Spot-On K9 Training

I contacted Stephen when I noticed that my puppy, Willow, was becoming increasingly overexcited and overstimulated on our walks. She pulled in every direction, made sudden stops in dangerous places, ate everything off the ground, and jumped and barked at both dogs and people. Walking her became something I dreaded. In a busy city like NYC, it felt impossible to keep her attention with so many distractions. During our very first session, Stephen had Willow walking in a perfect heel position. He taught me the skills I needed to deliver fair corrections and communication with my dog. Willow now understands what I am asking of her and is eager to practice her new skills. She was calmly walking right by my side, surrounded by off-leash dogs and crowds of people in Central Park. I was shocked when I walked Willow home that day without constantly needing to redirect her or avoid dogs and people. One of my favorite moments was seeing Willow hold her “place” command while four dogs ran right past her without her even flinching—in snowy weather! While we still have plenty to practice, Willow and I are excited to continue building her confidence and skills. I’m incredibly grateful for all of Stephen’s support. He is extremely responsive and offers group classes that Willow and I are excited to attend. Even after training sessions ended, Stephen remained available to offer guidance and answer questions. I would absolutely recommend SOK9T to anyone looking to improve their dog’s behavior while strengthening their relationship with their dog.

My foster dog Cassie was found tied to a pole, in the rain, while in active labor. All the puppies died and after life saving surgery paid for by BARC, she had to start life over. She was reactive with people and other dogs, but with Spot-on K-9 training, i was given the tools to not only work on her confidence, but mine as well. The training totally turned her life around making her a very adoptable dog. Stephen was always available to meet and answer my questions. I would recommend Spot-On without a doubt!

I originally reached out to Stephen for advice on my one year old dachshund. he was extremely timid, nervous of new people, and barking/growling at anyone who would walk by. I was scared to take him to public places for the fear of him nipping someone. I had plans to move to a big city from a small town & I was very worried about how he would do with all the people and noise. After completing four sessions with Stephen, Buddy is a changed dog. Stephen made me feel so confident with leash handling and correcting him when needed. We made the move to the city & he is thriving. He comes everywhere with me, from shopping to dining out, to long walks around the city. I truly never thought we would get here & I am so grateful for Stephen for helping me learn how to train him & could not recommend more!

Our dog Callie has had behavioral issues with other dogs and strangers for the past 5 years that I’ve had her, but in the few months before we started training with Stephen, she was noticeably more reactive/aggressive and it was impacting just about everything we did with her. Throughout the 2~ months we worked with Stephen, Callie improved significantly and she is still improving every day. He gave us physical tools to use in daily life, sent lots of helpful handouts, and helped us increase Callie’s confidence which has totally shifted her behavior for the better. I’m grateful we found Stephen when we did and very happy that we worked with him! You definitely have to put in the work outside of the training sessions, but it was so worth it for us. We now have the tools to continue to build Callie’s skills and confidence.

We just finished 6 sessions with our Golden Retriever, Hudson, and the difference is incredible. Before training, Hudson pulled a lot on the leash and had inconsistent recall—especially when excited. As two busy professionals, we really needed structure and guidance. Stephen was patient, knowledgeable, and always took the time to answer every question. He not only trained Hudson, but also taught us how to work with him. We appreciated that he emphasized doing the work outside of class, and it truly paid off. Hudson is now so much better on the leash, far more attentive, and his recall has improved dramatically. We’re able to enjoy walks and off-leash time without stress. We highly recommend Stephen and Spot-On K9 Training. It was a fantastic experience, and we’re grateful for the tools he gave us to help Hudson thrive!