The Sport Dog Society of Austin

Luke's helped my 8.5 month old Portuguese Water Dog ever since I got him at 9 weeks. I've done a mix of Zoom and in-person sessions with him. Both have been extremely effective and my dog went from being a crackhead to an angel after I started working with him. He will set anyone up for success and knows everything about dogs, especially retrievers / sport ones like the PWD. I cannot recommend him enough to anyone who is wanting to learn more about dog psychology, how to quickly fix issues with their dogs, or how to take your dog to the next level (off-leash training, swim beep training, therapy training, etc). As a current UT graduate student and Austin native, I also appreciate how relatable he has been given his UT background and Texas roots. He is a one of a kind dog trainer and friend that is always there when you either have an urgent question about your dog or simply want to discuss Spurs basketball.

Sport Dog Society is legit and a very good value. I paid for a couple private sessions when my puppy was still very young. Luke has a deep well of knowledge on training dogs, and brings an extremely wide perspective to the table. You’ll learn psychology, training techniques, proper socialization, even as far as hunting and scent work. Luke can teach you everything proficiently. While not extremely cheap, I didn’t find the price to be exorbitant. In fact, I thought the price was extremely fair given Luke’s experience. It is easily worth every penny. My puppy is still quite young (9ish months), and in fact I have another puppy now, but people remark how well-behaved and attentive to me both of them are. I have used most if not all the techniques taught to me be Luke. Some of the teachings are so small and latent but correct a plethora of minutiae further along in their furry life. Luke’s foresight and aptitude for canine training is impressive and effective. Now, don’t expect to do a couple sessions and all your problems are instantly solved; training a dog begins on adoption and ends when they cross to the other side. In other words, it takes their entire lifetime and is a summation/reflection of your habits as the owner. Luke will get you to that point of meaningful understanding with your pup. He provides more than just dog training 101 (which hey he can totally do if you want), he provides a lifestyle for your new family member. I couldn’t recommend Luke enough. Try him out!

Luke has been amazing with my giant schnauzer, Willow through puppyhood, her stubborn teenage phase, and now going into adulthood. Most recently she has had some subconscious resource guarding issues progress with food and treats that resulted in a fight with another family dog. Within days of Luke coming over for a private session and me following his guidance, Willow is already showing significant improvement with these unwanted behaviors around my other dog. Luke is an expert on dog training and uses a compassionate positive reinforcement approach that has been extremely successful with my pup. I could not recommend him enough for any and all dog training. You will learn so much and so will your pup!

Thank goodness for Luke. I had never gotten a rescue dog and was not sure what all it entailed. I had issues with bowel and bladder training, walking outside on a leash, pulling while on the leash outside. At Christmas I had family present and everyone e wanted to see Bingo. That turned out to not be a good idea and he jumped on everyone and I was frustrated. I looked on the internet for someone near me. I read reviews and decided to find out more. Luke responded to my message. I received exercises and tried them for a week. Luke stayed in touch and I noticed improvement in a week. I followed his recommendations and am looking forward to having both Bingo and myself happier.

We have 2 corgis - Luna and Cass. Cass had been showing signs of resource guarding and separation anxiety. we had moved this past summer and she began to physically attack big sister Luna. It was becoming a daily occurance and we were at our wits end. Luke had done some training in our town and did a phone consultation and zoom session with me. we identified what the issues were with our girls. He provided amazing tips that we began implementing right away. He also followed up with in email with detailed instructions and video tutorials. We've never had a dog trainer before and I wasnt sure what to expect but we saw changes pretty quickly. within a week, the physical attacks had subsided. Within a month, we saw changes in Cass's behavior. it's been 4 months since we had our sessions with Luke and our girls are getting along better then ever. Previously, the girls would get along but that was about it. With all the training tips and consistency, the girls actually even play with one another. It's amazing to see how beneficial everything Luke had suggested helped them have a better quality if life. I couldn't be happier and am so thankful for everything Luke has done for us! Would certainly recommend and go back if we ever needed to again. he made the process so easy and I didn't feel judged. Luke made me so comfortable that I wasn't scared to ask questions.