Traction Dog Training Club

We would give a million stars if we could!! Mara and Ashley did an amazing job training our 1.5 year old pup, Bandit. He can be a very overly excitable and anxious boy, which turned into a lot of leash pulling, jumping on people, defying commands, etc. We worked with a dog trainer previously but did not have the best results and are so grateful for Mara and Ashley helping recondition some bad training practices/habits. Not only did they board and train him for 3 weeks, but they sent us detailed notes and videos of what they were working on and were very hands on by meeting with us several times in order for us to understand how to reinforce everything at home. By the time Bandit came back, he was calmer, more focused, and actually looking to us for direction. Walks are enjoyable now, guests aren’t being tackled at the door, and we finally feel confident taking him out in public. The transformation honestly feels night and day! Thank you, Traction team! We are so grateful!!

Traction DTC are lifesavers! My partner and I adopted Molly from a local Austin shelter and, sadly, the information we were given about her was woefully inaccurate. Upon getting home, she was extremely dog and people reactive, and even the shortest of walks and time spent in our small yard were very stressful experiences. We were at the end of our rope, afraid her behavior was going to draw complaints from neighbors in our apartment complex, unsure Molly would be able to remain a member of our family. We were clueless on how to correct Molly’s behavioral issues. That said, when she was only with us, she was a sweet and smart dog with tons of potential. After working with two other trainers with little to no results, but still unwilling to give up until we’d tried everything, we found Traction. From the first consultation we had with Mara, I was optimistic that they could give us and Molly the tools we desperately needed. They prescribed a three week study abroad program for Molly. She spent two weeks with Ashley at her home, and then another week with Mara. “A completely different dog” is how I described Molly after we visited her during her stay with Mara. I was able to confidently walk her down busy South Congress, passing other dogs, kids, bikes (which were once a major trigger for her) with no explosions. I would have never dreamed of doing such a thing just a few weeks before. Ashley and Mara gave us the tools to be the best pup parents we can be to Molly and that alone has given us both so much peace of mind. Traction goes the extra mile - during our consult with Mara, I mentioned that I would love to be able to run with Molly. She made that a priority during training, taking her for a run on her own and then allowing me to go on a group run with Molly and other Traction doggos. I almost cried happy tears! Additionally, she came to our home to bookend our study abroad program so we could practice how to handle and correct reactivity to people and dogs near our front door. Now, Molly is a happy dog and we are beyond thrilled to have her home and to finally know how to be a functional family. I’d recommend Traction DTC to anyone. They are unbelievably skilled, treat dog training like a science, and provide dog owners with clear instruction on how to foster a happy, fun, and calm environment and home with your best friend. I cannot thank them enough!

We worked with Mara and Mia to help train our 10-month-old golden retriever puppy, and the experience was fantastic. Before hiring them, we were feeling really frustrated with our dog’s behavior and honestly didn’t feel like we were in control of the situation at all. The Traction team truly transformed our dog from being a bit wild and ill-behaved into a much more enjoyable, well-mannered companion. The difference has been night and day. They were super easy to work with, incredibly knowledgeable, and consistently went the extra mile to make sure we felt confident and supported throughout the process. This was well worth the investment, and we would highly recommend them to anyone looking for professional, effective dog training.