Up A Level K9

We drove up from Chicago to Door County to work with Karen and her incredible team at Up A Level K9, and it was absolutely worth the trip. Our 6-year-old Jack Russell Terrier mix, Reba, has always been nervous and anxious. Walks were stressful, and no matter what we tried, she just wouldn’t listen to us. She pulled, lunged at other dogs, and cowered in fear if a train or garbage truck went by. The breaking point came when she attacked another dog in our apartment building’s dog run. We realized we couldn’t keep living with the stress and anxiety of everyday walks, and that’s when we found Karen. From the very first phone call, Karen put us at ease. She spent an hour explaining her process, the psychology of dogs, and why Reba was acting the way she was. Karen told us Reba had started behaving like the “leader of the pack,” even though that role didn’t suit her at all, she’s a 20lb terrier who simply needed direction and a confident leader. We were nervous about sending her to a 3-week board-and-train since she had never been boarded before, but the facility itself is incredible. Up A Level K9 is beautiful and pristine, the dog rooms are spotless, unlike other boarding facilities we’ve seen in the past that felt dirty or stressful. We had avoided boarding Reba for years because of this, but Karen’s space is clean, safe, and welcoming. On top of that, Karen and her team went above and beyond with communication. We got daily texts and videos of Reba’s progress, which was both reassuring and exciting to watch. The results blew us away. At 6 years old, we honestly didn’t think change was possible. But Reba came home a new dog, calmer, more confident, and finally able to listen. She heels beautifully, we went on a 4 mile walk yesterday and she stayed at our side the entire time even when we walked passed multiple dogs (in the past this would have sent her into a spiral and we would have had to cut the walk short). She sits when asked, recalls reliably, and is so much calmer at home. The training videos Karen provides also gave us the tools to continue the work at home with confidence. We didn't just get Reba back with no direction, we got a full training ourselves! This was truly life-changing for us and for Reba. If you’re struggling with your dog, no matter their age, Karen and her team at Up A Level K9 are worth every mile of the drive.