Hakuna Matata Dog Care & Training, LLC

If you’re thinking about getting your dog trained here, do it. If you have a million questions and concerns, hopefully this review will help you! My 10 month lab had serious issues with resource guarding. He would growl over food, treats, toys, and attention. I have two other dogs, so that was a problem. On a Sunday, he bit my elder dog over a toy, causing her to need stitches. I did a little research, and called this place in a bit of a panic, wanting to know if they could take my dog for their board and train. They asked questions, got all the details, went over pricing, and they were able to get me in the very next morning. What a relief that I was able to speak to someone on a Sunday evening and be able to get in on a Monday morning! I had all the questions and concerns you probably do: Will this work? Is it worth it? Is my dog just too aggressive? Will he be the same? Will he remember me? The list goes on. I dropped my puppy off and hoped for the best. He was there for 3 weeks, he was well taken care of, and I got updates, pictures, and videos a couple times a week. When my puppy was done with his training, I was taught how to reinforce the training and the things I needed to change to make sure he remains a good dog. His anxiety level has improved tremendously. He still remembered me when he got home, and was very excited to be home. He definitely still has his personality and loves his cuddles. The resource guarding is almost non existent. There were a couple times where I had to reinforce training, but that’s to be expected. Over all, no one has gotten growled at or bit over a toy. He doesn’t steal everyone’s food. He shares my lap. He doesn’t eat the door frame out of anxiety when he’s outside. He’s just overall so, so improved. I am very happy with his training. Everyone was wonderful. So, if you’re considering using their training, I highly recommend.

We found Hakuna Matata after doing some research specifically looking for training that we could put our 7 year old Australian Cattle Dog/Red Heeler through as we are having a baby in September. She had been through obedience training as a puppy and a young dog, but over time, some of her behaviors became amplified and she got too comfortable getting away with things that she otherwise shouldn't have. In an effort to get ahead of some behaviors we really wanted to improve, we wanted to start sooner rather than later to ensure we had ample time to work with our dog and improve these over time before baby's arrival. Initially, we were planning on doing private in-home training, but after thorough consultation with Joselyn, we soon learned that our dog would benefit from a two week board and train program with Mike and his team. We realized that allowing our dog to work on improving her behaviors consistently for 2 weeks straight was going to really nip things in the bud in a way that we just didn't have the time or knowledge to accomplish for our ideal end state. We met with Mike for a consultation and immediately were impressed by his knowledge, compassion for dogs, and his role as a trainer, and felt like he understood our working dog's mentality and how we could really use this in a way that worked for her. Some of the things we wanted to work on were leash training, not jumping on people when they come over, getting more comfortable with household triggers like the ice cube maker and vacuum, and most importantly, preparing her for when there would be a baby crying and going on stroller walks amongst overall obedience. Once we decided to move forward with the program, we really appreciated the videos and pictures that Mike and his team provided to us, and were also able to go in and see our dog for her first meeting with us in 10 days, which allowed us in her graduation day to really get down to the specifics of what they worked on. This was super important to us to learn how to keep up with the training and practice different scenarios with our dog. We grew a deeper understanding around how we could and should work with her to maintain consistency. Mike spent over 4 hours with us over the course of the afternoon where we even had my husband's parents come in to be a part of the assessment as our dog previously was not a fan of my father in law. That day they became friends and we spent the rest of the weekend not having to worry about her nipping his heels or being weary of him. We are so grateful that we found Hakuna Matata and for the care they gave to our dog, and for everything that we learned to be able to work with her. Mike and his team's work made us feel like we got a new dog but in the best way, because she is still herself, but a much better behaved version. We feel so much more confident going into having her around a baby than we did before this training. We would absolutely recommend Hakuna Matata to anyone looking to improve their dog's behaviors. We were a little nervous because she is middle-aged, but realized that you can teach an old dog new tricks! Thank you Hakuna Matata for your work with our dog!

We cannot say enough about Mike and Jocelyn and the entire Hakuna Matata team! Our goldendoodle puppy was in their care for two weeks and she made tremendous strides with her impulse control, behavior, and general obedience. She came back to us as a different dog! We plan on working with her at home to reinforce and then send her back for more training so that she can build on the success she achieved through Hakuna Matata. You can see from the moment you walk in that everyone at Hakuna Matata loves each dog as their own—and that meant so much to us knowing we were leaving our puppy in capable and loving hands.

We cannot say enough about how wonderful Hakuna Matata has been for our Pepper. She is a 7 month Labrador Retriever puppy and is a very high energy dog. Prior to Hakuna Matata she would jump up on guests when they entered our home or would bark for attention, not come when called, and loved to counter surf. Since returning home from her two week board and train she has transitioned well back home in the following areas: her recall in both the yard and home, loose leash walking, greeting people, and counter surfing have all improved significantly. We were apprehensive at first to leave her for two weeks, but she is still our sweet snuggly girl we dropped off just more well-mannered now. Mike, Joselyn, and their staff were amazing. We received updates on our girl every couple of days, got to visit her once before her pick up day to see her progress, and had a group training on her pick up date. During the group session all the trainers were so helpful and you could tell that they wanted to be there and loved what they do. Upon returning home Mike was amazing and spent 3-4 hours teaching us everything Pepper had learned over the past couple of weeks and answered all of our questions, and took us through how to continue Pepper’s training at home. We look forward to utilizing doggy day care to help her stay on top of her skills she has acquired.

We can’t recommend Hakuna Matata enough! Our puppy recently completed the two week boarding program, and the improvement in her behavior has been truly impressive. It’s clear she’s not only learning, but also genuinely happy while she’s there, which gives us so much peace of mind. Now, every time we travel, we take her back without hesitation and she goes in happily. The team is kind, professional, and clearly passionate about what they do. We’re super grateful to have found them!