Alpha K-9 Obedience

Michael is the best there is in the Denver Metro Area! Our dog showed signs of aggression the first night we brought him home. He is a miniature golden-doodle (adorable, right?) so we didn't pay it much attention until he finally bit a groomer and a child. At this point he was two years old with possession and aggression issues. He was well behaved 98% of the time but the two-percent of his life where he acted out was growing more and more concerning. We had hired multiple trainers and even went to a dog psychologist. We tried CBD, prescription drugs, dog psychics, changed his diet, literally everything we possibly could to curb his aggressive tendencies. Nothing worked. We were finally referred to Michael. In ONLY one session, our dog was different. He has completely changed to become a sweet, respectful dog 100% of the time. I no longer walk him and feel terrified of what might happen. He has no more anxiety and just seems really happy. I highly recommend Michael to anyone who wants a well-trained, well-behaved dog that can function and be happy in any social setting, including grooming.

If you are looking for a great dog trainer, our family highly recommends Michael at Alpha K-9 Obedience. He trained our chocolate lab six years ago and we just reengaged him to train our lab puppy. He is an animal behaviorist and communicates with your dog in their own language. His training develops a leadership role for the owner where your dog not only loves you, but respects you. This leads to a lifetime of happiness for both you and your dog. Michael works with the owner to teach them how to continue to work with the dog each day so the dog continues to improve daily. All of the training is done in a safe, humane and even fun way. My dogs love Michael and get so excited when he arrives for training. We could not recommend him more!

We contacted Michael when we had problems with our 7 year old Weimaraner Coco. She had always been very attached to my husband but after he was diagnosed with cancer, her attachment turned into an unhealthy obsession. If other dogs approached my husbands on walks she would growl and lunge at them. And then we were asked by a family member to keep their dog (Herc) for a couple months while their new house was being built. It was very stressful in our house with Coco attacking Herc regularly. And then one day when she tried to go after him, she accidently nipped my husband’s leg. That is when we knew we had to do something quickly. Michael was highly recommended by a friend whose dog had been helped by him. On the first visit to the house Michael assessed the situation and said the Coco was treating my husband as a possession. We immediately had an “aha” moment that that was exactly the situation. He said that Coco had taken on the alpha role to protect my husband but that dogs do not actually want that role and that was causing stress for her. He showed us different exercises to show Coco that she was not alpha. And that the humans in the house were. Within a few days her aggressive behavior ended and she actually started playing with Herc. On Michael’s second visit there was amazing improvement. We were hoping for that but we were actually surprised by how quickly the situation turned around. We continue to do the exercises and the atmosphere in the house is very peaceful now. We are so grateful for all the help that Michael has given us. He truly has a gift to read the energy of dogs. And mor important is the way he changed our behavior – that was key in getting Coco to change. We highly recommend Michael for any animal behavior problems you may be experiencing.

Mike is great at his craft. he helped us with our Dog Terra. We were thinking she was beyond help. She was timid and has some aggression issues. We were not sure anything would help her.She was so timid we were not sure if we could have around our granddaughters that come to our home often. With Mikes help we have our dog back and she great around kids. Thank you Mike we love your work The Jones Family Westminster

We are so grateful for the enormous help we received from Michael Mandell when he helped us train our Newfoundland puppy, Winnie. We had been searching for a compassionate trainer who could understand the needs of our puppy and help her learn how to be a civilized member of our family. But we were deeply concerned that a harsh trainer would break our sweet girl's spirit and do more damage than good. We were so relieved when we found Michael. He is so much more than just a dog trainer, he is a true animal behavior specialist, which is exactly what we were looking for. He seems to understand canines on an organic level, and his warmth and compassion for the dogs he works with is evident. He truly loves his job because he truly loves dogs. Our Winnie grew to love Michael as though he were part of our "pack," and she always wanted to please him during her sessions. If someone loves their dog and wants to live harmoniously with them, there is no need to go to extremes to train them with aggressive tactics or cruelty. A dog does not need to be "broken" or yelled at (that only frightens and confuses them) they need to be understood. We learned so much more than we expected from Michael about how our dog thinks and the role that we play in how she thinks and acts. Once we understood this, we were able to apply what Michael was teaching us, and the positive results we saw in Winnie were instantaneous. Many thanks, Michael! Courtney and Chris Winfrey