First Choice Canine

We got Loki one month prior to lockdown and with that he had only been exposed to our immediate friends and family. He attended daycare off and on however, did not have any formal obedience training. During drop off, KB could instantly tell that Loki had separation anxiety and knew exactly how to manage his training. Since he’s been home, Loki has continued to work on his obedience training. He’s able to separate himself from us and be content. He is doing very well with his walking and listening to his commands. We’re excited to continue our training with group sessions for additional exposure to new situations. Everyone at First Choice Canine is very nice and always prompt with a response to emails. We really appreciate the care and understanding they took with training Loki and would highly recommend them to anyone that asks!

KB and Ashy are truly the best! Our pit mix rescue Beamish was extremely dog- and human-reactive and it was getting to the point where he couldn’t walk by another dog or person even across the street without having an issue. He would pull on the leash, could not pass by trucks, and was always frantic when we were outside our home. We had already worked extensively with another trainer who we have since learned had exacerbated the problem. We were always worried that he would bite someone and never felt like we could trust him. Beamish spent 5 weeks with KB and Ashy at First Choice Canine where he learned to tolerate and be around other dogs, walk in a perfect heel, and pass by strangers appropriately. When we picked him up, Beamish was able to go into stores like Home Depot and Petco, can come when called, and can be trusted off-leash. He has some vision problems and a traumatic past which will always make socializing difficult for him, but with the foundation he received at FCC and with the training we received as his handlers for how to help him with this, we’re confident that Beamish will be able to bond with the people and dogs in his life. One of the most helpful things we have learned in this process is how our dog’s brain works, and how our responses to his behavior can affect his reaction to his environment. Understanding all of this has made a world of difference in how we see and manage his behavior which is most important, because despite what he’s learned if we don’t keep up with it or know how to respond in new situations, his progress will be lost but it will not be his fault. We have had him home for almost a month now, and have seen such a difference. We also went back to FCC twice already for follow-up training, and Beamish was so happy to see Ashy (and Fallon!). Thank you to Ashleigh at the front desk for keeping us updated with detailed weekly emails and photos of Beamish’s progress (we never thought we would see him sharing a bed with another dog, or playing with a true “friend”). We’re looking forward to joining group classes in the future to continue to help Beamish learn and to keep developing our skills with him as well. Thank you thank you thank you First Choice Canine!

Sending our 6 month Bernadoodle puppy, Dolci, to First Choice Canine was the best decision we ever made. Dolci has always been a very smart puppy, and we taught her basic commands on our own. But we always struggled with some important things - loose/off leash walking, stay commands, and consistent recall. Despite how much we loved her, Dolci was adding significant stress into our lives. Walking her became a chore, as we struggled to prevent her for lunging at birds and eating anything and everything that was on the sidewalk. We also had a scary incident where she escaped from a fenced-in park off leash and ignored her recall. At some point, we realized that this was an unsustainable situation, and admitted that we didn't have the time or expertise needed to train Dolci on our own. Since taking Dolci to her first consultation at First Choice, we have been blown away by their professionalism, knowledge, and care. Ashy was Dolci's main trainer and was always excellent. She would always provide us detailed explanations of training concepts, kept us up to date about Dolci's progress (with Ashleigh's help!), and we always felt like she loved Dolci as much as we did. Deciding to pull the trigger on sending Dolci away for the off-leash training program was not easy. I worried that the Dolci we got back 4 weeks later would not be the same dog I knew and loved. But ultimately I had in faith the people we met and was heartened by other reviews I had read online. Since getting Dolci back, we have been blown away with what Ashy and First Choice were able to accomplish. Dolci has mastered sit/down/ bed (all with implied stays), recall, and off-leash heel/walking. But the changes went far beyond the commands - Dolci is more confident, and is able to focus in a way she never has before. She responds to our more subtle cues, which has increased our trust in her 10x. Walking her, which used to be stressful, is now a joy. Taking her to off-leash parks is now a normal part of our routine. At the end of the day, our lives have improved dramatically as a result of the training. And Dolci, who I once feared would have her personality "trained out of her", is happier and more herself than ever before. We would highly recommend First Choice to anyone looking for training for their dogs.

My husband and I recently had to pleasure of working with Khalid, owner of First Choice K9 and his amazing team of trainers. When we had called First Choice, we were considering if our adopted Belgian Malinois was a good fit for our home. Ryka came to us with an unknown history and two prior placements. She had displayed some aggression and possessive behaviors, had some reactive biting, difficulty with recall & leash pulling, reactive to cats and cars…a whole lot of crazy thrown in! But she also could be a very sweet, loving bundle of joy~ And we quickly fell in love with her. We admired her spirit but knew we had to find a way for her best self and be a happy, confident dog. From the moment of initial contact and consultation through our choice of a 4 week Board & Train and the follow up sessions, group and private~First Choice K9 has surpassed every expectation! As a prior working dog handler and owner of multiple K9’s for over twenty years, I do not hesitate to say that Khalid is the most professional, knowledgeable and patient trainer and handler I have ever worked with. Belgian Malinois can be challenging to work with and require specific knowledge to bring out their best and channel their drive. When considering programs and trainers ~I had high expectations with little room for compromise. First Choice K9 was exactly that~FIRST CHOICE. Their facilities are incredibly clean from the reception area to training rooms, to the outdoor training area and the kennels~you would be hard pressed to even say there were dogs boarding here~it is meticulously clean and doesn’t smell of ‘dogs’. The trainers in observation really enjoy their work. They are smiling and kind. We have visited both scheduled and unscheduled and have always found that every staff member was courteous and kind, but also calm and attentive to the dogs. Khalid embodies all the qualities of an exceptional trainer~His knowledge of dog behaviors and breed specific tendencies along with training methods were crucial in choosing him along with his sense of confidence and calm demeanor that puts everyone at ease, dogs and humans alike! Khalid was attentive to all of our concerns and developed a personalized plan based on our discussions. It would be important to also note that the interaction between Ryka and Khalid was nothing less then magical from the very first meeting. Ryka did not hesitate to approach or even take a correction and command from him. The respect she has continues at every meeting~I would even say she loves him hahahaha! We picked up our sweet puppy, and it was an astounding turnaround. She was completely off leash trained and she no longer exhibited aggression or possessive behaviors. She is amazing to walk with even with many distractions ~other animals, bikes, fast moving and screeching kids and cars don’t bother her. She’s not perfect, and there have been a few times that we needed some extra guidance and assistance ~and Khalid responded quickly to each call and offered continued support above and beyond what anyone could expect or wish for. Each week it gets better and better. Khalid is truly committed to the families he works with and wants them to succeed-even surpass their goals. We will continue to work with First Choice to build our knowledge and confidence and to give Ryka the very best. Thank you seems so small of a gesture to express all the gratitude we have for Khalid and his team for helping people like us communicate with our dog and create a relationship based on respect and love. First Choice K9 was the crucial pivot to building a positive foundation for our previously highly reactive dog. Without Khalid it is doubtful Ryka could have remained with us. If you landed here because you are considering professional training~do not hesitate, do not pause, stop what your doing and dial the number or send the email and schedule your consult NOW. It will be the beginning of the best decision and very rewarding journey for both you and your dog.