Bakers Acres K9 Academy

I contacted Bakers Acres because our mixed breed, a Great Pyrenees/Golden Doodle, was displaying reactive behaviors towards other dogs, as well as towards humans engaging in activities such as running, skateboarding, and biking. There was a particularly concerning incident where he went after another dog while I was on a run, causing me to fall. Thankfully, no one was seriously injured, but I knew I needed to address these behavioral issues. To start, I began attending Saturday Pack Walks with the hope of helping Chief become more comfortable around other dogs. Progress was slow, but each week, I saw small improvements. Despite this progress, Chief still had lingering issues, making me uncomfortable to walk him. Ultimately, I made the decision to invest in professional training, and I'm so glad I did. Through this process, I came to the realization that I also needed to be trained on how to handle Chief's reactive behaviors. I can't recommend Bakers Acres enough! Sarah, the trainer, is consistently available and provides straightforward, effective guidance. She is clear and firm with the dogs, which is necessary when dealing with behavioral challenges. As a responsible dog owner, I am committed to creating a safe environment for both my dog and others. Even after the training, I continue to attend Pack Walks and appreciate the opportunity to connect with other dog owners. It's reassuring to know that Sarah is always there for any ongoing support or issues that may arise.

Sara is not a dog trainer she is a dog wizard! The first time she stepped into our yard, without saying one word, just her vibe and presence alone immediately calmed our excitable and overly friendly jumpy dog, Ginger. I’m a marriage and family therapist and use Ginger as a therapy dog in my office every day, and she is also the #ChalkBus mascot and goes all my events. Thus, we really needed Ginger to learn how to be calm and read different people’s comfort around dogs. Everyone always compliments us on how well-behaved Ginger is. We have Sara to thank for that. Sara is knowledgeable, experienced, patient, and takes all the time you need to educate you and help you feel capable and successful. I recommend her all the time to everyone.

Update: It's now been three years and my dog is the best behaved dog most people who come to our house have ever met. Sara continues to stay in touch and continues to help us when needs arise. She is like part of the family these days and I am so grateful that she taught me how to be my own good dog trainer! Original Review: Sara Baker has developed an awesome approach to dog training. In a logical step-by-step process, she helps the owner become the "dog whisperer" for their dog. For us, it actually started in advance of the training, with the "Pick of the Litter" program, where Sara sat down and interviewed our family to understand our needs, then helped us figure out what breed to get, helped me interview breeders, and then helped us select the best puppy in the litter for our particular needs. (This alone lifted an enormous amount of stress from the puppy-buying process.) From there she helped us be prepared to bring the puppy home so we knew how to start training from the time the paws hit our floor. When you sign up for training with Sara, you also become part of the Bakers Acres family and have access to her knowledge and trouble-shooting anytime it is needed. Getting a dog is a huge life decision, and I can't recommend highly enough how helpful it has been for me to have Sara as a guide.

We did several consults with surrounding trainers and Sara stood out immediately. Her history and background with dogs and training is pretty tough to beat and it all shows when she’s training your dog. It is a very personal experience and she can (and will!) address/improve any issue or concern you come to her with. Every lesson was productive and taught us something new to focus on and improve on. We came to her with a high energy puppy that struggled with distractions and impulse control. She taught us the best tools and practices to help our pup channel is energy in an appropriate way. And overall teach him good manners in the house and in social settings with other dogs. He’s learned off leash reliability and more in just a few short months. A couple of stand out things about Sara: 1. She will 100% cater your lessons to your very specific needs. Want to focus on the basics? Done. Want to see if your dog understands off leash reliability? Want to learn strategies to help your dog overcome fear? Want to understand why your dog listens to your spouse but not you? Sara works very personally and closely to accomplish the goals you set out. 2. She understands exactly what your dog needs. I have asked Sara to assess potential neighbors and friends dogs. It is amazing to see how quickly she can pinpoint what is going on in the canine mind and mold her techniques with it. As a wildlife professional, it is a huge relief to know that Sara understands that dogs are animals driven by canine instincts. She does not anthropomorphize their behavior. 3. Sara probably spends more time training people than she does dogs. At the end of our lessons, both me and my husband realized we have a great grasp on training our dog. Sara provided us with the tools and knowledge to continue his training ourselves. Anytime we are a bit stumped on a new behavior or training technique that isn't working, we know she is a phone call or lesson away. Knowing her services extend through our dog's life is a relief. 4. She has a wide range of opportunities for clients and the public. Her monthly workshops are extremely educational and her weekly pack walks are completely free to the public. I have brought friends multiple times to the pack walks since she offers free advice at the end with a Q&A. If you’re looking for a trainer- you’ve found the right one here.