Ruff Rules

I cannot say enough wonderful things about Ruff Rules and their training programs. This is the second time I’ve trusted Keely with my Newfoundland, and once again she exceeded every expectation. I recommend her to everyone. When I first heard about board and train programs, I was hesitant to send my dog to a stranger and worried his goofy personality would be trained right out of him. But after talking with Keely the first time, I immediately knew she was incredibly knowledgeable and truly passionate about training and the dogs she’s entrusted with. It ended up being one of the best decisions I could have made for both myself and my dog. I originally found Keely when I first moved to Fort Lauderdale in 2020. My 120 lb Newfoundland, Moose, had never lived in a city environment before. Suddenly he had to deal with multiple elevator rides, busy sidewalks, and constant distractions. Like many gentle giants, he pulled on the leash and wanted to greet every single person and dog we walked by. We decided to send him to Keely for a board and train, and the results were beyond anything I could have hoped for. Moose came back his goofy self but calmer, more focused, and so much easier to navigate in a busy city environment. In fact, he was so well behaved that servers often didn’t even realize I had a 120 lb dog sitting quietly with me. Because of that experience, when I got my new Newfoundland puppy, Molly, Ruff Rules was a non-negotiable. I immediately contacted Keely, and she recommended starting with in-home puppy training with Sydney. Sydney has been amazing with Molly, she is patient with the 400mph puppy brain but firm. She made the process fun and positive while still building a strong foundation plus Molly absolutely loves her. I realize now the puppy stage doesn’t have to mean constant accidents and chewed shoes, it can actually be a really fun adventure as they learn about the world. Sydney made the puppy phase easy and truly enjoyable. Her guidance made such a difference in those early stages and it set us up perfectly for the board and train program. Once Molly was old enough, she went to stay with Keely for board and train. Keely once again blew me away. When Molly went to Keely, she had started pulling on walks and we couldn't go to a restaurant or coffee shop. I told Keely I was nervous about personally using a prong collar and would prefer not to. She didn’t make any unrealistic promises, which I appreciated, but said we would see how Molly progressed once she began working with the e-collar. She also explained that consistency from me using the e-collar properly would be important as well. I’m happy to report that Keely made it happen. Molly completed her board and train and now walks beautifully without pulling, she listens and is more confident. We can go to lunch and she stays calm and well-mannered or have friends over without a puppy jumping everywhere but most importantly Molly gets more freedom because of the training and tools provided by Keely. I am so blessed to have found trainers who treat your dog like their own, because that’s exactly what you get here. I’m incredibly grateful for the care, dedication, and knowledge Keely and her team provide not only while your dog is with them but after they come home and settle into the new normal. If you’re considering training for your dog whether it’s a puppy or an older dog, Ruff Rules is truly the best.

We had an incredible experience with Ruff Rules. We enrolled our 3-year-old Labradoodle, Stanley, in their 7-week day training program to help prepare him for the arrival of our first baby. He already had a solid foundation, but struggled with impulse control—especially barking at deliveries or people approaching the house and jumping on guests. Our trainer, Serena, was amazing. She is incredibly sweet, knowledgeable, and took the time to walk us through every step of the training process so we always felt informed and confident. She was also always accessible between sessions whenever we had questions, which made the whole experience feel supportive. Now that our daughter is 3 weeks old, we’re so grateful we made the investment. Stanley truly couldn’t be a better big brother. After his 7 weeks of training with Serena—and us implenting the work at home between sessions- he stays in place when guests arrive, ignores deliveries, and even checks in when his little sister cries. He’s calm, gentle, and such a loving presence around the baby. We couldn’t be happier with our experience or the results. We would absolutely recommend Keely and her Ruff Rules team to anyone looking to improve their dog’s obedience and overall behavior. 🐾

I worked with Serena for a 3-week in home training with my Sheepadoodle in Aug 2024. She was consistent, patient, and excellent at explaining things to me as the dog owner which was tremendously helpful. Before this training I lovingly referred to my dog as my "pet kite" because of how much he would pull and jump at the end of his leash on our walks. Now more than a year and a half later he is still much calmer at walks and at home making both our lives more pleasant. Highly recommend these excellent dog trainers!