Calm Canine Academy

We had a mixed experience with CCA but it was mostly because our pup was extremely leash reactive and we happen to live in NYC (one of the absolute worst places in the world for a dog). Our trainer, Maddie, was well-versed in dog body language and helped for other issues aside from Archer's leash reactivity. However, we did not make much progress at all for the leash reactivity and she seemed reluctant to handle him after seeing the extent of his reactivity (barking/lunging/growling and going from 0 to 100 really quickly). I think CCA does a wonderful job for basic behaviors and obedience training, especially since they follow a fear-free method, but for very complex and difficult behavioral issues, I would recommend doing some more research to find the best fit! Training can be SUPER expensive and we definitely had to cycle through a few different trainers before finding one that actually helped Archer's extreme leash reactivity.

My rescue Finn has struggled with reactivity and anxiety. We enrolled in Feisty Fido and wow what a difference! Finn is much happier and he’s made such incredible progress on his reactivity. Finn rolls around in the grass now on every walk because he is so much less anxious! Noises like construction and barking dogs that would have sent Finn trying to run down the street no longer bother him and he’s neutral when he sees dogs on his walks! This class was such a lifesaver, CCA has truly been fantastic. Thank you Karishma, Lauren and the rest of the team!

I signed up for private coaching with Calm Canine Academy to help my fearful, anxious, stranger reactive dog. We worked with Ingrid and have learned so much. Ingrid is amazing and so knowledgeable. My dog is so much happier now and our lives are infinitely less stressful. We have had our set backs and struggles but Ingrid was always supportive and encouraging and knew exactly what to do. The virtual format is perfect for reactive dogs, allowing them to be comfortable while Ingrid was still able to see our home and could tailor our plan to fit the challenges of our environment. I was initially worried about scheduling sessions around my work schedule but CCA made it so easy and convenient. 100% recommend Calm Canine Academy! Best decision I’ve made to help my little guy was choosing CCA.

We adopted our dog 10 months ago and had been tackling reactivity with a pretty good online training module with some success since adopting him. However due to multiple reasons, he had backslid a lot in the past few months and we were finally feeling we really needed to hire a trainer. I was certain the right way to do it was to find a local person to do in-person training but I was underwhelmed with most of what I was finding. Then I found CCA on Instagram and started listening to some of their free webinars and info they make available (some also on YouTube). The more I listened the more I was certain they had the right philosophy for me and my dog and so much of what they said made such sense, including not saving RX meds as a last resort for reactivity (which was the understanding that I previously had). So I decided there was no harm in paying for a consultation and beginning the discussion about meds with my Vet. BTW they offered a discount on services if you sign up via text. I had low expectations for the 90-minute consultation, figuring that I would learn a few new things and maybe have a slightly better understanding of why we were backsliding and then I expected them to convince me me on the need to buy their training services. I was so wrong! Namita did a fabulous job at helping me understand the complexity that is my dogs anxiety! I learned that I was missing so many signs of stress and anxiety and that my dog feels under constant attack in my urban environment. I had a LOT of “ah-ha!” moments in that 90 minutes. That alone would have been worth the small consult price tag I paid, but I got a lot more for that money including a letter for my vet to help me advocate for the RX meds, half a dozen training and management practices I could immediately put into effect and a multitude of links and resources in my lengthy post- consult report. Needless to say we signed up for private training with Namita without anyone even asking or trying to sell me on the services, I just knew this was the right move to make. ALSO- Scheduling and communication was a breeze with Gem and the team. We are now halfway through 8 sessions of training with and we continue to get so much more than we bargained for (reactivity training was just the tip of the iceberg) and any of my hesitancy about virtual vs in- person was completely unwarranted, especially with their "trainer in your pocket" service. Namita is amazing, but I believe you would get the same level of competence and compassion from ALL their trainers and that they seek quality in their team members. If you are still unconvinced, at least check out their free content on social media and YouTube. Both you and your pooch will benefit and I promise you will learn something new!

I am writing this review almost two months after completing training for Sounds Sensitivity and am in a place that I wouldn’t have thought possible even after completing training. Today, I am in a room at the animal hospital with my pup listening to the other pups barking nonstop while my Mo is sleeping peacefully next to me before her spay/pexy. Never before would I have thought to advocate for my dog to ask to stay until surgery to help with Mo’s anxiety. Never before would I have thought that Mo could nap through a barrage of barks and unknown noises. Never before would I have thought I would be so connected to my pup and be able to anticipate her needs. But Karishma and CCA gave me that. They gave us the tools to cohabitate, to enrich, to advocate and to care for. It is truly the greatest gift. I cannot thank CCA enough.