Alpha K-9 Obedience

Our dog Shayna is a five year old German Shepherd. Shayna has had the typical treat reward training with three different trainers with lacking results. I’m a retired Police Officer with no dog training experience whatsoever. Shayna is a very smart dog with anxiety issues. These issues have manifested by Shayna not getting along with other dogs, getting too excited whenever someone comes to the door, leash pulling and she has nipped at family members that pet her too much. She is not an aggressive dog but appears to be to people that don’t know her. To be honest, I have let Shayna down by not teaching her and training her for her to know her place in the pack. I needed the training as much as Shayna. I don’t like using the term dog whisperer but Michael worked with Shayna immediately gaining his trust and using techniques that helped Shayna become a better dog. I would highly recommend Michael to assist you in training your dog. Don’t wait 5 years like I did putting it off.

I noticed my review disappeared, not sure why but here it is again..... I've had many dogs over the decades along with various trainers but Alpha K-9 obedience has been by far the most effective and best! Michael's technique is unique, meticulous, kind and very prescriptive. He is very patient with the dogs and does not move to next level or to a new environment until current behavior has been perfected no matter how simple. And this is all done with repetition, correction, high praise and no food. My lab responded incredibly well and has a special place in his heart for him. This training has also motivated me to stay dedicated and disciplined. I've hired Michael again to train my chocolate lab who had total freedom while my black lab was being trained. During the first session, without any prompting, my black lab was jumping in to encourage his little brother and to show him how its done. Amazing, we all love Michael!

We first reached out to Michael because we needed help with our cattle dog, Juniper (Juni), being defensive when people came over or when meeting someone new. She had also had a scuffle with another dog at daycare and has always been timid and sometimes aggressive around unfamiliar dogs. When we were looking for a trainer, it was really important to us to find someone who was a behaviorist, not just a dog trainer, and who truly understood why dogs behave the way they do. I’ll admit I was a little hesitant at first because of the “alpha” name, but Michael’s calm, reassuring approach quickly put both us and Juni at ease. From the very first session, we could tell Michael genuinely understands dogs on a deep level — how they think, how they feel, and what they need in the moment. He has such grounding energy and takes the time to explain everything we’re doing and why. There’s no pressure or ego, just patience, confidence, and real knowledge. Michael has taught us so many practical, real-life tools like sit, stay, heel, leave it, and loose leash walking, and he shows us how to actually use them in everyday situations. We’ve also been working on the “friend” command, which was a big reason we reached out in the first place, and it’s been amazing to see Juni become more comfortable and less reactive around new people and dogs. Since starting training, Juni has become a better listener, eager to please, less barky overall, noticeably calmer, and more open to meeting both people and dog friends. She absolutely adores Michael (and she’s usually wary around people) which truly says everything. Michael genuinely cares about dogs and the people who love them, and we’re so grateful we found him. Working with him has been such a positive experience for both us and Juni.

Michael helped us immensely and in a short time with our 75 pound, three- year-old chocolate lab, Auggie. We are thankful we found Michael. Auggie had become very problematic on walks because he would lunge and bark at every dog we passed. He pulled on the leash so hard that both my husband and I suffered hand injuries. After our first 2-hour session with Michael, Auggie was dramatically calmer and he was eager to learn. As Michael explained to us, Auggie was relieved that we were taking charge - and it showed. Michael demonstrated techniques that we practiced daily until our second session. We were motivated to work with Auggie because we saw immediate results after the first session. We just finished our third and final session with Michael and in just a few weeks, walking Auggie is a completely different experience. He responds to our commands to heel and to ignore other dogs. He does not lunge at other dogs. He walks closely at my left knee and with confidence, looking ahead. It's remarkable.