K9 Boot Camp -

Jessica Custer

I’m not even sure where to begin and let me just say if I could give more than 5 stars I would. Emily and her team of loving, caring, dedicated and extremely professional trainers are beyond amazing and worth every penny and then some. Yes there are other trainers and boot camps out there and yes there are those that may not be as pricey but I challenge you to find one that puts in the time, effort, love, knowledge and ongoing effort and commitment of Emily and her fantastic crew.
I adopted a 10.5 month old female Giant Schnauzer from a shelter who came home with no manners or skills. I’ve raised several 100+ pound terriers and been around large working breed dogs all my life and thought I would be up to the challenge but Ms. Kara quickly turned into more than a handful and after 6 months I found that I was in over my head with some very over the top behaviors including extreme guarding and mistrust of strangers leading to reactiveness plus there was body slamming, extreme mouthiness, temper tantrums that involved the grabbing and ripping of copious amounts of clothing and a general refusal to do what was asked of her even though she was aware of commands such as sit, wait, come (brat child). Despite her shortcomings I could see that she had a great deal of potential and underneath all her issues she was a very sweet and intelligent girl who really wanted to be social and part of the group and who just needed someone to show her how to be good and interact with people and the world in the right way.
However, I knew she was an incredible challenge and several trainers were not even willing to take her on. I had several others tell me that she would likely need to be medicated or be in a muzzle which was not a quality of life for her and I had some people tell me that I would be better off returning her to the shelter that I had gotten her from or surrendering her to the breed rescue as she had to many issues and was already to far gone and would just get worse as she got older. We tried some group lessons - not intensive enough so after extensive research and a number of interviews I was lucky enough to find Emily. She interviewed Kara and “saw” her right away not just her issues but her true personality and potential and was willing to take her on warts and all.
The staff was amazing and very understanding of the nervous mom dropping her baby off for her stay at boot camp. They get to know your dog as an individual and give all the time and attention needed to create the bond and trust necessary to make the training and teaching techniques successful. The update videos they send are heartwarming and keep you involved in the process throughout. When I went for my first private lesson I was blown away by the transformation in my Kara. She had learned to relax, self soothe, be comfortable in herself and surroundings and respond to commands immediately on the first go. She knows sit, down, place, off, out, heel and come, walks on a leash beautifully, goes into her crate without an issue, no longer jumps and is no able to run around and play in the yard off leash. She can go hiking with me on the trails and loves hanging out with me at work.
The team walks you through all the training and commands with patience and poise so that you can continue the lessons at home and answers any and all your questions as needed. Please be aware - you MUST continue the training and education once your dog is returned to you otherwise all of the K-9 teams hard work will be wasted. Depending on the temperament/personality of your dog they will test you to see if you will follow the same rules/boundaries that they have been taught during training and if you do not keep up with the training, bad habits/behaviors will begin to return this is entirely the fault of the owner NOT the dog or the training! If you are not willing to put in the time and effort from your end you are doing yourself and your dog a major disservice as well as seriously disrespecting all the time and effort put in by the K9 team.

Jenna Sargenti

I can’t say enough great things about K9 Boot Camp. Emily and the team have transformed my pit bull from a fearful/aggressive dog to an overly confident dog.

Emily makes sure you understand how to help your dog and gives you all the tools that you could possibly need to make sure your dog is still growing even when they leave. My Pit Bull Max (3 years old) had extreme fear aggression and Emily took the time to explain everything they were working on while he was in the board and train program. She sent videos of his progress so we can watch him become the dog that he truly is. Her patience and knowledge sets her apart from any other trainer we have brought him to in the past. Her and the team do not stop until the work is done and they are confident the dog can be returned home.

My dog could not be around people he didn’t know without turning his fear into aggression and now, he is able to be around strangers and not even think twice about it. He has a sense of calm about him now and can finally be relaxed around people he does not know. Max also did not like my father at all and now with his new confidence, he snuggles up next to him on the couch.

Max is still a work in progress but with Emily's guidance, I am more than confident that people will know the loving dog that I know him to be. Emily and the team are truly miracle workers and I cannot thank them enough for everything they have done.

Maalav Trivedi

It's hard to state just how much Emily and the team at K9 Boot Camp did for me and my family. Adonis was the first dog we ever had and I was completely lost. I didn't know how to fully train my dog or how to quit his bad behaviors (of which there were many), so I reached out to a bunch of different training facilities for help. Emily was the first to respond and I will be forever grateful that she did.

Seeing my dog before he left and after he came back was night and day. He's super obedient now and we haven't had any issues and throughout everything Emily was there to answer any questions or address any concerns I had or still have!

There are tons of dog training and obedience programs out there but if you truly want results, you need to see Emily!

Tom Campbell (TCampbell)

I had all but given up before I met Emily and and the trainers at K9 Bootcamp.

I brought my dog, Kishmish (age 3), to K9 Bootcamp after several attempts with other trainers had failed. Kish spent his early days in a traumatic environment in Afghanistan where he was in a constant state of fear. Unfortunately, after arriving in the US, this state of fear persisted. His constant anxiety and aggression prevented him from eating regularly, meeting other dogs or people, or going into public without having a complete meltdown. I had come to believe he was beyond helping.

Emily quickly identified the best strategy for overcoming Kish's fear aggression and immediately went to work. After a few weeks Kish returned home a far happier and healthier dog. Afterwards, Emily scheduled several personal training sessions where my girlfriend and I learned how to implement the techniques used to train Kish. It's worth noting that the price we paid had nothing to do with the length of training. In other words, even if Kish was especially difficult (which I'm sure he was) and took longer than other dogs to train, the price remained the same. They won't stop until the job is done.

Today, the three of us can take weekends trips without worrying about a pending meltdown. Kish's weight has increased, his coat is filling out, and his general demeanor is one of a far happier dog.

Emily and the trainers at K9 Bootcamp have not only improved Kish's quality of life, but have drastically improved ours as well. Money well spent.

Daniel Doyle

I have never written a review about anything, but feel the need to do it now about K9 Boot camp. The ONLY reason they are getting 5 stars is I can not give them way more. On every level in every way professionally and personally this crew of dedicated professionals stand out as going well beyond what is expected of them.

I brought in my 11 month old German Shepard for a "Board and Train" program. He has some physical issues with his hips, and pretty severe separation anxiety issues. He would NOT want to be in his crate for more than 2 seconds at a time, and when I left he would howl and bark non stop. This is in addition to being in one of the "fear periods" and several other issues I never even noticed until Emily pointed them out.

To say he was not the easiest dog they ever dealt with is a huge understatement! But they took him on and said they would take care of all the issues, except obviously for the physical ones that are genetic.

After a minor hiccup with drop off, caused by MY not reading the documents correctly I dropped him off. Even though I messed up, and I was at fault they took it in stride and never even blinked at him being dropped off a few days later.

In the board and train I had to deal with the people in the kennel and in the training program. BOTH SIDES of this operation are just fantastic in every way. They absolutely love dogs and have dealt with thousands of them and really care AND know what they are doing.

When I picked up my dog oh wow what a difference! I thought it was a new dog! He not only willingly goes into his kennel but he enjoys it. He is in there right now as I type this in my office. He doesn't bark or howl when I leave, walks on a leash just amazing, sits when told until told not to, and the same with down. He heels, and his recall is coming along. I NEVER thought any of this was possible, but it is.

I also have follow up lessons with him where they monitor progress. BUT here is the one glitch. YOU have to work with the dog at home! Yes every day. Once they give you back the dog he is not a robot. He needs to be cared for and the commands reinforced daily. If you fall down on this part of the project that is NOT the fault of the great folks at K9 Boot Camp. It is yours. NOBODY can train an animal that you can just let do what he wants at home and have it be a good dog. You need to put in the heavy lifting. The hours and hours of work they put into my dog would all be wasted if I did not keep up on it. It is the same of any dog training.

I could go on and on, and have as a matter of fact, but to sum it up these are wonderfully dedicated people both in the boarding and training ends of this operation. They provide a great service at a fair price and if you are thinking of getting a dog trained then I recommend them highly.

Timothy Stafford

My 80lb American Staffordshire Terrier rescue, Blue had severe Fear, Insecurity and Aggression Issues. His behavior was unpredictable around strangers and turned aggressive very quickly. I purchased a package of sessions to do one on one with both Emily and Blue. Emily's combination of Knowledge, Experience, Patience and Assertiveness transformed Blue and his behavior. Over time, Blue become more confident and relaxed. The lessons and homework she gave me, helped tremendously and I still use them today. To say Blue adored Emily is an understatement. Highly Recommend!

J U

We found K9 Bootcamp after trying to find some solution for our agressive and fearful 8 month old heeler mix puppy. He had a rough start as a rescue plus lack of socialization due to COVID, he was very reactive, stressed, and sometimes agressive anytime he was outside of our protective bubble. After 5 months in the agression program and board and train, we have a different dog. We can not thank Jose, Emily, and the rest of the staff enough for their resources and help. They have given us so much. Luca came to them scared and stressed and left happy and confident. It was very bittersweet to bring him home because I know they truly bonded with him and he bonded with them. That was the added bonus, knowing how good of hands he was in being away from home that long.
Thank you thank you thank you! Life is so much better with a dog - especially a happy and relaxed one.

Melanie Delgado

Darlyn is absolutely awesome! My puppy Mila learned soooo much in the class. Highly recommend their puppy kindergarten class. Mila knows how to do down, sit, leave, drop, come and is just an all around great pup. We're just about to start our intermediate class!