Cascadia K9

I started training with Mari around January, and now, about four months in, the progress I’ve seen with my dog Mila (a German Shepherd mix) has been incredible. Mari places such a strong emphasis on building a real relationship with your dog—understanding their mindset and behavior, not just focusing on commands. Thanks to her approach, Mila’s confidence has grown, her reactivity has improved significantly, and our obedience foundation is now solid. What I really appreciate is that Mari takes the time to explain the why behind everything she does. She doesn’t just train your dog—she teaches you how to be a better handler. Mari also takes the time to truly understand your goals with your dog. Even at our initial consult I was so surprised at how good of a read she was able to get of Mila! When I first got Mila, I used to cry during walks out of frustration. She would drag me down the street and react to every dog or person we passed. After going through group classes and working with two different private trainers, I started to believe that leash training (let alone solid obedience) was just out of reach for us. But since working with Mari, we’ve not only conquered those basic goals—we’re now working toward getting Mila off-leash! And trust me, Mila is not an easy dog to train. Mari and I started with private lessons, and was able to take Mila for quick 2 week board and train while I was out on travel. Mari provided me daily updates on Mila, pictures and videos everyday, and most importantly, followed Mila's pace to learn throughout the board and train. Mila absolutely LOVES Mari! I would recommend Mari to anyone looking to improve their relationship with their dog—whether you’re working through reactivity, confidence issues, or just want to build a stronger foundation. Mila and I will continue training with Mari until we hit that off-leash goal, and when I eventually get a new puppy, I already know who my trainer will be!