Ridgeside K9 Central Florida

We sent our dog Willis to Ridgeside K9 as a desperate attempt to help him with some behavioral issues. He is a rescue, and since we did not know much about his background, we really needed expert help. I spent hours researching training options all over Florida, and as soon as I found Ridgeside’s website, I knew this was the answer to my prayers. Many places can train easier breeds of dogs, but I needed someone who truly understood pit bulls. From the very first call, Nikki answered all my dog mom questions with patience and knowledge, and I immediately felt confident this was the right place. When I arrived and was greeted by Jay, my heart was at ease. His extensive K9 training experience and clear passion for dogs showed right away. Willis instantly connected with Kendall, one of their amazing trainers, and I could tell she truly cared about him. When we went to pick him up, Kendall and Taylor took so much time walking us through everything they worked on, explaining not just what they did but why, so we could continue it at home. They treated Willis like he was one of their own, and it showed in how happy and confident he was when we brought him home. I could not be more pleased with our experience at Ridgeside K9. I would recommend them to absolutely anyone who wants to help their dog and themselves live a better, more balanced life.

Zuko attended the 4-week Board and Train program through Ridgeside K9 and ended up staying for an extra week because they wanted to make sure he was truly ready before coming home. I’m so thankful they took as much time as needed to ensure he was completely prepared — that level of care and dedication says everything about how much they love what they do. Not only did I get back a well-behaved dog, but I also gained what feels like a new family who loves my dog just as much as I do. Even after picking him up, I’ve had questions, and they’ve answered every single one — giving thoughtful feedback and guidance each time. Before training, I couldn’t even walk him without being dragged toward every person or dog we passed, and he’d bark and jump anytime we were on the patio. NOW he’s so calm, obedient, and confident — an amazing walker and an even better dog! It’s the best feeling being able to walk him in front of people without him reacting, barking, or jumping. Because of his breed and size, many people assume he’s intimidating, but now I can proudly show off his training and prove that his breed shouldn’t be judged by appearance. Kendall, Jay, Nikki, and Taylor were absolutely incredible! They sent me regular updates and photos, cared for Zuko like he was their own, and spent hands-on time educating me at pickup. They even sent him home with thoughtful goodies and clear training instructions. I can’t thank the Ridgeside K9 team enough for taking care of my boy and giving me the tools to continue his progress. I 100% recommend them!

My family and I cannot say enough wonderful things about Ridgeside K-9. We chose to work with them after adopting our black lab mix, Cole, from the Sumter County Shelter. Cole came to us with a difficult past and needed some extra TLC. He struggled with confidence, would hunker down when overwhelmed, and had trouble walking on a leash or coping with unfamiliar sounds. We knew we needed help to give him the best chance to thrive. From my very first call with Nikki, I knew we were in good hands. She clearly explained the training process, took the time to understand Cole’s specific needs, and made us feel supported from the start. When we arrived at their facility, the entire team treated us like family and introduced us to Cole’s trainer, Amado Amado did an incredible job with Cole. Our once timid dog now walks proudly with his tail wagging high and full of confidence. Throughout Cole’s five weeks of training, Nikki and Amado kept us updated with weekly photos and videos, which made the time apart much easier. Choosing Ridgeside K-9 was one of the best decisions we’ve made for our dog. If you’re on the fence about enrolling your pup, do it! They treat every dog like family with love, compassion, and expertise. They truly understand that every dog is unique and create individualized plans to help each one reach their full potential!!!

I signed up my black German Shepherd Max (9 1/2 months 70lbs) for the 30 days Boarding and Training. My goal was for Max to be trained on fundamental obedience and recall. As a high drive and high energy by natural instincts dog, Max, was strenuous for me. I expressed to Jay Nix, Owner of Ridgeside K9 Central Florida, my challenges with Max. As the expert, and professional person that he is, educated me on realistic expectations to transform Max into an organically obedient dog. Upon my reunion with Max, after the training was completed, I was astounded to see Max, at a recall return immediately!! Jay explained that he and his staff (Taylor and Kendall) all worked repeatedly with Max until they accomplished it. At his recommendation, using an e-collar was an effective tool. And, crucial for safety. My, absolute need, was to get Max back, at a recall command immediately... In order to, avoid imminent danger, risk or threat (i.e, car, injury, harm to others, aggressive animal, etc.) was a priority for me. While at Ridgeside K9 Training Max received excellent care. Max returned to me organically obedient, bigger, stronger, overall happy & healthy/shiny coat. I endorse, Jay Nix... He is "the BEST of the BEST, nevermind the rest!!!

I could write a book about how wonderful our experience with Ridgeside K9 Central Florida has been… our breeder and friend recommended Jay, so we decided to check them out. We had checked into a couple other trainers and they just didn’t “feel right”. Our initial meet and greet was supposed to be 20 minutes, and ended up being two hours! Jay is a teacher at heart, and I’m a question asker so it was a dangerous combo lol. He covered many topics and we learned so much. One of the other trainers, Kendall, was also there during the initial meeting. She would be helping to train our boy, and I adored her immediately. She talked about how she started out being a client, much like us, so related greatly with all our concerns. Our minds were put totally at ease seeing where our boy Bogie would be staying (in their house, not a kennel), and train on their beautiful fully fenced in property (more good feelings!). I could tell Kendall would be one to give lots of love and affection, which was an important component for us as well. The dogs there in training get to be in real life situations since they stay in the home, which was also an important aspect. They are well socialized, as they get to interact with lots of other dogs and a revolving door of people. Bogie was there for a month and we got consistent updates with pictures/videos from Taylor (another amazing trainer!) and Kendall, which was awesome - it made his time away from us a bit easier… seeing him run and play with the other dogs or getting praised for doing well in his training. It really meant a lot to us to have the updates (we are needy pet parents) and Taylor and Kendall went above and beyond to make sure to take care of us too :) Bogie has only been home for a few days and he’s doing great! We’ve taken him out to places and he’s calm and patient and walks like a pro. Mind you he is only 7.5 months old! His recall has been fantastic. We could not be happier with the training Bogie has received, and how we were treated as clients. And also, let’s not forget Nikki… she was amazing from that first phone call, and managing all of the details in getting everything lined up for us and supporting us the whole way through. You simply cannot go wrong with Ridgeview K9 Central Florida, I could not recommend them more!