True Bond Canine: Portland Dog Training

We absolutely cannot say enough good things about Heidi. She didn’t just train our dog, she helped us save his life. When we first started looking for help, we were at a breaking point. Kiba had been abused as a puppy, and his fear-based aggression had become so severe that we genuinely felt our options were either finding the right professional help or considering euthanasia. His behavior was serious enough that we didn’t believe he would have been a safe or realistic candidate for re-adoption. We needed someone who understood that underneath the aggression was a terrified dog. That’s where Heidi came in. She never judged Kiba or treated him like a “bad dog.” She taught us to understand what was happening when he went over threshold, how to prevent him from becoming overwhelmed, and how to build his confidence instead of forcing him into situations he wasn’t ready for. And the transformation has been incredible. Kiba is a completely different dog on walks. He used to be intensely reactive, but today he is an absolute angel in public. He can walk calmly, focus on us, handle distractions, and navigate the world in a way we honestly never thought would be possible. We still have work to do at home. Guests remain his biggest challenge, and people arriving or moving around the house can still trigger fear-based aggression. But now we have a plan, we understand him, and, most importantly, we have Heidi. She is incredibly knowledgeable, patient, observant, and compassionate. She never promises a quick fix or pushes Kiba faster than he can handle. She meets him (and us) where we are, adjusts the plan when needed, and teaches practical tools that have genuinely changed our lives. We started with the "intro session with 6 sessions" package, and are now planning to continue in four-session blocks because we know there is more to learn from Heidi. We want to keep building on what she has helped Kiba accomplish. The dog we brought to Heidi was terrified of the world. The dog we have today can walk through it like a perfect gentleman. That is not a small change. Working with Heidi gave us hope when we felt like we were running out of options.

Heidi is the best dog trainer I’ve ever met. When our daughter got pregnant we hired Heidi to work with our daughter’s quite difficult Beagle mix Max, who just wouldn’t stop barking. He was a terror with guests and everyone was worried what would happen when the baby came. After only three lessons Max now greets visitors at the door, then immediately goes to his bed to sit down. Not a peep! What’s even more remarkable is that Max has now accepted our granddaughter as a treasured member of the family. Max actually sleeps under her crib! He’s a dog transformed and it’s all due to Heidi. Five stars!

Heidi has been so helpful with my little Mini Aussiedoodle, Sunbear. Sunbear has so much anxiety and reactivity from her anxiety and Heidi has provided tools and exercises to slowly shift some of these behaviors and instill more confidence in Sunbear. She provides amazing recaps/notes and is helpful in between training sessions if I have a question or concern. By the second or third session, Sunbear was even super comfortable around Heidi too! I highly recommend.

I highly recommend Heidi. She absolutely changed our family life for the better when we got our 8-month-old puppy. We chose the Progressive Package, and it was perfect for our situation. She’s great with dogs and also does an excellent job teaching people straightforward, effective training skills that are easy to use in daily life. She’s also incredibly dependable, which really made an impression on me. Definitely 5 stars.