Semper Amici Canine Training

Listen up, fellow dog parents: if your furry chaos gremlin is ruling your house like a four-legged dictator who thinks “sit” is a negotiable suggestion, drop everything and get to Semper Amici. We sent our girl Penny in for a three-week training program and got back a completely different dog. For real, guys. She left us as a selective-hearing, reactive, bumbling (yet cute) fool and returned as a calm, focused, well-mannered (still cute) lady who actually listens. Our friends and neighbors have noticed and comment on how far she’s come. The trainers — José and Justin — are absolute rock stars. They poured real heart into Penny’s progress and treated her like one of their own. And let’s be real: none of it would run this smoothly without Patty, the true backbone of Semper Amici. That place is a well-oiled machine courtesy of her organization and timely (not to mention super friendly) communication. She keeps everything running flawlessly and ensures the pet parents stay in the loop the whole way through. The care from the whole team is personal — they genuinely want every dog and every owner to succeed. That support didn’t end after the three weeks either. Every Saturday at continued education class feels like catching up with friends who also happen to be pro dog whisperers. Just don’t go in thinking this is some miracle cure for your dog’s behavioral problems. It’s not. You, as the dog parent, have to put in the consistent work too. But trust us — it’s 100% worth it. If you want real results and a team that actually gives a damn, Semper Amici is the real deal. They didn’t just train our dog — they helped us get the peaceful, happy home we thought we’d lost to puppy anarchy. Penny says thank you (with a perfect “place” and eye contact, naturally). We can’t recommend them highly enough. Go. Now. Your dog (and your sanity) will thank you. — One very relieved and impressed doggo parent in Texas

As the founder of a Houston based rescue, I have seen my share of trainers - many of whom make huge promises without the delivery. My rescue received a young, male Doberman several years ago who had no manners and no boundaries. I needed a trainer and Jose was referred to me by another rescue of whom worked with him on several of their dogs. All I can say was my first experience with Semper Amici did not disappoint. Jose worked with our Doberman for several weeks as a board and train and the results spoke for themselves as he was quickly adopted out and his new owners gave rave reviews of how well mannered and responsive he was. Fast forward several years later - I decided to keep, for one of my personal dogs, a young, female Rottweiler that my rescue had taken in several weeks prior. Since we spend half the year in another state where our home includes multiple acres of property and a ton of wildlife, I needed “Meka” to have excellent recall, to “stay” when told and to control her impulses. I met with Jose and expressed these needs regarding what was absolutely necessary with her behavior. Meka spent three weeks with the team at Semper Amici. Since she was a “rescue” dog I had concerns about leaving her that long but trusted Jose. At my first “visit” with Meka, she was completely at ease with the team and very happy. I was really put at ease after that initial meeting. Meka is now living in the country and I couldn’t be happier with how well she is doing. Her recall is spot on as well as the other skills and commands that she (we) were taught :) If you are looking for a trusted, EXPERIENCED and caring training facility with an entire team who truly loves what they do, look no further than Semper Amici.

We brought our dog, Dante, to Semper Amici Canine Training feeling anxious and overwhelmed about his reactivity. After a month of training and our first week back at home, we can honestly say this academy changed all of us. They treated Dante with patience and respect, and they were just as kind and supportive with us. The academy ensured that we received all information during the Transfer of Leadership meetings and also encouraged us to ask all the questions we had. EVERY question we had received its answer in such a clear way that made us understand that Jose and his staff are true advocates of our furry friends. This week, we saw Dante pause and control himself in a moment where before he would’ve exploded with energy. In this first week at home, we have also seen him look to us for guidance instead of just reacting, and that new connection is the biggest gift Semper Amici Canine Training gave us.

Highly recommend working with this team! After working and meeting the team, they are our 2nd family! My girl Chula was apart of their board and train program & they took above and beyond care of her! She had this odd bump on her head & the took her to their recommended vet. They communicated and kept me updated with everything! They taught me how to instill a solid foundation with Chula, building confidence within us, which then reflected onto Chula’s confidence. We are forever grateful for what they have taught us! :)

When we picked our dogs up, they were just as excited to see their trainers as they were to see us. That says everything! We adopted two young shelter pups who developed challenging behaviors like dog reactivity, jumping, and leash pulling. Choosing a board-and-train felt like a big investment, but after a lot of research, we chose Semper Amici Canine. It was worth every penny. The program gave our dogs a strong foundation of obedience and gave us a clear, effective way to communicate with them. We saw a significant reduction in reactivity and noticeable improvements in emotional regulation. This is real, science-based training rooted in psychology, not gimmicks. Huge shoutout to Jessie and Justin—they’re incredible. Knowledgeable, patient, and amazing at teaching both dogs and humans. :) Semper Amici is set apart by their heart and their continued support—from owner education modules to responsive follow-up and alumni group classes. If you’re on the fence about board-and-train, this is your sign.