Dognify

Finding the right trainer for Tundra was not something I took lightly. He’s a big, incredibly smart Husky/Shepherd mix who is very dog-reactive, and I needed someone who could understood the dog underneath all the scary barking, lunging & snarling. That’s exactly what I found with Jonathan at Dognify. One of the things that makes his approach so unique and special is his use of his own pack as part of the training process. These dogs are absolute SUPERSTARS. Each dog has a role, and Jonathan understands exactly which dog to use, when to use them, and what Tundra needed from each interaction. Watching his pack help teach Tundra learn how to exist around other dogs has been pretty incredible. They aren’t simply dogs hanging out together. Jonathan is intentionally using stable, experienced dogs to help Tundra practice communication, boundaries, confidence, and appropriate social behavior in a way that a human simply cannot replicate. For a dog like Tundra, that opportunity is invaluable and not something that’s easy to find. What I also appreciate about Jonathan is that he doesn’t use a cookie-cutter training plan. He pays attention to body language, thresholds, environment, and what Tundra is communicating, then adjusts accordingly. I’ve learned a tremendous amount just from watching him work and having him explain the “why” behind what we’re doing. Tundra is still a work in progress, and I actually think that’s important to say. This isn’t about magically “fixing” a reactive dog. It’s about giving him better experiences, building skills and confidence, and helping me understand how to support him better. Jonathan and his pack have played a huge part in that. I genuinely feel blessed that we happened to find something this unique right here in Philadelphia. Jonathan is knowledgeable, patient, realistic, and truly invested in the dogs he works with, and his pack deserves their own five-star review. Tundra gives Jonathan five stars. ⭐️ His pack gets six. 🌟

I sought out the help of Jonathan and Dognify for my dog, Lincoln, who was very reactive towards other dogs and some people when I walked him. It was difficult to do a proper, longer walk with him, as he would often lunge and pull quite strongly, including every time we turned to head back to the house, which was affecting my shoulder and capacity to walk him. Walks were just stressful. Lincoln was also very barky with visitors and when he heard any noise outside of the house, which would be very disruptful for my meeting since I work from home. Jonathan came in, did an initial assessment of him, and, within a few sessions, taught me how to behave on the walk in a way that provided Lincoln with a better sense of safety. This took away his feeling to chase other dogs and people away every time. I learned that it was mostly I who had to make some changes, and Jonathan was very helpful at providing me that guidance. That made all the difference in the world. Now Lincoln’s even getting better in the house now. He’s not so easily triggered and I’m able to disengage him from that excessive barking a lot easier. I loved working with Jonathan and would recommend him for anybody that needs help with a reactive dog.

I wish I could give more than 5 stars. I can't recommend Jonathon enough. After a car accident, my dog became so fearful of being outside that he would not go on walks. Jonathon gave us the tools and confidence to help him overcome his fears. Today, we're happily taking walks around the neighborhood again—something I wasn't sure would be possible. Jonathon also helped us work through separation anxiety and taught me so much about understanding my dog's behavior. I've never met someone who communicates so naturally with both dogs and people. His patience, knowledge, and genuine care made all the difference, and I'm incredibly grateful for everything he's done for us.

Amazing trainer. Had issues with my nervous and somewhat reactive staffy. She is golden now. Thorough work and activity plans are setup to give your dog a roadmap over the sessions. From group work with other dogs and new people in controlled environments. Trail and nature walks. Their was always something new being provided to further understand my dog. I'm so grateful and happy with our experience. I learned so much about my little one. All dogs can be a little different, and sometimes we need help. Don't hesitate to do the right thing for yours.

We originally hired Jonathan for my roommate's rescue pup, Hermane. During her first few months with us, she had a few bite incidents while she was still adjusting to her new home. Outside of our apartment, she's always been a bit timid around people, but calmly and sweetly interacted with anyone who wanted to say hello. However, having guests come into our home, was a completely different story. She was extremely fearful of unfamiliar people entering the apartment, and after those incidents we kept her behind a baby gate anytime people came over because she would bark, lunge at the gate, and become so worked up that we no longer felt it was safe for her to interact with guests freely. On top of that, she was so overwhelmed by the busy sights and sounds of the city that she'd often freeze in place, refuse to walk, and shake as soon as we stepped outside. Jonathan's approach was exactly what Hermane needed. Rather than trying to force her through situations she wasn't ready for, he focused on building her confidence while giving us the tools to better understand her behavior, advocate for her, and set her up for success. To help with her fear of the busy city environment, he showed us how to gradually expose her to it at a pace that built her confidence. While she's still naturally cautious in new environments, she's now much more confident outside and is no longer the dog who would freeze and refuse to walk the moment we stepped out. For guests in our home, Jonathan developed a structured introduction plan that included muzzle training, teaching us how to properly manage introductions, and coaching our guests on how to interact with her. He first worked with Hermane himself during in-home sessions before bringing different volunteers over to help us practice with new people. During our last few sessions, her muzzle was on for the first 10 minutes or so out of caution when someone new entered the apartment, but once she had the opportunity to warm up on her own terms and her space was respected, she was able to comfortably and safely interact with guests without it. As an added bonus, I have my own dog, Nash, who is basically Hermane's complete opposite when it comes to meeting new people. He's a big, excitable goofball who gets VERY excited when guests come into the apartment. While Jonathan wasn't hired to work with him, Nash was present for all of the in-home sessions, and I ended up learning just as much about managing his excitement and teaching him better manners and boundaries around guests. We still have more practice and repetition to do with both pups, but it feels like we now have the proper tools and foundation to continue that progress on our own. So, if you made it this far, I would absolutely recommend Dognify! We're very grateful for the progress he helped us make.