Atlantic Coast K-9 Training Service

We had our dog Dobie with Ralph to do silver and gold level training. The dramatic difference of what we took him in as and what we received is truly amazing. Ralph is a highly intelligent trainer that knows different dog breeds and understands their individual behaviors cannot necessarily be trained all the same way. Creativeness was something that helped in getting our dog trained due to him having a stubborn streak. Ralph clearly explained the training process and everything involved and took the necessary time to address any questions. We could not be happier with the communication as my family lives in Maryland and he was very accommodating to our travel. We will most definitely bring our next dog here for training, as well. Thank you again, Ralph.

I would highly recommend using Ralph to train your dog. Right from the beginning, he was very responsive, thorough, and knowledgeable with any questions my husband and I had. Our dog loved her time at the board and train and came back a much easier to handle dog. I especially appreciate that Ralph takes the time to work with the owner at the end of the stay so that the skills taught translate to home. It also provides a lot of peace of mind to know that you can always contact Ralph if you need a tune up in how to handle your dog. If you want the best, go to Atlantic Coast K-9.

I chose the Advanced package for my one year old Doberman. When I was researching trainers in the Central VA area; I came across Ralph’s website and knew it would be a good fit. He was very responsive to my questions and communicative.

Ralph not only instills confidence in your dog- he instills confidence in yourself as the handler. I enjoy how he can be straightforward because it helped me understand my dogs needs as well as how to use proper commands.

Ralph is patient and spends time to listen to what you have to say. Whenever I had a question or concern and I called or messaged him, he was always quick to respond. His approach to training was insightful because he taught me what motivates my dog and the reasoning behind that. Ralph’s patience, directness, and passion emanates the hard work put into training & into a happy and behaved dog. I would highly recommend getting your pup or dog into one of his courses.

Ralph at Atlantic Coast K-9 trained both of our dogs. For the first one, a foxhound, he boarded and trained the pup over 3 weeks in 2020. After hearing so many stories of difficult foxhounds, we are so happy we had Ralph train her as she is a wonderful companion.

For our second dog, a German shepherd mix rescue, we trained weekly at the Atlantic Coast K-9 training facility. Our rescue has become a wonderful family member and we learned so much in the process. Ralph's methods are effective.

Ralph is very well versed on training many dog breeds and dog breed owners. He is very patient & knowledgable. We will most certainly use him, if he has availability, to train any future dogs that may become a member of our family.

If I have any questions, I can text Ralph and he answers timely. He is a great resource.

We have had great experiences with Atlantic Coast K-9. Highly recommend!

We want to thank Ralph for his expertise! We enrolled our 22 month old German Shepherd into an 8 week course of Off Leash Training. We loved having training outside! Perfect weather. Although ... there was one surprisingly hot day that Warrior wasn't having it. Even so, he still graduated with A+'s in every category ... except one. AND THAT, my friends, was my fault. Ralph didn't give up on him though, he patiently worked more with him until he did do it perfectly. I love how patient, yet firm he is. After 25 years of working with dogs, in many capacities, he definitely has the skills and knowledge, but I believe, he also has a natural connection. Warrior respected him. He really connects and receives respect. My heart was so happy watching Warrior perform all that he had learned! (Proud Momma) The come command, the one he didn't do perfectly the first time, he really does do well at home, but I think I confused him by working another command back to back with it the last week. (Apparently, incorrectly too) BUT Ralph, was able to get him to understand and do it correctly before we finished! More importantly, he helped me to understand. Warrior, picked all the commands up quickly. I, the owner, not so much. OH! OH! And!, I absolutely LOVE how Ralph teaches the left turn!! Please enroll your pup to see what I mean! Thank you Ralph!

We reached out to Ralph to help train our new dog and from the very beginning, Ralph was always easy to talk to, understanding of any concerns, and always willing to help. We boarded our dog with Ralph for the month long training course, and while we missed our dog, whenever we would have any questions about how he was doing Ralph would respond quickly and thoroughly. When we picked up our dog four weeks later, he had gone from ignoring recalls to attentively and excitedly returning, he now had wonderful focus during his stays, and was walking near perfectly on the leash and off the leash. It was quite the transformation. I would definitely recommend Ralph at Atlantic Coast K-9 Training for anyone looking for dog training. Thanks again!

Ralph with Atlantic Coast K-9 is a great trainer! He is knowledgeable and easy to work with. This is our second time using his services and both times were great! Excellent value and service!

I’ve used Ralph to train two dogs now. The first is a blue tick beagle with a nose and a stubborn streak! The second is a high energy, yellow American Field Lab. His techniques were amazingly effective with both dogs. I loved how he realized what motivated my lab to work and incorporated that into our training. His knowledge and understanding of dog behavior is top notch! I look forward to enrolling my hound in a scent training class with him next spring. Thanks Ralph for helping me train the most well-behaved dogs in the neighborhood!

I took my 5 1/2 month bernedoodle to Mr Ralph for training. It was the best choice for us. I learned as much as my dog! My puppy went from being a little out of control to becoming a delight. She no longer pulls me around the yard or has other bad manners. She is still a puppy with lots of energy, but she is very attuned to my desires. She is becoming the dog of my dreams because Ralph has taught me how to teach her. So worth the cost of the training. I have an obedient, happy puppy. Thanks Ralph!

Ralph and Atlantic Coast K-9 helped our 1 year old pup start to come into his own. At the 1st session of the 5-week program, our dog was submissive, timid, and most of all, lacked confidence. Over the 5 weekly trainings, Ralph both taught our dog, as well as us as owners, the commands and methods to back up those commands. He also gave us tips on how to build more confidence in our dog. By the end of the program, Ralph had taught our dog everything listed in the description of the program, as well as a few extras. Our dog is far more well-behaved, and is truly working on coming into his own thanks to Atlantic Coast K-9. We highly recommend them to any dog owner.

Had Ralph work with my german shepherd, Ralph is very thorough and patient when working with dogs. Ralph will stop and answer questions if you have any. A very friendly and helpful person. I would recommend that if you are looking for a trainer I suggest you contact Ralph

Ralph does a wonderful job with training. I can’t believe the difference with the before/after of my labradoodle Lucy. She went from a “wild child” to an obedient loving baby. I can’t say enough about how pleased I am with her training. I would highly recommend Ralph. Thanks again Ralph!

Ralph was great with training my dog. I signed up for 6 training sessions. My dog was initially aggressive, but Ralph was willing to work around that and gave me good advice for how to handle aggression going forward (at the last session, my dog had warmed up to Ralph and even took a treat from his hand). He had me buy a muzzle, but we ended up not having to use it.

His sessions were effective. He showed me how to do everything using his own dog as a demonstration and corrected any mistakes I was making. I would definitely recommend putting in the time between each training session to practice what he taught you, if you want to make the most out of the training.

Ralph was also flexible about rescheduling or canceling sessions when the weather did not cooperate because the training is outdoors.

We had our Belgium Malinois go through defense training with Ralph. He did a fantastic job! Not only does he know how to maintain and improve the obedience training that she previously had, but he also understood the science of what drives the dogs so that they are able to understand and know what to look for once they’re outside of the training environment. Our dog has gained so much confidence and is certainly prepared to defend us and our home.

We really appreciate Ralph’s time and guidance with our sweet girl. If you looking for a fantastic trainer, look no further!!! Train with Ralph, he’s the best.

We had Ralph train our 8 month old dutch shepard ("Cash")
Ralph did an excellent job, we enjoyed watching him perform his magic with our boy and was amazed at how well Cash listened to his every command! We finished training at the beginning of August 2023 and Cash gets better everyday, couldn't have done it without Ralph! We would highly recommend Atlantic Coast K-9!

My 7 month old German Shepherd just finished the Basic Obiedience Course and I couldn't be happier. Ralph did a fanatic job of meeting Buff where she was at but still holding a high standard of performance. His expertise and experience helped me better understand how my dog thinks and the best way to approach behaviors with her. I really appreciated how each session he would give the rationale behind each technique, model it, then have me practice so I could get feedback and ask questions. I highly recommend Atlantic Coast K-9 Training Services.

We had some issues scheduling but Ralph ensured my dog got the training I paid for and even played with him on the last day, nice guy.

Ralph was great: patient, kind, firm enough for the dog to understand what it had to do but without ever being harsh. My pitbull rescue who used to pull me all over the road now walks on the leash so beautifully that other dog owners point him out to their own dogs as an example of how to behave. Thank you, Ralph! I recommend you to anyone needing help with their dog, no matter the issue.

I’ve got Two European Dobermans and my First one Ralph Trained 3 years ago and he’s Still Doing Great I’m A Disabled Combat Vet In Wheel Chair!
He’s My Service Dog! Then I Got Another One For
Sultans Little Brother Harley, Ralph Trained Him
Too, And He Was Not As Willing To Learn, And Just Laid Down When He Whenever Training Started! A Stubborn Dog X.10 But Ralph Was Very
Patient And Found What Made Him Work!
That’s Amazing He Has Been Doing great now
For A Year Now And Ralph Is The Best Trainer I’ve
Ever Had . I’ve Had Other Dogs Trainers Over The Years From Top Hollywood Movie Trainers. And
Without Question’s Atlantic Coast Dog Trainer
Ralph Is The. Best I’ve Ever Seen! You Should Have
Ralph Training Your Dog ! I Highly Recommend Him!

Honestly it doesn't get much better than Ralph! I grew up with German shepherds all my life and worked with many different trainers over the years. I'm very thankful to have found Ralph!! He is absolutely spot-on when it comes to training!! It's really hard to find this quality of trainer within surrounding areas of Charlottesville. I highly recommend him. Thank you very much Ralph for the wonderful job you have done with Lincoln!! When I take him out into the community people are absolutely marveled at his at his behavior!!