Ridgeside K9, LLC - Dog Training

Jenna Weber

2024-04

We were very fortunate to have trainer Erin Henry work with our golden retriever puppy at 4 months and 6 months old for the board and train program. We loved working with her. She is very knowledgeable, patient, and most importantly, she loved our pup like her own. She felt like an old friend, which was very comforting. Erin has a wonderful home setting where the dogs have ample indoor and outdoor space to learn and play. She transported the dog safely and spent hours with us on turn over day to help teach the entire family how to best help our dog thrive at home. He is benefiting from his training and so are we! Thank you!!

Kaitlyn Dick

2024-05

We sent our two rescue pitties to Gina for three weeks and had the most amazing experience! She was able to work with our strong, leash reactive dogs and show them how to behave and react appropriately. She sent us daily updates throughout the 3 weeks, highlighting what the dogs were learning, how they were doing, and what we as dog owners needed to know to continue the training. Her skill, expertise, and attention to detail showed, as well as her kindness and passion for dogs. She welcomed our dogs into her home and taught them more in three weeks than we could have ever imagined.After three weeks, she spent hours walking us through the training, taught us how to apply it at home, and continues to answer all of our questions.We would highly recommend Gina for any training needs - she was absolutely remarkable.

Kia Thrasher

2024-05

We had an absolutely incredible experience with Ridgeside! Erin was our trainer for our two new dogs, Tony, currently just over 6 months old and Larson, about 2 years old. Both are rescues and each had unique challenges. We ideally wanted to be able to have them be in the room together and not play constantly… playing is great but it was endless. We also wanted them to be good with other dogs and calm on leashes. Erin truly did wonders with both of them!We can calmly hang out and watch a movie with the two little guys just cuddled up on top of each other. The comfort they feel with one another is so inspiring, and it’s made our family so incredibly happy. I don’t have anything but positive words here. Thank you everyone at Ridgeside K9!!

William Griscom

2024-04

Our GSD Ash definitely earned a special nickname as a young puppy. His desire to show off his nickname delayed his training by multiple weeks due to surgeries, but Bernie (our amazing trainer) worked with us. He spent well more than a weekend with Bernie (3 weeks to be exact) and came back as a shining example of what the training can accomplish. Bernie sent us photos/videos every day to keep us in the loop. The home human training after boarding school showed what we have to do to keep it up, and Ash has been a stellar example of what can be accomplished by a great trainer and company. I have waited to post anything until Ash had some time to show his knowledge after class. Ridgeside and their trainers (especially Bernie) are spectacular. We know where our next pup will go without question. Thank you guys!

Zach Maldonado

2024-03

Phenomenal experience all around. We’re extremely happy we found Ridgeside and did the 3 week board and train for our large 1 year old German Shepherd. Our trainer Iggy is absolutely top notch. He picked up Roxy from our house and spent time listening to our priorities and reviewing the program. We received an update every day of the training. When he brought Roxy back to our house, Iggy spent nearly three hours reviewing Roxy’s progress, teaching us how to use some new tools, and doing joint training until we were comfortable as owners. He reached out the following day just to make sure Roxy’s transition back home was going well.Roxy came back to us a much more confident, attentive dog. There’s zero leash pulling, her reactivity to other dogs is vastly improved, and her responsiveness to commands is night and day from a few weeks ago. Additionally, I’m confident I can reach out to Iggy at any time to follow up on any training issues or questions I have. Worth every penny spent, can’t recommend Ridgeside K9 enough.

Eun Yi

2024-04

I have a 1.5 year old lab, the friendliest guy. But he is stubborn with zero recall. He is reactive. I don’t walk him. He walks me. I went into this pretty skeptical and was pretty hesitant especially with how pricey it is, but I decided to bite the bullet, because walks were miserable and I had no control. Charlie completed a three week program and let me tell you. It was WORTH. EVERY. PENNY. My dog is a new dog. He has recall now, which is pretty crazy to me. Didn’t think that was possible. Walks are enjoyable now and I’m a happy mom. I highly recommend Aaron Jeter. He’s a miracle worker. Today, I’ve done everything Aaron has taught me and honestly, it’s life changing. Charlie and I still have a lot to work on but I’m super excited for this new change. Just remember, you have to stay consistent and that’s key. If you’re hesitant like I was, just do it!! It’s an investment and it’s worth it.

Bret Halleran

2024-04

Gina, thank you for taking great care of Rowan! We really loved seeing the picture/video updates throughout his training, and we could quickly see his demeanor changing and becoming more focused. He was like a totally different pup when he came back to us and was so much more well behaved. We look forward to practicing everything we’ve learned and building on his new skills. We appreciate the great experience with Ridgeside. All the best!

Joshua Bayona Caro

2024-04

Our experience with Ridgeside K9, LLC was nothing short of amazing. We were first-timers in dog training, concerned about our two-year-old German Shepherd’s behavior—barking and lunging at other dogs made our walks a big challenge. Our trainer, Jonathan, went above and beyond. In just 3 weeks, our dog underwent a complete transformation! Jonathan was patient, thorough, and always available for questions, providing daily updates that eased our worries. He took his time, nearly 3 hours, to ensure I was comfortable and understood everything I needed to know to set up our dog, Kai, for success. We highly recommend Ridgeside K9 for anyone looking for a professional and effective dog training service!!

Nathan Taylor

2024-04

We recently sent our two pups to Ridgeside for the three week board and train with Aaron Jeter and couldn’t be more thrilled with the results. Our two rescues had a few issues they each needed to work on from a lack of recall to a “disaster on a leash.” They came back the same, playful dogs, just with an understanding of their boundaries and a respect for our commands. Recall is amazing, heal is amazing (we can walk them without dislocating a shoulder) and their place/stay is on point. We recently took them to NYC and were shocked at how well they handled the high stress environment. One of our pups even went to a dog park, which we never thought would be possible due to some dog aggression issues. In terms of Ridgeside and Aaron, nothing but great things to say. Super communicative (pics each day), the handoff was perfect and he’s answered all my annoying questions since we got them back. The pups will continue to need work (in a good way - you always have to keep learning), but Ridgeside and Aaron created the baseline and gave us and the pups the tools we need to continue to be successful.

Mason

2024-02

I couldn’t be happier with my experience at Ridgeside K9! My 8 month Dutch Shepherd/Lab mix named Bruce just completed his 3 week board and train with Zach. Before training, Bruce was a typical puppy who was out of control and did what he wanted. When Zach turned Bruce back over to me after the 3 weeks, he is well behaved and well mannered with clear communication and a very reliable recall. Because of Zach and Ridgeside K9, I now have a happy dog who can have freedom off leash. My only regret is that I didn’t have Bruce start training with Ridgeside sooner! I highly recommend Ridgeside K9 and trainer Zach!

janna grimsrud

2024-04

SOOOOO worth it! My partner and I were hesitant to 1. Send our pup away for 2 weeks, 2. Use an E collar and, and 3. Pay the cost, but WOW WOW WOW. I would do it all over again tomorrow. Our pup, Pooka, loooooved Britney the second she pulled up on pick up day. She jumped right in with her, even as a dog that doesn’t love the car. This put us at ease right away. Dogs can always read character and she knew Britney was her new friend.While she was away, Britney sent so many great pictures and videos a the end of everyday. Pooka couldn’t have looked happier. And she was learning so much!Britney took into consideration and focused on the areas we really needed help with with Pooka. Including helping her regulate herself around big dogs like German Shepards, by giving her controlled and positive experiences with them while training!Pooka came home so excited to show us everything she had learned. We went from her dragging on the leash, being crazy over excited about seeing dogs and people, and not a dream in sight of ever being off leash, to healing on all of our walks, making great eye contact and keeping attention on us, staying calm and regulated in elevators and hallways a when passing dogs friends and strangers. Including a big Shepard she has had an edge with in the past.In addition, she’s a big dog and we live in the city. Our big hope was to be able to have her be safe off leash in parks so that she could get all of the exercise she needs. Now she can run and play and reliably come when called. Even with squirrels and dogs and people around.We wanted ti be able to bring her out with us, with the weather warming up, we love having her around with us for farmers markets and brewery trips but before, it wasn’t even possible to get her to relax or stop wining long enough to order. Since she got home, we have taken her to outdoor restaurants where she did place reliably and quietly for our entire stay. We are so so so excited for her freedom and safety, as well as our own.I can’t recommend or thank Britney enough.Our life has truly been enhanced in a huge way.

Mariah Sutton

2024-03

We had Ridgeside trainer Zach work with our girl (who I lovingly called a terror) for three weeks while we were out of the country and could not be happier with all the progress she made over the past three weeks! Zach sent us daily photos of our girl and kept up to date on her progress. What really stood out was the hand over where Zach gave my husband and I fantastic guidance on how to keep up her training at home. She’s an angel on walks now and we are now equipped with the tools to mold her into a well behaved dog. Cannot recommend Zach and Ridgeside enough if you’re looking for a trainer!

Zack Krall

2024-04

Zach at Ridgeside k9 is an excellent trainer. He trained my 7 month old pup Milo and I saw vast improvement in all areas. Zach provided daily updates of what skills were being trained and you can truly see how much he loves this profession. I would highly recommend Zach at Ridgeside k9!

Amanda Daly

2023-12

My dog Ringo has been home about a week from training with Jeff at Ridgeside, I can’t even begin to explain how grateful I am for the work he did with Ringo! I got daily updates and pictures and I have been given back a confident less reactive dog who now understands that he is a dog and doesn’t run my house! The stress of having a reactive dog has been lifted off my shoulders and I now posses the confidence and the tools I need to manage him. Thank you so much for bringing out the best in Ringo!

Jame Banik

2023-11

We're absolutely over the moon about the training our 10-month-old pup, Snoopy, received from Ridgeside K9 LLC. I specifically requested Jonathan Oakes, and even though we had to wait for 2 months, the results were worth every minute of anticipation. Jonathan was simply fantastic! Truly an amazing dog whisperer!Throughout the three-week training program, he was in constant touch, sharing daily updates, pictures, and videos that were reassuring and brought a smile to our faces.What truly warmed our hearts was that Jonathan not only trained Snoopy but also took the time to educate me, my husband, my parents, and my brothers on how to keep the training going at home. He did an incredible job explaining how dogs learn and respond, and he answered all our questions with a friendly and patient approach that never left us feeling silly or clueless.I can't wait to share another review in the future, but for now, we're overflowing with gratitude for Jonathan and Ridgeside K9. I can’t wait to shout their praises to all our friends AND strangers too! Choosing Ridgeside K9 over other options was the best decision ever. We genuinely believe no one could have done it better.

Shanna

2023-10

If you read no further than this, know that Brandi and Perry at Ridgeside K9 are without a doubt the most incredible trainers you could work with!The entire process was phenomenal. The communication with Brandi was thorough and informative prior to dropping our pup Rusty off. At drop off, they gave us a break down of what to expect over the next 3 weeks that our boy would be there along with showing us around the facility and answering any questions we had. Every day we got updates on what Rusty had worked on that day and photos to show the progress. If you knew our dog, he’s stubborn as they come with the beagle mix in him and we knew they’d have their hands full. On homecoming day, Perry brought Rusty home and spent hours going over everything we needed to know. There was informative human training session to help us understand what Rusty had been taught over the course of the 3 weeks he was gone. We then proceeded to practice and learn how the e-collar worked and how to properly use it. We spent time walking Rusty outside and practiced, heel, sit, rewarding commands and Rusty’s favorite command, FREEEE! Since Rusty’s been home we’ve had incredible success working on his territorial aggression issues, working on his jumping, worked on his listening and placing. I cannot tell you how frustrated and fed up we were with the issues we could not break or train with Rusty but Brandi and Perry helped make it so our boy belongs in our home with our other two dogs now. If you’ve made it this far, I 100/100 recommend checking them out if you need help with your sweet pup, they’ll be able to help without a doubt!!

Carleigh Councell

2024-03

Zach with Ridgeside K-9 was such a huge help to our family, he did an amazing job working to not only understand our dog and her needs, but to work through them and build her confidence. He and his fiancé made her comfortable at their home during the board and train and treated her like one of their own. Kept up daily communication on how she was doing and what they were doing with her training.When she came back home, he took the time to go over every detail with us, and give us the tools to help her continue to succeed.We can’t thank them enough

Alana Leder

2024-03

Iggy did an absolutely OUTSTANDING job training my dog, Jack. From the start he asked what previous training my dog was coming to the table with, what my goals were, and how he would achieve those goals as well as how I would continue to work on those skills once Jack came home. I also loved getting daily updates on progress as well as photos and videos of Jack. Iggy came recommended from someone who had their dog trained through him, and it’s easy to see why!

Ben Nichols

2024-04

In January, I rescued a 5-year-old German Shepherd. He was a wonderful dog, but he had severe reactions to other dogs while on a leash. It was difficult to find someone willing to walk him, and taking him to public places or friends' homes where other dogs might be present was nearly impossible. After researching, I found Ridgeside K9, a highly-reviewed trainer in the area. I opted for a three-week board and train program to ensure he received ample training time. Brandi and Perry were my trainers, and they were fantastic from the start. It was tough to let my pet go for three weeks, but they sent daily pictures and updates and were always ready to answer my questions, keeping me involved throughout the process.There’s a common misconception that after board and train programs, dogs come back completely fixed—this is not true. When my dog first came home, he reacted on his first walk almost as he had before. The problem was my lack of training, not his. Unless trainers live with you for three weeks and conduct training in your own neighborhood, it's unrealistic to expect the dog to automatically adjust back at home. Especially intelligent breeds like Shepherds will test boundaries. My dog has working-dog lineage, which includes behaviors like sniffing and marking territory; these genetic traits are unchangeable. However, Brandi and Perry equipped me with the tools to manage and eventually curb his behaviors. It’s crucial to remember that training is a two-way street. Without proper training for yourself, the dog can easily revert to old behaviors.One significant point often overlooked is how the trainers teach you to communicate with your dog. Knowing simple commands like "yes" (positive) and "no" (negative) is transformative. For instance, I used to lay a blanket down for my dog to chew his bone so it wouldn’t stain the carpet. Initially, he would move off the blanket onto the carpet. Post-training, it only took a couple of corrections for him to understand that "carpet" meant no and "blanket" meant yes. Now, he stays on the blanket. Even after the program ended, Brandi and Perry continued to provide support and help with specific issues.Additionally, if you choose a board and train program, consider purchasing a raised cot from Amazon. It’s inexpensive, and your dog will already be familiar with it as a resting place. I'm very grateful to Brandi, Perry, and Ridgeside K9 for their invaluable help, which has alleviated many years of potential stress.Each breed is different, and everyone’s experience will vary. This was my experience—do not take it as gospel. Work closely with your trainer, engage fully in the process, and you will achieve the necessary results.

Melissa Bronaugh

2024-02

Our experience with Gina at Ridgeside K9, LLC - who trained our golden retriever Sedona - has been wonderful. We opted to do both the 10-day puppy training as well as the 2-week adult training and Sedona was with Gina both times. Each time she went away, she came back with SO many good behaviors formed during training, and Gina ensured that we knew how to continue to reinforce the training at home as well. Throughout the time that she was away, Gina checked in with us daily - many times multiple times a day - to ensure that we were kept in the loop on what Sedona was working on, and how she was progressing. In addition, we felt so comforted by the fact that she (and her family) really welcomed Sedona into their home and loved her like she was theirs. Now that Sedona is home, she is able to heal walk perfectly, has amazing door manners, is able to hold "place" for extended periods of time - even while her food is within reach, which if you have a golden, you understand that this is an amazing feat, and has wonderful focus for a 6-month-old puppy. She is going to be a fabulous family pet, with great behavior that Gina has helped to create. It is also worth mentioning that since Sedona has been home (over a week), Gina has checked in with us multiple times on her progress and has made it clear that the lines of communication are always open should we need to run something by her in the future. Cannot recommend Gina at Ridgeside K9 more positively. Wonderful experience!! Thank you so much Gina!

Lindsay Bartholomew

2023-12

We sent our 7 month old puppy Pepper for the 3 week board and train with Shawn Jacobs in October. It was definitely worth it - her outdoor listening skills improved tenfold and she is generally excellent off-leash. The training has given her a lot of outdoor freedom she didn’t have before because we trust she will listen and stick with us. People we come across on walks are so impressed with her behavior for her age. Shawn sent us plenty of updates - videos and professional grade photos worthy of framing. Pepper really loved having Shawn’s dogs to run around with and he treated her like one of his own. We wouldn’t hesitate to send our future dogs to Ridgeside, especially if they could be trained by Shawn!

Margaret Free

2024-02

Shoutout to the amazing team at Ridgeside K9 for the outstanding training they provided for my German Shepherd, Tesla! I enrolled her in their 3-week boarding and training program, and it was worth every penny. From day one, I knew my pup was in good hands. The trainers, Perry and Brandi (the dynamic duo), were not only knowledgeable but also incredibly dedicated to their craft.Throughout Tesla’s stay, I received daily progress reports (with pics) that kept me in the loop on her training journey. It was so reassuring to see the consistent progress she was making. And let me tell you, the debriefing on graduation day was nothing short of comprehensive. Perry took the time to walk me through everything Tesla had learned, providing me with all the tools and advice I needed to continue her training at home.I can't express how excited I am to put into practice all the training and advice I learned from this fantastic duo. Tesla has come back a transformed dog, and I owe it all to Ridgeside K9. If you're looking for a dog trainer who goes above and beyond, look no further. Thank you, Ridgeside K9, for giving Tesla the training she needed to become the best version of herself.

Beth Coakley

2023-08

When my husband surprised me with a puppy I knew I needed him (my new puppy) to be well-trained. Several friends used Ridgeside and raved about their trainers. I needed my puppy to be responsive to a woman’s voice since I would be his primary care-giver. Britney couldn’t be more wonderful! She had Duke twice for his puppy training and has boarded him many times since. Duke has excellent recall (I’ve called him off rabbits and squirrels) and is fantastic walking on and off leash. We enjoy taking him places and it’s a pleasure to have a dog that is calm, friendly and well-behaved. We always get compliments on Duke and we reply that we are thankful to our Ridgeside trainer, Britney.

Michelle Pellatt

2024-02

Gina at Ridgeside K9 is an absolute miracle worker. We rescued our pit mix Sadie earlier in the year from a pretty bad situation, and once she bonded with us she became dangerously protective of us. During her 3-week board and train, Gina gave her many tools to develop her confidence and build neutrality with strangers and other dogs. Sadie will never like people entering her territory, but we don't feel like we have a loose cannon on our hands anymore, and Sadie is clearly less stressed in general. So grateful to Gina and Ridegside!EDITED TO ADD: Gina is also a miracle worker with humans. She kept us informed every single day of training, and helped us address our own insecurities as owners. The training that WE received from Gina has empowered us as Sadie's parents, which is a great gift.

Mia Howard

2023-11

My boy Beau (10/11 months old yellow Labrador) went away for the four week board and train program with Zach! It was such a wonderful experience. I was anxious of course having him leave but it was so worth it. Zach was so nice and open to answering any question or concern we had.We heard about Ridgeside K9 through friends who have put their dogs through training so we decided to give it a try. Beau is such a loving, energetic, and sweet dog. He did very well as a little puppy, we were able to take him out often to places such as wineries, breweries, or parks, but as he grew he just became noncompliant and reactive. We knew that putting him in a training program would be the best option. He is such a smart and driven dog, we wanted to make sure he was well trained and safe.The day Zach came to get Beau, he explained the whole experience to us and let us have an idea of the expectations. Zach was in contact every single day, sending updates of Beau and his progress. I was so amazed at how well he was doing. Seeing him not reacting to people in the stores or while on walks was just a major shift and I was so happy to see it. At the end of the training, Zach sat down with us for about 3 hours and went over everything thoroughly. He even sent us resources that we could use to further benefit us while training at home. We also learned that any time we needed to board Beau, we were welcomed to contact Zach, which we will definitely be considering in the future.Beau just got back a few weeks ago and I am happy to say he is still his fun, loving, and crazy self, but now is safe and more controlled. He even seems less stressed, confident, and happier too. We never wanted to change his personality, just reign in his behaviors, and Zach did that beautifully.Thank you so much Zach and Ridgeside K9! I will be forever grateful for this experience. Our other Lab is definitely also reaping the benefits of a better behaved Beau, haha!

T S

2023-12

A few weeks ago, these two 100 and 150lb puppies both under a year, dragged me down the street trying to meet a child and his small dog. They love everyone yet I had no control over them and ended up with a broken pinky and several injured fingers as a result. I contacted Ridgeside K9, LLC that day and ended up putting them both in the three-week board & train with Aaron Jeter. Every day I was given an update and pictures of the day's training. Now, I am completely confident I can take them both anywhere, by myself, with no fear at all of them getting out of control. I'm so thankful to be able to give them an amazing life from here on out and will highly recommend Aaron J at Ridgeside K9 to anyone I can.

Andy McDonald

2023-07

My wife and I just recently had our dog Daphne complete the 3 week board and train program with Johnnie at Ridgeside K9. We’re beyond impressed and pleased with the progress she made within a few short weeks. She went from pulling and being very opinionated on walks to now confidently walking by our side. Johnnie was able to work on impulse control, reduce her reactivity with skateboards, and build her comfort around kids. We’re even starting to expand our trust with her off leash in small doses. The training really felt personalized and tailored to Daphne’s and our needs.We thoroughly enjoyed our experience with Johnnie and Ridgeside. Communication was extremely clear, thorough, and consistent throughout the duration of her stay. We received daily texts, photos, and videos. Johnnie was also very proactive and responsive once he realized Daphne had a nickel allergy to the training collar and was able to treat her and allay our anxiety. The in home pickup and drop off was also extremely convenient. Johnnie did a great job walking us through all we needed to know upon drop off as well. We can’t recommend Johnnie and Ridgeside K9 enough.

Tonya Klus

2023-11

My retired service dog was getting more fear reactive and aggressive. She was not adjusting to the non-work life well since she can no longer be worked how she's used to be due to medical issues. Johnnie Oakes took her for a 3 week board and train. We had a couple hiccups when she first came home as I was passing on the collar/training information to others in the home.Yesterday we were charged by another dog and she looked up at me instead of reacting. We have been able to walk past bunnies woth no reaction now as well.

Andrea Gomez

2023-11

The 3-week board and train seriously changed my life. My dog is very high energy and has a natural instict to pull. I had issues training her to properly walk on the leash, stop countersurfing, minimize barking, stop jumping on people, etc. I constantly had shoulder pain because she would pull me so hard every time we went out. When she came back from board and train with Payton, she was a different dog altogether, still with her silly personality but much better behaved. And the more I reinforce the training, the better she gets. She gets better at leash walking the more we practice and she is generally a more controlled dog (with the occasional zoomie!). I used to get very stressed about taking her places with me because she could be very unpredictable. Now I feel confident taking her wherever and I know how to correct any bad behaviors. Payton also kept me updated on the training and sent pictures and videos every day. I missed my pup a lot but this was 110% worth it!!

Kathleen Wolff

2023-12

Gina was simply fantastic with our 16 week-old Bernedoodle puppy. I don’t think he experienced any separation anxiety but I’m pretty sure his owner did because I was really nervous about leaving him for two weeks of training and missed him so much! However, the day she picked him up we immediately got the most fabulous photos of Atticus with Gina and her family. Throughout the two weeks we experienced Atticus’s training vicariously through her videos and explanations of how he was doing - which was great! Our little puppy was clearly very relaxed and happy in the videos and very healthy and happy when he got home. We are loving the results and we know this sets us up for a much better time with our doggie going forward. This is simply the best thing we could have done for Atticus and ourselves. We are delighted and so appreciative of Gina’s kindness and talent!