Ancillary K9 Dog Training

Trainer is knowledgeable and the training itself was good. However, after the first session, scheduling became an issue and we were unable to find times that worked for both parties. As the owner notes in his response, we ultimately never completed the program. Despite receiving only one session, I was not refunded. I understand there was a no-refund policy, but I would encourage prospective customers to confirm scheduling compatibility before committing to a program that costs thousands of dollars. My issue was never the quality of the training—it was the customer experience when scheduling fell apart.

I truly enjoyed working with Dion, he made everything clear and worked really well with my dog Zeus. My dog is incredibly reactive, lunged at people and other dogs, was becoming incredibly aggressive with even me, I needed help and wasn't sure where to go. He's gone through obedience and he now walks close to me, listens when he is called, he is getting so much bettet around other dogs and people.This training has changed not only my life but my dogs life. I am incredibly grateful. I highly recommend anyone who is struggling to Dion!

At the time of this review I am halfway through my program with Dion/Ancillary K9. I have 2 Giant Schnauzers; a 3 year old female, Liesel, and a 7 month old male, Dieter. I had never done any formal obedience training with Liesel but had “gotten away with it” (really ??) because she is fairly easygoing and manageable . . . “just” challenged with impulse control & focus, not always fun to walk, and pretty lousy at recall. However, when it became apparent early on that Dieter is on the “wild child” spectrum (strong-willed, smart, sassy, independent, mouthy, exhibiting some reactive behaviors, and OBSTINATE), I knew I was in for a rough ride if I didn’t quit messing around and seek professional help early on. After a ton of research and meeting with Dion, I decided to move forward with Ancillary K9 and haven’t looked back. I can’t say enough how happy I am with my decision. Why? 1. Dion knows his stuff, no question. You won’t find many like him as far as his background and experience in dog psychology and behavior, and his success stories (as attested to by many, many clients) speak for themselves. His insights into dog (and people!) behavior and the ability to speak to the whys and wherefores of what’s going on offer a dimension that is critical to accomplishing the goals you have for your dog- and yourself. 2) Dion is an outstanding teacher. His ability to get his points across using spot-on analogies and humor help to put you at ease and create a comfortable learning environment. He takes the time to ask thoughtful questions and gather information that enables him to tailor his instructions and recommendations for YOUR specific situation/needs, and he actively solicits questions and input. His explanations about the use of various tools (such as prong and e-collars) address their purpose/role/function and how, when used correctly, they can really benefit the training process in ways that the average dog owner doesn’t realize or understand. If you're like me, this will go a long way in helping to establish a comfort level with incorporating these tools into your training program. 3) I find Dion’s communication style to be refreshingly “real” and enjoy working with him; he cuts to the chase and tells it like it is, but is also supportive and encouraging. He’s clear about the need for YOU to put the work in with your pup if you want to be successful. It’s obvious that he’s committed to helping clients (both canine and human) build confidence and achieve success. His willingness to provide lifetime support speaks volumes about that commitment and isn’t something you’re going to find with very many programs. While Liesel, Dieter and I still have a lot of work to do, I’m excited about the progress we’re making and am particularly thankful to be learning the tools to help me survive Dieter’s adolescent phase. Working with Dion is one of the best decisions I’ve made, without a doubt. It’s an investment for sure, but there’s no question in my mind that the pay out will be well worth it. For any of you who are serious about getting the help you need to make life better for you and your pup, I would encourage you to make the time to meet and talk with Dion about your situation and how he can help. It will be well worth your while, and, speaking from my experience, could help improve your relationship with your dog(s)- and possibly save your sanity.

Worth. Every. Penny. If you are on the fence, please just go to a consult. Your dog will thank you and you will thank you. You might even find you enjoy dog training as a hobby. Has the training been tough? Yes, but it was so worth it. Our rescue puppy Jasper had a rough start to life. He was surrendered twice because he was “such a horrible puppy” (actual quote from the previous owners). He had issues with other dogs and resource guarding. Walks were a nightmare. Taking him anywhere was a gamble. We often felt anxious about leaving the house and upon returning would find the floor peed on and my right AirPod chewed up. When we were home he was a loving, cuddly, amazing dog. We knew he wasn’t a bad dog, he just needed training. So I set out to train him. Followed the typical “give your dog tons of treats even when they misbehave” approach and it didn’t work. So I sought out a professional. We were told by multiple trainers that Jasper was a hopeless case. He would bark, lunge and try to attack other dogs. One told us over the phone without even meeting with us in person that he should even be put down and then asked us when they could expect a first payment to start training. After venting to my mother in law one day about the problems she went on Google and found Ancillary K-9 So we gave them a call. From the get go Ancillary k-9 was different. We called and the lady on the phone laughed at the premise Jasper was hopeless and had us meet Dion. We went to the park and found Dions approach was very different: We tell the dog no. He had us work Jasper, gave us some homework and within one session, Jasper was walking without pulling. Within a week, we could leave the house without worry of him breaking out of the kennel. Dion also gives you an exact list of what to purchase and from where. He takes the guess work out of what equipment is needed and which kennel is the best. Now that we are almost done with our program Jaspers world went from us keeping him at home to now the world is his oyster. He regularly goes places with us and we feel confident to tackle hard situations. Dion explains training in a way that teaches you to train your dog this gives you the fundamentals to be successful regardless of the situation. He answers all questions thoughtfully and very precisely. We leave every session with more hope and even more results. I can say also say his approach will change you into the leader your dog needs you to be. Your dog isn’t hopeless, your dog just hasn’t met Dion.

When I initially reached out for a consultation I was at my wits end with my 5 year old corgi aussie mix Cora. Her behavior was getting progressively worse and I didn't know how to deal with her. When I received a call from Vickie to schedule an appointment, I was brought to tears with how incredibly kind she was. She helped me feel at ease and I was a bit more hopeful after booking the consultation. The first thing Dion did was confirm Cora wasn't aggressive, but reactive. This helped me understand her behavior and he explained how we could leverage his training techniques to reduce her overall fear levels. He was very upfront about his expectations and for Cora to truly be successful I needed to be all in on her training. I signed up right after the consultation. While it was a very intense journey that required me changing a good amount of my own behaviors, I am incredibly grateful to have had Dion as my guide. One of the most powerful lessons I learned from him was to set realistic expectations for Cora. I had these ideas of how my dog "should" behave that weren't fair to her as it was putting her in unnecessarily stressful situations. While I did need to be on top of booking sessions and take time off from work to attend sessions during the work week, Dion's training program was worth the effort. I was initially nervous to use tools like a prong collar, but Dion was very good about explaining to me how to use the tool to communicate what I wanted from Cora. After each session I had homework and over the weeks I started to see drastic changes in Cora and myself. Flash forward almost a year after training, Cora is a confident and well behaved dog. She no longer has issues staying in her crate and entirely ignores other dogs on walks, even when they bark at her. I'm better at reading her body language and advocating for her needs. I can take her to crowded parks, sit with her in a coffee shop or restaurant and take her with me on errands. Dion also provided helpful guidance of how to introduce Cora to other dogs. While she still gets nervous I notice she looks to me for reassurance and knows I will intervene when needed. Overall, I highly recommend working with Dion as it not only reset my relationship with Cora, it also gave me a training foundation for any dog I have in the future.