alpha one canine academy

I truly can’t say enough good things about Alpha One. Ian and his team have been caring for Otis for the last few years, and as the owner of a slightly spicy dog, having people I trust completely with him is invaluable. They have always been incredibly professional, patient, knowledgeable and supportive. They understand Otis, respect who he is, and give him exactly the kind of care and structure he needs. He’s always happy to be there and, most importantly, comes home happy too. Since moving to Italy, it means even more to know that whenever we’re back in the US, Otis has a place that feels familiar, safe and consistent. Knowing Alpha One is always there for him gives me an incredible amount of peace of mind. I’m so grateful to Ian and the entire team for loving and caring for my spicy little guy all these years. I wouldn’t trust him with anyone else.

We are giving Alpha One Canine Academy our highest recommendation and here is why. We came to them with three rescue dogs who had lived together for years, but growing tensions in our home made us realize we needed professional help. Our youngest dog was deeply insecure, hyperactive, constantly seeking attention, leash reactive, pulling on walks, and unable to settle herself. Alpha One identified goals of building her confidence, improving socialization, helping her feel more secure in new situations, and teaching her more appropriate ways to respond to the world around her. Our second dog had relatively few day-to-day behavioral problems but could be extremely stubborn and had bitten both another dog in our home and one of us. For her, the focus was on clear structure, consistent rules and healthy boundaries, along with improving responsiveness and impulse control. Working with Ian and Brooke has been wonderful. Brooke manages scheduling, billing and coordination and is incredibly responsive, communicative and easy to reach. Ian works with us in our home and with both dogs at day school. From our first evaluation, we appreciated how direct he was while also being kind, encouraging and completely nonjudgmental. He made the process feel collaborative rather than overwhelming, and that has continued with every meeting. In only three weeks, we have seen a huge shift in both dogs, inside and outside our home. Our youngest has greater focus and responsiveness, is learning to settle and self-soothe, is more manageable on leash, and is becoming noticeably more confident and secure. We are also seeing much less of the frantic attention-seeking behavior. Our other dog is responding much better to direction and boundaries, with improved impulse control. The overall dynamic among our dogs is calmer and more manageable. One of the biggest benefits has actually been knowing what we should do. Ian created a clear plan, so my husband and I now know how to respond in different situations rather than trying to figure it out in the moment. That alone has brought so much more peace to our home. We decided early on to treat dog training like learning a sport. We could drop our dogs off once a week and expect Ian to do the work, but we knew we would get much more out of the program if we practiced. We dedicate time every day to the skills Ian teaches us and consistently follow through at home. Ian isn't just training our dogs; he's teaching us how to be better handlers and owners. As a family, we made the decision to invest both the time and money into doing this properly, and it has absolutely been worth both. We still have work ahead of us, but seeing this much progress in only three weeks has made us incredibly grateful we chose Alpha One Canine Academy.

I can’t recommend Alpha One Canine Academy enough. Their tactics for rehabilitation completely changed the relationship I have with my rescue Staffy/Pit. Not only did they help her become a more confident dog, but they also gave me the knowledge and tools to better understand her anxiety and navigate it with confidence. What stands out most is how genuinely they care. They treat Sadie like she’s one of their own, and they never stop making sure I have the support and guidance I need for continued success. As someone who doesn’t trust easily - especially when it comes to my dog - I can honestly say I trust them. I’m incredibly grateful for Ian and Justin. Their patience, expertise, and genuine love for the dogs they work with have made such a lasting impact on both of us. If you’re looking for trainers who truly invest in you and your dog, this is the place to go.

Ian & Justin are by far the best trainers i have experienced. We have a 17 month pit/cane corso/ sheppard. He is in that reactivity/ fear stage and this window really matters. I can confirm that in just over a months working with them, our boy is going from strength to strength. Most trainers use tactics to get an obedient dog, Alpha one focusses on fixing the root cause of behavior issues. If your dog is badly behaved its usually because you don't have your mind in order and focused on the correct things. Alpha has helped me and my wife get aligned. Our boy did not have a purpose before and now he does. 100% recommend these guys.