Off Leash K9 Training, Charlottesville

We just brought our 2-year old labradoodle, Timber, home following a 2-week board and train with Lauren. The experience was great for both us and Timber. We really looked forward to receiving a video and several pictures of Timber working each evening, making it easy and exciting to track his progress. We picked up Timber with all of his silliness and personality, but with much better manners and much more willingness to accept commands from us. We knew that the e-collar would be an great tool, but we didn't know how to get started with one on our own. Knowing that he had a positive experience and was introduced to the collar with clear training during his time with Lauren, along with the guidance she gave us when we picked him up made us comfortable and confident that we would be able to continue his training. Lauren was the perfect combination of patience and persistence. Timber is not immediately accepting of everyone and can be quite stubborn, but from just a couple of days in, it was obvious from viewing the videos that he was engaged in the training and having fun. Timber has been home with us for about four days, and his training has transferred over to us seamlessly! We have been out in public, and he remembers (and responds) perfectly. Thank you, Lauren! We are so excited about being able to take Timber with us on our adventures.

Being new to e-collar training, my husband and I were at first skeptical and unsure how it would all go. Our dog had issues with barking at the mailman and delivery drivers along with some very incessant jumping on people. We really wanted to get better control over these behaviors and for him to listen to us better. We thought to give the training a try. The communication from Off Leash was great from the start. They were prompt with matching us with a great trainer, Lauren! She was so patient, kind, and thorough with explaining to us what to expect with the program and the outcomes. She also was so loving to our little man. She gave us such confidence in the program which put us at ease. We loved all the daily report cards, videos and photos! She communicated with us throughout the entire training. When we got him back, we were shocked with how well he listened to us with commands and all the tricks he learned! It was also apparent how happy our dog was being with her which made it less stressful leaving him for so long. Bringing him back home required some adjustments, which was to be expected. So we learned being consistent is key! Lauren has also been in contact with us since and will give tips on any struggles we have. I recommend Lauren whole-heartedly! We are grateful for all she's done! 🙂

Words cannot explain how happy we are with our experience with K9 Off Leash Training and our trainer Malachi! We chose to do the 2 week board and train program for our dog Samson who is a 2 year old Labrador Retriever. The work that Malachi did with him over these two weeks was amazing and Samson is already a different dog! We have gone from an extreme hyper, disobedient dog to one that listens and knows multiple commands! We truly did not know what to expect because we have never sent a dog off for training but I would highly recommend this company any day! And if you’re near the Charlottesville, VA area, request Malachi if you can! He was so kind and provided us with a wonderful update every day so while we missed our dog, we knew he was being well taken care of with his trainer. We would 100% choose to do this over again, thank you Malachi and K9 Off Leash Training!

When I adopted my former foster, Buster, he was a mess. Honestly, he was such a mess the SPCA wasn’t sure what to do with him. A 70 pound boxer mix with all the love but zero understanding of the world. Reactive to the point my neighbors joked I wouldn’t have friends with him and I joked I wouldn’t have enemies. Extremely fearful and reactive. Zero motivation for food/treats/toys. I knew if I didn’t get him help he was either going to get hit by a car or bite and get himself put down. I also knew I didn’t know enough about dogs to get him there.

We did the hybrid board and train with Tyla as his trainer. 4 sessions with a trainer and 2 weeks of board and train. Before hand they taught both me and him basic recall and other skills. Plus they taught me about dog behavior in general. Our sessions we actually got two trainers. He came home and immediately wanted to jump back into his old behaviors but Tyla was always available and encouraged me to hold him to his new standards.

When I say this program saved his life, I’m not exaggerating.

Less than two weeks after returning home another dog broke off their leash and charged at my boy. Tyla and Lauren had taught me what to do as the owner. Buster followed my directions and recalled so well others observing asked who we used for training. Before his board and train it would have been a dog fight that ended in him being put down.

Buster is not a military perfect dog but he’s able to thrive and function. But when I met him 4 months ago he couldn’t stand human touch and now he begs for it. He has an appetite now, he likes toys, and he responds in the house with zero correction. He still has his incredible personality. And because we did the hybrid program we still have sessions with Tyla to work on his fears and needs.

I started this program knowing there was no magic wand for a dog that was abused and neglected to this point but I have a dog that can keep his impulses in check. I can only imagine what this program can do for a dog that hasn’t gone through the struggles Buster has.

Also, the videos, pictures, and report cards everyday were incredible. I watched him fall in love with Tyla day by day while gaining skills which was beautiful.

I was a little nervous about the E Collar at first because my boy is a Service Dog but we've had issues with reactivity in public. But he took to his training 100% better than I imagined. Tyla was so wonderful with him for the 2 week board and train and did things with him I never thought possible given his past history. I also loved how informed she kept me everyday with the pictures videos and reports of his progress and things they were working on. His confidence is up and you can see in his eyes how proud he is of himself for doing such a good job. We've been able to walk around stores without the issues we were having before and now that he's not panicking about what's happening around him he can focus more on me and being the best service dog.

When I reached out to OLK9, it was out of desperation. My youngest dog had started fighting my other dog, walking her meant your shoulder hurt for days, and if you met anyone or anything on that walk... it was miserable and embarrassing. We had reached a point where we were discussing surrendering her to the shelter because she was just too much- an option I was unwilling to consider.
Enter Lauren; an amazingly kind, calm, confident, and patient dog trainer. She took on my Ellie for 2 weeks, and I can't believe what a difference it has made! She taught my dog how to be a calm, confident dog. She walks SO beautifully on the leash, she doesn't lose her mind at other dogs she sees on walks anymore. She listens to her commands, and can hold them for long periods of time.
OLK9 doesn't just teach your dogs obedience, they teach your dogs how to be the best version of themselves, and they give YOU, the human, faith in your canine companion. It's worth every single penny to see your dog learn and grow, while giving you peace of mind, and a coexistence full of love and happiness rather than fear and anxiety.
*All these photos were from my nightly report cards while Ellie was gone, another part I loved and looked forward too*

My 6mo Moose just came home from a 2-week board and train with Tyla and I am beyond impressed. Her professionalism and dedication to keeping me informed of his progress and wellbeing was evident and made me feel so confident knowing he was not only learning, but clearly also having an amazing time. I am constantly complimented of how well behaved he is and I could not be more grateful for Tyla and OTL!!!

Lauren with OLK9 Charlottesville changed our family's life! Macy, our pup, is a rescue with a dark past. She was a ball of anxiety. Some of the challenges we experienced included: bolting for home when something scared her outside, reacting when we spoke to our passed other people and dogs on walks, and attempting to bite us when we went to leave the house. She couldn't stand the thought of us leaving her. After two weeks with Lauren, Macy no longer fears or worries. She relies on her humans to guide her and keep her safe. We have confidentially been able to maintain her commands (Come, Sit, Down, Heel, Place, Load, and Look) after her transition home. She no longer spooks on walks and allows us to leave home without incident. We KNOW we will be repeat customers with Lauren when the time comes!

We just finished up with our 2 week board and train for our Boxer Leia. Our trainer was Lauren and she was AMAZING!!! We could see that she genuinely cared for our dog and loves what she does. Everyday she sent us very detailed reports, lots of pictures, and videos. Our girl was spoiled rotten while she was going through training, and we are so impressed with everything Leia has accomplished thus far. Lauren was very responsive to any questions we have had and assured us that she is always available for any questions or guidance that is needed in the future. Leia is truly a smart dog and thanks to Lauren and Off Leash K9, we now have the tools and knowledge we need to help her with obedience and anxiety issues.

We just finished the 2-week board and train program with our German Shepherd, Beau, and couldn't be more excited to start working with him on all the lessons learned from the program. Tyla, the trainer assigned with Beau, was absolutely fantastic. The effort and attention that went into each day's training activities and the daily report card exceeded all expectations that we had for daily engagement and progress reports. The handoff at the end was extremely informative and Tyla's top priority was to ensure we were prepared to be successful with Beau moving forward. I highly recommend Off Leash training no matter what breed you have for a well-balanced, obedient, and the best mannered dog in the entire place!

I have to start saying that Chopin was an impossible dog. He saw 2 trainers before and they were not change at all. I also have to say that I got very bad experiences with trainers that hit my dog and I could tell. My dog look thinner and very sad. But that wasn’t the case with Eric from Off Leash K9 training. Eric was very comprehensive of all Chopin’s needs. When I picked up Chopin from this training. He was a complete different dog. I can tell he wasn’t feeling anxious anymore. He was happy. He was even bigger 🤣 Chopin is still working with me but all the training with Eric was incredible. He gave him all the skills he needed to be successful in life.

We couldn’t have asked for a greater experience. We picked up our dog, who we thought was untrainable, from Jacob (who had trained our dog over the past two weeks) and couldn’t be happier. What a kind person who genuinely cares about, not only the job of training our dog, but for how much care and effort he put in everyday. It’s more than just a board and train program. We get a report card that had updated us daily, with video, pics, detailed paragraphs of the day, and updates on how he’s been eating, weight, etc. on top of that we took our dog home today and he’s a BRAND new dog. What an experience and if you’re struggling with your dog I couldn’t point you to anyone better. Such a great person/company to work with. Grateful for all of the hard work!!!

We were able to send our lab Mack to Off Leash training a few weeks ago. Mack is a 6 month old pup that is wild and full of energy! He spent two weeks with Ginny from off leash and the results have just been tremendous. He came back a completely different dog. We are able to let him run freely outside without the fear of him running off! He likes to take walks and also do his favorite “place” wherever we tell him. Ginny was absolutely fantastic throughout the whole process. We received daily updates with pictures and videos of Mack’s progress. We highly recommend this to anyone looking for getting their dog trained! You will not regret it at all!

I had to leave a review because I really want everyone to know that this has been the best experience.If you feel the way I do and that your pet is like family not only will your dog be safer but so will your family. My Gracie came home excited to see me but also trained to a tee. I had the trainer Lauren and I could tell she really cared for Grace. My daughter was worried that she was getting too close but I reassured her that this is what she wanted in a trainer. Someone who cares thanks k9 off leash training and thanks again to Lauren

Our Trainer, Tyla, was amazing! She always responded to any questions we had during the 2 week board and train. We felt our dogs were safe and loved. The results are life changing for our family. The dogs can now go anywhere with us and we are so grateful for that! We highly recommend K-9 Off Leash Training.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND!! I had an unruly, hard headed WILD 120lb Italian Mastiff/Cane Corso who we could not control at all! She just dragged me around to the point where I couldn’t walk her anymore and she destroyed my house. Our trainer was Lauren, and she did an exceptional job! She is the BEST! Gave me daily updates with videos and photos ! My Zuri is now calm and well behaved ! She follows all her commands she learnt and she is a different dog completely! I can take her anywhere now, and even off leash ! And she can be free in my home at any time ! It’s been so amazing ! Also, everyone was great at the company and super helpful !! I will always use and recommend them in the future !! Truly a great experience !!

I'm very impressed with the quality of this program. Lauren was our trainer and she did an exception job with our one-year old border collie. And I mean exceptional. Not only is she a excellent dog trainer, she provided us with great customer service. Our dog took part of the two week board and train program. He was very rambunctious and wanted to herd everything being a border collie. She taught him to focus and obey commands - come, sit, down, stay in place and understanding borders. She answered all our questions and stands to help us in the future. I recommend Lauren unequivocally!!

Our one year old golden retrievers, Puck and Ruth, spent two weeks with trainer Ginny. They came home to us as different dogs. They no longer jump on us, they don’t pull on our walks (prior to this our 85 lb Ruth was easily able to knock me down on walks) and they don’t try to snatch food off of counters when I step away. We’ve been able to take all of the baby gates down which were strategically placed throughout the house. They also had FUN! Ginny was responsive throughout the entire process and updated us daily with reports, pictures and videos. I highly recommend K9 Off Leash and more specifically, Ginny!!

We recently sent our two labs (one was 5 months old and the other was just under 2 years old) to Off Leash K9 Training and they spent 2 weeks with Ginny. The results have been amazing! During the process, Ginny would send daily updates with detailed descriptions of what the dogs learned and would post so many pictures. During training and now she is so responsive to any questions we have. This has been sooo helpful!

Our 2 year old lab has been through training before (not board and train but various programs) but we had trouble having it stick (especially as she is not very food motivated and most of the previous training was treat-based). She definitely came back a different dog. We are so pleased with her impulse control (no longer jumping on us or strangers) and her walking is night and day - it used to be stressful to walk her because no matter what we did or what equipment we used she pulled like crazy. She also has always struggled with the command "come" and she listens SO well now. Both of the dogs listen so well now, which makes it so much easier to walk them, go to a winery or anywhere in public, and also if a visitor comes to the house it is not straight chaos.

Right after training we spent a week with 5 dogs total at a lake and they were so responsive, even with all of the distractions! Last summer our 2 year old lab did not listen to us and this was scary at times. Her behavior was 100% night and day, my family even commented on how good she was (and how good they both were - that training really worked so well for them). This was so important to us for safety reasons, we wanted our dogs to listen so that they could explore and swim off leash.

We are so happy we chose Off Leash K9 and are so happy we were paired with Ginny!

I have two dogs with anxiety, reactivity, and issues with resource guarding. Between the two of them and their different issues, I was having extreme difficulty keeping peace in the house and was at the point that I thought I may have to find a new home for one of my babies - something I definitely did not want to do. As a second to last resort - and admittedly expensive - I opted to do a 3 week board and train for both of them.

Shawn was amazing with them. He sent me fantastic pics and videos while he had them, and updates on progress. The fact that he had them walking off leash and neither were running off, was astounding to me. I haven't tried that - yet - but when the weather is better we are going to continue leash training on some hikes. And maybe now I won't have to pull them off trail every time we pass another person.

At home, I've been reinforcing the training - yes with an e-collar - and in situations that were previously completely out of control, I have control of them now and they listen to the commands amazingly well - sometimes better than others depending on their excitement level. I know this is all in my hands now, but I feel like I have the tools to continue and reinforce their training AND I know Shawn is just a phone call or text away if I have questions (and I have had them!)

In short (ha!), highly recommend!