity. She started to understand expectations, regulate herself, and look to me for direction instead of reacting to everything around her. The result is a dog who is more confident, calmer, and genuinely happier and that carries over even when she’s not wearing the collar. What stands out most is how Dominik teaches. He’s clear, methodical, and never rushes. He demonstrates everything, then coaches you through it so you actually know what you’re doing as an owner. That part is huge. He's also realistic about how long things will take because nothing is immediate, but in the long-run so worth it. I started with a 6-session package and have already extended to continue working with him on e-collar training. He's changed my entire outlook/relationship with my dog.

I can’t say enough about how helpful Dominik’s training style has helped us with our extremely fearful dog. We went from not being able to have guests in the home without constant barking and a scared dog to our dog calmly staying on her bed and being able to greet guests when she is calm and ready. He also gave us the tools to tackle other fears and bring calmness into our dogs life (and our own.) I highly recommend!