Dog Training Reviews

When Willow was a few months old, I knew she was a smart girl. But she needed more training than I was able to provide. I began to seek out trainers that would provide a one-on-one training environment. I was looking for help targeted towards Willow’s insecure barking and reactivity towards people and dogs … this search landed us in the hands of Ralf Weber from Happy Dog Training.

I’m amazed at the progress both Willow and I made during our 15 sessions. She went from reacting and checking out to either no reaction or reacting and then checking in for further direction. Oh, the magic of the ‘ah-ah’!

Ralf’s methods are simple and clear, focusing on timing and direction using verbal markers. This speaks to me as a horse person who trains horses using natural horsemanship methods. If natural dogmanship is a thing, Ralf has it!

Willow and I still have work to do, but I feel fully equipped with the knowledge and tools to continue her progress.

— Angela A.

Ralf provided instrumental guidance for my sibling rescues, Stella and Remy. I adopted a brother and sister Shepard mix. After their first year, they developed problems with strangers and other dogs. Stella and Remy were biting and showed general fear. I desperately turned to Ralf for help.

I was relieved by his total confidence and non-judgemental demeanor in responding to me. Our initial meet and greet to analyze the dogs was very pleasant. I am always amazed by his approach. His ease with a fearful dog and redirecting the energy is such a wonderful model.

He uses positive training techniques and doesn’t shame or confuse clients during sessions. During the session, all adjustments for me or the dogs were always provided in a calm manner. He will show you how to approach situations with sensible, sound instructions. Remy and Stella made remarkable improvements, I am so pleased!

This is a truly professional training company; I highly recommend Happy Dog Training!

— Jeni R.

After attending a group obedience class with my 6-month-old Weimaraner, Linus, I realized he needed more one-on-one attention. I found Ralf through his Doggie Social Club (which I highly recommend!). I hired him as soon as I saw how quickly Linus responded to him. After just one session with Ralf, I noticed a dramatic change in Linus.

Ralf reinforced the importance of using markers and rewards. Through this method, Linus learned a new behavior at every session. Using an Operant Conditioning approach, Ralf helped Linus improve his loose-leash walking. He helped him become more confident around children and other dogs. And taught him to keep his focus on me when distractions were present.

Ralf’s vast knowledge of a dog’s psyche and how it thinks brought a high level of training to each session. The “homework” he gave was manageable and immediately effective when working with Linus on my own. It truly made a difference in Linus’s success!

I highly recommend Ralf for all levels of training needs. He gets to know your dog (and you) and helps you really understand the methods you use to train your dog and why they are effective. Ralf does this with experience, professionalism and a great sense of humor! “Ralf days” were one of Linus’s favorite days of the week!

— Donna R.

Our black, eight-month-old German Shepherd Luna was very hard to control. She was constantly spinning after her tail ripping off fur, and would even break the skin and bleed. We took her to the vet, and they said we would probably going to have to amputate her tail. This was unacceptable, and we quickly realized we needed to explore other options. We hired another trainer before we went to Happy Dog Training. But after two sessions with the other trainer, we quickly realized that Luna’s problems were beyond a normal trainer.

Ralf from Happy Dog Training came recommended by other trainers as the go-to for behavioral issues. So after our first failed attempt, we consulted with Ralf. From JUST the consultation, we already started to see progress with Luna and managed to start breaking our dog’s spinning actions. Throughout our sessions, Ralf not only helped us break Luna’s obsessive spinning. He also helped us manage her anxiety around other dogs. Now she is a very well-adjusted dog with a beautiful tail she proudly wags around everywhere. Ralf is extremely knowledgeable and professional with the way he handles our fur children. I can’t express how much help Ralf has been to us, and we are forever in his debt. Ralf is a sure bet. You won’t need anyone else!

— Danny and Jessica