PhD Canine

Jesseka Doherty

2023-05

Krystie, Rodney and her team set an amazing foundation for our chocolate lab puppy! After a tearful drop off when he was 9 weeks old for general obedience training, he came back after 4 weeks and was able to walk at heal & loose leash and answers to NO when he gets into puppy shenanigans. They exposed him to other animals and humans so he’s very well socialized, which is huge! He was able to sit and lay down, walks like a champ and doesn’t jump up on people when they approach him.Krystie was always sharing photos/videos & updates on how he was doing during training and after we brought him home was quick to respond and help us troubleshoot during the transition back to our house.I cannot recommend Krystie enough for raising a puppy! She did all of the hard work which takes the stress out of the puppy stage and allows us to enjoy this time vs getting frustrated. Our pup is a calm, cool and collected gentleman of a puppy thanks to Krystie!

linann pearson

2022-05

I’m am beyond pleased with training both of my dogs received while at PhD canine! Kryste and her husband Rodney are fabulous. I have 2 well behaved dogs that do not jump on you when you come into our house and they both sit so nice too. My biggest issue with my dogs before the went for training was pulling on the leash while walking and my little dog Nala was the worst, but now I can walk them both on a loose leash and if they get to far ahead a quick little tug on the leash and they both fall back to walking at my side. If I stop they stop and sit til you say walk again! AMAZING- could not be more pleased with results and they come when asked as well!! They go on there climbs and sit there til you release them!! I’m beyond pleased with my results and would highly recommend Kryste and her husband Rodney to anyone who needs training for there dogs!! Can not say enough great things about there training and how genuinely they care about your dogs. Excellent results, always are in communication with you about your dogs progress and they do a half point trading to show you how things are going and to see if there is other trading needed. Best experience ever!! You get great results for a terrific price too!

Lauryn Rea

2020-05

**LONG POST** We have 3 dogs and 4 years ago we rescued Bailey when she was 12 weeks old. She is a blue healer/border collie mix. She started to have aggression issues towards our other 2 dogs, 2 years ago and it slowly, over the course of the next 2 years progressed into eventually blood being shed and vet bills being paid. So I researched over the next couple months on what to do or where to send our dog to see a behaviorist. I wanted to make sure I was picking the right place for the money we were about to spend. I had put in my contact information online to be contacted by multiple places regarding the situation I was in and to see what companies would call me back. Krystie was the one who responded. I never heard from anyone else, and the ones I did hear back from said that they dont train Baileys breed or we may have to give her up for adoption.(Click). Krystie wanted to know more about Bailey and what has been happening to first see if she could help. We talked for, it seemed like 2 hours. She was giving me advice and telling me how she got into this business and how she was in a very similar situation with a different dog and was able to turn him around. Also, that this behavior that we are seeing is actaually normal for Bailey's type of breed. "Shes a working dog and needs something to do". It finally all came full circle then and I realized that she knew what to do with this specific breed and could most likely help. We ended up dropping Bailey off for the 3 week board and train. It was like dropping off your kid at daycare for the first time. You wont be there when they feel scared. "Is she going to feel abandoned?" Krystie assured me that she would be just fine (and she was). She gave me video updates of her progress via text, which was so helpful. I loved being able to see her in a different environment and seeing her progress. The first week she evaluated her behavior and assured me that she can work with Bailey to help manage the aggression towards our other dogs. She came back home with responding to simple commands and knowing "climb". She loves her climb because she knows that is her safe place. We also use her climb for when friends come over and we dont want her jumping up on company. It helps settle her down. One of the triggers that would make her attack our other dogs was when my boyfriend would come home from work, she wouln't want the other 2 dogs to wait by the door. She would fight whoever got in her way. So now with her climb, she gets to wait until he greets her instead. She sometimes even goes up there all on her own when she feels overwhelmed and needs a break. She has improved so much, we couldnt believe our eyes. She is still the same dog and has the same personality. She doesnt act like a robot or anything. I feel like 5 stars isnt enough for the work Krystie has done. She is so easy to work with. She answers all of our questions and is very relatable and down to earth. She has given us our sanity back and our anxiety has gone down enormously! She was our last hope and was definately worth every penny.

Jackie Brown

2023-05

I was at my wits end when I called PhD Canine for training. Taking a walk with Seven was a challenge, I would find myself having panic attacks because I knew he’d bark or growl at anyone and anything that he saw. PhD helped turn my boy around; a complete 360!! Seven now let’s my 5yr old walk him while on walks. I don’t have to chase her or him, I don’t have to tell him NO or STOP at all!! I am SOOOOOO GLADDDDDDDD Seven had this wonder opportunity of being trained by you all. You guys are truly a blessing! I’d recommend PhD to everyone that has a troubled dog you will LOVE your results.

Laura Lineer

2021-05

Krystie is a great trainer. My dog absolutely loves her. I have a goldendoodle that is extremely smart, which made her hard to train. I was concerned that my dog would come back with a different personality. I love her personality but wanted manners. After 6 weeks she came with the same personality and manners. I have recommended Krystie to several friends!

Debra Moe

2022-05

Krystie and Rodney have been instrumental in helping us with our Doberman Pinscher's training. We did board and train for 4 weeks and they addressed all of our concerns and gave us tools to use right away. They met with us several times, including at a local pet store, to show us his progression. Since training was completed, they've been awesome to answer our questions and help us with how to address a behavior. We also appreciate being able to take our dog there for boarding. They truly care for and have passion for dogs. Thank you Krystie and Rodney!

Yolanda Foss

2022-05

We sent our recently adopted 1 yr old Staffordshire to PhD Canine for training, on a recommendation, because he would get overly excited whenever people would visit our home and also because he had separation anxiety.I have to say it was the best money we ever spent. As soon as Krystie let him out of the van when she brought him home after 2 weeks of training, we noticed a huge difference. He was very relaxed and did not jump on us, although his tail was wagging like crazy. He also no longer suffers from separation anxiety, he did not enjoy being in his crate before training at PhD Canine, now he just goes in their on his own, even when he doesn’t have to!I would highly recommend PhD Canine to anyone looking to have their dog trained. Krystie really knows what she’s doing, our dog loved her and he came back home as a more well behaved dog.

jennifer mcneal

2020-05

I have never taken my dogs for training where they would be away from me, in fact I rarely ever even boarded my dogs, so you can imagine how nervous I was leaving them for 4 to 5 weeks!! The minute I walked into PhD Canine my fears subsided. Krystie is absolutely amazing and my dogs felt right at home. We took our 2 year old and 10 year old, primarily as support for the two year old, and the results are amazing! Krystie brings the dogs for a house visit half way through the training for an evaluation and I was amazed at how much time and effort she had put into their training and how quickly they wanted to leave with her, it was also apparent how much my dogs loved her, which of course made me feel great!!! On top of the training the dogs are also involved in 4 or 5 play time groups each day, my two year old was in heaven, basically living in a doggy day care! My 10 year old was very content just cuddling up on the couch with Krystie! Whatever their needs were she was in tune with all of it!! If your dogs need training they need Krystie!!! The cost is very reasonable considering the results, the other benefit as well is that once they have been trained she also offers boarding!! During training she takes them out in public for outings and further training, she is truly a full service trainer, who most importantly LOVES dogs and always has their best interest in mind. The training is also customized to your dog, my 10 year olds program was much different than my 2 year olds and she was able to modify as needed. She is simply the best!!!

Raza Zaidi

2018-05

Krystie is a phenomenal Trainer. She is the most honest and caring person I have ever met. She helped me train my dog named Blade he is a great dog and very well trained thanks to Krystie. She is very passionate about dogs and will always do the right thing for them I highly recommend her for any and all training needs. She has been training dogs longer than I have been alive and has seen it all, she is extremely well known and a very accomplished trainer.

J Costello

2018-05

Krystie Is amazing! We sent her three puppies of ours for her three week puppy training program and we are more than thrilled with the results. WE have one crazy little girl Charlie and when she came home we were so amazed by the difference. We breed golden retrievers and Goldadors and we will definitely be recommending to future puppy homes as well as friends and family! Through out the three weeks our dogs were in training she sent us lots of updates and answered any and all questions!

Kim Star

2019-05

Krystie is a true dog lover and trainer! We are so pleased with how she trained our puppy and spent the time with us in training so we would carry the training forward. It is very evident how much Krystie has passion for the dogs and owners. She answered all of our questions and provided updates on gunner while he did the 3 week program. If I could give 10 stars I would!!!’

Lori Oloughlin

2022-05

Kristy is the best. She trains with love and knowledge of every breed. She knows the different challenges every breed instinctively has and teaches you how to correct that behavior. We are so happy we took our Kiwi to her. We noticed undesirable behaviors in our puppy and had difficulty correcting them. Kristy is still available to us for questions and training help which we greatly appreciate. I'm so very happy and pleased we picked PH canine 💖🐾💖🐾

David Broderick

2018-05

Krystie is an incredible trainer! When looking for someone to help me train my dogs, I have always looked for someone that has very well trained dogs. I have noticed there are many dog trainers who have poorly trained dogs. Krystie's dogs are trained to the highest level you can hope for! I'd highly recommend her to help with any issues you're having!

Mari Doyle

2018-05

Krystie and Rodney are amazing trainers. They have helped guide me in raising my very first malinois. They practice clear and fair training ,that will help build such an amazing bond between you and your Dog. I’m so in love with my dog because of them. If you get a chance to work with them, consider yourselves to be extremely lucky.

shaun jacobsen

2020-05

Lauryn rea is my girlfriend she left a long post about our dog Bailey refer to that one for more details in which I don't cover. Since the training Bailey received she seems like a new dog. Prior to her training, She had aggression issues towards our other two dogs. that sent us to the emergency vet and normal vet for thousands of dollars in bills. We were up against it and trying to figure out what we were going to do. Thinking that finding her a new home might be the only way to keep our other dogs safe. After her training She self corrects when she feels her excitement getting the best of her. She will go up on her climb and stay there, Kristie gave us the proper tools we needed to manage Bailey. To continue her training which now has just become daily routines and doesn't feel like training at all. We haven't had any incidents that have caused any worry. What Kristie did for us and our dogs is more than we can express, it gave us a way to keep all our dogs and keep them safe. Most of all gave us piece of mind. Which I hadn't had prior to training for a solid 6-9 months. Always dreading my phone ringing to hear bad news or having to run to the vet or break up fights. So I want to thank Kristie and her team for everything they've done it means more than I can express.

Alexis ludowese

2019-05

Kristie Is an amazing dog trainer! I was having trouble finding someone to work with my dog on her behavior problems and I’m so glad I found her! She was able to give my dog more confidence to meet new people and new dogs. Also teaching me the proper way to introduce new people to my dog. After the training program I’ve continued to bring my dog to her for doggy day care so my dog can continue to play with other dogs in a controlled enovirment. Great trainer whos able to read your dogs behaviors and continues to you work with you if you have any other concerns. Highly recommend her training!

J C

2018-05

Krystie and Rodney are excellent people and very talented trainers. With competition being my main goal, it was important for me to locate trainers that not only had dogs that demonstrated their abilities but dogs with high success rates in protection sports. All of their personal dogs are nothing short of stellar which was more then enough for me to trust them with my training needs. If you need any kind of training guidance/direction, you’d be foolish not to utilize these folks!

Zhou Fang

2020-05

Krystie is a very good trainer overall. I went in with an aggressive Chihuahua that barked at everyone. Although the problem isn't completely rectified by my dog's return, it did become much more manageable and showed very significant improvement. Her communication response can use a little work though.

Shari Hamer

2019-05

Krystie is wonderful! We had a very shy dog who was very fearful and timid around strangers. We were concerned she might snap at someone and cause injury especially when someone would just approach her and pet her without permission startling her in the process. Krystie’s knowledge and training methods helped our dog gain confidence so we can take her out in public without her shying away and snapping at people. Krystie taught us what to do to continue to help her with this process. She also helped with our dog’s prey drive and counter surfing issues. We have to continue to work on her behaviors, but Krystie gave us the tools and our dog the skills to be successful. Highly recommend.

Will Larson

2019-05

I brought my Great Pyrenees mix to Krystie when I was having trouble with him after rescuing him from a bad place. He seemed to have a love for people, but not have any reason to listen to them. He just wanted to do his own thing. Krystie did an amazing job catering her approach to his breed characteristics. She knew exactly what to address and how to do it. When I got my boy back its like he all of the sudden knew to listen to me. I decided to wait a month to write this review to see if he went back on any of his training. He hasn't. It important to continue to do what Krystie was doing, but I honestly couldn't be happier. Thanks so much!

Katie Foss

2019-05

Krystie worked wonders with my 4 year old Rottweiler. He had become very defensive when seeing other dogs after having been attacked by off leash dogs. Since he's come back, I've been able to walk him without the stress of what will happen when on walks and running into other dogs. I've also been able to have company without him knocking people over, for the first time in over 2 years. Our lives are changed for the better since he went to see Krystie.

Scott Warner

2018-05

Krystie of PHD Canine is a gem! She has helped me tremendously in turning my once aggressive king cavalier into a docile happy pet. Before I met krystie I had so much trouble getting sparkles to listen and do what I say but Krystie has really helped me tremendously in being able to build a better relationship and get the control over the dog that I was looking for. If you are looking for an incredible trainer that will provide realistic and reliable results then PHD Canine is the way to go!

Tricia Pitchford

2019-05

We sent our puppy to a 3 week session and she taught her the basic commands using simple terms and concepts. It made it easy for our children to understand and remember the commands as well. We've since used Kristine for boarding which is great as it gives our pup a refresher every time she's there.

Ashley Helsel

2020-05

PhD Canine has been a lifesaver. My 15 month old English Springer Spaniel was separated from her littermate brother after their first year of life together and Bella did not do well with the move and separation. She went from a well-adjusted pup to a nervous wreck. She would literally cower, shake and pee herself with any people or animals that we would encounter in our new neighborhood. I couldn’t leave her for even ten minutes in the apartment without her freaking out - barking and howling. I didn’t know what to do. I tried everything I read about to no avail. I decided to board her at PhD Canine because of Kristie’s expertise with dogs having behavioral problems - anxiety , aggression, etc to work with Bella to improve her confidence. I missed Bella so much but I got updates and was able to see for interim progress. She is home now and although still shy, I can leave her alone in my apartment to go to the store, work, out, etc. We can get on an elevator with other people on it. I’m super happy with PhD Canine and even though I live in theTwin Cities, I will continue to board her there when I need to go out of town. Amazing transformation!!

Linda Larson

2020-05

I have a very hyper (1) yr old female Boxer and have relied on Krystie through the various states of puppy hood for training. “Soosie” absolutely loves Krystie, She is delivers A+ training and is an amazing trainer! Heartily recommend.

Eliza Talen

2019-05

Could not have asked for a better outcome for our Bella! Krystie and her husband really treated her as one of their own. She listened to our concernes and wishes for Bella’s board and train stay and the results have been amazing!!! Bella is much happier and so are we! Krystie was always accessible and has remained available for questions even weeks after Bella’s stay was over! I would recommend PHD to any and everyone! Thanks again! We couldn’t be happier with the results!

Katie Maynard

2019-05

Kristie and her husband trained our dog to follow commands and to be obedient. They worked with us to train our dog to do specific things we were needing from our dog. They also gave us the tools to work with at home and made it simple! She’s alsways there if you have a question. She made our pup come out of her shell and be that much more amazing!

Scott Terry

2018-05

Krystie is Awesome!!...She is very professional and the training she provided was excellent! She helped me through the steps of making sure I was paired with the right service dog for my needs. Me and Akasha have bonded and she has become my best friend and savior!!...Thanks Krystie!!

Heather DeBoer

2019-05

The love and care they put into my pups training made all the more difference. Not only did they do a great job of helping me address my concerns, I really felt like i could trust them. Even my neighbors are impressed with how well behaved my puppy is after coming home. 10/10 will recommend. I will never go anywhere else for my future needs.

Jackie Evans

2020-05

I would love to say that I recommend her as a dog trainer. I can’t though. During my dog’s 2 week stay, he was left out on a tie out within the first week of his "training" during a storm, and chewed through the leash and ran away. He was missing for at least 24 hours. At least that’s one of the stories I was given. This was over a year ago, and I hope, I very much hope, she has gotten a fence since then. Since my dog's stay, he has had extreme anxiety any time we leave. I was promised in house training but have never received a phone call or email for repayment.