FirstBark
If I could give ADZK9 10 stars, I would. Doron, the owner, and his entire team of trainers are beyond exceptional. I brought my service dog, Otto, to Doron and ADZK9 when he was only 8 months old. Otto is a German Shepherd, and after being separated from me during several unexpe…Read full reviewClose full review
If I could give ADZK9 10 stars, I would. Doron, the owner, and his entire team of trainers are beyond exceptional. I brought my service dog, Otto, to Doron and ADZK9 when he was only 8 months old. Otto is a German Shepherd, and after being separated from me during several unexpected hospital stays, he had changed dramatically. The dog I knew had become intensely fearful and was expressing that fear through what looked like extreme aggression. Honestly, he came in acting like Cujo. (If you’re too young to know who Cujo is, please watch the movie. You’ll understand exactly what I mean!) Doron had actually met Otto a few months earlier, when he was confident and working beautifully with me, so he was able to see firsthand just how dramatic the change had been. From the very beginning, Doron understood that what we were seeing wasn’t simply an “aggressive dog.” He explained that Otto was scared, insecure, and had lost his confidence. Instead of trying to suppress the behavior or just force obedience, they started where Otto actually needed help: building his confidence. One of the things I appreciate most about ADZK9 is that Otto wasn’t trained by just one person. Doron has built an exceptional team, and Otto worked with multiple trainers throughout his program. That gave him repeated positive experiences with different people, personalities, voices, energy, and handling styles. For a dog whose biggest struggle was fear and insecurity, that exposure was incredibly important. They weren’t just building his confidence with one trainer — they were teaching him that he could carry that confidence with him no matter who was standing beside him. That made all the difference. They didn’t just teach Otto commands. They helped him learn how to handle the world differently. First they built his confidence, and then they taught him how to use that confidence appropriately. They worked with the dog in front of them instead of trying to fit him into some one-size-fits-all training program. Otto is now 11 months old, and I honestly feel like I have a different dog. Yesterday was one of those days that made me realize just how far he has come. Otto went with me to the pharmacy, LabCorp, and my doctor’s appointment. He behaved beautifully through all of it — calm, attentive, and completely appropriate in public. A woman at the pharmacy who normally delivers our medications even stopped and commented on how incredibly calm he was. That may sound like a small compliment to someone else, but when you know where Otto started, it means everything. As someone who depends on a service dog, I didn’t simply need a dog who could perform commands. I needed Otto to feel secure enough in himself to think clearly, make good choices, and confidently work beside me in the real world. ADZK9 understood that distinction. Watching his transformation has been incredible. They didn’t take Otto’s personality away or turn him into a robot. He’s still my Otto. He’s just becoming the confident, stable dog I always knew was underneath all that fear. I cannot say enough about Doron and the trainers at ADZK9. What they have done for Otto has given me something much bigger than a well-trained dog — they have helped give me my service dog back. If you’re dealing with a fearful, reactive, or misunderstood dog — or if you simply want obedience training for your dog — I cannot recommend ADZK9 enough. Doggy daycare, grooming, training, you name it, they do it. Ten stars. Without hesitation.